"Did you contact your people about our visit?" In a graceful amber dress and cloaked in his furry brown coat, Seonghwa glanced at Jongho by his side. The golem turned his stony head in Seonghwa's direction. His expression was blank, conveying neither fretting to have forgotten nor an assured agreement.

"... no. Should I?"

Seonghwa chuckled as he led Jongho down the stairs to the stables. The golem's stomping had alerted Hongjoong earlier, and he emerged from his room to tell Seonghwa his goodbyes. Though he kept a teasing distance to see when Seonghwa would break and not resist them any longer, the yearning in his eyes grew with every day Seonghwa spent away from home and their greedy hands.

"It would have been good if they knew to expect us, no?" Seonghwa's voice was mirthful, not too worried about Jongho's slack planning. Seonghwa knew the direction of the Sky-reaching Highlands and so long as they found the golems, there would be no issue. As they lacked social nuances, an unforeseen visit wouldn't bother them.

"It's not as if that would change anything about their day. And they never read the mail. So I figured to skip it." Jongho tilted his head, unsure if he should feel bad about his ignorance. When Seonghwa grinned at him, the golem relaxed.

"We'll figure it out once we arrive. So long as they can accommodate us long enough for our mounts to replenish their strength, time won't be a matter." Even if they were outraged by the sudden announcement, Seonghwa would charm his way back into their favour.

Jongho glanced around the mounts that needed care or preferred contact with people and thus stayed in the stables. His flaming eyes sparked with delight when he heard Yunho chasing Buddy around in the paddock.

"You know I can't ride, yes?" Jongho patted his stony chest. "Not that I wouldn't try, but I would pity the poor animal."

Seonghwa pondered him. They had some robust mounts, like bears and bulls, but Jongho was right. He was solid rock the size of a tall and broad man. Not even Mulberry in the mountains would be fond of that idea.

"Let's walk," Jongho suggested. "The way may be far, but it's not unbearable. I walked on my way here."

Ever so fascinated by how pragmatic his stony husband could be, Seonghwa caught him by his shoulder before he could march all the way to the mountains.

"No need. We wouldn't bear your weight on horseback, but we can take a carriage. The wheels will ease the load on the mounts' shoulders." Seonghwa joined Seungyoun, who had prepared accordingly. He received Seonghwa with a deep bow when they assembled at the gates, where two grey bears dug around the dirt, ready to spring into action. Awed, Jongho compared his skin tone with theirs.

"I packed provisions and blankets for the mountains, Your Highness. What else do you require?"

Seonghwa glanced at their equipment, and was satisfied. Bunching up his skirts, he climbed onto the cart.

"This is wonderful, Seungyoun, thank you. Do you need anything, Jongho?"

Forlorn eyes sought the gardens.

"I forgot to tell Yeosang goodbye," he frowned. Empathetic, Seonghwa crossed his legs where he sat on the box of the open cart. It was a modest one, crafted of wood and iron. His luxurious carriages wouldn't fare well in the mountains.

"Do you want to do that before we leave? I can wait for you."

Jongho shrugged.

"It's fine. I will tell him once I'm back." With that, he merrily clambered onto the cart. The bears perked up when the platform shifted its weight, then Jongho sat in the middle and the wood distributed his weight evenly. Seonghwa ran his hand over the pelt closest to him.

"Take us to the mountains safely, yes? And tell me if you need a break."

One bear grunted approvingly before they stemmed their paws into the ground. Pleased, Seonghwa climbed to the bench to sit with Jongho. Seungyoun saw them off until their rattling cart disappeared into the forest.

Happy to be shrouded in the leaves golden and red, Jongho fell into his state of frozenness. When not prompted, he talked little, so Seonghwa left him to his devices. Jongho didn't have more information for him to discuss than Seonghwa already knew anyway.

The elf tugged his book from his bag and delved into his readings. Their journey would take a while, and bears weren't ones to be spurred to gallop. As their heavy grunts dragged the cart through the forest and the faeries whispered in the trees about Seonghwa's presence, he found some peace. This book had been recommended to him by Hongjoong. The sorcerer wanted Seonghwa to have some basic knowledge of the potions Hongjoong brewed all day. He offered to brew anything for Seonghwa that his heart may desire. His preference was love aphrodisiacs.

As Seonghwa read about the healing properties of various ingredients and how potions could be used as boosters in concentration and healing, the birds sang their merry song. Jongho listened to them in reverence.

Potions also came as weapons. The most obvious ones were poisons or acids, but some spat fire or exploded upon contact. After meeting Hongjoong's peculiar tentacled friend, Seonghwa wasn't too keen on finding out what other sinister brews he kept around. Perhaps forbidding Buddy from entering his room wasn't for Hongjoong's privacy, but for the dog's protection.

After memorising some peculiar brews he wanted to ask Hongjoong about as soon as they got home, Seonghwa kept some of his studies for later and relished in the melody of nature instead. The faeries came to play with his hair, touches as faint as the breeze that blew them away after they braided tiny artworks into the strands. His serene grace got marvelled at by nature.

They took two breaks to drink and have a snack, and both times, Jongho became a formless rock on the ground to be one with nature and feel the heartbeat of the earth resonate with his own. He was even more tied to it than elves, and Seonghwa left him his time before they moved on.

When they were on the last quarter of their journey, Seonghwa addressed Jongho.

"Did you miss home? I don't doubt you found a good place in my gardens with Yeosang by your side, but it's different from what you are used to. Will it be burdensome for you to return?" Empathy swam in his voice since he had seen how desperately Wooyoung hugged Mulberry, how fondly San gazed at Rowan.

Seonghwa also missed his home after so many weeks spent travelling around the kingdoms. He missed spending time with his husbands and their bickering.

Jongho's eyes came to life to reply.

"No."

When Seonghwa stared at him, thrown off, Jongho shrugged.

"Not particularly, at least. Of course, it's different. But not that different that I need to care. Any earth is suitable earth for me to rest on."

Amused, Seonghwa searched his face for a lie. But the golem was satisfied with his words and now batted at a yellow faery that circled around him.

"You truly are special. Is that all your people do all day? They rest on the earth and bask in the sun?"

"There isn't much else to do. We don't monger war and we have no reason to abandon our resting spots. So long as nobody needs us, we happily spend centuries asleep. Our eldest have existed before humans roamed the lands," Jongho revealed. His nonchalance was oblivious to the depth of that topic. No emotion roused his stony chest, for he had no heart that could surge in ups and downs.

Jongho was no more but a rock animated by magic.

"Do you dream?"

"Lots. We dream of the ones who made us. Magic is inherent to your blood as much as my shell, but as it is all we live by, our dreams are obscure and fascinating. They are colourful, abstract shapes and forms from different planes of existence. I saw horrors mages would die to get their hands on." Jongho's crystals turned purple when his mood changed. They reflected the depths of his mind, idle in the change of their colours.

"Yet you enjoy sleeping. Aren't those scary dreams?" Seonghwa smoothed out his dress and placed his hands on his knee. His coat warded off the cold rushing down the near mountains.

"We don't understand them and though it's strange to see something we can't connect our minds to, they are fascinating stories. The mountains have many stories to tell. We know of countless treasures and whispered last words."

Fascinated, Seonghwa nodded along. When Jongho slapped indignantly at the faery that settled on his shoulder, he made a noise of reassurance.

"Don't kill her. She's curious about your descriptions." Seonghwa leaned over to scoop the little being into his hands. She chirped thanks at him, high and singing like a small bird. He understood only for their shared heritage.

While she settled in his palm and munched on a berry to listen to Jongho, Seonghwa prompted him to share more of his otherworldly vision. The golem was right, people seldom cared to ask the mountains for answers. If only more of them did. Perhaps the world would unravel many secrets.

"What does the magic tell you about celestial elves?"

Jongho was an intriguing character to talk to. His judgment wasn't clouded by emotion and he spoke the truth as he perceived it. Compared to a royal diplomat whose first talent was to lie in the favour of peace, they were like night and day.

"They come from the skies, each of them. It's not a heritage of the past, like the seraphim who live in the heavens that once bore them. Each time a rare celestial elf is born, the sun and the moon eclipse and the planets align for the stars far beyond our heavens give birth to another creature of divine heritage. I hear your brother was chosen by the sun to light the path in the dark. You were chosen by the moon." Jongho raked his eyes over Seonghwa's appearance. It was clear to the blind eye he carried a piece of the sky in him.

"Some get blessed by other planets. My father is a sun elf, but my uncle was chosen by the planet of wisdom," Seonghwa furthered the topic. "He is naturally inclined to gather knowledge and share it with others. As I turn cold and ghostly and my night engulfs all, Yongguk breaks the darkness to bring warmth to the people."

"I noticed the stars are fond of you as well."

Seonghwa leaned back in his seat, proud of Jongho's silent observation. Like Yeosang, he formed his opinions from a distance, not giving Seonghwa a chance to influence them. A valuable skill.

"The stars are fond of all who come from the skies, but they are the moon's closest partners. When I shine, they shine."

Humming, Jongho glanced at the slope leading uphill. The path twisted around the mountains that were the tallest in the empire, hence the name.

Soon, they would arrive in the valley of their dips.

"I learned something new," the golem said, satisfied to keep all his insight sealed inside the rock for eternity.

"Is your magic fond of elves? Where does it stem from?"

"I believe it was a nature witch who enchanted me and thus amplified my desire to be near it. Those of us who got woken by warmongering wizards are much more aggressive and sleep for long," Jongho muttered.

The Crystal Sphere had few golems that weren't strictly trained to guard the castles. Seonghwa never considered their personalities to manifest as a mirror of the spell-caster bringing them to life.

"That is why you like to spend time with Yeosang," Seonghwa deducted.

Jongho snickered.

"Yeosang is an amusing fellow. Before I came to your castle, I never slept next to a walnut. Trees have distinct personalities."

As Seonghwa readied his bag for departure, Jongho stretched his stiff joints.

"I will remember that if I ever see Yeosang glare at that pine in the courtyard again."

"He hates that pine," Jongho agreed, as fond of Yeosang's petty antics as Seonghwa.

Happy that he got to learn a bit about the golem though his mind worked in such a mysterious way compared to others, Seonghwa got ready to depart. He couldn't wait to hear what stories the elder golems told.