It was dark and his face was cold. The wind outside the broken carriage howled. 413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp0XaiLA2Bs
“You are so brave! It didn’t know you could be so brave!”413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7KVt03BHm9
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. 413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwpglWNKrVm
“Mommy…are you praying?”413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3QZfWDJvva
Then there was the sound of horses galloping and men shouting.413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWSAkYab1Gr
“Consort Yuko!”413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDdfLUc6SKv
“Yes…we are here!” the young prince heard his mother answer.413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ13sPmSWALt
“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.”413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmZjbPALLbw
Prince Yoshi felt the strange man’s hands on this waist.413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ0bVbYDVAg
“No…”413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZTtDz7OT4h
His mother placed her mouth against one of his ears.413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwc68DLl9f8
“Shh. We will only be separated for a short while my darling. I will be brave if you will!”413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZoWShyfGOu
“Mommy…”413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx148BsaJWH
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.413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9qHNWBKpfa
“Good evening, your highness. I am Constable Han. I will help get you to safety tonight. First, allow me to strap you on…”413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUMjPFbKlch
“Let me assist you, Han,” Captain Lee said as he handed Consort Yuko his fur-trimmed cape.413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJTl5CzNM7k
Prince Yoshi was then swaddled on to Constable Han by Captain Lee. 413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡphn5BnUV3o
“How old are you now, your highness?” Captain Lee inquired as he wrapped up the young prince.413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmCaM5kYMHC
“Four!”413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsH2y72nSCS
“My, my. I don’t remember being as brave as you when I was four!”413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMQU43T9IXI
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!”413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ93dq1NMHJJ
Prince Yoshi found himself getting unwrapped from Constable Han by another strange man named Mr. Seo.413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC6WH8fejRv
“Be careful…my back is a little sore,” Constable Han complained.413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc05hadEWe3
Mr. Seo took Prince Yoshi off the horse and planted the child in his mother’s arms.413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4vTBhfPIGO
“Oh, you were so brave! It didn’t know you could be so brave!” his mother exclaimed as she rained kisses on his cheeks.413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Nu3ytHsFU
“Consort Yuko!” A voice boomed out.413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxejeboOiwR
His mother’s head raised and turned toward the voice.413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsg07AKVeSM
“Minister Park…thank you for your hospitality.”413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMVLbtyDBgn
“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.413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvLJ5ooeZ3W
“Come, come. It is chilly out here. Let’s get you and Prince Yoshi warm, Consort Yuko…”413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGosc7Uslim
His mother carried him to the main hall and put him down.413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc4J2FlfivG
“We will be sleeping at Minister Park’s home tonight, my little prince…”413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdkMZT9mWfA
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.413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSHTCJh2PoL
“Consort Yuko, I would like to offer a warm blanket for his highness Prince Yoshi.”413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdbSWbEuVXy
“My…what a precocious child. My daughter is about your age. What is your name?”413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡip6nCC8iqe
“My name is Chaeyoung, Consort Yuko. The Foreign Minister is my grandfather.”413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNUmis8LvLq
“Prince Yoshi will accept your offer, Miss Chaeyoung.”413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhoVxwCuYoo
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.413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM93SCY79gW
“Isn’t this nice?” His mother asked him. His eyes finally turned to his mother.413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF0tK9Ih5y8
“Yes…”413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs5Ck1nuR6j
His eyes turned back to Chaeyoung. “Thank you.”
“The prince was absolutely adorable!”413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOoBCEGi8f1
Chaeyoung’s aunt was gushing about little Prince Yoshi the following morning at breakfast.413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPQOB794Rri
“He’s a half-breed,” Chaeyoung heard her mother say.413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpI0ORlj2qF
“Omo…watch your tongue! Your daughter is listening.”413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcmIj4riKsh
“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.”413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtkCrHC0pB2
Chaeyoung was standing in front of Prince Yoshi as his mother spoke to her grandfather.413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUExRaca67Y
“Open up your hands.”413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvcmXbGbRdd
“Why?”413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhMFkTdi8Q5
“I have something for you.”413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqJ64Vs0PUp
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.413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhMWHl5K52q
“What is it?”413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHInGujrrNB
“It’s an owl.”413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfmSca2Jn5Z
“What’s an owl?413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrMOIBoNW0j
“It’s a bird that flies around at night hunting little rodents.”413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQV7ZHcyIpR
“Oh.” The prince studied the fabric creature in his hands. “Did you make it?”413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7by9zn7WKO
“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.413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ88npznSqft
“Chaeyoung! Why are you not properly addressing Prince Yoshi?”413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfc41PJ6YN1
Chaeyoung’s mother grabbed her by the wrist.413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGQDEnD2N3o
“I apologize greatly, your highness.”413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMZJRrFWp9o
Prince Yoshi just stared at the woman in confusion. The woman was wearing a sash that looked like it belonged on his owl.413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxFaEHYCSvo
His mother was in tears. Her sadness was suddenly replaced with curiosity.413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDSmNxPI6AA
“Who gave you that?”413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjiPulsxtns
“What, Mommy?”413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL1adnQ87yt
“That. The owl…”413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKQG2HKDF2k
“Chaeyoung gave me Hooty.”413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpxt09W4YJM
His mother laughed while wiping at her face, “Hooty?”413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡALd3wFELVj
“Hooty doesn’t like it when you’re sad.”413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhj4sFiR9Vs
His mother took him in her arms and hugged him.413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTBFokQ6ADA
“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?”413Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZi2Q7nK3vJ
