It was dark and his face was cold. The wind outside the broken carriage howled. 372Please respect copyright.PENANAta9sMwEPBS
“You are so brave! It didn’t know you could be so brave!”372Please respect copyright.PENANAxY8Z6qb8N7
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. 372Please respect copyright.PENANAB7FZfGglbF
“Mommy…are you praying?”372Please respect copyright.PENANAicNEjPS3ye
Then there was the sound of horses galloping and men shouting.372Please respect copyright.PENANAHsrfGjEYEk
“Consort Yuko!”372Please respect copyright.PENANA6ijkW3vkqr
“Yes…we are here!” the young prince heard his mother answer.372Please respect copyright.PENANAIQNOG4mSey
“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.”372Please respect copyright.PENANA3xFzBRBHmN
Prince Yoshi felt the strange man’s hands on this waist.372Please respect copyright.PENANA7h6aHSZRqN
“No…”372Please respect copyright.PENANADgiyBumJgG
His mother placed her mouth against one of his ears.372Please respect copyright.PENANAOmg3oPcvEe
“Shh. We will only be separated for a short while my darling. I will be brave if you will!”372Please respect copyright.PENANAyBeTu20s7U
“Mommy…”372Please respect copyright.PENANATqpfPtgA5R
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.372Please respect copyright.PENANA9GfjauNt0o
“Good evening, your highness. I am Constable Han. I will help get you to safety tonight. First, allow me to strap you on…”372Please respect copyright.PENANAdy0P8BXRCk
“Let me assist you, Han,” Captain Lee said as he handed Consort Yuko his fur-trimmed cape.372Please respect copyright.PENANA5AmrDu8QUM
Prince Yoshi was then swaddled on to Constable Han by Captain Lee. 372Please respect copyright.PENANAZeSmxb3Mt9
“How old are you now, your highness?” Captain Lee inquired as he wrapped up the young prince.372Please respect copyright.PENANA07E0gMecZ1
“Four!”372Please respect copyright.PENANAJRJHIiRW1s
“My, my. I don’t remember being as brave as you when I was four!”372Please respect copyright.PENANApzxhApx8vw
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!”372Please respect copyright.PENANAZilmAUzAz5
Prince Yoshi found himself getting unwrapped from Constable Han by another strange man named Mr. Seo.372Please respect copyright.PENANAa1NjJkmTKb
“Be careful…my back is a little sore,” Constable Han complained.372Please respect copyright.PENANANh71JjCSQ7
Mr. Seo took Prince Yoshi off the horse and planted the child in his mother’s arms.372Please respect copyright.PENANAjL0nA3caSQ
“Oh, you were so brave! It didn’t know you could be so brave!” his mother exclaimed as she rained kisses on his cheeks.372Please respect copyright.PENANAW8uZGbR7p4
“Consort Yuko!” A voice boomed out.372Please respect copyright.PENANApHXnlCaHpz
His mother’s head raised and turned toward the voice.372Please respect copyright.PENANAPqgQpldvvH
“Minister Park…thank you for your hospitality.”372Please respect copyright.PENANAIOmHTXGLKd
“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.372Please respect copyright.PENANA3XASrPhb2v
“Come, come. It is chilly out here. Let’s get you and Prince Yoshi warm, Consort Yuko…”372Please respect copyright.PENANAStMVvmBcIF
His mother carried him to the main hall and put him down.372Please respect copyright.PENANAccSNKzJc8S
“We will be sleeping at Minister Park’s home tonight, my little prince…”372Please respect copyright.PENANApibemlS2cQ
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.372Please respect copyright.PENANAq0XScBsPsK
“Consort Yuko, I would like to offer a warm blanket for his highness Prince Yoshi.”372Please respect copyright.PENANASHbo0vDSev
“My…what a precocious child. My daughter is about your age. What is your name?”372Please respect copyright.PENANAtNcvs3sOpz
“My name is Chaeyoung, Consort Yuko. The Foreign Minister is my grandfather.”372Please respect copyright.PENANAI0E7BfGTRC
“Prince Yoshi will accept your offer, Miss Chaeyoung.”372Please respect copyright.PENANAptKwIXcm71
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.372Please respect copyright.PENANA3jkOe4pvWw
“Isn’t this nice?” His mother asked him. His eyes finally turned to his mother.372Please respect copyright.PENANAKgA46SXx9p
“Yes…”372Please respect copyright.PENANAXiKw611kBk
His eyes turned back to Chaeyoung. “Thank you.”
“The prince was absolutely adorable!”372Please respect copyright.PENANAmthVEyAyQ0
Chaeyoung’s aunt was gushing about little Prince Yoshi the following morning at breakfast.372Please respect copyright.PENANA3M12mOiZJT
“He’s a half-breed,” Chaeyoung heard her mother say.372Please respect copyright.PENANAUvcdG4nJ38
“Omo…watch your tongue! Your daughter is listening.”372Please respect copyright.PENANA6LyhKxZlMg
“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.”372Please respect copyright.PENANA3DWIbxKnJH
Chaeyoung was standing in front of Prince Yoshi as his mother spoke to her grandfather.372Please respect copyright.PENANAGfj7YTQCvM
“Open up your hands.”372Please respect copyright.PENANAyx90m7xyEA
“Why?”372Please respect copyright.PENANAC9N6pTvMC3
“I have something for you.”372Please respect copyright.PENANA8JUIDuOqxA
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.372Please respect copyright.PENANAGLJ0s3TdK8
“What is it?”372Please respect copyright.PENANA5GJyxy1sUt
“It’s an owl.”372Please respect copyright.PENANAdDf7JYqjlw
“What’s an owl?372Please respect copyright.PENANA0642yQunWp
“It’s a bird that flies around at night hunting little rodents.”372Please respect copyright.PENANAkYyIftOSxI
“Oh.” The prince studied the fabric creature in his hands. “Did you make it?”372Please respect copyright.PENANAxQNxvgN6TU
“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.372Please respect copyright.PENANAGtUuym5zCY
“Chaeyoung! Why are you not properly addressing Prince Yoshi?”372Please respect copyright.PENANAi6OtRAZ7I6
Chaeyoung’s mother grabbed her by the wrist.372Please respect copyright.PENANAxCmMbK5G0W
“I apologize greatly, your highness.”372Please respect copyright.PENANA6pk4tEFHi6
Prince Yoshi just stared at the woman in confusion. The woman was wearing a sash that looked like it belonged on his owl.372Please respect copyright.PENANAnuRRPCINY9
His mother was in tears. Her sadness was suddenly replaced with curiosity.372Please respect copyright.PENANA7Lf1W4yPDs
“Who gave you that?”372Please respect copyright.PENANAHLVoj8WheI
“What, Mommy?”372Please respect copyright.PENANAfRfJ8bk79m
“That. The owl…”372Please respect copyright.PENANAup4l0uu1TT
“Chaeyoung gave me Hooty.”372Please respect copyright.PENANAUA2PtGS5BX
His mother laughed while wiping at her face, “Hooty?”372Please respect copyright.PENANAmiBF0UNtra
“Hooty doesn’t like it when you’re sad.”372Please respect copyright.PENANAoOzcCbQyc1
His mother took him in her arms and hugged him.372Please respect copyright.PENANA6ahj0Mot7V
“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?”372Please respect copyright.PENANAaDyHqLr9PZ