Chapter Seven: Koshi:

Galen couldn’t figure her out. “I don’t know anything about you.” The farmer finished up with the last row. She turned her head.

“You didn’t ask me anything about me, did you?” she asked.

“Okay… What is your name?” Galen asked.

“Koshi.”

The prince tilted his head. “Koshi?”

“That’s my name.”

“Why are you called Koshi? What does that even mean?”

“Why are you called ‘Galen’?”

“My mother named me.”

“Well, my father named me Koshi.”

Galen frowned. “Uh-huh… Look, can we get to your village doctor now? My men really need medical care.” Koshi loaded up her tools.

“We have to go to the market first,” she said. Galen narrowed his eyes, frowning.

“What?” he asked.

“We have to go to market to see what is fresh and on sale,” she explained. “It’s a way for Pa and me to have a full meal for the day.” The prince lowered his head, sighing. My men are going to end up dying by this rate, aren’t they? Koshi pounded her fist in her palm.

“Ah!” she exclaimed. “I always forgot! I have to go and check on the apple trees.” Galen fell over, groaning.

“Seriously?” he asked. “My men are lying on a beach injured right now and all you care about is an apple orchard?!” Koshi turned to him with a blank look on her face.

“Yeah,” she said. “If they aren’t cared for properly, the trees with shrivel up and die.” The prince resisted the urge to scream at this girl. My country is doomed!

“How are your men?” he heard being asked. Galen lifted his head with a puzzled look on his face.

“Excuse me?” he asked.

“How are your men?” Koshi asked again. “Are they strong or weak?”

“Oh, they are strong.”

“Can they survive in a land like this?”

“I believe that they can.”

“Is somebody with them right now?”

Galen furrowed his brow, frowning. “Why are you asking me these questions now?”

“I’m asking you to know more about your situation.”

The prince tilted his head. “My situation?”

“Humor me by answering the question.”

He sighed and dropped his shoulders. “Yes, one of my subjects is with them right now.”

“Are they strong?”

“Yes, she’s a tough woman. She wasn’t injured as badly in the storm. Right now, my subject is tending to my men.”

Koshi folded her arms across her chest. “They are in good hands from what you have told me.” Galen’s face dropped.

“But they really need help!” he complained.

“And we get you the help that your men need. Right now, I have to help my village to eat and survive. I am not going to drop everything to let my people starve.” Her tone made his stomach turn. His eyes looked so hollow as he gulped. Koshi put her hands on her hips.

“Do you understand?” she asked. Galen lowered his eyes.

“Yes,” he said. Koshi took a deep breath.

“Good,” she said. “Let’s get going. The faster that we make it to the apple trees, the faster we can get to the market and help your men.” Koshi didn’t even wait for a response as she marched past him. Galen gave her a blank stare. Who is this girl? He tilted his head as he tried to figure her out in vain.

“What are standing around for?” Koshi shouted over her shoulder. “Don’t you want to help your men or not?”

“Oh! Right! Wait up!” the prince shouted. Galen had to run after the farmer in order to keep up.