It was dark and his face was cold. The wind outside the broken carriage howled. 448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡebCTVKjNhB
“You are so brave! It didn’t know you could be so brave!”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQvv1UG3B12
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. 448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkKsxQJ1pmr
“Mommy…are you praying?”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH2D9HVL5Ds
Then there was the sound of horses galloping and men shouting.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB1RuKpCZ9j
“Consort Yuko!”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWqp9PtG2oo
“Yes…we are here!” the young prince heard his mother answer.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Z4UVN7uVA
“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.”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcJxbT4XA2D
Prince Yoshi felt the strange man’s hands on this waist.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgC3SLKyoX1
“No…”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSJ5A9w5fqQ
His mother placed her mouth against one of his ears.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFzvsGLCrKb
“Shh. We will only be separated for a short while my darling. I will be brave if you will!”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOinQ68ndMB
“Mommy…”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBxZ9CX7a4k
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.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4nNQfj1voq
“Good evening, your highness. I am Constable Han. I will help get you to safety tonight. First, allow me to strap you on…”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaPwWv7oTFJ
“Let me assist you, Han,” Captain Lee said as he handed Consort Yuko his fur-trimmed cape.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWu446Z2Fqx
Prince Yoshi was then swaddled on to Constable Han by Captain Lee. 448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHE8pfX6RQm
“How old are you now, your highness?” Captain Lee inquired as he wrapped up the young prince.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ0qOGXf5Ar
“Four!”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSvVJrK0nzv
“My, my. I don’t remember being as brave as you when I was four!”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLBWa6qtdAL
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!”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLoV2i0L4hS
Prince Yoshi found himself getting unwrapped from Constable Han by another strange man named Mr. Seo.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTmprW9deas
“Be careful…my back is a little sore,” Constable Han complained.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbGg4d8rGo0
Mr. Seo took Prince Yoshi off the horse and planted the child in his mother’s arms.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzjRYPQQVxZ
“Oh, you were so brave! It didn’t know you could be so brave!” his mother exclaimed as she rained kisses on his cheeks.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0wecb9C8Qe
“Consort Yuko!” A voice boomed out.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUvojsNCG2L
His mother’s head raised and turned toward the voice.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX88IZqrGCk
“Minister Park…thank you for your hospitality.”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoaefLPBoHh
“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.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdOzGnUFhPE
“Come, come. It is chilly out here. Let’s get you and Prince Yoshi warm, Consort Yuko…”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1nhpZ4dehO
His mother carried him to the main hall and put him down.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs8euVF7seK
“We will be sleeping at Minister Park’s home tonight, my little prince…”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzn2ec8JIjt
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.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhpIqK4sWGL
“Consort Yuko, I would like to offer a warm blanket for his highness Prince Yoshi.”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz3RxcEGMeH
“My…what a precocious child. My daughter is about your age. What is your name?”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnoOapig8KI
“My name is Chaeyoung, Consort Yuko. The Foreign Minister is my grandfather.”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtqCyz2Rsih
“Prince Yoshi will accept your offer, Miss Chaeyoung.”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ66mOcdy03Y
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.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHIwp22YlQb
“Isn’t this nice?” His mother asked him. His eyes finally turned to his mother.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBw6HyImPUD
“Yes…”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXGmETFC5Kx
His eyes turned back to Chaeyoung. “Thank you.”
“The prince was absolutely adorable!”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiSWsRypaHm
Chaeyoung’s aunt was gushing about little Prince Yoshi the following morning at breakfast.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwcfcZuYxci
“He’s a half-breed,” Chaeyoung heard her mother say.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu9kO5fogKw
“Omo…watch your tongue! Your daughter is listening.”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyoLNs6B2Bc
“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.”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7hZu45fypP
Chaeyoung was standing in front of Prince Yoshi as his mother spoke to her grandfather.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoHhGPmhsgh
“Open up your hands.”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtQajwnendm
“Why?”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGJaeGUnwQj
“I have something for you.”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxdQfpg3bnv
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.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwpzJq7nTOU
“What is it?”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC0BkXvULg5
“It’s an owl.”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK9RqeNYiO0
“What’s an owl?448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUlcVm2tquV
“It’s a bird that flies around at night hunting little rodents.”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7YX0uGp2Tn
“Oh.” The prince studied the fabric creature in his hands. “Did you make it?”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlupYe5SbPL
“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.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKINVmYNEqM
“Chaeyoung! Why are you not properly addressing Prince Yoshi?”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrK6VL2DVLi
Chaeyoung’s mother grabbed her by the wrist.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRJpk13tPvY
“I apologize greatly, your highness.”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI5GdxX7hJe
Prince Yoshi just stared at the woman in confusion. The woman was wearing a sash that looked like it belonged on his owl.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiY03HK24Vc
His mother was in tears. Her sadness was suddenly replaced with curiosity.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoezrnjVaBJ
“Who gave you that?”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1vDVhGGLsv
“What, Mommy?”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgF0rwkSPAf
“That. The owl…”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNrwWMLTIVV
“Chaeyoung gave me Hooty.”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4KlzD2eDxO
His mother laughed while wiping at her face, “Hooty?”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXn0z7tVXXW
“Hooty doesn’t like it when you’re sad.”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoPM14SRwMs
His mother took him in her arms and hugged him.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvECKIZSJo9
“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?”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqnhIESGFjJ
