Elsie ate her bread, her eyes glued to Adam. She gowards the bck armoured woman, who ecial. She was a member of an Order. An Order. ‘She must be s? Mister Adam beat her up?’ The girl’s curious eyes remained on the pair, deep in thought.

  “Look!” Adam said, revealing the small golden rings, encrusted with small gems, for his twins. “Daddy has these specially made for you! Do you know who made them?”

  “Mummy?”

  “No, but close. Who else do you like?”

  “Nana.”

  “No, no, silly, you like pying with her.”

  “Kako?”

  “Which kako?”

  “Horny kako!”

  Adam blinked, doing his best not to burst out into ughter. “You’re right! Horny kako made all these beautiful little rings for you!”

  “Yay!” Jirot grabbed the ring tight in hand and rushed to Jaygak. “Kako! Kako!”

  “Yes?” Jaygak asked, lifting the girl up.

  “Thank you!” Jirot kissed her cheek and Jarot cimed the other cheek with a kiss.

  Jaygak, letting out a long satisfied sigh, peeked towards Adam. “I bejewelled them, but it was your father who ordered these from someone and provided the gems. I already gave you yifts before. You should thank your father.”

  Jirot looked to her father, narrowing her eyes towards him. She turned her head away. “No!” She hugged her aunt tight, nuzzling against her neck.

  Prince Morkarai smiled, sipping his wine, gng to the side. ‘That is payment enough.’

  “Daddy…” Jarot reached out a hand. “Daddy.”

  Adam picked him up, nuzzling his nose. ‘My boy, you’re too good to me.’ “Do you like yift?”

  “Yes.”

  “I love it daddy!” Jirot decred, squirming within Jaygak’s arms, reag out for her father. She pouted and started to groan.

  Adam plucked her from Jaygak, smirking at the woman, before peppering his kids with kisses. “Why don’t we listen to papo tell the tales?”

  “Okay!”

  Adam sat beside his wife, holding her hand, the pair looking out to their children, who sat upon their babo’s and nano’s ps once more.

  “They’re so big now,” Vonda said, recalling the tiny children who had been covered in mud.

  “Don’t remind me.”

  “Jirot is so smart, and Jarot, he’s so kind.”

  “Yeah. How he’s going to be a Rage Dancer, who knows? Ah, what am I saying? They won’t grow up, they’ll stay small and cute forever.”

  Vonda pced her head on his shoulder, ling up to him close. Adam rested his head against hers.

  “Is… Konarot treating you well?”

  “She is. Kirot loves to listen to my prayers. Karot does too, and he likes to draw with me.”

  “How about the children, the rest of them? Are they learning well.”

  “They are, but it is difficult, sihey are all different ages and abilities.”

  “Should I find some more teachers?”

  “What of the Iyr?”

  “That’s a good idea.” Adam gnced around, noting his cousins. Adam reached out to Konarot. “Konababy, go call your kakos.” Adam poio the twins.

  Konarot looked up to the twin aunts, Fakrot’s children, and she rushed over to them, followed by Kirot and Karot.

  Cirot and Sirot listeo Adam’s offer. Cirot exged a look with Sirot, who raised her brows, but the pair eventually shook their head.

  “Is that a no?”

  “We do it.”

  “Alright, I’ll pay you in , unless you want a magical on?”

  “A magical shield,” the pair of them asked.

  ‘Is life going well for me?’ Adam thought, before realising he was actually a shield down. “One for the both of you, or two?”

  “Two.”

  Adam winked. “Alright.” He reached out a hand, and shook each of their forearms.

  “Daddy,” Jirot called, grabbing his hand. “Toilet.”

  “Okay,” Adam said, leading the twins away, before noting the other Rot twins followed him.

  “Daddy.”

  “Yes?”

  “Is poo poo.”

  “I’ll help you up,” Adam assured. ‘I should make a magic item for that.’

  Ohe childreurned, noting all the businessfolk had gone, she grabbed her father’s leg. “Warriors an’ Wanderers?”

  “Okay.”

  “All together!”

  “Who?”

  “Mm. Daddy. Mummy. Papas. Kakas.”

  “What about nana?”

  “Okay.”

  “What about papo?”

  “Okay.”

  “Kako Lana?”

  “Okay.”

  Adam ran the game for the group, while the others listened in. Lud Mara held each of the twins, helping them roll, and making sure they did any of the pieces. Eventually, they went to nap, and Adam watched over the kids, along with Vonda and Jurot, who stared down at his nied nephew.

  ‘Three years old.’ His eyes fell to Lanarot, who had turned four, a Jirot seemed a little smarter. The smell of bread caused Lanarot to twitch, but she remained asleep, while Pam settled nearby, allowing the rest to eat from her basket.

  “Vonda,” Adam eventually whispered. “How you do this to me?”

  “What did I do?”

  “Our seventh is going to be so cute because of you!”

  Vonda rubbed her elbow against his, causing Adam to an arm around her waist.

  Jurot looked to Pam, and he slowly nodded his head, causio flush.

  “Jurot, your kid is going to be so cute too.”

  “Yes.”

  “I’m going to spoil them so much.”

  “Yes.”

  “I get to be the cool uncle,” Adam said, already thinking about how he was going to spoil them.

  “Yes.”

  “I hope the kids grow up close…”

  “Yes.”

  “Will your kid be a Rage Dancer?” Adam asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Are you going to teach them?”

  “I will,” Jurot said, to Adam’s surprised. “So will mother, aunt, grandfather.”

  “What if they don’t want to be a Rage Dancer? What if they want to be… I don’t know? A baker?” Adam go Pam for a moment.

  “They will train to bee a Rage Dancer, and if they are giveion of learning to bake, they may learn to bake. They should train to bee an Expert before thirty or forty.”

  “What if they don’t get the choice of being a baker?”

  “They must do as the Iyr needs of them.”

  “What if they don’t want to?”

  “They must.”

  Adam frowned. “If they want to do something else, I’ll help them do it.”

  Jurot just nodded. He wasn’t going to refuse Adam, since he was their uncle, and it was within his rights.

  “Could I teach them to bake?” Pam asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Good, I would like to do that.” She reached down to her stomach, thinking about her half baker half Iyrman child.

  “They will be raised well in the Iyr, and the fort,” Jurot said.

  “We’ve got so much work to do, eh?” Adam leaned back, closing his eyes, falling to his thoughts.

  “Yes.”

  ‘If my kids learn magic, couldn’t they bee enters? They could make so much money, and they just stay here, safe and sound…’

  As evening approached, the children prepared for bed, the Oathsworn of the Order of the Wings settled in a shared estate of the fort. Adam remained outside, staring up at the sky.

  ‘Baktu, did you see? I tried t back John back to life. I even hahe other Jon a better bde, so…’ Adam prayed for Vonda and his children, all seven of them.

  Adam eventually returned back to his house, and he accepted his twins into his arms, Jirot cuddled up to his chest, sug her thumb.

  “I am so good, daddy,” Jirot said.

  “You are.” Adam kissed her forehead.

  “You are so lucky I am your dohta.”

  “I am,” Adam replied, smirking slightly.

  “Yes.” Jirot rubbed her head against his chest.

  “Daddy…” Jarot called.

  “Yes, my boy.” Adam kissed his forehead too.

  “I love daddy.”

  “I love you too, my boy.”

  “Me too! I love daddy!” Jirot decred, gasping in shock.

  “I know, I know. Do you love mummy too?”

  “I love so much!” Jirot stated, before crawling away from her father and to her mother, who brushed her hair.

  “Hold on, you o sleep with daddy today, you brat!” Adam called out, grabbing the girl by her ankle, causio squeal and giggle, trying to escape.

  Eventually, Jirot and Jarot slept upon their father’s chest. The triplets allowed them to hog their father, having already spent their own time with their younger sister and brother. Adam gnced aside towards Vonda, seeing she was sleeping all by herself.

  ‘I know, but still…’ Adam frowned. ‘I should keep it in my pants for a while.’

  The m, Adam realised something.

  ‘Did I really make a Oathsworn of the Order of the Wings wait for me just to beat them up and look cool in front of my kids?’ Adam thought. ‘Man, that’s pretty tyrannical… and cool as hell.’

  Adam spent the day making the rounds, gng aside to the Order members, who were preparing to leave. ‘Oh, oops.’

  “Executive Adam,” Magpie called, reag out to shake his forearm. “Thank you again for yenerous donation.”

  “Of course, any time,” Adam said. “It pletely skipped my mierday, but we had a little bit more to donate.”

  “More?”

  Jurht over a chest, about the size of a rge skull, ohat was a little too unwieldy, unless of course one rode upon a magical steed brought by one’s oaths. The chest was carved with Iyrman precision, specifically his own.

  “If you don’t mind, could you check if the denominations are appropriate?” Adam asked, motioning a hand for her to open it.

  The woman undid the tch, cheg ihere were five rows of ten ns total, with two ns full of copper, five of silver, two of gold, and finally, one row of obsidian, each stacked about ten high.

  “Roughly six hundred and twenty six gold,” Adam said, as though he hadn’t triple checked the numbers. “I hope it’s enough to keep you going until the rest of the year.”

  Magpie stared into the half elf’s eyes for a long moment. “You’ve donated so much to us. The ons were already more than we expected, and more than I ever would have thought, but too?” The half elf hadn’t just give gold, but different denominations of which were useful in different texts, silver being fairly important, but copper had its uses too. Then, of course, gems to keep things light. “Why?”

  “The business handed you the ons,” Adam said, before tapping his finger on the chest. “My brother and I, we came together ahis up.”

  “I crafted the chest,” Jurot said, standing proudly.

  “Like I said, we came up with the and the chest personally, him more personally than I, I suppose. I want to say, thank you. You do great work, and even though the nd might not appreciate it, we do. I have only the greatest respect for you, truly.”

  “…” Magpie slowly bowed her head. “Thank you again, Executive Adam, Executive Jurot.” She reached out her hand to shake their forearms once more, before they mouheir magical steeds, and rode away.

  Adam watched alongside the vilgers, watg as their magical mounts kicked up dust as they rode into the distance. ‘Alright, well, sihey’re gone, might as well go get some work done.’

  Adam finished enting the set of ons, one he’d definitely o sell off. ‘We’re running out of money quick.’ Adam inhaled deeply. ‘I have so much more work to do…’

  Unfortunately for Adam, he o politic the day. Adam pat Nobby on his shoulder. “Happy birthday, Nobby.”

  “Thank you, mister boss.”

  “I don’t want you thinking that the business fot about your birthday. I pulled some strings and mao acquire you a magical shield, that we’re still only lending to you, but still. I know you have a magical shield already that we’ve lent you, but… a Greater one is better, isn’t it?” Adam held up the shield. “Go on.”

  Nobby held it, feeling it tingle.

  “You have a Greater axe and a Greater shield. The axe? That’s yours, part of the payment for deying the proper payment on our end. The shield? We’re lending it to you until you finish up some mreat work. With those two items, you’re among some of the best equipped, I mean, I’m the only other person with a Greater shield, and well, it’s made me into one hell of a monster.”

  “Thank you, mister boss,” Nobby said, feeling the magigle in his hands.

  “Now remember, we’re lending it to you for now,” Adam winked. “However, what we’re not lending you is…” Adam held out his hand and pat Nobby oher shoulder. “I hereby pronounce you… not a Lead, but you earn as much as a lead now, thirty whole silver s a month.”

  “Gold s,” Jurot corrected.

  “That’s what I said,” Adam reached up his fist to his mouth, stifling a yawn. ‘Damn. I have been enting and stressed out of my damn mind for a while.’ “Three hundred silver, thirty gold, a month.”

  “Thank you, mister boss.”

  “Alright, well…” Adam pat the young man’s shoulder for a third time, then made his way to greet Merl nearby. “Young Chief Merl, How are you?”

  “Well, thank you,” the woman said, sitting down, knitting away.

  “Is there anything you need?”

  “Would you be willing to allow Nobby to stay by my side until the birth?” Merl asked, smiling warmly towards the half elf who had helped them so much.

  “Of course,” Adam said. “Nobby, for your birthday, and for all your hard work, stay with your wife and keep her pany. You stay for at least two weeks after the birth, no, make it a whole month. We sider it your paternity leave, alright?”

  “Okay, mister boss,” Nobby said, having no idea aternity leave was.

  “Thank you, Executive.”

  “You too, Young Chief,” Adam smiled wide. “Just give birth to a happy ahy child, ohat is as big as Nobby, so that I spoil them even more.”

  Merl let out a ugh, about to reply when she winced, and gasped.

  Adam’s smile dropped as he blinked. ‘You’ve got to be kidding me.’

  These rolls are funny as hell.