It was dark and his face was cold. The wind outside the broken carriage howled. 416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡssGQMjUV2z
“You are so brave! It didn’t know you could be so brave!”416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmshvorNnJu
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. 416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrZ0wUoBDsj
“Mommy…are you praying?”416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5KiP6EPAJm
Then there was the sound of horses galloping and men shouting.416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQkpFiaB6HP
“Consort Yuko!”416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz88qKHAdgp
“Yes…we are here!” the young prince heard his mother answer.416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcxnInoOLto
“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.”416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7YMKveSlMB
Prince Yoshi felt the strange man’s hands on this waist.416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ7OfBO0xG1
“No…”416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHnAa5zIV7D
His mother placed her mouth against one of his ears.416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVTI9hqdRI1
“Shh. We will only be separated for a short while my darling. I will be brave if you will!”416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhaOR5U7q4a
“Mommy…”416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQdWUrdJrVl
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.416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyoRuDM6ItS
“Good evening, your highness. I am Constable Han. I will help get you to safety tonight. First, allow me to strap you on…”416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz99uvMpkj7
“Let me assist you, Han,” Captain Lee said as he handed Consort Yuko his fur-trimmed cape.416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Ln1e3mpAd
Prince Yoshi was then swaddled on to Constable Han by Captain Lee. 416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWyDUCixMmz
“How old are you now, your highness?” Captain Lee inquired as he wrapped up the young prince.416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt8SfU9yjX2
“Four!”416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRC2nTgN96u
“My, my. I don’t remember being as brave as you when I was four!”416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpIAEllatEp
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!”416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0gIWRiBLjN
Prince Yoshi found himself getting unwrapped from Constable Han by another strange man named Mr. Seo.416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKkWEiZVDWq
“Be careful…my back is a little sore,” Constable Han complained.416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjUMiTEG7FL
Mr. Seo took Prince Yoshi off the horse and planted the child in his mother’s arms.416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1TMYFf2e6M
“Oh, you were so brave! It didn’t know you could be so brave!” his mother exclaimed as she rained kisses on his cheeks.416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjMfVwmdzqF
“Consort Yuko!” A voice boomed out.416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH8tNjAesNa
His mother’s head raised and turned toward the voice.416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhRg1zPF5sA
“Minister Park…thank you for your hospitality.”416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdUI7OREVqT
“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.416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9hNR0NZ14M
“Come, come. It is chilly out here. Let’s get you and Prince Yoshi warm, Consort Yuko…”416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWOQQrjfe82
His mother carried him to the main hall and put him down.416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ212888WxxC
“We will be sleeping at Minister Park’s home tonight, my little prince…”416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOs69i1PX7j
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.416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtitnCK9U1f
“Consort Yuko, I would like to offer a warm blanket for his highness Prince Yoshi.”416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzSHDgeh6u1
“My…what a precocious child. My daughter is about your age. What is your name?”416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTUlsGmKfRu
“My name is Chaeyoung, Consort Yuko. The Foreign Minister is my grandfather.”416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ZhgHvyg0M
“Prince Yoshi will accept your offer, Miss Chaeyoung.”416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZDcOQWWJY9
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.416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXBxX4uo3Cn
“Isn’t this nice?” His mother asked him. His eyes finally turned to his mother.416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8gGLOn0oEq
“Yes…”416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyWm9jJKzjt
His eyes turned back to Chaeyoung. “Thank you.”
“The prince was absolutely adorable!”416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6WqnbmuMH8
Chaeyoung’s aunt was gushing about little Prince Yoshi the following morning at breakfast.416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpkmMkpVC2c
“He’s a half-breed,” Chaeyoung heard her mother say.416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ103wfMLCXv
“Omo…watch your tongue! Your daughter is listening.”416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb5IDF6looX
“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.”416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8b2RpSjRrb
Chaeyoung was standing in front of Prince Yoshi as his mother spoke to her grandfather.416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8kqXJf8mvG
“Open up your hands.”416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ2D5CrTZtl
“Why?”416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiu7SR8nlm0
“I have something for you.”416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTk1nIngdbo
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.416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5NqUU3oiqh
“What is it?”416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ08EdonxouS
“It’s an owl.”416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfqvsCCTPiv
“What’s an owl?416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxUhfBUkm66
“It’s a bird that flies around at night hunting little rodents.”416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsZ3plh587n
“Oh.” The prince studied the fabric creature in his hands. “Did you make it?”416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡThWPubRUSo
“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.416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9idbUbfeZd
“Chaeyoung! Why are you not properly addressing Prince Yoshi?”416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5MIGrCXo4T
Chaeyoung’s mother grabbed her by the wrist.416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFOqISSX7Dy
“I apologize greatly, your highness.”416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEictZhiZfh
Prince Yoshi just stared at the woman in confusion. The woman was wearing a sash that looked like it belonged on his owl.416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFT8NqpiofV
His mother was in tears. Her sadness was suddenly replaced with curiosity.416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSiJAtp3ZDU
“Who gave you that?”416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcIrOc9Ad9v
“What, Mommy?”416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYLvRwDQiww
“That. The owl…”416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeQcBhO5uTH
“Chaeyoung gave me Hooty.”416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhsiJWY533O
His mother laughed while wiping at her face, “Hooty?”416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbQCmWKIe74
“Hooty doesn’t like it when you’re sad.”416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyVNCSjNOOx
His mother took him in her arms and hugged him.416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIiPuQd90et
“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?”416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX4xN4dSeoY
