It was dark and his face was cold. The wind outside the broken carriage howled. 309Please respect copyright.PENANAIa26RGIMM8
“You are so brave! It didn’t know you could be so brave!”309Please respect copyright.PENANACisBk1t5Ao
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. 309Please respect copyright.PENANAvh5BnHlK9E
“Mommy…are you praying?”309Please respect copyright.PENANAm9Bqm66tGy
Then there was the sound of horses galloping and men shouting.309Please respect copyright.PENANAmaUj0e11XA
“Consort Yuko!”309Please respect copyright.PENANAyFHjjnfTI2
“Yes…we are here!” the young prince heard his mother answer.309Please respect copyright.PENANA32fGSSMctK
“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.”309Please respect copyright.PENANARgQNBv1S1A
Prince Yoshi felt the strange man’s hands on this waist.309Please respect copyright.PENANAh9IyE3rD9y
“No…”309Please respect copyright.PENANAS6dD20dHoS
His mother placed her mouth against one of his ears.309Please respect copyright.PENANA3DBasopmlX
“Shh. We will only be separated for a short while my darling. I will be brave if you will!”309Please respect copyright.PENANAOY2JrVmo1l
“Mommy…”309Please respect copyright.PENANAL770suTqLM
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.309Please respect copyright.PENANAK1CUUqzp05
“Good evening, your highness. I am Constable Han. I will help get you to safety tonight. First, allow me to strap you on…”309Please respect copyright.PENANAa7NJPeaqwr
“Let me assist you, Han,” Captain Lee said as he handed Consort Yuko his fur-trimmed cape.309Please respect copyright.PENANAslFqlg9UUE
Prince Yoshi was then swaddled on to Constable Han by Captain Lee. 309Please respect copyright.PENANAAKpw4i8j9w
“How old are you now, your highness?” Captain Lee inquired as he wrapped up the young prince.309Please respect copyright.PENANAcTwoP6ileJ
“Four!”309Please respect copyright.PENANAxComYfMOea
“My, my. I don’t remember being as brave as you when I was four!”309Please respect copyright.PENANAh0WhNcT5F4
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!”309Please respect copyright.PENANAOvtrJNIzvT
Prince Yoshi found himself getting unwrapped from Constable Han by another strange man named Mr. Seo.309Please respect copyright.PENANAeL1ydzt1H9
“Be careful…my back is a little sore,” Constable Han complained.309Please respect copyright.PENANAhJxuKTCfdz
Mr. Seo took Prince Yoshi off the horse and planted the child in his mother’s arms.309Please respect copyright.PENANAzkxXM3xVaZ
“Oh, you were so brave! It didn’t know you could be so brave!” his mother exclaimed as she rained kisses on his cheeks.309Please respect copyright.PENANACyxeJQouDX
“Consort Yuko!” A voice boomed out.309Please respect copyright.PENANAvvGicuweyu
His mother’s head raised and turned toward the voice.309Please respect copyright.PENANApyZKReaXzG
“Minister Park…thank you for your hospitality.”309Please respect copyright.PENANAbq0Y9UZ1n5
“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.309Please respect copyright.PENANA4VEK6m8lmy
“Come, come. It is chilly out here. Let’s get you and Prince Yoshi warm, Consort Yuko…”309Please respect copyright.PENANAnhtTfGEF17
His mother carried him to the main hall and put him down.309Please respect copyright.PENANAQStNrFvSs0
“We will be sleeping at Minister Park’s home tonight, my little prince…”309Please respect copyright.PENANAV715mBTXRK
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.309Please respect copyright.PENANAQTp7BZvwJ5
“Consort Yuko, I would like to offer a warm blanket for his highness Prince Yoshi.”309Please respect copyright.PENANAH8KgGqJg7z
“My…what a precocious child. My daughter is about your age. What is your name?”309Please respect copyright.PENANA2zNiFqSg7r
“My name is Chaeyoung, Consort Yuko. The Foreign Minister is my grandfather.”309Please respect copyright.PENANAcDkYLP4T3z
“Prince Yoshi will accept your offer, Miss Chaeyoung.”309Please respect copyright.PENANAuuOONFmUj2
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.309Please respect copyright.PENANAtSE3YAOO8p
“Isn’t this nice?” His mother asked him. His eyes finally turned to his mother.309Please respect copyright.PENANAvFQsZaOCgX
“Yes…”309Please respect copyright.PENANAkPCaSn8Xca
His eyes turned back to Chaeyoung. “Thank you.”
“The prince was absolutely adorable!”309Please respect copyright.PENANAWx9V6ivA0l
Chaeyoung’s aunt was gushing about little Prince Yoshi the following morning at breakfast.309Please respect copyright.PENANAQcpnmJ7Nfc
“He’s a half-breed,” Chaeyoung heard her mother say.309Please respect copyright.PENANAmufzYfGyeI
“Omo…watch your tongue! Your daughter is listening.”309Please respect copyright.PENANAmUKzdtnTAs
“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.”309Please respect copyright.PENANASCRG5AJ1qn
Chaeyoung was standing in front of Prince Yoshi as his mother spoke to her grandfather.309Please respect copyright.PENANAXLWEBEpQ62
“Open up your hands.”309Please respect copyright.PENANACk5TcwqO6b
“Why?”309Please respect copyright.PENANA0psswCxRmv
“I have something for you.”309Please respect copyright.PENANASNwuSHBhUy
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.309Please respect copyright.PENANATJeTOOeJSj
“What is it?”309Please respect copyright.PENANAvEL0DdsYw2
“It’s an owl.”309Please respect copyright.PENANAxZoKSEXhON
“What’s an owl?309Please respect copyright.PENANArHb5VclmDM
“It’s a bird that flies around at night hunting little rodents.”309Please respect copyright.PENANA9XjoJwA44x
“Oh.” The prince studied the fabric creature in his hands. “Did you make it?”309Please respect copyright.PENANAe4v7n29yZi
“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.309Please respect copyright.PENANAIQLTdj7Tsm
“Chaeyoung! Why are you not properly addressing Prince Yoshi?”309Please respect copyright.PENANAOA1KFBdgws
Chaeyoung’s mother grabbed her by the wrist.309Please respect copyright.PENANAn5UKBomeFR
“I apologize greatly, your highness.”309Please respect copyright.PENANAAxpbMorZ6B
Prince Yoshi just stared at the woman in confusion. The woman was wearing a sash that looked like it belonged on his owl.309Please respect copyright.PENANASgnvMaRzwo
His mother was in tears. Her sadness was suddenly replaced with curiosity.309Please respect copyright.PENANAImcwTNl4GB
“Who gave you that?”309Please respect copyright.PENANAnJp25h0Z8f
“What, Mommy?”309Please respect copyright.PENANAkuLT3LOkKc
“That. The owl…”309Please respect copyright.PENANAZ4Br7NdF5j
“Chaeyoung gave me Hooty.”309Please respect copyright.PENANACPfhbMh7AT
His mother laughed while wiping at her face, “Hooty?”309Please respect copyright.PENANAvBQw17BWIZ
“Hooty doesn’t like it when you’re sad.”309Please respect copyright.PENANAMykq47Q8oK
His mother took him in her arms and hugged him.309Please respect copyright.PENANAgOtvplScQo
“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?”309Please respect copyright.PENANADh9LRwFmI8