Morana fell over when Yunho pushed past her, jostling up Mingi, who replied with a perplexed sound. Within a second, everyone was on their legs and rushed towards the narrow bed.

"Seonghwa," Hongjoong breathed, alerting Mingi to get moving as well. Morana helped him up and tugged him through the door, warning him to duck, so his horns wouldn't get stuck.

She had trouble to see among the crowding bodies, so she trusted Yunho with Mingi and rounded the bed to crawl next to her brother. He looked around blearily, puzzled by the song of Seonghwa's soul that rang out full of sorrow.

The tears on his cheeks twinkled like liquid stars. Seonghwa cradled Hongjoong's arm with slender fingers, keeping himself upright as his turmoil hit him all at once. He must have realised some people changed. Must have felt their agony.

"What happened?" He breathed and his voice was silky soft, like Morana's hair after just washing it. His husbands crowded around him, sitting on their knees or the edge of the bed. Choked up at their sight, Seonghwa reached for one after the other, overwhelmed by all this information.

"Why... Why are things so different? Where are we?" He struggled to remember where his memories last left off, frazzled from his long sleep. When he peered around and spotted the two kids holding on to each insecurely, his breath stuttered.

Fearful, Morana peered up at him. Of the beauty of his glow and his expressive eyes. His sorrow was unabashed as he took them in, realising them as the babes he spent so little time with before they were ripped apart.

More tears quelled over his cheeks and he held his arms out for them, hoping they would still rush inside.

Aodhán didn't hesitate. He threw himself into Seonghwa's arm and the elf held onto him, cradling him against his chest as the boy wailed into his shoulder.

"I missed you, Athair. I missed you so much," Aodhán choked out, clutching at Seonghwa's shoulders like he never wanted to let him go. His sobs were heart-wrenching and Seonghwa found no solace for the son who had grown up so much without him, only pressed feeble kisses into those blond locks.

Seonghwa's other hand was still stretched out and Morana hesitantly took it. The touch was electrifying, resonated deep inside her to scratch that restless itch she felt for so long. 

This was what caused her upset. Her rage.

She wasn't with the elves she was meant to be with, and she wasn't with her creator.

Stunned, she peered down on his fingers, cradling hers. His tears were real and full of soul. Only now, he realised how much time had passed.

"My babies... My dear babies," Seonghwa cried, rocking Aodhán as if he still fit onto his arm. "I'm so sorry. You grew up so much. I should have been there, I- I should have been by your side... I can never forgive myself for leaving you behind." Near crumbling, the elf waned, and Hongjoong was right behind him, supporting him with a hand on his shoulder.

His pain hurt so much in Morana's soul. She felt it, felt his adoration and his pain for being apart from them. Understood that his family had always been the most important to him.

Their eyes met and Seonghwa bowed his head to her, agonised to lose her approval because he hadn't been there when he wanted to be.

"I'm so sorry, Morana. Please forgive me."

Something in Morana crumbled at hearing him whisper her name. At seeing how he cradled Aodhán with the love of a parent, never having forgotten about them.

A sob broke over her lips, and Morana broke down to the ache in her chest. To the yearning inside of her that was finally fulfilled with Seonghwa here.

When she scrambled over to his side, mad to be as close as she could, Seonghwa also forgave her. He never hated her for one moment.

She fell into his arm and cried her eyes out against his shoulder. She couldn't breathe, so choked up by everything going on, but Seonghwa kissed her forehead and cradled her head, holding her close to his chest how he had done when she was just a little imp.

"I love you, Emmya," broke from her lips as she held on to him, quivering from head to toe. Only his embrace soothed her.

Seonghwa whispered back to them, praising them for holding out and for growing up well without him. He was audibly in pain not to have been there, but it didn't matter. Nothing mattered now that they were back together.

With his kids stubbornly clinging to him, Seonghwa turned his face to his husbands. The men who never loved him less for ten long years. He saw the changes now. Realised why they looked so overjoyed to see him.

"A lot of time passed," Seonghwa whispered and Yunho nodded, sniffing at their reunion. To Seonghwa, the war was just yesterday. To them, so much changed.

But they didn't hold it over his head. When Morana pulled back to wipe her nose anywhere that wasn't her father, Wooyoung, who had battled his tears so bravely, also broke down like the two kids did. Seonghwa embraced him, shushing and assuring him. He was here now.

Morana stayed back to make her ever-pouring tears stop, but she was happy. Happy to see her uncles return to the one they missed for so long and happy with the peace inside her own soul.

This was how she was supposed to be. This was the family she yearned for. Nothing else mattered.

After kissing Wooyoung more times than Morana could count, Seonghwa embraced Yeosang. They lingered for long until white blossoms bloomed over Yeosang's back and his woody scent enveloped them richly. Seonghwa kissed his cheek and thanked him. He didn't say what for, but no matter what, Yeosang played a huge role in the patience of everyone. The dryad's smile was wobbly.

"My hawthorn," Seonghwa called and Mingi stumbled towards him with his hands outstretched, desperate for the bright lure in his darkness. He fell to his knees at the side of the bed and Seonghwa caressed his horns and hair, startled to see the changes in Mingi's body.

"What happened to you, my love?" Seonghwa whispered. "How long did you wait for me?"

"I would wait forever," Mingi whispered as Seonghwa caressed his cheeks and wiped his dark tears. 

"It's been ten years," Jongho helped out, the only one not absolutely overwhelmed. He stood to the side and though his crystals were a merry yellow, he held back from squishing Seonghwa in his embrace. After so long, they could talk again.

"You were with me," Seonghwa whispered as he embraced Mingi with arms so delicate compared to the massive demon. "You never left me alone."

"Of course not," Jongho mumbled, suddenly shy. He turned his head away while Yunho tugged Wooyoung off Seonghwa's lap to lift the elf into his arms. Buddy jumped around, tail wagging, so cheerful about Seonghwa's return. Delighted laughter broke out of Seonghwa's mouth when he was cuddled by human and dog with all their might.

But after an initial embrace back, Seonghwa pushed at his shoulders gently, wanting to be put back down. Immediately, Yunho fretted and placed him back on the mattress.

"My apologies. Is your body still weak?" he stuttered, worried to have been too much, but Seonghwa shook his head. His smile was kind. 

"It carries precious cargo," Seonghwa whispered. The hand on his abdomen suddenly remembered he never got the time to share this information. He whirled around to the remaining two and Hongjoong stepped aside, drinking up the sight of the healthy elf with no need for his physical confirmation right away.

San looked pale, but he knelt at the bed when Seonghwa reached out for him. The elf paused in terror when he cradled San's wrists and realised one ended so abruptly. When fresh tears poured from his eyes, he hunched over to kiss San's fingers and the fabric covering the stump of his arm. Seonghwa's fingers trembled as he cried over the loss he never had the time to digest. He leaned his forehead against San's strong arms, looking faint.

Morana figured he might pass out soon. This was a lot of stress for him. So much to understand while the memories of the war rushed back to him at the same time.

"San... I'm so sorry I kept this from you but I... I am with your child, I-" Seonghwa sobbed, trying to find his words, but San tugged him up to kiss Seonghwa's hands instead. Cradling him like the most precious of goods.

And he was. Morana understood why everything flourished under his attention. Why everyone missed him and prayed for his attention.

He was the most beautiful. And his grace was absolute.

"Shh, I know. It's all right. I didn't think- everything is fine now. Thank you for taking care of our unborn child, even when the empire collapsed around you," San whispered. Then, shaking those words off: "No, thank you for returning to us. With the child."

Morana just wanted to cry again witnessing them. She crawled over to cuddle with her brother and the two held on to each other as Seonghwa finally pulled his stubborn mage in for a soft embrace.

"I missed you. I'm so glad you took care of each other," he whispered to Hongjoong as the mage breathed in his scent, caressed his fingers through Seonghwa's hair to make sure he was real. Nobody was pleased yet. They lingered close in the need for more attention, but Seonghwa was patient to provide for them all.

"There is so much to tell you," Yeosang also grimaced. "Take your time and rest first. We are safe here."

Relieved to hear that, Seonghwa nodded. He pulled back, so Hongjoong could wipe his tears and though the elf's smile was wobbly, it brightened the darkness in their hearts.

Everything was more doable with Seonghwa around. No hurdle too high and no shadow too dark. Morana was suddenly so confident she was loved. Witnessed the emperor's kindness and his adoration for the world around him.

For him, wars could be won, and thrones returned to their rightful owners. It wasn't hard to study and to grow up well if only she could feel his fingers in her hair and be granted his smile.

Her brother felt the same. The kids were bewitched how they hadn't been before since they spent so little time with Seonghwa. But they were delighted when Seonghwa scooted back against the headboard and patted his side for them. They huddled close while Wooyoung rolled up by Seonghwa's other side, looking at him as if he hung the moon in the sky, which, at this point, he might have. 

He was their moon. Controlling their tides and spending light in the dark. Never so sweltering and painful as the sun. So gentle.

Seonghwa noticed Morana's gaze on his stomach. She was unsure what she should do, so he wouldn't be uncomfortable or hurt the life inside him. With a smile, Seonghwa cradled her cheek, and she was at peace. Why fight and struggle and hate if she could lie down to look at him all day?

"Come here, you two. If I will gift you another sibling, will you take good care of them?"

Instantly, Morana and Aodhán nodded their eager heads.

"Of course!" The boy insisted. He and Morana would be such good siblings. Though Morana was already delighted with Pebble, she wanted to be part of this. Wanted to find out what their new sibling would be like and support Seonghwa in bringing them up. They could relive everything she and her brother missed out on.

Enraptured by their glowing father, the kids huddled by his side when he addressed his assembled husbands and their hopeful features. Mingi looked so peaceful now. Listening to the melody of Seonghwa's voice as if he finally found the truce with his own mind.

Seonghwa was so good for them. The best they could wish for.

And Morana was so, so proud to call herself his daughter.

"Catch me up on everything that happened in those ten years. I wish to be with you and soothe your woes," Seonghwa offered, and though he knew pain awaited him in those stories, he wanted to accept it.

Because he wasn't going back. He was here now. And they had time to catch up and love each other like they had before.