39. Doubts

Morana needed more time to digest everything that was going on. So many events happened in quick succession, and she was still reeling from all the emotions in her chest she never felt before and couldn't name.

They found Seonghwa, and he was alive. Encased in the crystal of her last missing uncle, Jongho, who was of the same kind as Pebble. Morana didn't need to understand how and why that was. More important was that it could be undone and Seonghwa could be freed. The dragon had given up on trying to possess him.

Morana's heart felt torn whenever she peered over at the elf encased in his shimmering prison. Part of her was exhilarated together with her touched uncles, felt their pain of missing him for ten years.

But another part of her stirred with upset.

He had been here all along? Together with this other uncle, who knew Seonghwa was alive and didn't have to fret as much?

So many years passed. So much grief for everyone involved. And now they discovered Seonghwa and all that pain was forgiven and forgotten?

Morana didn't know what she wanted. A mean part inside her wanted Hongjoong to fail and for Seonghwa to shatter into a million pieces just so everyone else could move on. But another part in her eagerly yearned for his return.

Her tummy hurt. After eating a few bites, she felt better, but she couldn't hope to understand what was going on inside her head. She needed to vent all of those thoughts to Yeosang so he could sort them into a coherent order, as so often when Morana was overwhelmed by their volume, but her leafy uncle had enough tears to shed all by himself.

The family's misery was vulnerable and unabashed as they held each other and touched the diamond parting them from their precious elf. The last hindrance to reunite with him.

Though they soothed each other with lingering hugs and gentle words, everyone kept tearing up anew. Even San's eyes glinted as he wandered around the treasure.

Morana didn't know what to do with herself. She felt bad sharing their grief when she herself disliked Seonghwa. Singled out yet once more, she sat by Mingi's side, feeling lonely. The others set out to dig around the treasure for items Hongjoong could use to wake Seonghwa. His serene features were undisturbed in his shining casket.

Uncle Jongho looked nothing like Pebble.

Mingi was by Morana's side and he sniffled to himself. His fingers trembled when they wiped at his eyes and he had drawn his legs to his body to become as small as he could be, ducked in the shadow of the pillar closest to Seonghwa.

Gryphon-borns regarded crying as a weakness, as a signal of vulnerability towards their foes. But Morana supposed there was no enemy here. Everyone shared Mingi's pain and Yunho often passed by to squeeze his shoulder in comfort before he went back to gathering books that were colourful enough to be magic tomes.

Morana didn't know how to help them, so she spent silent comfort for her father.

She understood only now how dearly Mingi loved Seonghwa. That losing him drove him to the brink of insanity. Had he been coherent after his loss, Mingi never would have left her.

What would happen once Seonghwa was back? Would everyone be so dedicated that Morana would lose her newfound family? Her brother sobbed to himself while he roamed the treasure, couldn't even see what he was looking at since the tears kept coming.

Everyone focused on Seonghwa and would care only for him.

What about Morana?

The girl hugged her knees to her body. She wanted to be happy with them, but she was so afraid to be all alone. Fighting Seonghwa meant she fought a whole empire of people devoted to him.

Hongjoong was closest to the dragon and Morana watched him from bleary eyes as he soundlessly threaded its closest treasures. She was exhausted from her stress and wished they could leave soon, just so she could get used to this awful hollowness in her chest quicker.

Hongjoong bent down to pick up a glowing stone amid golden coins. He contemplated it and then held it up for the rest to see.

"Glowing gems are also welcome! They are infused with mana," he instructed the rest, and they battled their tears to get a look. Then they went back to digging and picking up items.

Tired, Morana watched the dragon. Such a massive creature. So mighty, yet unable to crack apart the diamond of a golem to access the greatest treasure of this empire and the stars and everyone else.

Was Seonghwa so beloved by his creators that they twisted fate in his favour no matter what? Even his failure came with unexpected luck. Everyone here forgave him. The empire yearned to have him back.

Morana rubbed her temples with exhausted fingers. Her hair bothered her, so she fumbled with unpractised fingers to tie it back, but her knot kept unravelling. Usually, Yeosang did this for her, even when he wasn't the best at it, either.

After a few minutes of frustration, she huffed, not up for it. She let her hands drop to brood in the dark curtain of her hair, but a rumbling voice addressed her from behind.

"What's the matter, Morana?" Mingi sought her cautiously, sheepish to ask since he couldn't deduct her issue by himself.

But Morana didn't regard it as a weakness. He cared for her tormented noises and that knowledge alone calmed her upset.

"I can't tie my hair back," Morana grumbled, scooting closer to him to share his heat. Mingi would stay with her even when Seonghwa returned, right? Or would he be disappointed that she didn't like the elf? He hurt so much after Seonghwa left, so he probably wanted to return to his side desperately. If he cared about Morana, he would come visit her, right?

Morana was so unsure about her future. She couldn't forget that Yeosang and Wooyoung would leave too to be with Seonghwa. What about her? Could she live with Hlin? Would she at least get to keep Seungyoun or Pebble?

Morana hadn't realised before how many friends she had. Until now. Once Seonghwa returned, she lost all of them yet again.

Her bothered sigh translated to Mingi as upset about her hair. Large hands lifted in her direction and though his thick fingers ended in sharp nails, their movement was too slow to hurt anyone. When he found Morana so close nearby, he held out his hand to help her over the slippery surface of the treasure hoard.

"Come here; I can try to do it for you."

Surprised, Morana accepted his offer. She scooted closer until she felt his warm thigh by her side, turning her head to look away from him. Her fingers hooked her hair band around his thumb and she guided his hands until he found her hair. The crown rested between her fingers while Mingi felt down her head.

Whenever Mingi touched her, she was so calm. So happy with his warmth. He was unlike any other demon, but Morana didn't care if he couldn't teach her how to fight. His blood filled her veins.

Careful fingers gathered up the wispy strands falling into Morana's face. She didn't know why she had a streak of white at the front of her head, but Wooyoung insisted she didn't darken it with woad. Again, she looked different from anyone else, but her uncles seemed fond of the shooting star streaking down her inky hair.

"It might not look pretty, I'm sorry," Mingi muttered as he gathered up everything. His movements were as unpractised as hers, but he knew how to tie a knot, so it stuck. When Morana patted over her head, she found her ponytail basic and a bit crooked, but it served its purpose. Satisfied, she put her crown back on.

"I like it, thank you," she grinned and his relief drooped Mingi's tense shoulders. He smiled back shyly as she sat by his side, happy to see clearly. Once more, her eyes fell onto the diamond encasing everyone's beloved.

"My emmya has long and pretty hair," she commented, figuring that was where she got it from. Aodhán, the bright and blond sun elf, looked undoubtedly like their athair, yet was blessed by a different star.

Mingi reminisced about the feeling of that hair between his fingers.

"He does. He liked to put it in many different shapes and decorated it with pins and chains. He did your hair sometimes."

Morana couldn't remember. She couldn't remember many things, but San mentioned she had always been at war with her creator. If she knew it instinctually as a small babe, she must have been right.

Her eyes cast to the ground and its endless treasures. Worthless to those who only saw Seonghwa.

"Will you go back to live with him?" She asked, quiet, since she almost feared the answer.

"In a heartbeat. I hope he still wants us and... knowing him, he does." Mingi sounded confident, so Morana sighed.

Perhaps they could meet somewhere in the middle. Where Morana didn't have to see, Seonghwa and Mingi could find her. She should have known dragging them out on this journey would lead to this. Seonghwa was always the most important to them.

"I missed him a lot. I hope I'm not too scary for him now," Mingi whispered, and Morana didn't reply. She was lost in her own thoughts.

Their peace didn't last. While everyone gathered items so Hongjoong could free their elf, an intruder snuck into their midst. No one noticed until it was too late.

Morana still brooded when a choked up noise had her peer towards the dragon. She didn't understand why Yunho had frozen in his movement, clutching Aodhán's collar between his fingers so the boy wouldn't move.

Did the snoozing beast finally notice them? Would it take Seonghwa away after all? Morana almost wished it would.

But no. A small creature climbed across the jagged ridge of the dragon and the treasures partly covering its resting limbs. Dark and unassuming, but with the determination of a burning sun, its misshaped body used the sleeping dragon as a mountain range.

Morana sat up straighter, not believing her eyes. She recognised the pattern of that movement more than she did the figure that belonged to it.

"Pebble, get down there," Yeosang also choked out, not daring too close. Wooyoung spread his wings, ready to pluck her down before she could wake the dragon and get them all killed, but they noticed a moment too late.

Pebble lost her footing on the shifting coins along smooth scales. She tumbled heavily, right for the claw of the sleeping dragon. Wind hit Morana in the face when Wooyoung rushed past, faster than San, but it was too late. Pebble heavily knocked into the dragon's knuckle and everyone held their breaths.

Mingi's hand found Morana, tugging her against his larger body when the ground trembled. Dust rained from the ceiling, and the noise of clanging treasure was deafening when the dragon shifted. A hot breath warmed their corner, as if in a deep sigh.

Morana expected those wings to spread. San had his hand on his sword, every muscle in his body tense.

But the dragon didn't bother with them. It settled and the golden avalanche its movement caused came to a stop. Once more, the dragon was still, now with its skull turned towards the wall.

Morana's little heart hammered in her chest. She had never been this scared before.

Yunho had to sit down and hug Aodhán after the brief but profound scare. He whispered to his son while Wooyoung plucked up Pebble.

Yeosang pressed a magical wand into Hongjoong's fingers, along with the gems they gathered. The sorcerer looked pleased, returning to Seonghwa's crystal.

"I should have everything I need. Someone hold on to that damned golem. I'll check what it takes to free him."

When Mingi lifted his head, Morana had mercy on him. She knew he wanted to be there, so she pulled him along to join the little group about to witness the marvel of Hongjoong's magic. Feeling out of place, Morana was glad when Wooyoung landed next to her to hand her Pebble. It seemed the golem wanted one specific coin off the back of the dragon and she clutched it in a two-fingered fist.

"Where did you come from this time, Pebble?" Morana asked her, but she got no answer. Pebble was here now and everyone was more or less ready with their nervous hearts to hope everything went well and Seonghwa would be theirs again.

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