Chương 1601: [1506] – Y07.006 – First Rays of Dawnval VI

The tiny little girl waddled over to the group, holding a tray tightly within her hands, her brows furrowed with intense concentration. Her twin brother carried the cups within his arms like little babes, holding them from beneath with his hands, though crossed his arms to half snuggle them against himself.

"I can do it," Jirot said, though the dark skinned man had already picked her up from her pits, allowing the girl to place down the tray.

"Thank you, ahm."

"My niece is always so polite," the Aswadian said, who was well built, with short dark hair, a neatly trimmed beard, and piercing green eyes, an amulet dangling over his chest. He reached over to help little Jarot to place down the two cups, though as the boy placed down the cups, he paused, eyeing up the number of people, and he placed the cup down before the Aswadians, though rushed off to bring another for his father.

"I hope my children are as polite as yours, although, I would not mind if they were more like your eldest three, rather than…" the other Aswadian trailed off, also dark skinned, with fiery red hair which fell down towards his shoulders, his beard trimmed lightly, annoying the half elf, who couldn't help but think he was ruggedly handsome.

"If you do not know life's greatest pleasures, I can only pray for you," Adam replied, accepting the cup from his son, picking the boy up to kiss his cheek, doing the same for his daughter, who had dutifully escorted her brother to them.

"I hope not," Korin said, glancing down overtly towards the amulet of the Lord of Death against his friend's breast. The half elf's lips formed a small smile, though as he made to speak, his daughter huffed, her breath coming to her raggedly.

"Sorry, ahms, but I cannot carry the tea pots, it is too hot, and I am small, so I can hurt myself," Jirot explained, holding up her hands as though to say she was unable to do more.

"Thank you, my dear niece," Dunes assured, his piercing green eyes holding the girl's amber gaze, causing her to smile slightly, pursing her lips shyly as she sauntered towards her father, climbing onto his lap to impose upon their conversation.

"So… who is going to bring the tea?" Adam asked.

"Nano is bringing it."

"Which nano?"

"The prettiest nano, of coas!"

"All your nanos are the prettiest." Jirot leaned back, holding her father's gaze, her brows furrowed, though she slowly raised one.

"Of coas, daddy, but, um…"

"To see our Jirot has been defeated by her father, have you shown too much mercy?" Dunes asked.

"Too much! You see it, ahm? You see? I show so much mercy, and now daddy is so big now? Huh?" The girl raised her brow questioningly to her ahm.

"I speak a lie, ahm?"

"You do not, you do not," Dunes confirmed.

"Daddy, you see? You are so lucky my ahm is here to protect you, otherwise…" The girl tilted her head, allowing the words to trail off, causing her father to chuckle nervously, yet it was his lap she remained upon so dutifully, this daughter of his. Korin remained silent as the girl bullied her father, though considered that, perhaps, he wouldn't mind if some of his children were so vicious.

He considered his soon to be wife, and understood he needn't worry about it, since at least one or two of the children would be vicious to him, certainly.

"Jirot, will you go check on nano? Perhaps she needs your help brewing the tea, since you know the colour best, don't you?"

"When you are right, you are right," Jirot said, hoisting herself off her father's lap, waving towards her ahms.

"I will be back soon, so do not miss me too much." Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

"Ah, I already miss you," Dunes teased.

"What can I do?" Jirot asked, though she held her brother's hand, leading him away, the boy waving back towards the trio of men as they went to find their most beautiful nano, like all their nanos, was most beautiful indeed.

"Ah, what am I to do?" Adam joked, though as his children disappeared, he already began to miss them, feeling the warmth of their bodies against his dissipate with every passing moment.

"What can you do?" Dunes replied, allowing the words to keep them company for a moment, though as he held Adam within his sights, he let out a soft sigh.

"Are you retiring Gentle Sky?"

"I was thinking about it."

"What is your next companion?"

"I was thinking something like Gentle Sky, but a little better," Adam admitted, though as he thought about it, there were two things he required of his next magical weapon.

"It needs to be heavier, and it needs to strike true a little more than usual, and I need to be able to channel my magic through it." Dunes let out a soft sigh, for of course it was Adam who spoke of such abilities so casually, for such would form a powerful weapon indeed, even, perhaps, surpassing his own blade, also enchanted by the young man before him.

"An axe?" Korin asked.

"Well, I am a member of the Rot family, aren't I?" Adam joked, though he missed wielding a sword. For a moment he thought of enchanting a sword, but almost immediately, as his daughter and son returned, along with their nano, who brought a pot of tea, he realised he couldn't use a sword. At first he smiled, though the thought of it struck deeper into his heart, for it wasn't just that he was a member of the Rot family, but that, this year at the very least, it had to be an axe.

Korin realised his words had been far more awkward than he intended, but he smiled, beaming towards the little girl, who assisted her greatmother by causing no trouble at all.

"Daddy, you are so lucky, since nano makes such lovely tea, what do we say?"

"Thank you, grandmother," Adam replied, smiling bashfully towards the woman, who placed a wrinkled red hand upon her grandson's head, brushing his forehead gently, feeling the light coarseness of his tattoo against her finger, not like the blue circle and diamonds of the Rot family, but a unique tattoo formed just for him, to protect him, and the Iyr.

"Jirot, your father wishes to wield an axe, but isn't a sword a prettier weapon?" Korin asked.

"Ahm, daddy is a Rot, so he must use an axe," the girl replied, as though it was just a matter of fact.

"Yes, but isn't your greatmother also his grandmother?" Korin asked, motioning towards the blade at her greatmother's side, which was a sword. Jirot blinked towards the sword, glancing between her greatmother and her father. She furrowed her brows, thinking deeply upon the matter, even going so far as to rub her chin, the girl mumbling to herself.

"Nano is daddy's nana, and nano also uses a sword…"

"Stop bullying my daughter!" Adam picked his daughter up, planting a kiss upon her cheek, the girl huffing in annoyance, but she kissed his cheek in return, and then grabbed him by his head.

"Daddy, if you use a sword, I will only bully you a little bit."

"Only a little?"

"Only a little," the girl confirmed.

"Oh? My daughter is so merciful?" Adam teased, causing the girl to flush slightly.

"Yes. Yes I am."

"Jirot, come, you should read to the little ones," Gangak said, already holding little Jarot within one of her arms, plucking the girl easily from her father, though shifted aside to let the little boy greet his father with a kiss, before heading away, the pair once more waving towards their ahms.

"Your daughter, in the last few minutes, has greeted me more than both of my daughters combined," Dunes mused.

"Mine too," Korin said. Adam had made to speak, but he and Dunes glanced aside to Korin, who had no daughters, or sons.

"Well, that's just how it is, isn't it?"

"Ah, yes," Dunes replied, joining Adam in bullying Korin for not having any daughters, or sons.

"…"

"So, what are the plans for you both this year?" Adam asked, sipping his tea lightly, which would have scalded another, but he was the grandson of a Gak, and though he formally held the title of a Priest of Death, he was actually a Priest of the Forge.

"I may return to Aswadasad and go meet my mother in law to give her a gift or two," Korin admitted.

"We have some business with her, so if you'd like, you could come along and we can go see her together."

"If you and I go together, she may end up killing one of us for aggravating her heart so thoroughly," Korin said.

"Vonda's coming along, so I doubt she would, though if you are worried, I could ask my grandmother to accompany us, since, I believe, she's viewed quite favourably?" Korin thought about Adam's words, for though he had been joking, Adam's point was fair.

'It is rather frightening to see him behaving well…'

"I may accompany my nieces and nephews through the land, but… I should probably remain, or my daughters will forget my face."

"Why don't you bring them along?" Adam asked.

"It would be best for them to remain here this time," Dunes said, for though he would love for them to come along, he understood this was a matter of the Iyr.

"Perhaps next time." Adam noted the darkness within Dunes' tone, and thought about the logistics of taking an extra pair of girls along, and he realised perhaps they should remain here, since he wasn't confident he would be able to protect them. Though a moment of intense blood thirst slipped through, it disappeared almost immediately, for Dunes poured the young half elf a cup of tea, allowing him to soothe his heart.

'You were right,' Korin thought.

'Adam is…'