Sternenstaub und Abendfeuer

17. Date with Mulberry

Once the snow started melting and the first buds of flowers broke through the earth, Seonghwa went to visit Mulberry with Wooyoung. Or rather, Mulberry visited them. The crown prince was too pregnant to make the trip up the mountain and he huffed even just coming out into the gardens.

San had helped him down the stairs before he went to spar. He needed to distract his mind often these days, growing overprotective of his husband full with child. When Seonghwa asked him to do his exercises with him, San, for the first time, handed a task off to Yunho. The human and Buddy bonded well with the unborn baby, but Seonghwa couldn't wait to hold San's face again and kiss him without abandon.

Seonghwa sat on the chair Wooyoung brought out specifically so he could relax while meeting Mulberry. Excited, he arranged it in the middle of the spread of green that had been hidden under the snow for so long. While he whistled for Mulberry, Seonghwa glanced at San on the sparring dock. He fought Seonghwa's head of the guard today and their bodies danced full of grace. She had in agility what he had in muscle, and Seonghwa yearned to match him the same way. Their fight was astonishing to watch, enraptured Seonghwa like a deliberately scripted play. Though he could only dream of reaching their performance, he couldn't avert his eyes.

The rushing of wings in the sky distracted him. With his heavy body rooted to his seat and peaceful fingers caressing his stomach, he looked up at Mulberry. Wooyoung surged to join him in the skies and they chased each other in a circle. The gryphon-born's gleeful laughter brought a smile to Seonghwa's lips.

So endeared by watching them, Seonghwa checked on the satchel by his side. He brought a present for Wooyoung for being so patient during the past year. Although Seonghwa had another person to look after and tend to, Wooyoung rarely got disgruntled for not being the only one anymore. Though he had feared a lack of attention, he stayed strong, and Seonghwa wanted to reward him for that.

When the two landed, a gust of wind hit Seonghwa and blew his hair from his face. A maid tucked it up for him today since his body ached at every move, even with Hongjoong's potions. They were careful to use them now, didn't want to numb Seonghwa's body to any relevant signals.

Wooyoung's grin was big and matched Mulberry's caw when he came over. The snowy mountains bedazzled him with a coat of snow that glinted under the daylight. His claws dug up the earth, but there was nothing to fear.

Proud, Wooyoung caressed his beak.

"Look! This is what I told you about. Out lovely Seonghwa is having a child. In there." Wooyoung pointed it out for Mulberry, and the gryphon's clever eyes curiously studied Seonghwa's change in appearance.

With a graceful smile, Seonghwa beckoned him closer. The gryphon-born nuzzled into his hand as he pet him.

"Pardon me but I can't rise to greet you right now. I hope you have been doing well."

Two fairies rode along on Mulberry's back and they ogled Seonghwa with big eyes and laughter like the chimes of tiny bells. When he smiled at them, they burrowed between Mulberry's feathers shyly.

"We can take a ride with your baby once you feel better! See, they don't lay eggs," Wooyoung educated Mulberry. When the gryphon snorted in disbelief, Wooyoung grinned. "No lies!"

"I have something for you two," Seonghwa announced as he pulled the satchel from his side. When he handed it to Wooyoung, the man's face lit up.

"You shouldn't have!" He beamed, but his greedy fingers already pried the hatch open. Inside was one of the most delicious apples the empire had to offer from a rare tree in the Sky-reaching Highlands. Mulberry happily picked at it and turned away to gag it down. In the meantime, Wooyoung sat in the grass by Seonghwa's feet to peer inside the velvet pouch. In awe, he pulled out the hair clip. It was woven from the filigree metal forged from the stars raining upon the earth on rare nights. An amethyst dangled over a tiny chime. It was a ball and inside, a pure white pearl rolled around to click when shaken.