The sun had begun to rise. The grass and flowers were coated with slight dew from the cool night. Animals ran about looking for their breakfast as the day began.
Nishi woke up to the sound of birds singing outside the window. She looked up to the bed and saw that the blankets were shoved to one side, and no body lay there. “Kaioshin?” she asked, well knowing that he wasn’t in the cabin. She sat up and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. Standing up she looked out the window to see if he was around.
Quickly dressing, Nishi opened the door and ventured to the back of the cabin where she found him. He had already started to train himself, starting with pushups. “Hard at work already, I see,” she said with a smile as she went over to him.
“Yes,” he said not looking up. “As a matter of fact…I am.” He collapsed to the ground.
“Don’t tell me that you’re giving up already,” she joked.
“I just did a hundred of those…and my arms are killing me,” he said.
“Oh, poor baby,” she said sympathetically.
“Oh, and you can do better?”
Without answering, Nishi positioned herself on the ground and started doing her own set of pushups, going much quicker than Kaioshin had been. She stopped and got back to her feet. “Come in for breakfast.”
Kaioshin watched her walk away, his mouth hanging open in amazement. Just how strong was she?
---
After they ate, both returned outside, Nishi having changed into a pair of pants and a tunic-like shirt. Kaioshin couldn’t believe that Nishi was stretching as if she was going to fight him or something. She stopped and confronted him with a fighting stance. “Well?” she asked.
He laughed. “You don’t think you’re going to fight me…do you?”
“Of course. I told you, I can pin you a lot easier than you think.”
Kaioshin laughed again. “Alright, but don’t cry when I hurt you.”
“Trust me you won’t,” she replied confidently.
They started a quick match, displaying their knowledge of the martial arts techniques. It wasn’t long before Nishi grabbed the prince’s arm and swung him over her shoulder. He landed on the ground with a hard thud, knocking the breath out of him.
“You better do a lot better than that if you want to destroy this queen.” She held out her hand to help him up. Kaioshin accepted, totally not realizing that she wasn’t lying when she said she could easily pin him.
They spent the morning and a good portion of the afternoon with Nishi teaching Kaioshin her father’s fighting techniques. Kaioshin was amazed that she knew so much about fighting. He had been taught, but never thought he’d need to know how to fight, therefore didn’t pay that much attention.
Kaioshin and Nishi both fell to the ground and lay on their backs completely exhausted from the day’s work. Kaioshin let out a sigh and then a laugh. Nishi looked at him curiously.
“I never would’ve thought that you knew how to fight like that,” he said turning his head towards her.
“Hmm…there are a lot of things you don’t know about me, Prince.” She smiled and sat up, taking a leaf out of her hair.
Kaioshin sat up next to her. “Like what?” he asked raising an eyebrow.
“I can’t tell you,” she said jokingly. “Actually, its more like I don’t want to tell you.”
“Why not? Afraid of me bruising your pride?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact.” Her smile faded and she turned to look straight ahead.
Kaioshin looked at her delicate features. She’s so small and beautiful, yet so big and strong. Truly an amazing girl… Kaioshin’s expression became soft and relaxed. Nishi wasn’t paying much attention to what he was doing. The prince quickly leaned over and kissed her cheek.
Astonished, Nishi gasped and turned her head to look at him. He had a smile she only saw when he knew something that she didn’t. “Don’t do that again,” she said, not yelling, but not happily.
Kaioshin couldn’t believe it. “Why not?”
Nishi stood up and took a few steps away. She kept her back turned to him as she spoke. “I don’t like you like that Kaioshin. Don’t get the wrong idea. I do like you as a friend…nothing more. I think there’s been enough training today. I’ll go make us dinner.” She left, walking at a regular pace.
Kaioshin sat there flabbergasted. He had never been rejected before in his life. He remembered hearing that almost every girl in Kai Castle would’ve died to have been kissed by him. He didn’t understand at all. Maybe she was just saying that, but did care. Or…maybe he was wrong completely.
---
Kaioshin sat silently as he ate the meat Nishi had made for them. She didn’t say much either. Kaioshin was almost hurt from her rejection. He could’ve sworn she liked him like that. Now he wasn’t sure if he still liked her.
Nishi was thinking about the same subject. She wanted so much to just let him kiss her. However, she was afraid that if they fell in love, he would forget about what he had to do.
A knock at the door interrupted both of their thoughts. Kaioshin looked at Nishi, who displayed a puzzled look. She got up and carefully opened the door to see whom it was. She smiled when the person on the other side was Uncle Tym. “Please, come in,” she said and held out her hand to a seat at the table.
“Thank you, but I’m not here to visit. Hurry up and finish, Prince Kaioshin. You have a lot of work to do and little time to do it,” he said.
“But…” Kaioshin started.
“No ‘buts’ boy. As long as the sun is up, you’ll train, do you hear? Just because you’re tired doesn’t mean its time to stop.” He turned to the door. “I’ll be waiting outside. You better come in no more than ten minutes.”
Kaioshin had a look of shock on his face as he turned to Nishi. She shrugged her shoulders. “Better get going then,” she said to him as she sat down to finish her meal.
---
Kaioshin found the old man sitting on a large rock outside. On the ground, at the base of the rock, was the case that held Kaioshin’s grandfather’s sword. “I see you brought my new sword,” Kaioshin said walking up to him.
“Correction,” Tym said, “I brought your grandfather’s sword. You won’t be using it now. Nishi, bring this inside and put it in a safe place.” Kaioshin turned around to see Nishi behind him. She did as she was told. Kaioshin turned back to his new teacher. “Lets get one thing straight young man. I am the teacher and you will not question me. If you don’t want to get yourself killed, then you had better work your royal ass off.” Kaioshin nodded and awaited his orders. He knew that Uncle Tym was more than just a sergeant in his grandfather’s army.