After passing the time discussing the dwarves and trying to explain to Mingi how to imagine various gems and their shine, Hongjoong soon returned with his entourage. Their noise reached the little hut before their bodies did, and Yeosang gladly opened the door to the familiar tone of Wooyoung squabbling with the giggling twins.

As soon as they ducked inside, Yunho and Hongjoong each with one winged boy in their arms, the kids lit up.

"Emmya!" Lonan squealed, immediately stretching out his arms and batting his wings to get over to him. Hongjoong let go of him so the boy could snuggle up to Seonghwa, his brother following close behind. Their two adorable little pink heads mushed into Seonghwa's chest as they clung to his garments.

They were four years old now, time spent growing in the Ruins of Gods. Growing well and with stern little faces because of San's education of them, but soft and giggly like kids all the same. Seonghwa cooed as he caressed their cheeks, soul overjoyed with their sight.

"We missed you!" Fiorello claimed loudly, and so serious as if passing a political statement. Yeosang snickered at him.

"They were a bit confused about the journey into yet another cave," Yunho chuckled as he closed the door behind him. Everyone crowded around the narrow table, sitting on top of each other to make it work. Wooyoung sniffed their cups.

"How was the enchanter?" Seonghwa asked as he put his twins on one of his thighs each, making them support themselves on the table as he prepared some food they would like. They ate well for their age, ravenous to grow big and strong like their father.

San's golden eyes watched them with a certain softness that only showed for them.

"A fascinating person. She was busy with her work, but she didn't mind us. The energy was thick in that room. So many strings of magic crossing over each other. A ball of colour, so to speak," Hongjoong described and Seonghwa could imagine. A rare craft and one even rarer witnessed.

Seonghwa turned to the kids happily stuffing their golden-blushed cheeks. Everyone else also dug in, sharing the dishes and rearranging them on the table based on who might like which more. Seonghwa smiled at Yunho when he placed a dish he just tried in front of Seonghwa and earned a wink back.

"How are you two? Is Seungyoun taking good care of you?" He asked his boys, eating sparingly for now as he cradled them. Fiorello groaned around a spoonful of mushrooms.

"Studying is so boring without Morana! Can we join you? It looks fun here! Everyone is small like we are!" He chirped, giving Seonghwa his cutest pleading gaze from his mismatched eyes and Seonghwa had to chuckle at the blatant tactic copied from Wooyoung and Aodhán.

"You will get bigger," Wooyoung promised them, happily guzzling the ale. It was less sweet than the mead he normally liked, but excellent for drinking in buckets for Seonghwa's drinkers.

Seonghwa wiped some sauce stains from Lonan's lips. The soft feathers of his wings tickled Seonghwa's chin when he shuffled around.

"You have to guard Seungyoun for me. You know his leg hurts. He needs you two there," Seonghwa explained to them while Yeosang next to him scooted closer so he could place one of the twins on his lap.

Hongjoong was throning on Mingi's thigh, looking mighty atop the meek demon, but he helped Mingi cut his meat, so his haughty gaze was only ever a farce.

"But it's boooring," Fiorello whined, upset not to get to explore and see the sky like his siblings did.

When San spoke up, the squirming boys immediately fell quiet. Awed eyes tracked the firm posture of their father on the other side of the table, his straight shoulders and orderly folded wings.

"Are you doing your training while I'm not there?" He asked, and the two pouted to themselves. As much as they wanted to become like him and followed his teachings on how to hold their wooden swords, they disliked the routine of it. Having to get up every morning to play fetch games with San was easy for him, but not for them.

When they dodged around an answer, Seonghwa smiled at their shining little souls.

"How will you protect Seungyoun?" He teased, hoping they would understand that an adventure wasn't happening before they could defend themselves. Even Morana and Aodhán, who were capable, just made it along because of their scheme.

"Is Thistle there with you?" Morana asked, getting some energy back into their sunken forms. For them, it was missing Seonghwa and being bored much more than it was the loneliness the older two had to suffer. Seonghwa was mindful to see them often, to hold them close whenever he could, so he wouldn't repeat the same mistake. Strong as the other two were, he felt guilty for their pain. Some wounds wouldn't heal, no matter how much time he spent with them now.

"Yes, she's practicing to read with us... At least someone to play with," Lonan sighed, dramatic like certain uncles, and Jongho tried to copy the colours of their eyes, creating blending colours and small facetted patterns with his crystals.

Mingi quietly asked Yunho if there was any meat left on the table he could have and three people reached out at the same time to hand it to him.

Happy with his family and their bond, Seonghwa squeezed Fiorello into a hug, careful of his delicate wings.

"We'll be home soon, then we can play together; how about that? If it takes longer, you can visit us again." Though Seonghwa might not get to show them Veg Boldhir since he wanted to be safe, they could play with Morana, Buddy, and Aodhán in the meantime. Nozurri would discuss the advantage of an alliance with other dwarven leaders first and assemble the merchants' guild for a decision. If they didn't regard the profit as worthy, they would decline.

So there was time.

They finished their meal after the twins gave in, demanding to visit often and then busying their fingers with the food. The various dishes all found people who liked them and soon, the plates were licked clean and they were finishing their drinks.

"How was the meat?" Seonghwa asked them as the twins scrambled off with Morana and Aodhán, getting their precious playtime in before it would be time to leave.

"Good. Smokey and tough to chew, but I like it," Yunho grinned back. San hadn't touched it, not trusting the killing methods of the dwarves, but everyone else looked sated and happy.

"What's our next course of action? We shouldn't explore too much with the kids around," Yeosang asked, leaning shoulder to shoulder with Wooyoung. Their gryphon-born was still drinking, enjoying the rush of the alcohol in his veins as he giggled about every word. Especially Hongjoong and his many shiny accessories were hilarious to him today.

Seonghwa threw them a soft smile as Yeosang petted Wooyoung's hair. With pouty lips and his jug clutched tightly in his hand, Wooyoung nuzzled into the moss of Yeosang's shoulder, breathing the sweet scent of the flowers sprouting there.

"King Greyback will hold council, so it might take a few days until we have a definite reply. We will stay until then, but I agree not to wander. Best not to unveil our identities out on the streets. Many travel from here and may carry out the news," Seonghwa shared his thoughts with them.

Hongjoong was right with him. His brows were drawn into a dark line. Permanent stress etched into his features, since he couldn't connect with his magic. He was vulnerable and weak without it, the sorcery the sole calling of his blood. Part of his agitation was because he couldn't help the family right now. But the other part was much more malicious. The last time he was this exposed and helpless, he got hurt a lot. And while he wore his grace with even more determination than before, not allowing the violence of some orc to tarnish his sense of self, he remembered. And he would hurt, even if just deep in his subconscious.

"The dwarves are leery whenever we are even in eyesight of one of their creations. Let's not tempt their hospitality by breaking something," the sorcerer said, and Mingi nervously felt over his horns and tails.

"It's all right," Seonghwa soothed his fidgeting. "We'll guide you, hawthorn. You won't break anything."

"Don't let them take you if I break something," Mingi whispered. "You can be honest and tell them it was me. That this body is too big for a blind demon. You don't deserve to be punished; I can take it." His fear spiked his voice and Yeosang's branches grew subconsciously, trying to shroud his family in a safe web.

But Yunho reached for Mingi's hand first, pulling it into his lap. His smaller human fingers squeezed around the ashen skin of Mingi's palm.

"No one is getting taken away. We will stay in here and have an eye on each other," he soothed the frightened demon before he could doubt ever coming along. When Yunho pressed a bold kiss to the back of Mingi's hand, the demon's lashes fluttered, long and dreamy over his eyes of onyx. He relaxed, leaning into Yunho trustingly, and Seonghwa nodded at Yunho with gratitude.

"I don't have eyes to have on you," Jongho figured. "But you can have Pebble."

Yeosang snickered and Wooyoung immediately perked up, yelling out some drunken cheer before he downed the rest of his cup. This time, San used the occasion once he let go of it to pull it out of his reach.

The kids were giggling in the other room. They always had something to play, even without a single item in their hands. Instead, they made up stories, spinning grand tales that sometimes were real battles they heard of and other times were much more fantastical, and took them onto the moon or to the stars. The twins were too young to participate properly, but they liked to assume their roles and run around, act out battles and discussions. Pebble was usually with them, just standing to the side to try to figure out what was going on. Always allowing her to perform, Pebble received grand roles, from the local golem to a tree, even leader positions sometimes. Cue the twins wailing how the captain of their ship left his crew behind.

Buddy was usually just confused by it all, running with them and barking, but he added to their fun.

Yeosang hand-fed Onyx some leftover crumbs on their plates. The bird always fled when the kids got too loud, instead hopping over the husbands gathered at the table in cosy conversation.

"I suffer yet again without the sunlight. How do people do this?" The dryad sighed, picking at some wilted leaves and flowers that drooped without energy. His complexion wasn't too pale yet, so they had time, but Seonghwa hoped they could leave before he would fall ill like last time.

When he caressed Yeosang's cheek, the dryad leaned into the cool touch, resting against Seonghwa's palm with a satisfied smile. He plucked a resurrection lily off his thigh, sharing his sprouting strength by tucking the long stalk behind Seonghwa's ear.

"We shall leave soon so you may feel its rays again, love," Seonghwa promised, and Hongjoong got up so they could clear the table. One party brought the dishes back to the inn, while the other prepared their house for the night. There were limited blankets, so their coats had to suffice to spread around the floor and the stone beds. Wooyoung clung to San, whining to him about the cup of good ale that left him, but thankfully he had nothing else to drink, forgetting his horn of limitless mead at the Cliffs on Zephyr.

Soon, everyone was settled down, squeezing into each other for comfort and warmth. The twins slept sprawled out in their middle like two starfish, and San caressed their soft hair with a gentle smile before he settled down. Buddy snuggled up to them from the other side.

Jongho sat guard at the door, a silent heap of stone yet easily roused if someone tried to get in.

Morana had cuddled up to Mingi, already fast asleep in his warm arms that attracted everyone nearby to cosy closer. They insisted on giving the bed to Seonghwa, but the elf was restless. Yunho was with him and Wooyoung snored on the other side, wings sprawled through the room.

"Are you comfortable, my dove?" Yunho whispered to him when he noticed Seonghwa's repeated turning. Worried to keep him from his sleep, Seonghwa tried to quiet down.

"I'm fine. But you are not. Should I ask Nozurri for more blankets?"

Yunho shook his head, his face soft in the ever-burning blue flames.

"Don't crawl for him. Lie on top of me. My arms are cushion enough," he invited, and Seonghwa wrapped his arm around his middle, cushioning his head on Yunho's chest. Warm breath caressed his ear, then a kiss. Satisfied, Seonghwa snuggled into him and allowed his body some rest.