185. A Father’s Love

185. A Father’s Love

“Why did you fight?” Jurot asked.

“We’ll talk about it another time,” Adam said, smiling slightly. He had been keeping it a secret for no reason in particular, testing whether or not he’d find out by himself.

Jurot looked to his mother, but she just smiled. Of course, it was Adam’s right to speak of the tale, so he just needed to wait. It didn’t seem their relationship was bad.

“I wish to face grandfather too,” Jurot said, his face stone cold again. There was a hint of a pout, but he did not let it slip further.

“I’m sure he will be willing if you ask,” Sonarot said. “Shall I go speak with him?”

“I will ask him,” Jurot said.

Lanarot shook and began to groan in Adam’s arms.

“Oh? Is it that time already?” Adam asked, before handing her over to her mother.

“You do not want to?” Sonarot joked, taking her daughter away from him.

“I’ll nap with her when it’s time, but I don’t want to do this part.”

Sonarot just smiled as she took her daughter away to clean her and change her.

“Why did you fight them?” Jurot asked.

“That old geezer attacked me,” Adam said.

“Grandfather attacked you?”

“Yeah. He said something about your mother, and I called him a...” Adam glanced around, noting the number of Iyrmen. “Anyway, he attacked me and I tried to defend myself. He’s one hell of a monster, your grandfather.”

“Yes,” Jurot said, standing taller. “Grandfather is powerful.”

“Apparently, he really liked the fight with me, and bragged about my skills to Grandaunt. We came to fight the day after, and... now that I think about it, she owes me a reward.”

“A reward?”

“Yeah, she promised me a reward, and I still haven’t received anything.”

“If Grandaunt has promised you a reward, she will grant you something amazing,” Jurot said, nodding his head. “The Kan family does not reward lightly.”

“That’s good to know,” Adam said. “If she rips me off, I’m going tell the twins to tell her off.”

Jurot placed a hand on Adam’s shoulder. “Work hard, Adam,” he said. “It will be difficult for you to stop such jokes, but I will support you.”

“I can’t even make jokes like that?” Adam asked.

Eventually, Sonarot returned with her daughter, whose eyes were half closed. “She will need to sleep soon.”

“I’ll take her to nap,” Adam said.

“There is an area nearby for babies to sleep,” Sonarot said, guiding Adam away to a quiet area where there were dozens of babies, and a handful of Iyrmen about, waiting for their children to awaken, and others who were keeping an eye on the sleeping babies.

Sonarot handed Lanarot to Adam in front of the Iyrmen. “You will lay with her?”

“I might as well,” Adam said. “I need to rest after those fights too.”

“I used the issue to press my claim, and so the four of us continued to find Forgryn. We found the bodies first. They were in the bastard’s lair, kept apart. I tore him apart, though it cost us dearly. Forgryn was beyond our abilities, and during the fight, Tangak and Zaool fell. We knew the risks, but I was blinded by my rage at that time, and because I pressed my claim in that way...”

Adam remained silent, unsure of what to say.

“I returned, with the bones of the three. I paid the price for my mistake. I gave up my position and my arm, and retired to look after little Churot, who was brought back thanks to Baktu’s grace.”

“Your arm?” Adam asked.

“It was because I was unable to defend them, that my Brother and Sister died,” Jarot said. “So I gave up my arm which should have shielded them.”

‘Damn.’

“One day I will tell you the tale properly, but you will have to accept this for the moment,” Jarot said. “I’m just a foolish old man who didn’t deserve to be the Family Elder.”

“What is the title of Family Elder in comparison to the title of father?” Adam asked.

Jarot smiled, but he shook his head. “I should not have let him go. I knew that he was born weak of body. I should have stopped him from training. I should have stopped him from Ranging. I should have stopped him from leaving the Iyr. He should have stayed here, to live with the extended family in peace.”

“Do you regret it?”

“Every day.”

Adam slowly nodded his head.

“If I had accepted the help of those who had come along with us, my Brother and Sister would still be here, at least,” Jarot said. “They died a good death, and the stories will continue to be passed from generation to generation. I’m sure that all of the children in this courtyard will know the tale by the time they are ten. Laygak, Nirot, Naqokan, Faool, they know of it.”

“I’m sorry about your son,” Adam said.

Jarot nodded his head slowly. “Churot is growing well. He takes after his mother, who could fall every hour, and still get back up. He is quiet, though, unlike either of them.”

Adam looked to Churot, who was holding Lanarot up as she grabbed his horns. “He’s a good kid.”

Jarot smiled. “Would you have done the same?”

“Would I have been prepared to throw away my life for vengeance?” Adam asked.

“If Lanarot was killed by a great foe, greater than something you and Jurot could take with your own abilities, would you go and take revenge by your own hands?” Jarot asked.

Adam stared at the girl. “I’d have the Iyr bring her back,” Adam said.

Jarot slowly nodded his head. “A wise decision.”

“Once they had brought her back, I’d make sure she was happy. I’d stay in the Iyr, for years, and I’d sell as many weapons as it requires. Then, I’d make a weapon that was designed to kill only the thing which killed her.” Adam narrowed his eyes. “I’d make it a slow and painful death. Even if I died during the encounter, and even if it lives, I’d make it wish it was dead. If I did die before killing it, then I’d leave the rest to Jurot.”

Jarot leaned back in the rocking chair and closed his eyes. His lips formed a small smile. “Are you sure you do not want to marry Cirot and Sirot?”

“Would you like to see Phantom more clearly?”

“I thought you were not going to joke any longer?”

“Who said it was a joke?”

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