Wehmutstau und Sturmgesang

37. Dreaming Together

The sun was yellow, and the skies were blue.

In summer, the trees grew green leaves and in winter; they were buried under a layer of white snow.

The species wandering the surface of this world were plentiful and enjoyed themselves with their laughter and love for each other and their quirky little interests. 

And tears were sorrowful. Beautiful in the way they fell, but full of agony.

Jongho learned a lot in his years wandering the surface. He enjoyed listening to his elders, and he enjoyed dreaming his own visions of their tales. 

But it had been even more fascinating to explore that world himself. To study the many birds flying through the skies and to realise just how many colours flowers could assume. He liked learning languages by listening to them, and he was awed to see the difference between people and their way of life.

When Jongho married Seonghwa, he regarded it as an opportunity. Though he couldn't sleep with the other golems anymore, he had never travelled to another kingdom, and he never met another race in person.

Though the golems weren't great at all matters political and diplomatic, Jongho found his way to the shining castle of the elves and he was already awed by their beauty. By their delicately woven garments that fluttered behind them like the wind. By their communication with nature and their buildings and their kindness in showing him the way when he wandered lost.

When he first met the crown prince of the Crystal Empire, he didn't think much of him. He regarded him as yet another elf. Beauty didn't matter to him, nor status. He didn't care what Seonghwa was lauded as until he got to know him.

But when Seonghwa's personality unravelled before him bit by bit, Jongho was more and more fascinated with him. There was mercy in his beauty, power in his status. Seonghwa was wise and loved the world and its people like Jongho did. He never grew tired of sharing his vision with Jongho, offered him amenities, though he was no more than a rock.

Jongho watched him weave his spell like magic. He saw how all these different people in the harem warmed up to Seonghwa and dedicated themselves to his charm. They changed around him. Grew more mellow and kinder, perceptive in their understanding of the world.

Jongho couldn't feel love or warmth or any other feeling, but he understood what it was as he watched Seonghwa and his husbands find to each other. He realised that love was in that devotion, in sacrifice. He also realised that Seonghwa loved too much and that he suffered from trying to love everyone at once.

But Yeosang was there for that. Knew the prince like no other and offered him a reprieve when his stress took overhand.

Each of them played their special role in Seonghwa's growth and development. Even Jongho got to play a role as his advisor and friend. Jongho watched him find his purpose, show his leadership and become emperor. He experienced Seonghwa's skill in charming allies and shared the joy when his love bore fruit and he welcomed his children. 

Jongho was sure joining the royal court was the best thing that ever happened to him. That he wanted to watch Seonghwa rule and love his lands and see his children grow big like him.

Jongho thought that despite all the sorrow and stress he learned of, joy would always return to soothe their hearts, like night turned into day.

Until he saw Seonghwa fall.

It all happened in the split of a second. One moment, they were fighting for their lives. Jongho by their side, since he understood how fragile their flesh was and how he needed to defend them.

He knew the rumbling of the earth didn't come from any moving golems and he was fascinated to see the dragon emerge. Wanted to learn everything about their old kind.