1400, Early Joseon Period

There were hundreds of shamans in Hanyang, some really gifted, and some pretended to be gifted, but none would have even the slightest bit of courage to argue that the Park family shaman was the greatest of all.

Shamans practiced in balancing the spirit world and the human world. Some had the skill to tell fortunes, some did exorcism, and some casted spells for daily domestic necessities. However the shamans from Park family could do all three, and much more.

They were so magically skilled that people didn’t even call them shaman. They call them witches. The whole kingdom knew of them, but rarely was ever accepted as clients. They only had one permanent client: the royal family.

The royal family relied on Park Mi Seon, the current active witch of Park family, to decide dates for important ceremonies, the reason behind decisions and many other things concerning their and the nation’s needs.

Park Mi Seon visited the emperor to regularly read the signs the stars, wind and shadows of the sun told her. Her fortune-telling was always accurate.

However, when her husband passed away, Park Mi Seon refused to leave her house, even by the emperor’s order.

Any other person who refused the emperor’s invitation would undoubtedly be imprisoned, but for Emperor Sejo, Park Mi Seon was a good friend, so he decided to visit her in her house.

The emperor liked to escape the palace in common clothes and saw what was happening in his city without people knowing. It was his way of understanding what really happened, without relying too much to his ministers.

This habit started when he was still a prince, and continued until he became an emperor, and even when he had his Crown Prince, Prince Sungjae.

The father and son were really close, so naturally, when the emperor announced that he would go and visit Park Mi Seon in her house that night, the eleven year old prince insisted to follow.

Accompanied with only four guards, also in their common clothes, they left from a special gate only the emperor and his closest people knew.

Witch Park’s house looked as normal as could be from the outside.

The emperor already sent a letter that he would visit, and was relieved to find the witch at home. He was afraid she would have run away to avoid speaking to him.

They were welcomed into a sitting room, where Sungjae saw thousands of books stacked into wooden shelves that reached the ceiling. He was ready to see skulls and snakes, but all he saw was the witch wearing the white hanbok for mourning.

She looked pale and unwelcoming, but she bowed to them anyway, and asked them to sit down.

All of a sudden, Park Mi Seon reached for a tray of teapot and cups.

Strange, Sungjae was sure that table on her right was empty a few seconds before.

“What an unlikely visit, from the reigning emperor to the humble peasant.”

The emperor chuckled.

“You are a lot more than a mere peasant, and the whole kingdom knows that.”

“I am still undeserving of this visit, Your Highness. All I wanted was a one year break, that’s all.”

“And it’s too long. We need you.”

“What would you need me for, Your Highness? You know everything would go well for the next few years.”

“The next few years?” Sungjae suddenly asked, putting emphasis in the third word.

“Omo, Crown Prince, don’t you think the weather is so nice tonight? It’s a full moon outside. Why don’t you take a walk?”

Sungjae was the Crown Prince. He knew he would rule the country one day. No one in his entire life had ever been so rude to him, casually telling him to “take a walk”.

To his father he then turned.

But the emperor urged him to get some fresh air and walk around the house.

He sighed.

His father was someone he must listen to, no matter what. So he got up and began walking around the house.

It was a strange house. It was good enough, he guessed. He could imagine there were at least six rooms inside. The garden was quite large, too. Still, he felt sleepy ever since he entered the house. Maybe there was magic around, guarding the house and keeping what’s supposed to be secrets to stay inside.

The moon was indeed full that night. It was the end of spring, and the weather was really nice. He could hear the crickets making a merry tune.

However, he suddenly saw a butterfly. It had a distinct blue colour on its wings, and it was shining in blue colour, like a very small, flying lantern.

Then he saw another shining butterfly. It was bright green. Then he saw a pink butterfly, then orange, and purple.

Astounded but curious, he walked along that side of the garden, and saw there were at least a hundred shining butterflies in various colours. They were flying in various, interesting formations. First a triangle, then a square, then a circle, and finally dancing in the air.

In the middle of all those shining, colourful butterflies, stood a little girl. She was singing a song, and it was obvious that she was the one controlling them.

She was also wearing a white hanbok for mourning. Her hair was long and not braided, running lose down her waist. There was a small gust of wind circling her, making her hair swayed with the breeze.

The breeze was only around her, though. Sungjae didn’t feel any breeze at all.

“It is rude to peek, you know” the little girl spoke, suddenly turning to face her.

Sungjae was shocked, but he didn’t run away.

The girl looked his age.

She didn’t fall to a curtsey, like she didn’t know who he was.

“You’re supposed to have a stomach ache and not follow your father.”

“Excuse me?”

“Unless you didn’t eat the spicy doenjang jjigae during dinner?”

“How did you know there was jjigae in my dinner?”

“I just do. I know a lot of things.”

The girl just stared at her. She was a pretty child. But in that white hanbok and lose hair, Sungjae thought she looked like a ghost.

“You’re not a ghost, aren’t you?”

“No. I am a human.”

The girl stared at him for some time, waving her hands as if she was dancing. The shining butterflies were still flying around her.

“I tried to make you want to turn around and leave, but it’s not happening. Why are you still here? Did you block it?”

“...........I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”

“You and I, we shouldn’t see each other. But you are here. Something strange is happening.”

The little girl moved her hands again, but she became upset. Whatever she tried to do, it didn’t work out.

“Stop blocking my magic!”

“I’m not doing anything!”

“You’re lying! Ommoni is the only one who can block my magic! How can you do that? Are you also a wizard, Crown Prince?”

“Uh......you know me?”

“Just go away. You really shouldn’t be here.”

“Why not?”

“Because bad things will happen if we become friends.”

“What do you mean?”

“Just please go home!”

She was so upset that the butterflies all fell from the air.

Dead.

“............are you Park Mi Seon’s daughter?”

“I obviously am. What a stupid question. Can you go now?”

“Wha—I am the Crown Prince. How could you speak like this to me?”

The little girl became shocked. Her eyes widened. Then she burst out laughing.

“Sure, you are the crown prince. So? It has nothing to do with me. This is my palace and I’m the Crown Princess. We are equal. Or you might even be beneath me.”

“No, I’m not. It is you who are beneath me.”

Her black eyes suddenly turned red, and the butterflies turned to daggers.

“Apologize” she warned, “Or I’m going to hurt you.”

“No, you apologize! How dare you insult me this way?”

The little girl waved her hands and the daggers flew to Prince Sungjae.

“PARK SOOYOUNG, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING???”

Park Mi Seon came running to her daughter, with a wave of her hand, Sungjae was wrapped in white, transparent ball that protected him from Sooyoung’s daggers.

The emperor and his guards were behind Park Mi Seon.

“HE TOLD ME I AM BENEATH HIM!!!” she screamed.

“But he’s the crown prince! Of course you are beneath him!”

“I AM NOT! I AM OMMONI’S DAUGHTER!!!”

“Your Highness, please forgive her. She’s just a child, and I’ve always hid her because she still can’t control her power. She rarely sees another child. She got too excited.”

“He—“

Before Sooyoung could say anything, her mother made her lost her voice for the time being. No matter how she tried to scream, nothing could be heard.

“That was really dangerous!” the emperor yelled. “She could’ve killed my heir!”

“She didn’t mean it, Your Highness, she didn’t know what she was doing.”

Park Mi Seon freed Sungjae from the ball of protection.

“Are you alright, Son?”

Sungjae nodded.

He looked really pale, but he was alright.

“We were just playing, Apmonim. I offended her.”

The emperor was surprised because Sungjae defended the little witch.

“Well, as long as you’re safe. Come on. It’s 9 PM. We better head back.”

Park Mi Seon knelt on the grass, not wanting the emperor to be even the slightest bit angry.

As Sungjae walked away, he could hear the witch scolding her daughter. It wasn’t clear what she exactly said, though.

***********************************************

“I told you to stay in your room!!!” Park Mi Seon yelled.

“I was bored!!!”

“You know you shouldn’t have met!!!”

“He was the one who didn’t have a stomach ache, why are you yelling at me?”

“Why did you talk to him? You should’ve run away!”

“He was the one who came to my garden when I was playing! Why is it my fault?”

“It’s your fault that you two met despite what I warned you! And you attacked him too!”

“But he didn’t get hurt!!!”

“Only because I arrived on time!!!”

“He’s not hurt!!! I am!!!”

“How are you hurt??? How??? You’re the one who sent the flying daggers to him, the crown prince!!!”

“I am hurt because my mother is screaming at me, while that boy is unharmed, and STILL HAS A FATHER!!!”

Park Mi Seon blinked at that. And sighed.

“You are unwell, Child. It is not his fault if he still has father and you don’t anymore.”

Little Sooyoung was crying.

“It’s not my fault that he saw me.”

“I know. Maybe destinies can’t be fought, but you still must try your best. Maybe I really should send you to live in our house at the mountain.”

“Ommoni, I already have to hide from the other children in the city. I never leave this house! Abeoji was my only friend and now he’s gone. I only have you, now! If you send me away, I’ll just kill myself!”

“Don’t speak like that!”

“I really will! I want to be with you or I’ll just die!”

“Ahrasseo, ahrasseo. I won’t send you away. If you just stay here quietly, maybe things can be managed.”

“Jeongmalyo?”

“Ye” Mi Seon answered, wiping her daughter’s tears away.

“Come. I’ll give you some cookies and tea, and then you can go to bed.”

“I love Ommoni the most” little Sooyoung beamed, already forgetting her anger and holding her mother’s hand.

Together, they walked back into their house.

*******************************************************

As the little prince lied in bed, he couldn’t stop thinking about the strange little witch.

He wondered what else could she do with her magic.

If he was nice, maybe she’d be willing to be his friend.

And also, maybe it was time for him to start his own journey outside the palace. He had his own guards, while his father and mother, the queen, were mostly busy. They wouldn’t find out if he escaped from the palace for a few hours at night.

Smiling, he thought, “I’ll apologize to her for being rude, and give her some candies.”

******************************************************

Author’s Note:

I’m listening to a podcast analyzing Harry Potter from book one, and reading a webtoon titled My Cold Blooded Prince, the background was in an alternate universe of Japanese Shogun era? So I guess I somehow mixed them and wanted to write this story.

I know you have some questions. You’ll find the answers in the upcoming chapters.