Y03 – 714. Gifts

Y03 – 714. Gifts

Omen: 1, 8

‘It’s not like I was going to enchant today anyway,’ Adam thought. ‘I’ll need some nice rolls for Amira’s magical weapon, but I can do that later.’

Once they were done with their morning routine, Adam sat, with Lanarot on his lap, embracing her tight. The girl smiled, resting her head against her brother’s chest.

“Adam, even if it’s this day, you can’t do something ridiculous,” Jaygak stated, glaring at him. The other adult Iyrmen slowly bowed their heads, though supporting Jaygak was so awkward considering how much of a mess she used to cause.

“I am still her brother, Jaygak,” Adam replied, returning the glare. “I’m allowed to be cringe on three days. The first of the first. The first of the second. The seventh of the ninth, as Baktu intended.” Adam could feel the intense gazes from the adults, who then looked to Sonarot for support.

“How dare you all focus on me today when it’s my sister’s birthday?” Adam asked, lifting the girl up to pepper her face with kisses. The girl was adorned in a light blue outfit, her family’s symbol embroidered against her head. Her forehead had been dabbed with blue, the vague shapes of her family’s symbol. Adam’s children also wore similar outfits, and their foreheads were dabbed in the same way, save for Larot.

Once the children passed along their gifts, each giving tiny ribbons, bits of smooth metal, or parts of various creatures their relatives had slain years past, it was time for the adults to give their gifts. Vonda handed Lanarot a small scarf she had purchased the previous year, while Dunes passed along a shield he had bought, since the family weapons of the Rot family were an axe and shield.

Jurot picked up the girl and swallowed her within his arms, the girl melting against his great hugging abilities.

‘Still a hundred thousand XP?’

[Yes.]

‘Damn.’

“I have brought you an axe,” Jurot said, revealing the axe he had brought for her. It was a simple looking axe, but it had been an axe which their father had gifted to him when he was still a boy.

‘...’ Adam blinked. He had a joke prepared when he was going to gift her an axe, stating he was her shield once they complained about how many axes he had gifted her. ‘What else am I meant to do now?’

Adam held the girl in his arms and thought deeply. The others knew he hadn’t forgotten, supposing his gift had been an axe or shield. “Lanababy, you tell papa what you want, and he’ll get it for you.”

“I want...” Lanarot thought for a moment. “I want to mawwy papa.”

Jaygak almost snorted as she covered her mouth, while the other Iyrmen smiled, a wave of light chuckles filling the air.

“You want to marry me?”

The girl nodded, smiling up towards her brother, cuddling up to his chest.

“Lanarot...” Sonarot stopped upon seeing Adam’s raised hand, the young half elf frozen in place as he thought deeply.

Adam inhaled deeply, feeling her warmth against him, smelling the scent of bread which clung to the girl. “Lanababy. If I get married to you, I will no longer be your papa.”

The girl jerked, her eyes wide as she stared up at her elder brother in shock. “No!”

“That’s right...” Adam said, his tone more serious than it had ever been. “No more papa.”

Lanarot gasped, before she looked towards her mother, the shock having invaded her face, before it contorted as she made to cry. Adam held her closer to his chest and rocked her, feeling her shaking, sobbing body. “Smelly girl. Do you want me to be your papa?”

As they entered the extended family estate, the young Iyrmen swarmed the approaching group. Adam smiled, placing his children down, allowing them to run towards their babo and nano. After greeting the extended Rot family, Adam settled down near Jarot and Mulrot, who doted after his children so tenderly.

“Where’s Churot?”

“They are working him so hard,” Jarot replied, making the face he made when he thought about troubling the Great Elders.

“Speaking of missing members, I haven’t seen granduncle or grandaunt about.”

“Brother has gone to train for the family. Sister is training the demons.”

“I didn’t realise grandaunt was that strong.”

“With Sarot gone, and the passing of our cousin, sister is second only to me,” Jarot replied.

‘Damn! She was that strong?’ Adam thought. “Are you a Grandmaster?”

“No, but it is why Tarot trains. Zirot will not allow him to take the title without also earning the title.”

“What about you?”

“With this arm and leg of mine?” Jarot replied, hoisting up little Jarot to his chest. “Even with this arm and leg of mine, I am still so strong I do not need to claim the title.” He chuckled as he rubbed his cheek against little Jarot’s forehead.

‘I wonder if I can beat him now,’ Adam thought. The old man was not yet a Grandmaster, so roughly Level 11 or 12, whereas Grandmasters were each Level 13. When Adam was Level 4, the old man had beaten him, but he had gained the title of Expert, Level 5, soon after. Level 5 for Adam meant two things, Third Gate spells and an additional attack when he swung with his axe, though for most it was one or the other. With Wraith in hand, his second greatest creation, Adam was sure he could match the old man.

‘No,’ Adam eventually relented. ‘If I had Phantom, maybe I could, but he didn’t use a shield, and he didn’t use a magical axe either.’ Adam thought back to the weapon he had used. Dunes’ Sword, which was still one of the best weapons he had created. Even with it, he couldn’t defeat the old man, who had crushed him, even though the old man had long retired and only had the single arm.

“Babo, I can mawwy you?” Little Jarot asked.

“You must ask your nano, for she is my wife,” Jarot replied. “If we marry, she cannot remain your nano, and I cannot remain your babo.”

Little Jarot pouted, before hugging his greatfather tight, wrapping his arms around the old man’s neck. “No...”

‘Are we actually related?’ Adam thought. ‘Of course we are, since he’s my children’s greafather.’

“Little Larot is growing well,” Mulrot said, gently brushing the boy’s cheek with the back of her finger. “Was he drawn within the portrait?”

“He was,” Sonarot replied, exchanging a look with the Family Elder. They were both in an awkward position, Mulrot for refusing Adam’s children at first, and Sonarot for not informing Adam of the news.

Mulrot smiled warmly as she continued to brush the boy’s cheek. “You will grow well within the Iyr, as your family before you.”

Sonarot wondered how she would inform Adam of the issue, but she decided to leave it until it was truly confirmed. She thought about how much trouble the boy was even as a babe who only slept, ate, and soiled himself. ‘He is certainly Adam’s son.’

Larot as a baby causing as much trouble as Adam is so funny to me.

Thank you so much for everyone for your support. I have been drafting the story while I was sleeping poorly so just know that I know where the story is going. I wonder if we'll get to THAT this year, but who knows?