Adam was sure that this was a meeting to do with him, and not just him, but to do with marriage.

“I can’t believe you’ve done this,” Adam said.

Sonarot tilted her head slightly. “What have I done?”

Adam continued to glance around, his eyes darting between the people, from Lady Elowen and the rest of White’s Grace, to his own party of Fate’s Golden.

The meat. The cheese. The pizza.

“Isn’t this about that?” Adam asked, his eyes curious and suspicious.

Sonarot blinked, wondering if he had figured out what the party was about. ‘Did you figure it out?’ She thought.

“Didn’t I already say that I’m too young?” Adam asked, holding Lanarot closer to his chest. “Just because she’s learnt how to walk, it doesn’t mean she can pick just yet.”

“Adam is to marry?” called a familiar voice from one of the paths leading to the courtyard.

Appearing from the pathway were five figures. A handsome Iyrman, with medium length dark hair, and the dark eyes of the Iyrmen. At his side was an axe, one which Adam had enchanted many moons ago.

Beside him was a Devilkin Iyrman, who was well built, with a blade at her side, another which Adam had enchanted. The third Iyrman was a pretty Iyrman, the sides of her hair shaved, and the top of her head was cut fairly short too. She wore a staff against her back. Behind them were two large dire wolves.

“Oh,” Adam said, suddenly turning red. ‘Right. This makes way more sense.’

“You have returned,” Sonarot said, embracing her son, while the other parents embraced their children who had returned.

“I have returned, mother,” Jurot replied, hugging his mother tight. There was a look in his eyes, but he didn’t want to reveal that just yet.

“You’re finally back,” Adam said, shaking his brother’s forearm.

“I have returned, Adam,” Jurot said, before looking down to his baby sister. At first she hid away in Adam’s chest, but upon seeing the tattoo on his forehead, the blue circle followed by three blue diamonds on either side, she reached up towards him.

Jurot picked her up, holding her out ahead of him. “You have grown so big.”

Lanarot smiled, clasping her hands together as she squirmed in his strong hands.

“You did not listen,” Jurot said. “I said to not grow too quickly.” He brought the girl to his chest for a hug, causing Lanarot to cuddle up close to him, sucking on her thumb.

“She’s really big now,” Adam said, smiling wide. There was a look in his eyes, but he didn’t want to reveal that just yet.

Jurot greeted the rest of his family, greeting each of his aunts and uncles, from those of the Rot family, to those of the Ool, Gak, and Kan families.

“Have you been well?” Jurot asked.

“I have been good,” Turot said, nodding his head, while Jurot ruffled his hair. “I will definitely save you.”

“Save me?” Jurot asked.

Adam wasn’t sure what the boy was talking about.

“We have found the information from the bandits, so we will soon find you,” the boy assured.

Adam chuckled. “Oh! He means Warriors and Wanderers.”

Jurot nodded his head. “We have brought back gifts.” Jurot placed his sister down and reached into his top, into the large pouch which could carry a child, and brought out a long string, with strips of all kinds of leather and hide of various creatures.

The children all formed up in a queue, and Adam nodded his head approvingly, all the while the children were given a gift from each of the three returning Iyrmen.

“Did you get into much trouble?” Jaygak asked.

“A little,” Adam replied. “Nothing I couldn’t handle.”

“What kind of trouble?”

Adam smiled. “You’ll find out soon, but first, and more importantly…” Adam reached his arms down towards his sister. “Lanarot, come.”

The girl looked up at him before crawling over to him. Adam lifted her up onto her feet, and pointed to her mother. “Look, mama. Go on,” Adam urged.

Lanarot slowly stumbled her way to her mother, all the while the three returning Iyrmen began to praise her.

“When did she begin to walk?” Jurot asked.

“A few days ago.” Adam tried to reverse maths until he found the answer. “Two days ago, specifically, on the fifteenth.”

Jurot nodded his head. “She is strong.”

“She’s growing too quickly, Jurot,” Adam said, frowning. “One day she’ll be slaying dragons and we’ll wonder where all the time went.”

Jurot nodded his head. “You are to marry?”

“No,” Adam replied, glancing aside. “Don’t mention it.”

Jurot looked to his mother, who bowed her head slowly. “Okay. You have decided to keep your beard?”

“Yeah,” Adam said, brushing it, feeling the thickness. “I thought I may as well.”

“You have lost weight,” Jurot said.

“Oh, yeah.” Adam smiled. “I’ve been working hard on that too.”

“He has not been eating enough,” Sonarot stated.

“How else am I meant to lose weight?” Adam asked. “I’ve been training hard, working hard, and I’ve been eating less than I should. I’m getting my beach body ready.”

Jurot was sure this was a phrase from his first life, so left it be, while the other Iyrmen threw curious looks his way.

Soon everyone began to eat. Adam brought the crush of the pizza for Lanarot, before allowing Mina to bite into the tip of his pizza.

“So, how did it go?” Adam asked, sipping on some of the wine which had been brought. He winced, tasting how sour it was, all the while Sonarot smiled at him innocently. ‘Must be Rajin’s wine,’ Adam thought. ‘They caught me slipping.’

“It went well,” Jurot replied, his voice and face neutral, though his mother could spot something else in his eyes.

All Adam had gathered was that the trio went to fight a bunch of stuff. He assumed they dealt with the Iyr’s beast wave, though wasn’t sure if the Iyr had a beast wave like the way others did.

“Is that all?” Sonarot asked.

Jurot’s lips twitched upwards. “I was a part of the Vanguard.”

Upon hearing the words, the Iyrmen who were in their own conversations, quickly fell silent.

Sonarot’s eyes became so bright as she reached up to pet her son’s head. “The Vanguard? My Jurot?”

“What does that mean?” Adam asked, noting that it must have been something important.

“It’s the most precious position during the-“ Jaygak began.

“Jaygak,” Kitool said, cutting the Devilkin off.

“I wasn’t going to reveal anything,” Jaygak grumbled.

“It is the position which all Iyrmen aim for when they head out during the Twilight Month,” Sonarot explained. “Iyrmen are allowed to participate multiple times throughout their lives, but once you have been chosen for the Vanguard, you may no longer go.”

Jurot stood and took off his top, revealing his torso. There were a number of new scars on his body, most of which had been gained during the time he was a part of the Vanguard.

“Nice,” Adam said, nodding his head. “Seems like you had a lot of fun.”

“Yes,” Jurot replied. “I was almost killed three times.” There was a hint of excitement in his voice.

‘Sometimes I forget I’m the only normal one here,’ Adam thought.

“Did you bring much for the family’s vault?” Sonarot asked.

Jurot nodded his head. “You will see soon, mother. This time it was a Great Twilight.”

“So it was true...” Sonarot brought her son close to her chest, hugging him gently.

“How did you return alive from a Great Twilight?” Jogak asked his daughter.

“It’s because I’m my mother’s daughter of course,” she shot back at her father, before they embraced.

“Well done,” Citool said to her daughter, simply.

Kitool bowed her head. “Thank you, mother.”

“Sister, I am big now,” Katool said, shuffling her upper body, doing a little jig as she ate her fruit.

“That is right,” Kitool said. “It was your fifth birthday.”

“Yes,” Katool said, smiling wider. “I am going to fight for Great Twilight too.”

Kitool smiled, brushing her sister’s short bob. “I will wish you luck.”

Katool cuddled up beside her older sister as she ate her fruit.

“You come back safe,” Taygak said to her cousin. “Good.”

“How could I leave you here all alone?” Jaygak asked.

“Not alone,” Taygak replied, pointing at her brother. “Saygak.”

“Would you have missed me if I didn’t return?” Jaygak asked.

“Yes,” Taygak replied.

Jaygak rubbed the girl’s horns.

“I would have beaten you up if you didn’t return,” Adam joked.

“Who would beat who?” Jaygak replied.

“Hey!” Lucy called as she arrived. “How could you start the party without me?”

‘I forgot all about Lucy,’ Adam thought. “Where’s Filliam?”

“He is a Guest of other Iyrmen at the moment,” Sonarot said.

“Isn’t he our Guest?”

“He was,” Sonarot said.

“Are they stealing my tinkerer away from me?” Adam frowned. “I’ll have a word with…” Adam caught the eyes of Mirot and Kaygak, and he quickly cleared his throat. “Filliam is so lovely, of course he should also mingle with other Iyrmen.”

“Since we are unable to hear their tale,” Sonarot said, referring to Jurot and the others, “do you wish to speak yours?”

“Mine?” Adam asked.

“Yes,” Sonarot replied. “The tale of your fights.”

Adam smiled, but quickly dropped his smile when he felt the gaze of the trio against him. “Right.”