"General Shang, Fa Mulan!"
The armed Imperial soldier had ridden right through the open gate, and was headed straight for the newly engaged couple. The party-goers quickly parted to make way for him.
He handed them each a scroll.
"Orders from His Majesty the Emperor."
Shang addressed the soldier. "Is there trouble?"
"Yes, Sir. Report to the Imperial Palace."
Both quickly read through the scrolls ordering them each to the Imperial City immediately.
They glanced at each other and Mulan nodded. Shang saluted the soldier.
"We'll leave at once."
The pair quickly ate some dumplings and pork buns prepared for their engagement party. Then they changed, packed and prepared their horses for the long trip.
"This must be pretty important for the Emperor to want both of us."
"He knows a winning team when he sees one."
Up on a loft, Mushu was watching them and talking to Crickey. "Since when are they the winning team? The ink ain't even dry on my pink slip and I'm being replaced."
Unbeknownst to the couple, the dragon was watching their every move and plotting how to cause them to break up. Once they were married, he would lose his position as a family guardian. A position he had just regained. He had no intention of letting it go.
Just before they left, Fa Zhou and Fa Li gave them their necklaces, each of which held a part of the Yin and Yang symbol. Then they were on their way. A little ways from home, Mulan discovered that Mushu and Crickey had both tagged along. She supposed they might be helpful and didn't see any harm in bringing them on the mission. Maybe they'd come in handy, especially Mushu's fire-lighting skills.
They managed to cover a lot of ground before nightfall. Mulan caught fish and got a fire going while Shang set up the tent and roasted their supper over the coals. After they had eaten, Mulan suggested they should sleep while they could, since they didn't know how much rest they might get on the Emperor's mission.
Shang gazed at his new fiance, thinking how beautiful she was. She looked up, and their eyes met. Butterflies danced around in her stomach. His normally stern face had a different kind of expression than she'd ever seen before. He glanced around, and seeing no one nearby, leaned forward and kissed her. This was only the second kiss they'd ever shared, their first one being just that morning after his proposal.
Mulan stared at Shang in surprise as he straightened back up. Seeing her shock, Shang began to wonder if he'd done something wrong.
"Is that okay that I kissed you like that?"
"Yes, that was okay. I wish you would do it again."
"You do?"
"I do."
Of course, Mushu chose that moment to have an opinion.
"No, it's not ok that you're kissing on my girl like that! What do you think you're doing, Pretty Boy?"
Shang looked mystified as he stared at the little red dragon.
"Uh… Mulan, who's this?"
Mulan glared at Mushu. "He's my guardian dragon, Mushu. He helped me with the avalanche and with beating Shan Yu. Now he thinks he's doing something good by interfering." She picked him up and tossed him into Khan's saddlebag. "I don't need a chaperone, Mushu!"
Then she sat back down next to Shang. He put his hands on either side of her face, pulling her a little closer, and pressed his lips into hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck and opened her mouth, allowing his tongue entrance. As he pressed his tongue into her mouth, his hands traveled down to her lower back and he pulled her closer to him.
As the kiss deepened, Mulan's hands moved from around Shang's neck down to his chest and she rubbed her fingers over the hardened musculature she'd always admired at Wu Zhong. Shang's hands drifted down to Mulan's hips, pulling her even closer. She was now almost sitting on his lap.
Suddenly, she pulled away, and rested her forehead against his chest. She could feel his rapid breathing and the way his heart had sped up.
Shang pressed a kiss into her hair and took a deep breath to calm the passion and desire rising inside him.
"I suppose we should stop… Since we aren't actually married yet." As he said it, he knew that was the last thing he wanted to do.
Mulan lifted her head up to look him in the eye. "But we almost are."
He nodded in agreement. "I know. We will be husband and wife soon."
"How about tonight?" Mulan reached a hand up and touched his cheek.
Shang looked shocked. "What?"
"I want to be your wife tonight." She was staring into his eyes with the same determined look he'd seen before the avalanche.
"Mulan, I don't know…"
"Make love to me tonight like I'm already your wife. Please? What if we die on this mission? We'll never get the chance."
Mushu poked his head out of the saddlebag. "Never get the chance for what?"
Mulan glared in his direction. "None of your business!"
"You better not be planning to do any of that kissy stuff to my girl, Pretty Boy! You keep your hands off of her!"
Mulan threw a small rock at him, and he ducked back into the bag.
"There… he's gone. Now where were we? Oh, yes, I was trying to convince you to pretend we were already married."
Mulan began planting kisses on his neck and along his collarbone. He closed his eyes, feeling torn between following tradition and giving in to the impossibly amazing sensations of his fiance's lips on his neck. He opened his eyes again and glanced around. There was no sign of anyone but them. It was true they would be married very soon. He made his decision.
"Ok, Mulan. You win." She looked up at him and smiled, feeling both excited and nervous. She'd never done this before. She stood up and took his hand and led him into the tent.
Once they were both inside, and the tent entrance was tightly shut, she looked up at Shang shyly. He took his shirt off and left it on the floor. She closed the two step gap between them and ran her hands up and down the bare chest she used to long to touch during training. He put his fingers under her chin and brought her lips up to his.
As they kissed again, his other hand drifted down Mulan's back and began to remove her sash. When it was loose, he dropped it on the floor by his shirt. Then he laid down on his back and held his arms out for Mulan. She smiled and looked him right in the eye as she removed her robe, then her dress.
She now just wore a thin cotton undergarment over her middle, and her beautiful breasts were totally uncovered, ready for him to admire. She laid down next to him, her eyes eager but nervous.
Shang gently pushed Mulan onto her back, and turned his full attention to her breasts, rubbing them with his hands. He took her left nipple into his mouth, and flicked his tongue over the top of it several times as it became hardened and Mulan sighed. Then he did the same with her right nipple, flicking it several times as she closed her eyes and moaned. He pulled off her final layer of clothing, admiring the nakedness of his beautiful fiance; her black hair splayed out on the pillow, her soft, pale breasts, her flushed cheeks.
Shang pulled off his own pants and undergarment, revealing his obvious erection. Mulan's eyes grew enormous as she took in the sight of him. Her admiration and obvious desire made him smile. She reached her hand out and began to stroke it, but he stopped her, not wanting to be done yet.
"Not yet. I don't want it to be over too soon."
He leaned over her and placed his hand on her lower stomach, then slowly moved it downward until it covered her core. He noticed she looked scared.
"It's ok, Mulan. I'll be gentle." Shang inserted a finger inside her, watching her reaction. She smiled, so he slowly began to move his finger in and out. Then he added a second one, and she let out a sigh and spread her legs out a little more. He moved his thumb up over the sensitive, swollen bump and made little circles with it, causing Mulan to twitch and moan under his touch.
As he continued the motion with his hand, he took her nipple back into his mouth and played with the other one with his free hand. As he did all this, he felt her becoming even more wet and swollen. He moaned quietly, thinking of how good she was going to feel when he was finally inside her.
He realized she was close to an orgasm, so he increased the motion of his fingers and thumb. She shut her eyes and her breath came in little gasps until she suddenly arched her back and cried out.
"Shang… Ahh… Ahhh… Ahhhhhh… AAAAAHHHHH... AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH! OHH! OH! OH!"
He grinned as he watched her jerk and writhe with pleasure, his fingers being squeezed by the contracting muscles around them while her juices flowed out. She opened her eyes again and looked at him in wonder, still panting, her breasts heaving with every breathe. He couldn't wait to make love to this wonderful woman.
Shang pulled his fingers out and licked them off, then climbed on top of Mulan. He could tell she was scared as she wrapped her arms around his neck and spread her legs out more. He positioned himself at her entrance and slowly started to go in.
She shut her eyes tight for a moment as she felt the pain of losing her virginity as Shang slowly slid into her, and he paused.
"Mulan? Are you ok?"
"Yes, keep going."
"Open your eyes", he pleaded.
She did open her eyes and Shang gazed deeply into them as he entered her the rest of the way. Her fingers tangled into his hair and she pulled him closer to her face and kissed him. He slowly started to move over her.
Her hands drifted down from his hair to his back, and she dug her nails in. They continued kissing as they made love. Mulan ran her nails up and down Shang's back, and he kissed her neck and stroked her hair, then returned his mouth to hers. He whispered in her ear that he loved her, and she whispered it back.
Both held tight to each other as they both reached a peak together. Then Shang rolled to his side and pulled Mulan close to him and they fell asleep, both wearing nothing but their Yin and Yang necklaces.
In the morning, Mulan woke up to find Shang already awake and watching her. He smiled when he saw her eyes open.
"Good morning, beautiful."
Just then, the tent entrance opened slightly, and Mushu marched in, stopping in shock at the sight of them both naked under a blanket and cuddled up tightly to each other.
"What? Didn't I tell you not to be doing any kissing or touching on my girl?"
The dragon marched up to Shang and glared at him.
"So help me, if you put your thing in her…" He didn't get to finish because Mulan grabbed him and covered his mouth.
"Mushu, it's none of your business!"
"Girl, I'm your guardian! It is so my business what Pretty Boy does to you. And from the lack of clothes on both of you, he sure musta done something." Mushu shook his fist in Shang's face.
Mulan rolled her eyes. "Ok, ok, we had sex last night. But, you're not going to tell anyone, right?"
"You did what?" Mushu turned and glared at Shang again as he shook both his fists at the General.
Mulan sighed. "I said… We had sex last night. But you're not going to tell anyone, right, Mushu?"
"I guess not. But I ain't happy with you two."
"Oh, well… Just get out of here!"
"Why? Don't we gotta hurry up and get to the palace? Ain't the Emperor waiting for you two?"
"Yes, he is, and we'll leave in a few minutes. Just go away right now and leave us alone!"
"Why?"
"Mushu, just go!"
Mushu realized why he was being booted from their tent. "Alright, fine! Do the babymakin' dance again! But, don't come crying to me if you pop out a kid in nine months."
With that, the little red dragon huffed and marched out the door mumbling under his breath about babies and waiting for marriage. Mulan rolled her eyes and shook her head and moved her body as close to Shang's as she could. She pressed her mouth against his, and rubbed her hands against his chest.
"Do you have any idea how much I wanted to do this while we were at Wu Zhong? I used to watch you working out without a tunic and wished I could touch you."
Shang grinned and palmed her breasts. "Do you have any idea how much I wanted to touch these since discovering you were a girl?" Mulan blushed and smiled.
Shang pushed her onto her back and climbed over her. As he entered her again, she whispered to him to go harder and faster. He was only too happy to oblige.
They were briefly interrupted by a cranky dragon calling out "I can hear you!".
"Shut up and go away, Mushu!", Mulan answered breathlessly. She could barely get the words out between Shang's powerful thrusts.
When they were done, they reluctantly dressed and ate a quick meal. As Mulan climbed on Khan's back, Mushu poked his head out of the saddlebag and glared at her, then turned away. "I'm not speaking to you."
Mulan rolled her eyes at him. "I don't care if you don't like it, Mushu. That's how it is. Shang and I are in love, and we didn't want to wait anymore. We'll be married soon, anyway."
Mushu turned to Crickey. "I might have to rethink this plan of mine about breaking them up. They were in that tent last night makin' a baby."
"Uh-oh", Crickey chirped. He knew, and he didn't care.
"Now Mulan *has* to marry Pretty Boy."
"Uh-huh", Crickey chirped again.
"I'm doomed. I'm gonna lose my pedestal. Especially if Mulan comes home knocked up."
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The glances the couple shared as they galloped over the countryside revealed that both were eager to be in the other's arms again. But it was imperative that they reached the Imperial City as soon as possible. Every time Mushu caught them ogling each other, he told them to knock it off, until Mulan shoved him deep into the saddlebag and told him to stay there.
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At the palace, they were taken to the throne room, where they both knelt as the Emperor explained the growing threat of Mongol attack.
"Allow me to lead my troops in a pre-emptive strike. Each of my men will fight like ten Mongols."
The Emperor beckoned them to a table set up between the two sets of stairs. He pointed to a map set up on it.
"No, General, I intend to defeat this enemy without the use of force. Instead, you will forge a union so strong, the Mongol hoardes won't dare attack. An alliance with the kingdom of Qui Gong."
He picked up an oddly shaped piece of wood and set it by a small model of a palace.
"We will become united through marriage. You will escort three princesses to Qui Gong. There, they will marry Lord Chin's sons and seal this critical alliance."
Shang bowed. "Yes, your majesty."
Mulan gasped, then looked quite perturbed as the Emperor climbed the second set of stairs and turned to face them.
"My advisors tell me the charts are clear. If this wedding does not happen in three days, the alliance will crumble and the Mongols will destroy us. Mark my words, General. Three days."
"Not a moment more, Your Majesty." Shang looked determined.
"I know that face, Fa Mulan. What troubles you?"
"Your majesty, an arranged marriage?"
The Emperor beckoned her towards him with his hand. When she reached the top, he turned to her. "Rest assured, child, my daughters know exactly what they're doing."
Mulan shrank back and bowed. "Your daughters?"
"They consider it an honor to marry in the cause of peace."
"Your Majesty, I uh... I…"
"Apology accepted."
Shang had started up the stairs and now stood by Mulan. He knew she had strong feelings about arranged marriages and the rights of women, but did she really just challenge the Emperor on his decisions? People have been beheaded for less. If she was anyone else, she would have met certain death for her audacity. But just weeks earlier, she had saved the Emperor from Shan Yu, so he let her impetuousness slide. This time.
The Emperor sat down on his throne. "General, how many troops do you estimate you'll need to complete this mission?"
Shang answered without a pause. "Three"
The Emperor looked astonished. "Three companies?" There was barely enough soldiers in his army to make up one company.
Shang smiled. "Three men."
Now the Emperor looked a little more stern. "You surprise me, General. These are my children."
Shang didn't seem daunted. "This mission does not call for force, but finesse. We must become one with the countryside." Mulan watched him and wondered what he meant. Strength in numbers would certainly matter if they were to encounter bandits, but she kept silent.
"As Emperor, I trust you. As a father, I implore you to choose your three soldiers wisely."
Shang looked at Mulan with a grin. "I know just the men. Fearless!"
"Loyal", Mulan added.
"And disciplined!", added Shang.
"China's most honorable and noble soldiers." The two grinned at each other. Of course, they were both talking about Yao, Ling and Chien Po.
"Go retrieve your soldiers, then return to me. We will send you with enough supplies for all of you for the entire trip, plus some coins should you need anything."
Shang remembered from many army conversations that there was a certain tavern the three frequented. He and Mulan retrieved their horses from the palace stables and started towards there. It was only a 30 minute ride. They arrived and dismounted just in time to see Yao, Ling and Chien Po being thrown out the door. The three soldiers landed at their feet. Disciplined and noble, indeed.
They looked up at the couple in surprise. "Mulan!" "General Shang!" They both laughed at the three troublemakers. It seemed some things never change.
"If you three aren't too busy disturbing the peace, I need you to join Mulan and me on a mission."
The three men jumped to their feet.
"To save China?"
"Naturally", grinned Mulan.
Yao pretended to be thinking it over. "I'll be leaving behind a few broken hearts, but count me in."
Ling jumped to attention. "Sign me up."
Chien Po saluted. "When do we start, General?"
"Tonight." Then Shang briefed the three soldiers on what the mission consisted of.
"So… Are you two getting married or what?" Ling questioned the two of them as they all made their way back to the palace.
The couple looked at each other and smiled. "We just got engaged yesterday."
Mulan heard Mushu muttering to himself inside her saddlebag. "You dang right they're getting married, been already acting like it." She slapped the outside of the bag. "Mushu, shut up."
Yao looked at Mulan. "What did you say?"
"I was talking to my horse. I said 'Kudzu, speed up'."
"I thought your horse was named Khan."
"It's a nickname!"
Upon their return to the palace, Shang and the three soldiers secured the surrounding area and courtyard while Mulan talked with the Emperor. Once they were certain it was all secure, Shang signaled Mulan, who nodded at the princesses to come outside.
After the three princesses had said goodbye to the Emperor, they walked to the royal carriage. The last one to climb in dropped her slipper, and Yao ran up to the carriage and retrieved it. Then he held it out while she slipped her foot back into it. As she did so, their eyes met and both felt a brief but powerful spark pass between them before she turned to join her sisters inside. Yao returned to his post with a sigh.
Shang and Mulan approached the carriage. Shang addressed them first, with a salute.
"We're about to depart, Your Highnesses. You have my word we will arrive swiftly and safely."
The oldest, Ting Ting, nodded from behind her fan. "My sisters and I thank you, General Shang."
Shang nodded at Mulan. "Permit me to introduce Fa Mulan."
The middle sister nodded at her and smiled behind her own fan. "It is a privilege to meet the hero of China."
Shang also smiled at her, feeling proud of his fiance and who she was. "I leave you in her capable hands." Then he turned his attention to the three guards. "Stand ready", the General ordered.
Mulan handed the princesses two blankets. "You might need these. It's a little chilly."
Ting Ting thanked her.
"You're welcome, Your Highnesses."
Then she climbed on the carriage steps and sat on the top stair.
"So you're getting married?"
"Oh, yes", the middle princess nodded.
"To princes in Qui Gong."
This time the oldest one answered her. "That's right."
Mulan smiled. "Well, they must be handsome."
For the first time, the youngest princess spoke up. "We don't know, we've never met them." Mulan heard the trepidation in her voice. She was shocked at this news.
"Really? So you have no idea what they're like? At all!" These princesses were being sent to a foreign country, to marry princes they'd never even met. Mulan wasn't sure she wanted to be a party to this. She didn't believe Chinese girls should ever be forced to marry someone they don't love, let alone someone they'd never even met.
Ting Ting answered her. "It's all right, Fa Mulan. It's our honor to serve the Emperor."
Then the middle sister chimed in. "And the middle kingdom."
The youngest spoke up again. "The whole thing is so exciting, really."
"We're very happy… Really." The voice of the middle sister certainly didn't sound happy as she spoke.
Mulan still felt doubtful. "Well, I'm glad to hear that. I'm not sure I could go through with some…"
Shang called for Mulan just at that moment. "Mulan, prepare to move out."
She smiled at the princesses one last time. "Uhm, time to get going." She jumped down, then closed and secured the carriage door.
As soon as the door was closed tightly, all three princesses dropped their fans and leaned forward with a collective resigned sigh. They were neither happy nor excited at the prospect of marrying strange princes. But it was their duty. None thought they would ever see their father again. Or even see China again, for that matter.
"Move out", Shang called.
As the Emperor watched the entourage leave, he let out a sad, resigned sigh of his own. He was sure he would never see his three daughters again.
As they left the palace, Shang and Mulan discussed the journey.
"If we get to the Honshu Pass by midday tomorrow…", began Mulan.
Shang finished her sentence. "We'll have just enough time to make it to Qui Gong."
Mulan heard rustling in her saddlebag and Mushu poked his head out. "And that means no funny business, you two." Mulan ignored him and rolled her eyes, so he went back inside the bag. Of course they wouldn't spend the night together when the guards and princesses were with them.
Once he was back inside the saddlebag, Mushu got an idea. "Hey, Crickey, if I can make these two fight, then they'll keep their hands off each other."
Crickey rolled his eyes and smacked his forehead. "Uh-oh", he chirped.
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The group travelled all night and into the morning, stopping only for brief moments to allow for bathroom breaks and to distribute food to the princesses. Whenever they stopped, Mulan noticed Mushu watching her and Shang like a hawk. She glared at him and told him to knock it off.
But it wasn't Mushu that was troubling her. She couldn't make peace with the fact that she was helping to escort three princesses on their way to marrying complete strangers.
Shang had noticed Mulan didn't look happy, and questioned her.
"What's the face?"
Mulan was startled. Were her emotions showing that strongly? "What face?"
"That face."
She wasn't ready to tell Shang how she felt about their mission. She knew he was duty-oriented and wouldn't understand.
"There is no face. This is just my face, that's all."
But Shang was not giving up that easily. "You know I know you better than that, Mulan. What's wrong?"
It was true he did know Mulan well after spending so many months with 'Ping'.
Mulan signed, knowing Shang wouldn't like what she was going to say. "I realize our duty is to the mission…" She paused.
Shang pressed her to continue. "But…" He knew she was unhappy about something to do with the mission, and had an idea what it was.
"But I have another duty… to my heart."
Shang signed in exasperation and stopped his horse, so Mulan stopped Khan. "Oh, Mulan, your only duty is to the Emperor." This was a critical mission. Why was she being difficult?
Mulan finally voiced her thoughts. "But, Shang, an arranged marriage?" She hated the idea.
To her surprise, Shang smiled. "I know. But not everyone can be as lucky as we are. In an ideal world, everyone would marry for love."
Mulan sighed. Shang continued.
"But the world isn't perfect." He took her hand. "I'm just glad my world is."
Mulan managed a smile at his words. His touch sent electric currents through her, and scenarios from the previous night flashed through her head. She had managed to find love, in an army camp no less. Not many people she knew married for love. She knew she should be happy, but seeing how duty-oriented Shang was had caused her to wonder if she was making the right decision. Too late now, she told herself. She'd given Shang her virginity, and for all she knew, she was already with child. No, she had to marry him. They'd be officially united after the mission, and it would all be ok, she reassured herself.
After holding hands for a moment, they let go and started down the trail again. Shang had a smile on his face as he remembered making love to Mulan the previous night and morning. But he also was beginning to have doubts. She was so impulsive and followed her heart over following orders. Duty and following orders was his life. He wondered if he was doing the right thing by marrying her. He glanced over at his fiance, realizing that it didn't matter anymore if they were right for each other or not. He had to marry her now. She'd given him her virginity and he may possibly have fathered a child with her. He knew that the sooner they were married after the mission, the better.
Inside the saddlebag, Mushu was pleased to hear the two of them fussing at each other.
"Crickey, the more they fight, the less they'll smooch." The cricket covered his eyes with one of his legs and shook his head.
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Behind them, Ling cracked jokes as he held the horses' reins. He and Yao were driving the carriage, and Chien Po rode alongside them. He was so busy laughing at his own jokes that he didn't notice Yao quietly staring off into the distance with a dreamy look on his face.
Yao finally spoke. "Did you see the way she looked at me?"
Ling panicked. Did he mean the princess he helped with the slipper? This was not good. The sooner they nipped this little crush in the bud, the better.
"You mean with disgust?" Ling and Chien Po laughed.
"No!" Yao landed a punch on the side of Ling's face. "It's love, I tell ya. Love!" His face took on that dreamy affect again.
Ling decided he had to set Yao straight. "Love, schmove! It doesn't matter. We're on a mission! No fraternizing with the princesses."
Chien Po added in his two cents. "Engaged-to-be-married princesses."
Yao looked hopeless as he realized they were right. "Oh, yeah." He rested his head on his hands.
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Inside the carriage, Mei watched out the window closest to where Yao sat in front of the carriage. She hardly noticed when the youngest, Su, tried to get her attention by asking her if she'd noticed how beautiful China was. She finally peeled her eyes away from the guard when Su rapped her on the shoulder with her fan. "Oh, yes, beautiful!" She closed the window and turned to her sisters.
"Did you see the way he looked at me?" Her eyes were big and dreamy.
Ting Ting was irritated. "Who, the gorilla with the bad eye?"
Mei wasn't to be discouraged. "Gorilla? He's more like a big, cuddly panda bear." She grabbed her pillow and hugged it close to her.
Su was mystified. "But you didn't even talk to him."
Mei's face was dreamy as she answered. "A true romantic can tell. He may be coarse on the outside, but on the inside…"
Ting Ting interrupted. "He's gross?"
"I mean under that."
"He smells?" To Su, all boys were smelly.
"I can see past my nose."
"Look down… Deep, deep down…" Su and Ting Ting looked down towards their hearts. "There's something."
Su giggled. "Oh, Ting Ting, I think she's in love."
Ting Ting was indignant. She was the oldest, and it was her duty to keep her little sisters safe and in line. "Oh, no, there'll be none of that. Mei, you are to be married in three days. You gave your oath."
"Oh, yes", Mei sighed sadly, and pulled out her fan and waved it at herself. It was a source of comfort, since she always had her fan with her. Her sisters followed suit, and all three sat in silence with their fans, contemplating their fates.