[829] – Y03.129 – Trouble in East Port II

[829] – Y03.129 – Trouble in East Port II

Lanarot let out a sigh as she finished her cup of juice, holding up the cup towards her mother with both hands. “Mama, more peas, mama. Mama, more peas, mama.”

“Okay,” Sonarot replied, wiping the girl’s face with her sleeve, before pouring holding the girl’s cup and pouring more juice into it.

“Thakh you,” the girl said before sipping her juice.

Konarot’s nose twitched as she smelled a familiar form, glancing over to the entrance of the shared estate. There, an Iyrman appeared, with pale skin tinged with grey, dark hair and dark eyes. He wore a long fur cloak over his thick clothing, also dark. At his back was a greatsword, like a handle stuck to a giant slab of metal.

The Elder smiled at the children, who stared at him with awe. His eyes fell to Citool, who stepped aside to speak with the Elder.

“I have come to collect the sheets,” Zijin said.

Citool waited to see what else he wanted, but after a moment she nodded, stepping away to collect the sheets for the Elder.

Zijin stepped towards the central fire, his eyes passing along the children, flashing them another warm smile. Sonarot sent her eldest granddaughter to hand the Elder some fruit, the girl placing them down into his large hand.

“Thank you,” the Elder said, eating them one by one.

“Okay,” the girl replied, before retreating away from the Elder. She glanced back towards the Elder, before she returned back to eating herself, her tail swaying behind her lightly.

Citool returned with the sheets, the Elder glancing over them quickly in front of them, before slipping them into his book.

“Okay?” Citool asked.

“Okay,” the Elder replied. He glanced down towards the children once more, from Inakan to Konarot. His eyes then fell to the napping babies to one side, where Gurot and Shikan sat, eating silently, while keeping an eye on the children. They kept to themselves and their thoughts.

“It is Elder Zijin?” Jirot whispered to her grandmother.

“It is.”

“Is... is Majin’s daddy?”

“No, he is not.”

“No?”

“Majin’s father is Tijin. Elder Zijin is his cousin.”

Jirot slowly nodded. “Papo Saygak is papo Raygak’s cousin.”

“That is right.”

“I am not papo’s cousin, I am niece.”

“That is right.” Sonarot brushed the girl’s hair gently.

“I am daddy’s dohta.”

“That is right.”

‘Me neither.’

A small sigh of relief left their lips, before they noted the smile across the Hope’s face.

“Ah, apologies for keeping you here.”

“Are your companions members of the order?” Jerry asked. It was awkward to ask for a gate fee, but he spotted a heavily armoured fellow in purple who was currently palming several gems within his hands.

“We are escorting them through the land,” Willow replied simply.

“Ah, right, of course.” The guard tipped his helmet towards her.

The jangling of armour filled the air before a slightly heavier armoured woman appeared, a woman in her forties, with a scar across her ear. She raised her brows towards the Fourth Hope, who remained mounted.

“Many blessings to you, Hope,” the Captain called, clasping her hands together in prayer.

“Mother’s blessings upon you, Captain,” the Hope said, still sitting tall and proud upon her mount.

“We had no idea we were going to be graced by a Hope tonight, otherwise we would have prepared.”

“There is no need to prepare for our arrival,” Willow replied, smiling towards the Captain. “We are merely escorting this group through the land.”

The Captain glanced towards the party before she blinked. She stared at the figure wearing the purple armour, her mind racing as she tried to recall what she had been told about someone wearing purple armour.

“Excuse me, but are you Adam?” the Captain asked.

A long sigh filled the air.

“Yes,” Adam replied.

“...” The Captain looked towards the Hope. ‘She’s escorting...’

“Is there an issue?”

“We received word that a young half fae by the name of Adam who wore purple armour kidnapped a child from the Marquise’s employ...” The Captain suddenly tensed up, noting the way the Iyrmen shifted their position, some standing taller, pulling their weapons further in front, hands placed over their weapons. Some of them looked to have made it harder to draw their weapon while others seemed to have an easier time.

“Who said what now?”

“...” the Captain could hear something in the purple fellows voice. His voice had trembled in such a way. It was that kind of way. The kind of way which meant he was utterly annoyed by life. It was the kind of voice she heard from those higher up whenever someone bothered them too much about nonsense, from the abuse of their subordinates, to commonfolk who complained about the guards and some of the less savoury actions they took upon them.

“Do you mean to step forward against someone within our protection?” Willow asked.

The Captain’s eyes glanced upwards towards the Hope. “The...” The Captain reached up towards her helmet, dropping her visor. It was obviously threatening, but she bowed her head, staring down at the floor.

Addler and Jerry glanced between one another again, hoping to all the Divine, especially Mother Soza, the Captain wouldn’t say something stupid.

‘You want me to treat him like the worst criminal when he’s being escorted by a Hope?’ the Captain thought, recalling the knight’s words. What else could the Captain do but press the issue? ‘Divine take you!’

Uh oh.