Rey Pevensie

Now it was Chung’s turn. He might not have as many lines as the other Sajas did, but getting to be the one to brag about Jinu’s wealth more than made up for it.

🎶Fellas, he’s got?🎶

Marching around him were men in groups of two carrying large gold trays between them.

🎶He’s got seventy-five

Golden Camels!🎶

These golden camels were roughly the size of real baby camels. Mira caught Rumi’s eye and made a gesture with her fingers that said, he’s loaded!

🎶Uh-huh, now the ladies, what he got?🎶

Chung moved aside as dancers dressed in flowing dresses held up live birds on literal silver platters.

🎶Purple peacocks, he’s got

fifty-three!🎶

Chung nodded and danced along.

🎶Uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh.🎶

With the aid of Han’s genie powers, Chung managed to do an impressive backflip and land standing on an ostrich as a dozen of them flocked past. Thankfully, he was able to keep his balance and sing his next verses as the ostrich kept running.

🎶When it comes to

Exotic-type mammals,

Everybody help me out!🎶

The entire entourage sang with him:

🎶Has he got a zoo!

I’m telling you,

It’s a world-class

Lee, Chung and Sungwon jumped down from the float as Joel began his solo.

🎶Prince U-jin!

🎶Fabulous he,

U-jin Asaja!🎶

Gesturing to the guards he’d had to suck up to on a regular basis, he felt a twinge of guilty pleasure in demanding they bow to his ‘street rat’ friend for a change.

🎶Show some respect,

Boy, genuflect,

Down on one knee!🎶

Zoey couldn’t help but smile and bounce her shoulders along to the music, only to stop when Rumi and Mira wordlessly reprimanded her.

🎶Now try your best to stay calm;

Brush up your Sunday salaam,🎶

Try as she might, Zoey couldn’t control her shoulders. At least now her friends and even Bobby were subtly joining her.

“This song is annoyingly catchy,” Rumi grumbled.

“It’s…infectious,” Mira reluctantly agreed.

🎶Then come and meet his

Spectacular coterie!🎶

Everyone was startled by the elephant that seemingly appeared from nowhere. It was enormous, wearing a comically small gat hat, and had a luxurious houdah on its back carrying three people: a middle-aged man in the back, and up front a bright eyed little girl and a young man even more richly adorned and more handsome than the four who were leading the parade.

Clearly this young man was Prince U-jin Asaja.

Even though the elephant was too far away for Rumi to see the riders clearly, she knew she knew the young man and the girl from somewhere.

Outwardly, Jinu seemed completely at ease as he smiled and waved and helped his sister toss gold coins to the crowd (especially the poor). Inwardly, though, he was freaking out.

Lee appeared front and center for his part in the song, brandishing a pair of matching bejewelled swords.

“Oh, who is that?” Zoey whispered, completely enraptured by the singing swordsman.

🎶Prince U-jin!

Mighty is he,

U-jin Asaja!🎶

As Lee sang, a line of soldiers behind him followed his lead and also swung their swords in time to the music.

🎶Strong as ten

Regular men

Definitely!🎶

Being as sweet and shy as he was, he was surprised he got the role in the parade praising Jinu’s fake military victories. Oh, well. It’s fun to dance to, anyway, he thought, completely unaware that one of the Princess’ handmaidens was falling under his spell.

🎶He’s faced the galloping hordes;

A hundred bad guys with swords!🎶

Mira had to elbow Zoey to stop her from drooling in front of the whole court over the mysterious sword dancer.

🎶Who sent those goons to their lords?

Sungwon recognized a group of upper-middle class ladies frantically waving and trying to get Jinu’s attention; these same ladies had often sneered or insulted or spit at Jinu and the Sajas back when they were poor pickpockets.

Feeling a little petty, Sungwon smirked and directed the next lyrics at those women.

🎶Prince U-jin!

Handsome is he,

U-jin Asaja!

That physique!

How can you speak,

Weak in your knees?🎶

Several girls screamed excitedly, some of them swooned, and a few older women were gazing dreamily at Jinu. Many of them even sang their own song alongside his.

🎶There’s no question, this U-jin’s alluring,

Never ordinary, never boring.

Everything about the man just plain impresses!

He’s a winner, he’s a wiz, a wonder.

He’s about to pull my heart asunder.

And I absolutely love they way he dresses!🎶

Sungwon grinned wickedly seeing these stuck-up ladies eating their words about the Sajas being ‘street rats,’ even if they were unaware they were eating their words. The fact that his brother-in-crime barely glanced at the ladies made it all the more satisfying. Sungwon beckoned the girls with his hands as he continued the song.

🎶So come on out this this square!

Adjust your veils and prepare

To gawk and grovel and stare