Chương 1539: [1448] – Y06.348 – The Future III

Mokan cuddled up with his granduncle who had revealed a second sack full of gifts for the boy, no doubt hiding away a second and third for the other children. Inakan let out a soft sigh, wanting to cuddle with Mokan too, but she decided to surrender her younger brother to her granduncle, just this once.

'I am a big girl now,' the five year old thought, clasping her hands behind her back. Her younger brother, who turned four, was still a little boy, so needed the affection of her granduncle.

'Of course.' However, as one might have expected, another old monster appeared, a familiar face. Older, with short hair freshly trimmed, greyed with time, his forehead holding a similar tattoo, similar to the Kan's, but he was no Kan. Murot looked up towards the old man, then to the boy to his side, who he was so close to.

Even Shagek couldn't dare to ask Murot to step away, since his grandfather was currently dealing with demons within his heart, but since they were so close anyway, the Silver Sword of the Wastes allowed the pair to sit beside him. The next day Yenaool and Rajin also appeared, bringing with them the gifts from their families, as well as a particular set of children.

"Rowajin!" Adam gasped, though he noted the appearance of the other Jin children too, the half elf immediately spoiling them with his affection.

"Oh! I haven't seen you in so long, my Rowajin!"

"Are they your grandchildren or his?" Yenaool teased, causing the old Bearded Dragon to glance her way for a moment, but he remained silent, for he was the Bearded Dragon. The birthdays continued, the half elf handing over silver tokens to the children, adoring them with gentle hugs, playing with them during the days, but also allowing others to play with the children, for his heart was so vast.

The half elf made sure to threaten Tanagek and Chosen appropriate, as Shasen brought Chisen and Chasen to the Front Iyr too, who the half elf spoiled from afar, then nearer, for they were his niece and nephew too. The old Jarot held Adam within his gaze for a long while, and as the half elf continued to spoil the children, his heart eased slightly. The half elf's heavy shoulders had lightened slightly, and though the darkness continued to cling to him, he was not quite as drowned by despair.

"Kaza, ock, cousin Vonda," Inakan called, holding up a small package of bread for the woman.

"You have to share with kaza, ock, cousin Adam too, okay, okay?"

"Okay," Vonda promised, reaching down to brush her cheek gently, the girl smiling brightly in return. Adam continued to work only for an hour or so each day, for his heart was still restless. He made sure to spend time with his children daily too, from joining them on their training, to reading to them, to dealing with their nightly routine too. Konarot looked up to her father, feeling the softness of his hand, the light callouses which had emerged, working hard against his half fae heritage.

This was her father, so strong, and so soft. Kirot enjoyed feeding her father, who ate so well from her spoon, what a good boy, she thought. Yes, her father always ate well, and always ate well whenever she fed him. Karot handed the red stylus to his father, smiling so brightly as his father revealed his sunset, while the boy drew his own sunrise. Jirot would sit on his lap, reading sat on his lap, reading the tale to him, Jarot nestled up against his chest, the boy's eyes slowly closing.

Jirot would read to her father in the evening, to her siblings and her mother too, but she settled on his lap as she read, her twin brother sitting beside her too. Jarot cooked with his father, eating bits and pieces of the meals they ate, but they also went for walks, along with his sister. Larot…

Larot sat patiently as his siblings read their tales, all the while Jazool sat beside him, also listening carefully to the tales, for the boy, he liked to be alone, but tolerated the others imposing themselves into his life. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Virot remained upon her mother's lap, but she enjoyed when her father fed her fruit, forgetting to cause her father trouble.

Xarot was the most eager, always laughing, giggling, smiling, and sometimes, whenever his father would change his clothy, he would remind his father he was the younger brother of the menaces known as Jirot and Virot.

'Tricks is so useful,' Adam thought, not for the first time, and not for the last, and sometimes when he thought he was safe, twice within a minute.

"Dada!" Xarot called, reaching out his hands.

"Even if you do bully me, I know you love me," Adam replied, nuzzling his son's nose, the boy's warm cheek pressing against his father, breath tickling his leaf shaped ears. Vonda noted her son had definitely bullied his father terribly that evening, but what could they do but forgive him, especially as the boy reached out for his mother, wrapping his arms around her neck, standing on her lap.

"Mama! Mama!" The boy squealed, clutching at her collar, staring up at her face as though it was the first time he had ever seen her.

"Xarot…" Vonda replied, causing the boy to howl in laughter, giggling and cackling. As the days passed, the half elf spent a short while every evening considering the children, who had grown up far too quickly. He looked down at his hands, seeing the ghost of the pear sized green babies he once held within his hands. He brought the babies to his chest, the memory of their weight disappearing, the tightness in his chest causing him to wince.

As the birthdays neared their end, Adam complained, lifting up the toddler, who blinked down towards him. Beautiful red skin, like fresh blood, tiny horns, her pearly white teeth in a gentle smile of delight, the girl snickering towards her ahm.

"Ranya! How could you do this to me? How could they do this to you? Why did they not send anyone to you when they sent everyone else here?" Adam complained, planting a kiss on her forehead.

"It's okay if the Iyr doesn't send any one, I'm here, aren't I?"

"Ahm!" Ranya reached out a hand and poked his nose, the girl cackling lightly. As he spoke, a particular dark skinned fellow, old, though he barely looked it, muscular, wearing a spear on his back just so happened to visit, as he had now and again for the childrens' birthdays, but this time it was also Ranya's birthday. Kavgak, Tavgak, Gurot, Danagek, and Ranya each shared the same birthday, the children enjoying their day together.

Dunes had dressed Ranya in the loose clothing found in Aswadasad, wrapped her head in a scarf, and Amira had painted a pattern across the girl's forehead and across her cheeks, also applying dye across her hands and arms. They had both fashioned their daughter while the youngest bullied Adam.

Tonagek almost threatened his son, only to step back after Adam had done so, while Danagek sat beside Gurot, though eventually the two found themselves dressed like little Shens, with the half elf unable to help himself, placing the turbans on their heads.

"Kaza Adam, it is so big," Danagek said, holding the sides of his turban.

"It's meant to be that big, and look at our Danagek, who is so strong!" Adam pinched the boy's cheeks gently, causing him to smile wide, for yes, he was such a strong boy, he was five!

'The five…' Tonagek thought, glancing between the children. It was the meeting of quite a group, for the expectations upon their shoulders were great, though none of the children knew it. He supposed the expectation across every child's shoulders was great. Amal looked up towards Sonarot, who would feed her, change her, and would even sleep with the girl. She glanced aside towards the other girl, Lanarot, who would always spoon food into her mouth, and would shower her in affection.

She then looked to Adam, smiling towards him, as the half elf tickled her nose.

"What's this? Did you miss me, Amal?"

"Dam!"

"You're too young to be cursing, you silly girl," Adam said, lifting Amal up, blowing raspberries into her neck. Amal had grown a little bigger, much heavier within his strong arms. At first it had been awkward, for the girl didn't understand what was going on, but with Adam and Ashmir, as well as all the other familiar faces around she had become used to, she slowly grew more familiar with the Iyrmen around her, especially the woman who would breastfeed her and change her clothy.

However, she had been abandoned like this before, twice this year. Except, even if others had abandoned her, Adam had remained, with such tender affection. Lanarot blinked up towards her elder brother. She then looked towards her nieces and nephews, each of whom held the same leaf shaped ears.

"Mother," Lanarot called later in the evening.

"Brother Adam has ears like leaves. My nieces and nephews, not Damrot and my nieces, Konarot and my nieces and nephews, they have the same ears, but I do not see the ears?"

"Adam is a half elf, who possesses fae blood, and his children have inherited such from their father, though they are Iyrmen. You have inherited ears from myself and your father."

"When will father return, mother?" Lanarot asked.

"I do not know."

"I hope it is soon, because he must spoil Amal," the girl said, huffing.

'Father, you are so silly.'