A/N: Occurs right after Mulan's Heartbreak. Specifically, the night she joins Robin Hood and the Merry Men.

"Oh Mulan. You're hurt." Aurora sinks to her knees next to me, gently lifting my head, placing it in her lap.

"It's...not...that bad." I groan against the pain, praying she doesn't see the hurt in my eyes.

"Let me help. Please."

"There's...nothing...you can...do." I try to protest, but to no avail. She rips a sleeve off her dress, gently pressing it to my wound, trying to stop the bleeding.

"Don't leave me Mulan. I-I need you."

"Aurora..." the words escape my lips in a whisper. It's getting harder to breathe. It's almost as if I can feel myself slipping away. "There's something...I need...to tell you."

She grabs my hand, squeezing it. "Yes. Anything."

"I...love...I love..." the words die on my lips as I take one final breath. Suddenly, I'm falling. Falling through a blackness. There's no light anywhere; just darkness.

"Mulan? Mulan wake up." A voice reaches through the darkness, seeming to reach out and shake me. "Mulan wake up. You're dreaming." The shaking continues, harder this time. Suddenly my eyes pop open and I bolt upright.

"Thank goodness. I thought you'd never wake up." Robin stares at me with concern. "You must have been having some dream." A realization crosses his face. "Were you dreaming about your loved one? You never did tell me."

"Yes." I take several deep breaths, trying to calm the adrenaline rush. "I was wounded. I'm assuming it was in battle. Auror-" I stop, swallowing. "My loved one was above me. My head was in her lap. She was trying to tend to my wound, but...I died." I swallow again. "I died before I could tell her I love her."

"Her?" He looks at me, bewildered. "Your loved one is female?"

"Yes." I nod, awaiting his response. This kind of thing is an anomaly in our land. It's princess and prince, not princess and female warrior. "I have dishonored your good name and the names of your band with this information." I stand up. "I'll go."

"Love comes in all forms." The statement is thoughtful.

"You're not kicking me out?"

He turns to me. "Mulan, you are a brave and honorable warrior. The Merry Men and I have seen all kinds of warriors in our travels and you are one of the best. Your fighting skills are unmatched and your heart is pure." He places a hand on my shoulder. "You are strong. Any man or woman would be lucky to have you. What is her name?"

"Aurora."

"Phillip's Aurora?" Robin gives out a low whistle. "Well, that is-"

"A problem."

"Why?"

"She's with Phillip. They're expecting a child. She wanted me to stay, but...I couldn't."

"Because your feelings for her would have interfered."

"Yes." I study a crumpled leaf on the ground for a moment before turning my gaze to him. "I normally don't ask this of anyone, as I am usually sure of my decisions, but...did I do the right thing? Leaving?"

"Did she return your love?"

"I never told her. The news about the baby came before I could."

He looks out into the distance, seeming to think my response over. After a moment, he stands up. "You did the honorable thing."

"Doesn't make it hurt less."

"Whether losing a loved one to death or to another, the pain is still acute. My wife's been dead four years and my heart yearns for her everyday."

"Does it ever go away?"

"It eases." He removes his hand from my shoulder, staring out at the horizon. The sun is slowly rising, chasing away the night. He turns back to me and smiles. "Come on; it's time for breakfast. The Merry Men will get cranky if we don't have food soon." My stomach growls as I start to follow him. "And by the sound of it, you're hungry too."

"I haven't eaten since yesterday." I step over a log, falling in step beside him. "Robin, I-"

"Daddy, I'm hungry."

Robin smiles down at his son, picking him up. "See? I told you the Merry Men get cranky. Especially this little one." He sets the boy down. "Roland, go wake everyone else up. We'll hunt for breakfast soon." He turns to me. "You were saying?"

I give him a genuine smile. "Thank you. For listening to me. And understanding. It's...nice to be able to talk to someone."

"Ah. Well, that is why we are here; to do good and lend a sympathetic ear when needed." Robin reaches over, grabbing a pot and spoon from the now dead fire. "I hope you'll return the favor for me someday." He grins and starts banging on the pot with the spoon. "Merry Men! Everyone up! Time to start the day!"

I cover my ears at the loud clatter. Maybe joining Robin's band wasn't such a bad decision after all.