It was dark and his face was cold. The wind outside the broken carriage howled. 447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9JUJn1mHkQ
“You are so brave! It didn’t know you could be so brave!”447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyn5LKH544d
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. 447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlnKQ7gbpL4
“Mommy…are you praying?”447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡISwV61r9NX
Then there was the sound of horses galloping and men shouting.447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBz1Jkoux89
“Consort Yuko!”447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv3RNMfIYPt
“Yes…we are here!” the young prince heard his mother answer.447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQK86sIthcm
“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.”447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu5zniV4L9E
Prince Yoshi felt the strange man’s hands on this waist.447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVkQooeWORl
“No…”447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQxmXiPHGKH
His mother placed her mouth against one of his ears.447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtjEa7L0Dra
“Shh. We will only be separated for a short while my darling. I will be brave if you will!”447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6q1h4BFqqn
“Mommy…”447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ0RIhJtxza
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.447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlI22xpqQgo
“Good evening, your highness. I am Constable Han. I will help get you to safety tonight. First, allow me to strap you on…”447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMs5regCgql
“Let me assist you, Han,” Captain Lee said as he handed Consort Yuko his fur-trimmed cape.447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYAvseLBOAk
Prince Yoshi was then swaddled on to Constable Han by Captain Lee. 447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU2cmvGdynt
“How old are you now, your highness?” Captain Lee inquired as he wrapped up the young prince.447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLMUSXik9D9
“Four!”447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmuwo78QBAH
“My, my. I don’t remember being as brave as you when I was four!”447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxO8FoZyONF
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!”447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbMI0xdN6y0
Prince Yoshi found himself getting unwrapped from Constable Han by another strange man named Mr. Seo.447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGRCMObvmaO
“Be careful…my back is a little sore,” Constable Han complained.447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRccL2UybF0
Mr. Seo took Prince Yoshi off the horse and planted the child in his mother’s arms.447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2y3ysQeUHT
“Oh, you were so brave! It didn’t know you could be so brave!” his mother exclaimed as she rained kisses on his cheeks.447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXu41m9g7m5
“Consort Yuko!” A voice boomed out.447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUrVm0zUYyV
His mother’s head raised and turned toward the voice.447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPyVkqM5yxZ
“Minister Park…thank you for your hospitality.”447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnv4Ds8JCkY
“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.447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQKQj7HYN6m
“Come, come. It is chilly out here. Let’s get you and Prince Yoshi warm, Consort Yuko…”447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYWGQJFbgHU
His mother carried him to the main hall and put him down.447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgbuNcuYtnk
“We will be sleeping at Minister Park’s home tonight, my little prince…”447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8xjHNyu2FR
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.447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu9voYy2Tqb
“Consort Yuko, I would like to offer a warm blanket for his highness Prince Yoshi.”447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrcTYM22BmF
“My…what a precocious child. My daughter is about your age. What is your name?”447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9u8ODL3joY
“My name is Chaeyoung, Consort Yuko. The Foreign Minister is my grandfather.”447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSlMEmqkwv4
“Prince Yoshi will accept your offer, Miss Chaeyoung.”447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlNUtijlynC
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.447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡafv3Y54A14
“Isn’t this nice?” His mother asked him. His eyes finally turned to his mother.447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV1xJabjnKj
“Yes…”447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVAU1wdP1zc
His eyes turned back to Chaeyoung. “Thank you.”
“The prince was absolutely adorable!”447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSRQaj7QKJG
Chaeyoung’s aunt was gushing about little Prince Yoshi the following morning at breakfast.447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRZ43na8hP8
“He’s a half-breed,” Chaeyoung heard her mother say.447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ65nrqenTep
“Omo…watch your tongue! Your daughter is listening.”447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcANRAi4svz
“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.”447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyw4EbS1fpH
Chaeyoung was standing in front of Prince Yoshi as his mother spoke to her grandfather.447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYEG1VgCM7J
“Open up your hands.”447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwvQquqXigR
“Why?”447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQZzpOAocyN
“I have something for you.”447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo7Ukgqni79
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.447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5meXi5fb82
“What is it?”447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv9diTO5Sv3
“It’s an owl.”447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVPE8LmVMtp
“What’s an owl?447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡChdUjfaB1c
“It’s a bird that flies around at night hunting little rodents.”447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgB2SVroBqN
“Oh.” The prince studied the fabric creature in his hands. “Did you make it?”447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCEDEPEoiaC
“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.447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpqj2PKKyKJ
“Chaeyoung! Why are you not properly addressing Prince Yoshi?”447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkdcSCinr9T
Chaeyoung’s mother grabbed her by the wrist.447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZkD44NwGzC
“I apologize greatly, your highness.”447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHyhlyYUyi9
Prince Yoshi just stared at the woman in confusion. The woman was wearing a sash that looked like it belonged on his owl.447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYhsqX0TJFS
His mother was in tears. Her sadness was suddenly replaced with curiosity.447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK3L8JhFS2h
“Who gave you that?”447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcBzRDqNvvh
“What, Mommy?”447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtGqBuz9PUP
“That. The owl…”447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm5jFbEmWmL
“Chaeyoung gave me Hooty.”447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKY3NXMSbWM
His mother laughed while wiping at her face, “Hooty?”447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3d6cMRdy6Q
“Hooty doesn’t like it when you’re sad.”447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡehf3Mf0yRq
His mother took him in her arms and hugged him.447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmbKzHHzOSx
“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?”447Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIoLq6U2bru
