Hongjoong played with the gems in his hand. For the first time since Morana could remember, he looked anxious. His teeth worried his lip as he absorbed the power from the stones until they no longer exuded that magical glow. But he didn't back down from his challenge. Soon, he dropped his gems to the ground since they lost all purpose and wrapped his fingers around the wand of his choice.

"I never did anything like this, Jongho, just so you are warned. But one thing after the other. I'll reach in," he told the diamond in their midst. Hongjoong had taken off his velvet gloves and his bare fingers skimmed over the smooth surface encasing the unmoving elf. 

What if he was dead in there and Jongho just protected his corpse? How would anyone bear that disappointment?

The eager glow of their eyes was almost frightening. If this hope was also shattered, they might become mad for real. Who knew what they might do if they lost their last shreds of sanity?

"I'll be gentle," Hongjoong continued with an ironic smirk and Wooyoung coughed into his sleeve.

Aodhán clutched his fingers to his chest. 

"I hope Athair will be fine..." His mumble was tentative, fearsome to see Seonghwa burst apart before his very eyes. Yunho placed a hand on his shoulder, seeking to both comfort him and stabilise himself.

They all waited with bated breath as Hongjoong channelled his magic through the wooden wand, making the flow of it glow brighter without its usual spread. He oozed it into the thick diamond, only fusing since both beings were of magic. The concentrated frown on Hongjoong's features persisted. So near the dragon, he was easily disrupted as the weaker being.

"I can reach him now," Hongjoong muttered and wonder tinted his voice. A deep fondness how Morana didn't think him capable of. Mingi's hands squeezed hers, tense with the news.

"He is alive. Asleep and torn by a deep woe, but he should wake back up without harm once Jongho unfreezes."

So Seonghwa was truly alive. Only a few steps away from them. Buried in the dragon's hoard for a decade.

Like Mingi, he couldn't help his imprisonment. But as beautiful as he was, Morana wouldn't give in. He ruined the empire and until her uncles were happy again, she wouldn't forgive Seonghwa for parting from them on purpose. 

Hongjoong was enraptured by his task, feeling around to explore both Jongho's mind and Seonghwa's asleep one. He made sure their elf wasn't in despair.

"Time healed his wounds from back then, but he was asleep, not thinking a day passed." Hongjoong's fingers on the crystals were tender, his smile so soft. Until his brow lifted and Yeosang tensed. 

"And he is..." Hongjoong broke off when his mouth fell open.

"What, what's going on?!" Wooyoung immediately demanded, pushing forward with fresh panic.

"Is he sick?" Yeosang choked out, on the same page as Morana with the lack of light in this cave.

Hongjoong's face settled into a scowl. Gulping, Wooyoung backed down as the mage grumbled out with great disdain.

"He is pregnant."

"Pregnant?!" Yunho shrieked, too loud. Everyone's eyes immediately flinched to the dragon, afraid it would move again. For a moment, everyone held their breaths, but nothing happened. Morana had Pebble in an iron grip.

Pregnant? How he had been with her? Could it happen anytime? Did that mean Morana could also get pregnant?

She didn't want kids. She was the best example of why that was a bad idea.

Wooyoung also gasped. He had to sit down and by his side, Yeosang looked close to fainting.

"Whose is it? Don't tell me that vile Demon King..." The dryad began, but Hongjoong flicked his stare of molten gold over to their seraph, who stood in silent shock. 

"It's yours, San. Frozen in time from back then. The same core." 

Everyone turned to look at the angel. San's face had slipped to make space for naked horror. His fingers trembled where he clutched them to his cape and his gaze was unseeing. 

Yeosang caught himself the quickest. He rushed over to place a hand on San's back, stabilising him when the seraph waned. He clutched to his face now, his fingertips clawed, and Morana nervously shifted her weight to peer up at Mingi. 

Did that mean she was getting another sibling?

Mingi was also mute with shock. The two kids looked at each other, clueless. Wasn't this something to celebrate?

Aodhán didn't know, either. So they listened while Yeosang helped San sit down and offered him some water. The seraph's wings trembled like leaves in the wind. 

"His pregnancy was halted once Jongho engulfed him, so this new life is tiny, but undeniably there." Hongjoong paused, his eyes clouded by memories of the past. This meant Morana's emmya had been pregnant during the war already. "I find nothing wrong with it, so I assume the growth will resume once Seonghwa's clock continues ticking. You are having a baby, San."

San didn't look ready to have a baby. He lost all colour in his face and Wooyoung perched by his side, quietly asking if he could help in any way. San was gagged for words. A lifetime of regret weighed him down and his misery had Hongjoong sigh. Morana believed to feel the air crackle between them, but since San was so pathetic, no explosion happened. 

"Let's give this a brief break," Yeosang begged Hongjoong, even when everyone was ready for a miracle to happen.

But Hongjoong nodded.

"I will need to gather my mind. Let's find a spot to have a meal and catch some rest," he mumbled, before tucking the wand into his belt and leaving Jongho with a pat on his unharmed surface.

Not one elf, but two elves were in his embrace. Had he known? 

"Where is San?" Mingi asked Morana, and she tugged him in his direction, standing aside while the demon felt for San's hand to grasp it.

"I know it's hard," the demon offered and his voice was nervous to be told off. San held onto him, quivering with his lapse yet not hiding away as everyone assembled. Hongjoong was the only one who set up camp, needing time away instead of with the family right now.

"Seonghwa will know what to do, though. We can make this work."

"We are here if you need support," Yunho also presented himself. Their responsibility towards their seraph washed off their own shock.

After a few excruciating moments, San exhaled a long and shuddering breath. His eyes fell shut, tormented by whatever was going on inside of him.

"I think he knew," San whispered, his voice hollow. "Back then. Seonghwa knew." Finally, he took the water jug and gulped down a big swing. When he grimaced, Wooyoung unhooked the horn with infinite ale from his belt. Morana expected San to grimace and push him away, but he actually took it and drank with deep gulps. When he handed it back, frantic fingers wiped over his haunted eyes.

"All this time... They were alone here."

"Jongho was with them," Yeosang soothed, though he echoed the pain in San's voice. "Seonghwa knew what he wanted to protect."

San hung his head, needing more time to digest things. Morana huddled over to Aodhán, since everyone else was preoccupied with the seraph. Her brother petted Pebble's head.

"Do you think we are getting a brother or a sister?" She asked him, and Aodhán was similarly excited.

They were the older siblings now. They could show this baby everything they knew. Could ride Mulberry together and find a good pet to suit them.

What would San be like as a father with all his rigid rules and shining glory? Would his child have to be like that? Study sword fighting like Aodhán studied magic?

They could play together with Pebble, too.

"I already have two sisters, so I want a brother," Aodhán shared, but Morana made a face.

"I can't wear dresses and do my hair with Pebble. I want a sister."

"I can't either. You have Wooyoung," Aodhán argued, and they giggled when they imagined Wooyoung in the most gorgeous of dresses. 

Yeosang caught them there and his branches nudged into their backs, asking for some space for San to gather himself. He stayed with Wooyoung and Mingi, but Yunho joined the kids as they left the sunken seraph to his burden.

"Come on, you two, let's get some shuteye. Hongjoong needs to be left alone right now and tomorrow, hopefully, we get your emmya back," Yeosang suggested and Morana whined.

"But I can't sleep when it's so bright."

"I can put you in a blanket," the dryad replied. Yunho sent them a look.

"Your issue is not the colossal dragon over there?" He asked while they reached Hongjoong and helped him spread out some blankets. The mage had his nose in a book, but he glanced over to San from time to time, sighing to himself.

"The dragon is also all sleepy," Morana fired back. "It sleeps better than anyone else."

Yeosang gave them some food to calm down for sleep. Hongjoong wouldn't use his magic tonight to save his energy, but the dragon's presence protected them from dangers. While Morana licked the sugar off her fingers after devouring her sweet roll, Aodhán already leaned in Yunho's arm with drooping lids.

Before Hongjoong settled down for some sleep, he got back up from beneath his blanket and walked over to San. They mumbled with each other while Wooyoung handed Mingi some food, joining their little merry round of people desperately hoping to leave this place tomorrow, with Seonghwa by their sides.

San wanted to be left alone, so he continued sitting there when Hongjoong came back. Since the husbands seemed at ease, Morana hoped San wouldn't beat himself up too much. As a knight, he couldn't protect Seonghwa, and this meant he just realised he also failed as a father. 

Glad not to be so burdened by the news, Morana snuggled to her brother to get some rest. They clutched Pebble wrapped in a blanket between them, hoping to keep her from wandering off to cause problems. She was almost worse than Wooyoung with that.

The others calmed gradually, and when silence spread among them, Morana could listen to that melody again. It came from Seonghwa, that much was clear now. A melody she believed to remember so distinctly in her mind. Had it sung to her back when she was a baby? When she was still in Seonghwa's belly? It was so soothing, like a healing balm on the aching wound in her heart. 

If only it weren't so hauntingly lonely, chasing shudders down her spine.

Aodhán was fast asleep while Morana peered around. Hongjoong had curled up in his cloak and Wooyoung clutched to Mingi, drooling on his shirt with his wings all over the place. Yeosang was the only one still up, leaning against the pillar sheltering their camp. His eyes rested on the lonely angel sitting a few paces away. 

"Are you scared, Yeosangie?" Morana whispered to him and Yeosang made out her shape in the dark. It wasn't cold with the dragon nearby, so the dryad had woven a roof of his branches and leftover blankets to create an artificial night for them among gleaming crystals. Still, Morana spotted a knowing smile on his lips when she, of all people, was up at night. She had never been good at sleeping while the stars were out. On the other hand, the sun sucked all the power right out of her.

"A little. Seonghwa is fragile and now we know he also carries a babe in his belly," Yeosang hummed. "We want to be careful with that, how I am with you."

"Hongjoong is good at magic," Morana argued in a whisper, so she wouldn't disturb anyone else. She was confident in her uncles. Though her mind was muddled about what she wanted, and if Seonghwa deserved another chance, she knew Hongjoong would be careful.

Yeosang agreed. His eyes studied the gleaming diamond through their makeshift tent.

"I just want my friends back. And I hope everything will be fine."

"It will be all right, Yeosangie," Morana yawned, putting her head back down when it got too heavy.

"Everyone is working hard."

Yeosang's deep chuckle accompanied her as she drifted off, dreaming of confusing gleaming crystals and ethereal voices singing to her until she forgot who she was.