Heart of Ice

Handkerchief

He just sat there on the ground beside her as she cried in her knees.

She wished he would go away, because she hated that she was in such a state in front of him, but he seemed unwilling to leave her alone, and so she just let herself cry, taking full advantage of the handkerchief he had given her.

"So, what kind of novels do you like?" the young man asked after she stopped crying many minutes later. It was an obvious attempt to lighten the mood now between them.

She didn't answer him.

"I like history books," he told her. "Philosophy too, but I like history more. I was just reading a fascinating book about the history of China. Did you know that women in China break their feet because they think it makes them beautiful?"

"No," she replied, "I didn't know."

Wonwoo seemed happy that she replied, and so continued: "yes! They do. And there are many other things different women from around the world do to be beautiful. In some tribes in Africa, women put rings in their necks so that it becomes longer. In Arabia, they put this black power around their eyes. Here in Solen, we make women wear dresses that makes it difficult for them breathe."

Yewon smiled at that. He was clearly referencing the fact that she was not wearing one of those cursed dresses. "What about in Galacia? Have you read about that?" she asked.

"Of course," the man replied. "In Galacia, it's about modesty. The more a woman covers of her body, the more beautiful she is. Am I right?"

She nodded, "you are."

"I read a lot about Galacia. I want it to visit it one day; maybe when things calm down."

"Take me with you if you ever go," Yewon replied, feeling herself want to cry again.

"Of course princess," he told her. "I know that you miss your home. Is that why you're sad?"

"No," she told him. "I'm sad because your prince is cruel."

She didn't really think about how she just insulted the Prince of Solen to a Solenese scholar. She didn't care either. She wanted to insult Seungcheol; she wanted someone to hear her and to agree with her.

"He's not a bad person, princess..."

"I don't want to talk about him," Yewon replied. "I hate him, and I don't want to hear anyone defend him."

The man nodded in understanding. "My name is Wonwoo, by the way," he told her.

She bowed her head to him to greet him, realizing in that moment that it was no longer a habit for her to greet people by putting her hand on her heart. It was sad to think she was losing this part of her culture already, so soon into the marriage.

"Are you a scholar?" she asked him.

"I'm not old enough to be a scholar," Wonwoo said with a shrug, "but I'm working towards it."

"Are you a knight, or an executive, or a servant, or a royal or..."

"None of the above," Wonwoo replied chuckling.

"Then what are you?"

"I don't want to say."

"Why not?"

"If you knew what I was, you'd understand why not..."

"So will I ever know?"

"You'll find out eventually," Wonwoo replied with a smile. "But for now, I would like to just speak to you anonymously, if that's okay?"