[1728] – Y07.228 – A Festival In Our Hearts VIII

As the last day of the festival approached all the various Iyrmen, and those who were not Iyrmen, remained within their own estates, in which they all cooked for one another, though some visited others, and enjoyed in their bounty, especially one estate, in which a particular fellow, by the name of Bearded Dragon, offered gourds of his liquid poison, though only if they spoiled his greatchildren, his little Jijin and Jajin, appropriately.

“Babo is so cute,” Jirot whispered into Lucy’s ear.

“I’m glad there is another with such great taste,” the woman replied, threatening to drool, for he was so big, so strong, and that white hair of his, he was exactly her type.

"Stop it!" Jirot held up a finger. "Daddy says it is no good!"

"What does your daddy know?"

"Mummy says it too!"

Lucy gasped. "Your mother has betrayed me too?"

"If mummy wishes to betray you, she may."

"I see..." Lucy blinked lightly, but she reached up to brush through the girl's hair.

"Mummy is allowed to betray you too," little Jarot said, looking at Mara.

"Your mother will not betray me, for I am well behaved." Mara smiled. Jarot replied with a smile, then looked to Lucy, and returned to look at Mara, who smirked playfully, and the two spoke the words with their eyes.

"I'm going to train hard too... soon," Lucy said.

"You already train so hard," Jirot accused.

"..."

"I will not say it, because it is the festival today."

"Thank you, Jiji."

"You are lucky you are so pretty, kako, otherwise I would bully you so much more."

"I should be grateful."

"Daddy says I must bully you more, since you are so pretty, life will be so easy for you."

"Your father, he is so wise, isn't he?" Lucy joked.

Jirot narrowed her eyes, reaching down towards her empty cup, pretending to sip from it.

It was upon the last day of the festival, in which they had all gathered, at noon, certain figures returned.

The two who led the group were twins, a boy and a girl, each adorned in identical attire, the boy with trimmed hair, a fingertip thick, while the girl's hair was cut shorter on the back and sides, and whatever was cut from it, added to the top of her head in comparison. The two wore blades at their sides, longblades, for they were still in their early teens. It was with them, another two stood, each red of skin, with curled horns, a boy who was slightly rougher, and another who was softer, both within their eyes, and in their skin, one wearing a sword, the other a dagger. Along with them, another pair, one with tan skin, dark hair and dark eyes, and another whose tan was also tan, but his hair was a shade lighter, the same with his eyes, and the two wore axes at their sides, and the typical dagger one might expect from the Iyrmen.

Naqokan reached out her hands towards the twin boy and girl, ruffling their hair first, before claiming them within her arms.

Although another pair of twins were screaming with such delight, it was Laygak, Taygak, and Jaygak who greeted the returning boys, Jaygak and the twins, to one, and Laygak and Taygak to the other, the one who was softer.

"I have returned," Turot exclaimed, and he almost tackled his elder sister, the two beginning to wrestle for a moment in their hug, but Turot stepped back, allowing Asorot to do the same.

Adam inhaled sharply, turning towards Jurot for a moment, his eyes narrowed, and once more, Adam wondered what the hell had happened. The children, had they always been so tall? It had been a year since they last saw one another, longer for some, for had he seen Raygak or Saygak even last year? Yet, the children, were they so tall? Were they so sharp? No, no, that was impossible, for the children, they had been only seven years old or so.

"Don't," Adam said, feeling Jurot's gaze upon him. The half elf shook his head lightly, his face full of disdain for the passing of time. His heart weighed even heavier, for the children, they were about the age he had taken Taygak out last year. They were no longer children, for they were teens. Teens, who, in three to five years, less than the time he had known them, would step out with tattoos upon their foreheads.

"Sister, it seems you are well?" Raygak said, grinning wide towards his eldest sister.

"It is Elder now."

Raygak blinked, turning aside to the twins, who cackled lightly. "This is too far, sister. If you continue this, I will have to inform Elder Zijin."

"You may ask him, for I am the Elder now, and he has retired," Jaygak replied, grinning wide towards the teen.

"Really?"

"Yes."

Raygak’s eyes remain on his sister, uncertain if he should believe her, but his smile betrayed what he thought, and he almost tackled the young woman. "Sister! Cousin Adam! Did you hear that? My sister is the Elder now!"

"I know. It's weird, isn't it?"

"No!" Raygak declared, clenching his fists tight. "My sister is so great! My sister is the greatest Elder!"

'This cute punk...'

Saygak turned his head, tilting his head, his eyes wide. 'Cousin Jaygak... is an Elder?'

Even the typically stone faced Damokan and Kalokan stared at their cousin, the red skinned woman, whose horns were curly, as curly as the malestrom of trouble she caused.

"You are all bullying me too much," Jaygak said. "I will have to remind you, I am an Elder, so I can discipline you well, my dear cousins."

"Even you would not do such a thing, sister."

"I would not?"

"No," Raygak replied, causing his sister to huff in annoyance with how right he was.

"You! You're all bullying me too! When did you all become so big?" Adam half exclaimed, reaching out to hug each of his cousins, from Turot and Asorot, to Raygak, then Saygak, then the twin Kans, his eyes threatening to tear up.

"Jirot, I will entrust your father's tales to your cousins, for they have not heard it yet," Jaygak said.

Jirot gasped, her mouth forming a tiny circle, her eyes wide. "Yes!"

"What did cousin Adam do this time?" Saygak whispered to his elder brother.

"Adam is Adam," Laygak replied, smirking.

PATREON FOR 30+ CHAPTERS!

They've returned!