It was dark and his face was cold. The wind outside the broken carriage howled. 428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk0EJULatBq
“You are so brave! It didn’t know you could be so brave!”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEkSA1XUJVn
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. 428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡby91jyf3Eg
“Mommy…are you praying?”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzxHCtllnRd
Then there was the sound of horses galloping and men shouting.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqaIgxak6UA
“Consort Yuko!”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn9epzjYtHY
“Yes…we are here!” the young prince heard his mother answer.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPnaLY4G3sH
“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.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRdMtEnroad
Prince Yoshi felt the strange man’s hands on this waist.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcW8SseKKde
“No…”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZdzzMxGNfa
His mother placed her mouth against one of his ears.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCDZoyd4mFP
“Shh. We will only be separated for a short while my darling. I will be brave if you will!”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb3wtwGAJsQ
“Mommy…”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXBpkZRxZht
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.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqT0d2r96rm
“Good evening, your highness. I am Constable Han. I will help get you to safety tonight. First, allow me to strap you on…”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhqKweEzHDQ
“Let me assist you, Han,” Captain Lee said as he handed Consort Yuko his fur-trimmed cape.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiIycihgnF1
Prince Yoshi was then swaddled on to Constable Han by Captain Lee. 428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7nL0KNS9px
“How old are you now, your highness?” Captain Lee inquired as he wrapped up the young prince.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyTknGcDWNZ
“Four!”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaH4jbi3zJy
“My, my. I don’t remember being as brave as you when I was four!”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwq7cjRYLa1
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!”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaBdLmmGl4U
Prince Yoshi found himself getting unwrapped from Constable Han by another strange man named Mr. Seo.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJdpv6J0k3m
“Be careful…my back is a little sore,” Constable Han complained.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Z8FdtkDop
Mr. Seo took Prince Yoshi off the horse and planted the child in his mother’s arms.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ08VzJWiJ7r
“Oh, you were so brave! It didn’t know you could be so brave!” his mother exclaimed as she rained kisses on his cheeks.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡezoU3rIyXU
“Consort Yuko!” A voice boomed out.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6crfS9BztP
His mother’s head raised and turned toward the voice.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbbDNCaxC3F
“Minister Park…thank you for your hospitality.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡebgdNgvRqY
“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.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBdwO2vbAzk
“Come, come. It is chilly out here. Let’s get you and Prince Yoshi warm, Consort Yuko…”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkVRSxAiRAA
His mother carried him to the main hall and put him down.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPP1deJwB9H
“We will be sleeping at Minister Park’s home tonight, my little prince…”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR6yovzLRiN
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.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbXLEexcopC
“Consort Yuko, I would like to offer a warm blanket for his highness Prince Yoshi.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnRPw2JeY4n
“My…what a precocious child. My daughter is about your age. What is your name?”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeUnnyw4Tyh
“My name is Chaeyoung, Consort Yuko. The Foreign Minister is my grandfather.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡozfi2isgiI
“Prince Yoshi will accept your offer, Miss Chaeyoung.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2PiFPNGXLx
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.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAXdaH2HuJN
“Isn’t this nice?” His mother asked him. His eyes finally turned to his mother.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUPBpeluNPR
“Yes…”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjK5r4xbutV
His eyes turned back to Chaeyoung. “Thank you.”
“The prince was absolutely adorable!”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoTfjQDWPNy
Chaeyoung’s aunt was gushing about little Prince Yoshi the following morning at breakfast.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBz41FVzqMl
“He’s a half-breed,” Chaeyoung heard her mother say.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyxe9XxLaSs
“Omo…watch your tongue! Your daughter is listening.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFfhFEWXxdp
“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.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡodlB1bIRV8
Chaeyoung was standing in front of Prince Yoshi as his mother spoke to her grandfather.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2qJNesgey6
“Open up your hands.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0TySU4gQZF
“Why?”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOOHA02vjdI
“I have something for you.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtMqu4JhvAR
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.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWR5H6yAhCw
“What is it?”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAb533qMn0I
“It’s an owl.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJrthwdUw7K
“What’s an owl?428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxBY6JcKPjy
“It’s a bird that flies around at night hunting little rodents.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHS9WxibAyx
“Oh.” The prince studied the fabric creature in his hands. “Did you make it?”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1NUPm770Bi
“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.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCU2ZlxdGqZ
“Chaeyoung! Why are you not properly addressing Prince Yoshi?”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡan7za1Q84Q
Chaeyoung’s mother grabbed her by the wrist.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqTLWSPMDRD
“I apologize greatly, your highness.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFsuNwXCIMD
Prince Yoshi just stared at the woman in confusion. The woman was wearing a sash that looked like it belonged on his owl.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTLYeJCXjp4
His mother was in tears. Her sadness was suddenly replaced with curiosity.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHPG2ZVxIJs
“Who gave you that?”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmPIPQFbGR8
“What, Mommy?”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrd5Wk8s3xc
“That. The owl…”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUFv4YYukjE
“Chaeyoung gave me Hooty.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFQPvmeZq8C
His mother laughed while wiping at her face, “Hooty?”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdTV96AGZBO
“Hooty doesn’t like it when you’re sad.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvq3p7L3qOa
His mother took him in her arms and hugged him.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtyaHW5Z9qh
“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?”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjCdGN8kkKC
