It was dark and his face was cold. The wind outside the broken carriage howled. 336Please respect copyright.PENANAiOBhkS1qC3
“You are so brave! It didn’t know you could be so brave!”336Please respect copyright.PENANA6p9RTVm6vw
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. 336Please respect copyright.PENANAB4OHd2uRxt
“Mommy…are you praying?”336Please respect copyright.PENANA9nqBiwtidP
Then there was the sound of horses galloping and men shouting.336Please respect copyright.PENANACrn7tBI0e3
“Consort Yuko!”336Please respect copyright.PENANANgE8MVZ5pk
“Yes…we are here!” the young prince heard his mother answer.336Please respect copyright.PENANAwIHuV0s0sv
“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.”336Please respect copyright.PENANAaWVSBUT961
Prince Yoshi felt the strange man’s hands on this waist.336Please respect copyright.PENANASg9VDbmFkM
“No…”336Please respect copyright.PENANA671DU4X5LB
His mother placed her mouth against one of his ears.336Please respect copyright.PENANANVVn6y9fF8
“Shh. We will only be separated for a short while my darling. I will be brave if you will!”336Please respect copyright.PENANAxNP0P7pXDW
“Mommy…”336Please respect copyright.PENANA1wSADrTwVW
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.336Please respect copyright.PENANAMz09qgYdbC
“Good evening, your highness. I am Constable Han. I will help get you to safety tonight. First, allow me to strap you on…”336Please respect copyright.PENANA4eGFd2zLHB
“Let me assist you, Han,” Captain Lee said as he handed Consort Yuko his fur-trimmed cape.336Please respect copyright.PENANAUAAQ5EizEK
Prince Yoshi was then swaddled on to Constable Han by Captain Lee. 336Please respect copyright.PENANAtipNd53EkC
“How old are you now, your highness?” Captain Lee inquired as he wrapped up the young prince.336Please respect copyright.PENANAYk4wtKiqoO
“Four!”336Please respect copyright.PENANAKD4rQfx0lM
“My, my. I don’t remember being as brave as you when I was four!”336Please respect copyright.PENANABNTL9Tge7e
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!”336Please respect copyright.PENANAjL2f8E6u9G
Prince Yoshi found himself getting unwrapped from Constable Han by another strange man named Mr. Seo.336Please respect copyright.PENANAuIDNGyAiou
“Be careful…my back is a little sore,” Constable Han complained.336Please respect copyright.PENANAWVl2gEMW6i
Mr. Seo took Prince Yoshi off the horse and planted the child in his mother’s arms.336Please respect copyright.PENANAyydi2TttLE
“Oh, you were so brave! It didn’t know you could be so brave!” his mother exclaimed as she rained kisses on his cheeks.336Please respect copyright.PENANAT3GfIEIa8e
“Consort Yuko!” A voice boomed out.336Please respect copyright.PENANAU1saY3TUx4
His mother’s head raised and turned toward the voice.336Please respect copyright.PENANACEl0jCPMnC
“Minister Park…thank you for your hospitality.”336Please respect copyright.PENANArtDeMAvZ9C
“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.336Please respect copyright.PENANA7QB3UL8Yeb
“Come, come. It is chilly out here. Let’s get you and Prince Yoshi warm, Consort Yuko…”336Please respect copyright.PENANAO30une4OIX
His mother carried him to the main hall and put him down.336Please respect copyright.PENANAtcZo5CXafz
“We will be sleeping at Minister Park’s home tonight, my little prince…”336Please respect copyright.PENANAHX0EQvdj6g
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.336Please respect copyright.PENANAZHQtpQguPY
“Consort Yuko, I would like to offer a warm blanket for his highness Prince Yoshi.”336Please respect copyright.PENANAWLeR6uKdoR
“My…what a precocious child. My daughter is about your age. What is your name?”336Please respect copyright.PENANAFCG3STY4PG
“My name is Chaeyoung, Consort Yuko. The Foreign Minister is my grandfather.”336Please respect copyright.PENANAfXmnrDChKI
“Prince Yoshi will accept your offer, Miss Chaeyoung.”336Please respect copyright.PENANAkUumkfxVhC
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.336Please respect copyright.PENANAwBty1tcJLb
“Isn’t this nice?” His mother asked him. His eyes finally turned to his mother.336Please respect copyright.PENANAyUJilKWaSi
“Yes…”336Please respect copyright.PENANAmbVGuwBoqh
His eyes turned back to Chaeyoung. “Thank you.”
“The prince was absolutely adorable!”336Please respect copyright.PENANAg2uuqkKdbW
Chaeyoung’s aunt was gushing about little Prince Yoshi the following morning at breakfast.336Please respect copyright.PENANA7DTvgfYLEX
“He’s a half-breed,” Chaeyoung heard her mother say.336Please respect copyright.PENANA0YFsUltSqq
“Omo…watch your tongue! Your daughter is listening.”336Please respect copyright.PENANA5M2C52ur3w
“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.”336Please respect copyright.PENANAvcUsMqGMN8
Chaeyoung was standing in front of Prince Yoshi as his mother spoke to her grandfather.336Please respect copyright.PENANAd4QsbungMp
“Open up your hands.”336Please respect copyright.PENANAkbdkb9e6Ry
“Why?”336Please respect copyright.PENANA1iKDHPELu9
“I have something for you.”336Please respect copyright.PENANAuKFfWYELej
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.336Please respect copyright.PENANAMAWSamfkBE
“What is it?”336Please respect copyright.PENANAxK5xhUV8zO
“It’s an owl.”336Please respect copyright.PENANAIFfAxAQakG
“What’s an owl?336Please respect copyright.PENANAWSQ26me4uB
“It’s a bird that flies around at night hunting little rodents.”336Please respect copyright.PENANAL8knyoUgDS
“Oh.” The prince studied the fabric creature in his hands. “Did you make it?”336Please respect copyright.PENANAlwhDgCrwZ8
“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.336Please respect copyright.PENANAfxMW5uaOZU
“Chaeyoung! Why are you not properly addressing Prince Yoshi?”336Please respect copyright.PENANAOLvYWnGyDr
Chaeyoung’s mother grabbed her by the wrist.336Please respect copyright.PENANA5C7gYWF9bA
“I apologize greatly, your highness.”336Please respect copyright.PENANA8dyLRQi5s4
Prince Yoshi just stared at the woman in confusion. The woman was wearing a sash that looked like it belonged on his owl.336Please respect copyright.PENANA0F2hjZyjfV
His mother was in tears. Her sadness was suddenly replaced with curiosity.336Please respect copyright.PENANA3FBvaIv56C
“Who gave you that?”336Please respect copyright.PENANAFSfBnK8PrW
“What, Mommy?”336Please respect copyright.PENANAwzQf5nXFcO
“That. The owl…”336Please respect copyright.PENANACL07fjSGnf
“Chaeyoung gave me Hooty.”336Please respect copyright.PENANAtPbKA2VSF6
His mother laughed while wiping at her face, “Hooty?”336Please respect copyright.PENANA1awwVXAOWC
“Hooty doesn’t like it when you’re sad.”336Please respect copyright.PENANAuWq5Hrk1Wb
His mother took him in her arms and hugged him.336Please respect copyright.PENANAnset7HQbwo
“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?”336Please respect copyright.PENANAZHRoooE9Fb