Rise of an Empress

Dream Catcher

2 years later.

The hanging dream catcher consists of several hanging wooden adorable bunnies that make a pleasurable musical sound in touch of cold breeze. The little princess in the crib tries to grab the moving wooden bunnies of the dreamcatcher. She crawls adorably being desperate to catch one, but the dream catcher is a little bit higher for her to reach. Yeong laughs, as the princess pouts in failure of not catching at least one.

"Mama... Mama!"

"Say ...Appa*...APPA...I will let you grab bunnies then," Yeong is trying hard to teach the little princess a new word, at least to call him father.

( Appa*- father)

"... Mama!...," the baby princess gives puppy eyes to her father while being confused.

"Yah! Stop pretending like your mother," Yeong tickles the baby on her feet, at which the baby breaks into laughter and squirms showing her newly grown two teeth.

"Enough playing. Now let her sleep. It's sleeping time, Yeon Hwa," Wei Ling suddenly takes the baby from the crib.

The baby princess named Yeon Hwa hums cutely in response to her mother.

"It's a rebellion against me. I am trying hard to teach her, but she is repeating the same word," Yeong says to Wei Ling who is patting the baby's back, taking her in her arms.

"She has learned it from you. Queen Mother has told me that the second word you learned was "Yeon" not "Yeong" after 'mama.' She is indeed your daughter. Queen Mother warned me not to let Yeon Hwa follow your way," Wei Ling teases Yeong using his childhood memories that she has learned from the Queen Mother.

"How many little princes and princesses have you witnessed to be intelligent enough to try to answer every question? I used to answer every question whether I knew or not" he caresses the head of the sleepy little princess.

"My baby is such a sleepyhead like her father!" Wei Ling kisses Yeon Hwa's cheek and places her back in the crib.

"Have you yet thought anything about brother Zhu's proposal?" Yeong asks while walking with Wei Ling in the corridor of his palace.

"Our daughter is someone who has sacred royal blood. Her alliance marriage proposal especially with the Chinese prince will not make your political position more questionable and also Yeon Hwa will have a secured future."

"I am so lucky to have you beside me, Wei Ling," Yeong suddenly back hugs her. He is now working as Chief Advisor of the Royal Administration court. Wei Ling has always stayed beside him in every decision he makes, interprets neutrally, and criticizes his every action, and works straightforwardly. 

Yeong pecks her cheek at which Wei Ling smiles, "Me too, Goryeo Prince."

_______________________

Crown Prince Wang Eun observes each part of the separated bow with full concentration.

"Eun-ah! About what my little prince is worried about?" Yun Hee wipes some blackish dirt from the little prince's cheek. She tries to fix up his loose robe but finds out he has used the robe's ribbon to tie up separated bow parts.

"Eomma! His Imperial Majesty has said the lighter the bow and arrow, the more I can control," Wang Eun says with bigger eyes.

"Omo! My baby is worried about it!"

" Eomma, I want to hunt like His Imperial Majesty," the baby crawls in his mother's lap.

"Ah! Does my baby want to hear the story of a nine-tailed fox? How he fell in love with a duck princess while hunting?" Yun Hee stands up taking the crown prince in her arms and steps towards the bed.