Aurora was sitting in her garden, staring at her roses.
She was staring at them, but she was not seeing them.
After Mulan had announced Aurora that she was joining Robin Hood and his men, Aurora had been constantly lost in her thoughts.
She wondered why her dear friend would have taken such a decision.
After all, Mulan had protected her all the time, and even magically restored back her heart. And Aurora could not imagine Mulan not being a part of her life anymore. She was a true friend. In fact, she was her only friend.
But what surprised Aurora more is that she was always thinking of Mulan.
Even in times when she should not have been.
When Aurora woke up, the first thing that crossed her mind was Mulan.
She had been so accustomed to wake up at the sound of Mulan's voice.
The sound of Mulan's voice being the first thing she would hear in the morning.
And the sound of Mulan coming back after the hunt.
But she was married to Philip, and she loved Philip.
At least that was what she always thought.
Philip was her best friend, and being her first love, she always thought that love was equal to friendship.
And she had strong friendship with Philip.
She told him everything.
Philip was her best friend and they were close, and shared everything.
But since she had met Mulan, she just felt like that was not enough.
Aurora wanted more. With Mulan, she felt more that friendship. She felt stronger.
With Mulan, she felt strength.
And since Mulan had left, she would always be on Auora's mind.
If Mulan had been a man, Aurora would have been sure that she was in love with the warrior.
But Mulan was a woman.
Was that possible?
Was it even possible that a woman would make her feel the way no men ever made her feel before?
Was it possible that a woman would make her feel that strong?
She was so lost in her own thoughts that she did not even hear Prince Philip coming behind her.
He touched her slightly, startling her.
"Oh Philip, I did not hear you coming…" she managed to say, almost in a whisper.
"Yes, my dear Aurora. You have been lost in your thoughts for days now. It is about Mulan, isn't it?"
"Yes" Aurora replied, "I cannot believe that she won't be a part of my life anymore. She protected me when you were not here. I know she had vowed to you to protect me, but still…"
"You miss her, don't you?" asked Philip.
"Yes, I do. She was a true friend." Aurora replied.
"Then you should go and see her, and give her a proper goodbye." Philip replied back.
"You always know what to say Philip, you are my best friend. And soon, the father of our baby." Aurora said, touching her belly.
Philip touched Aurora's belly as well.
It was their child, growing inside of her.
But Aurora knew.
What she felt for Mulan was not mere friendship.
It did not feel like mere friendship.
It felt like something more, something stronger.
It felt like love.
And she had to confess her feelings to Mulan.
Mulan had the right to know.
Some days later, Aurora came to Robin Hood's camp.
She entered in Mulan's tent.
The latter did not expect to see her.
"How did you know where we were?" Mulan questioned.
"I did my researches. Well, Philip helped." Aurora answered back.
"How are you, and the baby?" Mulan hurried to ask.
"Oh we are fine, thank you." Aurora replied back.
"The reason why I came to you was that I missed you. I don't know how to say this, but I miss the feeling I had when we were together." She added, in an almost inaudible voice.
"I don't understand princess…" started Mulan, but she was interrupted by Auora.
"Neither do I, but one thing I do know is that when I am with you I feel that I am exactly where I am supposed to be. I feel… whole. And I feel strong. I always thought love was friendship. But now I…" she explained but Mulan did not want to hear anymore.
"What are you saying, Aurora?" she asked the princess, her face clearly shocked by what Aurora was telling her.
"Listen to me Mulan." Said Aurora, almost crying.
"I thought that love was friendship because I had met Philip at sixteen. I grew up in a cottage away from the world, and I thought Philip was the one because he was my best friend. But when I am with you, I feel that I can get more. When I am with you, I know, love is strength."
"You mean that you…" Mulan hardly managed to say.
"The same thing you wanted to tell me. Now I know what you came to say. And Mulan, I love you too." Aurora said, tear flowing out of her eyes.
Mulan rushed to her, and kissed her princess.
Their lips touched, and Aurora pressed hers firmly against Mulan's and both women stayed like this for…
How long was it?
Time did not seem to matter.
All that matter was this exact moment in time, and both the princess and the warrior hoped that this perfect moment would last forever.
But it did not.
"But we can't be together my princess, you know that?" Mulan asked Aurora.
Both women were now crying, knowing how difficult it would be for them to be together, since Aurora was expecting Philip's child.
"We can't betray our prince." Aurora replied back.
Mulan kissed Aurora's hand.
"I guess this is good bye my princess." Mulan said, her voice choked with sadness.
"I will always love you. I will never forget you, I swear. You gave me back my heart." Aurora carefully replied, pronouncing very word carefully.
"I won't love anyone but you, princess" replied back Mulan, kissing her on the forehead.
Before leaving, Aurora opened her bag that she was carrying and removed a white sphere from it.
"This is a dragon egg." She explained, as she handed it over to Mulan.
"Where did you get it?" Mulan asked.
"Philip retrieved it from Maleficent's castle." She replied back.
"The dragon that will come out of it is a very small one. It will remain small, even when it has reached its adult size. I wanted to keep it as a pet, but now you can have it. It will be your guardian. That way, you will always have something that reminds you of me." Aurora added, swallowing her tears.
"Yes, my princess" answered back Mulan.
All of a sudden, Aurora rushed back into Mulan's arms and gave her warrior one long, last farewell kiss.
"I know love when I see it…" Aurora whispered to Mulan, pressing her forehead against hers.
"But my feeling were for you my sweet princess, they shall always be for you. My heart is yours. I am yours."
"I am yours too. Even if I can't be with you, I will always be yours, Mulan."
Mulan and Aurora thought they would never see each other again.
Little did they know that the worst was still to come…