[1502] – Y07.002 – First Rays of Dawnval II (Patreon)

The Iyr was clean, the half elf thought. It wasn’t the lack of litter which caused him to think such, but the way the buildings had been built, upon a grid, around a central fire, leading out to many other fires, the spokes a central hub for meeting one’s neighbours. He had become familiar with this version of the Iyr, the Front Iyr so it was called, though he still recalled the shambling village which it had once been but a few years past.

As they walked towards the outskirts of the Front Iyr, where the jagged walls loomed, though the Iyrmen cut away at it to form a cleaner wall, Jaygak eventually stopped, turning to face the half elf. Their walk had been silent, the young Elder lost within her thoughts, Adam lost within his own.

“When do you intend to take the children to Arisa?”

“I’m not sure,” the half elf admitted, feeling his heart throb lightly. “When do you think it would be best to take them?”

“Which children do you intend to take?”

“We’re going to have to take…” The half elf remained silent for a long moment, swallowing lightly as he thought about the two he needed to take no matter what, the two least likely to want to leave the comfort that was known as the land of steel and blood. “We’ll have to take my eldest five, though Lanarot and Amal should probably go.”

“Amal too?”

“We’ve torn her away from so many already, now that she’s gotten used to her mother’s face, we can’t just abandon her now. Plus, Lion King should come too if she goes.”

Laygak considered the half elf’s words. It made enough sense for the little girl to go along, and it did allow them to request the Lion King to move. “What of Larot?”

“Virot is going to be distraught enough, and I know that Larot, along with Jitool should be able to help deal with her, but…” Adam considered just how close Virot was to Jirot. He wasn’t sure if it was even legal for him to separate the pair. He heard the heartbreak the girl had gone through when the twins were taken away to sleep, but at the very least her mother and grandmother had soothed her little heart. However, Vonda and Sonarot needed to leave in order to make sure the twins were taken care of.

“I should have expected you of all people to think so deeply about this matter.”

The half elf smiled awkwardly, though he looked out towards the wall. He closed his eyes, blocking out the thoughts.

“Will you also take Taygak?” Jaygak asked.

“Ah?” Adam thought of the young teen. Yes, if it was Taygak, she would watch over the twins well. “I probably should.”

“Thank you,” Jaygak said, though the half elf hadn’t noticed the depths of her tone. It would be awkward for their younger siblings, but Taygak needed to leave too, for she would need to step out soon, and if she was able to become an Expert before she finally took her tattoos, then no one would need to worry.

“I’m not sure about who else to take to protect everyone,” Adam admitted. “I was thinking about taking all the Executives, sans you, since you apparently have abandoned us to take the role of an Elder.”

Jaygak smiled towards the half elf, whose eyes remained narrowed towards her with an accusatory glare. “It is best I take this role, for it is greater than the title of Executive?”

“Hmph!”

“Who else do you intend to take?”

“The Golden Savages, the Experts, and Bael. I was thinking about hiring a few guards on the way, though I’m not sure. I don’t think the twins would appreciate a bunch of strangers. I could also send word to Captain O’Shan since he’s…” Adam recalled the rumours about him, and how much trouble that particular half elf coveted too. “Ashuk and the rest of them might be pretty decent enough. If I have to, I might call for Morkarai.”

“Lord Morkarai,” Jaygak corrected.

“We’re friends.”

“You should pay respects to the fire giants.”

“I do respect him!” Adam complained, the half elf inhaling deeply, feeling the burning annoyance rise within his chest. “Didn’t I let his friend go even after all he did?”

Jaygak smiled, though if Adam was thinking about taking all them, it seemed as though he had forgotten. “The Iyr intends to send a Paragon with every child.”

Adam blinked. “Oh.”

Jaygak smiled wider at the realisation on the half elf’s face. No doubt he had already thought about taking his grandparents along, but he had forgotten what it means now that his children were Iyrmen. “However, your grandfather threatened to slaughter the Chief.”

“He really is Lanarot’s grandfather,” Adam joked, his lips twitching into a smile. “Could he even slaughter the Chief?”

“It is not that gran-,” Jaygak began, though she cleared her throat. “It is not that the Mad Dog would be able to kill the Chief, but if it’s him, he would at least take an arm, if he wished.”

“I’ll be sure to speak with him so that the Chief’s arm is safe.”

“Ultimately, it is the Rot family which must plan for it, though we of the Iyr will assist where we can.” Jaygak was fairly certain it was more complicated than that, since it wasn’t just the Rot family involved, but the Gaks, and many others, and even if the Mad Dog would complain and throw a fit, there were some who could defeat his heart when it came to Jirot and Jarot.

“When you say the Iyr is sending a Paragon with each child…” Adam swallowed lightly, counting the number of children. “There’s seven, ah, eight, children, right?”

“Yes.”

“So the Iyr is going to send eight Paragons?”

“Yes.”

‘Holy shit.’ Adam thought. “Do you know who?”

Jaygak could see the half elf thinking, for sometimes he was wise enough to think. She could assume what he was thinking, that surely, in a time like this, the Iyr wouldn’t send eight of the Ten Paragons out, but at the same time, would they really reveal the fact that they did have more than ten Paragons?

“Those you are related to will step out as expected,” Jaygak said, keeping the figures vague. “I believe a few others, like Raining Bow, shall also assist you.”

“Raining Bow too?” Adam’s let out a small sigh, allowing his nerves to escape through his breath. “Alright, I guess I should have expected the Iyr to do that much.”

“I am offended you have forgotten who we are.”

“I’m just stressed out.” The half elf narrowed his eyes. “After all, they did allow you to become Elder.”

Jaygak stifled a chuckle, reaching out to punch his shoulder lightly. “Okvar and Rasam also wished to step out.”

“Oh? Okvar and Rasam? Man, I haven’t seen them in a while. They’re staying in the Big Iyr, aren’t they?”

“No, they are in the Front Iyr.”

“They are?” Adam replied.

“Yes, your children sometimes go to see them now and again.”

Adam blinked. “Man, I really have been really dour if I haven’t gone to see Okvar and Rasam of all people.”

“Originally, we intended to send a Paragon with each child, as well as various Grandmasters, but the Chief lowered the request to Master, so many familiar faces are acceptable to leave.”

“I mean…” Adam thought about how strong Masters were. He, himself, was technically considered a Master, and then there was Jurot, Kitool, and even Jaygak, of all people. “Are you going to come along too?”

“No,” Jaygak said, though it pained her to say it. “I am no longer free to do so.”

“If you refused, then I guess I don’t have to worry about you at all, Elder Jaygak.”

“Did you worry for me?”

“I can’t admit to truth, because it’s too embarrassing, so let’s say I did?”

Jaygak laughed once more, a full laugh, the young woman reaching up to rub her earlobe lightly, glancing to the side. “Even though it is provisional training, I must act as though I am a real Elder.”

“Ah, so that’s why you’re in the Front Iyr?”

“No. I am in the Front Iyr because there is someone needed to act as an Elder for the shared estates here, those which are actually a part of the main family, and yet remain in the Front Iyr,” Jaygak admitted. “It is an excuse to keep me here to act as an Elder for you all, for now, at least.”

“Oh?”

“Elder Zijin remains within the Main Iyr, with a few of my assistants, to assist the families there,” Jaygak informed.

Adam could feel there was something else to it, but he smiled, seeing how the Iyr continued to favour him so. “Don’t I owe you all enough? Sheesh, I’ll never pay this debt off at this rate.”

“You would never pay off the debt.”

“Why are you making me sound like a cheapskate?”

Jaygak smiled even wider, chuckling lightly, causing the half elf to laugh too. “Do you intend to enchant?”

“I was thinking about it, although if I do it now…”

“I will speak with her.”

“I think even if you speak with her, she might end up calling Taygak her favourite aunt,” Adam joked, though as he thought about it, he suddenly realised it wasn’t a joke at all, since it was his daughter.

“Hmm…” Jaygak sighed, but she thought of how the Iyr was so wise, placing a troublemaker like her to watch over the troublemaker who called Adam her father, and the Mad Dog her greatfather.

“Oh, speaking of enchanting, I have a favour to ask,” Adam said.