A/N: This is my first Mulan fanfic, I hope you like it. I haven't decided yet whether it'll be a one-shot or not. What do you think? Should I continue this?
Disclaimer: Disney owns "Mulan".
"Dinner would be great".
And it was. In the little wooden dining room of the Fa residence, the family and their courteous guest were drinking the most awaited tea that Mulan brewed after dinner. Shang could not recall when was the last time he had eaten a homemade meal or sat in a house so beautifully organized and decorated. He cast his glance outside the window and wondered whether it would be considered a disgrace to invite Mulan for a stroll in the lovely garden. Fortunately, Grandma Fa, who was not one to be bound by social conventions, nudged him in the ribs in a fashion that nearly knocked all the breath out of him and winked.
"Why, Captain" she asked in fake innocence, "would you like to see the garden now?"
Shang could definitely spot when luck was feeling generous towards him.
"I would love to" he answered politely, careful not to show his mounting excitement.
Grandma Fa smiled triumphantly.
"Mulan, why don't you take the Captain for a stroll?"
Mulan blushed slightly and rose from the table.
"Come, Shang" she said and indicated towards the front door, "before it gets too dark".
The garden was indeed fair and the trees, though now in fall, looked quite becoming. The stream that divided the garden into two parts was exceptionally clear for the season and Shang could see all the colorful fish that abode in it. Mulan led them to a stone bench that stood under one of the trees and overlooked the entire garden. As they sat down she turned to him and smiled.
"To what do I owe this unexpected visit?"
Shang shifted uneasily and cleared his throat.
"Well, I…er…I came to return the helmet you left behind". He noted her arched eyebrow and cleared his throat again.
"Alright" his shoulders sagged a bit, "it was not my sole reason to come here. I actually wished to apologize"
Mulan nodded slightly and looked away. Shang took it as an encouragement.
"I…Mulan, I am utterly ashamed of myself for abandoning you out in the mountains among the Huns. I should have never done that…I have no legitimate excuse except that I was angry and felt deceived. I truly am sor-"
"Enough, Shang" Mulan cut him off, "I do not care anymore. It is long past me. Don't trouble yourself over that, besides, I did conceal the fact that I was a woman from you. The penalty for that is death and you did not execute me though it was your duty; I did not forget."
Shang shook his head.
"I want you to know" he said, distressed, "I would never…I could never…"
He was silenced by the feeling of her warm palm on his shoulder. He turned his head to look at her face and noticed that she was smiling slightly.
"I know" she said. "Now forget about it. Tell me what you think of our village instead"
Shang brightened up and smiled as well.
"It is very lovely and peaceful. I guess it is a real blessing living here".
Mulan laughed and shook her head. The black tresses that reached her shoulders swayed lazily from side to side.
"Of course it is; if you can tolerate gossip, nosiness and boring conversations!"
"So you wouldn't mind leaving it?"
Mulan thought about it for a moment.
"I would surely miss my family beyond reason…" her eyes clouded with contemplation "although I don't really see the opportunity to leave presenting itself anytime soon".
This is it, thought Shang, time to breach the subject. He cleared his throat.
"How old are you, Mulan?"
She was taken aback by the question and looked at him in wonder.
"I am seventeen"
And there it was; the flaw in his magnificent plan. At the "progressive" age of seventeen, Mulan was bound to be betrothed to someone.
"Well," Shang hoped that the tremor in his voice would go unnoticed by her, "Then you must be the bride of some lucky man by now".
Mulan waved her hand dismissively.
"Oh, no; according to our Matchmaker, I shall never be a bride"
Thank you, ancestors!
"What happened? What did you do?" He said in a voice that he hoped sounded casual and nonchalant to her.
Mulan shifted uneasily and made a small voice in the back of her throat.
"Well" she said conversationally, "apart from the fact that I am too skinny and am unlikely to bear sons, I set her behind on fire".
She watched him cautiously as the small smile that crept upon his face evolved into a huge grin and then into ringing laughter.
Mulan shrugged and shook her head.
"It's not funny; I've been utterly disgraced in front of the whole village".
"I'm sorry!" He cried joyfully and wiped tears of laughter from his eyes. "For what it's worth, I think that you will make a wonderful bride, especially for a military man".
He could not stop his lips from forming the ominous words in time. Mulan looked up at him with round eyes and a very becoming hue settled in her cheeks.
"I, er…um…I must be going" he stuttered, suddenly eager to be as away from her as possible. He sprang to his feet and picked up his helmet and sword.
"How far from here do you live?" Mulan cried out so suddenly that it startled them both.
Shang relaxed and turned to look at her. She sprang to her feet as well and stood awfully close to him. So close, in fact, that if he, hypothetically speaking, was to lower his head and tilt it slightly to the side; their lips would meet.
"Five days ride" Shang answered a bit too quickly.
"Oh"
"But I shall have to spend the next month at camp!" he said desperately. "At least a month! And it's only a couple of hours ride from here".
Mulan smiled and placed her hand on his arm.
"You are welcome to come and visit when you find the time. I think you've made quite an impression on my grandmother".
He laughed and nodded.
"I will come as soon as work allows it. Will you allow me to write to you?"
"Please do".
Shang looked down at Mulan. She looked so fair with her hair falling as curtains on either side of her delicate face that he wanted to bend down and take her in his arms. However, exactly at the very moment that he planned to sweep her off her feet, tradition be damned, her parents came towards them and requested their attention.
"Captain" said Fa Zhou as he and his wife finally reached Mulan and Shang, "It is already late and we would be delighted if you stayed for the night".
Shang, who felt overwhelmed with the generosity, bowed low before the older man.
"Thank you, honorable Fa Zhou, but I must go and bring word to my sister of my father's death. She is now the only family that I have left and she must be told in order to grieve properly".
"But Captain" said Fa Li, "how will you travel by yourself at night? It is very dangerous, even for a man of your strength and courage".
Shang blushed crimson and bowed again.
"Thank you, gracious Fa Li, but I am not alone. Some of the soldiers came back with me and they are prepared to leave as soon as I command it".
Mulan's parents nodded and Fa Zhou placed a firm hand on Shang's shoulder.
"Very well, Captain" he said," travel quickly and return to us safely, for you are always welcome in this house".
"Thank you" Shang said and bowed for the third time.
As soon as her parents departed, Mulan escorted Shang to the stables where his horse awaited him obediently.
"I shall write to you" he said as he mounted his steed.
"Please do" she said again as she waved him goodbye," and have a safe journey!"
When the gate closed behind Shang and his horse Mulan sighed and went back into the house. Grandma Fa was looking out of the window and darning socks.
"You don't meet a man like that every dynasty" she said dreamily and turned towards Mulan "What did he say to you before he left?"
Mulan poured her grandma a cup of tea and sat by her side; then she took some of the socks and began to darn as well. When the restless old woman demanded to be told the parting words between the two love birds, Mulan blushed and smiled.
"He said that he shall write" she answered and continued her work.
Please do…