For a moment as he slowly opened his eyes, Jinki wasn’t sure where he was. All he knew was he felt exhausted, vaguely sticky, and all too warm. Someone was petting over his hair though, which was pleasing, but the warmth was getting overbearing rather quickly. He squinted in the low light of the space and realized he was resting against a torso. For a split second, he thought perhaps his intended had gotten what he wished, but then he heard the rumble of a familiar voice, the person shifting to wrap both arms around him. “Shh, you’re alright.” 

            The slow sound of his heartbeat and his soft scent were comforting, Jinki letting them both relax him. This was Jonghyun, his best friend, and heat partner for most of his mature life. He was safe here, and would always be safe here. He wasn’t sure how long his heat had lasted but did not care all that much to ask. He wiggled the furs away from his body, sighing in relief when the cool air hit his skin finally, but he couldn’t find it in himself to put distance between their bodies. He felt Jonghyun chuckle before he heard it, followed by a quiet question. “Are you hot, dear?”

            “A little.” His throat felt a bit raw, words quiet and a bit slurred, but Jonghyun seemed to get the message and reached down to remove the rest of the blankets from around him. “Good now.”

            “I think your heat has broken. When you feel up to it, I'll boil some water for us to clean up more.” He didn’t want to feel the lingering stickiness, but he also didn’t want to move at all. He was comfortable here curled into Jonghyun’s chest. Here for a bit longer, he could pretend they were back with his people, near his ocean, simply sharing his heat as he had a dozen or so times before with Jonghyun. Once he got up and cleaned he’d have to face his future that had been written by another. Jinki nuzzled against Jonghyun’s chest and clung tighter, “Oh, alright. I’m not going anywhere until you’re ready.”

—----

            Sometime later Jonghyun managed to wiggle his way out of Jinki’s hold long enough to boil water and send Kibum to fetch something to eat for them. The wind whistled through the open tent flap, held open just long enough when the other beta returned he heard Jinki softly hiss behind him. Both of them had cleaned up with the water and a bar of soap they found in one of their bags. Between bites of dried meats and fruits, Jinki worked his fingers through his hair and redid the braids. After almost four days his hair had been a frizzy, sweaty mess. His hair had been the first thing he had cleaned; Jonghyun holding up the large bowl for him to dunk his head into. With fresh clothes and dry skin, Jinki was far more coherent than earlier that morning, falling into his normal humor between them all easily.

            In the beginning, Jonghyun had been worried something would go amiss and Myungdae would attempt to fulfill the agreement. It was only after the first two days that he finally relaxed and let go of that fear. It seemed Minho’s word to Jinki was true.

            Packing everything up was a more tedious experience than preparing it had been before the heat, but between the four of them, it didn’t take too long. Most of the items would have to be washed as soon as possible, but that’d have to wait until they made it back to the city. To boil that much snow out here was not worth the effort. Once the tent was dissembled and rolled back up, Kibum smiled at Jinki, bumping their arms together. “You seem more at peace.”

            “I was worried, and anxious about going to a new place and not being able to feel at home long enough before my heat. I now have that time.” The snow was falling slowly and the wind had calmed down enough that it no longer felt like blades of ice whipping against their skin. Jonghyun huffed as he heaved the pack onto his back, gazing at the way Kibum and Jongin closed ranks around Jinki. All of them had been friends before the two betas joined the guard; Both being sons of advisors to Jinki’s parents and being around the main residence for most of their childhoods. He knew it meant the world to Jinki that they had volunteered to come with him. “Did anything happen while I was away?”

            “Not that I witnessed. No one came close other than the next two guards in the rotation.” Jongin quietly commented, voice just loud enough to be heard over their boots crunching in the snow.

            Kibum removed his outermost furs and gently placed them around Jinki’s shoulders, the omega softly smiling in thanks as the man added, “There was an altercation between the Choi Brothers. It happened late the second day, so it was dark and I couldn’t see much.”

            “An altercation?” Jinki asked, hugging the fur close around his throat. Kibum’s familiar scent brung with it comfort and safety. “Are they alright? What was it about?”

            “I only caught the end of it returning from my shift here. I believe the younger was protecting you from your intended.” Kibum shrugged, spear shoved into the snow as if it were a cane with each step. “Other than the bruise forming around his eye, they both seemed fine, if not frazzled.”

            Jonghyun locked that little tidbit of knowledge away for later retrospection and instead focused on the hope they could continue on their way soon.

----

            His jaw and hands ached like a motherer, but at least the swelling in his left eye had gone down enough he could see with it again. His hands have seen better days, but they’re no longer as inflamed as that first night he slammed them into his older brother’s face. Minho hadn’t talked to Myungdae since their father forced them apart and barely had seen him in the two moons that came and went. He snuggled a bit more into the fur around his shoulders but froze when he heard something approaching. There through the line of trees came a group of people and in the center of it all was Jinki. It surprised him how quickly he could find him among the others. Minho scrambled from the ground, rubbing his hands over his thighs, and squared his shoulders, unsure of what to say.

            Jinki’s eyes were far clearer now than they were right before his heat, cheeks flushed from the cold, and bundled up in furs. He lowered his hood as he stepped into the cover of the cave, close enough their boots touched. Minho gave him his hands when Jinki reached for them, his touch gentle as he moved his calloused fingers over the split knuckles. His scent is strong still, lingering, and Minho tries not to like it so damn much. Jinki’s voice is quiet and rough around the edges, “Are you alright?”

            “I will be.”

            “You kept your promise.” Then his gaze rose to meet Minho’s and the bruise darkened around his cheek and eye. Jinki pushed up to press a kiss on his cheekbone, soft against the bruised skin. “Thank you for protecting me.”

            Then, Jinki was gone, the cave and the people within swallowing his form until Minho could no longer see him. He knew what his duty demanded of him, but try as he might Minho couldn’t get the bubbly warm feelings to go away when he thought of Jinki. Once more all he could do was think about a time or circumstance that had him be the omega’s betrothed instead of his older brother.

----

            A week later the path was clear enough for them to pass, the thick snow letting up even if the clouds in the sky were still dark and gloomy. Jinki looked towards his intended and his family, the trio of Alphas walking in the center of the line of horses and wagons. He had tried to talk with Myungdae a few times once he had returned from his heat, but each time the man brushed him off or switched directions before Jinki made it to him. He wasn’t sure if his intended was still upset with him over their agreement not coming to fruition up on the mountain, or if it was something to do with his brother attacking him. Minho turned his head with a bright grin as their eyes met from under their hoods, wiggling his fingers in a greeting. Jinki smiled shyly and ignored the feeling in his chest. Before he could think about what the warmth of the man’s smile was doing to him, the valley opened and the stone walls of Daera came into view.

It looked so much different than the home he knew and loved. The trees were larger and denser, pinecones scattered across the pine needles of the branches and along the snow-covered ground. There were white frost lilies along the cliff edges the closer they rode into the city’s limits. There wasn’t the sound of the ocean crashing into the sea cliffs or the wind rustling through the leaves of the wide trees. Everything was built with thick, heavy stone. These were made to withstand blizzards with winds pelting snow and ice against them and to keep the heat from their hearths in as long as possible. The home he grew up in was made from wood and straw, with open window boxes and curtains billowing in the salty sea breeze. They were made to be able to take the hit of a tropical storm without crushing the inhabitants and to be easy to rebuild. It seemed there was more to learning how to exist here than just the climate.

------

            While most of the caravan split upon entering the city, Jinki was led up the main road to the center compound. There was a thick stone wall surrounding the dwellings with a tall wooden gate they had to pass through to enter. There was a large main building, red clay tiles on the roof, and smoke already billowing out of the chimney. Jinki dismounted his horse and kindly handed the reins over to Kibum to take care of. He paused in the center circle, just before the large steps of the main building his intended and future father-in-law had disappeared into, hands held loosely in the front pocket of his coat. He looked away when he heard someone clear their throat beside him. Minho flashed a grin as he nudged him softly with his elbow, “What do you think of Daera so far?”

            “It’s very… different,” He gave a little smile, “But beautiful all the same.”

            “I’m glad to hear it.” Minho offered his arm then, gesturing gently with his head. “Come. Pa will want to meet you. Then someone will show you where you’ll be living from now on.”

            “Pa?”

            “Our Carrier,” Minho explained as he led him up the stairs and into the home. It opened to a large foyer leading into the main living area, with hallways on either side just before leading to what Jinki assumed were bedrooms. In the middle of the living room was a fire, smoke swirling up and out of the home. Minho took his coat for him and the extra furs to hang by the door. The place was warm enough that they no longer were needed. He felt a hand press against the middle of his back softly as they moved into the living room. There was a rather tall man he hadn’t met before pulling away from Myungdae, but from his features, Jinki could guess this was their carrier. Minho favored them more than his sire.

            “You must be Jinki. I’m Junsu. The brute over there is my mate.” The man stepped forward with a warm smile, stopping just before them as Malchin made a noise in his throat at the insult. Minho had dropped his arm and Jinki found he missed the comfort of the touch. “Let me have a look at you.”

            His future in-law’s hands were rough, but warm when he gently took Jinki’s face between his palms. He had a warm aura about him, and a cool, light scent. “You are breathtaking, dear.”

            He’s taller than his mate but with narrower shoulders. His hair was greyer, speckled throughout his shoulder-length hair. He had the same warm, big eyes he gave his youngest son. Jinki found himself feeling comforted and immediately at ease with the older omega close to him. “If you ever need anything, I’ll always be here for you, and I mean anything, alright?”

            “Thank you, Sir.”

            “Oh, none of that. Call me Junsu.” He stepped back with a soft pat against Jinki’s cheek. “At least until hopefully you feel comfortable calling me Pa.”

            “Alright,” Jinki smiled, even if still a bit shy. “Junsu.”

            “Good boy.” Junsu turned then to his son, greeting him with a kiss on his cheek. “Go show Jinki where he’ll be staying. The trip was long and very tedious. We can talk more when you return, Minho.”

            “Of course.”

            “I had a fire started when you were spotted on the hill crest. It should be plenty warm enough. If you or any of your house needs anything, you only need to ask.”

            “Thank you. You’ve been very kind.”

            Junsu gently squeezed both of his hands, before releasing them once more. “Go, explore, and settle. If you feel up to it, I’ll see you at supper in a few hours.”

---

            Minho leads him down the path to the right leading away from the main home, but still within the central compound, nestled near the corner of the area. The main home could still be seen not too far away. A large red gate connects the two ends of the stone wall around the group of buildings. There’s smoke billowing from the largest chimney and a few people moving around the large stoned walkways. From the outside, Jinki can see a large evergreen growing from the middle, dark green needles a stark contrast to the white of the billowing snow on the roof.  “This place at one time used to be my Pa’s. My father built it for him as a courting gift, a place he could call his own when the life of being my father’s mate was too overwhelming. It’s yours now.”

            “What- I can’t accept this!” He had assumed he’d live with Myungdae after they were mated, and until then perhaps a room somewhere in the city. “I won’t take something from your Pa, especially a courting gift. Those are important and-“

            Minho’s hands curled around his shoulders, stopping his panicked words. The man smiled softly, meeting his eyes. “He hasn’t used it in some time, not since I was a young child.”  

When he finally released him, Minho held open the front gate for him. “Here to the right will be your home. The other two are for your servants and guards. Pa thought you might feel more at home surrounded by those from it. Jonghyun has a room near yours.”

            “That’s-“ Jinki hugged his arms around himself, looking around unsure at the rest of the courtyard and the people who came here for him. “That’s very thoughtful and a lot more than I was expecting. I greatly appreciate all of this.”

            “Jonghyun should be right inside, preparing everything for you. I’ll leave you to settle in.” Minho then pulled something from under his shirt, and it wasn’t until it was placed into his palm that Jinki realized it was a key. “This is to the front gate if you wish to lock it for whatever reason. This small compound is now yours. Welcome to Daera, Jinki.”

----