Sehun stepped into the atrium to find it in uproar. There were people all around the place, leaving the hideout, meeting and looking for their dear ones that had fought in the war.

The kingdom really was a mess, as he predicted, but it was a content and relieved mess, since now everything was over.

He glanced around, looking for any known faces and he spotted Baekhyun sitting in the staircase nearby. Chanyeol was laying on the rung of the ladder, his head over Baekhyun’s lap while the brunette caressed his messy red hair. Yunho sat beside them holding a lean figure Sehun didn’t know in his arms. Everyone looked exhausted and Sehun couldn’t help feeling bad. It was his fault, everything, his own fault…

-Baekhyun. – Sehun called, approaching, and Baekhyun raises his head, a bright smile on his lips.

-Sehun, you are back! – He sounded genuinely happy, but then his smile faded as he whipped his head around, looking for someone else. – Where’s Kai?

Sehun could hear the fear in his voice and he hurried to tell him the teleporter was alright and what had happened, how Siwon found them and how Kai decided to stay in the community.

Baekhyun listened to everything and nodded in a content way. He was satisfied Kai found a place where he belonged, of course. If his dongsaeng was happy, he was happy as well.

Sehun was about to ask what happened with them in the war when king Kyungsoo approached. Baekhyun quickly poked on Chanyeol’s shoulder, telling him to get up, and the man did sit down, but he didn’t move from his spot beside Baekhyun.

-Sehun. – Kyungsoo greeted the man with a sincere smile on his face. – You are fine, just like Eeteuk said… I’m glad. – He smiled at him in a gentle way before turning to his son. – Chanyeol, come. You and I need to talk.

Chanyeol sent a defiant look to his father and held one of Baekhyun’s hands. Kyungsoo snorted at his son’s stubbornness but, before he could say anything, Baekhyun murmured something into Chanyeol’s ear. The red-haired sighed, but got up and followed Kyungsoo to the throne room.

Sehun sat down on the spot Chanyeol left on the staircase. Soon Yunho told them that he and Jaejoong would be going to the ward to check on their friends, some of the former slaves of M who just returned to K.

They waved them goodbye and once they were gone Baekhyun passed his arms around Sehun, hugging him.

-I guess it’s just you and me now Sehun. – He smiled. – I’m glad you are staying; I would hate to be home by myself every day.

-Yes. – He sighed. -  I mean, if Suho allows me to stay.

-What do you mean? – Baekhyun frowned. – You aren’t blaming yourself for not leading the army right? It’s not your fault, you were captured.

-The problem is I wasn’t captured, exactly. – Sehun started, self-conscious. – You see, Baekhyun, I was on their side first.

The brunette tilted his head, not understanding quite well what his friend was saying. Or not wanting to understand, if that mattered.

-What do you mean? – He forces himself to ask again, and Sehun was about to explain once Taemin rush down the stairs, dodging them and the other people around, trying to get outside of the atrium.

-Was he crying? – Baekhyun asks and Sehun nods.

-I think so.

-I’ll be right back. – Baekhyun tells him and then runs after the seer. – Hey, Taemin!

Sehun sighs again and he is about to go after the two of them when he hears someone else coming downstairs. He looks up to see it is Suho and he quickly gets to his feet.

-Sehun. – Suho smiles at him. – You are back.

-My king. – He nodded his head with downcast eyes. - I need to speak with you.

Since his tone was grave, Suho agreed and went outside with his commander.

-What is it? – Suho asked softly and the blonde started by apologizing for being a traitor to that kingdom.

Sehun then told him everything since his first talk with Luhan to his leaving of M‘s kingdom and his change of mind once he got to live in K for those months. He started telling him about the war, but Suho raised a hand, preventing him from continuing.

-I know all of this. – He said matter-of-factly. - Eeteuk told me everything. But I’m glad you came to talk to me, this way I can tell you I forgive you.

Suho smiled at Sehun’s confused expression.

-This. – Suho motioned to the people in tumult. - Is not your fault. You see, it would be your fault if you betrayed us, but from what Eeteuk told me, you tried to help by doing what you could from outside. And I appreciate it.

Sehun shook his head in denial.

-No, my king, I don’t think you understood, I came here to betray you, I was…

Suho motioned him to be quiet.

-Listen to me, Sehun. – He said sympathetically. – If Kris really wanted the tree, he would come and try to get it with or without your help. If it weren’t you, someone else would do the job.

-But it was me, I was the one that came here, I was the one that helped Kris! – He argued.

-And I’m glad it was you. – Suho chuckled. - Or else I believe we would be all dead by now. I mean, you did know how to enter here and how to get the tree, you knew the tactics the army worked with, you trained the soldiers yourself, but you didn’t use any of that on M’s favor, that’s why we had a chance. – Suho patted him on his shoulder. – If it was anyone else, we might not have been so lucky.

Sehun shook his head again, refusing to accept that. He just felt so terribly guilty.

-You can rest your mind Sehun. – Suho assured him. - It wasn’t your fault.

Sehun nodded and gave him a half smile.

-So… - He started to ask, mildly. – Can I stay? Even if I came here because of the tree, can I still stay?

-Of course. It doesn’t matter the reason you came here for, what matter is the reason you are staying for.

Suho gave him a bright smile and Sehun finally relaxed a bit.

-Thank you, my king.

-No problem. Now we can have a day or two of rest. After this, can I have my commander’s help to put everything in order and rebuild the kingdom?

-Of course, sire. – Sehun bowed to the king, amazed that he was still the commander even after everything that happened.

-I see you soon then. – Suho told him and then went to the throne room to meet with his husband and son, while Sehun, as happy as he could be, ran after Baekhyun and Taemin.

><><><><><><><>< 

As Suho stated, the next two days were used to rest, and then on the third day from the end of the war, people started gathering to fix what was wrecked during that time;

Most part of the forest had been destroyed, so Jonghyun and Key called over reinforcements from S, since the majority of their kingdom had earth related powers. Therefore, as people arrived in K, the forest was being part by part rebuilt, all the little plants to giant trees, everything was restored by them.

Despite the forest’s deplorable state, only a few houses were damaged enough to have to be rebuilt and, with a little help of the neighbors, their owners had it quickly redone.

The wall, on the other hand, took some extra time, since they needed more rocks to redo it. But since the majority of the kingdom was motivated to help, it got back to its prior state in a little more than three days. It wasn’t perfect, of course, but it would hold until they had enough time to fix everything.

Because now the sovereigns had something more important to take care of: Their alliance.

The kingdom was in a festive mood that day. Suho just stated that night as a celebration night and a feast was offered to commemorate the end of the war and the successful reestablishment of K. Moreover, the people were excited to know about the royal wedding coming soon. It was important to their kingdom, but the best thing was that day was to become a holiday. And people loved holidays.

The feast to the people was held on the first floor of the castle, with lots of food, music and entertainers. As for the kings and the nobles, dinner was served in the dining room on the second floor on a calmer commemoration.

There was a long table on the middle of the room, served with the best food K had to offer, and they ate while some entertainers showed their abiliti