Adam's heart pounded wildly within his chest, his entire body fshing red hot as his ears tingled, his cheeks burning a furious red.

  ‘What?’

  Adam remained silent for a long moment, noting the burning red on Vonda’s face, and though he wao look away, Vonda’s eyes remained firm and fixed upon his own. Adam cleared his throat, his fiwitg for the cup in front to wet his throat, but Vonda’s firm vi paralysed him.

  “I… don’t know what to say, Vonda.”

  Vonda smiled warmly, though her heart sunk. It was ohing for Adam to accept, ohing for Adam to deny, but this answer, a vague, half drawn picture, hurt the most.

  “I…” Adam blirying to wet his dry mouth, and to give him some time away from Vonda’s gaze. “I suppose I’ll have to say the same thing I said to Lord Morkarai…” Adam’s reached up to his face, hiding his mouth from Vonda, his eyes gng aside now that Vonda’s pressure had subsided. “You’ll o get permission from my children, and of course, my dear Lanarot.”

  “I will request their permission,” Vonda half joked, her voice light.

  Adam’s heart tio beat hard, his entire body tingling with an unknowion. Adam felt as though he could take on the Divih just his fists. ‘Whoa. So that’s how that feels like? Damn.’

  “Are you… sure?” Adam asked.

  “Sure of what?”

  “Of… choosing me?” Adam’s face flushed a deeper red, the young half elf coughing into his fist to hide his embarrassment.

  “Of course.”

  “I… fear I may not be worthy of you.”

  “If you are not worthy of me, I fear I will remain unmarried for the rest of my life.”

  “I doubt it. You’re quite the…” Adam hid behind his fist once more. ‘Won’t you roll me a check to see if I flirt with her?’

  Wisdom SaveD20 + 4 = 9 (5)

  “I think you’re pretty great, Vonda.” Adam let out a soft sigh, his entire body still red hot with embarrassment.

  “That is lovely to hear, Adam. I think you are… too.” Even Vonda, with all her training with keeping calm, was uo say any more, her throat closing up.

  The pair remained in their silehe soft rain in the distand the screams and shouts of fighting, being uo drown out their heartbeats, which reached even their ears.

  “You are so warm, daddy,” Jirot said when she finally returned, having charged at her father, oblivious to the reason behind his new redness. She rubbed her cheek against her father’s as they embraced.

  “How I not be warm when I love you so much, my girl?” Adam asked, kissing her cheek. ‘Seriously, my girl is too smart!’ He embraced the rest of his children, with Konarot’s embrace cooling him down.

  The day was chillier. The rain fell heavier across the Iyr. Adam was still ierglow of the proposal, and he was gd Vonda had decided to give him some space. He could feel the gaze of the old man honed upon him like a bde, all the while the half elf tried to rex.

  Jarot remained silent, sipping his tea opposite the half elf. He leaned back, feeling the ache of his missing arm and leg. Larot’s tiny body warmed the old man, the boy’s breath gently pressing against the old man’s shirt.

  ‘Will I be able to stay here forever?’ Adam thought. ‘If I do get married to Vonda, how does that work? Will I be beholden to the order? To the Iyr? To her? To both?’

  As Jarot held the boy within his chest, he narrowed his eyes until they were almost shut, only able to see vague, blurry shapes. He thought of his you son, who would sleep upon his chest so peacefully, save for the one or two coughs. He used to read while his so upon his chest, though with his single arm, it was far more difficult.

  ‘My Farot…’ The old man inhaled deeply, his chest rising slowly, causing the tiny Larot to stir slightly, before he was called to slumber once more. The old man’s thoughts theo Churot, who was still yet to be tattooed. Though he was a quiet boy, and remained away from many others, Adam still spoke with the boy and embraced him dearly.

  “Thank you, Adam.”

  “For what?” Adam asked, snapped out of his thoughts.

  “For all you have done.”

  “I haven’t done much?”

  “You have done more than enough.” The old man smiled warmly. “If the Iyr chooses to abandon you, know you abandon it iurn. You owe us no favours, for you have done so much?”

  “Is something wrong?” Adam asked, feeling a chill enter his heart. ‘If the old man’s saying something like that… does he know something?’

  “No. Nothing is wrong.”

  Adam stared at the old man. He was an elderly man, and though he was training, he was someone who had gohrough tless battles, before losing much of his ability to fight. “Are you dying, old man?”

  “Not yet.”

  “Good. My kids still need you, you old geezer.”

  Jarot’s lips formed a small smile. He closed his eyes and sat there, silent.

  ‘What was that all about?’ Adam thought, feeling his heart sunk. ‘You old geezer, I haven’t given you permission to die yet! If you die, Jirot’s going to bully you so much!’

  When they all returo the shared estate, Adam busied himself among his cousins. He groaned as he picked one of the boys up.

  “Look at this ky boy. Who is my ky boy? Is it you?” Adam asked, pretending tle as he help up the boy, who ate so well.

  “No,” Gurot decres, smirking slightly.

  “You’re my ky boy!” Adam pulled the boy in for a deep embrace, rubbing his cheek against Gurot’s chubby cheek.

  Gurot smiled as Adam showered him in affe, before he was distracted by a piece of fruit Adam brought to his lips. Adam allowed the boy to leave, but repced him with his younger brother, blowing into the boy’s tummy, who giggled with joy.

  “You… you all… who gave you permission to be this cute? I won’t allow it!” Adam said, pying with all the children in the evening, feeding them and cuddling with them, before taking the initiative to read them a story.

  ‘I ’t leave the Iyr… not when my cousins are still growing up!’

  Jurot gowards Adam, before his eyes fell to Vonda, who was currently pying with Jirot and Jarot, the pair giggling and cag at the woman’s stories. He had noted a queerness between them, and a curiosity among his aunts and uncles.

  ‘…’

  It was ter in the evening when Adam ged his children into their night clothes, softer clothing f a onesie for each of his children, with their feet covered by the clothes, though their hands were free.

  “Did you have fun today?” Adam asked, pnting a kiss on his eldest daughter’s forehead.

  “Yes,” the girl replied.

  “What did you like about today?”

  “I eat yummy food.”

  “Which yummy food did you eat?”

  “Mmm…” The girl thought. “Meat.”

  “How nice.” Adam kissed her forehead once more, before moving on to speak with Kirot, who spoke of her love of the tossing game, while Karot spoke of the music.

  “I like puhying with Ray Vonda, and I liked, ummm, when nano pick me up,” Jirot said.

  “I like when babo pick me up, and nano, and nana,” Jarot said, nuzzling against his father’s neck as they embraced.

  “I’m gd…” Adam’s heart thundered once more in his chest as he felt the overwhelming force of his children’s adoration. “I love you all so much. You have to remember that, daddy loves you so much.”

  “I love you too!” Lanarot said, st over to embrace her nieces and nephews. “I love you so much!”

  “That’s right, even your kako loves you this much.”

  “I love kako too,” Jirot said, embrag Lanarot tight.

  “Do you like kako Jaygak too?” Adam asked.

  Jirot smirked, before cag.

  The m, the chill in the air increased. There was no rain, save fentle showers far in the distance, across some of the Iyr’s nd, but not upon its people.

  Dunes sat opposite Adam, having finally worked up the ce to step into the Main Iyr and the shared estate. Adam gnced aside, noting Fred had e with him.

  “How’s the others at the business?”

  “Well. How are your family?”

  “They’re good too,” Adam said, and though he tried to stop, he went on a long ta about the children. “How they do this to me? How they be so cute?”

  Dunes smiled. Listening to Adam speak of his children soothed all the worries in his heart. Dunes inhaled deeply, and his eyes fell onto Adam.

  Adam felt his gaze, and slowly, their eyes met. A silence fell between them. Adam narrowed his eyes towards Dunes, whose lips formed a small smirk.

  “Dunes?”

  “Adam,” Dunes replied, the smirk slowly encroag upon his lips. “I have heard a rumour.”

  Adam’s heart began to qui and he sipped his tea. “What rumour is that?”

  “Did you really deny her?”

  stitution SaveD20 + 6 = 25 (19)

  Adam mao swallow dowea without choking, though uo taste its fvour.

  Where is it? Where is my romano! e bae! e back!

  Since our adorable kids are here, I'll five you, just this onbsp;