[Chapter Three:]

 

 

             A Love that Last for a Lifetime

 

                            (Page 1-11)

 

 

 

 

                          First Chapter

                          

                             Joseon 1688

 

 

 

 

 

I am Sandara and this is our story.........

 

 

 

"Sandara? What are you doing up there? Can you please get down and help your sister so she can also rest?" Her eomma called unto her. Dara nodded and closed the notebook she's reading and climb down from the horse she's riding. 

 

 

 

Sandara was pouting as she walked to where her older sister is. Taeyeon was walking fraily thats why she was assisted with their other sibling Cheundong. Sandara was pouting because she was so engrossed in learning how to read and write jungeum (old hangul). But as she saw her sister's situation, who is sweating profusely and looking so pale, her heart softened. 

 

 

 

"Unnie, I know you are tired. I'll tell appa to take a rest for a while so you can recuperate." Said Sandara.

 

 

 

Taeyeon just nodded at her as she is too weak to speak. Sandara immediately ran after her father who is the one who leads the group. 

 

 

 

Its still 9am in the morning but the sun is shining so brightly up in the sky, they can now feel the striking heat of the sun. Its almost summer time and now they are on their third month of traveling to a small community on the southern part of Joseon. Their family originally came from the northern part which is in Hanyang but decided to relocate due to her father's misunderstanding with his brother. 

 

 

 

They have started traveling for the last three months, they have brought everything they have. They have brought their horses, chickens and goats. And aside from their family, some of their neighbors also went with them. Most is the friends of her appa, namely, Jung Ho Min, Lee Dong Cha, Sah Ra Jang and Min Ju Hook and their own families. 

 

 

 

All in all there are almost fifty people who is currently travelling with them. Her father Jeong Jun Ki is the one who leads the group. Her father is already on his old age but still has strong body. He has lean body frame, has squinty eyes and brows that is in knots. 

 

 

 

While her mother is a pure chinese woman. Her mother's relatives came from Canton, China. But she decided to stay here in Joseon after she married her father. 

 

 

 

Her mother and father lives in Hanyang for a long time until one day, her father's brother, Jeong Dong Wook who currently holds a title granted by the King himself decided to banish their family. And before her uncle murders their family, they decided to leave Hanyang and travel down south where her older brother currently resides. 

 

 

 

They are now on their way to a small town of Geokjuram where her older brother, Jeong Yoo Chun lives along with his wife. 

 

 

 

Geokjuram is the place they decided to start anew. Jeong Jun Ki and his wife Jeong Tzu Yu was blessed with with five children. Their first born is Yoo Chun 25years old, he is already married to Bo Ram, a native of Geokjuram. Next is Taeyeon, she's 22 years old, then came Sandara 19years old, then Cheundong 16years old and their youngest is Chanyeol 7years old. 

 

 

Jeong Taeyeon is famed for her immaculate beauty, she has beautiful chinky eyes which she inherited from her chinese mother, porcelain skin, and a long wavy hair that surrounds her heart shaped face. Taeyeon is dainty, well mannered and kind. That's why their mother takes care of Taeyeon more than her other children because she believes that Taeyeon will bring good fortune to their family. Their mother hopes that Taeyeon will be married to a noble family. 

 

 

 

While Jeong Sandara also possesses the beauty that her older sister has, chinky eyes, creamy skin, and a heart shaped face. Though the difference is, Sandara is the mischievous one. She's boyish, and instead of helping her mother and sister in taking care of house chores, she loves tagging along with her father. She tags along with her father when he goes fishing in the ocean or when her fathers plants wheats on the farm. 

 

 

 

As for Jeong Cheundong, he's the most matured out of his other three older siblings and he's also the brightest. Back in Hanyang, he always tags along with their neighbors who is scholars in Joseon palace. He also works in one of the Eunuchs so he can buy notes, pens and textbooks that he needs to further his knowledge. And aside from his intelligence, Cheundong possesses good looks that was admired by the girls back in Hanyang. Even upper classes women admires his handsomeness. 

 

 

 

Their youngest son Chanyeol is one of the worries their family has. Chanyeol is already seven years old and resembles Cheundong. Their worry is that, up until now, they haven't heard Chanyeol utter any single word. 

 

 

 

"Appa! Can we rest for a while? Taeyeon unnie is tired and is looking so pale already!" Sandara pleaded. Her father looked back and saw his eldest daughter being assisted by Cheundong. 

 

 

 

"Alright..... we can rest here so we can also take our lunch since its almost noon already." Her father said. Sandara nodded in thanks and ran back to her sister to give out the news.

 

 

 

"In what part of Geokjuram are we going to reside?" Ho Min ahjussi asked. They are now currently resting under the big maple tree, some are currently preparing their food for lunch. 

 

 

 

"In Heokhi district, it is where my son is currently living in Geokjuram." Appa Jun Ki answered. 

 

 

 

"Who is the governor of Geokjuram?" Dong Cha ahjussi asked. 

 

 

 

"As I know, Geokjuram is governized by Lee family.  Lee Jeu Run is the one who founded Geokjuram even before Hanyang became the capital of Joseon. But now, it was governized by his great great grandson Lee Dong Hae." Appa Jun Ki explained. Sandara was attentively listening to her father, and she realized that they will be foreigners in this new town. 

 

 

 

After their sumptuous lunch, they started travelling again. And this time, Taeyeon is the one who is riding the horse guided by Cheundong. While Sandara is carrying Chanyeol on her arms, she noticed Chanyeol's sleepy eyes so she sang her usual song for him. 

 

 

 

~naughty child, naughty child

 

~our very own naught child

 

~Sandara noona's favorite dongsaeng

 

~go to sleep, go to sleep

 

~my favorite dongsaeng

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After months of continues travelling by land, they have now successfully arrived in the town of Geokjuram. It was already five pm but the town is still bustling with people, they saw workers who is currently working on the new cemented bridge that connects to another town. They saw families busily doing chores before the sun sets. Children happily playing on the side streets. The town of geokjuram is a prospering tow