Later that night Kaioshin sat quietly eating his dinner. He felt the eyes of Koura on him throughout the entire night. Just by looking at her he could tell that she was a snob, both her and her father in on this for the fame and money. He tried to keep his eyes focused on the food before him, though he glanced up to check if she was still looking at him.
“Kaioshin, Koura here has gone through seven years of tutoring and has become quite the scholar from what her father tells us,” Queen Amada said, trying to get her son into the conversations. Kaioshin only looked up and smiled at them.
After dinner, Koura and Kaioshin’s mother left to dress out of their dinner clothes and into their evening attire. King Kamiah and Sir Trepion had taken a walk onto the balcony to talk, leaving Kaioshin alone for a little while. He made his way to the kitchen, knowing nothing else to do but visit Nishi.
He searched the kitchen and the surrounding rooms, but Nishi was nowhere to be found. He confronted a servant that said that she and her mother had returned home for the night. Kaioshin frowned, having nothing to do but wait for everyone to finish what he or she was doing.
The rest of the night was filled with talk about how the two children would grow up to be great rulers of the kingdom and so forth. Koura seemed intrigued with every bit of it, but Kaioshin could only smile at a few gestures. He excused himself early so he could retreat to his quarters and get away from his future bride and her nagging father.
---
Early the next morning, Kaioshin quickly got dressed and left the castle in search of Nishi. He was surprised to learn that she would no longer be working at the castle, nor would her mother. At first he couldn’t figure out why. He knew where she lived, so he decided to venture out for an hour or so.
Kaioshin made his way down the street of the town, looking for the farmlands. Finally, after what seemed like endless hours of walking he came upon her small house. It wasn’t run down, but looked better than some of the other houses that were owned by more well off families. Kaioshin knocked on the door and waited, but no one came. He looked through a window to see that the rooms where empty. Unsure what of what to think, he returned home.
As Kaioshin entered the castle, he saw Kibito. “Kibito, you know that girl Nishi that used to hang around with me sometimes?”
“Yes, what about her?” Kibito asked the boy.
“Do you know why her and her mother aren’t working here anymore?”
“Of course. The king sent her father away to the South. She doesn’t live around here anymore.”
“He did what?! But why?” Kaioshin asked with shock and anger.
“I thought you would have known, your highness. The king felt that Nishi would interfere with you growing to like Lady Koura. He saw it best to send her family away from the castle.”
“How could he think that? She was a peasant, that’s all!” Out of anger, Kaioshin stormed off.
---
Lady Koura waited for the prince to come downstairs. She patiently sat on a small couch until he was ready. She started to become quite anxious, but he finally came down. “Your father said you would give me a tour of the castle,” she said in a voice that sounded almost too sweet and innocent.
“Yeah, I guess so.” Kaioshin let her follow, which she did rather closely. He was still upset from that morning and didn’t want to be bothered with this new girl.
“You know, I bet that every girl would love to be with you,” Koura said, wrapping her arm around Kaioshin’s.
Kaioshin slowly pulled his arm away. “Maybe,” was all he said.
“My father said that I’m lucky to have been the one chosen to be the princess.”
“Good for him.”
“He said that you’ll be king making me queen.”
“Must you tell me everything your father told you?” Kaioshin responded in a somewhat harsh tone.
Koura frowned at him and thought of a comeback. “I heard that you’re not well-liked amongst most people of the planet. They all think you’re a spoiled, self-centered brat.”
“Maybe I am,” Kaioshin said, her words not affecting him.
Koura couldn’t believe how rude he was being to her. “You know, you might as well get used to having me around seeing that we’ll be spending the rest of our lives together.”
“You’ll have to get used to me not liking the idea.”
Koura stepped away almost speechless. “How rude! No wonder why your father is so disgusted with you!”
Kaioshin smiled. “Did your father tell you that too?” He asked sarcastically, wanting her to get angrier.
“Well, you can give yourself a tour of the castle!” She stuck her tongue out and marched away.
Kaioshin watched her for a brief second, and then smiled to himself. He didn’t like the way she bragged to him and the way she thought she’d be the princess that would live happily ever after. At the moment, Kaioshin didn’t want to get married at all, especially not to her.
---
“Kaioshin, were you rude to Koura?” Queen Amada asked, walking into the prince’s room without a knock.
Kaioshin didn’t look up from his book. “She started it.”
“Kaioshin, you’re turning out to be a bigger snob than before!” His mother snapped. “How dare you make her feel so unimportant and unwelcome. She’s to be your bride!”
“What if I don’t want her to be?!”
At that moment the king walked in past his wife. “You have no choice. The day you turn 18, you and Koura will be married. I don’t care what you say. You’re birthday is next week, so you have four years to get used to the idea.”
“What if I don’t want to?” Kaioshin asked again.
“Then I’ll deny you the crown! You will learn some respect for that young lady and me. Not to mention everyone else around here.”
Kaioshin closed the book and let it fall to the floor. “Whatever you say, father.”