Chapter Text
Fall had come upon the Border Woods sooner than it had claimed his hometown of Mador, made apparent to Jongho as soon as he began on his trek north four days ago. Vibrant red and orange leaves fell like the snowflakes of Wintrice outside the window Jongho currently worked before. He hummed as he packed the wicker basket, delicately arranging sugar-dusted pastries and fruit. He counted on Wooyoung to bring the Elven wine, as usual. Today, however, would be anything but usual. Jongho had planned this picnic weeks in advance, and it was only by pure luck that the afternoon was warm and bright, a stark contrast to the typical chill that weaved through the Northern trees bordering the Other Realm, where Wooyoung was traveling from. Jongho could only hope that his luck did not run out before their picnic.
When he heard the crunch of dead leaves under brisk hooves outside, his heart involuntarily skipped a beat, a mix of excitement and anxiety coursing through him. He quickly finished packing the basket before heading towards the front door, adjusting his hair in the hanging mirror at the entrance one last time. Everything needed to be perfect. He threw the door open and rushed to the Elf who had just finished setting up his horse in the stable. When Wooyoung’s perceptive, pointed ears heard him approaching, he whipped his head towards the sound, practically leaping at the sight of Jongho.
“Jongho!” he cried, and Jongho was pulled into a passionate, giggly kiss. Jongho took a moment to cup Wooyoung’s face in his hands and take in his appearance. His summer tan had faded somewhat, though his skin still retained its beautiful honeyed glow, especially in the bright of day. Wooyoung’s hair, once lightened by the sun and almost as fair as Yeosang’s platinum, had darkened to its natural golden hue. Above the mole adorning his cheek, Jongho noticed faint dark circles under his blue eyes. His thumbs smoothed them over and Wooyoung sighed upon noticing the other’s frown. “I’ve been busy, that’s all,” Wooyoung assured him, removing Jongho’s hands to hold them with his.
“I know. You’re always busy. At least, ever since the coronation,” Jongho said with a wry smile. Jongho only saw Wooyoung once every three months, but each time they met, Wooyoung looked wearier than the last. Before the mood turned sour, he changed the subject. “Which is why you need to relax while you’re here,” he reasoned while leading the Elf into their shared getaway cabin, and into the kitchen. “What better way to do that than with a picnic?” With his free hand, Jongho took the basket from the table and displayed it in the air with a triumphant smile.
Wooyoung opened the basket to peek inside, examining its contents. “It's missing something, you know.” Jongho frowned slightly. From the bag at his side, Wooyoung procured the Elven wine with a grin.
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“I can’t remember the last time we did something like this,” Wooyoung remarked from beside Jongho, absently swirling his glass of wine.
Jongho discreetly removed his hand from his pocket, where he had been fiddling with the source of his stress. He tried to give his full attention to Wooyoung, but his mind continued to wander to the contents of his pocket. “Like what?” He willed himself to look at Wooyoung, though his heartbeat spiked when their eyes met. He had handled many close calls throughout the course of his career as a mercenary, a knife thrown an inch away from his face, an axe brought down so close to him that he heard it, gangs of thieves, and the like, but what he was planning to do next was without a doubt the scariest thing he has ever faced.
“This!” Wooyoung waved a hand towards the spread of now empty plates surrounding the picnic basket. “We don’t usually do picnics or romantic outings.” Jongho pouted and Wooyoung laughed heartily at the reaction. “In case you weren’t aware, you’re not really the romantic type, Jongho.”
“It's a nice day out,” he reasoned, not missing the way Wooyoung’s brow raised skeptically over his wine glass. Jongho rolled his eyes with a grin, giving in to Wooyoung’s questioning gaze. “Okay, I have an ulterior motive. There’s an important matter,” he admitted, and slowly reached for his pocket.
Wooyoung straightened suddenly with a loud gasp, a hand coming up to his mouth in surprise. Jongho paused to watch as the Elf put down his glass and turned to face Jongho completely. “There’s something important I have to tell you, too.”
Jongho thought he had prepared for everything today. Apparently, he was wrong.
“Do you remember that scroll? The one about an elixir to revive the Ocirin?” Jongho nodded, recalling Wooyoung’s explanation of how Yunho found the scroll within the vast, ancient library of the Elven palace. It held the key to reviving the revered Ocirin, a one-of-a-kind plant that held the power to heal any wound, but if used once, would die completely. “Well, we finally got around to pinpointing where the ingredients are and,” Wooyoung paused, before a wide grin took over his features, “we’re planning to leave in a month’s time.”
“A month!” Jongho exclaimed in amazement. “That’s wonderful, Wooyoung!” Caught up in his surprise, Jongho briefly blanked on the reason he had prepared this picnic for Wooyoung in the first place.
“You’re still coming, aren’t you?”
Even if Jongho wanted to decline, Wooyoung’s eager gaze would have him begging to come with. “Of course! I know this is Elven matters, but,” Jongho’s expression briefly flickered into one of guilt, “I still feel responsible for this.”
Wooyoung grabbed him by the shoulders to properly look him in the eyes. “You shouldn’t feel that way,” he lectured. “As King of Namaria, this is my responsibility.”
“I know. I’ll try not to beat myself up over it.” Jongho would try, but he couldn’t change the way he felt. He knew he would not be absolved of his guilt during this mission. Perhaps he would not feel the weight of his guilt lifted even if they managed to completely revive the Ocirin. Whatever the outcome, it was he who stole, and thus, killed it in the first place.
“Good. I’d hate to see you upset on what is supposed to be a thrilling adventure.” Wooyoung let go of Jongho’s shoulders and sat beside him again, leaning into his side. “So, what was it that you wanted to tell me?”
Jongho stayed quiet a moment before answering. “I can’t remember,” he said with a bashful smile.
Wooyoung pecked his cheek. “Tell me when you remember,” he whispered sweetly, and snuggled back into the Human’s side, resting his eyes.
Jongho felt a little guilty for the white lie, but he had no other choice. Feeling for the object in his pocket, which now felt heavier than ever, he sighed. He would plan another date, something far more romantic, grander than a picnic𑁋 Wooyoung deserved extravagance, especially on such a special occasion. Jongho glanced at Wooyoung, who was now fast asleep against him, the exhaustion his royal duties brought, as well as the journey South into Human lands, finally catching up. Carefully, Jongho retrieved the item from his pocket. He checked once more, and when Wooyoung’s eyes remained closed, he opened his clenched fist, revealing the object.
A ring, glinting in the sunlight as he studied it dreamily. The silver band was rather plain, a love knot being its only distinguishing feature. It definitely leaned more towards Jongho’s sense of style. After all, he had crafted it himself. When he returned home from the Elven prison, Umren Anore, two summers ago, he decided to stay with his family in Mador, which meant retiring from his traveling career as a mercenary. It was then that he became an apprentice to the local blacksmith guild. The ring had been a much different project compared to his usual job of hammering out metal; Jongho quickly discovered the value of creativity when crafting jewelry. A simple band would not do. However, a love knot and an engraving was within the range of his abilities and would hopefully please Wooyoung. On the inner curve of the ring, engraved in Elvish, read: song of my heart.
The date may not have gone as planned, but Jongho was thankful that he didn’t overshadow Wooyoung’s news with a proposal. He would have another chance. For now, what mattered was enjoying Wooyoung’s company before they both returned home in a few days' time. Then, it was preparing to set off on another adventure.
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When Jongho arrived in Alari, the pristine Elven city a stark white against the orange, red and yellow trees that surrounded it, and he, a dark, hooded figure atop his obsidian mare, he was met at the palace gates by Yeosang. The Elf was quick with his greetings, and even quicker with his instructions. Jongho obeyed the requests, dismounting and passing the reins to Yeosang, who then passed them off to a stable-hand. Discreetly, the Elf ushered Jongho away from the palace’s grand entrance, and towards an isolated entryway at the massive building’s rear. It all happened so fast that Jongho did not question the small glass bottle Yeosang handed to him, simply stating, “drink.” Jongho did, knowing that his lover’s closest friend would not betray him. Only after the bottle was empty did Jongho ask what the potion was for. “The same potion Yunho gave you in the past. It's your disguise. You’re one of us now,” he informed Jongho with a faint, amused smile.
While in Alari, Jongho assumed that he would accompany Wooyoung for each of his duties before they eventually held a meeting regarding the quest for the Ocirin’s elixir. However, Yeosang, as the king’s adviser, was quick to remind Jongho that Humans were still seen as a threat to Elves, and that bringing him along would be risky, even with the glamour spell. So, the Human was led through old servants’ passageways in order to remain unseen, and left to his own devices in Wooyoung’s personal study. He flipped through the books on the shelves, the indecipherable Elven language filling every page. He abandoned the bookshelf in defeat and busied himself with studying the hanging map of Namaria instead. His eyes followed the ink strokes of the Desos River that their group had become familiar with over the course of their journey two springs before. Shaeras was written onto the parchment in a slightly darker ink, and Jongho smiled upon the realization that Wooyoung would not allow the town to be forgotten, as it was before he helped to re-established their trading relations. When the river thinned as it entered Fairy Territory, Jongho wistfully remembered the glittering lights of the Fairy festival, the night he and Wooyoung shared their first kiss.
Behind Jongho, the study door creaked open, and in came a pair of black wings, black horns, and a black tail. San, impertinent as ever, waltzed into the room. Languidly, he fell into Wooyoung’s chair, resting his feet on the desk, and Jongho scowled at his careless demeanor.
That was where the trouble began.
Looking back, Jongho should have known that a game with San would be nothing short of disaster. What started out as a seemingly tame round of “trap the rabbit” had turned into war when Jongho’s competitiveness and San’s stamina came to a head. That couldn’t be helped now though, not after San had already dragged Jongho with him back to hell. Or, alternatively, Wooyoung’s wrath. Jongho wondered which was worse, hell’s raging fires or Wooyoung’s screeching tone as he privately berated the two for destroying the peace within the palace.
“You disturbed the cooks, spilled the perfumes in Yeosang’s quarters, broke a vase—” Wooyoung’s list was interrupted by San, who kneeled on the floor beside Jongho.
“We tried to hide it,” the Demon said in a small, yet defensive voice.
“Yes, you tried to hide it in the gardens, where you resumed your game regardless of the paths, and tracked mud all throughout the palace.” Wooyoung’s eyes were ablaze.
“White marble,” Yeosang carefully enunciated the words, only his tone indicating his anger.
“We didn’t mean for it to go that far! Right, Jongho?” San looked to his right, hoping to find an ally, but Jongho kept his gaze trained to the floor.
“At least now I know how my father felt when we would get into trouble.” Yeosang laughed softly at Wooyoung’s comment, realizing just how different things were now that they were on the other end of those lectures. Wooyoung sighed before he came to a verdict. “I’ll have Yeosang deal with you later,” he said with an accusing finger pointed to San. Yeosang nodded resolutely, if not with a demure satisfaction. “You are dismissed, San, and you as well, Yeosang.” San rose to his feet, practically leaping to follow closely behind Yeosang out the study’s door. Jongho, still kneeling, looked toward him in confusion.
“What about my punishment? I am also to blame,” Jongho reasoned.
Wooyoung left his post standing before his desk to heave the Human up from the ground. Now, standing before him, Wooyoung linked their arms and began out the door and down the hall. “I’m mad, yes, but you’re usually well-behaved. And, what can I say? I’m a little biased.” Wooyoung grinned. “As for your punishment, that will come from me,” the Elf whispered with a flirtatious wink. Jongho could only smile through his embarrassment.
After a few comfortably silent moments of meandering down the hall together, the palace’s numerous windows letting in the gentle autumn breeze, a strong urge arose in Jongho. “Wooyoung, can I ask something of you?”
“Anything, my love.”
“Can you take me to the Ocirin?”
Wooyoung froze where he stood. Jongho stilled beside him, searching Wooyoung’s wide eyes for an answer. “Jongho, it's dead,” the Elf reminded him in a whisper, incredulous at Jongho’s words.
“I know,” Jongho replied evenly. “Wooyoung, may I please see it?”
Wooyoung stared back at Jongho, perfectly still for a moment, before breathing out a soft sigh. “Okay,” he nodded, first hesitantly, then rapidly, with more conviction, as if he was convincing himself. “I can take you there.”
Soon, the pair approached the door to the Ocirin, which Wooyoung unlocked using his emerald ring, infused with ancient Elven magic and passed down through his family for generations. Of course, there was little left to protect within the walls of the room now. The space was as Jongho remembered it two springs ago, a quaint greenhouse that now housed only the dead, dried up Ocirin, as well as the planter it resided in. Memories flooded Jongho’s mind. He saw the Ocirin as it had been all that time ago, a large, impressive bush of bright green foliage and plump flowers in vibrant hues of purple and blue. He relived, too, the night he had committed the ultimate sin, stealing one of the blossoms, the night he left Wooyoung for what he thought would be forever. The memories faded away as if he were emerging from a gust of wind in the desert and he could see clearly once more. Before him was no grand, looming growth of flowers, but a shrunken, withered mass of lifeless branches. If it weren’t for Jongho, the Ocirin would still be alive, and Wooyoung’s kingdom would have their precious emblem back𑁋 their hope back. Guilt ate at his mind and carved even deeper into his heart.
“I didn’t bring you here for you to get lost in the past.” Wooyoung’s airy voice cut through the silence. The Elf came up beside him and hugged one of Jongho’s arms. “We’re going to fix this,” he affirmed, though his voice was muffled by Jongho’s sleeve.
Jongho kissed Wooyoung’s forehead affectionately. His guilt ebbed with Wooyoung’s compassionate nature, sinking beneath the surface of his thoughts and into the unconscious mind, as if Wooyoung’s light drove Jongho’s bad thoughts into darkness. “I think I’m done here. Let’s get to that meeting.” Wooyoung leaned further into Jongho for a moment, then released him to lead them out the door, which pointlessly locked behind them.
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As all eight of them had gathered in the official meeting room, Jongho was finally able to see the rest of their company after many months of separation. The last time he had seen them was in spring, when Namaria celebrated Wooyoung’s coronation. Now, they greeted him warmly, as if he had never returned to Human lands.
Hongjoong greeted him first, surprising Jongho with a firm half-hug. A second surprise came to him when he saw Hongjoong’s bright blue hair. Yunho came in tow, his pastel pink hair contrasting the ex-pirate’s. It seemed the mage had finally convinced Hongjoong to let him work magic on his hair. Though they were excited to see Jongho, the pair did not say much, still drowsy from their interrupted sleep. Apparently, they had much more of it to catch up on since returning from their two week-long overseas expedition with the Namarian navy. Mingi and Seonghwa welcomed him with more words than the previous two. Mingi told him an amusing story from the most recent hunt he had been a part of, and Seonghwa showed off a pair of gloves he fashioned while learning under the senior seamstresses of the palace. Their chatter was cut to an end when Wooyoung announced the beginning of the meeting.
As everyone got settled into their chairs, Yeosang unrolled a large scroll onto the table. As it unfurled, Jongho recognized the shape of Namaria from the previous map in Wooyoung’s office, and as more of the map was revealed, he saw the whole of the Other Realm, as well as the Human lands below it. In his hands, Wooyoung held another scroll, the ancient one pertaining to the elixir, Jongho’s mind supplied. Wooyoung silently read through its contents briefly before addressing the group. “Most of the ingredients are rare,” he paused, skimming through the words once more, “but I believe we already have a few of them in our alchemy labs and mage workshops.” The news put a smile on everyone’s face until Wooyoung continued. “But these other ones,” he let the words hang in the still air, though everyone else had become restless. Yeosang peeked over his shoulder and frowned upon seeing the ingredients. “For some of these, I just don’t know if this is even possible.” Wooyoung sighed and sank into his chair as Yeosang took the scroll from him and read off the missing ingredients.
“Basilisk feathers, sunnonite, hair from a Water Nymph, three lantern mushrooms, and the Chalice of Perseverance. It’s only five items, but where do we even start?”
“Basilisk feathers and sunnonite you can find in the southern Human markets,” answered Hongjoong. He pointed to a rather empty corner of Human land on the map, where the Termek River weaved through the desert from the northern bay bordering Mer Territory, until it met with the city of Zaira and poured into its harbor. “Zaira is a trading city, and also happens to be an exporter of various minerals as well as the natural habitat of desert creatures like the basilisk.”
Yunho smiled and nodded with satisfaction at Hongjoong’s knowledge of the creature. “Water Nymphs shouldn’t be too hard to come by, either” he added, thoughtfully. “Especially in Mer Territory.”
“Plus, for the lantern mushrooms, we will have to stop by Amura, which is nearby anyway,” Mingi added tentatively, using the Wolf term for what the rest of them called ‘Wolf Territory’. “They’re said to be somewhere in the Dark Forest, but Yunho and I never found anything like that.” The Wolf smiled sheepishly.
“So you know where the forest should be? Roughly?” Wooyoung sat up in his chair now, leaning closer to the map as Yunho drew a circle with his finger around a wooded area in Wolf Territory, not too far from the beaches that separated it from Mer waters.
“This doesn’t seem so impossible after all,” Seonghwa’s optimistic smile reached each of them, except for Jongho, who frowned at the map.
“What is it?” Wooyoung asked from beside him, his voice laden with concern.
Jongho shook his head. “The Chalice of Perseverance𑁋 that’s been lost for centuries.” When he looked at Wooyoung and saw how the hope in his eyes wilted, Jongho regretted speaking up.
“Not lost, Jongho, only misplaced,” San said with a raise of his brows and a glint in his eyes.
“The chalice, what is it?” asked Seonghwa, his eyes meeting each of theirs, but ultimately landing on Mingi.
“I don’t remember any legend about a chalice,” Mingi answered him, his tail slowing in its excited wagging. The Wolf looked to Yunho, awaiting an argument, that yes, Yunho had told him of this legend along with the many others, and that Mingi had merely forgotten. But the comment never came; Yunho looked as unsure as Mingi did.
Instead, Yeosang spoke up. “It was a gift to the Elves from the Humans, after they had finally consolidated an alliance together.”
“The Age of Harmony,” Wooyoung supplied. He had at least remembered that from his history lessons.
“But it was misplaced,” Jongho shot an impatient glance at San, “at some point, and hasn’t been seen since.”
San groaned. “You’re telling the story all wrong!”
“Wrong?” Yeosang questioned, raising an eyebrow.
“You’re completely missing the romance!”
“San, are you sure you’re thinking of the same story?” Hongjoong reasoned, mind finally emerging from its sleepy fog.
“We Demons are immortal. I was there when the chalice was crafted, and then later when it was stolen!” He argued, a bit too defensively for someone whose maturity was supposed to be that of an immortal being.
“Stolen?” Jongho inquired without spite. He had never heard this version of the legend.
“Well, okay, I wasn’t there when the chalice was made and taken, but I was,” San shrugged, “around. In Fairy Territory, I think,” San mostly spoke to himself, as the rest seated at the table were still stuck on the word “stolen.”
“San!” Wooyoung addressed him with exasperation, but only to pull him out of his centuries-old memories. When the Demon snapped out of it, looking to the Elf with curiosity, Wooyoung asked again on behalf of the group, “What do you mean the chalice was stolen?”
“Let me start from the beginning. Before the Age of Harmony, the Other Realm and the Human lands were separate and isolated from each other, the Elves especially. They secluded themselves in the forests north of the Border Woods, away from everyone. They studied the plants, the animals, the seasons, the sky, and everything in between. They filled books with their knowledge and sang poetry over their carefully crafted instruments. While their knowledge flourished, the Humans busied themselves with kingdoms, alliances, discussion, and war. Though the Humans solved their problems with inventions, mechanisms, and treaties, they hungered for more knowledge.”
“Humans always were a curious bunch,” Wooyoung said, gently ruffling Jongho’s dark locks.
San continued. “For years, the Human rulers paraded themselves into the Elven lands, demanding a council with Queen Nyana of Esari. She allowed it and sat through their meetings, but in the end, she always refused to form an alliance with the Humans. After some time, the Queen received no more foreign diplomats. Until a Human girl by the name of Rowan arrived in her palace. She believed that she could unite the two kingdoms.”
“She sounds arrogant,” Yunho stated, an amused smile playing on his lips.
“She did not come to the Queen out of pride, but out of persistence,” he corrected with a wink. “For years, Rowan met with the queen, and because she came so frequently, they formed a friendship of sorts, some even speculate that they were lovers. As they grew closer, and the Queen’s faith in tradition waned thanks to the Human girl, the pair came to an agreement, and an alliance was formed.”
“So, the Humans craft her a chalice in thanks. Then what?” Hongjoong asked rather impatiently. It occurred to Jongho, and everyone else, that the Half-Fairy was eager to return to his bed.
“The chalice was kept safe within the Elven palace for many years until it was somehow dropped, and its various gems were displaced. The Elves returned it to the Humans for repair, but on its way back to Namaria, the Fairies got their mischievous hands on it.”
“Says you,” Yeosang teased coldly, recalling the Demon’s earlier antics involving Jongho.
“Hey, I could have easily taken the chalice if I wanted it, but I didn’t,” San argued.
“Besides, what use would you have for a chalice?” Mingi asked as he stretched in his chair, accidentally kicking Yunho seated in front of him, surfacing a giggle from both of them.
“What use would the Fairies have for it?” Wooyoung countered.
“Bragging rights,” San answered with a straight face. “But they didn’t have it for long. It became a bit of a competition among the Fairy villages to see who could keep the chalice the longest. Well, it eventually went to the Ice Fairies, who had it stolen from them by a dragon.” San leaned over the table to familiarize himself with the map and pointed to a cluster of mountains at the northern peak of the Fairy Territory labeled Glacier Peaks. “This is where the dragon resides.”
“But why would a dragon take the chalice?” Yunho thought aloud, wracking his brain for any insight while the others looked to San for an explanation.
“Am I supposed to have the answer to everything?” San sulked and sat back in his seat.
“Well then, it sounds like we know where we’re going,” Wooyoung announced, standing from his seat and clasping his hands together. “Yeosang and I will arrange everything for our trip. Hongjoong and Yunho, to bed!” Relief washed upon the pair’s features.
“Everyone else, shoo!” Yeosang ordered and everyone laughed as they headed out the door. As he left, Jongho inwardly vowed to never again be swayed by a suggestion from San.