“What are you doing?” Adam asked, staring at Shikan. “He’s Dunes’ dad.”

“We must first speak with Dunes to confirm whether or not it is the truth,” Shikan said. “It is not our place to inform them before it is completely confirmed.”

“Dunes is my friend. I need to tell him that his dad is here.”

“Is Ashmir his father? How do you know?”

“His name is Morn and he’s a Priest,” Adam replied. “What do you mean? This can’t be a coincidence.”

“Coincidences happen all the time, Adam,” Shikan said.

“Yes, but around me, they’re usually more than just coincidences!” Adam stated. “Look, let me talk to Dunes and see if that’s the truth.”

“You cannot inform him that Ashmir is his father, and you cannot inform Ashmir that Dunes is his son,” Shikan said.

“What’s the worst that could happen?” Adam asked. “Look, we just tell Dunes that Ashmir is here and what he told me. We have them meet, and then that’s that.”

“This is more complicated than that, Adam,” Shikan said. “You have to understand how messy the situation is. If Ashmir becomes an Iyrman, that means Dunes will also become an Iyrman.”

“Great!” Adam said. “Why does that sound bad to you?”

“It sounds bad because Dunes may not wish to be an Iyrman.”

“So? Then he doesn’t have to be an Iyrman?”

“It more complicated than that.”

“Is it?”

“Yes.”

Adam sighed, rubbing his eyes with the back of his wrists. “Okay, look. Let me speak to Dunes and I’ll… I don’t know. Let me just talk to him.”

“Please, Adam.” Shikan placed his hands on Adam’s shoulders. “This matter must be dealt with properly.”

“Trust me,” Adam replied.

Adam had not expected that in the first conversation with Ashmir that he’d find out that Dunes was his son. It wasn’t confirmed, but Adam had a feeling. ‘What was the quote? One in a million chances happen nine times out of ten? Crazy.’

Dunes bit into a salya, which held the same taste as a banana, but was straight and came in more hairy and hard shell. He looked up at Adam, who was smiling quite wide.

“Dunes!” Adam called. “Morn Dunes, ain’t that right?”

“Yes?” Dunes replied. “What’s the matter?”

Adam sat down beside him. “You know, Dunes. I was thinking. Where did you get your name from?”

“Morn, as in morning. Dunes, as in where I was born. My mother gave birth on the open sand, and passed away. I was found by some travellers, and they took me to the temple.”

“Oh,” Adam said, frowning. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

“She wanted to leave me at the temple so they could raise me. She had left a letter which stated so, hence why the travellers took me to the temple. It’s bad luck not to take someone to a temple when they were meant to be sent there.”

“Ah.” Adam suddenly felt awkward. “What did you know about your mother?”

“She left me a necklace,” Dunes said. “I left it back at the temple. It had her name, Munya, which also means Morning.”

Adam slowly nodded his head. “What about your father?”

Dunes shrugged. “I don’t know anything about him. The letter mentioned that my father did not exist. Considering what I know about baby making, I do not believe that is the case.”

Adam smiled, nodding his head. “So, uh. Your mother’s name was Munya?”

“Yes?”

“Cool, cool. Morn Dunes. Munya.”

“You’re asking a lot of questions about my past. What of yours, Adam?”

“My past is… complicated.”

“Complicated how?”

“The place I was born, the people I grew up with. You won’t be able to find them on this land, or any land on this world.” Adam looked up towards the sky. “They’re gone.”

“Gone?”

“Gone,” Adam replied, quietly. “I can’t see them again.”

“I’m sorry, Adam.” Dunes placed a hand on his back.

“My mother and father were pretty average, you know?” Adam sighed. “They were my mother and father, though. Mum and dad, you know?”

“I didn’t grow up with parents, so I don’t.”

Adam looked to Dunes. “If you had the chance to meet your mother and father, would you take it?”

Dunes smiled. “What would I tell my mother? You’ve lost weight since I last saw you?”

Adam raised his brow, confused.

“She would be a skeleton,” Dunes explained.

Adam coughed, trying not to laugh. “Well, maybe. You’d have to say she was beautiful, she was your mother.”

“She died giving birth to me, I would at least do that much,” Dunes said. “My father? I don’t know. Who is he? What did he do? Why did he not come search for me? If he doesn’t use a sword, then is he really my father?”

Adam tried to recall what weapon Ashmir used. He smiled. “You know, Dunes…” Adam paused. ‘What do I say? Do I tell him? Though, I’m not one hundred percent sure that they’re father and son.’

“Yes?”

“I’ll be back in a bit,” Adam said, standing, before quickly making his way to the Mir family.

“Where are you going?” Shikan asked.

“To speak with Ashmir.”

“Why?”

“I need to ask him a question.”

“Which is?”

“What was the name of your son’s mother?” Adam said.

“I will ask.”

“I’ll do it,” Adam said.

Shikan stared at him. “You cannot.”

“Why not? Dunes is my friend. I’m the one who brought him here.”

“You were lucky.”

“It was Fate.”

Shikan narrowed his eyes. ‘Fate?’ The word had triggered something inside Shikan’s mind. ‘Is it true?’ “Fine.”

Adam smiled, before saluting at his Uncle, and slipping away to find the Mir family estate. Unfortunately for him, he had no idea where it was, having followed Shikan the way there, so asked multiple people for directions, before he finally arrived at the estate.

“Hey,” Adam said, seeing Ashmir reading his book. He was much further in this time.

“Adam?”

“We were interrupted last time, but I had a few questions about your past.”

“What is it?”

“What was the name of the your child’s mother?” Adam asked, being careful not to say son.

“Munya,” he said. “For Morning.”

Adam smiled. “That’s rather romantic. How many years ago was it?”

“It was half my life time ago. Twenty five years or so?”

“How old are you?”

“Fifty.”

‘Dunes is twenty five, right? Roughly?’ Adam slowly nodded his head. “Do you think of them?”

“Rarely,” he admitted. “Munya and I had a secret relationship. We…” He shook his head. “She had to leave when she found out she was pregnant.”

“Do you know what happened to her?”

“No. She said she was going to take our child to a temple. It would have been the best life for them.”

‘They should call me a detective,’ Adam thought. “Do you want to meet them again?”

“I don’t know. I wasn’t there for them, and other than our blood connection, we have nothing to do with one another.”

“What if they took after their mother?”

Ashmir smiled. “Munya and I weren’t the most successful people.”

Adam raised his brow.

“What I mean by that is, I was a slave for my entire life. She was…” He frowned. “She wouldn’t tell me what she was. She sponsored my fights for a short while, and that’s how we became close. We became even closer because she was beautiful, and fiery.” He chuckled.

Adam smiled. “I, uh…” His throat became dry. ‘Hold on. Isn’t this a terrible idea? No, no. I have to tell them. At least, I need to let them meet, let them figure it out themselves.’

“What would you say to them? Your son, your daughter, whatever they may be?”

“I don’t know,” Ashmir admitted. “Perhaps, once I become an Iyrman, they will be able to have a better life. Though, if they grew up a Priest, then their life would be fairly good already.”

Adam slowly nodded his head. “If you ever want to chat or anything, and you want to get out of the Mir family estate for a little while, swing by the shared family estate of the Rot family. I’m sure the kids will love it. I have a few friends who would love to meet you too.”

He nodded. “Sure.”

Adam made his way back to the shared family estate, with some help from the nearby Iyrmen. He walked back to the group, sitting beside Dunes, wordless.

“What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know,” Adam said, catching Shikan’s eyes. “Before we go, remind me that I have something I need to show you.”

“Okay?” Dunes replied.

Adam wasn’t sure what to feel. He knew something that Dunes didn’t. As the seconds passed, it was time that Dunes wouldn’t get back. Though, could he really do that? Could he bring together two strangers who were apparently related? Wouldn’t their lives be different? Forever changed. All because he couldn’t keep his mouth shut?

“Dunes.”

“Yes?”

“We’re friends, right?”

“I would hope so,” Dunes said. “Otherwise I will die and you will have three hundred gold weighing you down.”

Adam smiled. “Is that all I am to you?”

“No,” Dunes said. “You’re also the one to give me magical weapons for free.” Dunes smiled.

Adam chuckled. “Right.”

‘What the hell am I meant to do?’