Chương 1794: [1691] – Y07.191 – Darkness on the Horizon I

"Papo…" called the boy, with eyes and skin of red, tail swaying lightly behind him.

"I can hold the soad?"

"If my nephew wishes to hold my soad, he may hold the soad," the fellow replied, handing over the blade of crimson, that which his granduncle was named after, though he was not the Blood Blade, but Bloodblade.

"Ock!" The boy's lips formed the tiniest of circles, and he carried the blade within his arms, half hugging it, his tail swirling into circles as he carried the soad to his elder sisters, revealing the longsoad to them.

"Whoa! Cool!" The Iyrman flushed lightly, and considered coveting the children, but as the thought entered his heart, he let it flow through him, for he may be a fool, but he was no idiot. He watched over the triplets as they enjoyed their time within the town of Red Oak, that which was so close to their home, and yet was so far away. It was this town in which the Countess must have heard of their arrival, and though her guards had informed her of the matter, what could she do?

If she sent the entire Oakguard, they would find themselves, at the tip of even his blade, and they would know what it would be like to be at the end of Bloodblade Shasen's blade, even if he was merely a Master.

'Tana and I will share Sir Merrick and Sir Robin, Kitool would take Sir Chloe, Jurot would take Sir Tobias. That leaves Sir Ethan, Sir Louis, and Sir Juge? Adam would wish to claim Sir Juge, for he is the strongest. Granduncle would not surrender Sir Louis, so then who would wish to face Sir Ethan? The Ascending Swallow or Flame Brand? Likely Flame Brand, for she had yet to draw her blade in front of the children…'

"What troubles will you plague us with?" Tanagek asked.

"It would be best for grandaunt to draw her sword, for the children's heart will not be eased until she does," Chosen mused. Tana, as foolish as he was, was no idiot, for he understood even in this way, though he was foolish, Chosen was no idiot. His eyes fell to the twins, each of whom were practising their leaping, and as their grandmother flew through the sky, they gasped, clapping their hands excitedly, and they tried to do the same, and within their minds, they had leapt almost as well.

'Should we have returned so soon?' Tanagek thought, crossing his arms.

'Should we not have continued to bring Black Mountain under heel? If the exiled Flame Brand had drawn her blade and defeated the First Blade of Black Mountain, the children's hearts would be put at ease, for they would know, even if she had to step away, even upon her return she could still carve her name through history. Later in the evening, as the five returned, each carrying new blades, the children darted towards the five, led by their aunt, who stood tall and proud, and held out an accusatory finger.

"I know!" Lanarot declared.

"You fought the Reavers!"

"Oh?" Malfev replied, brushing his beard lightly.

"How did you know?"

"I know because I know!" the girl declared, and with a wide smile upon her lips, she held up her fist.

"You fought well?"

"We fought well."

"You fought long and hard?"

"We fought with an acceptable longness and an acceptable hardness."

"How acceptable," the girl replied, nodding her head gently, and she led them towards the fire within the centre for them to warm up, and as she expected, for them to speak the tale, however, before they began, there was an important matter to deal with. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Jirot gasped. She turned to look towards the Iyrman.

"How you can do this, babo?"

"…"

"I expect this from my babo Jarot, but I did not expect this from you, babo Dogek." The girl placed her hands on her hips, letting out a huff, and then reached up to run her fingers through her hair.

"Sozashukhur, Sozashukhur, what can I say to you? It. This. Of all the Iyrmen I would expect this behaviour, I did not expect it from Duteous Dogek. The travesty. The shame. I cannot even, I cannot even see your face today." Malfev's throat grew taut, his eyes trailing to the side, towards Dogek, who remained standing before the girl, who had turned around, covering her eyes, tutting to herself, mumbling all manner of prayers under her breath.

"You will only punish Duteous, but what of we, who left without informing you all we were going to have our fun?" Marmak asked, causing the girl to glance his way, and she narrowed her eyes, considering his words. However. Marmak had made a grave mistake. For Jirot was Jirot. She was her father's daughter. Adam dropped down to whisper something into the girl's ear, and though the girl side eyed her father, incredulous at his words. However, Adam used, what some widely recognised, his Ult.

Indeed, she was her mother's daughter.

"Babo, I expect it from you, but how can I be upset that my babos went to keep us safe? How can I discipline such a grand action of filial piety?" Marmak closed his eyes, slipping into his rage to stop himself from laughing, and the girl side eyed her bald papo, who winked at the girl, and the girl, with an exaggerated form, for she was still a girl, winked in return, covering her mouth to not reveal her cackling.

"Let us show mercy to babo, for babo must have stepped forward because he was so wounded within his heart, for though we are returning, how could the Reavers dare to try and ruin our trip together?" Adam mused, showing he was merciful to his granduncle, who may have made some mistakes in the past, but he had far than made up for them, especially after what he had done to the Sky Commander of Eagle Wing.

"Babo. I do not wish to hear you did this again, okay?" Jirot asked.

"Okay," Dogek replied.

"Okay," Jirot replied, letting out a motherly sigh.

"Now you must hug and kiss to make up."

"…"

"…" Jirot glanced between the two men, crossing her arms, tapping her foot, until Malfev reached out and placed a hand on Dogek's shoulder.

"I accept your apology," Malfev said.

"Thank you."

"Seriously, daddy, what am I to do?" Jirot whispered, shaking her head, and she turned upon her heel and sauntered her way to her mother, peeking up at the woman, who smiled so warmly, and the girl flushed lightly.

"I have brought you this gift," Dogek said, holding out his sword to Jirot.

"I am going to kill him," Malfev finally said, and he grabbed his spear, aiming to take Dogek's head, and Dogek, not unwise was he, ducked, donning his helmet, and swung with the bronze sword, for he had no time, and no luxury to don his shield under the Descending Swallow's assault. Jirot stared at the two. She reached up to wipe her face slowly.

"Mummy, why are all my babos this way?"

"Your father is the same way, isn't he?"

"Mother, I cannot deal with him today, you must deal with him, I must deal with my babos."

"I will deal with him."

"I didn't even do anything today!" Jirot and Vonda glanced his way, before exchanging looks, and the girl pat her mother's thigh gently.

"You worked hard, mummy."

"Thank you, my dear."

"Daddy, you must stop babos from fighting."

"…" Adam donned his shield, preparing himself, but a hand at his knee stopped him, for Jirot watched the fight carefully, to make sure the two had injured one another sufficiently, and because if someone made her babo Malfev this upset, then babo Malfev needed to blow off some steam and beat them well before she stopped them, especially since it was Duteous Dogek, who she did not expect it from.

"If you do both do not stop, I will cut your throats," the one figure finally called, for it was he, the Mad Dog, whose rage began to simmer upon the surface finally.

"I allowed you the small mercy to step out. Do not act up in front of the children." Malfev and Dogek both held the Mad Dog's gaze.

"As always, my babo is so wise," Jirot said, clapping her hands.

"I can always trust babo Jarot to be the voice of…"

"…" Jirot's eyes filled with tears, and she held up her hands for her father, who picked her up, and the girl cackled and cried into his chest.

"Daddy! I cannot say it! I cannot!" The children all cackled at Jirot's words. Meanwhile Hakam listened intently to Mulrot translating what they were saying, and he glanced aside to his grandfather, who, with his one good ear, tried his best to hear the jokes between them, for though they spoke the Aldish tongue, the girl spoke too quickly, and with so many words he did not know.

'How is she so funny?' the pair thought.