And in their footsteps spring will come
Spring had once again come to the empire, and the garden belonging to Fa Mulan and Li Shang was awash with pink and white flowers. The Li family owned several estates, but this one was by far Mulan's favorite, not the least because of the sizable training yard where she and Shang sparred every morning they were at leave. Of course, the estate she had called home in her childhood would always be held closest to her heart but this place made something inside her resonate.
Today's sparring over, Mulan walked slowly along the winding path that stretched throughout the garden. Her tightly-drawn-back hair had become unsettled during the swordplay and her plain, undyed outfit was matted with sweat. The sheathed sword she held closely in one hand, and if she listened carefully she could hear the faint sound of Shang preparing for departure. He was due at the encampment in just a few days, and she was to leave for the capital come morning.
A light breeze fluttered against her face and Mulan shivered, momentarily burrowing her fingers inside her fist. The sword rattled as she pressed it against her side, bringing her back into focus. Biting her lip, she gripped it again and began to walk. Just one more thing to do before she could retreat back to the house.
At the far end of the garden Mulan stepped off the path, treading carefully over green grass, her shoes quickly soaking in the morning dew. Smiling softly, she reached out to touch the cold stone of the statue erected there, caressing the worn snout.
"Good morning, revered qilin," she said, bowing slightly towards it. "Today, Shang leaves for battle and I will pray for his safe return. In the morning, I leave for the capital to advise one chosen by your kind. I hope you will wish us well in our endeavors."
Bowing again, she gave the qilin a last pat and turned around to head back to the house. She was in need of a bath.
"Fa Mulan..."
Mulan snapped around at the faint whisper, peering sharply around in search of the whisperer. For a second, she thought she saw colors and soft fur under the grey stone of the qilin, but then it was gone. Dismissing it as her imagination, she started on her way back again. A hot bath and some time to take care of her correspondence were beginning to sound like a better idea every minute.
The tiny apartment kept in the palace for General Li Shang and Councilor Fa Mulan had a staff that were remarkably efficient by nature. In the beginning, Mulan had felt uncomfortable with the unfamiliar extravagance, but as the months and years passed, she became grateful for their silent help and support. From their work, she never needed to worry about painting a respectable face or keeping the apartment ready for visitors, and even as she swept out of the apartment in full court dress mere hours after her arrival, she planned for suitable gifts to show her gratitude.
The red corridors of the palace stretched out in their golden opulence before them, filled with people hurrying between offices and apartments. Guards stood like living statues along the walls and patrolled the corridors, and when she closed in on the administrative offices and council halls, they increased in number until she came to a stop in front of a formidable pair guarding a huge set of gilded doors that led to the room in which the Emperor preferred to give his private audiences.
"Good morning, Hong, Zhao," she said, a hint of a smile visible through the thick face paint.
They bowed slightly, Hong wiggling his eyebrows at her in a greeting. Years may have passed since she was formally attached to the army, but to those coming from her old company, she was still very much one of them.
"Councilor Fa," Zhao said as he straightened. "The emperor awaits you." He knocked on the doors with a huge fist, prompting its opening from the inside by two livery-clad servants. Mulan walked through the doors, and even as the servants stepped out of the room and closed the doors behind her, she bowed deeply to the reed-thin, wizened old man seated in the central chair of the room.
"Fa Mulan," the Emperor said, his voice scratchy in the early morning. "It has been long since we last saw you."
Mulan slowly straightened and smiled slightly. "I believe so, Your Majesty." He gestured for her to sit on the cushion clearly procured for her, and she glided over to gracefully sit down in a way that would have made the matchmaker proud. "Since the disturbance in the fourth province I have worked mostly from the ancestral estate of the Li family outside the capital."
The Emperor inclined his head. "As we have been told." He sighed a little and met Mulan's eyes, his own calm if slightly dark and blank. "You have heard the news of my son."
Mulan nodded, eyes softening. "I will mourn him with you. First Prince Tien will be sorely missed."
A slight smile tugged at the Emperor's mouth. "Indeed he will. And in his son, he will live on in the minds of China."
Mulan startled, eyes flying up to meet his even as her hands clenched against the fine silk of her clothes. "Son?" she said, before closing her eyes for a second and forcing herself to relax. "I'm sorry, Your Majesty. I had the impression that First Prince Tien had no children."
The Emperor looked slightly pleased with himself as he continued, eyes piercing as he looked at her. "As of one year ago, he has. And as of the incident in the fourth province, the child has been hidden at a temple in the mountains." Mulan's eyes widened as she realized what the Emperor was getting at. The Emperor inclined his head at her response. "Yes," he said. "The reason I have summoned you is to ask you to travel to the temple and bring the empire its heir."
At those words, the miles stretched out in Mulan's mind and her mouth tightened, memories alive in her dark eyes. "I will not fail, Your Majesty."
The Emperor smiled. "I would never believe otherwise."
There had never been a question of her escort on the mission, and Shang didn't challenge the request she sent along with the private letter telling him the news. Mulan began the preparations for departure that very morning, and three days later, Yao, Ling and Chien Po arrived by messenger relay from the southern camp.
Mulan was seated in the garden of the palace when the messenger arrived. Hearing the news, she rolled up her scroll and nodded to the quartermaster she had been speaking with. He bowed back and Mulan got up, turning towards the waiting man. "Lead the way."
The messenger brought her to the military contingent of the city, located close enough to the palace to be useful and far enough away to not be a bother. Mulan had spent the last few days dealing with the stables there, choosing horses for Ling, Yao and Chien Po and a secondary for herself. Now, however, they turned in the other direction and headed for the officer's quarters.
Their goal was a nondescript office belonging to a captain in the middle of the grounds, guarded by a small man Mulan wouldn't have wanted to meet on a dark street. "Councillor Fa," he said, bowing exactly the proscribed depth. "You are expected."
Mulan nodded in acknowledgement and headed inside to see Ling,Yao and Chien Po waiting for her, the first two with devilish grins on their faces. "Councillor Fa," Ling drawled, hooking his fingers into his belt.
She raised her eyebrows back at him. "Ling," she replied. "Still as thin as ever. Yao. Chien Po."
Chien Po smiled at her, surreptitiously grabbing Yao by the collar as he attempted something. "It's good to see you again, Mulan."
She laughed, eyes laughing with her as she replied, "I've missed you too, guys." Then she pounced, drawing them all into a highly inappropriate hug.
Their small company headed out at dawn, Mulan at the front on her white imperial mare Mao Zi, with Yao and Ling just behind her and Chien Po bringing up the rear. Each of them had a secondary horse tied to their saddle carrying the supplies she had procured during the previous days.
Riding out of the city was a spectacle. Mao Zi danced over the ground as if she thought they were at a parade, and Yao and Ling sat on their horses like they would fall off at any time. Mulan found herself glancing at them every now and then to make sure they hadn't, and knew that Chien Po, who sat on his gelding like he had been born to it, did the same. By the time they got out of the city and onto the main roads, Mulan had nevertheless had enough. Taking them off the road, she wheeled Mao Zi around and just looked at them.
"If I didn't know better," she finally said, shaking her head, "I would have said you'd never sat on a horse before." Mulan threw out her hands, palms up. "What's gotten into you? Chien Po seems to manage well enough."
"Ehehe." Yao let go of his reins with one hand to rub the back of his head. "I'm not too good with horses?"
Ling let out a peal of laughter, nearly falling off his horse in the process. "You could say that!" He turned towards Mulan, jabbing his thumb in Yao's direction. "That guy hasn't gone near a horse since he first learned how to ride," he stage-whispered.
Mulan raised an eyebrow, nudging Mao Zi lightly with her knees to keep her in place. "That explains him. What about you?"
Yao glared at Ling. "Yeah, what about you, reed boy?"
Ling sniffed. "Some of us have never felt the need to master horse riding."
Mulan closed her eyes, drawing a hand over them before turning to Chien Po. "So, you take Ling and I take Yao?"
Chien Po smiled, grabbing the reins of Ling's horse as it tried to head for the nearby field. "Yes, Mulan." He tugged slightly on the reins. "Come now, Ling, and I'll teach you how to sit."
Mulan eyed them for a second, and then turned to Yao, who made an effort to straighten in his saddle and look alert. She sighed. "All right. Let's begin with your seat." She nudged Mao Zi into a walk and watched Yao do the same. "The thing you have to remember is to keep your back straight and your heels down. . . "
By the time they stopped to set up camp, both Yao and Ling had improved their riding, and while they hadn't traveled as far as Mulan had hoped to, it was still a satisfactory distance between them and the city. Choosing a small copse of trees by a small stream as their campsite, Mulan slipped off Mao Zi's back and drew the reins over her head.
"Good girl," she mumbled even as she watched Yao and Ling more or less fall off their horses, Ling rubbing his behind rather ferociously and eyeing his horse darkly. The horse glared back, and when Ling huffed, took the reins, and turned to walk away, she headbutted him roughly. Mulan stifled laughter as Ling swore and pinwheeled until he regained his balance.
"Stupid animal," he muttered, but nevertheless walked more carefully this time. Yao eyed his horse suspiciously and patted his nose. "Good horse?" The horse whickered but didn't otherwise move, and Yao walked away with some self-assurance, his horses trailing behind him.
Mulan grinned and took the reins of Mei Lin, patting her on the nose as well. "It's a beginning, don't you think, Mei Lin," she said, and then headed off after the others. There was a camp to make.
It was just past midnight when Mulan woke up at Yao's light touch. Darkness lay thick over the camp and she could only barely see the glowing embers of the campfire through the canvas. Stretching slightly, she pulled off the blankets and stuffed her feet into her shoes, leaving the bedding open for Yao.
"All well?" she asked silently, fastening her sword belt.
Yao nodded, taking off his and laying it beside the bedding. "Yeah. I think there's some large animal out there though. I could hear it rustling in the bushes. Doesn't seem to disturb the horses though."
"Mmm." Mulan headed for the tent flap. "Thanks."
Yao nodded and pulled the blanket over his head. He was snoring almost before Mulan got out of the tent.
The night was chilly, but less so than it had been on her last journey. Mulan shivered, bitter snow and angry people in her mind as she remembered the fourth province. It had been winter then, and she had brought an escort of fifty of the army's finest. Yet it had still hung on a hair for a while there. The years since the hun attack hadn't been easy for China, but it was getting better.
Sitting down on the stone Yao had abandoned, she put another branch on the fire and listened to the night. It was silent, as Yao had said, broken only by the occasional call of night animals and the whickering of the horses. She could hear the faint sounds of the others as they slept—Yao's snoring, Ling's restless turning, Chien Po's low murmuring. Mulan yawned. It would be a slow shift.
Afraid of falling asleep, she hefted onto her feet and resolved to walk the perimeter until she felt less tired. She adjusted her sword and headed towards the horses. It would be as good a place to start as anywhere else. Mao Zi looked up as she closed in on them and Mei Lin ambled over to be petted and get a treat. Mulan scratched her behind the ear for a few seconds, then patted her and started walking.
She had walked two fifths of the camp's circumference when she heard it. Yao had described it as a rustling sound - Mulan would describe it more as a swishing, as if whatever it was moved with the vegetation rather than through it. Peering through the darkness, she thought she saw something gold and red and white glinting, but it disappeared before she could see more. But whatever it had been, just a panda or an ox, it was not. As for what it had been. . . She didn't have a clue.
Mulan kept walking the perimeter until it was time to wake Ling, but even though she heard it from time to time, she never saw the creature again.
The next morning, stepping out of her tent, Mulan found the others already up and seated by the fire, tents already taken down and packed. Chien Po, who'd taken the last shift, looked pale, and Ling, whose shift had followed hers, appeared to have black rings under his eyes. She frowned, hurrying over.
"What's wrong?" she said softly, falling to her knees by the fire. "You two look awful."
Ling shrugged, looking uncomfortable. "It's that thing in the bushes. Kept me from sleeping."
Mulan looked at him. "It didn't seem dangerous," she pointed out. "The horses didn't spook at all."
Chien Po touched her shoulder gently. "It's not that, Mulan," he said, bowing his head slightly. "I'm not sure if you felt it, but everytime the creature comes close to the camp, it exudes some sort of powerful aura. It's hard to ignore it."
She blinked. "I don't understand." Thinking back on her shift, she couldn't remember anything strange at all.
Ling grinned tiredly. "I'm sure it's nothing." He got to his feet. "Anyway, we should get going."
Mulan frowned, but then nodded. "Yeah."
But the second night they heard it again and when morning came, none of them had gotten any sleep. Mulan looked between them and made a decision. "I still don't feel anything," she told them, "but it can't go on like this." They just looked at her, too tired to react. She gritted her teeth. "If it comes tonight, we're going after it."
Those words lit a fire in their eyes again. Ling seemed to breath easier and Chien Po straightened out of the slump he had fallen into. Yao punched the air. "Yeah!"
The third night, the swishing sound returned during Ling's watch. Mulan sat straight up in her blankets, and sensed the others do the same. Without a word, they grabbed their swords and headed out, leaving Chien Po to guard the camp.
Mulan dodged to the left, padding carefully on bare feet over the damp earth, keeping the heavy vegetation between her and the sound, which kept moving in random patterns close to the camp. Signaling to Yao to take the left side, Mulan snuck up on the rear, knowing Chien Po and Ling would take care of the rest. She kept her body low and when the sound suddenly stopped, she dropped to the forest floor with nary a sound.
Something rustled to her right and Mulan knew she had Ling right beside her. She heard something unidentifiable from the direction of the camp and her hand tightened on her sword hilt. When Chien Po suddenly cried out, she dug her toes into the earth and launched up, throwing herself forward. A slight swishing sound told her she was on the right track, and then she burst out of the shrubs and straight into something firm and warm.
Acting out of reflex, she threw her arms around whatever it was, trying to stop her momentum and regain her balance. Whatever it was obediently shifted to accommodate her, and Mulan straightened.
The first thing she noticed was Yao and Ling, standing swords-at-ready by the forest line, staring at her open-mouthed. Chien Po sat on his bum not far away from them, sword lying a good yard away from his hand and an expression on his face that made her want to laugh. Then she remembered that they had tied the horses down by the stream, and if whatever she had just grabbed was neither a horse nor one of her friends. . .
Mulan slowly let go, took a step backwards, and stared. Then she fell to her knees, echoed by Yao and Ling as their wits returned enough to act. It was a qilin.
The qilin statue in her garden had always been a favorite of hers, especially after Mushu destroyed the dragon statue of her childhood. She had always liked the qilin myth and it felt nice to sit down and talk to it every now and then, leaning against the furred side of its body or patting the scaled nose. It had been a symbol of hope and history, a grounding during difficult times. Meeting one. . . was a whole other matter.
"Please, stand up." Its voice was slightly scratchy, yet smooth and oddly sibilant, and the sound of it exuded power. Suddenly Mulan realized that the feeling the others had spoken of was there, she had just not noticed it before, being used to the presence of Mushu, but now it was overwhelming. She wanted to kneel, but it wanted her to rise, so she rose, and met its eyes.
"Forgive us for attempting to entrap you, revered qilin," she choked out, hands clenching by her side, mind going wild at even the thought of what they had tried to do. Mushu, she was comfortable with, but this creature? It was impossible to even think of saying a word out of place.
"No, I do believe it was of my own doing," it said, stepping closer to nudge her lightly with its nose. "I did not expect for you and your men to be as observant as you are. I underestimated you."
Mute, Mulan bowed slightly, locking her knees so as to not fall to the ground.
"Ah, uh, revered qilin?" Yao spoke, voice broken and chilled. Mulan forced herself to look around and found him standing over Ling, who lay senseless on the ground. "Um, can I, I mean, may I take Ling here to a tent? I think, uh, believe he fainted."
The qilin bowed its head, its horn glinting in the moonlight. "Certainly. See to your comrade, brave soldier. I do not wish to burden you."
"No burden at all!" Yao quickly said, grabbing Ling by the shoulder, starting to drag him over the ground. "I, uh, will be going then." He sketched something like a bow in the qilin's direction, and then almost sprinted away, Chien Po scrambling to follow after also giving a quick bow. Mulan swallowed, forcing herself to turn back. She didn't dare smile, as she knew it would look far too forced.
"Um." Mulan's voice broke and she hastily cleared her throat, trying again as the qilin turned towards her, watching with mild eyes. "Might I ask what reason there is for a qilin to approach us?"
The qilin cocked its head. "Oh, I am very sorry for not stating things clearly," it said, voice suddenly sad. "My name is Huian and for five years I walked by Tien's side. On his death bed, he asked me to care for his son. I seek to uphold that request."
Mulan's mind fought its way out of its standstill and she bowed slightly. "I am sorry for your loss." She bit her lip. "Do you intend to accompany us to the temple, revered qilin?"
"I do so intend, yes," Huian replied, tilting its head slightly to the side. "Your observance prompted me to reveal myself despite my original hope to not disturb you. I do believe it makes any further attempt to conceal my presence unnecessary."
Mulan bowed. "Yes, revered qilin." She glanced in the direction of the tent the others had disappeared into, then back at Huian. "If I might be so bold as to suggest it, I should share the news with my companions. I believe your presence had the incidental effect of. . . surprising them somewhat."
"Yes, I noticed this," Huian agreed, looking at her with soft eyes that seemed as deep as the world itself. "You, however, Fa Mulan, seem significantly less surprised than they. I might share with you that I have followed you since before the Emperor summoned you. Did you sense my presence before?"
Her mind going to the brief flash of colors merely a week ago, Mulan frowned. "I might have, revered qilin. But I do believe my lack of. . . significant surprise is more due to my connection with a family guardian, whom I have met on several occasions."
"I see." Huian bobbed its head. "Then it would not be strange for you to more easily accept my presence." It glanced in the tent's direction. "I believe I shall excuse myself and leave you to talk to your men. It is yet some time until dawn and sleep is necessary for us all."
"Yes, revered qilin." Mulan bowed deeply, backing away. Then she headed to the tent, hoping dearly that none of them had had a mental breakdown. With her own first encounter with Mushu in mind, it didn't seem too drastic a concept, especially considering their initial reactions. Pushing the tent flap open, she stepped inside.
The three man were all seated at the far side of the tent around a small, portable brazier. Ling still looked a little pale but seemed to have recovered from his faint. Yao seemed smaller than usual, sitting strangely still, while Chien Po looked like he could be knocked over by a feather.
"Is it gone?" Ling asked, blinking at her.
Mulan shook her head. "No. It will accompany us all the way to the temple." She walked over and sat down, her back to the tent opening. "It's intending to take care of the child."
"But why?" he said, voice shriller than usual. Qilins are not supposed to be wandering around in front of you!"
"I know." Mulan looked over her shoulder and could just barely see the outlines of the qilin drawn against the light of the fire through the canvas. "I'm not that comfortable myself. But I guess we'll just have to get used to it."
Yao's mouth tensed and his hand shook slightly as he clenched it around his sword. "It'll be a long way to the temple," he predicted with a sigh.
"Yeah," Ling and Chien Po echoed. Mulan silently agreed.
The next week was tense. Ling and Chien Po kept staring at the qilin as if it were going to eat them, while Yao overcompensated in everything, setting everyone's nerves on the edge. It didn't help that Huian didn't seem to notice anything at all, simply walking by Mulan's side and engaging her in conversation every now and then on seemingly random subjects. The easy nature of the qilin slowly managed to get her more relaxed around it, but even as she untensed, the others seemed to reach their limits. It was probably luck that that's when the bandits attacked.
They were passing over a bush-and-trees plain between a canyon and a rocky slope up to a forest, Mulan and Huian discussing the work on a farm when Yao, who'd ridden ahead a few minutes earlier came galloping back, gasping for breath and with his horse lathered in sweat.
"Bandits," he gritted out to her as she pulled up short and focused her attention on him. "Too many for us to fight."
Ling and Chien Po came pounding up to them, while the qilin disappeared abruptly, going who knows where. "How long?" Mulan asked, turning to look around them. There wasn't much in the way of cover around them and they had long since started into the less populated areas on the way to the temple.
"A few moments, not more," Yao said, looking over his shoulder. "They were unseated but there's no doubt that they saw me. We need to get off the road."
"There's a path that will take us up onto the canyon ridge," Ling offered.
Mulan shook her head, forcing her hands to unclench on the reins as Mei Lin tossed her head, frightened by her sudden tenseness. "It's too open." There was a speck on the horizon now and she dug her knees into Mei Lin's side. Time had run out. "We'll have to ride for the forest."
Without another word, she set off, the others following immediately, Yao pulling ahead as if his horse felt the tension in the air. Mulan let Ling and Chien Po fall in behind him, taking the last position herself, throwing glances over her shoulder to keep an eye on the speck of dust. They weren't closing in, but just as she could keep on eye on them from the dust they unsettled, they could do the same with her group. Without cover, they would be overtaken, and sooner rather than later.
The rocky ground soon forced them to slow down, and she heard Ling swear as his horse stumbled, and he let it sort its steps out before urging it to go faster again. The tree line was getting nearer, but not fast enough. Not nearly fast enough. Then the qilin abruptly appeared by her side again, running in easy lopes next to Mei Lin.
"Head east when you reach the trees," it said, tossing its head as it jumped over a larger boulder. "There's a small track - it will keep us on the right trail. Further ahead, there's a small stream, we should be able to loose them there."
Mulan nodded, not questioning its statement. Instead she urged Mei Lin to go faster, repeating the news to the others as they worked their way forward. The moment they reached the tree line, the qilin took the front, leading them through the trees and deeper into the forest until the reached the path. She could still hear the bandits behind them though as she ducked under a branch, only barely managing to avoid being swept out of the saddle. If they couldn't gain some more ground between them and the bandits. . .
The qilin dropped back from the front as they reached the stream, falling in beside Mulan. "Go on," it said. "I'll try to distract the bandits." It hesitated slightly, looking up at her. "Take care of the boy."
It disappeared before she had a chance to say anything, and all she could do was steer into the water, following Chien Po as he lead them upstream, careful not to lead the horses astray. She could hear the bandits in the distance but when she turned around, she couldn't see them. Yao looked back at her, face tense. "See anything?"
She shook her head. "They seem to have fallen behind." Mulan slowed slightly as they reached a difficult part of the stream, and then looked at Chien Po. "We need to cross the stream, or we'll come up much too far east."
He nodded, looking ahead. "I think there's some shallows a little bit ahead," he reported, "we should be able to get over the stream there."
Mulan nodded, and for the next couple of minutes, she concentrated solely on getting her horses safely to the crossing. Only when they were safe on solid ground and steering into the forest did she speak again.
"We should lead the horses," Mulan said, leaning forward and feeling Mei Lin's side. "They're getting tired and we can't afford to lose them."
"The bandits?'" Ling asked.
"We'll have to trust Huian," Chian Po said, for the first time not sounding as if the mere mention of the qilin would drive him insane. "Mulan's right, the horses won't stand for this speed much longer."
They got off the horses and Mulan took point again, consulting the sun's position before leading them away from the stream, setting a decent pace. When the sun set, they would need to be far away. None of them spoke.
Night had already fallen when they finally stopped. They had kept in constant motion even after apparently losing the bandits, not daring to stop in case their trail was caught again. But eventually the horses tired, despite being led, and when they came upon a small spring in a thicket of trees, Mulan commanded a halt. The horses immediately dropped their heads to graze and they quickly unloaded them, stacking the packs beneath the trees. In the midst of pulling off Mao Zi's saddle, Mulan looked up, thinking she had heard something, but found nothing. She sighed and lifted the saddle off Mao Zi, setting it behind the tent pack. Huian still hadn't returned from distracting the bandits.
Having pulled cooking duty for the evening, Mulan built them a small fire and got out the tea and dried food from the packs. There would be no meat for them tonight. The others quickly put up the tents, hefting the packs inside and heading off to take care of the horses. Mulan looked after them, the silence almost tangible in a way it hadn't been for a long while.
After dinner, Yao looked up from the tea he'd let cool in his hands and searched out Mulan's eyes. "Do you think the qilin is all right?"" he asked, his voice lower than usual.
Mulan looked back helplessly. "I don't know." Her gaze slid towards the forest. "All I know is that Huian should have been here by now."
"A qilin doesn't fight." Ling was staring down at his hands as he spoke. "I remember my grandmother saying that they are the most peaceful creatures to ever live. Supposedly they won't even kill vegetation beyond what they eat." He looked up and his eyes were darker than Mulan had ever seen them before, his mouth drawn and tense. "How is a creature like that supposed to survive taking on a bunch of bandits?"
She shook her head, looking down and then up. "I don't know. I guess we'll just have to believe."
Ling looked away. Mulan sighed and put down her bowl, leaving it for whomever had washing duty that night. "I'm going to bed," she said to no one in particular, and headed for her tent. "Good night." Not expecting nor getting an answer, she closed the tent flap behind her and stood there for a while, eyes closed. She had never been particularly aware of the vibrating presence of Huian when it was there, but now that it wasn't, she felt as if something was missing inside. Knowing it might be because it wasn't alive. . .
Mulan gritted her teeth, then relaxed. She needed to sleep. It would be a long day tomorrow.
A few hours later, she was woken from a restless sleep by the feeling of something sliding into place. For a moment, she just lay there, her body suddenly relaxed and warmly heavy where it had been tense and cold. Then she threw herself out of bed and out of the tent, forgetting to pull on her outer layers of clothing or even grab her sword. Running towards the spring, she nearly stumbled over Yao as he came bowling out of his own tent but managed to retain her balance just in time and headed after him, noting absently that Ling was ahead of them, a mere shadow among the trees in the moonlight.
The moss squelched around her bare feet as they closed in on the spring and her thighs ached from pulling her feet out of the absorbent ground, the cold of a spring night slapping against her cheeks. Yao was panting harshly just in front of her, and she could hear the snapping of the fire at a distance and the snorting of the horses tethered on the other side of the spring. Then she spotted the shining fur of the qilin in the water beneath the branches of a tree leaning over the spring, and nearly flew the rest of the way, throwing herself around the creature's neck.
"Huian!" she shouted, forgetting everything about etiquette and respect and formal language as she buried her face in its neck, holding on tight. The qilin made a soft sound, moving its head slightly to nuzzle her neck for a second before turning to accept the tentative touch of Ling reaching out towards it and Yao patting its shoulder with a big grin on his face. Chien Po appeared on the other side of Huian, reaching out to hug them all, Ling getting pushed into mirroring Mulan on the other side of the qilin and Yao nearly falling face first into the water.
Letting go, Chien Po smiled awkwardly, putting a hand on Huian's withers. "We were afraid you had been killed."
Huian bowed its head, brushing its nose over Yao's head as he pulled himself upright again. "I am sorry to have worried you." Doing the same to Chien Po, it then sighed a little. "It took a bit more time to lead the bandits off your trail than I expected. One of them appeared to have more knowledge about my kind than most and anticipated some of my methods of escape."
"But you got away," Mulan said, finally letting that knot inside unwind and pulling away from Huian. "I'm happy."
"Ahem." Turning towards Ling, she was just in time to see him rub his neck, looking a little sidewise at the qilin. "We, that's to say, I, uh, just wanted to say we're - I'm - sorry that we acted so weird around you until now. Uh, really sorry."
Huian made a softly smiling sound and nudged him a little in the shoulder. "I understand. Coming face to face with a creature you were never certain existed is a tumultous event. My chosen person refused to believe I was more than a hallucination for the better part of a week."
The feeling that was the qilin ascended in strength and suddenly Mulan couldn't help but smile, and Yao actually started giggling. It felt good to be together again, all five of them. She looked back at her tent. It would be nice to get some sleep before her watch, and now she thought she could actually get some sleep. With a last pat to Huian's neck, Mulan headed off in that direction, waving a goodbye to the others. They didn't seem to notice, as they were busy finally getting to know each other.
Her bedroll was still warm, Mulan noticed with a smile as she pulled the blankets around her. It was nice.
As the days passed and they travelled deeper into the mountains, the warmer air of spring slowly dissipated and left them with the chill of winter and, not seldom, even snow. Piece by piece, warmer clothing appeared from the packs and day by day a chill that had nothing to do with the weather settled deep within her heart and mind. Riding with her hands tucked deep within the long sleeves of her shirt, Mulan looked straight ahead as she rode in the front of their little company, and her answers when someone tried to talk with her were short and to the point. It looked like she was there only in body, having left her mind somewhere far behind. In some ways, that was the truth.
"Fa Mulan."
Jumping slightly, Mulan wrenched her mind back into focus and looked at the qilin falling in by her side. "Huian," she said, not quite managing a smile. "What brings you up here?"
The qilin tossed its head slightly, gesturing towards the men riding behind them. "Your companions expressed their concern for you." It paused a little, looking at her through thick eyelashes. "They indicated that it might be a good thing if someone spoke with you."
"Ah." Mulan closed her eyes briefly, hands tightening on the reins. "I'm just distracted. As you might know, it was only recently I returned from the uprising in the fourth province. It was not. . . an easy time." The smile that touched her lips stretched ironically. "I did not think I would have to face winter again so soon."
Huian stretched its neck, nuzzling her cheek slightly. "You are cold."
Surprised, Mulan laughed, the sound startling the others into silence. Huian simply looked at her, eyes calm and yet strangely searching. "Yes, you could say that." She looked away, the distance visible behind her eyes. Then they sharpened, focused, and she pulled at the reins of Mei Lin. A smile wholly different from the one it was born from spread over her face and she turned around, nodding towards the rest of the company.
"We have arrived."
The temple lay nestled in a deep gorge in the mountain, barely distinguishable from the nature surrounding it. The high walls guarding it were painted a deep red reminiscent of old blood and topped by dark wood, and looked almost sinister. There was a small road leading up to it, barely more than a dirt track made by the occasional passing wagon but Mulan could see hints that the inside of the temple had at least partially cobbled ground. From the center of the temple grounds a tall tree protruded, branches covered in frost, and even as they closed in on the temple gates, the skies darkened and a damp wind began to blow. Mulan pulled out the Emperor's medallion from beneath her clothes, pushing her hair from her face. They needed to get inside.
As they closed in on the gates, the wind brought the sound of gongs to them and Mulan shuddered, wishing she knew if that was a bad or good sign. She kept her eyes on the road in front of her, hoping that they wouldn't be attacked from the forest. There was no reason to expect it, but the rapidly changing air brought with it memories and those memories told her otherwise. Huian nudged her leg as she nearly tranced out and she wrenched her attention back where it belonged even as the gates opened and a simply dressed man appeared between them, holding his hands out in greeting.
"Welcome," he said, "to the Fengshan temple." He bowed deeply in the qilin's direction. "Welcome, oh revered qilin."
Huian and Mulan bowed as one, the movement echoed behind them, and she slid out of the saddle, letting the reins fall to the ground. Walking towards the monk, she pulled off the medallion and held it out, bowing her head.
"I have come to bring the First Prince to the palace," she said, keeping her eyes averted.
The monk touched the medallion briefly, then her cheek. "Fa Mulan," he said, a smile in his voice. "I have been told to expect you."
She looked up and nodded at the look in the monk's eyes. "Thank you."
"I am Minzhe," he said, bowing to her, "the head monk of this temple." He gestured towards the inner grounds. "We have prepared for your arrival. Please, follow me."
Mulan stepped back, hung the medallion back around her neck, and took up Mei Lin's reins again. Then, sharing a look with the others, she followed Minzhe through the gates.
The inner courtyard of the temple swept by in a flurry of monks as a bunch of them took the horses and another few helped with the packs. The frequent glances towards the heavens explained the hurry, and Mulan didn't blame them as she began to shiver in the increasingly cold air. The inside of the temple was hot in comparison, warmed by numerous braziers along the walls and a heated platform at the center of the room, covered by carpets.
"Your rooms are being heated," Minzhe said, gesturing towards doors leading to other parts of the temple, "but most of us prefer to spend our evenings here in the main room. Young Jianshen should be with Zihao at the other end of the room, if you would like to meet him."
Mulan looked at Yao, Ling and Chien Po's longing glances towards the gathering at the center of the room and nodded. "I might as well," she said, turning back to Minzhe. "The emperor implied this mission was urgent. The First Prince might feel easier about travelling with us if he were introduced to us early on."
Huian made a soft sound at Mulan's shoulder. "I would like to meet little Jianshen as well." Its voice was low, and so yearning that she felt something knot inside of her. She could almost feel his mourning over his lost friend, and suddenly she couldn't help stretching out a hand and pressing it against Huian's neck.
"Come then," Minzhe said softly, looking between them with something in his eyes she couldn't judge. "I believe both of you would benefit from the warmth."
He lead them to the other side of the room, steering them towards an older man sitting with his back to them. Over his shoulder, they could sometimes glimpse a small child, and each time, a shudder went through Huian as if the sight were too hard to bear. Mulan kept her hand resting on its withers, trying to calm both Huian and herself. The warmth beneath her hand kept her focused, and she hoped she could help Huian do the same.
As they came closer, Mulan finally caught sight of the boy, a small toddler perhaps one year of age with a pudgy face and a pair of sharp black eyes that looked insistently at them the moment he realized they were there. She could see the Emperor in those eyes, a measure of what the boy may become in the future.
"Zihao," Minzhe greeted the old man with a little bow. "I have brought Fa Mulan and the revered qilin to meet Jianshen."
The old man turned his head towards them and Mulan could see he was blind. Impulsively, she fell to her knees in front of him, taking the hand not occupied with holding the child in hers. "I'm pleased to meet you, Zihao," she said, squeezing his hand softly.
"You have a good grip for a woman," Zihao noted, squeezing back even as he bounced Jianshen on his knee. "I guess that would mean the tales about a female warrior are true."
Wincing inwardly, Mulan answered, "They are. I have come to bring the First Prince to the Emperor."
"Yes. You have."
And with that, he bounced the child right off his knee and into her arms. Then, he left. Mulan promptly lost her balance, falling onto her behind as she suddenly juggled both child and Zihao's hand only to let go of the hand to grab the child more firmly before she lost her grip on him. Huian helpfully acted as a backstop for her until she finally got a hand under the boy and could heft him higher against her side and get to her feet.
Plonking herself down on the seat Zihao had left behind, Mulan breathed out and looked curiously at the boy. "You're heavy," she noticed, nudging his nose with one finger. He looked back at her, narrowing his eyes as they fixed on her loose hair. Mulan frowned. "What are you. . . ? Ow!"
Quick as lightning, the boy had grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled. Laughing cheerfully, he kept tugging as Mulan tried to regain her hair, glaring at him all the while. Huian laughed next to her, a strangely hulking sound for someone with such a clear a voice.
"Yeah, you laugh," she muttered, prying the boy's fingers open. "I would like to see you behave in a dignified manner when a little brat grabs you by the head."
Huian snorted at her. "I might remind you that I have spent a considerable part of my life with the Emperor's family. Small children are nothing new to me."
Finally having had enough, Mulan blew him a raspberry and tugged the hair right back out of Jianshen's hands and behind her shoulder. "Don't do that again," she told him.
"Fa-mu," was the only answer she got.
As the weather had indicated, they were trapped in the temple for the next couple of days, prevented from leaving by a snow storm Mulan could have stood without. Yao, Ling and Chien Po seemed to thrive, though, evidently having been more road-tired than she had thought. Huian seemed to settle in as well, rarely spending more than an hour or two away from the boy. Mulan herself had somehow ended up as the boy's primary caretaker - she really didn't want to think about the reasons the monks might have - and was beginning to fear her hair would never recuperate. All in all, she was ready to explode when the third day of their stay in the temple dawned sunny and cold as ice.
Mulan was standing in the door to her room considering the weather, Jianshen still asleep in his blankets, when Huian padded up, nudging her in the side as a hello.
"Are we going to begin our journey today?" it asked softly, as to not wake the boy.
Shivering, Mulan looked at the snow. "We will." She bowed her head. "The monks have already been notified. The horses and our provisions will be ready by the hour."
"I see." The qilin bowed his head in acquiescence. "I will see to my own preparations then. The journey promises to be chilly."
By the time they were ready to leave, they were bundled up in all the clothing available - Jianshen looked more like a giant snowball than a child and didn't seem to enjoy it overly much. Mulan quieted him with a sugary treat acquired from the monks, looking out over the others. Chien Po looked sleepy still, but Yao and Ling seemed awake enough. Huian was acquiring the help of monks to adjust the blankets he had asked for in order to help keep his warmth up, and quietly lead them through the adjustments he needed. Her own horses and the horses she had chosen for the others were sturdy, used to this sort of weather, but even Mao Zi looked impatient to get moving, stirring beneath Mulan at every sight and sound.
"It's a bit cold, isn't it?" Yao called over to her with a grin, shifting in his seat and calming his horse with only the merest of touches.
A feeling of pride joined with the feeling of relief brought a grin to Mulan's face as she answered. "A bit. Not worse than the pass, though."
Ling shuddered pointedly. "Nothing is as cold as that pass," he tossed at them, grinning. "Including that girl I met in the town before it."
"I don't know about that," Mulan said, raising her eyebrows. "She didn't exactly give in to you."
"It was only a matter of time!" Ling defended himself, waving a hand. "She was warming up to me when you stepped in!"
Mulan let her expression speak for herself. Ling sighted a mock punch at her, then yelped as he nearly lost his seat and righted himself. She giggled, causing Jianshen to giggle as well, which drew Chien Po into the whole thing and soon everyone was laughing. Mulan burrowed deeper into her clothes, smiling broadly and nearly not noticing the thawing part of her mind that still had her gaze flickering in all directions every other moment.
Huian rustled its back one more time, making sure the blankets were securely tied, then looked at Mulan, nodding. She gathered her reins, adjusted Jianshen against her, then looked for Minzhe. Seeing him leaning against one of the red pillars a few yards away, she nudged Mao Zi in the side to guide her over. Minzhe straightened at her attention, nodding as she bowed slightly in front of him.
"Thank you for your hospitality," she said, formally, letting a smile warm her eyes. "I will remember it."
"As we will remember you, Fa Mulan," he responded, and then swept his gaze over her company. "As we will remember all of you." He bowed as he reached the qilin. "Revered Huian." Minzhe straightened. "We wish you a safe journey."
"Thank you." Mulan nudged her horse away, leading the way to the gates, where two monks stood ready to let them out. The others fell in behind her, Huian walking by her side. In between the pillars bearing the entry gate, she turned slightly in her saddle, waving. Minzhe acknowledged the wave with a nod, and deeper into the complex, she thought she saw one of the boys waving back. Then she turned around and put Mao Zi into a good pace. They needed to get as far as possible before sundown.
A handful of days later, winter once again gave way to spring as the mountains gave way to hills and steep ravines. It was with relief that they packed away their winter clothes, and even Jianshen seemed less burdened as the air grew warmer and the nature around them turned green. Mulan soon realized this was both for better and for worse, as the boy grew more restless, often squirming on her lap and wanting to get up to all kinds of mischief. When Ling expressed his humor over the situation, she promptly decided to share the position of babysitter. As they reached the camping place at the foot of the mountain, Jianshen was riding in Yao's lap, trying to catch insects coming into his path.
Mulan inspected the ashes of the last campfire lit in the glen they had spent the night in what seemed ages ago. It didn't look like anyone had been there after them. Looking up at Jianshen and at Yao's suffering expression, she nodded.
"We'll stay here for the night," she announced, catching Mei Lin's reins in addition to Mao Zi's and leading them to the grassy area they used for tethering.
Yao sighed and slid out of the saddle, bouncing Jianshen as he landed, the boy tucked under one arm. The boy wriggled in his grip, and Yao nearly dropped him out of sheer surprise. "Little demon," he muttered under his breath as he caught him again, walking over to plunk him down by the fireplace. Casting around for Huian, he brightened as he caught sight of the qilin. "Huian!" he called over. "Would you look after the prince as I take care of my horses?"
Huian snorted a little, trotting over with a bright look in its eyes. "Of course." It nuzzled the boy, who laughed and beat at it with tiny fists.
Mulan suppressed a laugh and turned towards her own horses to unload them. The addition of Jianshen to their little group had been a blessing in ways she couldn't count. It had opened them up to each other in a way she doubted anything else could. Where the attitude towards Huian had been reverent to the point of worship, it was now accepting; where silence had lay between them, there were now words. And she found she liked it this way.
Preparing the campsite for the night went quickly and soon they were all seated around the fire, watching Chien Po cook and making small talk. Jianshen had been turned over to Ling for the evening, bright and bouncy as only a toddler could be and intensely focused on Ling's topknot and whether he could untie it. So far, he had managed five times, to Ling's irritation and the others' delight.
"Defeated by a toddler," Yao mused as Ling once again put Jianshen down on the ground with a scowl to retie his hair. "How the mighty have fallen."
"Haha." Ling glared over at him, then yelped as Jianshen climbed into his lap again. Rolling his eyes, he pulled a grimace at the small boy, sending him into a giggles that increased as he started to bounce him across one knee. "I seem to remember you doing even worse the other night."
Yao bristled and Mulan quickly stepped in. Tonight, she didn't want fighting between them. Not with the decisions she had to make.
"Stop, you guys," she said, putting a little more force into the command than usual. It caught their attention - she usually only used that tone if it were serious. "We need to talk tonight, not fight."
"Yes," Huian agreed, shifting slightly on the ground next to Ling and Jienshen. "We will soon enter the area where we ran into the bandits. And yet, arriving to the capital quickly is important. We need to decide how to prioritize."
"We'll ride straight ahead," Yao suggested, turning to the new subject with an intense focus. "It's the quickest way, and we got away before."
"Yes, but this time we have young Jianshen," Chien Po reminded him. "We can't really be as reckless."
"The safest way would be to circle around the area," Ling noted, playing a game of peekabo with the boy. They had noticed it was one of the quickest ways to get the boy distracted and it had been used ruthlessly since their departure.
Mulan shook her head. "We don't have time for that. The only real options we have are to skirt the dangerous areas and scout ahead carefully, or just barge straight through, depending on our speed. We have remounts; I doubt the bandits do?" She glanced at Huian.
"Not that I saw," the qilin answered, looking at her. "But that doesn't say much - they wouldn't have had much use for remounts in a short chase, leaving them behind is far more logical."
Chien Po thinned his lips. "We can't risk the Prince, however. Perhaps it would be better to take the safe approach."
"Perhaps." Mulan frowned, looking at Jianshen. The Prince's safety was paramount but they also needed to get to the palace soon. "We. . . "
Huian lifted its head, eyes suddenly sharp. "Shhh," it hissed, throwing its head in the direction of the fire. Chien Po quickly doused it with his cooking water while Ling grabbed Jiangshen, moved away from the light and toward a hollow tree, put the boy inside, and positioned himself in front of the opening, crouching with sword at ready.
Mulan reached for her sword, motioning for Chien Po to head for the horses even as she and Yao took up position with Ling. Huian somehow seemed to melt into the shadows, appearing and disappearing as it headed towards the trees, walking with that faint swishing sound that had first caught their attention. Her back against the tree, she could hear Chien Po gather the horses and pull them deeper into the forest. They couldn't afford to lose them if the worst came to bear.
The night was quiet around them, the moonlight faint as it was near the end of its cycle. With the fire doused, the only things she could see were shadows and the slight movement of the trees. Far away she could hear a night bird call its lonely call, and somewhere to her left, the rustling of a nocturnal animal. But otherwise, nothing. And in this case, nothing was not good.
Huian appeared out of the shadows and Mulan jumped, nearly taking its nose off before stopping her sword and lowering it.
"Well?" she mumbled, noting the whites of its eyes, starkly visible in the night's dark.
"The bandits," it said, "and there's more of them now. They seem to have been waiting for us to come out of the mountains.Chien Po got the horses out by heading back towards the mountains and doubling back on the other side of the ravine - they let him go in favor of having us surrounded."
Mulan swore, managing to gain herself a look from the qilin. "We need to get out of here." Looking around, she eyed their packs in dismay. There was no way to take them with them. She turned to Ling, still positioned in front of Jianshen, who was remarkably quiet for a small child. "How is he?"
"Afraid," Ling said, his hand behind his back. She could see a small hand holding on to his fingers, a pair of black eyes huge in the middle of his pale face. "He's doing fine though."
"Good." Mulan took a deep breath, then turned to Huian. "Will you be able to protect Jianshen if we tie him to your back?"
Huian scraped its hoof on the ground, baring its teeth in a fierce grin. "Let them try to take him from me." There was more in his voice than Mulan could ever understand, the sentiment behind it making it raw and biting. "I still have a few skills to draw on."
Mulan nodded and unwound the sash around her waist, motioning for Ling to take her place as she knelt in front of Jianshen. The boy looked up at her, latching onto her hair as Ling withdrew his hand. She smiled a little. "Good boy," she murmured, lifting him up into her lap.
"They're closing in on us," Yao warned from her other side, and she could hear the whisper of steel as he drew his sword.
Huian knelt beside her and Mulan put the boy across its withers, nudging him into place. Then she took the sash and wrapped it around him and Huian's neck, tying him in place as tightly as she dared. A short cry and the sudden sound of footsteps alerted her that the first bandits had arrived, but she didn't dare turn around. She finished the knot, then clapped Huian on the flank.
"Go!" she shouted, then she threw herself to her feet and around, just in time to meet the downward swing of a dark shape that had made its way past Yao and Ling. Pushing against the swing with her sword, she wrenched it out of position, twisting her sword to catch the bandit's throat on the upswing. Ignoring the blood suddenly staining her face, she moved quickly toward Ling and Yao, falling in by their sides. Two bandits already lay dead by their feet, and so far they were the only ones.
"We have to go into the forest," Ling said, already moving toward the trees. Mulan followed, guarding their sides while Yao took the back. The underbrush crashed as five bandits fought their way towards them, swords bared. Mulan blocked the sword of the first of them, elbowing Yao in the back.
"Run!" she shouted, kicking the next, sending him stumbling into the others. Before the bandits managed to recover, Mulan, Ling, and Yao were running.
It was hard to see anything as they ran, and all the while they heard the bandits closing in on them from all sides. An arrow hit the tree next to Mulan and she threw herself into a dive-roll, just barely escaping two others. Ling had dived too, hitting a shrubbery, and he waved at her from there. She crawled forward as fast as she could, jerking as another arrow nearly took her through the leg. Ling hauled her the last of the way, sending them straight over the edge of a small ravine hidden by the bushes.
Mulan landed with a thick 'oof,' her sword beneath her, and for a second she could only be grateful she hadn't run herself through. Ling was already crawling to his feet and she could see Yao come sliding down after them. The bushes at the top of the ravine rustled and then she was up and running again, knowing that if they waited for the archers to arrive, it would be over. Her feet splashed through water, and then she caught sight of Huian, running along the edge of the other side of the ravine.
"Run," it shouted at them, and she could see the glimmer of Jianshen's face against the darkness of its skin. "There's a way up just a little bit further away. Chien Po's waiting with the horses!"
Mulan threw a glance over her shoulder, hoping that Yao had heard as well and found that he had managed to catch up to her. Somewhere along the way, he had lost his cloak and gained an ugly cut across one cheek. Then she had to look forward again and just managed to see Ling find the way up before an arrow bounced off her armor and she nearly fell. Her hands brushed against the side of the ravine and she could feel her hands tearing on the stone as she pushed herself into balance, an arrow going straight through her sleeve. Then she reached the way up and Yao passed her, breathing heavy enough that she could hear him.
She could hear neighing above her now and knew Ling had reached the top. The sand seemed to disappear under her feet and she fell, hearing shouts on the other side of the ravine as people pursued them over the bottom to reach them. Falling several feet, she only stopped her gliding by grabbing onto a root protruding from the ravine wall, and then she was climbing again, legs aching and hands bleeding as she clawed over stone. Then she reached the top, Huian grabbing her by the clothes to drag her up the last part before heading off at a gallop into the forest. The others paused only long enough for Chien Po to toss her the reins to Mao Zi and Mei Lin, and then they were away and she had to heave herself into the saddle, clinging desperately halfway over as an arrow clipped Mao Zi's ear and she went up on her hindlegs, screaming, and then she was running through the trees, Mei Lin pulling at the lead line. Mulan could only hold on.
They streaked through the underbrush and she could hear the other horses in front of her. Taking as deep a breath as she could manage, Mulan grabbed a decent chunk of Mao Zi's mane and then she pulled, dragging herself fully into the saddle. Flopping against her neck, for a second Mulan did nothing but breathe. Then she gathered the reins and looked ahead, starting to guide her way instead of just following. Urging Mao Zi on, she pulled up beside Huian, laying low over the horse's neck.
"Do we have a plan?" she shouted over the wind, panting hard and wishing her hands didn't hurt so much.
Huian didn't look away from the path in front of them. "Chien Po found a heavily armed merchant train camped less than a mile ahead by the forest line - that's why he turned back. The bandits won't attack them."
Mulan nodded.
They rode.
They didn't pause when they reached the camp, instead riding straight through and counting on the subsequent chaos to stop the bandits and protect the caravan against injury. Soon after that, they stopped to change horses and Mulan untied Jianshen from Huian's neck, putting him in front of her in the saddle. They didn't stop for long, though, instead settling into a fast pace that would take them to the capital in less time than the ride to the temple had taken.
For the most part, the roads they took kept them on the outskirts of civilization, and only once did they ride into town to get more provisions. They rode for hours and slept little, the lack of schedule making Jianshen uneven in his mood—sometimes he cried for hours before settling down and sleeping. There was nothing they could do, though, short of pressing on.
"Do you think they were really bandits?" Ling asked her one night as they rested uneasily by a small fire at the outskirts of a village. "They seemed rather too organized for that."
Mulan shook her head. "I don't know. But I don't think they will give up easily. If they waited for all that time. . . "
Ling looked away.
In the end, they cut down the number of days spent traveling from twenty-three to fifteen by way of getting little rest and pushing their horses. As a result, spring was still in full bloom as they were finally within safe reach of the capital and, incidentally, the army. It was, Mulan felt, a good sign.
It wasn't to anyone's surprise that there were scouts out looking for them as they neared the capital, belonging to both General Li and the Emperor. Scouts from Shang, Mulan spoke to alone; the Emperor's man, she addressed in everyone's presence.
"Lao," she greeted the man Yao brought back from the bushes with a firm grip at his neck. He was one of the Emperor's favorite spy/scouts. Slim and short, he looked like a child with a mustasch and pin-point eyes. She didn't like him and never had.
He bowed to the the precise depth her rank prescribed her. "Councilor Fa." His eyes went to the child in front of her in saddle. "Am I to assume your mission was successful?"
"Yes." Mulan looked down at him. "We intend to make camp outside the city tonight. Please advise the Emperor that we suggest it would be wise to secure the city before our entry. There has been trouble along the way."
Lao's eyes narrowed slightly, looking personally affronted at the thought, but nevertheless inclined his head. "It will be done." He swept a glance over their travel-worn company. "An additional night wouldn't be amiss."
"No," Mulan agreed, lips thin as she tried on a smile. "It wouldn't."
He nodded again, then looked pointedly at Yao's still firm grip on the back of his shirt. Mulan nodded and Yao let go of him. Lao immediately headed off for the bushes again and the five of them watched him go. "Creepy ass-kisser," Yao muttered.
For once, Mulan agreed.
Night had fallen by the time Lao returned from the Capital on a lathered horse bringing a missive from the Emperor. Mulan frowned a little as he handed it to her with a bow, shifting Jianshen on her lap as she read the neatly printed calligraphy. Reaching the end, she closed it up slowly and handed it to Yao, who quickly shared it with Ling and Chien Po.
"A presentation?" she said, bouncing the boy a little on her knee. He laughed and grabbed at her hair, which she avoided by rote, looking at the spy.
He bowed a little, chest heaving. "That's correct, Councilor Fa." His eyes flickered up, then down as if if to gauge her mood. "The Emperor would like to see that the heir's return to the palace is witnessed by the people."
"More like wanting the people to remember the huns," she heard Yao mutter behind her. Lao frowned a little, but firmly ignored the unbidden comment.
Mulan set her jaw, eyes narrowing. "The Emperor's words are law," she said. "We will be there."
Lao bowed again, then swung himself back onto the horse and set off at a gallop towards the city. Mulan rolled her eyes after him and winced as Jianshen finally got ahold of her hair. Snagging it back, she hefted him onto her hip and turned around to face Yao and the others.
"So?" she said, looking at the three of them. Yao had taken over the stone by the fire, poking the flames with a long stick while Chien Po tried to make something edible from their provisions a bit further away. Ling was hovering between Mulan and Yao, looking like he couldn't decide who to bother first.
"The Emperor wants little Jianshen to be seen," Chien Po said, his soft voice calm and steady as he sliced the dried fish neatly. "There's no harm in it."
Yao snorted, giving one of the logs a little too firm a poke, causing the fire to shift slightly and flare, which in turn caused Ling to jump back, swearing. "Sorry, Ling." He threw the stick into the fire and looked at Mulan. "It's just politics. Stupid."
"Aw, don't be that way," Ling said, plopping down beside Mulan with a grin, peering at his singed shoes with a little frown. "Think of the women we'll get. Parades, you know." He made a lewd gesture. "Gets them flocking every time. I remember last time there was this girl. . . "
"Ling." Chien Po frowned at him from over the fish.
Ling sighed and cut himself off. "It's not like Mulan minds!" he huffed.
She tapped him on the head for that, causing yet another cascade of laughter from Jianshen, who immediately imitated her and added his own twist by grabbing a fistful of Ling's topknot, leaving it loose and lopsided. Ling scowled and jerked his head out of reach. "Brat."
Mulan raised her eyebrows. "You're talking with the future Emperor, Ling."
"Still a brat," he said, but nevertheless reached out to tap the boy lightly on the nose. Jianshen scrunched his nose and tried to look where Ling tapped him, managing only to make a strange face. Ling smiled a little. "Emperor, huh?"
"Yes." Mulan sighed and lifted him out of her lap, handing him to Ling, who started a game of peekaboo with him. The future Emperor. A cold breath against her neck had her looking over her shoulder, a smile tugging slightly on her lips as the qilin nuzzled her slightly. "It doesn't seem right, does it?" she mumbled to herself. She had held the future Emperor in her arms, had spent several weeks travelling in the company of a qilin. It felt like she was stuck in a fairytale. The only thing missing was Mushu and they would be in one.
"This will be the last time we spend with the brat," Yao commented behind her and something inside her clenched at the thought. "When he enters the palace, he will become the First Prince."
Ling spoke for them all when he said, "I don't know if that's sad or a relief." The laughter was warming, though.
Mulan wished she could have said she was surprised when a little past midday the next day, a chosen few from her palace staff arrived to make her ready for the parade along with Jianshen. Ling nearly laughed himself sick when Xiexie unveiled the heavy, embroidered-silk court version of her travelling gear, and Mulan was briefly tempted to dismiss it before letting her staff put up the screens and start primping while one of Shang's menservants took charge of Jianshen.
Walking out of the impromptu dressing room an hour later, she found Yao and the others shining their armor and sharpening their swords. Chien Po had appropriated Mulan's to prepare along with his own and she met his eyes with a nod as thanks. "The horses?" she asked.
"Some of your clothes people took them to the stream to wash them down," Yao muttered, grimacing at her over his chest plate. "I bet they come back with all kinds of ribbons and girly stuff."
Knowing probably better than Yao what her people were likely doing to Mao Zi and the other horses, Mulan winced. "I'm sure they have."
Arriving at the city just past sundown and the closing of the gates, their small party found themselves amidst the minor chaos of the forming escort. Mulan and the others rode to the front of the train and waited for everyone to form up. And as the gongs echoed throughout the city and the gates slowly opened, they did.
Dancing beneath her, Mao Zi threw her head gleefully as Mulan nudged her into a walk. Jianshen giggled, his fists buried in Mao Zi's ribboned mane, and looked around, laughing at everything as they passed through the gates. The eyes of the city watched them, and for a second Mulan was back in time as part of another parade, when the looks had been far more hostile.
"Mulan," a voice whispered by her knee, and she looked down to see Huian walking beside her, the brilliance of its skin alight in the red glow of the lanterns lining the road. "Look!"
Raising her head high, she saw the people lining the winding road to the palace. She saw the warmth in their faces, the jubilant happiness. She saw them throwing blossoms in her path, saw them making way as she and the others reached the main courtyard and slipped off their horses. She saw the genuine love and happiness in the emperor's eyes as he descended the stairs, saw it echoed in Shang's face as he walked close behind.
This was nothing like the past.
To the beat of the drums, she began to ascend towards the Emperor, her friends falling in behind her. Mulan could feel the rhythm in her very bones, calling her forward to bring her charge to the Emperor and forever change the empire. Every step was a journey and as they reached the platform, Jianshen laughed brightly and Huian pushed a warm nose into the boy's face. Mulan thought she heard Yao mutter something about spooks and walking statues, but firmly ignored it.
The drums entered a crescendo as they reached the last platform and Mulan fell to her knees, Yao and the others echoing the movement behind her. The Emperor approached her, and the second before she lowered her gaze, she saw another qilin form by his side, larger than the companion she had gained for the journey. The quiet whicker they exchanged seemed strangely familiar.
"Fa Mulan," the Emperor said, voice clear and far-reaching in the sudden quiet of the courtyard.
"Revered qilin." He gave a little bow to the creature by her side, who whickered slightly and nodded its head.
"Grandson." Last he turned to the small boy born to his only son, a softness in his face Mulan had only rarely seen. Jianshen stared at him, sucking on his fist and nearly clinging to Mulan. She nudged him slightly, and when the qilin did the same, he finally let go of her and took a stumbling step towards the Emperor.
"Gan-fa?" he said curiously, reaching out to tug at the Emperor's beard as he leaned down to lift up the child.
The Emperor avoided it with a father's touch and neatly tucked him against his chest. He turned towards the assembled people, gesturing for Mulan to retake her place behind him as the qilin moved to the Emperor's side. She did so smoothly, Yao and the others joining Shang's escort while she stood beside him.
"Shang," she said, under her breath.
"Mulan," he replied.
They didn't say anything more, needing no more to express what they felt. The warmth of their connected shoulder and the brush of skin where their hands met were enough for now. Instead they watched as the Emperor showed the people their First Prince, flanked by the qilin and almost aglow in the flickering lights of the palace. Five years ago, the empire had almost fallen. This night, it was born anew and for the first time in far too long, Mulan felt warm.