[945] – Y04.045 – The Joy

[945] – Y04.045 – The Joy

“Did you know?” Jasmine asked, her voice low.

“Did I know what?” Morkarai replied, sipping the grain wine the farmers had begun to cultivate.

“His children were so... unique?”

Morkarai smiled from behind the cup, finishing the grain wine. He leaned back, his eyes falling on the young woman for a moment, before he closed his eyes. He brushed along his beard. “When they were but babes, they would grab at my beard and tug.”

“...”

“I have gifted them many items as the years have passed,” Morkarai said, smirking to himself. “They prefer even my gifts to their own father’s.”

Jasmine fell into thought, unsure of what she should take from his words. The Prince acted as though this was completely normal, but she hadn’t ever heard of anyone who had raised goblins at their own children, especially those of Adam’s kin. ‘Not even the Iyr is so foolish as to raise goblins.’

Meanwhile, Bilal completed a round of his breath training, exhausting out the stress within his body. “They will learn both Aldish and Aswadian?”

“That’s what the current goal is. We’ve quite a few people from Aswadasad working for us, the Order members, and we’re probably going to expand our business into Aswadasad at some point. We’ll try and teach them Drakken too, but that might not come into play for a few years still since we’re still gathering our bearings.”

“I would like for the children to learn magic, priestly magics of Life or War, but if they are more capable with wizardry, that is also acceptable,” Bilal stated.

“Oh? I thought you’d want them to learn more about Noor?”

“They do not need to be so constrained,” Bilal replied, hoping the children would find their home in East Port if they did not find it here.

“Alright.”

“We will also require you to train those we ask you to,” Sonarot said, holding the warm cup of tea between both hands, her eyes glued to the figure in front of her, who reeked of death as much as any Iyrman.

“I will do so.”

“Alright, then how much should we pay you?” Adam asked.

“I owe you a great debt.”U//ppTodated fr/o/m nô/v/e/lb(i)n.c(o)\/m

“If your children are following the normal rules of our business, then we need to pay you properly,” Adam said sternly. “We’re still figuring out proper pay, but right now it’s ten gold each month for the basic pay, but we’re paying Experts twenty gold, and we Executives are earning about thirty a month or so?”

Bilal noted how Adam was half confused as he tried to recall the numbers.

“Are you willing to tell us more about your situation?” Adam asked.

“It is best you do not know.”

“Alright, well, will you tell me about these children?”

“They are children of my companions, but they do not know of their own parents. They were raised by a... relative of mine whose health had begun to fail.”

“You couldn’t help them?”

“Even I cannot stand against the sands of time.”

“Ah, I’m sorry to hear that. Are any of the children yours?”

Bilal remained silent.

“Do you not want to say?”

“I do not.”

“Alright, well... that’s a little awkward because Jurot already knows.”

“I have a great ability to discern a parent and child,” Jurot said.

“I hope that you will keep it a secret.”

“I will inform the President and my brother, but I will not inform any other.”

“Don’t tell me,” Adam said. “I won’t stop you from telling the President, but I don’t need to know.”

“Okay,” Jurot replied.

“Alright, I’ll put you on the silver track of payment, but you’ll get ten gold a month, and I’ll put aside the rest of the coin as a fund for the children. Once they are of age, they can take part of their share and do whatever they want with it, and once they leave the business they can have the rest of the share.”

“You may give the children all the money.”

Jirot smirked, tightening her fists around the coins, causing little Jarot to do the same, the pair clutching the coins to their chest.

“What do you say to Lord Morkarai for his gifts?”

“No!”

“Jirot.” Adam raised his brows.

The girl pretended to pout, before she cackled.

“Jarot, you are so sensible, what do you say?”

“Thank you,” Jarot said meekly.

“Thank you!” Jirot exclaimed, before yawning, blinking away her sleepiness again.

“Do you see how well behaved my children are?” Adam fawned, kissing his children’s cheeks before pulling them away, taking them to bathe. “Konababy, come, you too Kibaby and Kababy. It’s time to bathe and to sleep.”

Konarot jumped up onto her feet, having already been half asleep, but she stumbled to her father, grabbing his leg to brace herself as she tried to fight off the sleepiness. Her siblings also followed after her as the group made their way to the baths, with Konarot glancing back towards Vonda, who brought up the rear. ‘...’

Morkarai watched as the family left, leaving behind Larot, who had already fallen asleep beside Fakrot. “You should inform the Iyr of your identity.”

“...” Jasmine glanced towards the giant, who continued to sip away at his grain wine.

“They already know, but it is best to speak with them openly, so they will treat you well. They have no machinations so far east, or perhaps, you are not useful for their play in the Confederacy.”

Jasmine thought on Morkarai’s words, the Prince who had been born in Shakador, and was considered one of the best warriors across the entirety of the Confederacy, and yet he paid so much respect and attention to the Iyr and the fool of a father. Even now, she wasn’t entirely certain what she should think about the half elf.

The baths were warm that evening, while Adam used his magic to cool the water in the other basin which held the triplets.

“How’s Elsie?” Adam asked.

“She is well. She is more comfortable with the children of East Port. The sounds of their speech are familiar, and it must remind her of home. “

“Yeah...” Adam rubbed his daughter’s face. “Now that I’m home, you can bully me.”

“No?” Jirot replied, before cackling.

“Jarot, will you bully me?”

Jarot shook his head, before closing his eyes as his father washed his face.

“Jirot is definitely my daughter since she causes so much trouble, and Jarot is definitely your son with how well behaved he is,” Adam joked, chuckling lightly.

Vonda reached over to rub the back of Jarot’s ears to clean them. “Our children are all so well behaved.”

“Ah, yes, what am I saying?” Adam replied, before both he and Vonda looked down to Jirot, whose innocent amber eyes were focused on the water in front of her, which shimmered with the waves as the light from above fell upon it.

“Daddy,” Konarot called, pouting slightly.

“Ah, sorry, I didn’t mean to ignore you all,” Adam said, reaching over to rub Konarot’s face, before washing his triplets too.

The pair worked the lotions into their children’s skin, Adam assisting the triplets, before they finally changed their children. Adam carried his triplets, while Sonarot assisted in carrying the twins, having waited for them so she could assist with them brushing their teeth since Jirot liked to challenge her during such a time.

“Aunt,” Adam began, speaking to his Aunt to one side. “During our travels, Vonda...”

“I know,” Sonarot said, reaching up to brush Adam’s hair gently. “We have divined the child will be born safe and healthy.”

Adam blinked. ‘Why didn’t I do that?’ “Well... as long as nothing changes, right?”

Sonarot smiled. “Yes. Vonda is here now. She is safe.”

“Yeah...”

Jirot and Jarot were already snoozing beside their mother, while the triplets awaited their father’s return, quickly trapping them under him, with the younger brother and sister each claiming an arm, while Konarot pinned her father’s torso under her.

‘You’ve grown,’ Adam thought, feeling his daughter’s weight against his chest and stomach. The soft snoring of his family all around him coaxed him to slumber.

Konarot’s breath gently tickled against his neck.

‘Yeah,’ Adam thought, filled with a sense of great relief.



How adorable. Thankfully nothing goes terribly wrong in this arc...

:)