No one even thought about sleeping anymore. They gathered on the bed and around it, drawn like moths to the flame that Seonghwa was. He kept petting his two children, so proud and doting towards them, and Morana closed her eyes to relish his touch, never getting enough of it.

Hongjoong mixed some potion for recovery into some tea and left it to cool by Seonghwa's side. The elf looked serene in their midst, not frenzied about his state of undress or everyone staring at him. He was so elegant with their attention, so grateful.

"We split apart after the war and the allies retreated to lick their wounds. While the orcs plundered the Crystal Sphere, the other rulers defended their own terrain. I took care of Aodhán and Yunho in the spire," Hongjoong began, answering Seonghwa's question to catch him up with the political landscape.

"The elves?" He whispered, but the others shook their heads.

"Gone into hiding or taken away. Nothing is resolved with the orcs."

Though Seonghwa lowered his eyes, the others were quick to assure him.

"Hongjoong took good care of us and we recovered well," Yunho threw in, beckoning to Aodhán so the boy would nod at Seonghwa with his big, dear eyes and blond locks that would convince anyone.

"I learned a lot of magic! Look!" Aodhán made a flower petal with his sparks and blew it in Seonghwa's direction. Awed, the elf watched it drift past before he cheered for Aodhán.

"You got so good at it, my darling! Marvellous. Thank you for taking care of each other, you three." Then, with a glance at Buddy, he corrected himself. "Four."

"Sunny was also there," Aodhán beamed with a toothy grin. Fond, Seonghwa caressed his hair and ears. Aodhán looked more like Seonghwa than like Yunho, less mixed than Morana. But in a way, Morana liked having a large part of Mingi in her blood as well.

"San returned to the vault and became their king," Hongjoong continued, and Seonghwa's soft gasp turned into a proud smile. His eyes shone for the shy angel who barely dared look at him and was transfixed at the same time.

"My king," Seonghwa cooed and the blush on San's cheeks was golden like Aodhán's. Something in Morana knew she was witnessing an incredibly rare sight.

"I only stand in until Rowan is old enough to take the crown," San brushed it off, but Seonghwa's smile persisted.

"You did well. I know you are good for your people."

San looked as if the shadows of a decade lifted off him. He rolled his shoulders and exhaled, tormented by doubts for so long. When at ease, he glowed more.

"Mingi fled that night. He needed to be alone, and we only found him recently. We didn't get a chance to study yet what caused his change in appearance, but he wasn't attacked," Hongjoong continued with a beckon at their demon. Mingi timidly came forward upon Seonghwa's call, blindly following him while the others made space.

Finally getting a good look at him, Seonghwa looked just as astonished by Mingi's changes. He caressed over the nervously swishing tail and curled his fingers into coarse fur. So small and bright compared to the looming demon.

Morana found her parents pretty. They matched each other like the night sky and the moon it cradled.

"I'm sorry if I look even scarier now," Mingi mumbled. "I didn't think this would happen either."

Somehow, Mingi didn't know a lot about being a demon. Because he was blind? Did no one teach him? Perhaps his parents were also gone for a long while, like Morana's were. They could catch up together.

"You are so handsome," Seonghwa crooned at him, kissing Mingi's large fingers until the demon's long lushes fluttered under his overgrown hair. "We'll figure it out. Don't be too worried. You are still our Mingi."

Relieved, the demon sunk back onto the ground. He looked so inspired by Seonghwa's sight. Felt taken care of just how Morana did.

"Wooyoung, Mulberry and I took Morana to the Cliffs of Zephyr. We didn't risk having the two together permanently, in case any enemies would find them. Hlin welcomed us there and is still kicking, as always. She and Lillwen supported this journey," Yeosang retold, and Seonghwa's awe found Wooyoung, who preened under the attention.

"You helped our dear Morana to grow up?"

"I did! You would have been so proud if you saw me. We took care of her and she didn't lose a single limb."

Chuckling, Seonghwa turned to a scandalised Morana.

"The gryphon-borns play rough, don't they?"

Morana shrugged it off. She was no longer lost among them. Her family was with her now.

"I liked playing with Wooyoung. Yeosang's books were boring."

Seonghwa glared at Yeosang playfully.

"How dare you make her read," he threatened, and Yeosang also rolled his eyes.

"Right? I'm such a wicked weed."

Mingi snickered. Glad to see him at ease with his people, Morana gradually unwound to curl up on the bed.

"I have so much to catch up with... Ten years are an eternity apart from my loves," Seonghwa sighed as he realised the full scope of change that happened. Both in the lands and in their lives. But Wooyoung waved it off.

"Don't catch up too much."

"Few of us did honourable things in that time, and you would only be saddened and grieved. Let's start anew. From here," Hongjoong suggested quietly.

"How can I not care about your pain? It is mine to share," Seonghwa whispered and Aodhán squeezed his waist tighter, as if to shoo his upset away.

"We also don't want to think back to the time without you. The future matters more. A future with you," Yeosang explained. Of course, these ten years would shape their narratives, but there was too much agony and heartache to gather at once. This was a happy occasion.

Seonghwa looked lost in his purpose to be with them, but Hongjoong took it from him.

"What now, Damiana? Where can we bring you to be safe? What about your brother? About San's child?"

The elf caressed the cheeks of his children. His thoughtful fingers skimmed over his stomach and his gaze on the family grew distant.

"I don't know," he mumbled, tormented by the lack of guidance, since he had been locked away for so long.

"You aren't the only ones who hoped for my return. I can hear how much these lands suffered. I cannot avert my eyes."

Some looked ready to protest. Seonghwa only just revived and if he returned to his duties, he put himself in the same danger as before.

"Yongguk is still out there," Hongjoong also reminded him. "We never heard of his demise since the war."

Though it was fair to assume most people involved in the battle at the palace were dead, Seonghwa also made it out. Seungyoun, the husbands, even Pebble.

But Seonghwa shook his head.

"We won't find him until he shows himself. And I cannot live in hiding until he is slain."

Morana began to understand where she got her stubbornness from. Here she was, thinking that was her strong-headed demonic side. But Mingi was gentle like a flower, so quick to give in to anything suggested to him.

The husbands sighed a collective sigh, but they didn't reprimand their love. Ironically, they were all well aware of how wilful Seonghwa could be. Morana found him more and more interesting by the minute.

"Fine," Yeosang chuckled, so fond of Seonghwa's tenacity. Morana also liked it. Did it only come out when he was trying to protect his people?

"You can't just go out there, show yourself, and expect everything will piece back together. You need to look strong. Like an emperor able to lead them again. Wait for a year. Have your child and be safe. We will ignite the flames of our people subtly and by the time you emerge to rebuild, you will be the shining star everyone waited for," the dryad proposed.

Right, Yeosang could sound wise. As diplomats, they were also politicians, even if most of them didn't look that way.

Though reluctant, Seonghwa nodded. With so many kingdoms in disarray internally, he didn't have the backing he needed for his empire right away.

Since his husbands were influential, Morana guessed the political landscape would piece back together as before. But not the demons. Was there any way Mingi could convince them? Morana wanted to visit their homelands, but she couldn't while the demons were Seonghwa's enemies.

Beautiful as her emmya was in the flesh, he did make mistakes. Like cutting Morana off from that part of her home.

"If we find Yongguk until then, we will have his head. Let us prepare armies with the titans to chase the orcs off and retrieve the elves they took. Make up for past mistakes by showing you returned to fix everything," Hongjoong continued, and Morana played with her hair while Aodhán looked concerned about his own head.

A fitting punishment for someone who was cruel to so many people. Some rude gryphon-borns shut up after being punched in the nose, but that brother messed up a lot more from what Morana gathered.

Seonghwa rested a thoughtful hand on his shoulder. Wooyoung nuzzled into his leg, clingy like a squirrel with its nuts.

"I just want to be with you. To know you safe. To cherish you. I can wait as long as things keep moving forward and we help the people recover in the smallest capacities. Bring order to those in fear. Provide the treasures of the sphere to those in need," Seonghwa muttered. His fingers sunk to his lap and his smile gained in confidence, shining like the moon.

"I never want to part from you ever again."

Wooyoung's lip wobbled and Yunho also looked close to tearing up yet once more. They couldn't possibly have even more tears to cry, right?

"I will hide away and have my baby. Our baby, San," Seonghwa smiled at the seraph and he flushed, always ripped from his hard shell whenever the mention dropped. Morana found it funny to see him like this. She would run up to him later along with Wooyoung, just to mention he had a baby and watch his face slip. Taunting ones like him was much more fun than getting tricked by the gryphon-borns.

"We can live in peace until we gathered our strength. And I have my beautiful two by my side to give me courage."

Morana preened when Seonghwa smiled down at her and her brother. It didn't matter to her whether Seonghwa became emperor again now or later. She was more curious about the child inside of him. She would be a dutiful sister and she wouldn't leave her unborn sibling alone, even when Seonghwa had to be busy again. At least this child would have an opportunity to find back to its kin among the seraphim.

Jongho nodded, satisfied with the break for everyone. It had been ten long years, and the husbands quivered even just looking at Seonghwa. For now, they could take things slow.

"Then where to? Where is it safest to hide all of us where we could still attend to our duties?" Yeosang contemplated. The Crystal Sphere was the centre of the seven kingdoms. With no shores to the open ocean, surrounded by allies from all sides. Whichever side they withdrew to, some would have a long path to travel.

"Let's shorten the way for those quicker wearied of a long journey and put ourselves where no one would search for us," Seonghwa suggested, and Morana was intrigued to guess along. She hoped it wasn't the vault, inaccessible and safe as it was. Too sunny.

"The nymphs?" She eagerly guessed, always ready to see Lillwen, and the queen liked Seonghwa (unfairly so.)

Her emmya smiled at her.

"Close. The Ruins of Gods are untouchable by all outer forces. A blind spot on their maps. We will be safe among the titans and Hongjoong travels long distances with ease. As do our lovely winged warriors." Seonghwa sang, and Morana was clueless. She had definitely read about titans before, but it passed her attention. Too boring information to sound interesting.

Hongjoong contemplated it, but he agreed with a hum.

"It also gives us a close leverage to their lands. Caves for our cave dwellers and forests for the rest."

"Is it scary there?" Morana asked, and Wooyoung peered around Seonghwa.

"So scary. I fought an army of titans once and barely got out with my life. Titans are huge."

Aodhán gasped.

"That sounds dangerous!"

Seonghwa soothed them, and Yunho also offered them his bright grin.

"I will protect you two while Wooyoung distracts them."

The gryphon-born blanched and Hongjoong smirked meanly, but Mingi also bowed his head with relief.

"I want us to be safe."

"Then it's set," Seonghwa purred. "Let's take some distance from our regular places of action. Hongjoong, please contact Crius and shroud us in the protection of their secrecy."