Chương 1543: [1452] – Y06.352 – The Future VII

"Jirot, Jarot, come," Vonda whispered, causing her twins to rush up to her instantly, the pair climbing up onto their mother's lap, while her youngest daughter and her nephew followed after the pair.

"Yes, mummy, I am here," Jirot whispered, standing beside her mother, holding her head, tickling her mother's ears with her breath. Little Jarot held his mother's arms, which were also quite thick, not quite as solid as his father's, but still holding a great strength to match so many other figures within the Iyr. This was his mother. These were the arms which held him so tenderly. The boy's cheeks flushed with warmth as he pressed his face against her shoulder, listening intently to her words.

"Your father's heart is still wounded, so you must be patient, and you must only bully him lightly," Vonda whispered, mostly speaking to one of the twins, planting a kiss on her forehead.

"Dahddy's heart is hurting?" Jirot asked, her brows furrowed lightly, the girl's expression as though she had been slapped in the face.

"It is, so you must be patient with daddy, okay?"

"Oh!" Jirot replied, her voice growing slightly higher, her eyes scanning across her mother's face in rapid thought, blinking repeatedly.

"Okay, mummy, I can stop it, I can stop it, and I can help daddy's heart."

"You must not speak of it, for his heart will ache further if you speak of it, for your father wishes to keep all the burden on his shoulders," Vonda said, brushing her cheek sweetly, all the while the girl remained staring at her, her amber eyes almost vacant as the girl's mind turned blank.

"Okay, mummy, okay," the girl assured.

"Virot, you can bully your father a little, but not too much," Vonda said.

"Mummy!" Virot complained, tilting her cheek slightly, until her mother kissed it, the girl flushing lightly, smirking playfully.

"Mummy, it is difficult to tell Virot…" Jirot admitted.

"I know, it is fine, since Virot is… Virot."

"You can say that again," Jirot whispered, running a hand through her hair, as though she had already exhausted all options with her little sister, having tried nothing at all. As Adam began to leave, a pair of footsteps stormed towards him.

"Dahddy! Where do you think you are going, mister?" Jirot asked, tilting her head to the side.

"I have to go to work my dear, just for a little," Adam replied, almost nervously.

"Oh! You think you can go without giving me a kiss? Oh? You are a big man now, dahddy? You think because you beat up so many Fariqi, you can leave without giving me a kiss?" Jirot huffed, turning to the side slightly.

"Oh I guess so?" Adam blinked, certain he had peppered her with countless kisses already, but since his daughter wanted his affection, he scooped his twins up and kissed them both.

"Sorry, my dear, it's all my fault."

"Do you know why I forgive you?" Jirot asked.

"It's because I'm so handsome?"

"Silly dahddy! It is because I love you so much!" The girl leaned in to kiss her father's cheek.

"How can you forget?"

"Ah, of course."

"Of coas."

"What about you, Jarot?"

"I love you too, daddy," little Jarot whispered, kissing his father's ear lightly. Adam's heart sang as he stormed off, ready to fight the world. Starsword? Let him come! Jirot turned towards her mother, blinking towards her.

"Mummy…" This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

"…"

"It is more difficult than expected," Jirot admitted, for bullying her father came to her as naturally as breathing.

"This is fine too, my dear."

"I will try, mummy, I will try," Jirot promised, reaching up to hold her head, trying to figure out how she could stop bullying her father, but she shook her head, as though she had already exhausted all options with her father, having tried nothing at all. The rain fell gently across the land, for it was duskval. The flooding had already receded, the river farms across the land fertile once more, the young farmers planting their nightval crops, while dozens of villagers remained alert on the walls.

One figure, technically a villager, technically not, swung his axe violently in front of him, facing against imaginary foes. His muscles ached, his clothing wet with the sweat of effort, and the force of nature that was duskval, his heart pounded heavily within his chest. It was this ache which comforted him for the last few years, for he had already felt it, the ache which allowed him to stand among great warriors.

'Weak,' Nobby thought, staring down at his hand, the callouses almost grey under his shadow.

"How was your training?" Merl asked, the young man returning to his wife, who sat to one side, still nursing a very pregnant belly.

"Good," Nobby replied, beginning to strip down, needing to take his clothing to the nearby river to wash up, the young man's body needing neither cloth, leather, nor steel to protect it from the likes of a blade, for he learned the way of the Rot family, the same Rot family which produced a monster by the name of the Mad Dog, and the monster known as The Savage. However, he was neither the Mad Dog, nor The Savage, he was Nobby.

"Am I interrupting something?" came the voice from the doorway, noting the physique of the young man, who had been trained so well.

'Jesus! What are they feeding this kid?'

"Nothing at all," Merl assured, smiling toward the half elf, who leaned over and almost reached out for Nobby's shoulder, but stopped.

"Once you become a Master, you'll probably be able to clash against the likes of the Grand Commanders," Adam said, admiring Nobby's physique for a moment, his muscles far thicker than Jurot's, for the fellow was taller than Adam by a finger, and wider by two.

"I shall pray to the Mother he will never have to," Merl replied. Adam leaned in towards Nobby, speaking in a loud whisper so Merl could hear.

"I'll be sure to pray that you can so you can show off to Merry." Nobby let out a gentle huff, his cheeks flushing slightly, though the memories of what had happened earlier that year flashed within his mind. If he had been a Master, could he have defeated the Reaver? He had heard even the likes of Marshal Stonesword could not, so how could he?

"I came here to tell Nobby, you punk, how could you worry your parents like this?" Adam grumbled.

"They wanted to see your face and it's been almost a month! Why didn't you go visit?"

"…" Adam reached into his cloak, revealing one of the silver plaques of the business.

"For my number one enforcer, who worries his parents too much. I also brought a dagger for you, it's part of a gift we've given to all businessfolk, made of a precious… gemsteel isn't the right word."

"Thank you, mister boss."

"I also brought a gift for little Merry, but I assume he's sleeping, that cute little punk, but I'll forgive him, since he's so cute," Adam said, revealing a second silver plaque, placing it beside Merl. Merl blinked, at first thinking about what she knew about the plaques of the business, only to then realise she was thinking about the bronze plaques. Silver plaques, weren't they for the likes of Greater weapons and such?

"This is too much of a gift," Merl said.

"The silver plaque isn't the real gift," Adam said, waving his hand dismissively.

"The real gift is for you and Merry to think of a magical weapon together once he's older."

"It is too much."

"I've also brought over a group of warriors who are a little antsy to fight, I'm not sure you've heard of them, they once went by the name of-," Adam paused, only to recall they had probably met a few times already.

"You know, Vasera and them, they're going to remain here and assist." Merl let out a long sigh, for though she could fight against Adam, it was currently difficult when she was so focused on having such a healthy birth. It had been a little while, and recently, she would certainly give birth. Adam must have known, so was this gift not just for Merry, but for her next child too?

"Nobby, I have something I need to discuss with you," Adam said, motioning his head to the side, though as he did, a toddler waddled his way in, glancing up towards his father, the boy smiling, rushing up to him, only to be picked up by a familiarly handsome face.

"Merry, my boy! Look at you, look at you, I love your hat!" The boy smiled, though glanced aside to his father, reaching out to him. Nobby put on a shirt and plucked the boy from Adam's arms, fixing the boy's hat slightly on his head, his son now well rested from all the attention he had received in the morning. Adam beamed at the boy who was growing so well, even if he was a little smaller than his peers. The boy stared up at his father, as if the rest of the world did not exist.

Adam then decided against teasing the young man.

"Happy birthday, Nobby, Merry," Adam said, half saluting the pair.

"I'll see you later." The half elf stepped out, raising his brows towards the trio of figures in the corner, and allowed them to enter at their own time to bully Nobby. The half elf did his best to keep his eyes on the ground.

'I hope they say yes,' Adam thought.

"Nobby!" Annie called, hugging her son, inhaling deeply, only to smell the gentle smell of sweat and rain, pulling back lightly.

"Nobby," Ted called, feeling the graveness emanate from his son, though was unsure as to why.

"Nobby!" Anne smiled wide towards her elder brother, not noticing the darkness bubbling beneath the surface.

"…" Ted smiled towards Merl, bowing his head lightly, wondering just when the child would be born, for it had been longer than expected, from what he knew. Before he could bully Nobby, however, Merl decided to bully them all.