Jung Min stood and asked, curious about his sister's unexpected entrance. "Jin Ri, what is this?"
The young lady crossed her arms and sneered at her older brother. "Orabeoni, you have nothing to do with this. I will do my job, and I guess you should do yours," she smirked before turning around, clinging to her father's arms.
"What an arrogant girl!"
Jung Ho chided, "Stop it! I told you already before. Your dongsaeng is doing her task properly. You are ten years older; you should be the one who is helping me more. Tsk tsk! Just go back to your room. We will just go out of the palace for a while."
The indignant son scoffed. "Fine."
Before they could leave, Jin Ri turned her head left and threw a sideward glare to her brother. She looked back to her father and asked him to get out of the room. "Shall we go, Father?"
"Yes, let us go."
The two left without saying any formal goodbye. For years, Jung Min had already known that Jin Ri always had a special place in their father's heart. Somehow, he actually had accepted the bitter fact, for he promised himself not to beg for Jung Ho's attention years ago. He actually did not care if Jin Ri would get all of the Prime Minister's favor. It was his ego that was always punctured, which made him hate his sister more and more.
You will see. One day, you will need my help. When that day comes, I will walk away and laugh as I see you all suffer.
~~•~~
The Prime Minister's palanquin journeyed outside the palace, with some hwarang escorts holding torches, enlightening the eerie-black path of the deciduous, pine tree forest. An hour had passed, and the carriage stopped beside a dry, rocky stream.
"We are here, Father. Shall we get off?"
Jung Ho smiled, and they went down the palanquin. They walked down the dark, stony trail and were welcomed by four men wearing black robes and pants—faces covered. Behind them was a small wooden palanquin guarded with men in black as well.
The Prime Minister asked, "Where is your master?"
Before the man could answer, a tall, robust man with the same clothes as his guards came out from the small palanquin. The four guards cleared the way as he walked to the Prime Minister and dipped his head in a low bow. "Prime Minister Jung Ho, it has been quite a while. Fifteen years was not even shown in your face."
Jung Ho smiled, "Well, I would take that as a compliment. Yes. It has been fifteen since you have failed in that one mission that I had ordered."
"It was a humble mistake, Prime Minister. As the leader of this rebel group, I apologize for my men's incompetence way back then. However, I assure you that it will not happen again."
Jin Ri stepped forward and asked, "Father, what is that task that you have given to them fifteen years ago?"
"Hmm, just a tiny little thing. You do not need to know it, my darling. Do you not agree?"
The young lady just bowed her head and stepped back. "Yes, Father. I apologize."
With an awkward stare, the bandit leader cleared his throat and interfered. "Your Excellency, what is it this time? I must say that your daughter was really smart and keen for she had found a way to talk to us."
"What do you expect? She has my blood after all. Anyway, if you would be successful, both of us would benefit accordingly. Shall we talk about the details inside my palanquin?"
Jung Ho ascended his palanquin, and Jin Ri and the bandit leader followed. They talked about the details of the direful plan in the quietest way possible, that even the crickets in the forest would not be able to hear. The talk lasted for about half an hour because the Prime Minister had explained everything. After that, the bandit leader exited, went back to his palanquin, and traveled back to their hideout. The Prime Minister ordered his men to lift the palanquin and go back to the palace.
As they traveled back, Jin Ri could not hold her disquietude and asked her father about their plan, breaking the silence inside. "Father, why do we need to do this after two days? It does not concern me if they have this... ritual or something! I cannot wait for that long. I cannot stand that Prince anymore! Holding his hand and looking straight at his eyes as if I truly care for him give me creeps!"
Jung Ho laughed hearing his daughters ranting. "My daughter, patience is one of the most important things that you need to learn. Everything takes time. Besides, I could not risk asking other groups to do this. It will just widen the sphere of knowledge of our secret. I still have trust in them despite what had happened fifteen years ago."
Jin Ri crossed her arms and pouted her lips. "I have noticed your expression when I asked about it a while ago, so I would not ask about it again. Fine! I will just endure the presence of that Prince for two days... but Father, could you guarantee that the Prince would not get hurt or worse die?"
"Yes. He should not die... not yet."
~~•~~
Just like life and death, which were two opposite things keeping the balance of the world, Jung Ho and Jin Ri were returning to the palace. At the same time, in a different place, there was someone who was about to leave.
Shun had prepared all of his things—his big, brown bag which had food, water, tent, and other important things for emergency. After dinner, one of Doctor Yang's son dropped by, leaving a black, muscular horse which the doctor had lent to Shun. The teenage boy thanked the doctor's son and tied the horse on a wooden post. He went back inside the house and oriented his plump friend about all the things his father would need.
"Deok Cheol, am I clear? Do you understand everything I have said?"
"Yes! Do not worry! I would take care of Muhyuk-seonsaengnim. How about you? Are you sure you could travel tonight?"
Shun nudged his friend and smiled. "Worry not! I can handle myself. Besides, the moon is shining so bright in the sky." he walked to his father's room, slid the door, and took a peek at his sleeping father.
"Father, please get well." he closed the door and bid him goodbye to Deok Cheol.
"I shall go. It is going to be a very long trip indeed. Good thing, Doctor Yang gave me this map." he picked an old scroll at his pocket and waved it to his friend, giving him the assurance that he would know where to go.
"Take care, Shun and be back for your father," said Deok Cheol.
"Of course, I will." Shun walked to the horse, mounted it and left.
~~•~~
Two days had gone by very slowly for Sae Joo. He lost concentrations on working with his crafts. He was also not in the good mood to write poems or play kayageum. Despite what his father had said in the library, the little spark of curiosity of what was outside the palace still bothered him. Thinking that his father would let him go out of the palace on his birthday, he even became more anxious and impatient. He avoided starting discussions with almost everyone, including his father. But there was one person who could hold his rampaging horses inside.
As Sae Joo traipsed down the courtyard near the Prime Minister's pavilion, eyes open but senses closed, he did not realize Jin Ri walking towards him. The young lady got closer and bowed her head to the Crown Prince.
"Your Highness," greeted Jin Ri.
The young prince was startled a bit as he blinked a lot of times, shaking his head. "Jin Ri, I did not notice that you are there."
"I do not mind, Your Highness. How have you been? I am worried about you. You have been acting strange these past days." she moved her face closer to the Prince's ear and whispered, "Is it still about seeing the world outside?"
Sae Joo's eyes enlarged, cocking his head slowly to the young lady. He gulped before giving her a short nod. Jin Ri smiled and stepped backward. "Your Highness, may we please have a short talk at the gazebo?"
"Yes," he turned around and ordered his retinue to leave him. The group bowed, and the two teenagers left. Strolling down the courtyard, Sae Joo noticed that their way was not going to the gazebo.
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
He paused. "Wait, where are we going?"
"To my chamber, Your Highness." Jin Ri grinned.
"What? Err, all right."
When the ladies-in-waiting opened the door, Sae Joo's eyebrows assembled as he saw three huge wooden wine jars at a corner of the pink-lit room.
"What are you going to do with those wine jars?" asked Sae Joo.
Jin Ri smirked and held the Prince's hands. "Your Highness, do you really wish to see what awaits in you outside this palace?"
"Err, yes, uhh, no. I mean, I do not know!" he spat out and paced down back and forth the room, pinching his palm. "I want to. I really want to... but I am afraid." his head dunked in a bow as he bit his lips.
Jin Ri rolled her eyes from the back and groaned. "Fine. How about this? I will take you outside, but no painting yet. Just roam around for a couple of moments and then, let us go back. How would that sound?"
The Prince raised his head. "Are you certain that no one could catch us? But, uh, His Majesty would be very furious once we get caught. It could also bring you into some trouble, Jin Ri."
The determined lady breathed heavily and flipped his hair, shooting an eagle eye to the Prince. "I would accept the punishment just in case."
Sae Joo commended his cousin's dauntlessness—a thing he could only achieve after a thousand cycles of eternal lives. All his life, he was respectfully afraid of his father; even the slightest scoldings made him worried deep inside his frail soul. However, as he grew up, opening his eyes into the reality of his world, questions started flooding in. He had thought that maybe it was the appropriate time to answer those.
His face burnt as his hands quivered. He realized that Jin Ri had a point. A few moments of exposure into the world outside would not hurt him; and besides, he firmly had trust in his cousin. Waiting for his birthday felt like a century for him.
"Fine! Now, what do I do?"
"First, wear this one." Jin Ri handed a set of clothes consisting of grey worn-out robes, torn-out pants, and a pair of straw shoes. "People should never recognize you as their savior prince."
Sae Joo held the clothes and requested the young lady to turn around for a while so he could change. After a few moments, the Prince told his cousin to turn back around.
He stretched his arms sideways. "How do I look?"
"Hmm, I am still not convinced that you looked like a commoner." Jin Ri frowned. She walked closer and placed her hands on the Prince's small crown, unpinning it. "You should remove this as well."
"Are there any more accessories inside you, Your Highness?" asked Jin Ri.
The Crown Prince picked something from his chest, a golden eagle figurine with red threads as it's tail. "This one. I could still bring this, could I not?"
Jin Ri's eyes narrowed, observing the jewelry. "Oh, the symbol of the Crown Prince... Err, I suggest you leave that one here."
Sae Joo clutched the material tighter and placed it back inside his chest pocket, disagreeing with the lady's suggestion, "No. My father told me not to give this to anyone. Please do not misunderstand. Think not that I do not trust you."
The young lady smiled as she walked to her small closet beside her pink-colored bed. She brought out her makeup kit and applied some necessary modifications in the Prince's face and skin, for him to be more believable as a mere commoner.
"There! I applied some patches of black powder on your face to make it more like coal leftovers." she chortled.
"Do I look like a commoner already?"
"Hmm, I guess so. With your worn-out clothes, simple top knot, straw shoes, and patches of black powder on your face—you are good to go!"
Jin Ri continued, "Now, would you please get inside one of those wine jars, Your Highness? I will just call some hwarangs to carry those."
"All right." Even with few grains of hesitation, the Prince nodded and slowly got inside, tucking himself in the wine jar. Jin Ri brought the cover with holes on top and looked down inside, saying her final advice before they leave the chamber. "Just endure for a while, Your Highness." Sae Joo grimaced and stuck his thumb, signaling the lady to close the jar.
~~•~~
There it was. Dark.
Jin Ri opened the door quickly, ordering her attendants to call the assigned hwarangs she had told them yesterday. After a few minutes, the hwarangs came, and they carried the jars in threes. "Bring those jars in the carts beside my father's palanquin. Guard those with your life!"
"Yes, milady!" the hwarangs answered in unison.
When the men exited, she gathered all of her attendants inside for a short briefing. "I will make this quick: You did not see the Prince inside my chamber. Do you understand?" The ladies bowed down their head and answered softly, "Yes, milady."
"Good! Go back to your positions."
Jin Ri went outside her pavilion and ascended inside her father's palanquin, which had been waiting for half an hour. Beside the palanquin were three carts, carrying the three big wine jars. The palanquin started to move, traveling outside the palace. The guards let them out, considering it was a special wine delivery to the Prime Minister's friend. They delivered the two jars of wine in two noblemen's houses just around the noble villages. After doing that successfully, they traveled to the outskirts of Seorabeol to deliver the last jar. When they arrived, Jin Ri opened the window, signaling the men to drop the palanquin. The carriage stopped at a huge, walled compound house.
Jin Ri came down and announced, "That last piece of jar was the most precious among all of those three. Carry it now."
When the men carried the jar, they noticed that it was oddly heavy. "My lady, we need more than three people to carry this." a guard said.
"Go! Just bring it here."
The men carried the jar and dropped it slowly in front of the gate of the house. Jin Ri called, "Lord Nori, your wine is here!" A few minutes had passed yet no one answered. The young lady turned around and ordered her men to go back in the palace.
"I will stay here for a while. I need to talk to Lord Nori. Go back to the palace because Lord Nori's men will take me back." she smirked. The escorts bowed and started moving away. When completely assured that any line of sight of the guards would not be able to see them, she quickly opened the jar lid. She was shocked to see the Prince semi-unconscious, sweating and chasing his breath.
"Your Highness! Please forgive me. I was not able to check your condition while on trip."
The groggy prince raised a thumb and forced a smile on his wet lips. "I understand." he chortled but his head was swinging. Jin Ri gathered her strength and grabbed his arms, helping him out of the tight jar.
When the Princegot out, he lay on the ground and breathed heavily, laughing. The country air must had gotten him a bit ecstatic. Jin Ri helped him stand up as Sae Joo enjoyed the structure of the noble man's houses, the live colors of the trees, and the sound of the birds which he had heard for the first time.
"Your Highness, come! I will take you somewhere. Shall we?"
Sae Joo gleamed and nodded, "Hmm, yes. Let us go!" Jin Ri pulled her cousin as they ran to a rocky track to their right. They ran to the forest and stopped beside a flowing stream where a blue mountain smiled in front of them.
"Wow! Is that...." Sae Joo's eyes sparkled.
"Yes, Your Highness, a part of the Dongdae mountains."
The Prince's eyes transfixed to the pure colors of the mountain. "I cannot believe that I am seeing this now. Am I dreaming?"
"No, you are not. It is all real." Jin Ri cast a sideward glance and smiled.
Sae Joo smiled as he recited his own poem about how he felt.
"My curious heart flows with the lonesome stream
I cannot believe my soul, it has been
Pigments of the sun, mountains, and the trees
Best present for I am turning fifteen"
"As expected, your poetry skills are truly amazing... Uhh, Your Highness, I think I have to pee. I will just go there behind a tree and do my business." she closed her eyes and cackled.
"Oh sure, go."
Jin Ri turned around and walked to a big tree, looking around. She saw peeking heads of the men in black, lurking in the grasses, bushes and beside the trees. Her eyebrows knitted as she nodded to them, giving a go signal.
Then, Sae Joo heard a loud scream. He was alerted as he turned around. His breath stuck on his voice box as he saw Jin Ri being held hostage by one of the men. After a few seconds, the other men, holding long, wooden sticks came out from their hiding places and ran into them, encircling them.
"Stop! Do not make a single move" Jin Ri warned Sae Joo.
"Move back!" the man ordered, tightening his grasp on the young lady.
The young prince's face turned ghostly pale as he stepped backward, near the edge of the stream. Blood from his face drained down back to his pounding heart. He cocked his head sideways as he bit his vibrating lips and swallowed before asking. "W-wh-what do... you need? Please... let her go."
A man from behind grabbed Sae Joo in the neck as choked him with a wooden stick. "Quiet!"
"Please let him go! He is just my servant!" Jin Ri snarled.
She bit the man's arm and dashed to Sae Joo but before she could touch the Prince, another man from the side snatched her by the waist. She screamed and squirmed her body, as her feet tried moving closer to the Crown Prince. However, the man became annoyed and pushed her on the side. Instead of falling on the ground, she fell to the stream. The young lady screamed and floundered on the water as if she was struggling. Sae Joo could not do anything but to watch his cousin taken away by the unforgiving water because he could not escape from the man; most of all, he could not swim.
"Jin Ri!" Sae Joo shouted; tears trickled down his cheeks. "Let me go! Let me go!" he roared, exerting efforts to wrestle but the man was stronger than him, clasping his neck tighter. "If you wish to die, go on. Scream!"
"I am just a commoner! Let me go! Let me go!"
The men laughed at him as he tried to escape while crying. "Let us go. Our job is done. Take that Pri... varmint, and let us sell him."
As the men walked down the forest, dragging the poor prince with them; in an unexpected timing, three stones flew in the air and hit three of the men in their heads.
"Ah! What was that? Hey, anyone out there? Show your face!"
There was no response. The leader ordered his men to hold the Prince tightly. Some men walked stealthily, looking at the underbrush and trees surrounding them. Then, another round of three stones hit the other men on their heads.
"You better hide properly! You will regret it when I see you!" the leader hissed. As they moved further, they saw a black, muscular horse tied on a tree, carrying a lot of things, while grazing on the grass. They stopped near the horse, scanning around.
"Woo-hoo! Over here!" a playful voice teased.
The men tilted their heads sideways, searching for the source of the voice.
"Hey, idiots, up here—up here!" the men looked up in a tree and saw a teenage boy, holding a slingshot while sitting on a big branch—yawning and laughing.
"Who are you? Get down from there and you will see." one of the men challenged.
"Me?" the boy scoffed. "Let him go first and we will talk." his goofy face became serious as he shook his head. "You shameful men!" the boy stood and jumped from the branch, ready with his fighting position.
__________
NOTES:
Dongsaeng (동생) - a Korean honorary term for, "little brother or sister"
Kayageum (가야금) - traditional Korean zither-like instrument which has 12 strings.
Dongdae Mountains (동대) - a small outlying range of Taebaek Mountains, which runs along the east coast of South Korea.
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