The Prince and the Pauper

A long way away, far from the lands where the mysterious occurrences have been happening, there lived two siblings, a brother and a sister. They lived in a run-down shack at the end of their village, and although they didn't have much, they manage to get by rather nicely. The boy had finished a fair amount of education and has entered apprenticeship under their village’s blacksmith. The girl is still in school, but considering that schooling is a luxury in their area, we could say that the siblings are pretty well-provided for.

In that quiet shack one lazy afternoon, the girl sat on a windowsill and stared up at the sky. She noticed the strange white clouds floating idly against the light-blue expanse. They were different somehow; perhaps the way they swirled, how thick (or thin) they were, or maybe some other thing. The girl couldn’t point it out. However, her daydream was interrupted by the sound of the front door closing: the only indication that her older brother was home.

“Lee Sungjin. I thought I told you that by the time I get back, you should have answered at least three of these problems. This piece of parchment is still untouched!”

Sungjin sighed and pushed herself off the ledge and came over. She stared at the parchment lying down on the wooden table. Then she plopped down on a chair and scowled.

“Sungjong oppa…” she whined. “It’s too hard! I can’t do it without you!”

Sungjong brought a palm to his forehead. “Aigoo… Sometimes I wonder how you get by in school. It was no problem when I was there,” he muttered. He pulled up a chair and examined the black etches and marks on his sister’s homework assignment. A look of recognition crossed his face.

“This one’s easy! C’mere, let me show you.”

Sungjong took a pencil and scribbled solutions on the paper, writing here and there, and once in a while showing Sungjin how he came up with them. The younger girl nodded along, looking at her brother every now and then with admiration.

He has always been fascinated with learning, she thought. How he motivates himself, I don’t know. But in whatever he does, especially in academics, he excels. I want to be more like him, but I’m pretty sure I won’t be able to give as much effort as he does.

“And finally, here’s the answer,” said Sungjong all of a sudden. “Did you get it?”

Sungjin snapped out of her thoughts and peeked at the paper. The once-empty piece of parchment was now filled with Sungjong’s familiar neat scrawl. She nodded enthusiastically.

“I think I get it now,” she said. “Let me do the others and see if I understood correctly.

Sungjin grabbed the pencil and worked on the remaining problems. Most of the time I learn a lot more from oppa than in school. She finished and showed it to her brother. He smiled in approval.

“You got it! I’m so proud of you!” Sungjong ruffled her hair with such affection that Sungjin found herself leaning against his chest.

He has always looked so elegant and refined, despite his simple clothing. And he’s so humble about it too. Compared to me, he’s a prince, and I’m just a street urchin.

“You are?” Sungjin whispered with a small smile.

“Of course I am,” said Sungjong softly and kissed the top of her head.

But no matter how lowly I look at myself, he always makes me feel otherwise. I’m his pride, his only one.

Later that night, as Sungjong was rinsing their dinner dishes, a knock came from the front door. Sungjin looked up from her book and glanced at her brother.

“Should I get that?” she asked.

“Would you please?” requested Sungjong. “Just be careful, okay? Look before you talk.”

Sungjin nodded and put her book down.  She made her way to the door and opened it narrowly. She almost jumped back at what she saw. A woman in a black cloak was hunched up against the wind, and white frizzy hair tumbled out of her hood. She appeared to be quite old.

“Excuse me?” squeaked Sungjin.

The old woman looked up, but her hood shadowed her face. “Good evening. You probably don’t know me, little girl, but I knew your uncle. He asked me to ride back here and give you this,” she said in a raspy voice. She outstretched her wrinkly hand that held aloft a leather pouch. Before Sungjin could take it, Sungjong appeared behind her.

“Good evening,” he said. He had this guarded look on his face that spooked Sungjin. He only showed this face to those he wasn’t familiar with. In short, she has never seen that face before. He gently pushed Sungjin behind him.

“Sungjong, look at how much you’ve grown,” said the old woman with familiarity. “You may not remember me, either, but I was a friend of your uncle’s. You do remember Jungryeol, don’t you?”

“Yes I do,” said Sungjong curtly. “Is this all your business?” He took the outstretched pouch.

“Pray don’t be mad at me, or your uncle, young man,” she said. “It was important that he left, but he misses you so. But yes, that is all. I shall leave you now.”

Sungjong nodded stiffly and watched as the old woman disappeared in the darkness. Sungjong pocketed the pouch and closed the door. Sungjin was looking at him with a face that demanded an explanation.

Sungjong sighed. “Go up first. I’ll just finish down here, and then we’ll talk.”

The moment her brother crossed the bedroom’s doorway, Sungjin bombarded him with questions.

“Who was that, oppa? Did you know her? How did she know our uncle Jungryeol? And what was that she gave you? May I see it?”

Sungjong looked at her and raised an eyebrow. “Have you brushed your teeth?”

Sungjin pouted. “I did, okay? Just tell me what happened back there.”

Sungjong, still not answering her questions, sat at the edge of her bed. He looked at his little sister closely and nodded.

“You didn’t miss a spot this time.”

Sungjin raised an eyebrow. “Yes, I didn’t. Now what is in that pouch?”

The older one sighed. He drew out the leather pouch and untied it. He took out a piece of paper and unfolded it.

“What’s that?”

“A letter from uncle Jungryeol. Do you want the honor of reading it?” he asked. Sungjin nodded and got the paper from her brother’s fingers. It said:

Sungjong and Sungjin,
Hello, you two. I hope you have been well these past 9 years. By this time Sungjong is probably an apprentice, am I right? And little Sungjin is studying in school. I miss you two so much.
But now is not the time to say such things. In this pouch is an important item that I have to send to you two for safe-keeping. I know out of all the people I know, you are the ones I could really trust. Keep it safe and hidden, but as much as possible: don’t keep it touching you for too long. When you see it, you’ll understand why.
I’m sorry I had to leave you all of a sudden. But it’s important and vital that I had to go. From what I’ve heard, you have grown up quite well. I commend you, Sungjong, for graduating with honors.
I know we’ll see each other again. But till then, farewell. And remember, the stars never lie, but men and beasts do. I love you.
Uncle Jungryeol

“What is that item he’s—”

Before Sungjin could finish her question, Sungjong had shaken the bag and taken out of it another thing, and it caused him to gasp. Sungjin peeked at it and was confused.

“A… piece of glass?”

“No, look.” Sungjong put the item in front of Sungjin’s face. The latter saw her reflection against the clear surface.

“Oh, it’s a mirror.”

Sungjong was on the roll. “Don’t you remember that last story he told us? The one about an evil sorcerer and a bronze guardian and—”

“—a shattered magic mirror!” said Sungjin all of a sudden. “I remember now. Could this be one of the four pieces?”

“It could be,” replied Sungjong. “Why would he tell us to keep it safe? Do you remember why these shards are so dangerous?”

Sungjin paused to think. Then realization hit her. “The last spell that the evil magician uttered! ‘Whoever the keeper of this mirror may be, may it be king or slave or man free; the beauty in here that he shall see will be the cause of cursed vanity’.”

“Exactly.”

The siblings sat in silence for a while. Neither of them ever thought that the bedtime story they were told eight years ago was actually true. A chill passed through them as each realized the parallelism of the dark happenings all over the world to this discovery.

Sungjong looked at his little sister. There was no look of fear in her face; rather, she looked awed and dumbstruck.

“Sungjin? Why don’t we think about this in the morning?” said Sungjong slowly. He pocketed the shard of the mirror, taking it upon himself to look after it that night. It took a moment for the girl to respond.

“Oh, yes, okay.” She buried herself further under her blanket, and Sungjong tucked her in.

Sungjong gazed at her softly. She is indeed his treasure. “Are you feeling alright?” he asked.

Sungjin smiled back. “Yes, I’m fine. But we’ll be alright, won’t we?”

Sungjon tried to hide his uncertainty with a smile, but Sungjin saw through him anyway. “I’m sure everything will turn out right in the end. So if it’s not alright, it’s not the end yet.”

Sungjin laughed, then stifled a yawn. “Good night, oppa.”

Sungjong leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. “Sleep well, Sungjin.”

Much to her dismay, though, Sungjin didn’t sleep that well that night. She tossed and turned in bed so hard that Sungjong awoke and came to her side.

“Sungjin. Sungjin! Are you feeling alright?”

Sungjin bolted awake and sat panting as if she had run a mile. She saw Sungjong in front of her and wrapped her arms around him.

“It’s alright… I think I’ll be fine…” said Sungjin, her breathing slowing down.

Sungjong her hair. “This is strange…” he mumbled. “Why are you the one haunted by nightmares when I’m the one holding the mirror?”

Sungjin didn’t answer that; she wasn’t sure of it either. “Maybe it has nothing to do with it,” she reasoned.

“But sis,” Sungjong said seriously. “You don’t just get nightmares.”

The next afternoon, when Sungjin came home from school, she found Sungjong packing a cloth bag with clothes and other supplies.

“Where are we going?” she asked.

Sungjong turned and sighed. He kneeled in front his sister and put his hands on her forearms.

“Sungjin, listen to me,” he said slowly. Sungjin squirmed uncomfortably; she did not like where this is headed. “I have to go away for a while. But I’ll come back to you, I promise.”

“It’s about my nightmares and the mirror, isn’t it?” sighed Sungjin. “I told you I was fine.”

“Sungjin, it’s not—well, it’s not normal to just have nightmares. I know that it’s somehow connected to the presence of the shard. And I’m going to take it far away, wherever it needs to be.”

“But what about me?” asked Sungjin, starting to tear up. “You know I can’t live more than a week without you!”

Sungjong wrapped his arms around her tightly. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. I can’t live knowing that you’re all alone here. Who knows what might happen? I would never be able to forgive myself if something bad happened to you without me.”

“I… I’ll miss you, oppa…” sniffled Sungjin. “Be careful, okay? You promised to come back.”

“I know,” said Sungjong with a smile. He stood up and picked up his cloth bag. “Take care too, and be safe. I love you, sis.”

“I love you too, oppa.”

As the door shut behind Sungjong, Sungjin got the feeling that she won’t be seeing him for a very long while.