Chương 1517: [1426] – Y06.326 – Troublesome Children I

"Lanarot, I wanted to claim her as my daughter, but now she is our sister, since our brother tried to steal her from me," Adam whispered, pouting slightly, though he kept a keen eye on his sister.

"Brother does not steal," Lanarot replied, her brows shifting like a pair of blades ready to cut him down, for even if he was her brother, he was her brother, and he was an Iyrman.

"Indeed, for your mother is so wise, so he could not steal," Adam confirmed, smiling slightly, for the girl was corrupted by the Iyr, but she was also corrupted by this fool she called her brother. Lanarot blinked, allowing the half elf his peace, while her head snapped back to the thick blue babe who lay against Ashmir's chest, staring out towards the world, and then towards her, their eyes meeting.

"She is my sister?"

"She is."

"Okay," Lanarot said, waddling her way to her sister, reaching out her arms to hug the girl. The toddler smiled at her and let the girl hug her, but Ashmir made sure to hold onto the chonky blue girl. Since Sonarot had said she was going to adopt Amal, there was nothing else he needed to do, for the girl would only know great success for the rest of her days, and he could go see Sully without a shred of guilt.

"Of course she is my granddaughter, since she is built well," the Mad Dog declared, grinning like a beast.

"Babo, you cannot corrupt her!" Jirot said, holding up her hand as though to stop a dog in its tracks, the girl realising just how dangerous this had become for little Amal.

"Corrupt her? How will I corrupt her?" Jarot asked, his brows raised in shock.

"Babo, you know what you know, and I know what I know," the girl said, protecting her aunt, narrowing her eyes towards her greatfather. She stood tall and proud, as the elder sister of little Jarot, who was named after her greatfather, and it was she, Jirot, who knew how to watch over them the best.

"When you were so small, you would cry within my arms, but now you are fighting even this greatfather of yours?"

"It is not a fight, it is a slaughter, since you cannot defeat me," the girl said, causing the old man to fall into a Rage in order to stop himself from alarming the youngest around.

'You are your sister's sister!' Jarot thought, the memories of Konarot daring to bite him flashed through his mind.

'The Mad Dog,' Tanika thought, noting the lack of his arm and leg, and even though the old man seemed half dying, he held a sharpness about himself, and an oppressive aura of death. She understood the inferno of the Mad Dog had long faded, but what remained were not simple embers.

"Since she is built well, she must be my daughter," Lavgak joked, her eyes falling to Kavgak and Maygak, each of whom were, as Adam described, chonky.

"How dare you covet my granddaughter!" Jarot snarled towards his niece, narrowing his eyes towards her, but that his first mistake.

"Babo!" Jirot held up her hand, as though trying to get him to stay. The girl sighed, and seeing the old man had calmed, shuffled back to her mother. Her eyes fell upon Amal, who was so chonky, just like her aunts, as Lavgak had joked. The girl reached up to her mother's hand, holding it gently within her own. Vonda smiled, feeling her tiny hand within her own, and the thoughts upon the girl's face tempered from worry to understanding.

"Mummy, she is so pretty, but she must be kako," the girl whispered.

"She does not have dahddy's ears."

"Perhaps they are mummy's ears?"

"Mummy, you are always hiding your ears, so I cannot know," the girl joked, shrugging her shoulders. Vonda smiled wide, for her daughter was far too witty to deal with. The woman leaned down to kiss her daughter's ear gently, feeling its leaf shape against her cheek.

"Even if her ears were different, you would still watch over her, yes?"

"Of coas, mummy, of coas." Jirot nuzzled into her mother's cheek and wrapped her arms around her neck, for of coas, Jirot was Jirot, after all. Adam held onto his son within his lap, the boy glancing up towards him, staring at his face, finding his father staring back at him the entire time too. Xarot smiled, hiding his head into his father's chest for a moment, before looking back up to his father's face once more, the boy hiding his face behind his hands, then out of his hands to see his father once more.

"You have to listen to the tale too, you silly boy," Adam whispered, leaning down to rub his cheek against his son's, feeling the boy's warm cheek against his own. Little Xarot beamed, a bundle of joy within his father's arms, his gleaming eyes full of adoration. The half elf ignored most of the tale, brushing along his son's hair, tucking it behind his ear, while the boy sucked on his dummy, smiling and giggling as his father gave him so much attention, making up for the months he had disappeared.

Xarot reached up to hold onto his father's finger, as though claiming it for himself, and to make sure he wouldn't disappear again, this boy whose eyes gleamed so brightly. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Adam carried the boy away to clean his clothy, poking the boy's belly, and as the boy reached down, he quickly clasped the boy's wrists.

"You think you're slick, huh? I'll have you know, I used to change Jirot's clothy all the time." The half elf then dodged to the side, pausing a moment.

"I'd rather dodge when I think you're going to pee rather than not."

"Oo!" The boy replied as his father dodged once more, seeing if his son was trying to double bluff him, but after a moment he returned. The half elf used his magic to clean his son, applying the various lotions to the boy's bottom, wrapping the clothy around his waist, before massaging the boy with the lotions all over.

"You've grown so big, huh?" Adam said, looking down at his son, who lay there, so defenceless he was, so sweet, so innocent, too innocent for this world. The half elf smiled, leaning down to nuzzle his son, pulling away quickly, gasping, causing his boy to smile even wider, doing so again and again, making Xarot squeal with delight.

"I'm sorry, Xa. I should have… I should have come back quicker. I should have been here for your first birthday, this fool of a father..." Adam's heart ached further, for it was a great regret, especially after his great failure last year.

"I know Jirot and Jarot weren't there either, but they had good reason, but this fool of a father of yours? This father of yours is a fool!"

"Boo!" Xarot replied, cackling with delight, his eyes narrowing slightly as the boy reached up towards his father once more.

"Yeah. I will." Adam smiled, leaning in to kiss his son's cheek, allowing his boy to kiss his cheek in return. Adam held the boy, the bundle of joy, close to his chest, walking out with him to the crisp evening air. The half elf glanced back, towards the toilets nearby, those with two sets of lids, the kind for the children, and the kind for the two who were much smaller.

His eyes then darted out towards a nearby Iyrman, who waved a hand and smiled towards the baby boy, for even if they didn't meet the boy, they knew who he was, such was the Iyr.

'…' Once Adam returned he found another child was ready for changing, for the world loved to bully him so, not that he minded.

"I'll take her," Adam said.

"I'm sorry to bother you," Pam replied, smiling awkwardly, holding onto her round stomach.

"Why are you sorry? What's wrong with a father wanting to clean his daughter?" Adam replied.

"She is my daughter," Jurot said, and without missing a beat, returned back to the tale.

"You hear that, Monarot? First Amal, now you…" Adam planted a gentle kiss on the girl's forehead, carrying her away to clean her up too. He used his magic to clean her up, applying lotions all over her, speaking so affectionately to her. He took her within his sights too, for the girl, with the lack of her leaf shaped ears, was so adorable and chonky, so that must be why she was his daughter?

"What?" Adam asked, raising a brow towards the girl. Monarot stared up at the half elf, her chubby cheeks forming a small frown, the girl's tiny hands forming two fists, not to fight, but in disappointment.

"I'm sorry, my dear," Adam whispered.

"I'm sorry."

"…"

"I know." Adam lifted the girl up, planting a kiss onto her cheek, holding the girl's gaze for a long moment, until she finally turned to look away.

"Mama…" Adam gasped, his heart skipping a beat, holding the girl up in sheer surprise.

"Did you say mama?"

"Mama…" Then Adam realised how old she was…

"Okay, let's go back to mama." Adam smiled, the girl swaying slightly as he walked back to the estate.

"Monarot?" The girl turned her head quickly upon hearing her name, blinking once, holding the half elf's gaze.

"Since you're my daughter, you need to bully me a little more, right?" The girl blinked, turning her head once more, pointing out to the world.

"Mama." Zabir's brows were furrowed, his lower jaw covered by his hands, listening intently to the tale, though he was mostly thinking about the first half of the tale, the tale which he had only heard bits and pieces. The Iyrmen were not shy speaking of the real tale now that they were within the Iyr, revealing far more than they had while on the road. Slowly his eyes fell onto the half elf, who glanced away in pain, surrendering Monarot to his brother, while plucking his son from his wife's arms.

It wasn't long until they finally arrived too, along with a particular red skinned child, who wore no horns atop his head. Instead of causing trouble as one particular fool of a greatfather had, the pair ruffled their hair, pausing the story for a moment, before settling themselves nearby.

"Did you trouble your greatmothers?" Adam asked, to his son, who acted very much like his daughters. Once the tale was spoken, the Iyrmen quickly made their way towards the various guests, wishing to speak with them as they ate, allowing Adam a chance to greet the rest of his family.

"Grandmother, I brought you a sword," Adam called, holding both of Gangak's hands for a moment.

"It's not exactly a sword that you typically use, but I hope you like it."

"I am sure it is a good blade," Gangak replied. She noted the shape within the scarf, and as she reached for it, Laygak distracted her.

"Grandaunt, the smith also wished to pass on a letter, and a small gift," Laygak said. Gangak accepted the letter, opening it with the firesteel dagger, her eyes scanning the words within. She smiled, folding the letter and slipping it into her robes.

"What a fine dagger it is, and… what a fine blade my grandson has bought me."

"I tried to buy something acceptable for you," the half elf replied, flushing slightly, though quickly retreating to his other grandmother, holding her hands too.

"This unfilial grandson of yours didn't bring back a nice staff for you, but that's only because there was nothing good enough for you."

"I am certain," Mulrot replied, with a raised brow, but her lips formed a gentle smile.

"You did well to return home safely."

"When you listen to the tale from Jurot later, you'll understand it was more impressive," Adam said.

"You caused so much trouble?"

"Since he is my grandson, he must," Jarot stated, having missed some of the story, but he had heard the trouble he had caused such legendary names.

"Daddy is his daughter's father," Jirot agreed.