Author's Note: Sorry for such a long delay, I've been busy. I also wanted to do something a little different with this story, so just bear with it. (And let me know what you think, please)
Summary: Mulan and Aurora save Phillip, when Mulan decides that she can't stay.
It was a rushed procession. Leaping off the horses, rushing up the stairs to stop suddenly beside the soulless man, and then staring down at him for a moment before joining hands over his lifeless body. The armor clad girl pulled a flask from her belt and pressed it into the shorter brunette's soft hands.
"You should wake him, Aurora. He rescued you, so you should be the one to wake him."
The purple clad girl inhaled deeply and took the flask from the gloved hand of her companion. Her hand trembled as she stepped forward to the man's head and held the flask above his mouth. She looked over at the warrior who nodded and reached out to take the cloak covered arm of the princess. Reassured, the girl carefully poured the fluid in the flask into the man's mouth and stepped back.
After a few moments the man's eyes opened and his eyebrows rose as he noticed the two girls. "Aurora? Mulan? I'm alive? But how… The soul sucker…" He glanced back and forth from the princess to the warrior waiting for an answer.
Aurora looked at Mulan before answering. "Souls taken by a soul sucker don't die, but instead they are sent to a world of their own. Mulan and I found a way to bring yours back… and here you are." She waved her hands around the three of them and smiled sheepishly.
Phillip sat up and jumped off the table. He ran first to Aurora and then Mulan giving each of them a bearish hug and spinning them around as he did so. "Thank you! I… I didn't expect to see either of you again." He stepped back towards Aurora and embraced her before leaning down to kiss her, but just as he was a few inches away, the girl leaned her head back.
"Perhaps we should leave this place? We should set up a camp for tonight," She leaned her head around to look at the warrior who was stepping backwards awkwardly. "Right, Mulan?" Starting, the warrior looked back up, no longer trying to back out of the shrine, and Phillip stepped backwards glancing at both women as he did so.
"Yes, yes of course. I'll prepare the horses—they probably need a bit of food before we leave." Mulan stepped briskly away from the shrine towards the horses—her eyes filling with silent tears. The warrior shook her head as she began to take the bags off of the horses and gave each of them something to eat. As she was stroking their faithful steeds, a hand reached out and grasped her shoulder.
The warrior stiffly turned around to see Phillip standing there while Aurora poured water for the horses. The prince shuffled his feet and looked down at his hands before speaking. He cleared his throat and tapped his side. "Mulan, I can never really say how grateful I am for her safety. It cannot have been easy to take care of her for... however long it has been. And my own life as well—how can I ever repay this debt now?"
Mulan shrugged and turned back to brush the horse again. After a few more brushstrokes, the warrior gulped. "It was my duty to you. You have nothing to repay."
Confused, the prince stepped back and frowned, just as Aurora came running over. "Are we ready to go?" She cried out as she smiled at Mulan and Phillip. Her smile faded when neither of them responded immediately.
"Of course, Aurora." Mulan extended her hand out to help the princess mount, but quickly pulled it back as she saw Phillip's hand take Aurora's instead. She stepped back and quickly reloaded the horses as Phillip and Aurora prepared and mountedthe other horse.
Turning to look around Phillip again, Aurora called back to Mulan. "Which way do you think we should go?" Instead of responding, Mulan simply spurred her horse towards the setting sun and the other two followed close behind.
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That night around the campfire, the warrior sat on the opposite side from the two royals. Throughout the afternoon from the moment they made camp, she had constantly been on the move—finding anything to do to keep busy. After everything possible had been done, she sat, staring at the two opposite her. They had been trying for a while to start a conversation, but each time, Aurora would get distracted by Mulan sidling past or Phillip would be lost by the things Aurora described.
When Mulan finally sat down, Aurora and her prince were sitting, no longer close, but almost half a foot apart. The campfire was silent and they all looked around at each other before Mulan stood suddenly up again.
"I think I should go. I am obviously no longer needed, and you two deserve a chance to be together." She picked up her belongings which were lying already packed by her feet, and turned to go.
"No, Mulan, wait!" "You should probably go… wait what? Aurora?" Both Phillip and Aurora responded at the same time. Aurora stood up and leapt over the fire to take the warrior's arm.
"Mulan, please don't go! I don't want you to leave."
"Princess, your place is here. Now that we have rescued Phillip, I no longer belong. I ought to go." She pulled Aurora's hands off her arm and stepped back as Aurora began to cry.
Phillip stood and looked at the two solemnly. "Perhaps it should be I that departs." Both girls' heads snapped towards the prince, and he continued. "I've spent all day watching you two… Aurora, what is it you really want?"
The princess stopped crying and looked at both her companions. She walked over to Phillip, took both his hands, and held them in between hers. "Phillip, I love you. I always have from the day I met you, and I probably always will. But when we lost you and Mulan and I began to travel together, I realized that I could have more. And I'm sorry, but Phillip, I love her too—and it's different… I can't really explain why. So if Mulan leaves, I am going to go with her." She let go of Phillip's hands and stepped back to Mulan who wrapped her arms around the princess' waist and pulled her close—kissing her on the forehead as she did so.
Phillip shuffled awkwardly again before grabbing his sword and slinging his bag over his shoulder. "Well, I guess I always wanted to travel. Maybe find out if my kingdom and parents survived the curse... Thank you for my life…" He coughed and turned away before quickly spinning back around to face the happy pair. "Umm might I take one of the horses? It could be a rather long walk."
Both Mulan and Aurora smiled at this—their prince always trying to make a joke even at his own expense. Mulan stepped over to the horses and untied the one that had been Phillip's. Handing the reins to the prince, Mulan stepped forward and shook Phillip's hand before he pulled her into a hug, a single tear falling from his eyes. Aurora stepped up and hugged the man, leaning forward on the tips of her toes to kiss him softly on the cheek.
He took the reins and swung up on the horse. Reaching his hand down, Phillip grasped both of theirs one last time before galloping away. When he was out of sight, Mulan turned towards Aurora and pulled her close looking straight into her eyes.
"You chose me? You. Chose. Me?" She would have kept repeating the question, half in shock, but Aurora silenced her warrior with a chaste kiss to her lips. Then she lifted her hand to the warrior's face and weaved her fingers through Mulan's hair.
"Of course I chose you, Mulan. I… I love you, more than you could ever know. I know I thought I wanted Phillip, and I pushed you away a little bit while we travelled, but when I saw you both together, safe, for the first time since we met, I knew. It could only be you. From here out, it will always be you."
Perhaps she had more to say, but you and I will never know, for at that moment Mulan pulled the princess into a searing kiss, and I rode off. I am glad they are happy, and perhaps in time we will meet again. I looked ahead to the west and rode as fast as I could. It must have been raining because on my face I felt far too many drops to be acceptable for tears.