[1327] – Y06.127 – RELATIVES VII

“Ya'noor, we have to keep our eyes on you all the time!” Adam complained, patting Kizwolima’s back. “Okay, if you choke one more time, I will not buy you any more fruit!”

Kizwolima’s eyes widened with betrayal. “Mister Adam! I did not mean it! I will not do it again, I will not!”

“You have to eat smaller pieces and one at a time from now on!”

“Aw!”

“Kiz Woah Lee Mah,” Adam said, in the way of a parent who said the full name of a child when they were truly in trouble.

“Okay, okay, mister Adam, I promise,” the girl replied, flushing and frowning in shame, her ears dropping down slightly, while chewing on the fruit slowly.

Bael could feel Kizwolima’s glance upon him, though he was pretending to look to one side, his jaw tense, trying not to laugh. It was thankful there was another figure nearby keeping his attention, one who had kept an eye upon them since they had left the inn, and had been keeping an eye on them for the past few days.

Kitool could feel it, the presence of the various figures which had followed them to the inn, though kept the knowledge to herself, for now.

Jurot meanwhile wondered how Adam was so good with children, though he was only half certain the young half elf would actually keep to his word of not allowing her to eat fruit. He wasn’t sure if the half elf’s heart would survive.

Amal snoozed against Anka’s bosom, having eaten her fill, the babe clutching upon the woman’s collar, rising and falling gently with her breath, and the woman’s.

Ashmir’s eyes fell upon the girl, then to the Brother of Black Mountain. His heart remained soothed that the group had taken such great care of the child, understanding there were plenty of those who viewed themselves as great heroes who would have abandoned the child near instantly in order to claim greater glory.

As the group enjoyed the various desserts after their afternoon meal, word spread.

“A Black Lion?” the noble within the shadows asked.

“Yes, my Lord.”

“Kal Uli, someone you assume to be the Lion King, a Mo and Ka of Black Mountain, and Iyrmen…” The noble wondered if the child was particularly special. Was she perhaps a…

No.

That was impossible.

Although, why else would so many surround themselves around the child? Then was the child even greater than they imagined? If that was the case, then handing out such information for the greater nobles might earn quite some favour, and their heart could be settled by such vengeance.

While the group enjoyed their meal, Bavin lazed within the shade, his heart full of fire. He glared down at the floor in front of him, where the shade met the light. He had not thought of it, but after exploring the capital, and after hearing all Adam had accomplished just within the city, from meeting various great figures, to defeating various great figures, all within the span of weeks…

‘You have done well!’ Lavin had exclaimed, clasping his shoulders with her large hands.

Lavin, who had watched over him as a boy, the meek Bavin remaining home for his entire life, wishing to die in obscurity as a farmer. Yet, Lavin was so different. It was her role to continue the Vin family tale, yet, within the span of a couple of years, that had all changed. Bavin had grown so powerful, far too quickly, far quicker than even his zealous twin, and yet…

He wondered just how much his sister had worried for him.

‘Are my gifts good?’ Nobby thought, staring within the depths of his pouch, noting all the trinkets, the wooden pieces each carved into various figurines. He thought about his son, who was so small, who coughed so often, who could barely see or hear, but cuddled so tenderly within his chest.

‘More,’ John thought, thrusting his spear into the air, feeling the burn within his body, but even so, he could not feel the typical ease within his heart.

Jonn, too, trained that evening, noting how the father’s hunger had increased recently. He assumed the end of their stay within the capital had brought the knowledge that the safety they enjoyed within the walls would no longer protect them, and the dangers of the city would give way to the dangers of the road.

It wasn’t long now, and even Adam’s heart felt burdened by them soon to leave, the stress of packing swiftly filling him.

‘Only two days to buy everything we need? I should have slowly bought everything!’ Adam thought, as though he hadn’t spent already spent so many days buying nick nacks, and most of what they wanted already. He pulled out his journal, noting all the things he had written down.

Uli wondered how many more times they would visit a smithy, as the half elf eyed up the various weapons, all of them spears.

“Only eighty gold?” Adam asked, clasping the shaft of the spear, black, while the deep amber steel glinted seductively.

“It is not as useful in Aswadasad, but in Aldland?” Latan said, the horc easily towering over the half elf, though his face seemed as innocent as a babe’s. He was built thick and wide, wider and thicker than even Anka, his hair flowing down in long curls, following the contours of his body.

“No quicksilver, though?” Adam asked.

“It is not a steel easily procured,” the horc said, having already given up on being able to buy such a wonderful steel.

“Firesteel, stormsteel, and agatesteel,” Adam said, noting the colourful patterns of the agatesteel, the strands of brown and white mixing together. “Would you be willing to part with all three for three hundred?”

The horc bowed his head, and within the next moment, the half elf handed him three ambers. He eyed up various other spears lined along the wall, with a thought to lighten his pouch further, but Dunes hurried him out.

“Wait!” Adam called, returning back to the smithy, the Black Lion letting out a soft sigh.

Once they returned back to the inn, Adam wondered if he needed to speak with the Amira to sell off some more weapons, but he supposed they should have enough money to continue, and if they needed to, they could just offer magical weapons, or borrow some silver and gold using the Iyr’s name, if Jurot would allow it.

“Jonn, I mean, John,” Adam called, taking a moment to realise both names sounded identical, so they couldn’t have known he had thought of the wrong John.

“Yes, Brother?” John, the father, called, approaching the half elf.

“Here,” Adam said, handing him the firesteel spear. “I had to end up giving yours up to be nice, but this one is yours, as in, it belongs to you now, regardless of whether or not you end up joining us, so we can’t ask you to give it up.”

John blinked, but bowed his head. “Thank you, Brother.”

“I have a few more spears so you don’t have to worry about us stealing that one from you anyway,” Adam said, keeping it a secret he had bought even more spears that were greater than the firesteel spear. He had originally wondered which greater weapons he could offer, but eventually realised he could spend quite some gold to buy weapons that were fancifully designed, while others were also made of a silvered steel, mostly spears since they were often the cheapest.

John bowed his head once more, clutching the spear tight in hand. He had thought of the bloodsteel spear he had lost, which had caused his heart to skip a beat, and this spear threatened to do the same, though he killed the emotion as to not feel the loss. It was a truly beautiful spear, the wood entirely black, dense and heavy, while the spear tip shifted from orange to red under the noonval sun, like flickering flames.

“Kizwolima,” Adam whispered, the half elf holding out a tiny ball, red with white swirls, placing it within her blue hand. “It’s a hard sweet.”

“Oooh!” The girl gasped, before sucking it out of her palm, feeling the gentle flavour ooze against her tongue.

“Just-,”

The hard crunch revealed she had already bitten within it, the girl chewing it with delight, swallowing it down within moments. “So delicious.”

Adam smiled, having wanted her to take her time, but he pinched her nose lightly. “I’ll try and get you some more with dinner, okay?”

“Okay! Thank you, mister Adam!”

“Our Kizwolima has such good manners!” Adam called, resisting the urge to pick her up and toss her into the air.

It was then various figures approached the inn, a heavily armoured figure storming their way inside in order to declare the noble’s arrival.

‘Oh?’ Adam thought, rolling his shoulders, stretching his neck from side to side.

‘Why is he so eager to fight?’ Dunes thought.

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Adam really wants to throw hands.  

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