It was a long day for Aurora and Phillip, both endlessly walking through the wilderness trying to find the nearest town. "We're lost Phillip..." Aurora said with a sigh, she didn't like to crush his hopes, but the endless walking through the forest wasn't proving him any further. "Aurora, we're almost there...I can feel it!" Phillip tried to sound proud, but fell short. Sighing again Aurora sat on the hard ground while her Prince looked around him, figuring a way out. Aurora looks up at the orange skies, the sun was setting on them. He's so proud, we can just rest another day and figure out where we are.
Night filled the skies quicker than Aurora expected. "Phillip...why don't we start a fire?" Aurora smiled, trying to make him feel better from his earlier loss of being lost. "Besides, this can be an adventure!" Aurora began to search for wood until a branch snapped not far from where she was. Aurora froze in her place, her whole body trembling. Phillip quickly unsheathed his sword, "who's there?!" his yell was frantic. All was silent, then an unsheathing of a sword was heard in the darkness. More branches snapped, closer and closer to Aurora. Phillip dashed in front of Aurora protecting her. As he swung into the darkness, a sword collided with his, and sent his sword flying. Two women appeared from the darkness, one in red armor holding onto her sword, that was pointed at Phillip, the other wearing a proud leather outfit carrying a book. "Who are you?" The woman in armor growled, she was in no place for games. "M-my name is Phillip, Prince Phillip and this is my Princess, Aurora." Phillip stammered from fear of the women. The woman in leather touched the armored woman's arm, soon she let her sword down. "What are you doing in the forest?" The armored woman asked bluntly. "We...we-"
"We are lost. We've been traveling all day and thank goodness that you are here." Aurora stepped up, putting on a smile even though fear possessed her. The armored woman say her gesture of kindness and put her sword away. "Well, we are east from town, not too far away, only about three days journey from the town." The leathered woman replied, giving back the smile to Aurora. "I'm Belle and this is-"
"I'm Mulan, Fa Mulan." Mulan nodded at Aurora, her eyes pierced Aurora, making her look away.
After the introductions Belle and Mulan pitched up a makeshift tent for everyone, while Phillip and Aurora made the fire. After everything was settled Phillip began asking questions of their position and where to find the nearest town. "We are indeed lost and we were wondering-"
Mulan cut into Phillip's sentence knowing the answer, "we are four days east of town." Aurora stared at Mulan, thinking of how intense she looked. She's quite rude...cutting off Phillip like that... Belle turned to Aurora asking her all kinds of questions about how they were lost in the first place, while Phillip and Mulan discussed a way out of the forest. "what is that book for?" Aurora asked, pointing toward the book that was laid in Belle's lap. "This book is about the legendary Yaoguai, that Mulan and I are looking for." Aurora's interest was certainly peeked. "What is a Yaoguai, and Why are you searching for it?"
"the Yaoguai is a fearsome beast, covered in fire almost directly from Hell. Mulan went in search for it to protect her village and we just happened to cross paths. I was traveling with a group of men who were hunting it for gold, but they left me thinking I was no use. Thankfully, Mulan protected me from them." Aurora's eyes wandered toward Mulan, curious. She doesn't look like admirable person...yet... Aurora seemed to have forgotten she was looking because Mulan's eyes looked straight into Hers, feeling a small shock throughout her body. Aurora quickly looked away, red in the face, trying to change topics with Belle.
It was dead silent in the dark, Aurora was still sitting near the fire, gazing into the blaze. Watching flames dance around endless motion. Watching the red, orange, and occasionally blue flames dance around in endless motion. Everyone else in the camp was sleeping soundly, and all Aurora could hear were the soft breaths that were let out each second. Suddenly, silent footsteps were behind Aurora. Her muscles tensed, her eyes as wide as an owl, Unable to make herself look behind her. She was frozen in fear. Finally, Aurora taking a big huff, "w-who's there..?" her voice trembled as she asked out into the darkness. "Princess...?" a familiar voice responded as soft as Aurora spoke. Aurora finally loosened herself and looked behind her, Mulan stood in the semi-darkness. The fire heightened her facial features, every structure perfectly outlined. Mulan's intense eyes seemed more worried than anything. "Princess Aurora...what are you doing up?"
"I could ask the same to you."
Mulan came closer, out into the light of the fire, her eyes were deep brown and looked intently into Aurora's. "I was just scouting the area, again." Mulan's tone was less fierce, subtly soft and affectionate. "Any you?"
"I just couldn't sleep...I don't get much sleep nowadays..." Aurora mumbled the last answer, but somehow in the low mumbles, Mulan heard every word. "If you're afraid it's unsafe, I assure you it's safe." Mulan stepped closer to Aurora, sitting next to her. "it's not that...just..." Aurora watched Mulan as she walked, how she moved, every step was precise and thought out. She moves as if always on duty. Silently, with each step... Watching her sit she began to notice her armor and the little symbols, "Why is your armor red?" Aurora blurted out not even thinking. Mulan, who was looking into the fire, looked up at Aurora curiously, almost as if no one has ever asked that question. "Well, my armor is specially made for myself, the colors of red represent the great dragon spirit that protected me during the war, Mushu." Mulan smiled at the curiosity Aurora had. Mulan's smile was the most beautiful thing Aurora saw. Someone who seemed to keep to themselves, harsh on the outside, she had a gentle soul. "Why did you want to go to war? Didn't you have a family?"
"I have a Family." Mulan paused to take a breath, obviously this wasn't an easy subject to tread on, "if you have to choose freedom or imprisonment, which would you choose, Princess?" Aurora caught off sued by the direct question, she actually had to think about it. She has never known life outside of the castle until now. She was pampered and cared for in her childhood. Aurora was silent, she couldn't think of a moment when she wanted anything else, especially not freedom, because she thought she had it all. "I went because I wanted to show I had the Warrior Spirit in me. I showed everyone I was made of something, and I had something worth fighting for, and never gave up on it." Mulan answered Aurora's question from the lack of words from her own question. Aurora sat listening to Mulan's strong words something worth fighting for...? What do I fight for...? Aurora stared blankly into the fire unknowingly. Mulan shifted in her spot, looking up at the stars. Aurora couldn't help but look as well. " did you know the stars represent the seasons? Well, the constellations do." Aurora smiled at how easy Mulan talked with her, first thinking she was rude, she was just showing her place. "I didn't."
"Well, that one is spring, that is winter, fall, and summer." Mulan pointed out the Four Symbols in the sky, the millions of stars and constellations had a story of its own. Aurora began to feel tired, and yawned from the day's journey. "You should sleep, I have kept you up with my strange stories." Mulan told her, noticing Aurora's sleepy eyes. "I'm fine..." Aurora replied as she yawned. "You should sleep..." Mulan told her, seeming the argument was already won. "I...I can't sleep well these days...not after I've been asleep for many years..." Aurora's word slurred from drowsiness, she tried to fight the lonely man of sleep. Mulan just looked at Aurora intently, waiting for her explanation. "I get nightmares..." Aurora said, shuttering from the very thought. "Phillip doesn't know, I try to wake myself up before they get too horrific..." Aurora felt sad, she didn't want to burden Phillip anymore than she has. "why don't you just lay your head down, for a minute?" The Warrior suggested, patting on the empty space on the ground. "But the nightmares..." a slight whimper came from Aurora's lips. "I'll be right here...don't worry." Mulan spoke so gently, so inviting, Aurora laid her head and closed her eyes, soon falling deep into sleep. The Warrior smiled, carefully removing her cloak and setting it over the Princess. Soon, Mulan drifted off to sleep, both girls slipping away into their dreams.
The next morning Aurora awoke peacefully, noticing no dreams disturbed her that night. She looked around noticing she was in a tent. Did Mulan carry me into the tent...? Aurora left the tent, noticing Belle had just awoken as well. "Good morning Princess!" Belle exchange friendly smiles with her, "Have a nice sleep?" Aurora nodded, a little distracted, looking around for Mulan, and Phillip. Belle noticing her glances told her Phillip went to get water, while Mulan went to hunt for food. Aurora noticed how hungry she was, not having a decent meal since they got lost. Phillip came first, embracing his Princess with a hug and a kiss. "and how is my lady feeling today?" Phillip smiled with all teeth showing. "I slept, well." Aurora smiled back, still occasionally glancing over his shoulder for Mulan. "We actually might be sleeping in the forest awhile..." Phillip spoke quieter. Aurora looked at him confused, "what do you mean...?"
"well, I have agreed to Mulan if we help her with her quest, she will help us out of the forest and will escort us on our journey to the next kingdom, where my Uncle is." Phillip looked for an answer in Aurora's eyes. "alright."
"You're fine with that?"
"why shouldn't I be? We will be safer with Mulan and Belle with us." Aurora smiled, more on the inside from getting to spend time with the mysterious woman, Mulan.
