- Your Majesty, it's time to get up for school! - I heard the quiet voice of Kim Eun Jae, the housekeeper of our mansion.
- Please don't call me like that! - I said sleepy and rubbed my eyes - This is my mother.
- But you are also a princess! - the woman replied.
I got up from the bed and got to the bathroom for a shower.
- You don't have to neglect your ancestry, Ms. Chae Ree! - Eun Jae continued with the tirade, after I came back in my room.
- I am An Chae Ree, not Yi! Also from long ago Korea is not ruled this way. - I answered and sat in front of the big mirror.
The woman stood behind me and started to brush up my  chestnut hair, then she dried it and curled it with the curling iron.
- Anyonghaseyo / Good morning/! - I bowed, after I entered in the dining room, but when I got up I realized that eomma is not here.
- Sit, my daughter! - appa invited me and I  obeyed.
- Where is eomma? - I asked him worried.
-  She had to leave early this morning. - he answered and then they served the breakfast.
- For where? - i continued with the questions.
- Pyongyang.
I dropped my cultery and looked at him shocked.
- What is eomma doing in North Korea?! It's dangerous there! What if something happens to her? - I got up.
- Don't worry, our guard is secure, no one would dare to attack her. - my father tried to calm me, but I got more scared.
- What is she going to do there? When she is going to return? Why she got there, not somebody else? - I felt the tears in my eyes.
Eomma wasn't any person! Before she got married for dad she was Yi Hong, the last heir of the royal family.
- The case was special and required her to attend, Chae Ree-ah! - appa raised his voice.
- I'm scared, that something is going to happen to her, appa! - I started to cry.
He got up and hugged me, then he kissed me gently on the head and wiped off my tears.
- Everything will be alright, I promise you! - he whispered to me.
I lost my appetite, so I went straight to the car and they gave me a lift to " Yeon Joo high school", or how many people call it: "The rich people's  high school".
Most of the people in there were arrogant and the most frequent topics that they talked about were who's parents are richer and who has more expensive car. I guess I should have done the same, like a daughter of a princess and politician, but I had different interests. At the lunch break while everyone talked about the newest gossips, I was sitting on a bench in front of the fountain in the courtyard of the high school and reading.
This year I was going to graduate from high school and study Journalism at Harvard.
Generally I was paying attention in class, but now I just couldn't concentrate on the teacher's words.
I was worried for eomma!
- An Chae Ree! - I jumped when I heard my name - Are you listening to me?
- I'm sorry, Mrs. Han... - I mumbled quietly.
- I'll close my eyes this time, but if you repeat it you're going to a detention! - warned me the maths teacher.
Then the class ended and after that the others till the lunch break.

When the bell rang, I went to the cafeteria to get something to eat, then got out at the courtyard and sat on the bench like always.
I opened the another book and started reading, but the words blurred in front of my sight. I couldn't concentrate!
I decided to give up for today from the reading and just to stare at the fountain .
I remembered how when I was little eomma gave me my first book, which she illustrated all by herself.
Someone would say that the drawings are elementary, but for me they were masterpieces.
- Hey, the princess! - someone shouted and I looked forward.
- Kai, leave her alone, or she'll call her guard and it will become dangerous! - Kyung Soo warned him.
- Won't you say something? Or you are too dignified to talk to the ruck? Am I right, Your Majesty ? -  a girl took part in the conversation.
I closed my eyes counting to ten to calm down, or else i would leave the manners behind my back and kick her ass.
-   My parents taught me not to talk to people below my level. -  answered and and stratched my back.
I took my bag and walked to the building when someone grabed me from the back.
- Were not at those times, to leave you to treat us that way! - Kai growled.
- Maybe your mother is a princess, but that doesn't mean we are scared of you! - Jin Ree told me.
- I haven't told such a thing! I just want you to leave me alone! - I tried to calm myself, like eomma taught me.
  - You cannot order to the people! - Kai shouted to me.
- Let's  show her where she belongs! - Min Ah smiled and as soon as I realized what was happening she kicked me in my belly.
Then I lost my temper and I slapped her.
- You, little bitch! - she screamed and grabbed my hair.
- Get off of me! - she didn't stop to pluck my hair and hitting me.
- ENOUGH! - someone shouted and we froze.
Oh, no! It was the principal!
- Yoon Min Ah! In my office! Now! - he screamed.
- And she? - Jin Ree pointed me, but the principal ignored her.
- An Chae Ree, you can go home. And call your father! - he said calmly to me and I listened to him.
But why he let me go home earlier? Is everything alright?
When I got out from school I took my phone out and called to appa.
- Chae Ree-ah! - I heard his worried voice.
- Appa! Is everything alright? Does something happened? - I was scared.
- Chae Ree-ah, I...your mother... - he started and I heard him crying - ...they attackes her before the meeting...
My eyes widened and the tears started to fall on my face.
- Anyo /No/! It can't be! - I shouted - Where is she, appa?! What they did to her?! - I was crying irresistibly.
- There was a bombing and they kidnapped her, then...- he made a pause- ...I don't want to think what might be happening to her...
I didn't knew what I feel anymore.
Sadness,because my mother was in obsecrurity, in the arms of people who will kill her in a blink of an eye, or fury, 'cause I couldn't help her in any way.
- You...you promised me! - I shouted - You promised me that she'll be alright!
- Chae Ree-ah, I... - then I heard dad coughing, then the voices of the guard.
- Appa! - I screamed, but he didn't answered me - Appa!
- Miss An Chae Ree...- I heard raspy male voice - ...your father fainted. We think that it's a heart attack and we'll drive him to the hospital as soon as we can! Go home, we'll get you soon from there! - and with this words the bodyguard ended the conversation.
I dropped my phone on the ground and looked at the sky.
Then little drops started to fall from it, turning it into pouring rain.
I couldn't stand this anymore. My legs buckled and I fell on my knees, breaking in tears.
- EOMMA! APPA! - I screamed and continued to cry helpless.
- See what we have here... - I heard someone's voice and rised my head.
It were they. Min Ah Kai, Jin Ree and Kyung Soo.
- Leave me alone... - I begged them with husky voice.
- Now nobody will help you, princess! We aren't on the territory of the high school, so you can't escape! - Jin Ree giggled and grabed my hair.
- Please! Let me go! - I cried.
I had no power to stand up and protect myself.
Then Min Ah slapped me and the others were standing there laughing at me.
- What's going on, Your Majesty? Won't you protect yourself? - Min Ah giggled and slapped me again.
At the end I gave up and left them to do what they want.
My life was ruined!
My mother was in danger somewhere in North Korea, my father was on the edge of the death, but I couldn't do anything to change that.
After every hit my vision became blurry. A trickle of blood was dripping from my lip, also like my nose. What a princess was I...
- Get off of her! - I heard someone's voice, but then my eyes closed and I fainted.
I guess that this is the end of me.

- Are you alright? - I slowly opened my eyes it took me a few seconds to focus on the face in front of me.
- W-where am I? - I tried to get up, but he pushed me back.
- Better don't get up, because it will hurt you more. - he advised me and I listened to him.
- Who are you? - I asked him feebly.
- It doesn't matter... - he replied.
I stared at his face. He was unbelievably beautiful, but from his torn clothes I realized that he is very poor.
- Sehun-ah... - I looked aside and saw a pale woman on the other bed.
She was breathing hardly and was frightening slim.
- Did you cleaned her w-wounds? - the woman mumbled.
- Yes, eomma... - the boy answered.
- She... - I started worried.
- She has cancer. - he said.
- The poor woman...- I mumbled and my eyes closed again.

I woke up after a few hours in a better state.
I got up and looked around. Sehun wasn't here.
His mother was sleeping calmly in the other bed.
With a little hope I searched my bag and when I found it I hurried to take out my wallet.
They helped me and I wanted to return the favor.
I took out all of my money and left them on the night table next to his mother's bed.
Then I took out a paper and wrote a note:

" Thank you for the help!
I appreciate it and because of this I want to thank you! For now I'm leaving, what I have. I hope it will help you! If you need something call me! Sehun-ah, save your mother! At least let your mother be alive!
With gratitude,
                               An Chae Ree "
After that I got my bag, went out from the dilapidated house and searched for a restaurant, from where I was going to beg them to call a taxi to home.
After that I never saw Sehun again.

*** 10 years later ***
- Chae Ree-ah! - I went down from the airplane and ran to appa, to hug him.
After what happend 10 years ago Sehun never called me, my father convalesced from the heart attack, I graduated from University, but eomma didn't came back. After a few months of  investigation they announced her as death. I was still crying for her, when I was alone.
- You have changed so much! - appa smiled - How it was at New York?
- It was great, but my home is here. And because of that I have returned! - I answered him.
We got in the car and they drived us to the mansion.
We got in my father's office.
It wasn't changed at all.
The big portrait of eomma was still on the big wall in front of his desk.
- Mr. An! - one of the guards shouted - Your woman... she is here!
- WHAT?! - I screamed in a shock and ran to the door of the mansion.
I couldn't believe to my eyes!
- Eomma... - one tear fell from my eye and I hugged her tight.
- Chae Ree-ah... - she sobbed and also hugged me very tight.
Her hair was gray and her skin was wizened. Trough what she went trough this 10 years?
- Hong - ah... - I heard appa's voice and moved from my mother.
She walked to him.
- Je Jun-si- she smiled - I've missed you so much!
I turned with a smile to the door, where a slender tall man with military uniform was standing.
- Lieutenant Oh Sehun on your services! - he bowed to me, without getting off his hat.
Then I remembered. He was  the beggar!
I grabbed his hand and ran to the garden of the mansion, where it was a wooden bench.
- This is you! - I smiled, happy, that I meet him again.
But he didn't answered to me. I was getting worried, that it wasn't him, when the solider giggled.
- I wasn't thinking, that you'll recognize me after so much time, Your Majesty! - he said to me.
- Don't call me like that! This is not me, it's eomma! - I corrected him - I was waiting for you to call me, but you didn't did it...
- Do you remember that they 10 years ago, when those bullies attacked you? - he asked me.
- How could I forget it? - I looked down and one tear fell on the ground, because of the memory.
- I did what you wanted. I used those money, to pay for eomma's treatment... - he began to talk.
- How is she? - I interrupted him.
- She's alright... and she wants to see you again. - Sehun answered me - After I took care of her, I decided, that I have to thank you, therefore I set a goal to find your mother and bring her back to you. I was accepted in the army and I spend years on the battlefield and when i felt ready, I left for North Korea.
- You putted yourself in such a danger because of me? - I asked unbelievably.
- I search in every concentration camp. I almost gave up, when I got to the laboratory... If I didn't hurried, I wouldn't save her. But now she is here, with her family. - he ended his story with a smile.
- I can't believe, that you got trough all of this... - I mumbled, shocked from the story.
- In the note it was written: "At least let your mother stay alive!"... Then I decided, that I want to bring you yours. - he said to me - Come on! Maybe they are wondering were are we.
- Yes! - we stood up and got back in the mansion.
- Leiutenant Oh Sehun! - appa began - You don't know how thankful I am to you! If there is a way, for me to repay you...
- Please, Ms. An, this is my duty! - Sehun smiled.
- Anyway! There must be something that you dream of! - appa continued.
- Actually... - he looked at me and I felt my cheeks burning and my heart skipped a beat - For now I prefer to realize that dream alone. Good bye, Ms. An! - and with this words he left the mansion.
I looked down. What's happening with me?
- Chae Ree-ah! - I heard eomma's voice.
- Wae /what/? - I looked at her blushing.
- What are you waiting for? Go! - she smiled at me and I understood what she was talking about.

- Sehun-ah! - I shouted, when I got out from the mansion and saw him next to the gate.
He stopped and turned, then took off his hat.
I ran to him and stop few centimeters away from his face.
- I think, that I should've told you you 10 years ago, but I have fallen in love with you from the first sight... - he mumbled and smiled in embarrassment.
I didn't said anything. I just wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him.
I felt how his arms wrapped around my waist and press me to him, while he deepened the kiss. I saw him after so many years, but it seems like it was yesterday. It seems like only yesterday the princess met her prince, behind the mask of a beggar, and fell in love with him unconditionally.

Hey!
This is my first time writing in English, so I'm sorry if there are some mistakes in the story. I hope you liked it and if you did, please vote and comment!
Thanks to ariggbutera26 for helping me with the hardest sentences! And if you want to translate other of my stories, please tell me!
Saranghae! ❤️