[1711] – Y07.211 – The Darkness In Their Hearts I

Amalrot felt the attention of a great many eyes, and though she was familiar with a great many of them, she remained focused on the ribbon that was tied to her hair, tugging on it gently with a thick finger, although a hand grabbed hers, and she narrowed her eyes, annoyed. Yet, the eyes that returned were nearly blank, face, neutral as stone, and those hands were big, strong, and rough.

“If you pull it, it will hurt,” Jurot said.

“No!” Amalrot threw out a hand, as though to attack her brother, returning back to the ribbon.

“I will hug you,” Jurot warned.

The girl paused, freezing in place, holding her elder brother’s gaze. She turned, looking about. “Papa!”

“What!” Adam called, standing, his head snapping to his sister. “Is papa Jurot bullying you?”

“Papa!”

“Jirot, papo is bullying kako.”

Jirot rolled up her sleeves.

“I will hug you.”

Jirot paused, glancing aside to her brother, and the two returned their eyes upon their papo. “You cannot deal with both of us at once!”

“I have two arms.”

“Oh no!” Jirot gasped. “Papo has two arms!”

Little Jarot nodded, inhaling sharply, and he turned to look towards Jirot, and leaned in to whisper something.

“Oh! We can do that!”

“I will resist the magic you cast,” Jurot said.

“Ack!” Jirot gasped. “Papo, you are too good at this.”

“I am your papo.”

Jirot narrowed her eyes, turning to face little Jarot once more, and the two held one another’s gaze for a long moment. Then she turned to look towards her father. “Daddy, you must assist us.”

“I must hold Amalrot for she is so heavy.”

“Hmm…” Jirot had to relent, for, indeed, her kako was so chonky.

“Shall I deal with your papo?” Kamrot asked, standing up, grunting, his back cracking lightly. He stretched out his neck this way and that.

“No, no, babo, you are too weak.”

Kamrot blinked.

“Daddy, you will assist us, and babo, you will pick up Amalrot,” Jirot said, though as she turned, she found Amalrot was already within her father’s arms. “Babo, even if you are weak, you must assist us in dealing with papo.”

“I see.”

Jurot and Kamrot stared between one another for a long while.

“Jirot, Jarot, will you help me?” Mulrot called, reaching out her hands, and the two rushed up to their greatmother, and they slipped away, helping their greatmother, who didn’t need their help at all.

“I am not confident in defeating you without my sweet twins,” Kamrot admitted, and he started to walk away, letting out a long, satisfied sigh.

“Amalrot, who do you think would win? Babo Kamrot or papa Jurot?” Adam asked.

“Ball,” Amalrot replied.

Adam slowly nodded, and he leaned in to nuzzle the girl’s nose, then carried her way to find something else for her hand, mostly what one might expect for the girl.

“Amalrot, you are so big!” Lanarot declared, reaching out a hand to brush the girl’s hair gently. “You are now two years old, and you are even bigger. I remember you were so small, and I could pick you up in my arms, and now you are so big.”

Adam furrowed his brows but didn’t say anything, as the girl reached out her arms, and Amalrot accepted the embrace, the two hugging one another.

‘Seriously, my sisters are the most adorable.’

Meanwhile, two figures remained at the centre of attention, each kept an eye on by some of the Death Squads.

“I heard the Front Iyr was a simple village…” Mountain Tiger of the North mused.

“It must have changed when the Reavers stepped onto the land,” Advisor Sword replied, sipping her tea lightly.

“Perhaps…” Tiger eyed up the various Iyrmen about them, noting a great many faces, some who he recognised.

Advisor Sword kept to herself, mostly, for she could feel the grave aura emanating from them all. Considering the Iyrmen here, she was certain at least a Grandmaster was going to keep an eye on them, though as she noted the various figures, and considering the Iyr’s reputation, she realised, perhaps, there were also small groups of Experts going to watch over them. ‘They will place at least four Experts upon each of us. Perhaps six for the Sir…’

Elsewhere Sonarot picked up Amalrot, who began to yawn, and the girl waved to all the Iyrmen about who had come to grant her a great many gifts, and she slowly disappeared within a building, a long way away from the two who were half prisoners, but for the next week, they were guests within the Front Iyr, before they would be escorted back to the business.

Except…

“Ah,” Lykan replied, slowly nodding his head to Jaygak. “I will send them back tomorrow.”

“Thank you,” Jaygak replied, and for once, it was she who was considered wisest, and as the next morning arrived, the prisoners were taken back to the business fort, and the Iyrmen were allowed to visit them there, all the while Adam stood, and made his way to begin to Awaken and Iyrman.

Jirot held her father’s gaze, holding a knowing look, but the children were told not to reveal what their father was doing, for there were many, including Iyrmen, who were not allowed to know.

Also, there was a greater issue…

“Do you know why I am upset, daddy?”

“Has mummy also begun work?”

“It is days like this I yearn for my youth,” Jirot said, letting out a long sigh.

Adam closed his eyes, his eyes threatening to let slip tears.

“You are six,” Old Jarot accused.

“How many children have lived as I have? Within my heart, I am ancient.” Jirot confirmed her words by standing up, grunting and placing the back of her fist against the small of her small back, and waddled away.

Little Jarot turned to look at his greatfather. “I am old too, babo.”

“If you call me babo, you are not old.”

“Babo, you will always be my babo.”

The old Jarot flushed slightly, and picked up his greatson quickly, holding him close. “You will always be my baby Jarot.”

“Babo…”

The two held one another, and eventually the old Jarot peeked down, finding his greatdaughter glaring at him. “Yes, my old Jirot?”

“Babo, you will always be my babo…”

“You will always be my baby Jirot,” Jarot assured, picking the girl up, allowing her to embrace him tightly.

“You will always be my baby Damrot,” Jurot assured.

“Daddy…” Damrot flushed, hugging his father.

Jurot’s heart throbbed. ‘I should have killed a few during our journey…’

PATREON FOR 30+ CHAPTERS!

Amalrot knows ball.