AN: Started working on some fanart for this. Posted at DeviantArt and my homepage, just simplistic crap so far but eventually once I get the hang of drawing them it might evolve into smudgey, more complicated crap.
Test of Time
Chapter 12
Competition
Mulan's face turned red and she looked to the campfire in an attempt to regain control of her emotions. As a momentary pause turned into awkward silence, she still could not summarize the torrent of emotions and feelings that surrounded her relationship with Shang. When she was home it was so easy; she was going to marry a good man and bring honor to her family. She had the unusual opportunity to get to know him before they became more than friends and it unfortunately seemed to work against them. She knew he was traditional, his life was structured and there were expectations that would have to be met from their union. Even if she was the heroine of China, it did not elevate her status any. She was breeding stock, and everyone would be expecting them to produce an army of offspring to keep the Middle Kingdom safe. It was a perfect match; two warriors would inevitably produce quality soldiers.
That was what bothered her now, the expectations. Shang most certainly had them. Did he think that marriage would tame her or did he want a spirited woman beside him? His actions spoke for him, if he wanted Mulan the warrior he would have taken her back to the capital with him. He wanted to establish himself without her intervention and in doing so set himself that much higher above her.
Was she really ready to give up her individuality now that she had tasted the bittersweet essence of battle? The sword in her hand now felt so right; her body was a precise instrument and her mind a sharp and calculating machine. No, she couldn't let this go. Not yet. Selfish as it may be, she was not ready to lay her weapons down.
It left her without an answer still. Did she love Shang? Her heart pounded as she thought of his face and the possibility of his touch. The touch of his hand on hers had sent tingles through her body and made her smile like an idiot. She swelled with pride when she saw him in his distinguished new uniform, not because it was her man but because she wanted him to succeed. Did she love him? Yes.
If she loved him, how could she condemn him to a life with her? She would ultimately bring him dishonor. Unable to be a proper wife or mother, his life would become hell. The scrutiny of his colleagues, the horrid rumors of villagers and the disappointment from his family, all under the ever watchful eye of the entire Empire...there would be no quiet, secluded life for either of them. Not now, not ever. She would ruin him and the thought of that terrified her. A life alone would be better than destroying a man she cared for. Finally, a selfless act.
"Yes." She finally said and turned away from the men before her, seeking the solitude of the woods to shed her tears.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Zhao Yun…never would have thought him capable of this!" Zhang Liao mused and sipped his tea.
"Ma Chao….yeah. That kid is as predictable as ever." Xiahou Dun looked at Li Shang as he looked over the reports from the spies in the Shu camp. The young officer was trying to bury himself in the paperwork, trying to figure out what went wrong. It was indeed reported that both Shu officers had courted the warrior girl and that she had seemed almost delighted at the interest of the two suitors. This was how the man's fiance acted?
"How the two can survive vying for the same woman is beyond me." Liao looked at another letter, this from one of the female bodyguards. It was oozing with jealousy.
"Won't be hard to turn them against each other." Dun fidgeted with his eye patch.
"Ugh." Liao looked up and grinned, amused by the thought of the duel in the middle of a battle. He then threw the letter down as he spotted a familiar face. "Guess who's back."
"Not that damned geriatric pervert again." Dun reached for his scimitar and looked up. "Oh…much worse."
"CAO CAO!" Himiko screeched and looked for her Lord and crush. "My lord! I have most valuable news!"
Shang was happy for the distraction, even though his comrades were obviously miffed. He wasn't sure what upset him more, the fact that Mulan was participating in these events or that he didn't think of them first. He was not only competing with one legendary warrior but two? Ma Chao had his failings but from what the one bodyguard had written, he made up for it in 'firm, delicious muscles and hot, sensual, angry eyes'. Zhao Yun was flawless. So how was he going to compete? Even if he bested the Shu generals, he still had to contend with his fellow Wei officers. He had lost the sparring match and fangirls to Zhang Liao when they practiced and it seemed that Cao Cao had some weird sexual magnetism that weakened every girls resolve. Was he only capable of winning this contest in his own time, after the Huns had eliminated the competition for him?
Xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Dawn arrived and the only sunrise spectator was Zhao Yun. Ma Chao slept soundly, his head resting upon his mare's snow white belly. Mulan was visible, almost twenty feet away from him, curled up beneath an old tree. He suspected she had cried herself to sleep, and it pained him to know he was so close and did not offer her comfort. Still, there was a time everyone needed to be alone.
"You should tell her you watch her sleep."
"Shing, don't start." Zhao Yun grumbled, wishing he could enjoy the peaceful solitude that his companions were enjoying.
"In a good way. Not some weird silent stalker way." Shing stretched and rummaged through his master's saddle bags for breakfast. "Better do something. Ma Chao won the match last night. You look scrawny next to him. More brawn than brains, but women never think about that."
The sun continued its ascent and slowly the camp came to life. The guardian slipped back into his hiding spot, and it seemed like a blessing. Being the eldest officer, he announced. "We should move out. We've been away from camp too long."
"Mmm?" Ma Chao scratched at his hair as his mare decieded to groom him.
"Never mind." Zhao Yun walked over to where Mulan slept, wondering if he should say something while they were alone. He could come up with nothing other than lame compliments. "Mulan…time to wake up."
The young woman stirred and felt around the ground for a blanket to throw over her head. Instead she grabbed at Zhao Yun's pant leg.
He gulped. It felt a lot nicer than he wanted to admit. He knelt down to nudge her shoulder. "Mulan, sweetie, time to wake up. We need to get back to camp."
"Five more minutes…" Mulan whimpered and covered her eyes with her arms.
"We've been gone too long. Someone is going to get upset if they discover the entire cavalry high command has gone camping. You look beautiful in the morning."
Mulan struggled to understand the distant words as the tendrils of sleep hindered her comprehension abilities. It was bizarre enough to make her open one eye and locate the source of the voice. She quickly opened both eyes and looked at a most handsome face, showcased by adorable wisps of chocolate brown hair. He gave her a look that warmed her and made a smile tug at her lips. It was a look that made her feel loved.
"The sunset pales in comparison to the sight of you in the morning." He gulped and stood up. His face flushed and he felt the heat rise to his cheeks. Why was it that his feelings always sounded so pathetic in sentence form?
