30^th of august 1620

A babies cry was heard in the little house. At the foot of the Hanra mountain in Jeju island a pretty girl was born. The doctor declared her health was just fine after a few check-ups before congratulating the tired mother and stressed father. Her parents, overjoyed at their first child, couldn't stop staring at their own little miracle. Their first and last child was finally born.

The pretty baby was called Hyo-Sung by her endeared father.

Hyosung's life was everything a little girl could hope for. Her parents weren't rich, very poor to be exact, but her beautiful appearance gave her many privileges by the village people.

By the age of six she already had gotten many proposals by the village's people. The village people kept asking and their dowry kept rising for their chance to have Hyosung as their own in-law.

Her parents weren't interested in money though.

They were happy they've gotten lots of help from the village people even if it weren't for the parents' sake. Hyosung grew and grew, just getting more prettier everyday.

Her pitch black hair grew longer and dark round eyes got sparklier everyday. She has gotten attention from neighboring villages until something horrible happened.

Late spring 1628.

Hyosung being her free spirited self as she was playing with the street puppies was frightened. In the far distance she could see the entrance of her village, horsemen traveling way too fast on their horses as they rushed through the streets. Knocking over people and kimchi vases as they laughed loudly with their heavy husked voices. Hyosung didn't know what to do but she let her instincts take over her body movements.

Running as fast as she could with her bare small feet, not looking out on what she'd be walking. The pain on the soles of her feet weren't comprehended as blind fear took over. She's heard stories from the older boys in the village about scary men coming over once in a while, it had been a while since they've visited this little village.

At least 8 years since Hyosung haven't ever seen them before. In her blind panic she was running home, having grabbed one of the puppy youngsters she held it close the her chest. Hyosung could see her house. She could see her father with his palm above his eyes, blocking away the nice warm sun. Hyosung screamed, shouted for her father with all her might as she heard the horse hoofs closing in on her.

Hyosung's mother ran out of the door of their humble home at the foot of Hanra mountain. Mother spreading her arms wide as Hyosung was close enough to see her mother's scared expression. Her father's deep frown turned even deeper as Hyosung's crying face came into view. Hyosung finally felt a bit safer. Away from the loud and scary men she returned in her mother's arms.

She got picked up as her mom showed her a wavering smile, wiping away some lost tears and a pet on the head of the whining puppy in Hyosung's arms she turned around. Mother walked into their comfortable familiar home after Hyosung heard her father mumble something towards them. The door closed and the only sound that was heard, in their normally boisterous mountain woods, were horse hoofs and the small puppy whining.

The sounds died down, the pup got it's wanted attention by Hyosung and mother as they were crouching down in the corner of the large closet. A favorite hiding spot of Hyosung whenever they played hide-and-seek with mother and father. It was dark inside the closet. Voices could be heard outside on the porch. Mother gave her a small kiss on her forehead before telling her to stay in hiding, dad will come and find her soon. The door closed again.

Waiting is boring for an active 8-year-old. She never had to wait this long to be found before. Her puppy, named Gomdori from now on, was whining again. He was probably hungry just like Hyosung herself. The silence continued till a loud bang startled her. A loud booming voice sounded through her house.

                    “Young Lady~ Young Lady where are you?” it called teasingly. Her mother sounded scared, a bit helpless.

                    “There is nobody else here! Just my husband and I. We don't have a daughter nor a son.” Hyosung could hear her father talk with his angry stern voice she heard before whenever she played in the mud.

                    “Go outside. Now!” Hyosung was a bit shocked. Why was father angry? Why did mother say that? They had her, didn't they? Hyosung is their daughter, isn't she? Another loud stomp followed with a different angry sounding man.

                    “This is the house! This is the famous house with the beautiful girl. Now where is she!?”

Hyosung's heart wavered. She was a bit hurt at her father nor mother not recognizing her as their daughter. Hyosung was befriended with every boy in the village, she knew how to stand up for herself if she was bullied again by the other girls and had become ruder as she grew older. Hyosung had a little trouble trying to stand up after crouching down for so long. Her blood rushing through her small legs.

                    “Father.” she said after opening the door. “Am I not seen as a daughter of yours?”

Hyosung's eyes widened as the closet door banged shut, scaring Gomdori and especially herself. Father grabbed the scary man from behind, pulling him with a big force downwards while shouting for her to move. She gave it her all to jump over the scary man's legs, as he laid on top of her father on the floor, and out through the front door.

Meeting up with two other equally scary looking men outside Hyosung ran past them. Behind the men she saw a glimpse of her mom, bend over in the grass. Hyosung ran towards her, screaming and crying, every emotion she could muster in her frightened condition. Mother looked up before gasping. Hyosung saw her mother's wet face, full with tears, before her hand got pulled by mother.

They ran.

Hyosung ran as fast as her still bare feet could take her, occasionally being dragged by her mother as she couldn't hold onto the great speed of her mother's legs. But that great speed weren't as great as the speed of horses. The horse clops were loud, louder than before. Hyosung either looked in front of her or at her mother's side view.

Hyosung couldn't feel the ground anymore, her feet were dangling in the air as she saw the strong horse legs running next to her mother. Her long black hair drifting in the fast wind as some locks pasted against her wet face. Mother's tight grasp on Hyosung's hand hurt her a bit but her heart was hurting her far more. Her fast beating heart, as fast as the horse clops running and maybe even faster than that, hurt inside her ribcage. The arm around Hyosung's waist tightened as they pulled her harder away from her mother.

Hyosung outstretched her other hand towards her mother. No coherent words coming from her lips except her wailing and screaming, occasionally under broken by a 'mother' and 'father'.

Hyosung knew, she understood why those scary men were called dangerous by the village kids. She knew something was wrong and that this would and could never end well.

Something shiny swished in front of Hyosung's eyes. A disgusting noise and a loud thud followed. Her mother's shrill scream following right after. First a painful loud cry as she fell forwards in the muddy grass followed by a screechy scream. Hyosung got a chilly shiver through all her bones. She tried her best to look at her mother lying in the grass, hiding her hand as she stretched her other arm out towards her daughter, but the horse was powerful, making Hyosung dizzy as she was bouncing in the air next to it's strong muscled body.

                    “You're going to love your new playmate, young lady. And I'm sure some soldiers would love you too” A loud laughter was heard as the other two men were following close behind with their own horses.

Soft cries and sniffles were drowned by the clops of the horses as Hyosung was placed to sit in front of the scary man. He kept holding her tightly and it felt like he was crushing her already hurting ribcage. Her bleeding bare feet bouncing next to the horse's muscled shoulders. Her lungs still trying to catch her breath as it stung painfully.

                    “A long journey is ahead, Young Lady. Be prepared.”

Hyobin let out a big gasp as she sat straight up on the floor.

                    “Darn it. Not again”