Chapter 21

Mulan galloped Khan towards her aunt's house. Excited to see her son, her life had changed completely now. She knew now that Shang still loved her more than ever, she had became the hero of china, and proved she could do anything, no matter what state she was in.

Mulan thought about the months of pain, sleepless night's, her hunger from never being able to keep anything she ate down. She thought about all she had gone through these last eight months, she never had any energy to do anything, but some how she pulled through all of it, even when she doubted about having her child. She remembered how scared she used to be, at how she used to wish she never met Shang...no matter how much joy he brought her. Mulan remembered all of these painful memories.

But Mulan also remembered at how everything changed when she saw her son's face for the first time. How she instantly fell in love, he was her little wonder. She knew that he had been though all the same things as she did. He was a fighter, just like his father, but then again she knew that before he was born, he would never stop kicking her.

Mulan giggled at the though," He is his father's son." Mulan said to herself.

Mulan pulled Khan to a halt when she came up to her aunt's house. She quickly ran towards the house leaving her things behind. Right know all she cared about was her son, China was safe and she had done her duty for her country, all she wanted to do now was be with her son.

Mulan opened the door. Her aunt quickly looked up.
" Mulan!" Mai-li yelled as she ran to Mulan and hugged her.
"Aunt Mai-li!" Mulan said quietly as she hugged her aunt.

Mai-li slowly looked Mulan in the face. She wiped off the tears running down her face.
"You have brought much honor to the Fa name and to your country, and also to your son." Mai-li said as she looked Mulan in the face.
Mulan's smile grew huge.
Both of the women turned when they heard Ping cry. Mulan hugged her aunt and quickly ran to Ping.

Mulan kneeled down beside the crib and quickly picked Ping up.
"I'm here...I'm here." She cooed, trying to calm her son, as she held him tightly.
Tears begin streaking down Mulan's cheeks, She was so happy that all of this was over. She could finally go home and be with her family. She could finally be able to take Ping home, she wanted to show her family her happiness in life, she knew it would take them some getting use to, but she knew in time they would love Ping as much as they love her.

Mulan looked down at her son, "your finally safe little one." She said as she stroked his head, "and you will be going home soon to your Nai Nai and Ye Ye, I know they will love you, you will bring honor... just like I did little one.".

Mulan watched as Ping slowly opened his eyes and smiled for the first time. Mulan smiled back as tears begin rushing down her face again. She began to hold Ping closer.
" You are my world, little one." Mulan said softly.

"Well your world needs to have a check up." Mai-li said as she came in the room.
Mulan looked up and smiled. She kissed Ping on the head and handed him over to her aunt.

Mai-li quickly began looking at Ping. She checked his weight, how he was developing, and more.
"His cold has mostly left." Mai-li said, "You must have taken my advice." She said sweetly.
"I tried as much as I could but he is a picky eater." Mulan told her aunt.
"But you did as much as he needed, that's all that counts."
Mulan smiled; at least she knew she was doing something right.

"Mulan could you hand me a clean diaper, I need to check that area and we might as well change him." Mai-li said.
Mulan quickly got up and grabbed a diaper, "so is everything alright?" Mulan asked.
"He is perfectly healthy, I don't se anythi...uh oh."
Mulan quickly turned around" What?" Mulan ran to Pings side.
"He has a wound...it's not bleeding but I really do need to clean it and make sure it doesn't get infected." Mai-li said as she went to get some medical supplies.

Mulan looked at Pings wound. It was in the same place as hers. When Shon-yu cut her, he must have gotten Ping too.
Mulan began stroking his head lightly, "Every thing will be alright, don't worry." she said softly to Ping.

Mai-li came back in with a bowl of steaming water, a cloth, and medicine.
"Mulan could you hold him to the side a little bit for me."
Mulan nodded and held Ping. Mai-li dumped the cloth in the water and rung it out.

"Now this is going to hurt." Mai-li said
Mulan looked down at her son worried. Right as the cloth hit Ping's wound, he let out a blood curtailing cry. This made Mulan fell terrible, this was all her fault. She put him through the war and now he had to go through this.

"It's ok little one..." Mulan said as she tried to hold back from crying herself.
After Mai-li was done, Ping was still screaming.
"What's wrong with him, he's not in pain anymore is he?" Mulan asked her aunt worriedly.
"He just got a little scared is all." Mai-li said as she applied the medication to the wound.
"Will he be ok?"
"He should be fine, you just need to keep his wound clean so it can heal."

Mulan was relived to hear this, finally Ping was healthy. Mulan kissed Ping's head as her aunt wrapped the wound.
"OK I'm all done here."
"Thank you so much!" Mulan said happily as began to hold Ping.
Mai-li smiled and walked out of the room to let them have some time.

Mulan began to bounce Ping lightly to help him stop crying, "It's ok little one, its all over." Mulan said softly to Ping.
Finally Ping began to stop crying, he cuddle towards his mother, "I've missed you too." Mulan said softly. Mulan held Ping tight, she never wanted to put him down.

Later that night Mulan laid in the bed gazing at her sleeping son. She would watch as he would cuddle closer to her. She smiled at this, she knew her son loved her, even if he was only a few days old, he knew who she was. Mulan began to look at his features, just like they day he was born. His little tummy, his rounded cheeks, his little feet, his tiny hands, she loved everything about him. He was definitely her little wonder.

Mai-li slowly walked it, "Mulan, are you up?" She asked quietly.
Mulan looked up, "yes ma'am." Mulan whispered trying not to wake Ping.
"I just wanted to tell you, I ran a bath for you, I know you must want one after all you've been through."
Mulan giggled, "yes, thank you, I really do need one."
"alright then I will go get some towels, and something for you to sleep in...I will wash your new dress while your in the bath," Mai-li said with a laugh, she knew it was from the palace, it was a very classy dress, and she knew the whole story about it from Mulan." so you can wear it home, it's a nice dress to wear when you see your parents."
Mulan laughed, "thank you."

Mulan tried to get up with out waking Ping, but the attempt failed. Ping began to cry quietly.
"Aww, it's ok little one." Mulan said as she picked up Ping, "well I don't know about the bath, since Ping is up."
"Well he can get one too, he probably needs one as well." Mai-li said sweetly.
Mulan smiled and walked into the bathroom, with Mai-li following her.

"OK just hold him for a bit while I get the towels, and his bath ready." Mai-li said as she went to get the things.

Mai-li quickly came back with a bowl of hot water, a cloth, and some towels.
She sat the bowl and cloth down on a near by counter, and laid out a towel for Ping to lay on. She sat the other towels near by.
"Ok little one, it's time for your first bath." Mai-li said as she got ping from Mulan.
Mai-li laid Ping on the towel and began to undress him. Mulan grabbed a towel and went behind the screen to undress.

After she did she wrapped the towel around her and walked to the bath. She slowly got in, the warm water felt so much better than that freezing pond water. But as soon as the hot water hit her wound, she began to fell a jolt of pain.
"Ah..." Mulan said as she grabbed her wound.
"Are you ok?" Mai-li asked worried as she turned around.
"Yeah, yeah...I think so, it was just my wound."
"Oh no, not you too, as soon as you get out I need to check it." Mai-li said in a motherly fashion.
"It's...ah… it's ok uncle has already checked it out, It just still stings in water." Mulan said as she slowly lowered herself in to the bath water.
"well I'm still going to check it when you get out."
Mulan rolled her eyes.

Mai-li began to dump the cloth in the water and wash Ping. Ping beagn to fuss about the water.
"It's ok, it's ok, this won't take long." Mai-li said to ping.

Mulan tried to watch from the bath, but she couldn't see over Mai-li.
"Is he ok?" Mulan asked
"Yeah, he is just being fussy about the water, most babies do with their first bath, just take your bath, he will be ok."
Mulan looked towards Mai-li and Ping, then began to wash herself.

Mai-li happened to wipe Ping's wound a little to hard. Ping began to cry louder.
"OK, Ok...your all done, it's over little one," Mai-li said as she began to pick up Ping and take him to Mulan, "Ok, ok, I'm taking you to mama, OK here's mama." Mai-li said as she handed Ping to Mulan.
"Come here little one." Mulan said as she grabbed him and laid him on her chest. His crying quieted a bit, but he still was crying.

"I bet your hungry, that may be the problem." Mulan said as placed him on one of her breast to eat. Ping immediately began to eat; she could tell he was hungry. Mulan watched ping eat.

"I am going to go get you some clothes." Mai-li said as she went out of the room.
Mulan watched her leave the room and then looked back down at Ping.

"I know this must all be very new to you." Mulan said quietly "but you will soon grow to like it."
Mulan smiled at her feeding son.
Mai-li came back in with and outfit for Mulan, it was a light pink nightgown with a matching rope.
"This was one of my nightgowns when I was younger, hopefully it will fit you ok." Mai-li said as she laid the outfit down by the towels.

Mai-li looked down at Ping, "he looks like he is feeding good." she said sweetly, Mai-li looked at Mulan, "You are a very good mother, he is a very lucky son to have you."

Mulan smiled at the complement. Mulan looked back down when she felt Ping wasn't feeding anymore. Ping did a big yawn, Mulan smiled.
"Well I guess its bed time." Mai-li said as she grabbed Ping from Mulan, "I will just let you get dressed, we will be in the room." Mai-li said as she grabbed a towel to dry Ping off with.

Mulan quickly got dressed, and when into the room. She saw Mai-li wrapping up Ping's wound and putting a new diaper on him.
Mai-li quickly looked at Mulan when she came into the room, "Oh Mulan you look beautiful in that...I just might let you have it." Mai-li said sweetly, "it really brings out the blush in your cheeks."
Mulan smiled, and went to pick up her son.
"Oh, speaking of clothes, I have got something here for Ping." Mai-li said as she pulled out a box. "It's some old clothes I made...I made them when I was still pregnant with my first daughter, I didn't know how big she would be, or if she was a boy or girl, so I made a little of both." She said as she pulled out the boy clothing, "I made these a little too small, but they look like they would fit Ping perfectly...I just thought you might like to have them." Mai-li said as she laid the clothing on the bed next to Mulan.

Mulan laid Ping on the bed beside her. She slowly looked through the beautifully sew clothes, until one caught her eye. It was a green out fit, something that reminded her of Ping. She knew it would be perfect for him to wear. Mulan slowly took the towel off of Ping and began to dress him.

The clothes fit him perfectly. Mulan picked up Ping and held him close.
"He looks so handsome." Mai-li said in a kindly fashion.
"yes he does." Mulan said softly.
Mai-li smiled, "well I will just put the rest of this out in the carriage for tomorrow, you two need your rest, you both have had a long day." Mai-li said as she slowly closed the door.

Mulan looked down at Ping, and watched him yawn,"I think she was right about the sleep." Mulan said.
Mulan kissed Ping's head and laid him in the cradle. She covered him with her scarf and Shang's cape. "Goodnight little one" Mulan said in a sweet voice.