"It's really not serious, promise me you will not tell the king about this.", the third prince of Gogureyeo, Ji-Ho, whined to his childhood caretaker, Eunuch Lee.
"What do you mean its not serious?! You got bitten by a wolf! What in the Good Heavens told you it was a good idea to sneak out into a forest in the middle of the night with no guards!", Eunuch Lee fretted, cleaning his wound again.
"I know it was not the best of the ideas, but please you must understand, ever since father told me that I have been under constant protection and watch from the Guards."
"And how is that a bad thing? Look what happened when you escaped their watch!"
"I know! I know! I just wanted some freedom. You don't understand, its suffocating me, all this 'protection'."
Eunuch Lee just sighed. This prince was a full- grown adult, but he still behaved like a child. It made Eunuch Lee's life at least a hundred times harder. He cleaned the wound, it was surprisingly, very well cleaned and bandaged when the prince arrived in the early hours of the morning. He said a strange woman had treated his wound saved him from the wolf. But Eunuch Lee insisted to inspect the wound himself. He thanked all the Gods that it was just shallow graze.
"Fine I won't tell his Highness, only on your wishes, but who was this woman who saved you? You can't truly expect me to believe that she killed a wolf all by herself. She also bandaged your wound quite well, with the skill of a doctor, who is she? What is her name?", Eunuch Lee asked retying the bandages after cleaning the wound.
"Her name?", It was then realisation struck Ji-Ho like a clap of thunder. Curses! He had never gotten her name!
"I never got to know.", Ji-Ho sighed, dejected.
"But she had the tongue of a devil and the face of an angel. She seemed to be noble woman, her clothes were quite brocaded, but…", Ji-Ho pondered for a minute. Who was this mysterious woman who saved him? What was the name of his sharp -tongued Guardian Angel?
"She carried a Do, a stunning one, and killed the wolf with one single motion. I truly saw it with my own eyes, but more than that, I know it's hard to believe, but she carried me, all the way to her home in her arms, as though I was made of paper! Then she cleaned my wound and bandaged it, with a lot of cursing alongside with it."
"Nonsense!", Eunuch Lee cried his eyes wide.
"I find it hard to believe your Highness, a noblewoman who swears and carries a sword, who can carry the weight of a man and kill a wolf in one go? Don't you think that's a little too much?"
"I know, I know, its hard to believe, I myself found it hard to believe, but I swear by the Heavens, its true!", Ji-Ho cried exasperated. Who was this woman truly?
Eunuch Lee just shook his head.
A home near the cherry blossom forest. Possibly unmarried, but roughly his age. A noble woman. Skilled in medicine. He would find her.
"Eunuch Lee, find out which noblewoman, near my age, possibly unmarried, with some knowledge in medicine, has a home near the Cherry Blossom Forest East of the Palace. I want a name."
Eunuch Lee's eyebrows shot up in surprise,
"You want to find the mystery woman?"
Ji-Ho nodded, his face solemn. He truly wanted to know her name.
"Fine your Highness, I shall get right to that, but you must promise me you will not do anymore hasty escapades."
Ji-Ho smile, his lips creasing with fondness. Eunuch Lee was the only friend he had in this prison of a palace. He was like a father, a brother and a friend to Ji-Ho.
"I promise."
*******
The sun had set, and the sky was speckled with a million stars, the universe looking upon Ji-Ho's resting face. But his rest was not peaceful, underneath the spruce tree in the palace gardens. There was too much in his mind, for him to find peace. Tomorrow, his father would announce the heir to the throne, the crown prince. Ji-Ho was not sure if he was ready for that, ready to hear his father's words. He had thought of every single situation which could arise, but none seemed pleasant. What were his six brothers thinking? Did they eye the throne? That seemed like a simple question, who would not want the throne, who did not wish to be next King of Gogureyeo? But it truly was the most difficult question to think of. All the seven princes of Gogureyeo were unpredictable, and their desires masked with masks of good virtue and impudent behaviour from the eyes of their family.
"Your Highness!", Eunuch Lee panted out, taking deep gulps of the midsummer night's air.
He seemed frantic, as though he had run all the way to the old spruce tree under which Ji-Ho was sprawled. Ji-Ho scrambled to an alert position, his muscles tensing for whatever Eunuch Lee had to say.
"Rhee Ae-Ra.", Eunuch Lee took another gulp of air.
"The mystery woman you told of, that is her name. South of the Cherry Blossom Forest there is only one home belonging to a noble, the Minister of Health, his home is located there. That would explain why she has knowledge on medicine, her father is a doctor, the Head of the Ministry of Health, known for his excellent skills. Don't you remember when your mother had that terrible cold, the year before the last? He was the doctor who saved her."
Ji-Ho stayed still. Eunuch Lee had truly done his job well, his explanation made perfect sense. Rhee Ae-Ra, daughter of the Minister of Health. Ji-Ho smiled.
"Thank you, Eunuch Lee, you may leave for a cup of tea, you look exhausted."
"Do not worry about me Your Highness."
Eunuch Lee smiled and bowed to Ji-Ho, and left him to the beautiful dark scroll of the night sky, written upon with a constellation stars. A smile brighter than the cosmos above him lit up Ji-Ho's face. Rhee Ae-Ra.
******