Thankfully, the duo of diplomats didn't lose their way again. The skies brightened the next morning, the sun breaking through the clouds to glisten on the wet grass. People travelled from the fields to the capital with their carts to sell their produce there and Yunho and Wooyoung gladly attached themselves to their little caravan. As promised, the roads soon became properly paved and broadened, joining with others. And by the evening, the mighty city wall of the capital greeted them. 

It was a sight of home for Yunho. Nothing much changed here since he left this place to join Seonghwa's side two decades ago. The same grey towers on the hill, the same bustle of merchants at the gates. With the years, more people moved in for money and opportunities, and they built their houses around the centre, like dots sprinkled over the hill. 

Wooyoung looked impressed by the big settlement and elaborate buildings. He barely minded the gazes on him, some merely curious but others glaring with contempt. The guard at the main gate gruffly asked Yunho what their business was, but as a citizen, they had no reason to deny him entry. They merely warned Wooyoung not to make trouble as they let the duo pass. 

Traversing the streets was a slow process that required more patience than Wooyoung and Mulberry could muster. They groaned about the slow movement of a bustling crowd, having to squeeze between bodies and loud merchants with their carts hailing their wares. Mulberry's beak snapped into the air to warn people he needed space, quickly antsy if his wings were restricted. Once a woman jumped in fright when he came too close to her hair, Yunho hopped off for a moment to purchase a snack to keep them busy. Wooyoung never had honeyed bread before, so he was fully enraptured with the meal.

It took them a while to get to an inn, but Yunho looked forward to a proper meal. They could leave the horse there since it was easier to take shortcuts through the alleys rather than the crowded main street. Mulberry gladly withdrew until he was needed, escaping the city to hunt foxes out in the fields. Only Buddy stayed with them.

After another night spent in a tavern that was loud with the clamour of drunken patrons throughout the entire night, they finally dragged themselves up the hill and to the castle. A looming hunk of stone and iron, it threw long shadows over the city below. A second wall guarded its precious inhabitants from any incoming siege, and though the drawbridge was lowered, the guards beckoned them to slow down when they neared. 

Yunho gladly did. He was out of breath from climbing the steep mountain since he had no wings to boost his steps. Up here, fewer people mingled about. Busy scholars, knights, and cooks, but the main bustle of the streets stayed behind. The pair had a moment to catch their breath.

One of the guards at the gate already opened his mouth to ask them about their business, leaning lazily against his halberd with the visor of his helmet open to let in some air, but his comrade interrupted.

"Wait, isn't that Yunho? Remember Yunho?" He stood up straighter with the first exciting news of the day, armour clanging obnoxiously. Yunho didn't know how the seraphim forged the links of their armour to smooth together so quietly and wove the chain mail so intricately (must be a dwarven blacksmith), but he missed it at every screech of metal on metal. 

"It's me," Yunho chuckled at the wide eyes trying to recognise the man from back then in him. Buddy by his side sure helped the guess as the guard crouched down to pet the happily panting dog.

"I haven't seen you in ages. Where did you disappear to?" He asked, and Yunho wouldn't even know where to begin. So much happened, and most of it would transcend the wildest fantasy of the young Yunho who patrolled the castle walls. It was a small world among humans. The guards barely heard the news; neither did Yunho in the past. And while they might know of the emperor's downfall, they wouldn't have caught the whole story of war and marriage and politics. Today, they wouldn't believe Yunho either way, even if the king vouched for his identity. Because what regular human guard could claim to have married the most beautiful emperor of their lands?

It sounded preposterous, even after all these years.

"Here and there. It's been busy. We are here for an audience with the king, actually," he replied to keep things light, but the guards gawked at him with the same surprise. Someone of their rank usually didn't converse directly with the king. Ideas sparked behind their eyes and Yunho was ready for the rumours to spread among the servants, but he was sure no one would guess right aside from those who knew. Yunho came by from time to time, but he always surprised someone else with his status. Rarely old companions, however.

"Really? Rising in rank without your pals, are you? Rascal." Their curious eyes tracked his hand digging through his duffle, greedy for anything that might tell them what he had going on. They might even guess he married some rich noble. Close enough.

"You know how it is." Yunho just grinned at them as he drew forth the invitation Seonghwa had handed him. The imperial sigil was sunken into the wax seal, the shine of a star above a mighty oak. 

The two guardsmen almost fell over from scrambling closer so quickly to catch an eyeful.

"The imperial sigil?! Where did you get that from?!" Suddenly, the theories turned. Was he a spy? A rebel on his way to kill their new king? The options were endless.

But Yunho had enough fun teasing them. He shrouded himself in mysteries like Hongjoong would and pocketed the letter.

"It's real, so could you let us pass? We have very important business." 

Yunho rarely called himself someone of high importance, even after marrying the emperor. But this time, he had a mission only he could do. And Seonghwa waited for results.

Wooyoung also straightened his back to look more remarkable, and the guards immediately huddled aside.

"Right, sure, mate. Here you go." They beckoned eager hands at the path up to the main gates of the castle and their curious eyes tracked the pair when they picked up their march.

The castle wasn't too interesting to Yunho. The same paintings of past kings, busts of honourary knights and wall hangings depicting landscapes and artworks. Wooyoung looked around, his talons scratching across the ground, but he ultimately shook out his wings.

"This building feels cold," he commented, despite the warm sun before the windows and the torches lining the walls. The shadowed stone of the building itself seemed to remember the cold, heavy and suppressing. It didn't feel near as light and heavenly as Seonghwa's old home. 

"We'll hurry," Yunho promised him. They marched down the main corridor, climbing stairs and around a tower to navigate the maze. Ultimately, they made it to the grand double-winged doors that led to the throne room. A servant and more guards stood at the ready for their arrival, and Yunho bowed to them cordially.

"We have business with the king. Please grant us entry."

Another flash of the sigil, a sudden hurry among the people. A moment later, the doors swung open and Yunho and Wooyoung got to enter.

The throne room was ridiculously long. Like the inner sanctum of a church, it stretched through a long hall only to lead up to a single throne. Richard sometimes held balls here, or attended his folk, but in its empty state, the room seemed to stretch forever.

Yunho stopped at a respectful distance from the man lounging in his seat, dressed in a heavy coat and with the golden crown sparkling on his head. Wooyoung lazily stretched his wings, but he bowed along when Yunho made a show of it.

"Greetings, Your Majesty," he said, and Richard hummed at him to raise back up. Strictly speaking, Yunho had an equal if not higher rank than he, but with Seonghwa presumed dead, Yunho was treated only as a priorly relevant person.

"Yunho. Good to see you doing well. Have your travels yielded recent successes?" The king greeted him coldly. He wasn't as welcoming to new input as King Albrecht, more concerned with keeping their coin purses full and his people among themselves. Yunho got a pass since he served under the old king first, but Richard always sounded bored when Yunho spoke of visiting the spire or helping groups of elves in the forest. His recent excuse was the nymphs, mindful not to mention the titans, and while the king's eyes had taken on a greedy shine at the mention of the beautiful water spirits, he left it to Yunho to deal with them. Wise enough not to desire them before he gained access.

He wasn't a great person, but he took care of his people after the war. Made sure they had food and work. That was all Yunho could ask for.

"Indeed, they have. I bring you a letter of great importance, to be read by your eyes first." Yunho handed the letter to the attendant dashing over, and he handed it to his king with a deep bow. The sigil had him pause, but Richard broke it without asking questions to study the contents. When he was done, a frown pulled his dark brows into a strict line. 

"So the Moon Emperor lives. We heard rumours, but didn't believe the tales. Why doesn't he greet us personally?" Richard's eyes twitched over to Wooyoung, assuming their quest to unite the people. 

"He will. He invites everyone for a conference," Yunho repeated the letter's contents patiently. Richard handed the letter back to his servant for the archives and caressed a hand through his groomed beard.

"I don't agree to putting him on the throne again. He brought misery over us all," he said, voice hard, but Yunho didn't back down. They expected this much, and Seonghwa was ready to deal with it. Yunho was just a messenger.

"Then please join us either way and tell us of your point of view. You may propose yourself as the future emperor, but we must talk as neighbours and allies whether the empire has a future. Seonghwa organises this since he wants the best for our people, but he is fine with not ruling."

"He is?" Richard checked, surprise tinting his voice. In the eyes of many humans, elves were ethereal and gorgeous creatures. But just as many thought them haughty and calculating. Richard was the latter.

"He wants peace. He understands another might enforce it better than he. But he wishes harmony among the kingdoms," Yunho explained, without taking too many words away from Seonghwa. He got better at speaking politics, but he wasn't the expert.

Richard contemplated with his elbow braced on the armrest of his throne.

"What about his son? Your son? The prince, might he rule?"

"Only if the princess doesn't. She was chosen by the stars," Yunho said. This part, he was even less sure about. Did the stars account for the empire to fall? Would they have changed their mind after the birth of the twins?

"Oh, the elves and their stars... Fine. We will join you in the place he mentioned. I am curious what he is up to," the king sighed, and Yunho tried to battle down his giddiness.

"Thank you, Your Majesty. I appreciate your understanding."

"I won't be on your side. I hope you are aware," Richard reminded him, but Yunho maintained an immaculate grin as Wooyoung's wings bristled with upset.

"That's fine. You have a voice in the future of these lands like any other. Seonghwa is preparing a safe encampment with the mages and the seraphim right now, so be at ease on your travels."

"I will. I shall see you there?" Richard beckoned his servant to fetch a scribe. Yunho nodded as they waited.

"Yes. I will join shortly after we invited the gryphon-borns."

The scribe made a note about the invitation and handed Yunho a letter back for Seonghwa to confirm their attendance. Yunho gladly pocketed it. 

"I see. Fare thou well, until then, Yunho," Richard told him, but the beckon of his hand was dismissive. He was already pondering why Seonghwa reappeared after all this time and what his motives might be.

Yunho didn't care if he drove himself insane trying to find a scheme where there was only kindness. He bowed on his way out and tugged Wooyoung along, who looked displeased by the disrespect but held back on an argument for Yunho's sake.

On their way out, Yunho allowed himself to exhale. It was easier than he thought, but that didn't bode well for them. Richard might bring trouble.

But until the meeting, that was none of Yunho's concern. For now, they had to do the second part of their quest and visit the gryphon-borns.