[886] – Y03.186 – Duskval Festival II

[886] – Y03.186 – Duskval Festival II

"My Jirot, my Jarot," Jarot called, embracing the twins close to his chest.

“Babo,” little Jarot called, burying his chest within his greatfather’s chest, while Jirot climbed up beside the old man’s shoulder to babble into his ear about this thing and that thing.

Adam sat opposite the old man, sipping his tea quietly, while his triplets lay about him, relaxing as they basked within the cool air. Their ears twitched, their nostrils itched, and they glanced to the side.

“May I join you?” a smooth, ashy voice called out to Adam.

“How can I deny a Prince?”

“There are no Princes in the Iyr,” Morkarai replied, taking his seat opposite the half elf.

Adam poured the fire giant tea, before offering the same to his children, chilling the cups slightly with his magic. “Are you spending your time in the Main Iyr?”

“I am,” the Prince replied, sipping his tea after boiling it further, feeling the warmth fill his throat. “I have completed my tasks here. I have the freedom to spend much of my time relaxing now.”

“How much of the Iyr can you explore?”

“I can explore much of the Iyr, but it is kinder to my heart if I take my time not exploring the Iyr.”

“Yeah...” Adam still wasn’t sure what the nature of their alliance amounted to. The Iyr and the fire giants of the east had little to do with one another, the fire giants too far away from the Iyr, and yet the Iyr formed a connection with them. The particular kind of connection, Adam was still uncertain. Morkarai seemed to have created magical weapons for the Iyr, to the tune of at least a hundred, Adam guessed, though the number could have reached several hundred. Then there was the fact the giant could create other magical items, though Adam knew little of his true abilities.

“I remember how much trouble Strom was,” Adam continued, flashing a small smile. “He could go about the Iyr with ultimate freedom, apparently.”

“Emperor Hadda was Emperor Hadda,” Morkarai replied. “Even my father would need to show him the appropriate respect.”

“Did he cause you any trouble while he was here?”

“It was Emperor Hadda. The land may believe you to be trouble, but you are not half as troublesome as the late Emperor.”

“Yeah...” Adam leaned back in his chair, sipping his tea slowly, warming himself from the chilly duskval day. “Who knows, perhaps one day I’ll be as strong as him?”

“If you continue to develop as you have, in a few hundred years you may surpass him yet.”

“A few hundred years?”

“No, perhaps not a few hundred, but you will not reach the height of his strength in a century, not unless you decide to give up raising your children and go to fight for the rest of your days.”

“I suppose I won’t be able to grow as strong as him then.”

“A good choice to make.”

‘The one thing that’ll be awkward is my Health. His Health was probably close to a thousand, while I can probably get a couple of hundred, maybe three hundred, at most. No, about... three hundred and sixty? That’s if I can’t become an Idol...’

‘What dangerous thoughts is he having now?’ Morkarai thought, his eyes falling across to the old man’s face, noting his expression of curious delight. ‘Iyrmen...’

“You have denied becoming a Hill Lord, but are you willing to visit the volcanoes of my home?”

“I can’t say I haven’t been thinking about it,” Adam replied, his eyes slowly meeting the Prince’s. “I’ve been thinking about a specific magical item.”

“Which item?” Morkarai asked, his mind forming a few magical items which Adam may be thinking of.

“A Belt of Fire Giant Strength.”

Morkarai closed his eyes, slowly bowing his head. He had presumed Adam was thinking about that kind of magical item, since it was one of the most famous items belonging to the giants. The item allowed one to possess greater strength, surpassing the limits of most mortals. One who wore such an item possessed strength equal to that of the fire giants.

“Adam is Adam.” Vonda’s lips formed a long smile. It was later in the evening when the young woman checked upon her backpack, staring at the bottom, where it lay.

The rain fell across the Iyr as the duskval festival continued, though the rain was still gentle, and only pitter pattered in moments.

“It’s getting colder,” Adam said, noting how his triplets seemed far more energised, as though he had dumped sugar into their mouths.

“It is,” Vonda confirmed, holding the tea within her hands, feelings its warmth.

“Are you okay?” Adam asked, noting how red the woman was. ‘It is time for people to get sick about this time of year, I guess?’

“I’m fine...” Vonda inhaled deeply. “Adam?”

“Yes?”

Vonda remained silent for a long while. “Jirot is so smart.”

“Yes.”

“Jarot is so shy and sweet.”

“He is, isn’t he? Karot’s the same.”

“Your sons are so meek, but your daughters are so...”

“Yeah,” Adam replied. “Kirot’s pretty forward too, when she needs to be.”

Vonda smiled. The pair continued to chat for the day, spending much of their time together, sharing tea and food.

‘Strom used to watch over us,’ Adam thought. ‘It feels weird without him humming in the distance.’

“Adam?” Vonda asked.

“Yeah?”

Vonda remained silent for a long while. She reached into her waist pack, and revealed a yellow scarf, one which she slowly unfurled to reveal all manner of symbols and patterns across the scarf.

“Nice scarf,” Adam said, eyeing it up. Adam had seen a similar scarf previously. “I think I saw a similar scarf that...”

Their eyes met.

‘Eh?’

Adam’s heart began to beat harder as the heat rushed through his body.

“Adam.”

“Yeah?” Adam managed to reply, clearing his throat. ‘Calm down, you idiot.’

“I hope you will accept it with my heart.’

‘What?’

Wisdom Save

D20 + 4 = 14 (10)

Wow! I didn't expect this at all! Who would have seen this coming?