ok so the internet connection REALLY sucks down here, but I promised an update^^ so here it is! I'll have an extra update up tomorrow or on monday, depending on how busy I am XP

thank you to those who have reviewed! Those people already have some experience from writing and I can't thank them enough for their opinion! You've told me to rather use my own ideas than keep it completely with the Mulan storyline and I know I know, if I continue writing I will work from scratch ;) But like I said, this story is already finished so if I'm going to make any changes, only minor changes will be made.. trust me it won't go COMPLETELY like the Mulan story ;)

now that that's been said... enjoy!

Disclaimer: yadda yadda yadda not mine, I own nothing, yadda yadda yadda (though I wish I owned Gabby's nose crinkle *SWOON*)

Chapter 4

The visit didn't go too well… now I know what you're all going to say, but it really was an accident! ... Or at least the part where Gabrielle spilled the tea all over Perdicus was… She blamed the old carpet for that. In the end Rolan just complained about how Gabrielle was a disgrace, how her manners were plain awful and how she would never find a husband that would want a wife that can't even serve tea correctly. "She may look like a bride, but she will never bring your family honor!" he told Gabrielle's father. It stung for Gabrielle to hear that... The 'tea incident' seemed to be the last straw as Rolan angrily stormed out of the house with a disappointed (and soaked) Perdcus following. He didn't seem angry at Gabrielle... Just simply disappointed. Guess he really was smitten by her. Poor guy, she didn't want to hurt him like that... and she surely didn't want to spill hot tea all over him.

Oh well, what's done is done... no need to cry over spilt milk, or in this case tea. Hey wait, that's pretty good. Gabrielle was considering writing that down, but naah.

After the brief visit Gabrielle's father was silent. Like Perdicus, he wasn't angry, just disappointed. He wanted a good husband for his daughter and he really hoped that Perdicus would be the one, but alas. He didn't understand it. Gabrielle was never really this clumsy, she was always a good girl, did her chores and everything. Why the sudden change? Was she maybe nervous over meeting young Perdicus?

Gabrielle had walked out to sit on the bench in the garden, and he decided to follow her.

He wanted to know what went wrong. As he sat down next to his daughter everything went silent for a while. He didn't know how to start so he tried to do some small talk. He looked down at all the beautiful flowers and smiled. "Well would you look at that. I must say, we have some beautiful blossoms this year."

Gabrielle didn't acknowledge him and he tried again. He noticed a late bloomer among the beautiful flowers and pointed towards it. 'Though it seems this one is a little late… but I'll bet that when it blooms, it will be the most beautiful of them all." As he said that he brushed away the hair covering Gabrielle's face and he could see a small smile. Though what he didn't know was that it was sad smile.

Gabrielle loved her father dearly, but how was she ever going to be able to tell him that, she didn't want to marry Perdicus or anyone yet for that matter. How was she ever going to be able to tell him that what she really wanted was to explore, to truly live life.

Her thoughts were interrupted by distant drums, signalizing that someone were coming.

And by the look on her father's face, it was something serious approaching Potidaea. 'What is it?' she asked her father, but he did not respond. He rose from his seat and clutched his cane.

Six men on horseback rode towards their house and Gabrielle's father went down to greet them, but not before he told Gabrielle to stay inside the house. Gabrielle did as her father told her and went into the house, but decided not to close the door and rather stay close to it so that she could better hear people speak. The men seemed to arrive from the other side of the marked, because several villagers were following them by foot in the distance and by the looks of the flags they were sent by the Roman Empire. A very thin man with a very annoying high pitched voice spoke to all the people that had gathered around. 'Citizens! I bring a proclamation from the Roman Empire! Callisto's army has invaded Greece!" People gasped in horror and some started talking among themselves.

"By order of the Emperor, one man from every family must serve in the imperial army!" everything became silent and Gabrielle held her breath as she listened closely to what would be said next. 'I will call the men that are listened on my scroll' the man continued.

'Tristan' A young man in his thirties came up, bowed, and accepted a scroll from one of the five soldiers.

The man continued to read from his scroll and never once looked up as he called out the names.

'Rolan' Rolan lifted his head as he heard is name and went to retrieve his scroll. But just as he was about to take it, Perdicus stopped between his father and the soldier.

'I will serve the emperor in my father's place' and with that, Perdicus took the scroll and walked his father back into the house. People watched them leave and again started talking among themselves. Gabrielle looked after Perdicus as he left. That was very kindhearted of him to go in his father's place. It made her have more respect for the young man.

The thin man looked closely at his scroll and for the first time he looked up, and searched for the man he was about to call. Gabrielle held her breath, fearing the worst.

'Herodotus,' Gabrielle gasped in complete horror as her father stood up straight and walked towards the thin man and his five companions, leaving his cane in the hands of Lila who had followed the rest of the people from the marked. She had the same scared look on her face as Gabrielle. Herodotus stopped in front of the six men and bowed.

'I am ready to serve the emperor.' One of the warriors handed him a scroll just like the others and just as Herodotus was about to take it Gabrielle spoke up. 'Father you can't go!'

Herodotus whispered her name in surprise as she dodged the other villagers and stop in front of her father as if to protect him somehow. She pleaded towards the warrior with the scroll.

'Please sir, my father has already fought bravely…' Before she could finish her sentence she was interrupted by the thin man stepping in front of her. 'Silence!' the man looked angrily at the father and the daughter as he spoke towards Herodotus this time. 'Heodotus, you will know better than to allow your daughter to speak like that in a man's presence.' The man turned towards the warrior with the scroll.

Herodotus walked up behind his daugther. 'Gabrielle!' The blonde reluctantly turned to her father and when she did her heart skipped a beat. He was looking her straight in the eyes, his own dark with anger. 'You ashame me, Gabrielle..' he said with a voice just above a whisper.

'I thought I had taught you better than this. You will not disobey me again, Gabrielle.' Gabrielle looked her father with shock, tears forming in her eyes. 'Now I'm only going to tell you this once more, go inside! This is not a place for a young girl such as you.' She felt like collapsing right there and then. Her father had never said those words to her.. ever.

She knew she wasn't the perfect daugther, but now she only tried to do the right thing. We all knew, he wouldn't survive another war. He had almost had his life taken from him once. She couldn't let that happen again.. no... she wouldn't let that happen again.

Lila came up and placed her hands on Gabrielle's shoulders 'I'll take her inside father.. Come on, Gabrielle, let's go inside.' She led Gabrielle back into the house, before the blonde could do anything more. Heodotus turned back towards the thin man. 'I'm sorry about that, Brutus. she's had a bad day, she's never usually like this.'

'Just make sure it doesn't happen again, Herodotus. Report to camp tomorrow morning.' The thin man, named Brutus, handed Herodotus his scroll and and the older veteran bowed as low as he could in return has he took the scroll. 'Yes sir…' Herodotus turned away and headed back into the house. As he walked in he noticed Lila and Gabrielle standing by the door, both on the verge of tears.

He just looked away and continued towards his bedchamber. In the distance they could hear the thin man still calling up names of men in the village. Argus, Salmoneus, Morrin, Virgil, William, most of them had once fought in the previous war, but unlike Herodotus, they were all still fairly young and strenght to fight.

Lila said she needed to go back to the marked because she didn't get to buy all the supplies she needed to due to the interruption. When Lila was gone Gabrielle slowly and silently walked towards her father's bedchamber. And when she peeked through his door, she saw him. Standing with his back turned, sword ready in his hand, shining in the moonlight. With elegance he moved the sword, almost in slow motion at first, picking up a little more speed for every second that went. He got ready to strike the invisible enemy, but just as he was about to strike he suddenly clutched his mid in pain and lost the sword. Gabrielle gasped, she wanted to go and help him, but was too afraid that if he saw her, he would be even more disappointed of her. Herodotus slowly got to his feet again and leaned against the wall as he tried to desperately catch his breath. He wasn't the warrior he used to be. His leg was never the same after the last war, and his body was catching up to his old age.

He wouldn't last a second out there and he knew it. And so did Gabrielle.

'Oh gods, what am I going to do?' He asked himself in barely a whisper, though Gabrielle heard him perfectly. The question wasn't, what was he going to do... the question was, what was she going to do.

Good? Bad? Meh? Oh please, u loved it! (I hope..) lol the chapter has been changed though ^^

oh well, partly follows the Mulan story (ok 97% follows the Mulan story, the 3% is my attempt at adding stuff LOL). though I hope you like it so far ^^