"Where is that daughter of yours Fa Li?" Chen shouted looking through the silk curtain at the pace mother. "If she misses this appointment with the match maker you will find it very hard,"
"I am aware of the consciences Chen! She will be here," She replied without even looking at her. "I hope she'll be here."
"Even if your daughter is late she is much prettier than those other girls." Grandmother Fa replied touching the shoulders of her nervous friend. "Just as long as Mulan promises to hold her tongue and do as instructed I believe she could manage to get herself a very wealthy, powerful man."
"Yes but can you recall a single event when Mulan has done what she is told?" Fa Li replied looking at her friend.
Biting her lip with a grin on her face and in her eyes she stated. "Well I am sure one of the suitors is bound to be deaf and blind."
"Mulan!" His voice echoed throughout the home with a less than temperate tone. "MULAN!"
"Father remember what the doctor said anxiety and angry makes it only worse." Mulan grinned as she appeared in front of him.
Since she was a child Mulan had done what she pleased with herself and her free time. Her long, glossy black hair shone as bright as the night sky on a clear summer's evening while her natural pale skin was as perfect as the moon. Her eyes were of the deepest brown giving the illusion of mystery to her appearance. She was as beautiful as anyone in the village and greatly admired by many suitors yet she did not seem to notice their stares and whispers. She did not notice the eyes of the men, old and young, who thought of Mulan as a beautiful creature that needed to be tamed. Much to her father's disliking of the whispers about his daughter he too secretly wished one man would be able to make her see reality or at least make her happy.
"You are running very late my dear." Fa Zhou replied taking his daughter's hand gently hopefully being able to guide her to the door. "Your mother and grandmother are waiting and you need to be prepared."
"I am a prepared as I can be father, believe me I think I can handle this." Mulan replied realizing her father's actions.
"I do believe you can handle this however I am just worried that you will be overlooked if you are not there on time." He replied as he opened the door. "Now go, you make me very proud Mulan and no matter the outcome I shall always be."
"Thank you father, I promise I won't let you down." She smiled as she kissed his cheek and ran toward Khan. "Goodbye"
"Bye," He waved as he watched her ride away. Seeing his only child rush through the gates toward the village, Fa Zhou could not help but turn his head toward the temple of his ancestors and whisper. "Not today, please any day but today."
Mulan felt the breeze in her hair as she rode toward the village and unlike any other day this breeze felt somewhat different. She could feel the thin hairs whipping and brushing the back of her neck while the wind began to make her eyes water. She did not care that she appeared more like a man in this moment as she knew soon she would come back out as a woman. As she came closure to toward the village she felt with her stomach the excitement and anxiety of meeting the match maker swell inside her stomach. Yet as she rode toward the large dressing building the fear began to build up as she saw her mother standing there with her arms crossed in her orderly fashion her and her jaw clammed shut as if it had been sewn shut.
"I'm here!" Mulan shouted leaping from her horse.
Looking over her daughter, her glare was direct as she stated. "Your late."
"I know I'm sorry," Mulan said following her mother closely. "But I'm here!"
"I am surprised, now get inside!" She stated forceful pushing her daughter inside. "And get out of those clothes, Ju, Chen she's here!"
"Ah finally." Chen smiled as she walked into the chamber. "Ah, we have a lot of work to do."