[1043] – Y05.043 – A Mother’s Grief

[1043] – Y05.043 – A Mother’s Grief

Adam could feel the heaviness press upon him once more, and though he had felt it many times, this time it was meant for someone else.

“What would you have us do?” Iromin asked, his eyes piercing Adam’s gaze, not allowing the half elf to look away.

“What would be your typical response?” Adam asked, feeling a bead of sweat run down the side of his cheek.

“We would demand justice,” the Chief stated, trying to calm himself. “Those who have killed our children must be handed over, or we will slaughter their entire Order, and those who would try to stop us.”

“The entire Order?” Adam could see the darkness within the Chief’s eyes. “Wouldn’t that mean war with the Orders? The entirety of Aldland?”

“If it must come to it,” Iromin stated, as though it were that simple.

“Even with the Reavers?”

“Even with the Reavers,” Iromin confirmed, his eyes remaining focused upon Adam’s.

‘I can’t let the Iyr go to war with Aldland, not when the world is about to change,’ Adam thought. ‘Not just the Reavers, but there are so many other threats, and I’m sure there are threats I’m not even aware of.’

“Who was it that killed...” Adam tensed up for a moment.

“The Order of the Thousand Hunts.”

‘Those guys?’ Adam thought. ‘Hold on...’ “Was it their Grand Commander?”

“No.”

Adam inhaled deeply. “They’re the ones that kill monsters, right? Why are they going around killing...” Adam couldn’t bear to say it.

“Goblins and demons are no different to monsters within their eyes.”

Adam flashed with heat again, but he shut his eyes tight. Even through his rage, he understood that he couldn’t have the Iyr cause such a mess, not when everything was already going to hell, and not when it still existed out there somewhere.

“I’ll deal with it alone.”

“You cannot.”

“What?”

“Children of the Iyr were killed,” Iromin said, the air around them growing colder. “This is a matter of the Iyr.”

“This is a matter of the Rot family,” Sonarot said, reaching up to place her hand upon Adam’s shoulder, pulling him closer. “We will handle it.”

“Will the Family Head agree?”

“She will,” Sonarot replied.

‘We have already broken so many conventions,’ Iromin thought, bracing himself for all the criticism he would receive. “I will leave it within your hands.”

“Once Vonda gives birth, we’ll discuss more then,” Adam said, clearing his throat. “I don’t want to stress her out.”

“Okay.”

“Thank you again, Chief.”

“You should not thank me, but your grandfather and your brother.”

“What did they do?”

“They petitioned.”

“So they’ve lost their rights?” Adam recalled the Chief mentioning something about it earlier, though couldn’t quite recall what he had said to Sonarot.

“No.”

‘What does that mean?’ Adam dared not to ask. “I won’t ever forget what you’ve done for me.”

“Those children, if they are Iyrmen, then we did not do this for you, but for the sake of the Iyr,” Iromin stated, before leaving them.

Adam returned back to the shared estate with his Aunt, finding his twins glued to their greatfather, who held them so close, refusing to allow them to leave his grasp. Adam’s eyes grew wet, the young half elf clenching his fists tight, unsure of when the last time he had seen his twins suck their thumbs.

Adam sat beside his wife, who took his hand within her own, the pair sitting beside one another, speaking no words.

Sonarot checked on the children, brushing her hand across Larot’s cheek, staring into the boy’s eyes. He yawned, before leaning back to sleep, ignoring them all.

“It was his children who were killed.”

Mulrot blinked, and as a moment of silence passed, the Iyrmen dealing with the confusion between one another. She placed a hand on Sonarot’s shoulder, squeezing it for a moment, before allowing her to take command once more.

The Family Elder of the Ruk family stood, holding his sheathed sword in one hand, before resting it against his chest. He bowed slightly. “I misunderstood the situation, I apologise. We of the Ruk family will assist if called upon.”

Following the lead of the Ruk family, the other Elders and Heads stood, bowing slightly, before taking their leave, allowing the Rot family to deal with the situation as they pleased. Though they wanted to draw their blades, it was not within their rights to ignore the will of the family if they were going this far.

Only a handful of families remained, those Sonarot had expected, and those she had hoped to remain, like those of her uncles and aunts, and those who were related to her sister by marriage, but there were more than she expected. She hadn’t realised the Var and the Sam families would stay, nor a few of the others, but she glanced across towards the Gek family, where her uncle sat, along with her brother, who had no doubt forced to take the role of Acting Head. The relief filled her, though she was uncertain if she could forgive her uncle in this moment.

“Those of you who remain may speak with Adam,” Sonarot said, unsure if she should refuse so much assistance, but she understood Adam may have had his own plans.

One Family Elder hopped onto the stage with ease, his hands clasped behind his back, gripping his staff tight. He was bald, with a long beard. He reached out to his niece first, rubbing the top of her head, before rubbing his sister’s shoulder.

“You should come visit,” Mulrot said.

“I will come tomorrow,” Malfev assured, smiling from behind his thick beard.

Dogek remained still for a long while, until everyone else had given their condolences, before he stood. He approached the podium, taking the step up, before he reached out to touch her shoulder, squeezing it once, before he stepped away.

Sonarot bowed her head slightly, glad the man hadn’t said anything, unsure if she could speak with him at this time.

“Let us return to our estates,” Mulrot said, after a long while of allowing Sonarot to think.

“Okay.”

Sonarot returned back to the shared estate, finding her grandchildren preparing for bed, the others having already been put to bed. She took Jirot and Jarot within her arms, embracing them tight, her heart swelling with joy and relief, the kind only an Iyrman could feel thanks to the existence of their home.

“Hey,” Adam whispered. “Thank you.”

“What did I do for such thanks?” Jarot asked, reaching out to pat Adam’s back for a moment.

“Do you wish to sleep with your babo?” Sonarot asked.

Little Jarot looked to his greatfather, then his father, then to his grandmother. “...”

“Jirot, Jarot, you may sleep with your babo, and I will sleep with Larot,” Sonarot said, making the choice for the boy. “If you do not, your babo will cause a mess.”

“So troublesome,” Jirot accused her greatfather, smiling wide, the redness around her eyes amplifying the amber within her pupils.

“I can cause this much trouble at least!” Jarot cackled, pulling the twins close to him once more, peppering them with kisses.

Sonarot leaned in to whisper to Jarot’s ear. “Jirot has awoken with nightmares. You must rock her to sleep.”

“Okay,” Jarot replied, feeling his neck pulse, the old man gritting his teeth as he grinned wide. “This greatdaughter of mine does not need to worry within this arm of mine!”

Adam reached out to grab Jurot’s arm, squeezing it tightly for a moment. “Jurot. Thank you.”

Jurot felt the squeeze against his arm, and though he had spoken the words many times before, he was unable to say them. The Iyrman stared into his brother’s eyes, recalling the half elf’s words. “Any time.”

Adam swallowed, blinking away the wetness, before nodding his head. He lifted Larot up, bringing the boy to his chest, planting more kisses. He glanced down at his daughters and son. “Stay with nana tonight, okay? Daddy needs to sleep with Larot.”

“I have to kiss,” Konarot said.

“Oh, of course,” Adam said, dropping down to kiss his daughter’s head, while she leaned in to kiss her brother’s cheek, hugging him close. ‘You knew who to kiss? Right, you are your sister’s sister too, aren’t you? My Konarot, you are too smart!’

Kirot and Karot hugged their youngest brother, kissing him too, and Lanarot also embraced and kissed each of her nieces and nephews, hugging both Jarot and Larot for a while longer, before finally surrendering them.

“I will sleep with Larot too!” Lanarot stated.

“You must sleep with me,” Jurot said.

“Okay!” The girl held her brother’s hand, allowing him to take her away.

Vonda watched as Adam took Larot to another room, holding the boy close to his chest. She took her eldest triplets away, each who cuddled up near her, but giving her enough distance so that they didn’t accidentally trouble her during her sleep.

Konarot stared at the ceiling, recalling how her father appeared. ‘Small.’

Adam wanted to sleep beside Vonda that evening, but he couldn’t contain his rage. He slipped away to a nearby cabin, holding his youngest son close to his chest, allowing the boy to feel his father’s rage.

“Thank you,” Adam whispered, his voice quiet and dark, just like the Iyr that evening.



You have no idea how excited I am.