[979] – Y04.079 – Fathers I

[979] – Y04.079 – Fathers I

“Come home safely!” the children shouted towards Fakrot and the others. They had only remained at the fort that night, before leaving a short while after dawn.

Cirot and Sirot watched their father leave, remaining silent. They had wanted to go too, but they needed to stay here, just in case.

‘Where are they going?’ Adam thought, but he decided against asking. He assisted Dunes with his work, so the pair could finish their business early. He spent much of his time making the rounds, showing his face, before going to play with his children.

“Papa, even if you not have horns, I still love you,” Jirot said, holding Karot, the pair embracing one another. “You are not smelly boy.”

‘That’s not the way you’re meant to say that,’ Adam thought, but he wasn’t going the ruin the delicious dessert that was all for him. Each of the children remained in their groups, but he would often see them playing together, which warmed his heart.

‘If only I could get Konarot to accept Vonda...’

Lucy and Mara trained by themselves, not wanting to bother the businessfolk, though sometimes Rick and the porters would speak with them, much to their wives’ chagrin. However, they weren’t there when the pair of demons constantly assisted them through their journey.

Jasmine remained close with Morkarai, understanding, somewhat, why the Prince had asked her to remain within the business. The shock of Adam defeating Sir Magpie had washed over her. Though she was from further east, sometimes the Order made its way towards the east, and they were always considered great warriors. To think that a boy had managed to defeat even the weakest, that was surprising, but beyond that...

“The First Hope?”

“So it is said.”

Jasmine had also heard more of their tales. She had assumed Jaygak was one of the weakest, considering how she constantly mentioned it, but Jaygak was certainly among the strongest of the business. Even within her land, Jaygak was considered strong, definitely greater than a typical Expert. Her story was impressive, but the story of her companions?

Jurot and Kitool were alarmingly powerful for their age, even more so than Jaygak. Of course, considering Jurot’s ancestor, it made sense, but Kitool too? Jasmine dared not covet the woman, but she would have been a great bodyguard. ‘With her and Siten...’

Then there was him.

“No! Daddy no! How you can do this?” Jirot asked, throwing up her fist.

“What do you mean? I rolled the dice, the dice! It’s not my fault!”

“I do not like it!”

“Me neither! How dare you, mister dice, fail my daughter like this, you punk?”

“Fat!”

“Jirot!” Adam raised his brows, and the girl flushed, quickly retreating to her mother.

“I did not say!”

“Alright, fine, but I don’t want to hear it again, okay?”

“Okay.”

“What do you say?”

“Sorry...”

“Good girl. Now, come on, let’s make you a new character.”

“Okay! I am going to be Demon Load again!”

“Don’t you want to try something new?”

“I am Demon Load!”

“Of course, how silly of me.”

“Smelly boy.”

Adam raised his brows, and the girl pulled back.

“Sorry, daddy.”

“Okay.” Adam assisted her in making a new character, meanwhile the other children were assisted by their aunts, uncles, and their elders.

‘He beat the First Hope?’ Jasmine blinked.

One evening, Adam played with his children, one by one. He lifted little Jirot up above him and she clapped.

“I am flying! I am flying, daddy!” She squealed excitedly.

“That’s right.”

“I am going to learn magic, daddy!”

“You are, I’m sure.”

“I going to fly all the places.”

“Will you enchant too, my dear?” Adam asked.

“Yes. I learning enchant and I going to fly.”

“Yeah.” Adam pulled her close to his chest, brushing her long hair. “Should daddy cut your hair?”

“No. I want it like kaka.”

“Yeah?”

“Daddy, I can have silver hair?”

“Maybe one day, but I like your hair like this, dark and curly,” Adam said, brushing through her thick hair.

“Okay...” Jirot smiled and hid her shy face into her father’s chest. “I like your hair too, daddy.”

“...” Adam kissed her forehead. “Thank you.”

“Papa,” Lanarot called, yawning. “Reading a story?”

“I can read a story, sure.”

As the first days of nightval passed, it happened. Jurot had been discussing with Kitool and Jaygak a set of matters relating to the business when Bilal dropped down nearby.

Jurot’s body almost blurred, charging in while his mother and others within the business assisted Pam. Adam, who had been flying around with the children, dropped down, letting Lanarot out of his arms, before she noted everyone gathered around.

“Kaka?” Lanarot called.

“Come on, Lanababy,” Adam said, his heart pounding wildly in his chest. He realised how awkward it was for him to be here, while his brother and his wife were currently in the middle of something. He lifted the girl up and patted Jurot on the back, a small smile on his lips. “It’s at this time you should hold her hand.”

“Okay,” Jurot said, taking his place beside his wife, holding out his hand for her. He wasn’t sure what to do, his heart thundering in his chest, his throat dry.

As Adam stepped away, a small commotion took his attention. He glanced to the side, the world around him blurring, and his focused fell to his wife, who was blocked off by others beginning to tend to her.

‘Eh?’ Adam thought.

Adam barely recalled what happened during the time, before he came back to reality. There they were. A little boy. A little girl. The pair were so tiny.

“Look,” Jirot said, pointing to the girl within her mother’s arms. “Is my kaka!”

“Yes,” Vonda said, glancing down at the bundle of yellow, and the girl within. “Virot...”

“Virot?” Jirot asked.

“Do you like her name?”

“I love it, mummy! I love it! So ‘dorable!” The girl giggled and squealed, clapping her hands excitedly.

Konarot stared at the little girl. She could see how tiny she was. Her eyes then fell to her sister’s leaf shaped ears, the same leaf shaped ears they all possessed. She looked up towards her father, then the woman, and then to her youngest sister. She could smell the scent of her father on the girl, but also the scent of that woman.

Adam remained almost frozen, his eyes glued to the little. This was the first time he knew that he was there during the child’s birth. Knowing it was his child. The others had come to him as surprises, but Virot? She wasn’t a surprise. No, she was a surprise. It was a surprise that she was so healthy.

‘What do I do?’ Adam thought. ‘I should kill a dragon. No, I should beat up a dragon. Yeah, I should beat up a dragon and gift it to my daughter.’

So 'dorable!