It was winter in the Sacred City and White snow covered the also White buildings of Muyeokdo and the Sacred City given to them a surreal aspect.

It was a cold morning when Minho and Taemin were leaving they had asked for some free days to visit Minho’s father at the Dark Mountains.

“Be careful” Jonghyun said to them that were already saddled in their horses and wearing heavy winter coats, Taemin one was a silvery gray that contrasted with Minho black one.

“Don’t worry” Taemin said. His father had offered them a carriage to travel but both have decided it only will lessen them so they refused it.

“We will be back in two weeks” Minho added and their companions nodded, just when they were about to leave Jongdae stopped them.

“Here” the Knight said handing to Taemin a little bag.

“What is it?” Minho asked curious.

“Medicine, for the cold” Taemin answered and Minho nodded because the blonde had been sick since a week ago due to the lower temperatures and now that he was better they had decided to travel though he still sneezed from time to time. Jongdae in the other hand, like a healer, was worried about Taemin, he shouldn’t be traveling but the boy was stubborn as hell and he hadn’t told Minho yet.

“We are leaving now” Minho said and they parted to the Dark Mountains.

**

It was a three days travel to the Dark Mountains if they hurried they will reach the border of the Great Desert before sunset and then they will use the spell Yoona had made for them to cross the desert with that they will reach their destiny in two days instead of three.

“We should look for a place to rest” Minho said when he noticed the sunlight dimming.

“Ok” Taemin answered.

Soon they found a clearing where they decided to camp, Taemin put the tent while Minho lightened a fire and cooked their supper. After they finished eating they hurried inside of the tent the wind getting colder as the sun faded away.

“You ok?” Minho asked to Taemin as he covered him with the thick blanket that they had brought along.

“I’m fine” the boy said cuddling to his husband. “You are warm.” Minho chuckled and hugged the boy closer to him; he always had had a warm body maybe because of his nature.

“Let`s rest” he said kissing the blonde on the lips. “Tomorrow before midday we will be at the border of the Great Desert and by noon at home”

“Sounds great” he kissed back Minho. They kissed some more till they felt sleep.

**

Taemin woke up first the next morning Minho was still hugging him and smiling he pressed more against him, like that he observed the sleeping features of his husband he was so happy and he loved him so much that was almost unreal. Unconsciously he placed his hand on his belly and his smile widened, when they arrived at Minho’s home he will be giving him a big surprise and he hoped he would get as happy as him and not as concerned as Jongdae at this last thought he frowned.

**

Two weeks ago he hadn’t been feeling well so he went with Jongdae to check up on him and he found out what the problem was.

The Knight had been a little apprehensive but happy for him and Minho but when Temin had suggested traveling he had freaked out which was weird because Jongdae never took things too seriously.

“You shouldn’t travel” Jongdae stated serious.

“I would be fine the medicine you give me for the dizziness is working great” Taemin said.

“Lee Taemin, the three first months are the critical ones and beside Minho is not a common person what if…”

“I’m fine” the blonde had said with his usual stubbornness before left.

Jongdae sighed while looking at the boy. With the eyes the spirits had gave to him he could see a red flame in the boy its color mixing with the boy golden aura, it was a beautiful sight but it also settled a heavy feeling on his stomach and he really hopped it was only his imagination.

**

“Morning” Minho’s voice pulled out of his thoughts and when he looked up he saw Minho looking at him, Taemin kissed him before answer.

“Morning”

“How long have you been awake?” Minho asked.

“Just a minutes”

“We should hurry up” the older said though he didn’t move.

“Not yet” the boy said cuddling to him more.

They stayed under the blanket a little more and when they finally rose up they lifted the tent and had a quick breakfast before they continued their travel.

It was barely noon when they arrived at the border of the Great Desert the sight it offered was a wasteland of dunes.

“Here we go” Minho said pulling out the little charm that contained the spell Yoona had made for them, it will take them to the other side of the desert without actually crossing it. It looked like a little green and golden marble and when Minho threw it to the ground it shined and a big mirror appeared in front of them.

“I guess we have to go through it” Taemin said and Minho nodded and both along their horses crossed the mirror.

It was dark for a moment and when the light came back they found themselves in front of a huge snowed forest.

“Wow, it’s beautiful” Taemin exclaimed he had never seen such a large forest and with the snow covering the trees it looked almost enchanted.

“We are near, let’s move” Minho said happy to see that the blonde actually liked his home.

They slowly paced through the snowed forest being careful so they didn’t slip on the frosted mantle on the earth. While their crossed the forest Minho told stories about him and his father and brother that had happened in that place.

It was almost the sunset when they finally saw a village in the middle of a large clearing in the forest. The house like the trees were covered with snow and like the sunset was already hiding away the houses already showed warm lights on the windows, it was a charming sight.

“This way” Minho indicated guiding the boy between the stoned houses. “We are almost there”.

Five more minutes passed before they reached a stone house that looked bigger than the others, Minho knocked the door and soon enough it was opening.

“Good…” the greeting died on the lips of the woman when he saw Minho.

“Good night, Yura”

“Oh god… Abeoji! Minseok! It’s Minho!” the woman exclaimed excited. “Come in, oh he brings Taemin!” Yura opened the door for them as she entered the house calling for her husband and his father in law, Minho chuckled and after Taemin entered he closed the door and guided the boy inside, when they reached the leaving room all were waiting for them.

“Minho…” his father walked to him and the hugged him tightly. “So glad that you are here and…” the he turned to Taemin. “also so happy you are here, my son” and he hugged the blonde as well.

“Thanks” Taemin said shyly.

“Hyung, this is my husband” Minho said to his brother. “Lee Taemin, and this is my brother Minseok, and her wife, Yura” the greeted each other before the woman rushed to the kitchen saying she was going to serve them some supper since probably they were hungry for the traveling, once they were seated around the table they chattered along while eating.

“You should tell us you will be coming” Yura complained. “Then I could cook you something delicious.”

“This is really good” Taemin said but she playfully shushed him.

“How long are you gonna stay?” his brother asked.

“Ten days” Minho answered.

“That’s great, you can show Taemin around though there isn’t too much to see and I will make tons of tasty food for you. What do you think about that, Taemin?” Yura asked to the boy.

"That sounds great" Taemin answered with a smile.

"For now let's let them rest, they surely must be tired from the long travel" Minho's father said and both Knights nodded at his words.

"We are leaving now" Minho said standing up and helping Taemin out of his chair. "Good night."

Minho guided Taemin up the stairs to his bedroom when they entered it he was surprised to see that his old bed had been replaced with a new bigger one crafted in oak wood, it looked warm and comfy.

"How do you like it?" Minho asked once both were settled under the covers and hugging each other.

"It's good, your family is nice" the boy said feeling sleepy already the older chuckled at his cute face and kissed his cheek lovely.

"Let's sleep" Minho said hugging closer the boy and soon both felt asleep.

**

The next morning when they woke up Yura was already waiting for them with a large breakfast.

"Eat a lot" she said with a smile as she kept cooking.

"All this is not just for Taemin and me, right?" Minho asked as the woman kept placing dishes in the table.

"Just eat" she replied while handing him a vase with warm spiced wine and then one to Taemin that he doubted to take.

"You don't like it?" Minseok asked taking the vase instead.

"It's not that but Jongdae said I should avoid alcohol because the baby maybe..." the blonde stopped midsentence realizing what he had just said looking at the other shocked expressions he bit his lip nervous.

"What?" Minho asked his voice shaking a little, Taemin took a deep breath before answering.

"I'm pregnant" he said bracing himself for the reaction of the older.

Minho looked surprised at the boy and then a huge smile appeared on his face, grabbing his face he kissed him deeply.

"Pregnant? Really?" the older asked excited and Taemin just nodded happy at his reaction. "Since when?"

"Three weeks" Taemin answered smiling Minho was hugging him carefully and he found that action incredibly endearing.

"Why you didn't tell me before?"

"I wanted it to be a surprise for when we get here so I guess... surprise" the older chuckled at his cuteness and kissed him one more time.

"You are so cute!" Yura exclaimed took the out off of their bubble. "Congratulations!"

"That are great news" Minseok said. "I'm so happy for both you"

"Congratulation, that's so good" Minho father said with a gentle smile though Minho noticed some seriousness in his voice.

The rest of the breakfast passed with a joyful chattering about the baby and the possible names for him or her.

**

"We are going to the lake to skate" Minho said around midday. "Wan to come along?"

"Want to go, Yura?" Minseok asked to his wife.

"Sure, let me bring my coat."

"What about you, dad?"

"I'll stay here, be careful and Minho, when you return we need to talk in private" he said serious while his son looked at him worried.

"Something happens?"

"Don't worry now, go and don't let Taemin slip on the ice" Minho wanted to ask again but in that moment Yura came out and the four headed to the lake. 

At Muyeokdo the Fireflies Lake usually froze at winter but the ice was never too thick to allow skate on it but in the Dark Mountains every winter all lakes became skating rinks.

"Have you done this before?" Minho asked while helping the blonde on his skates.

"No. It's difficult?"

"Not really, I will help you don't worry" the older said while helping him to stand on his skates. “The point of this is keeping the knees firm and straight” he indicated while guiding Taemin slowly over the ice while holding his hands. “You are doing well”.

They continued like that and Taemin just slipped a little from time to time but Minho was always quick to catch him, one of the times that he almost felt it occurred to the older it wasn’t a good idea that his husband were skating.

“Maybe we shouldn’t be skating” he said and Taemin rolled his eyes at him.

“Don’t be ridiculous I’m fine and still not fat” he said dismissing his husband concerns. “You wouldn’t mind when I get fat, right?” he asked suddenly worried and Minho just kissed him for answer.

“You would look beautiful no matter what” he said and Taemin cringed at his cheesiness but was happy with his answer.

They returned at home at afternoon. Yura walked straight to the kitcehn to make dinner, while Taemin said he was tired and was going to sleep for a while.

"You join me?" he asked to Minho.

"In a minute, I have to talk with my father about something" Taemin nodded and went upstairs while he headed to his father studio.

When he arrived there he softly knoked the door and after hearing the invitation to enter he went in. His father was by the window reading a book and when he heard him entering he lifted his sight from it.

"Do you have fun?" he asked while marking the page of his book.

"We do" he answered taking seat beside the man. "What do you want to talk about?"

"It's about Taemin" his father made a pause like choosing his words. "Did you know you are the first hwajae in the Dark Mountains in the last 200 years?"

"No, but why...?" his father made a gesture to let him finish.

"It also is related with the dragon's heart. A hwajae born with it and has to carry with it all his life along with his partner, it's not different from when one hwajae is going to born. The mother or the gukhwa for nine months will carry with the power of the hwajae and it will drain the energy of the person sometimes it could be really dangerous."

"Are you saying...?”

"No. I'm not saying your son or daughter is going to be a hwajae but because you are one during Taemin pregnancy the dragon will be more attached to him for some sense of protectiveness and that will drain his energy. When you mother was pregnant of you after the first month her health got really fragile at first we didn't know why till the mark of the dragon appeared on her. So she can make it through the pregnancy she took this every day, one drop every day." the man handed to his son a little glass vessel that contained something that looked like blood.

"What is this?" Minho said looking at the shine vessel.

"The elixir of a thousand Flowers of Fire. Do you remember the stories of the Hwanan Palace?" Minho nodded; of course he remembered all in the Dark Mountains had heard about those stories.

In the deepest of the Dark Mountains, in the highest of its peaks stood the Hwanan Palace it was said it was built from the rock itself by the Ancient Dragons and since they disappeared no one had lived there and by a thousand years no human had set eyes or feet in it.

"Within the Hwanan Palace at its heart there is a garden where the Flower of Fire grows only its elixir can heal a person that is pregnant from or with a hwajae."

"Taemin has to take this all days…” Minho repeated seeing the small amount left on the vessel. “It’s not enough.” His father nodded and was then when he understood what his father was trying to tell him.

"This vessel had passed within our family for generations, all who had bred a hwajae had taken elixir from this vessel and now only this amount is left. For Taemin safety you had to go to the Hwanan Palace for more flowers but..." his father took a deep breath before he spoke again. "It's so long since someone has been there it could be dangerous and if something happens to you Taemin will also... maybe you should only give him the elixir if necessary, he is a Knight maybe he is stronger to resist the dragon's energy"

"What if not? I won't risk that" Minho said.

"So you are going... alone?"

"I'm going to talk with Taemin first."

"Good, let me know when you decide" the Knight nodded and then left the room to go with Taemin. 

This was supposed to be a short oneshot but ended a little more long than expected so is going to be divided in two parts, enjoy this one and subscribe and comment if you liked it. 

Note: Gukhwa means chrysanthemum in korean and it's the word I use to name a male who can get pregnant.