[975] – Y04.075 – Strong VI

[975] – Y04.075 – Strong VI

“Why doesn’t daddy go talk to our guests for a bit, and everyone can give you their gifts. Daddy will go get his gift too, since he was so silly and forgot to bring it.”

“Okay, daddy! You cannot steal Ordah from me!” Jirot warned, holding up her dagger like finger, raising her brow.

“Of course, of course,” Adam assured, nodding his head to the others, before throwing a look to Kitool and Dunes, motioning with his head, then beckoned the rest of Sir Magpie’s companions to follow him.

Sir Magpie could feel the gaze of her companions upon her, and even as she stepped into the inner area of the fort, where an Iyrman kept an eye on them, her thoughts were preoccupied. ‘What?’

“I got this tea from Ever Green a few months ago,” Adam said, pouring the tea for his guests, and his own companions, finally pouring some for himself. “I wish I had my Persevian tea pot, but uh, I left that in the Main Iyr. Sorry.”

“...”

“Sorry about that. It’s my children’s birthday today, and they heard so much about you, I knew they’d love to meet you on their birthday. It was part of my gift, not that you’re objects to be gifted, just that I wanted to show off to my children. It seems, heh, I ended up showing off a little too much.”

“Your children are...”

“Three years old,” Adam said. “My Jirot, though, she’s crafty like a four year old. Let me tell you, the things that girl says, you’d think she was an Aldishman with how much she backstabs me and Jaygak.”

Sir Magpie blinked. ‘What?’

“Oh, I don’t mean all Aldishmen are bad, it was in reference to Jaygak, her family, they helped during the Demonic Devastation and they got stabbed in the back by the Aldish once they had been weakened from saving the Aldishmen’s lives.” Adam cleared his throat, noting Kitool’s look. “Sorry, anyway, uh, yeah. Thank you for meeting with my children and making me look good.”

“Your children are goblins?” Sir Magpie finally asked, getting her thoughts in order after meeting with the storm known as Adam.

“Goblins. Half dragons. A demon, apparently, and my seventh is on the way, a quarter elf.”

“A half elf?”

“Oh? I’m not so good with the maths, but if you say so.”

“Your children, twins? They’re... unique.”

Adam smiled. “My precious Jirot and Jarot. Jarot was named after his greatfather, you must have seen him already, one arm and one leg.”

“Mad Dog?” Magpie asked, keeping her voice neutral, doing her best not to seem too shocked.

“That’s the one,” Adam said, chuckling. “The old geezer, he adores them so much. You know, there was a... a Count who tried to hurt them, and he ended up going berserk and almost killing him. A shame.”

“That is a shame.” Magpie was still stunned by all the information she was receiving.‘The Mad Dog is their...’

‘I don’t think we think the same thing is a shame...’ “Anyway, again, apologies, we will have to donate more in order to make it up for it, it seems.” Adam chuckled.

“You mentioned magical weapons?”

“Yes. Although, due to the fact that the Iyr is involved, I must ask you to make one small, but very important promise, and that is that you cannot use these weapons against the Iyr.”

“I can... promise that much.” Magpie blinked away the other thoughts, trying to think upon just the donation.

“Wonderful! Now that the most important part is over, why don’t I introduce you. Executive Kitool, who is the daughter of a Director, and Manager Dunes, who is our Priest, one of them, the other one being my wife, Ray Vonda.”

As they greeted one another, Adam realised something. “Sorry, Manager Dunes, would you mind bringing the President over?”

Magpie almost regretted the silence, which lasted what felt to be an eternity, but she was thankful once Sonarot appeared.

“This is President Sonarot, who are the birthday twins’ grandmother,” Adam informed, smiling with such delight, but Magpie could sense the threat hidden within.

“The Iyr has always shown us great favour,” Magpie said, bowing her head to Sonarot. “The Iyr has gifted us weapons previously, but as the years passed, they have found themselves in the hands of others, through our incompetence, and misfortune.”

“We of the Iyr have always respected the Order of the Wings,” Sonarot replied, sharing a look with Magpie. She understood the Iyr had some business with the Order of the Wings, though even as a Family Head, she didn’t know the details. “We hope our donation will aid you on your journey.”

“You can have sword! I am Little Boss. I donating to you.”

“Slay all the monsters.”

Jon took the the weapon from the children, and Sonarot ushered the pair a few steps back, out of the range of a sword swing.

The chances of Jon swinging his sword was less than a single percent, and though the chances were small, the Iyrmen still worried about those chances.

“It’s a Greater Enhanced weapon,” Adam explained to Magpie as the young heir felt the magic rush through his finger tips. “It requires you to meditate with it, but it holds three charges daily, and upon expending a charge, one can turn a regular hit into a truer strike, and upon such, it can rumble like the storm. It’s a powerful weapon, especially in the hands of an Oathsworn, who can smite their foes with great power.”

Magpie turned to face Adam, still utterly bewildered that the business would hand them such a terrifying weapon, one that was among the best in its class to them. She couldn’t even imagine how much one could sell it for. “Thank you, truly.”

“Sir Magpie...”

“Yes?”

“I heard recently that a heir died, Sir Sparrow, was it?”

“Yes.”

“I’m so sorry,” Adam said, staring at his twins, who squealed with delight upon seeing the blade unsheathed, appreciating the ways the sword gleamed, an appreciation only their amber eyes could behold. “I can’t imagine what I would do if one of my children were to die.”

Magpie wanted to pull her eyes away, but she couldn’t, not when his eyes slowly turned to meet hers. She wasn’t sure which she considered more important, the genuine condolences, or the genuine threat. Once more, she could feel it. Within those eyes of his, she wasn’t sure what she could see bubbling to the surface, and she was glad once his eyes fell back to his children.

Adam stepped forward, becoming almost unrecognisable as he smiled, approaching his children. He passed by Jon first, reaching out to pat his shoulder. “I hope you enjoy the weapon.”

“Yes?” Jon replied, his eyes no longer quite so delighted upon seeing the half elf.

“I convinced the Enchanter to make that weapon for you,” Adam said, holding the young man’s gaze. “I made sure that you wouldn’t be left out, as the heir, as the future Magpie.”

“Thank you.”

Adam smiled, pulling his hand away, as though only just realising Jon wouldn’t like that, but the smile on his face suggested other. “You know, we have a saying where I come from, not from the White Forest, but from... far away, in a place that no longer exists, that I cannot return to, nor can any of my children ever visit.” Adam kept Jon’s gaze for a long while, wanting to see the understanding in his eyes.

Jon slowly bowed his head.

Adam smiled, slowly nodding his head. “With great power... comes great responsibility.” Adam smiled. It was not the silly smile that he usually gave upon the cliched saying, but a smile that said that he almost regretted handing the blade over, but he hoped he didn’t have to.

“It’s a... good saying.”

“Yeah,” Adam replied. He held the young man’s eyes once more, thinking about threatening him more, but he frowned. “I’m sorry about your family, Jon.”

Jon’s lips trembled slightly. “Thank you.”

Adam slowly nodded his head, and he turned, quickly grabbing his children. “You two, grr, come to daddy! I got your gifts, you little smelly girl, you little smelly boy.” Adam planted kisses on both of their cheeks.

Jon remained focused on the back of Adam’s head for a moment, before the head went out of focus as his eyes spotted the Iyrmen beyond. The one armed Iyrman and the devilkin, as an Aldishman might say but he certainly wouldn’t, Iyrman. The pair were staring at him, and he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand. He slowly sat down, sheathing his blade, and as his eyes darted around, he noticed more Iyrmen were still staring at him, not just him, but all of his companions.

The words came back to him in that moment.

‘If it’s one force you can rely on, it’s the Iyr,’ Magpie had said. ‘If anything were to happen in the future where you need help, retreat to the Iyr. They’ll take good care of you, and will make sure Magpie won’t end up like Starling and Blackbird.’

Jon wondered if perhaps Magpie was feeding him a pile of horse shit, because right now, he felt like a gazelle surrounded by starving dragons.

No.

They weren’t even starving.

Our Adam is so cute too.