The bell rang not long after dawn. Yunho had been going to check on his crying daughter, who was still in her crib at that very moment... but he stopped dead in his tracks. As soon as the bell began tolling, her crying had instantly stopped. She began to coo and laugh for some reason he did not quite understand, bouncing up and down as she stood holding onto the rails. He shook his head at her and finished walked to her. When he picked her up, he felt that she had a wet diaper. He handed her over to his already-dressed wife so she could tend to her while he finished dressing himself.

Once they were dressed and the baby changed and dressed warmly, as that this first day of spring was exceptionally cold, he grabbed the two purses of coins from the hiding place he always put them in. He looked at the two purses in his hand. One was from the year before, when his daughter had been born. He had not been able to give the tribute from his family then, so he had made himself promise not to spend this extra money, even though it was nearly a month's worth of wages. It would have come in so handy with the new baby.

Yunho led his wife from the house with Sooyeon in her arms. The cobble stone streets were still laden with the snow they had gotten just a few days before. The wind was just a breeze, but it was enough to make him shiver still. He watched his wife hold their daughter closer to her to protect her from the cold. He put his arm around her to help warm them all.

When they reached the edge of town, Lord Kim was already there. He was dressed, as always, in just a simple white toga, seemingly unaffected by the cold. Currently, the richer members of the town were gathering around him, laying their offerings in front of the dragon. That was the way it always was. The richest gifts were given first. Yunho was one of the last to give offering, as that he was one of the poorer members of the community. After waiting nearly an hour, it was finally his turn. He and his wife went forward and he gently placed the two bags at the dragon's feet and bowed to him. His wife's gasp, though, made him look up quickly. The noble dragon had taken their infant gently from Soojin's arms. The entire town was hushed behind them...

"Shall the child be my Offering as well," he asked, his voice full of mirth and a broad smile upon his face as he looked at the happily cooing baby. His normally fathomless eyes were filled with the reflection of the infant.

The child's father was completely taken aback, as he was sure the rest of the town was, too. Words failed him as he watched the dragon continue to hold his daughter gently, still smiling at her. This was unheard of...

The dragon lord closed his eyes then, still smiling, kissed Sooyeon's forehead. That made her make the most happy noise her parents had ever heard from her. "May you grow to be beautiful and wise, young one."

Soojin still stood shocked as she was handed back her baby. Lord Kim rarely bl