A Broken Flower, or a Raging Fire

Hello, ok this is my second Mulan fanfic, and I hope it's a little more romance filled for you guys. But I know we all know that I'm better at sad and manipulative plot lines. Yet, Mulan doesn't seem to thrive well with that, I don't want to torture anyone with my dark themes; so, I dreamed up this plot line! Enjoy!

Chapter 1-The Tragedy

Song: Evanescence-Hello

Full Summary

Mulan and Shang have been ordered by the Emperor to train his daughters. The rest of the Army, of what was left of it are to be sent into war. Matchmaking goes astray, and love flies in disruptive directions. An impending loss in the Fa Family devastates all that held them strong and Mulan must find her strength of self again. But will she do it alone?

After the last war with the Huns had only recently ended, everyone thought that China would have peace for at least a year. Yet, despite expectations, another threat was looming on the horizon…quite literally.

Mulan had gone home, warmly welcome through the villages she past. Relief had poured over the Fa family when Mulan had ridden strongly through the gates of their courtyard on a proud Khan.

They had all been surprised to see Shang ask for Mulan, Mulan's smile had dropped when Shang rose from his bow. Shang's face was ashen and weary, she originally thought that it was from being around strangers, and then Shang spoke. His exact words had been,

(Flashback)

"Honourable Fa-Zhou-" He then shifted his gaze to Mulan,

"Pi- Mulan" She had attempted not to smile,

"I'm sorry to not be here with better news…" Mulan clamped her jaw shut, had one of the Hun's lived? Were they regrouping and advancing with another army?

"The Emperor believes we are under threat, once again, all troops are being called in…" Fa-Zhou looked at Mulan,

"Mulan…" He said in warning, she couldn't be in such danger again,

"Father, I will be fine. I couldn't imagine coming back to my old life anyway, it would have been hard. Now I do not have to, I promise I'll stay safe"

"You cannot promise that Mulan" Mulan ignored her father and looked at Shang,

"I will go" Mulan said sternly, daring him to argue.

"Actually, you have a choice" Shang said carefully, not wanting to have to deal with an angry Mulan, he did not want to turn out like Shan-Yu.

"I'm going, there is no choice" Mulan repeated,
"No, I know you are, but you have a choice of two duties" Mulan folded her arms and stepped closer to Shang. Her father sat on the stone bench under the magnolia tree,

"I'm listening" Shang nodded, and continued with what the Emperor had told him only hours earlier,
"You can teach new warriors with some of the captains from other regions, along with their lieutenants"

"I don't want you around all those men" Fa-Zhou said sharply,
"I was around them before" Mulan pointed out,

"Yes, but they didn't know you weren't a man, it's not safe" Mulan's features scrunched up in protest but did not argue further,

"Your father is right, it would not be…comfortable. And there will be far more than our camp had Mulan"

"I can deal with it" Shang rolled his eyes discretely.

"Or-"

"Or" Mulan pushed mockingly, interrupting him. This earned her a sharp glare of disproval from her commanding officer,

"You can train the Emperor's three princesses…with me" Mulan's eye brows raised,

"You aren't fighting?" Mulan tone had turned serious,

"No, I am. But the emperor wants his daughters to be able to protect themselves; he saw how you acted last night. He wants his daughters to protect themselves like you protected China" Mulan blushed slightly,

"Why do they want me to help train? Surely they only want you, Shang, you taught me, and I have nothing to teach them that you cannot" Shang smirked,

"You'd have to ask the Emperor himself, but I assume that it's because they'll feel more comfortable to learn with a woman there as well"

Fa-Zhou stood and limped over, his featured pinched in obvious reluctance,
"As much as I don't want you around men at all until you are matched with a husband-" Fa-Zhou looked pointedly at Shang,

"I also believe it would be better-"

"Don't you mean safer?" Mulan teased, Fa-Zhou waved his hand in dismissal,

"It would be better if you helped trained the Princesses, it is a great honour…and you're only around one man. And I'm confident that your General can keep you safe, and keep his hands to himself" Shang bashfully reddened in the face and Mulan snickered,

"He trained me from nothing, I think he's pretty capable" Mulan said smirking, always the tease. Mulan knew Shang was modest, she didn't know he also got uncomfortable with praise.

"It's settled then?" Fa-Zhou said hopefully as he looked at Mulan for her decision,

"Yes, I shall assist in Training the three Princesses"

(End of Flashback)

Little did Shang and Mulan know that the Emperor was quite the matchmaker, and was planning to make their love blossom like he knew it would eventually, but that could take years. And in that time, in the career they were both obliged to, the two could die any day; the Emperor wanted them to know true happiness.

Mulan woke up to darkness, and groaned as she realised she had to get up, but rubbed her eyes and got out of bed anyway.

"Why does the sun have to rise so early?" She mutters.

"Mulan…" her father stood in the door way, looking sombre and his eyes puffy and drained, Mulan instantly froze, her blood running cold.

"Mulan" Her father started again, his throat constricting in a way that made it hard for him to speak at all,

"Y-your mother…" Mulan's hand came to her mouth as she gasp for air, her chest constricting as silent tears flooded down her face,

"S-she came down with something, during the night. S-she didn't make it" Her father shared a heartbroken glance with her before hobbling out the room. But Mulan saw the sobs that shook his form as he disappeared from view.

Mulan knew she still had to go to the Imperial Palace but as she shook in the centre of her bed, knees to her forehead, all she could do was cry. She screamed and sobbed and whispered "she's still here", she could feel herself mentally slipping.

Mulan fell onto the floor, not caring she'd been crying since morning and it was now dark. The hard wood gave her comfort the understanding soft bed hadn't. Mulan pounded her fist into the wood screaming "why?" at the top of her lungs, that was when Fa-Zhou came in and shushed her.

"Mulan, Mulan! Shh, it's ok" The injured man bundled his daughter up and cradled her to him as she sobbed into his chest.

"It's not over Mulan, you can still make her proud, she's watching, she's still there"

"You don't mean it!" Mulan screamed as she shook involuntarily,

"You hate me! You know it's my fault! Don't lie!" Mulan wasn't thinking straight and her father knew that. But he was still at a loss of how to help her; he didn't want to agree, of course not, because it wasn't true. But if he didn't then Mulan would feel alone and without someone to understand her.

Grandma Fa had gone away for a while, she couldn't deal with being in the house, and old Fa-Zhou's friend would have no time to deal with him, he had bigger things to worry about. Yet, he did need to tell the Emperor that Mulan couldn't help the General any longer.

Fa-Zhou and the Emperor are still very good friends, and probably always will be. However, they do not always have time to see each other, yet, Fa-Zhou cannot deny that the emperor gives the most insightful advice.

"Mulan, I have to tell the Emperor you won't be aiding the general, will you be alright?" he said whilst taking both her delicately small hands and inspecting their knuckles as her hands lay over his limply.

They were red, cut and sore; with bits of splinters in them and Fa-Zhou wanted to cry, but instead, kept his composure and stayed strong for his daughter, ripping a bit of cloth off one of the old throws and getting up to wet it under some cold water, so that when he pulled the splinters out of her hands, it did not hurt so much.

As he made a move to get up and reach for his cane, Mulan abruptly noticed he was moving and wrapped her arms more tightly round him,
"Don't leave me!" She whispered desperately, a whisper all she could muster as her voice was course and tired from the shouting. She'd probably lost her voice.

"I'm not leaving Darling, I'm wetting the cloth" He said gently, rubbing her shoulder and leaving her sniffling and leaning against the bed legs as she huddled herself on the floor.

"I want to go" Mulan said quietly, but Fa-Zhou heard her,
"Mulan you aren't ready-"

"I'm fine" but Mulan hissed as she tried to grab onto the bed for support as she got up. Her grip loosened instantly and she fell back to the floor, cradling her injured hands that could not even bend.

"You can't defend yourself if you cannot use your hands"

"I will find other ways, and my hands will heal quickly"

Fa-Zhou quickly made work on Mulan's hands, cleaning then up and removing the wood. He helped his daughter up and laid his hands on her shoulders,

"Promise me-"

"To be careful, yes I know" Mulan said showing him truth in her eyes,

"No, Mulan, promise me, if you feel it gets…too much, you'll tell someone, please" Mulan was flabbergasted by the desperation her father showed, did he not trust her to take care of herself,

"Of course" Mulan said, bowing slightly before enclosing him in a quick hug.

Mulan dressed in a simple hanfu, wrapping different coloured cloth around herself. She did not apply make-up, it wasn't her, and she wanted to be comfortable, not caked. She didn't tie her hair up but packed ribbon and strips of cloth in case she did need to on arrival. She also packed a second set of female clothes and Fa-Zhou helped her back the armour they shared. Her training clothes and such were also packed.

Now, she stood in their courtyard looking at her father, and saying her goodbyes.

"Remember our promise!" Fa-Zhou shouted as his only child rode swiftly out the front gates.

So how was it? Not too painful? Do you know where we are? Any questions feel free to ask, it all happened in a very short time period, I know, so if there's something you don't quite get please don't hesitate to ask ^.^ I don't bite...usually ;) ok then, please review, let me know if I can carry it on without offending anyone and yeah, happy holidays! =)