9. A Foreign Encounter
It’s been a week since I left my home. I rode on the back of Cho Cho as we treaded through the lands that was my birthright. Of course, the companions I was with grudgingly was forced to join me on this life changing journey. Unfortunately, Taewon was among those people. The fact that I had lived that night years ago still made him hold resentment towards me.
No one talked to me. No one even tried to help me with any anything. It was like nothing had changed. But that was alright because I could do well enough on my own. Learning to be dependent on myself gave me greater advantages than most. At least I knew how to survive if it ever came down to being separated or worse…death among the caravans.
The day was gray and cold. I knew we had crossed the borders a few hours ago but the sudden drastic change in the weather was unsuspecting. There was still so much I needed to learn. I couldn’t help the words that Seong-Yu Hyung had said to me the day I left.
“You could make them fear you, you know. You don’t have to take all the hate and injustice on this journey. Show them you’re not to be reckoned with.” He said with fiery passion, looking to Taewon with hatred on his face.
“You have abilities no one in this world has. Use it against them. Make them fear you.”
Hugging Hye-Si Young tightly, as tears silently fell on her cheeks, I whisper back to him, “I don’t want to rule with fear. I don’t want them to be afraid of me. I want them to accept me for who I am.”
Mistaking that I had whispered to her, Hye-Si Young gently pulls me back to look right into my eyes with a determination that hadn’t be there before.
“And you shouldn’t have too, my young prince. Don’t let them turn you into something that you’re not. You are so much more than they take for granted. This is your chance to prove to them that you are meant to be their future king with the kindness that you show me every single day.”
She grazes my cheek with a watery smile. Seong-Yu Hyung didn’t say anything more and even though she didn’t know he was there, they both stood side by side watching me leave them behind.
It will be years before I see either of them again. And I was already feeling homesick. I could really use their comfort now.
Cho Cho begins to slow down and I glance up to see the caravan come to a halt. I wasn’t the only noble that was taking this journey. A few had joined in as well since it was their time too. But while they had friends amongst themselves, I had no one. One of the young boys stick his head out of the carriage that was just a few feet ahead of me. I didn’t have a carriage like them. Apparently, I was forgotten in that aspect. According to Taewon, if I was a trainee of the imperial guards than I could sleep like the rest of them too.
“What’s going on? Why have we stopped?” He demands with an overinflated ego and superiority.
“Apologies, my lord. We are here to join one of the high-ranking officials of the French division.”
“French?! This must be a joke! Why are we joining a bunch of foreign barbarians?!” He nearly screeches in his changing voice.
“Forgive us, my lord. It was part of the deal that our King made with the King of France.”
I tuned out the rest of the noble’s complaints about his disgust and uncomfortableness of the situation. Personally, I was intrigued by the idea of traveling with foreigners. I never met anyone who wasn’t Korean. And it interested me to know these people.
So, since no one attempts to even stop me since they were too afraid of what I might do, I tell Cho Cho to move to the front of the trail so I can see what we were dealing with. As soon as I see them, I’m first to be amazed at their attire. It was so different from ours that I couldn’t help but stare at them in fascination.
One of the head Imperial Guards was speaking to someone who looked just as in charge of their own group. There were four of them, a small amount to be traveling alone and with a large group of slightly hostile nobles and soldiers.
“Salut!” A young man, around his twenties was my guess, happily greets me suddenly.
He must have seen me coming and quickly takes a few steps in my direction. He was on foot, and I didn’t see a horse nearby either. He held a large smile that was nearly covered in a thick bushy beard. He was quite large and boisterous.
I stare at the tight leggings that was beneath…was he wearing a dress? His tunic was thick with a small looking cape that draped around his arms and back. What was the point of that if it didn’t even reach down to his feet? Wasn’t he cold wearing that getup? And what was with his shoes? They represented slippers more than actual outdoor footwear.
While our attire tended to be covering our bodies, theirs only met up to their thighs. And their hats were something of an oddity as well. But it still fascinated me to no end. I just sat there on my horse as he beams at me and I realize I still haven’t said anything.
“Salut. Ravi de vous rencontrer.” I say in what I hope was okay French, surprising him that I could speak the language.
If the man could beam any brighter, I would be shocked. With an enthusiastic behavior he starts speaking his native tongue a little too fast for me to understand fully, waving back and forth between me and his companions who all stopped to look to me.
One thing I was sure to catch however was the word violet. I knew he was mentioning my eyes. But by their reactions, I don’t think they fully understood what having purple eyes meant in our world.
He laughs in delight at something that one of his men says too low for me to catch. “Please, forgive my rambunctiousness. It’s not often I hear another foreigner speak our tongue so well. It’s a comfort to know that your king was kind enough to send someone with that knowledge.”
My back stiffens. Actually, the king didn’t even know I learned it myself. Not even Hye-Si Young knew. I studied the art on my own and I was thankful to learn it wasn’t to waste.
“You speak our language just as well.” I say to him as he nods.
“May I get the pleasure of your name?” he asks.
Again, I turn stiffer than before. Would he know what my name means in our tongue? I wasn’t sure I wanted to give it to him. My hesitance was a little too long and I was afraid of offending him since his smile faded just a little bit.
“I’m…Jilsaeg.”
The man blinks for a few moments and I couldn’t help but noticing how the imperial guards grimace at the name. Whether they truly did feel sorry for me or the fact that the foreigners might ask for an explanation was unclear.
“Pierre.” The man states but his jolliness was now gone.
I nod my head and slip off of Cho Cho so we were facing each other. “Are you to travel with us then?” I ask wanting to get away from this awkwardness.
“Yes, we are. We are your guide to the lands beyond. It can be hostile territory if you’re not careful and while its not our homeland, we have lived here for many years to travel the unknown.”
“You're traveling guides?” I ask with amazement.
It wasn’t often that people would pick up this line of work. But they seem to become popular with nomads of the sort. People who can’t sit still and want to see the world. Something I myself was thinking about doing if the king wasn’t able to father another male heir. But since he wasn’t able too, that dream will be no more. I’ll need to get as much traveling as I possibly could while I was on this expedition.
He nods with a grin. “That we are.”
“Sorry to break this up but we need to press on before it begins to rain.” Another one of his companions say as he stares up into the sky with worried eyes.
Pierre places a hand on my shoulder and gives it a gentle, yet firm squeeze. “Come young one, let us travel together.”