It was dark and his face was cold. The wind outside the broken carriage howled. 389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX3rjlgASva
“You are so brave! It didn’t know you could be so brave!”389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2mC6VxO62w
The toddler prince smiled through his chattering teeth and looked up to his mother’s round face as she spoke. Her arms were around him and she rubbed his little arms to keep him warm. She planted a kiss on his forehead. She then started whispering something which he could not make out. 389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsWeB0LKzD7
“Mommy…are you praying?”389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMtQEAqhCBa
Then there was the sound of horses galloping and men shouting.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAFsT88P8hg
“Consort Yuko!”389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPJ9ef5s92x
“Yes…we are here!” the young prince heard his mother answer.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1GiI5DIZlS
“I am Captain Lee. You will be riding with me, madam,” A strapping man on his horse said after approaching the carriage window. “Prince Yoshi will be riding with Constable Han.”389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu5CpUMxI0m
Prince Yoshi felt the strange man’s hands on this waist.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwAlA9e4LYj
“No…”389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuvf29OPbGQ
His mother placed her mouth against one of his ears.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHCojy9a5cC
“Shh. We will only be separated for a short while my darling. I will be brave if you will!”389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvkUStVzKXB
“Mommy…”389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhjZMLGVG3m
Prince Yoshi felt himself being pried away by Captain Lee and then handed over to a barrel-chested man. The barrel-chested man nodded his head in a slight bow.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBKTKmQd5D3
“Good evening, your highness. I am Constable Han. I will help get you to safety tonight. First, allow me to strap you on…”389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiF2vP99LKn
“Let me assist you, Han,” Captain Lee said as he handed Consort Yuko his fur-trimmed cape.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdcd9bi2IQK
Prince Yoshi was then swaddled on to Constable Han by Captain Lee. 389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEGCDopSWmy
“How old are you now, your highness?” Captain Lee inquired as he wrapped up the young prince.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡviauet3Voc
“Four!”389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4yjGqoZjRS
“My, my. I don’t remember being as brave as you when I was four!”389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcb4uM7JeI4
The next thing Prince Yoshi remembered was riding into the darkness swaddled on to Constable Lee’s back.
“I will be forever grateful to you, Captain Lee. I am sure the King will reward you and all your men!”389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfTOBIVeJFY
Prince Yoshi found himself getting unwrapped from Constable Han by another strange man named Mr. Seo.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMOcvKFpCg5
“Be careful…my back is a little sore,” Constable Han complained.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe36feRZxzr
Mr. Seo took Prince Yoshi off the horse and planted the child in his mother’s arms.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoxtkLmu8Ss
“Oh, you were so brave! It didn’t know you could be so brave!” his mother exclaimed as she rained kisses on his cheeks.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ90AwVbXG6d
“Consort Yuko!” A voice boomed out.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJqJqguAhLW
His mother’s head raised and turned toward the voice.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJNT5TLGmmg
“Minister Park…thank you for your hospitality.”389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9CIxk7K7DG
“It is my duty and honor, Consort Yuko,” Prince Yoshi saw an older man bow to his mother. He had already seen this person’s face at court previously.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEcbYS8Y7Vq
“Come, come. It is chilly out here. Let’s get you and Prince Yoshi warm, Consort Yuko…”389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLbfQ9wGUhJ
His mother carried him to the main hall and put him down.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt35mxkJhPf
“We will be sleeping at Minister Park’s home tonight, my little prince…”389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6DelWEvOTc
Suddenly a young girl of about six or seven years of age approached them. She had a plush fur blanket with her. She smiled and bowed.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnjf4kIVKg7
“Consort Yuko, I would like to offer a warm blanket for his highness Prince Yoshi.”389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbDwl0SnLcn
“My…what a precocious child. My daughter is about your age. What is your name?”389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg3Is2ralPR
“My name is Chaeyoung, Consort Yuko. The Foreign Minister is my grandfather.”389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNEIlqfj4gj
“Prince Yoshi will accept your offer, Miss Chaeyoung.”389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3uCQqWTUJP
The little royal toddler was staring at her. He was very cute. Like a doll. She stepped up behind him and placed the blanket on his shoulders. His mother kneeled down and wrapped the blanket around him. He continued staring at Chaeyoung.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyw4GxJXsc3
“Isn’t this nice?” His mother asked him. His eyes finally turned to his mother.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ4RwtvFkGq
“Yes…”389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaRKNjylFkn
His eyes turned back to Chaeyoung. “Thank you.”
“The prince was absolutely adorable!”389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE5eY9htiZF
Chaeyoung’s aunt was gushing about little Prince Yoshi the following morning at breakfast.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoe2VEYQVTo
“He’s a half-breed,” Chaeyoung heard her mother say.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5vHzmOTr5D
“Omo…watch your tongue! Your daughter is listening.”389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW8SL4PICOp
“Chaeyoung is a good girl. She knows not to say too much.”
“I apologize, but we must make haste. My father’s health was reported to be quickly deteriorating.”389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs3rQqwQ4dR
Chaeyoung was standing in front of Prince Yoshi as his mother spoke to her grandfather.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡab3pm5h4sM
“Open up your hands.”389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ73v1of5x9
“Why?”389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoTmc3OEX7X
“I have something for you.”389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtSLsfiM1hO
Prince Yoshi opened up his hands and raised them toward Chaeyoung. She quickly placed a toy in his palms. It was an owl made of blue and white silk scraps.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyNkPvMzQ17
“What is it?”389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ38N9QB0itd
“It’s an owl.”389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0X6cMT1S0D
“What’s an owl?389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnNJw2uoX3M
“It’s a bird that flies around at night hunting little rodents.”389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbklhCr04tu
“Oh.” The prince studied the fabric creature in his hands. “Did you make it?”389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUnzVjbYZ1j
“No. My governess did. She just finished it this morning. She said I should give it to you. It’s made from the leftover silk they used to make a new hanbok for my mom.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVvBBUKdEbi
“Chaeyoung! Why are you not properly addressing Prince Yoshi?”389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyQT7dPApzC
Chaeyoung’s mother grabbed her by the wrist.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBE510KDovJ
“I apologize greatly, your highness.”389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡui40L72bVt
Prince Yoshi just stared at the woman in confusion. The woman was wearing a sash that looked like it belonged on his owl.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSH7Gv63BvR
His mother was in tears. Her sadness was suddenly replaced with curiosity.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdGevTtCyvP
“Who gave you that?”389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBQGWBejGEI
“What, Mommy?”389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN5VhlaRLwR
“That. The owl…”389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSaVykH2Zki
“Chaeyoung gave me Hooty.”389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfbIZB6r843
His mother laughed while wiping at her face, “Hooty?”389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6gvRLV1EqR
“Hooty doesn’t like it when you’re sad.”389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJn7zLXe1t1
His mother took him in her arms and hugged him.389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI7jLJOqSJq
“I must write to Chaeyoung then and thank her for Hooty,” his mother said stroking his hair. “Chaeyoung was Minister Park’s grand daughter, right?”389Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpb6psKU4c5
