"Was it a good idea to allow them to all to slip by so easily?" the woman asked, yawning, leaning back within her chair. She wore light clothing of black, a long rapier of silver hung loosely at her side, though it was unlike any silver one might have seen, for it was liquid, shifting seemingly at random.

"My nephew wrote the guide when it comes to dealing with Iyrmen," the Commander stated. "The first page is a declaration that merely has the Prime Law of the Iyr. Since there are children of the Iyr within the carriages, we must let them pass by."

"We have no proof the children were Iyrmen."

"The first official rule within the guide is that Iyrmen do not lie," Hugh stated. "I do not need to tell you that, considering how you were paid well for your assistance."

"Don't remind me," the woman replied, recalling how she had almost been killed by an Iyrman, but on the offer of her assistance, they had not only let her leave with her life, mostly intact, but had paid her a whole chest of silver.

"I apologise for not waking you so you could give your greetings."

"If you dared to wake me up for something like that, not even your cousin would be able to protect you from me," the woman warned.

"…" Hugh stifled a sigh, since she was one of the few people, retired though she may have been, to clash against even the likes of King Merryweather.

'Iyrmen…' The woman recalled the figures she had fought against, personally putting an end to a large number of Iyrmen, she had almost earned the title of Death Star, the title awarded to the figure who put the Iyrmen in check.

Until she came across that Iyrman.

As the group trekked on the new pathways the King had ordered, following the river to one side, Amal cooed loudly, babbling away towards the half elf.

"You don't say," Adam replied.

Amal stared up at the half elf, before sticking her hand in her mouth shyly, hiding against his chest.

"She's so shy because you keep bullying her," Adam accused.

"How did I bully her?" Jurot replied.

"Hmph! You see this guy? Even though you want to be my daughter, he still thinks he has a chance."

"If you allowed her to spend time with me, she would choose me," Jurot stated.

"How can I help it that she likes to cuddle me?" Adam replied, leaning down to rest his cheek against the top of her head. "Isn't that right, Amal?"

Amal reached out her arms towards the Priest, who plucked her from the half elf's arms. Jurot and Adam both stared at Anka for a long moment, but surrendered the girl to the woman.

Soon the walls of Ever Green, built upon raised ground, greeted them. The long, swerving road, wound its way towards the gate, that pained most travellers, but not those within a carriage. The land around them had begun to recover from the King of Aldland's siege, the greenery having returned, flourishing under the magic that was Ever Green.

The guards stood tall and proud, their bows at the ready, their eyes falling down upon the caravan of carriages. As the group approached, Kitool stepped out once more, approaching the guards and informing them of their charge.

'Is she trying to threaten us?' one of the guards thought. "We will need to check those within the carriages."

"As you wish," Kitool replied simply.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

The guards made their way around the carriages, eyeing up the various figures within, noting the large number of Iyrmen, but also those of the other Orders.

"Lady Arya bless you," Dunes greeted, smiling politely.

"Lady Arya bless you," the guard replied, bowing his head, noting the others within the carriages.

None of the figures decided to oppress the guards with any of the figures which could oppress them, deciding to allow the guards to check them.

"What is your business in Ever Green?"

"We are passing through," Kitool said, but before she could continue, Bael stepped out of the carriage, causing even her to glance towards him.

"Sir," a guard called, but Bael did not respond. The guard glanced to his companion, before inhaling to shout, only to stop at a raised hand from a fellow guard.

The old man was tall, but thin, his eyes dark, holding a tinge of red. One might have thought he was a typical old man, but in this moment, with his sharp eyes falling upon Bael, no one could deny he was something else entirely. He wore typical Aldish clothing, white, though, even in this late season his clothing was light, his shirt partly unbuttoned to reveal his upper chest.

"What the hell are you doing?" came a voice, the half elf stepping out, since he was the only one who was as troublesome. As Adam noted the old man, he raised a brow, for the old man looked familiar.

"What a wonderful sight, to see so many familiar faces," the old man said, smiling gently towards Adam, his eyes then falling upon Bael.

'Familiar faces?' Adam thought. It was then he realised who this old man could be, and why Bael was looking at him with such displeasure. "Are you alright, Lord Asa? You look like you've lost a lot of weight."

"It is a sickness I possess," Asa admitted, ignoring Bael's gaze, the old man still smiling warmly.

'So he's the Hearth of Floria…' Vasera thought, feeling just how heavy his power was. Without a shadow of a doubt, this old man was at least on the level of those stories legends who were spoken only in whispers, save for by a particular cult of death.

"I am glad to see you alive."

"Why would I not be alive?" Adam replied.

Asa smiled slightly, before bowing his head. "My condolences."

"Ah," Adam replied, his smile faltering slightly.

"How are the children?"

"As well as they could be, I suppose," Adam replied, only to then remember when they had first met. He had found the twins within the dirt all those years ago, and within days he had met Asa. It was around that time when he had suffered such a terrible defeat from…

Asa's eyes then fell to Bael, feeling the displeasure, but also the excitement from the young man. However, unless his senses were deceiving him, there was something else about the young man that was peculiar. '…'

"Your Lordship, do you know this Brother?" a guard asked tentatively.

"Fate brought us together previously," Asa replied. "I will escort them."

"As you command."

"Would you like to ride in our carriage?" Adam asked.

"I prefer to walk," Asa admitted, though he could feel the awkwardness from the guards, who would have complained if he had accepted. "Would you care to join me?"

"Of course, ahm."

"Ahm?"

"It means uncle in Aswadian."

"I know what it means, I am just surprised, are we that close?"

"Since you bullied my grandfather, I should be able to call you that, right?" Adam replied, holding the older dragon's gaze.

"Your grandfather?"

"You fought during the war," Adam said.

Asa tried to recall who he had fought during the war just a few years past, all the while leading the group, the carriages followed after them slowly.

Ever Green's roads were wide. Small clusters of buildings dotted the area, small, but stacked high, three to five stories tall. Around the town, one could see greenery, the greenest greenery one could imagine, as for each road within the town, there were as many parks, and though the town was built with a grid in mind, the grid surrendered to the nature.

"Where's the Bloody Knight?" Adam asked.

"The Blood Knight recently stepped away," Asa informed.

"How recently?"

"You speak as though you have an issue with him," Asa mused.

"He took my grandfather's leg."

"Ah!" Asa said, recalling the scene. "It was your grandfather who bullied me in the war, with his companions. The Deathsingers, I heard rumours even during my time, but it was then such a legacy was confirmed. I recall they fought alongside the Aldishmen."

"I heard an Aldishman fought you too," Adam said.

"Some Commander or another," Asa confirmed, recalling the fellow.

"If he stuck to fighting you instead of killing my kids, he might have been alive today," Adam said.

"So, it was he?"

"Yeah…" Adam frowned, before his eyes darted to the old man. "I heard you're Shama's father."

"Shouldn't you call him Lord Shama?"

"Once I beat him senseless, he'll be calling me Lord Adam," Adam replied, holding the old man's gaze.

"I see…"

"You must be as strong as him, right?"

"As strong?" Asa let out a laugh, almost a cough. "He would think twice about facing me at least."

"If you and I fought, how easily would you defeat me?" Adam asked, since he had no illusions to his strength.

"You would draw blood," Asa replied simply, for he would only lose if they all attacked him at once, the likes of Ashmir, Sokikez, the Golden Savages, the entirety of Fate's Golden, as well as Bael, who, somehow, possessed a Spark, but considering who he descended from, that much made sense.