Under the Sun

chapter 13.

Picture of Min Woo.  Yoo Ah In from Jang Ok Jung Live in Love.  Hope you enjoy this chapter!  Please comment or vote.  Please dont be a silent reader!xD

~Watercolur

chapter 13.

            A couple of days later, Aria encounters Prince Yun shooting archery as she is taking a walk.  As he shoots, Aria notices how strong and firm he looks every time he aims at the target before shooting as she stares at his backside.  Her cheeks blush a little at this thought.

            With her mind in another world, she suddenly hears a voice trying to get through to her.  “Hello?” Prince Yun is waving a hand in front of her face.  When he sees that she is back to earth, he smirks.  “Did you go somewhere?” he chuckles as he leans on his longbow. 

            “Hmm? Ah well…”

            “What are you doing here?” he asks as he cocks his head.  “Here to see me?”

            “You wish,” she says rolling her eyes and folding her arms. 

            “Then what?”  Prince Yun leans dangerously close to her face while furrowing his eyebrows in amusement.

            “Teach me how to use a bow and arrow,” Aria suddenly blurts out.

            “What?”  He laughs while turning away his head.

            “Are you going deaf?  I said teach me how to shoot a bow and arrow!”

            “You really are something…” he notes.  “Don’t you know that it is inappropriate for a Joseon woman to partake in such activities meant for a man?”

            “I don’t care.”

            “Really?  You’re very interesting.”  Prince Yun chuckles.  “I grew up in Qing most of my life and have met women like you.  Women married to men of high status would go horseback riding and even do jobs servants would normally do.  Something that would be unheard of in Joseon.  You should learn the ways of our society, my bright moon.”  At this, Aria frowns.

            “Why is it that I should conform my ways to Confucian society?  Those are just ideas made up by men,” Aria says. 

            “Exactly why do you want to learn archery?” he inquires raising an eyebrow.

            “It looks like fun,” she answers.  It is something else to occupy her mind other than studying.  “I feel like I’m going to die of boredom if I don’t do something physical.”

            Throwing his neck back, Prince Yun roars out a laugh.  Then looking back at her, he says, “You know…you’re really interesting, Myung Wol.”  He chuckles.

            “I’ve been told that many times,” she says shaking her head with a frown.

            “Like who?”

            “His Majesty.”

            “Really?”

            “Yes.”

            “Interesting…” he says while looking away in thought.  Turning back to her, he says, “Then shall I teach you archery?”  Aria nods her head in excitement.

            Over the next few days, Prince Yun patiently teaches his pupil the ways of archery.  She does very poorly and he laughs at her whenever she shoots the arrow way off from the target.  “You don’t have much upper strength, so it is hard for you to pull back the string…as expected of the female,” he explains.  Aria glares at him. Laughing, he explains further, “Men have better upper strength in their chest and arms because that’s just the way we are made.  So, we must develop your muscles in your chest and arms to be able to handle the bow better.”  He takes the bow from her and sets it on the ground.