Still editing for typos. If there are any, I will fix them soon.

      Light glistened off the tall leafless trees of the great forest of Aleumdaum. The massive trees stretched upwards towards the sky, their branches covered in thick ice and sagging low under the weight. Sunlight pierced through the ice enclosed branches and splayed along the snow covered paths that wound through the trees. Everything sparkled and gleamed as two figures moved through the landscape with a collection of armored guards trailing a few meters behind them.

    King Heenim hadn’t been outside of the palace in over a decade, refusing to acknowledge the ice covered world he had unintentionally created. With the arrival of strangers from the human realm and the new surge of power filling his people, King Heenim felt it was necessary to step into the outside world once more. He’d been out of touch for so long. It felt good to be out amongst the trees again.

    A warm white cloak covered the King’s thin frame. It was made of a thick shimmering fabric with silver embroidering in the shapes of snowflakes and swirls. Fluffy white fur lined the inside of the King’s cloak and trimmed its long train and deep hood. King Heenim pulled his hood over his head and stared up at the ice covered trees, his bright blue eyes reflecting the sunlight as he did so. Letting out a long breath, Heenim watched as it turned into vapor in the frosty morning air and dissipated. A cold breeze blew across the ground and cut through the snow, causing a dusting of powder to swirl from the forest floor and spiral around the King. The forest was responding to his presence.

   “Did you do that?” HanGeng asked from where he stood next to Heechul dressed in his now clean fur pelt and heavy boots.

   “Yes,” Heechul replied, taking HanGeng’s hand in his own and concentrating his power on the snow in front of him. “Stay still while I try something.”

    It had been almost a month since HanGeng and his friends had arrived in the palace and each day Heechul grew stronger and stronger, HanGeng’s presence causing things inside him to change each time he was near. Heechul spent almost every hour in the day with his new human pet. They bathed together, ate together, took walks together and shared intimate moments in each other’s arms. The only time the King was away from his human was at night. He spent his evenings with his advisor and consort, trying desperately to conceive a royal heir.

    Even though his cycle had stopped a month prior, King Heenim kept up the efforts to conceive. His body was filling with power and he never knew when it might decide to let him have his child. Lying with Leeteuk was hard for the King, as well as for his advisor. They were not on the best of terms with one another, seeing as the golden haired consort still refused to tell him more about his past. Heechul longed to know what had happened to his husband who had not loved him and his unborn child, but despite trying to channel his powers again and again, no more memories would come. It was as if his mind had put up a stone wall to keep him out.

    Taking a deep breath, King Heenim put away all of his confusing thoughts and concentrated on the snow in front of him. HanGeng’s hand felt warm in his and he could feel the tingle of power flow up his arm. Raising his free hand, Heechul tried to focus that power on the snow at his feet in an attempt to thaw the frozen ground. His eyes focused on the stark white powder, Heechul felt the warmth creep down his arm and pool in his palm only to be doused by a rush of cold air as he let go of HanGeng’s hand and doubled over in pain.

    “Sire, are you alright?” One of the guards standing a few meters back called out, not sure if he should break rank and come to his king.

    “I’m fine, Soldier!” Heechul called back as he stood back up with his hand on his stomach and pained expression on his face.

   “What’s wrong?” HanGeng asked, his tone concerned.

   “My stomach hurts,” Heechul answered in a strained voice. “I think we should go back inside. We’ll try again tomorrow. I need to lie down.”

   Taking Heechul’s hand, HanGeng helped the elven ruler back up the snow covered path. Heechul was shaking next to him as he walked, his breathing a bit labored and pace slow. Something wasn’t right with the King. Upon entering the palace, Heechul doubled over once more and shut his eyes tightly in discomfort. The royal guard surrounded their king and took him from HanGeng’s arms. Heechul didn’t protest the action, instead leaning on the head guard and allowing him to him up the corridor.

    HanGeng trailed behind the procession of guards, concern and fear for the king filling him. The past month had been intense for him. He’d spent each moment with the fair haired king, learning about more and more about the beautiful ruler and growing very attached to him. HanGeng didn’t know what he felt for King Heenim, whether it was love or simple infatuation, he did know that he cared for the ancient ruler.

   Instead of taking the king to his chambers, the royal guard brought him to the palace doctor. Onew stood from his stone desk as the guard entered his medical chamber, a look of concern on his face. King Heenim still had his eyes shut tightly and his hand griping his midsection as the guard helped him up onto the examination platform, which was made of carved white wood and a plush silver pad.

    “Fetch Lord Leeteuk,” Onew ordered, picking up a few metal instruments from his desk and moving towards the King. “And get that human out of my examination room.”

   “No!” Heechul protested, his eyes flying open and voice a bit strained. “Hannie, come here.”

   HanGeng did as the king told him, moving across the room and stopping to stand next to the monarch. King Heenim reached out to HanGeng and took his hand, which caused his pain to lessen and his skin to glow. Onew looked back and forth between the king and his pet and shook his head. Clearly, he did not approve of their bond.

   “Sire, what hurts?”

   “I keep getting sharp pains in my stomach,” Heechul explained, placing his hand on his lower abdomen. “I was out for a walk in the forest and it just hit me. I suddenly feel very tired as well. Despite the power I feel inside me, I’m drained. What’s going on?”

    “Sit up and take off your cloak so I can examine you,” Onew instructed as the doors to the chambers burst open and a panicked Leeteuk came storming across the room.

   “What happened?” Lord Leeteuk questioned, narrowing his eyes at HanGeng as the human helped Heechul sit up. “What did you do to him?!”

    “I didn’t do anything,” HanGeng defended as he undid the front of Heechul’s cloak and helped the monarch to slip out of the heavy garment. “We were taking a walk and he collapsed.”

    “Collapsed!” Leeteuk repeated, knocking HanGeng’s hands away from his king and tossing Heechul’s fur cloak at said human as he pushed between HanGeng and the table. “Sire, are you alright?”

    “I’m just tired, Teukie.” Heechul reassured his panicked advisor. “I think I’ve been overdoing to power channeling lately. Maybe I drained myself?”

    “That doesn’t explain the stomach pains,” Onew denied, “Everyone step back while I examine the king.”

    Leeteuk and HanGeng reluctantly moved away from the table and allowed the palace doctor to tend to their ailing monarch. Heechul lay still and shut his eyes as Onew felt of his stomach and hiked up his long silver robes so he could access bare skin. The doctor took several long minutes of listening and feeling to Heechul’s sore abdomen before taking a step back and scratching the back of his head.

    “I need to perform a few tests, so you two need to step out.” Onew instructed as he moved over to a wooden supply cabinet and opened the doors.

   “Go ahead,” Heechul reassured, “I’ll be fine alone.”

   Bowing to his king, Lord Leeteuk took hold of HanGeng’s arm and guided from the room. The two men found themselves alone in the hallway, along with two guards standing at Onew’s door. Leeteuk glared at HanGeng, not very pleased to be standing next to the king’s pet. Over the past month HanGeng had been slowly taking up more and more of Heechul’s time, leaving very little for himself, which made it hard to come up with excuses not to see Kangin.

   Leeteuk hadn’t had a single conversation with his supposed human mate for weeks. He was avoiding Kangin, there was no denying it. His connection with the brute was strong and complex. Denial was Leeteuk’s friend at the moment and he refused to acknowledge his mate for life was a meager human man. Instead, he put all his concentration on mating with the King. If he were to conceive an heir with Heechul, then he would be almost guaranteed to marry the monarch. A marriage to the king would solidify his power in the court and allow him to ignore Kangin for the rest of his life without guilt.

   Almost as a cruel joke, said human was now approaching him along with Sungmin and Kyuhyun. In Kyuhyun’s arms was a screaming Hemi. The inferior elf looked worn out and about to collapse. He’d been in charge of the child in his arms for over a month and it was beginning to take a toll on him.

   “We need to see Onew,” Sungmin ordered the guards at the door. “There’s something wrong with this child.”

   “Onew’s attending to the King, you’ll have to wait.” The guards informed.

    “The King, what’s happened?”

   “Heechul-ah wasn’t feeling well,” Leeteuk explained, causing the trio to turn towards where he and HanGeng stood against the wall. “Onew is trying to figure out what’s wrong. Why is that child crying?”

   “I don’t know, My Lord.” Kyuhyun replied with a bow, “He won’t stop. I fed him and changed him. I tried to get him to nap, but he wouldn’t sleep.”

   “Why is this human with you?” Leeteuk asked gesturing towards Kangin.

   “Since you have been busy with the King, I took Kangin on as my servant.” Sungmin answered, “I hope that’s alright?”

    “Its fine, someone has to watch him.” Leeteuk dismissed, covering his ears as Hemi’s cries grew louder. “Would you shut that child up?”

    “Can I hold him?” Kangin questioned, “I think I know what’s wrong.”

    “You?” Sungmin sneered, “I doubt it.”

    “Here,” Kyuhyun complied, handing the screaming child to Kangin. “I will try anything at this point.”

   Taking the fretting child into his arms, Kangin rocked him slowly and shushed him. The child only screamed louder. Placing his finger over the child’s lips, Kangin slid it inside Hemi’s mouth and allowed the infant to bite down on it. Instantly, the child stopped crying.

    “What did you do?” Kyuhyun asked, relief in his voice.

    “He’s getting his first tooth, so his gums are sore. If you have something he can on, I think he’ll be alright.”

   “How did you know that was what was wrong?” Leeteuk question, his gaze glued to Kangin and a soft rosy color slowly creeping across his skin as he watched his mate cradle a child in his arms like a true father.

   “I used to look after a few of the village kids while their mothers were out.” Kangin answered with a shrug. “You’re turning red again.”

    “I am not,” Leeteuk denied as Kyuhyun took Hemi from Kangin, making sure to replace the human’s finger with his own. “Go with Sungmin and Kyuhyun and tend to the child. The King is ill, I do not have time for you right now.”

    “You never have time for me,” Kangin groaned, shuffling along behind Sungmin and Kyuhyun as the trio disappeared down the hallway.

   “You are very red,” HanGeng pointed out once they were alone. “What’s wrong with you?”

    “Nothing,” Leeteuk denied, “I’ll be fine.”

    “Did Kangin cause this? Is it like Heechul-ah and I?”

    “Heechul-ah?” Leeteuk repeated, not liking the intimate way HanGeng referred to the king. “You are to refer to him and King Heenim or his majesty.”

    “I think I can refer to him any way I wish,” HanGeng challenged, “He’s not my king, he’s yours. Also, we’ve grown closer the past month and…,”

    “You’re nothing but a source of power to him, don’t be foolish.” Leeteuk cut off, “The King could never have feelings for a meager human.”

   Before HanGeng was able to argue with Leeteuk’s harsh words, the door in front of them opened and Onew stuck his head out into the hallway.

   “You may come back in now,” the doctor informed, stepping aside and allowing them to enter the examination room.

    King Heenim was lying on the exam table with a warm grey blanket covering his lower body. His head was resting on a silver pillow and his eyes were shut as if he were sleeping. Onew led them over to the King and gave them a soft smile. He didn’t look worried and that was comforting.

    “What’s wrong with him?” HanGeng asked, his voice causing Heechul’s eyes to open and his skin to glow faintly.

   “He wouldn’t tell me until Leeteuk was here,” Heechul explained, reaching out and taking HanGeng’s hand. “I think I’m dying or something.”

   “You’re not dying, Sire.” Onew chuckled, “Don’t alarm them.”

    “Then, what is wrong with him?” Leeteuk pressed, “Should we be worried?”

    “There’s nothing wrong with him,”

     “What does that mean?”

    “Well, I did a standard examination and I felt a few things that are different,” Onew began to detail, “His birth canal has sealed off and the uterine lining is thicker. His lower abdomen is tender to the touch and theirs a slight swell on the lower half.”

   “I don’t understand,” Heechul stated, “What are you trying to tell us?”

    “I also tested your chemical balance,” Onew continued to speak, picking up a vile blue of liquid off his work table and holding it up. “The reaction to the test solution is positive.”

   “Positive for what?”

    “Congratulations, Sire.” Onew stated with a bright smile. “You’re pregnant.”

     “Heechul-ah,” Leeteuk whispered as he stepped between his king and HanGeng, knocking the human away from the table and taking Heechul’s hand in his own. “We’re going to be parents.”

      Heechul just stared up at Leeteuk, his gaze unreadable and posture rigid. Though, he should be happy about the news, for he’d been working for this moment for weeks, he didn’t feel the joy he should. Something inside him was causing his heart pain. Shutting his eyes, Heechul shook as his memory returned to a past event carried out in this very examination room. He saw Leeteuk staring down at him, the Lord’s expression grave. There was blood on the Heechul’s white night gown and he could hear someone screaming.

   Eyes shooting open, Heechul burst into tears and covered his face with his hands. His happy news wasn’t happy at all. It was painful and confusing. The child he worked so hard to create was not the gift he thought it would be. Instead of a bright smile and a heart filled with joy, tears covered the king’s face and inside he was screaming.

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