Chapter Seven

7.1

Mulan looked over to where Shang was as they sat beside the river looking out into the moonlight and the farming community where they had travelled. Shang just needed to ride. He needed to clear his head and thanks to Khan, Mulan had been by his side. Still, she didn't know how to sort out the mass confusion in his head. She smiled as she watched him and unintentionally shivered from the coldness that the night had brought.

"You better not come looking to me to keep you warm," Mushu told her, "I wanted to stay where the warm food was provided."

Mulan shook her head and put a finger to her lips as she studied Shang. He was pacing back and forth and she felt guilty that she hadn't been able to fit into the society to which he had brought her. He grew up without wanting and she was a girl who needed to grow in many ways, to be molded like an origami crane. She wasn't tailored to the highest lifestyle.

"Shang," Mulan said gently and he turned to her. "Did you want to talk?"

"Talk?" he asked before looking away guiltily. "You are one of the few people who have ever said that we should just…talk," he said before sitting down. "Are you starting to have regrets?" he asked her. Mulan blinked confused as she stared at him. Did she regret leaving his home without making more of an effort to fit in, yes, but she always had trouble pretending to be somebody else.

"I think if you wanted to return I could lea-" Mulan started to reply and Shang's eyes widened.

"What are you talking about?" he asked her and Mulan blinked hard. She pulled her knees up to her chest and looked up at Khan. He was watching her with a sense of knowing. Mulan wanted to live up to Shang's idea of a woman but she didn't want to compromise any longer. She was never going to be the perfect flower but she could be the one that bloomed in the most diversity.

"Your family…leaving them, especially after what happened to your father. Shang, I -" she struggled and Shang shook his head and came to her. He sat next to her and allowed her to rest her head against his shoulder. He took his coat off so that he could drape it over her. "I really want to apo-"

"No apologies, okay," he kissed her and she smiled happily. "I am the one who should be apologizing. I'm not sure what I'm doing. Maybe I've never known what I've been doing without it being ordered to move." Shang looked to her and then gave a half-smile. "I'm not all brawn and muscle you know," he tried to convince her and Mulan laughed.

"I know that," she said as she watched him. "I don't thi-"

"I'm smart, you know," he told her and Mulan nodded as she kept thinking how absolutely gorgeous he was with the moonlight hitting all the right angles. "Maybe I wasn't…maybe I'm not in the government but I could be. I could take a job there…then you can go to the emperor if you wanted to, serve on the cabinet like he -"

"Serve on the cabinet of the emperor?" Mulan asked slowly with a weak smile. She had never made that one of her goals. Her aim was to save her father's life and protect her family. She did have that option for her but….how would that make Shang look. Mulan knew that usually these powerful women were alone and they had to be alone because most men feared being seen as lesser to them. Shang was maybe more important than that.

"I mean, you're smart and I'm sure that I can find work," Shang told her eagerly and Mulan smiled as she watched him. Was this going to pass? Was he suddenly going to change his mind and say that she was emasculating him or making him feel that he was weak and not able to be seen as a man.

"I would like to entertain the prospect," she said honestly and then looked to the water in front of her. She smiled as she saw the reflection of the moon and the stars. She then looked into the sky. "I just don't want for you to feel -"

"I'm willing to learn to be more supportive," Shang laughed to her. Mulan kissed his cheek causing him to blush. She closed her eyes and then heard him chuckling. She blinked and looked to him and saw that he did actually look happy, after all of the drama which they had gone through with his family, he was laughing happily.

"I really thought that I might have to be a hermit," he told her before pushing a hand over his forehead. "I don't mean to sound…cruel, I don't think I could have ever gone through it…with killing you even if it was legal punishment, "Shang's voice slowed and he became quieter. He hadn't meant to laugh about that. The idea of losing Mulan now haunted him and the idea that she may have died under his blade sickened him. That wasn't what he was laughing about. "I um…sorry…"

"I never said you were wrong," Mulan replied with a sadness to her voice as well but her eyes showed her usual serious side. "I knew what the possible outcomes were from my actions. It was not something that you created. However -"

"I thought that I was in love with a male soldier," Shang smiled and Mulan grinned to him. Okay. That was pretty funny to hear him admit. "I was so confused. I thought that I would have to join those outside of society, those who do have their pupils who entertain them. I mean, I'm glad that I was wrong but I was seriously considering trying to have a relationship with you after the war. Maybe that's the first time I've really told you that."

"A relationship with Ping?" Mulan said before looking up at a bell at the top of a tower. "Well, just imagine me as Ping and that as an arrow." She looked ahead of her and sighed. "I don't know if a man should be looking at me, the matchmaker would have been aghast at what I did. I would never have landed a man," she joked.

Shang wrapped his arms around her even more. He gestured for her to stand. "We need to find somewhere where we can stay. I'm not going to be responsible for you staying out in the cold this time. We can get a couple of rooms somewhere near here."

Mulan nodded. She took his coat off and handed it back to him. He took it uncomfortably before putting it back on and kissed the top of her head. He didn't want her to be cold. He wanted to take care of her but who was he kidding, she was more capable of taking care of herself than he was of himself.

"Come on," he grinned. "I won't forgive myself if you don't get some rest especially if we're going to go and talk to the emperor."

Mulan grinned to him and nodded, "Okay." She said. "I'll hold you to that."

7.2

Mulan smiled and bowed forward humbly as she looked at the family that owned one of the inns in the community. They bowed lower to her and she looked over at Shang as she rose. Was this going to happen every time she exchanged greetings with someone who knew of what she had done to save the emperor. She had felt grateful that they had been able to provide two rooms and a space in the barn for the horses but they were staring at her as if she were some mythical deity. It wasn't as if she had the power of magic or knew how to fly like a phoenix or anything like that.

"Really," she smiled, "Thank you so much for letting us stay. Please, I know I do-"

"No, no," the husband said quickly and the wife shook her head as well. "You are the savior of China, it would be enough just for the knowledge that we gave you safe harbor," he said and Mulan smiled to him. She could already see some resemblance between him and her father and that made her happier. Whenever she could see her father in the face of another men, it meant comfort for her.

"Then if I could help you in the morning, please allow me the honor of -" Mulan continued again.

'You're such a sweet girl," the wife said before shaking her head. "I would be happy with you joining us for the morning meal, entertaining us with some of your stories. I have two daughters. I hope that they can be influenced by your presence here."

"Sometimes we have people help out in the barn when they have horses here," the couple's son said and Mulan smiled with a nod. She could do things like carry hay, maybe even milk the cows, or at least she wouldn't feel uncomfortable handling the chickens.

"I would be more than ha-" she said and the husband pointed to Shang.

"You. If you want to help us with the farm work then I'm sure that you'll be able to do it," he stated and Mulan looked between Shang and the older man. Did he know who he was talking to? Did he know what rank Shang had? Mulan was about to volunteer but she heard Shang chuckle.

"Of course. I would be happy to give all the assistance that I am able," he told them and Mulan watched him. It was strange but he seemed happier here now that he knew hew was tasked with a job to do than when he had his family wanting to spoil him and provide for him. Maybe Shang was like her and just the idea of sitting still was too much, too prohibitive.

"I really don't mind," Mulan said and the man looked to her again.

"I am sure that he is able to give us the aid that is needed. We wouldn't want a princess of China to feel forced to do the heavy lifting when there is such aid available and such a ready and eager young man," he said and Mulan's jaw dropped.

"But…I'm not a princess of China," she tried to argue and Shang laughed again. Mulan turned to look back at him and all she could see was love and admiration and adoration in his expression.

"You look like a princess to me."

End of Chapter Seven

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