After Aurora took care of the cut on Shang's arm, the two of them returned to the site of the battle to find that everybody, knights and peasants alike, were all dead.

"The killing here," Aurora's words came with tears in her eyes. "Happened because they don't like the way I'm running the realm? It's harder than it looks, what with the ogres roaming about, but it certainly wasn't worth any of this."

Shang wondered briefly what an ogre was, but realized that it was more important to explain to Aurora the real reason he'd traveled across the Great Sea to begin with. At the same moment he opened his mouth to begin the conversation, the sudden sound of breaking twigs reached his ears and he rushed in front the princess with his bow and arrow drawn.

Protecting her was his main perogative because needed some way to atone for the sins that had caused him to leave China.

"Who's there?" he called.

"Please don't hurt me!"

Langston came stumbling into view, still dressed in his armor and helmet. If anything, he appeared winded, so Shang moved aside and Aurora ran forward.

"What happened?"

"The peasants came out of nowhere, and one of them must have hit me because the last thing I remember is crawling away and fading out until just now."

"I see..."

"I'm sorry I didn't come back for you." Langston tacked on hastily. "Punish me as you will, princess."

Aurora decided to show him some compassion.

"There is no need for that because every now and then, self-preservation is above all. On the other hand, this makes you the last of my knights."

"It does, doesn't it?"

"Yes, and because of that, you may return home or continue on with me. The choice is yours."

"I am alone because my village was destroyed by a large brush fire, and then those who hadn't burned starved due to the following famine that happened while you were in the Long Sleep. Everyone I've ever loved is gone."

Langston shifted his weight from one foot to the other, nervous.

"It is my duty to serve you and any of your kin until you no longer need me or if I should die, whichever comes first. I would like to continue on with you as your bodyguard, but I should inform you of something first."

"What might that be?"

"To begin with," sighed the knight, pulling off his helmet. "Langston is not my name."

Aurora suddenly felt a strong sense of déjà vu - Langston was not a man, but a woman.

Feeling taken aback, it was another moment before Aurora let herself remember that Mulan had also disguised herself as a man when it had been necessary and that she'd even made it work. This wouldn't be any different.

"You're a woman." Shang stated the obvious with contempt. "If we were back in my land-"

"But we aren't." Aurora said sharply. "We're in mine - in my realm - and as long as I'm alive, you will not say things like that to me or my knight."

Shang realized that the princess was putting him in his place and he apologized, proceeding to go foraging for supplies. Although Aurora was grateful to Shang for saving her life, she was still the princess and commanded a certain amount of respect, even from the foreigners. Aurora also knew that as the ruler, it was acceptable for her to defend what she wanted and to scold anyone who disagreed.

"What is your real name, then?" Aurora asked the knight.

"Lavinia." she bowed respectfully. "Lavinia of Westgate."

Aurora looked at her with renewed interest. They were both eye-level with each other, but Lavinia had a fit body and incredibly beautiful dark-colored skin to go with it, although it was hewn from various battle scars. Her eyes were a deep hazel, and her hair, despite being done up in a bun, was extremely curly and so dark that it was almost black.

Lavinia looked nice enough, but Aurora could see that she was really struggling to keep her guard up. She clearly wanted to be herself, and perhaps it was the budding maternal instinct in her, but Aurora felt her heart soften up.

"Please relax, Lavinia."

She obeyed. "Y-you aren't angry with me?"

"No, no I'm not."

"Any other Royal would have me beheaded..."

"Well, I'm not like most of them because I've had my fair share of fights and adventures now. Some time ago, I met someone who helped me see the world a little differently." she thought fleetingly of Mulan. "I accept your proposal to be my bodyguard, but in return and the playing field is different now, I wish to extend you a proper invitation of friendship, and you may even call me Aurora."

"I've never had a friend before... thank you, Aurora."

The princess grinned and beckoned for Lavinia to follow her down the path while Shang brought up the rear with the supplies and the horse he'd managed to find. They'd have to continue the rest of their quest on foot because the carriage had been completely destroyed, but that was a small price to pay.

"Lavinia, why did you think it was necessary to disguise yourself as a man to become part of the royal army?"

"Before I was orphaned, my parents told me to do whatever it took to make a better life for myself. I wanted to belong somewhere, so I disguised myself and used my combat skills to earn my way in because the rest of the options were bleak."

"Nobody suspected you?"

"Not once because I kept to myself. I wouldn't have been taken seriously, at any rate, because I'm only sixteen."

"As am I. When did you get to my palace?"

"Just as you and you and Prince Phillip were restoring it. Only one person figured out my secret."

"Who was that?"

"Your governess, Clara. I asked her not to report me and she promised she wouldn't, but she did she ask me to hold onto something for you."

"Do tell."

"I cannot give it to you until the time is right, and I never go back on my word."

Aurora capitulated and began tracking her baby's movements with her hands as it moved around inside her.

"Now I wish that you had revealed yourself to me earlier."

"Even though I couldn't have know that to be a safe move?"

"I would've accepted you as my lady in waiting, and you'd be safe and happy and healthy. I would've provided you with proper fitting clothes and shoes, plus you'd have your own room, good food on your plate and even a roof over your head. If you'd wanted an education, I would've seen to it that you had a proper one like I had."

"You are too kind, but what's in the past is in the past. All we can do is keep going."

"I agree."

"What do you want to do now?"

Aurora's answer was immediate. "I need to return to the palace."

Truth be told, she wanted to check on Clara.

"Then that's what we shall do."

Predictably, Shang cut in front of the girls with the horse, blocking their path.

"Step aside!" Aurora demanded.

"Your own people just tried to murder you, Your Majesty!" he protested. "What if there are more of your people are waiting at your palace? What is one bodyguard against a whole mob? What if your home is destroyed or burning, even as we speak?"

In the blink of an eye, Aurora had drawn Lavinia's large sword from its sheath and was holding it to Shang's throat.

"What do you know? Why are you proposing such ideas?"

"I don't know anything, I swear!" he held his hands in surrender, still managing to hold onto the horse's reigns as the beast grew nervous. "I'm just looking out for you! Is that so wrong?"

"It is if your intention is to turn me over to the mobs, and it's even more wrong if you're staying with Lavinia and myself because we're not even proper adults yet, and you are!"

When Shang didn't answer straight away, Aurora pressed the sword a little closer to his jugular. Lavinia realized that if the princess continued, she'd slit Shang's throat and have his blood on her hands, both literally and figuratively, so she stepped in between them, using herself as a barrier. She spoke first to Aurora.

"Stop this! He clearly has something important to say or he wouldn't have even followed us this far, would he? Aurora, you could kill him!"

She realized that Lavinia had a point and sobered up, returning the sword and backing off as Lavinia glared at Shang.

"Why are you still here?"

"I am on a quest of my own, you see, but I need assistance."

"What's your quest?"

"To find my wife, so I can bring her home. The last I heard, she was in this land. Perhaps one of you knows her?"

A sinking feeling hit Aurora, robbing her of her ability speak, and in noticing this, Lavinia moved closer to catch her, just in case she fell, but kept one hand on the hilt of her sword as a warning as she continued to interrogate Shang.

"What's your wife's name?"

"Mulan."

"That doesn't ring a bell with me. What about with you, Aurora?"

The woman in question didn't answer straight away because she was processing too many emotions at once - hurt, confusion, shock, anger and betrayal.

Married? Her Mulan, the one she loved and was risking everything for, was married?

Why in the world hadn't she mentioned this before? Why had she led Aurora on?

Was she, Aurora, now chasing a fool's dream? Was she on a fool's errand?

But... why had Mulan left China?

Was she on the run? What could a strong, brave and honorable woman such as herself could've possibly done that she'd felt it necessary to flee her home land and her own husband?

It all became too much for Aurora, and the next thing she knew, everything was dark.