Chapter 24: A Companion Who Does Not Speak

Not long after he finished lunch, the palanquin arrived.

After readying himself for the outing, he stepped outside to find a familiar face standing beside the palanquin.

Haeryeong let out a shallow breath as he felt the blood drain from his body.

The man dressed in black standing by the palanquin prostrated himself before Haeryeong and introduced himself.

“I am Yoon Seok-hwan, the Captain of the Black Shadow Unit. By His Majesty’s command, I shall escort Your Highness to the Office of Falconry today.”

He remembered the black-clad figure who had stood by the Emperor on that bone-chilling autumn day.

Haeryeong struggled to suppress the tremors running down his spine and forced a smile onto his stiffening face.

It was difficult to speak; an impossible, metallic scent of blood seemed to linger at the tip of his nose.

Clenching his hands hidden within his long sleeves, Haeryeong spoke slowly.

“I… leave it in your hands.”

After introducing a Black Shadow member named Han Su-yong who was by his side, Seok-hwan lifted the door of the waiting palanquin.

“Please step inside.”

Once Haeryeong boarded the palanquin, the door closed.

The moment the man vanished from his sight, Haeryeong stroked his pounding chest and let out a quiet sigh.

Soon, the palanquin jolted as the porters rose, continuing thereafter with a steady, rhythmic sway.

The Office of Falconry was located on Mount Eungbong, not far from the palace.

It was quite a distance to travel by palanquin, taking about an hour of steady walking.

Inside the palanquin, Haeryeong worked to manage his fluttering heart.

‘How beautiful will they be?’

He took deep breaths, fearing he might act recklessly out of sheer anticipation.

Sensing the scent of flowers leaking through the window, Haeryeong opened the palanquin’s shutter.

Along the narrow path winding up the foothills toward the falconry, flowers in full bloom were releasing their fragrance.

Unknown white flowers came into view along with the fragrant scent of grass.

The tender leaves seemed to sparkle under the sunlight filtering through the trees.

“Your Highness, do you have any commands?”

Iryeon, who was following alongside, noticed the window opening and stepped closer to ask.

Haeryeong peeked his face out through the small window, looked around, and shook his head.

“The scent of flowers reached inside the palanquin, so I wished to see.”

“Those are bridal wreath spireas. Are they not lovely?”

Though each small white flower was modest on its own, they appeared magnificent when blooming in clusters along the branches.

When he accepted the branch Iryeon plucked and handed through the window, his heart, which had been racing, finally settled.

“It is beautiful.”

“Shall I gather an armful for you on our way?”

Haeryeong smiled, grateful for Iryeon’s thoughtfulness.

“There is no need. Many small creatures in the mountains surely need these flowers more than I do, so I shall be satisfied with this one branch.”

“There must be bridal wreaths planted within the palace as well. I shall find out where they are once we return, so you may enjoy them there.”

“Let us do that.”

As they continued along the mountain path, many white and red azaleas were also in bloom.

Whenever Haeryeong became lost in the scenery, the court ladies would venture into the woods off the path to pluck flowers for him.

Consequently, his lap was soon overflowing with blossoms.

“It is strange to see spring flowers still remaining here; perhaps it is because we are in the mountains.”

Iryeon’s expression remained bright as she saw the azaleas and forsythias that had already withered in the palace still thriving here.

The Office of Falconry was located just below the mountainside, featuring a large clearing carved out of the slopes.

When Haeryeong stepped out of the palanquin, he saw the falconry officials—who had been notified in advance—prostrate on the ground.

“Rise. We must not waste time when there is work to be done. Let only the one who will help me choose a hawk remain; the rest of you may go about your duties.”

The man who remained was nearly as tall as the Emperor.

The man, with a tanned face and a stubbly beard, introduced himself as Myeong-un.

Haeryeong followed him to the area where the hawks were kept.

His shoulders tensed as he tried to ignore the two Black Shadow members following behind.

But that feeling was brief; Haeryeong’s face brightened at Myeong-un’s voice.

“These are the three I have prepared to show Your Highness.”

Three birds were perched on a stand in front of the hawk mews.

Their feet were bound with twisted silk cords attached to the stand, and their heads were covered with hoods.

Before approaching the perch, Myeong-un handed Haeryeong a glove made of several layers of cowhide.

He was wearing an identical one.

“It is called a beoreong. A hawk’s talons are incredibly sharp, so it would be dangerous to let one perch on your bare arm. You must wear this.”

As Haeryeong fitted the glove onto his left hand, Myeong-un removed the hoods one by one.

The hawks, their bright eyes darting around to take in their surroundings, began to shift their bodies up and down.

Two were goshawks; one seemed to be a chojini—a hawk under a year old—with brown feathers already grown, while the other still possessed a celadon-blue hue.

The third was a kestrel, appearing about three times smaller than the others.

Unlike the two fierce-looking birds, it had small, round eyes and a head that was quite lovely.

The moment the hoods were removed, Haeryeong let out a soft exclamation of wonder.

“Can something so small truly hunt?”

“They are used for catching small rabbits, mice, or mountain pigeons. Pheasants or larger hares are beyond them.”

Haeryeong nodded and chose the bluish cheongmae—a hawk less than a year old—from the three.

It was a carefully considered decision, following Myeong-un’s advice that the younger one would be easier to tame.

“Would you like to try feeding it?”

“Am I allowed?”

Myeong-un transferred the hawk to his own arm, took a piece of meat from a small pouch on his belt, and placed it in Haeryeong’s gloved hand.

“Just hold it like that.”

When he extended his arm with the meat, the bird hopped from Myeong-un’s forearm onto Haeryeong’s.

He was surprised by how light the bird felt, and even more so by the strength with which it gripped the leather of the glove.

Watching the bird tear at the meat in his hand, Haeryeong asked:

“What meat is this?”

“It is mouse meat. In the palace, you may feed it beef or chicken, but you must not give it too much.”

“Why is that?”

Myeong-un replied bluntly while supporting Haeryeong’s arm to keep it from dipping.

“Because if it is full, it will fly away to the mountains. It stays because it knows it can receive food from humans, so it must remain hungry to linger.”

He then offered a few more pointers.

“I shall provide the materials for a sichimi—an identification tag made of feathers and bells—so please make one and attach it yourself once you return to the palace.”

“It is best to make your own hood as well, but since leather is difficult to work with, I shall give you the one it is already using.”

Haeryeong listened to his explanation carefully and fell into thought for a moment when told to give the bird a name.

“I shall name him Changcheon.”

Since his feathers are blue and it is currently spring.

Haeryeong smiled as he watched the hawk, who had finished the meat and was now preening his feathers.

“Chang-ah.”

Changcheon, though not yet recognizing the name, turned his head toward the sound.

The sudden snap of the bird’s head was unfamiliar, causing Haeryeong to let out a small laugh.

“I shall show you how to perform ‘calling for food.’ Follow me.”

“What is calling for food?”

“It is the method of summoning the hawk by calling its name, teaching it that it will receive food if it comes when called.”

Myeong-un led Haeryeong to the clearing and fastened a feeding pouch to him.

He attached a long training line to the hawk and stepped far away, holding a piece of meat in his hand.

“Chang-ah!”

When he called out in a thunderous voice, the hawk turned its head and took flight with a whoosh.

Watching the hawk fly in a low arc and land on Myeong-un’s arm, Haeryeong let out an admiring gasp.

“Your Highness. You try calling him.”

Myeong-un spoke in a voice as booming as his large frame.

Haeryeong took a small piece of meat from the pouch, held it in his hand, and called to Changcheon.

“Chang-ah.”

“You must call louder.”

In that instant, his voice failed him.

Had he ever raised his voice before?

The strict etiquette of the Imperial Palace had always taught an Eumin to speak softly and gently.

For Haeryeong, who had lived that way since birth, making a loud sound was utterly foreign.

Myeong-un urged the hesitating Haeryeong once more.

“Chang-ah.”

When he called out a little louder, Myeong-un released the bird right on cue.

The bird flew over swiftly, wings fluttering as it folded them.

It spun around on his arm to settle in and began to tear at the meat.

Haeryeong’s heart pounded, startled by the volume of his own voice for the first time.

“Chang-ah.”

This time, when he called tenderly in a quiet voice, the hawk—having finished swallowing its meat—blinked its round eyes at Haeryeong.

“Now, you are my friend. So, let us get along well.”

Whispering to the speechless creature, Haeryeong smiled with a face more flushed than usual.

For some reason, he felt happy.

It felt as though he finally had someone he could open his heart to.

Since it could not speak, it was a companion who would never carry Haeryeong’s thoughts to another.

His heart throbbed at the thought of having gained a secret friend.

“May I touch you? I will not do so if you dislike it. Just let me touch you once.”

Changcheon tilted his head back and forth, blinking his round eyes.

After watching for a moment, he cautiously reached out; Changcheon stared intently at his hand, on guard.

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