"Well met, Jason Valkara.", Fa Zhou bowed back. "Word has reached far out here of the efforts of these United Talons you are a part of.".
"So, I've noticed.", Jason muttered under his breath. Fa Zhou smiled, "Come in. My daughter, I am happy to see you alive.", and Mulan smiled warmly, "It's good to be home, Baba. Where's Mama?", as she and Jason came in.
Fa Zhou chuckled, "You may find her in the kitchen.", and hugged her softly yet quickly, "I missed you so, Mulan.". Mulan sniffed, "I missed you too, Baba.", before silently squeezing Jason's hand in support before leaving the two men, to reunite with her mother.
Fa Zhou looked at Jason, "Mulan seems to have feelings for you. Do you have the same for my daughter?".
"Very much so, sir... I'd fight my way through half the world for her... I actually sort of did.", Jason explained. "I see...", Fa Zhou gave him a judging look as they walked.
Fa Zhou then replied, "I hear that you have a brother, but no other family.", and Jason nodded, "Yes, I do have a twin brother, Logan. He's a few minutes older than me. As for my biological parents and adoptive father, they have passed on, with my parents from a carriage accident when we were seven, and my adoptive father from old age when I and Logan was in our realm's army at 20.".
Fa Zhou nodded, "You have army training, then. That explains the soldier pose you have.", gesturing to Jason's respectful body language.
"Yes... but the training we had really never accounted for these lands.", Jason explained. "Certainly not confronting an enemy in a mass melee of swords and shields.".
Fa Zhou looked at him curiously, "Is that so?", and Jason nodded, "Yes, sir. Our realm was much different in environment and nature of magic. Yet this realm is much more special, and I feel like I belong here, just like my brother, and I have never felt true love until now, with your daughter.".
"I see.", Fa Zhou said as they walked into the kitchen where Mulan was already with her mother.
Mulan smiled warmly at Jason, and Fa Li smiled politely, "This must be Jason Valkara.", and Jason bowed his head respectfully, "Yes, I am. As I am sure Mulan has told you, I am in love with her, Fa Li.".
Fa Li nodded, "I can see it in your eyes, young man. Now, as you have arrived before dinner, I must ask you to escort Mulan to the market. This is a celebration dinner as I am so thankful that you have returned my daughter home.".
Mulan gasped softly, "You mean, you're going to make my favorite dessert, Mama?", and Fa Li smiled, "That's right, but you must go to the market for the ingredients. I am sure Jason is curious to try our food tonight.".
Jason smiled warmly, "I'd be honored to escort Mulan to the market, ma'am. When do we return for dinner?", and Fa Li nodded, "At sunset.".
"Plenty of time then.", Mulan chuckled before she grabbed Jason by the arm and slowly pulled him right back out of the house. "We'll be back soon!", She called out as Jason tried to keep up.
"Slow down! I barely had time to see the house!", Jason chuckled as she carried him along. Mulan giggled softly, "You will know the house tonight, Jason. And besides, it's rare that I'd get the chance to have my favorite dessert!", with a bright smile.
Jason chuckled, "Wow, never thought I'd see the day you would be excited for a dessert. What is it anyway?", and Mulan grinned, "Chocolate Chinese Five-Spice Cake!".
"Chocolate and spice... I've never really had that kind of combo.", Jason admitted. "Oh, you're going to love it, I know!", Mulan smiled as the two hurried back into town.
Jason chuckled, "I'll take your word for it.", as they kept going on, and under three minutes, they made it to the market, and Mulan smiled as she went to the stalls, bartering with familiar faces she knew.
Jason looked around, enjoying the incredible spices and scents of the food, and he heard children laughing, and he glanced to see boys and girls playing swords, and Jason smiled softly at the sight before noticing a little boy sitting on a step, looking longingly at the children, before sighing heavily as he lifted a hand with only two fingers.
"What happened there?", Jason asked as Mulan saw the boy. "Not sure... can't tell if that's a birth defect hand or something with an injury.", Mulan said.
"Do you think we should go over to him?", Jason asked softly. "I don't see why not...", Mulan smiled warmly.
Mulan and Jason made it over to the boy, with Jason kneeling, "Hey, what's wrong, kid?", with a soft, gentle smile.
The boy blinked, looking at Jason, "I can't play swords...My other hand, feels weird to play swords on the left...", and Jason smiled softly, "Tell you what, have you ever tried marbles?".
The boy looked confused, "Marbles?", and Jason smiled, using his magic ring to transform a pile of tiny rocks into marbles, and with a chuckle as he drew a circle, "Watch me.", with a hit of his thumb.
The first marble landed through the circle, and Jason smiled, "If you hit my marble out of the circle, you win it. The most marbles by a player wins the game at the end of it.".
The boy watched before Jason handed him some marbles. "It's fairly easy, the real trick is the skill to win.", Jason explained as the boy tried.
The boy hit Jason's first marble almost to the border of the circle, and Jason smiled, "Well done!", and Mulan took her turn with a smirk, shooting her first marble at Jason's marble, clearly out of the circle, and Jason chuckled, taking his turn, hitting Mulan's marble, just short of the border, and the boy took his turn, shooting another marble, and hitting Jason and Mulan's marbles at once, out of the circle.
Jason and Mulan cheered, "Good job!", and the boy smiled brightly, light coming to his eyes as he realized that his two fingers is helping him win, and Jason felt a finger poking at his shoulder, and he glanced to see the other children, "Can we play too?".
Jason raised an eyebrow, "If you can let-", the boy interrupted, "Chen.", and Jason continued, "Let Chen play too.", and the children nodded, smiling, "Okay!", joining in, as Jason and Mulan pulled away, with a smile.
Mulan then heard one of her bartering friends call her back for the deal of an ingredient, leaving Jason to supervise and watch with a patient smile as Chen smiled happily, teaching the other children and playing with them.
"Well done.", Mulan said as the two of them started to walk away. "Well, I had to do something for the boy... at least hopefully not having a few fingers will be the worst thing to happen to him for many years to come. Especially if we win...", Jason smiled.
"True, I'd hate to see so many children here have to end up being in the army if we can help it. So many have been lost through this war...", Mulan sighed heavily with a frown.
Jason nodded, "Stable boys, messengers, runners...I can see those for the younger children...For soldiers, 15 to start...No wonder why Jim was stubborn to fight for Narnia and all.".
Mulan smiled bitterly, "War can do anything to anyone, having the need to fight for their homes, families, and more. Now, excuse me...I must barter a bit more.", with a pat on his arm. Mulan walked up to the stall, glancing back to see Jason transforming more rocks into marbles for the children.
Mulan chuckled, and focused back on bartering, and after successfully doing so, with some bags in tow, she was about to leave when she heard a dreaded voice, "Well, well, if it wasn't Fa Mulan.", and she looked over to see the Matchmaker.
She exhaled respectfully with a nod, "Evening, matchmaker.", and the Matchmaker replied, "You may have brought honor to the Fa family, but I have seen that you haven't brought honor to the village by courting that exotic, strange man you've brought along.".
"Must you be so blunt about the man I love?", Mulan gave her a look. "Surely you've heard of the exploits he and his group have accomplished this past year; the whole tide of the war has changed and we're on the verge of victory thanks to him.", she reminded her.
"I'm well aware... ", Matchmaker said. Mulan then replied, "He may be exotic with his looks, but that's only part of him. I fell in love with him for his heart, his deep beliefs of friendship, loyalty, family, and love, and his incredible skills of being there for everyone by fighting.".
Matchmaker raised an eyebrow, "Perhaps, but why did he choose you? You may be a prospective woman of courtship, but what about marriage, or dare I say, kids? I still say you won't bear children well.".
"I intend to prove you wrong about that.", Mulan gave a smirk. She was so wanting to tell straight to her face about how she was probably pregnant; but refrained from doing that. A) She wasn't sure and B) Word would probably reach back to her father even before they would get home knowing the Matchmaker.
"Fa Mulan has never been wrong in the time I knew her.", Jason spoke as he came, his hand resting on Mulan's shoulder, straight and tense in his posture, "And I chose Mulan for her beautiful soul inside and outside, never her fame in being General, and I would always be there for her no matter what; marriage, children, old age, and everything in between. I love Fa Mulan with all my heart, and there's nothing you can do about it, ma'am, for she is a woman, not a child nor teenager, and she follows her heart, not you.".
The Matchmaker gave him a look back. It was understandable... mostly because if everyone was allowed to really follow their heart and all, she'd be out of work. She shook her head and sighed as she turned around and walked away.
"Sorry about that, Jason... she...", Mulan spoke lightly with a sigh. "She's a pain. I know.", Jason replied with a little snort.
Mulan chuckled softly, "Indeed. Come, let's head back to the house. I have all the ingredients in tow for Mama to make for my favorite dessert.", and Jason nodded with a smile, "Sounds good to me.", before whispering, "Is it okay to kiss you here in public? I don't know why, but seeing you stand up for yourself and me, it turns me on a tiny bit.".
"This is because we missed the chance earlier, right?", Mulan chuckled as he leaned in. "Of course.", Jason responded before he kissed her right on the lips.
Twitters of gasps and giggles was vaguely heard, with women sighing, and men smirking, seeing the precious, beautiful moment, and the village, most of them were happy to see their General, their town heroine, their ambassador of King Mickey of this village, finally in love, and her paramour is not just any soldier or man, but a famous member of the United Talons, and a powerful dragon shapeshifter as well.
With the short, yet passionate kiss over, the couple headed back, unknowing of the village's bets of the dates of Jason's proposal, the marriage and such.
As Jason had a grand time in getting to know his future in-laws, and enjoying his first experience of eating authentic Chinese food without all the chemicals and preservatives, back in Cair Paravel, after completing her promise, Emma had portals to welcome not just Pocahontas and Koda, but also her children, her father, Jim and Eilonwy for Sarah wanted to meet her nieces and nephews properly, and of course, reunite with her son, and get to know her son's girlfriend as well, and become friends with Greg who himself was almost shy upon seeing Sarah.
Haku himself was overjoyed to have Pocahontas in his arms and was amazed to see how Koda has grown in the past month. In one of the guest bedrooms, Haku was lost in thought while Pocahontas was putting Koda to sleep in the nursery next room.
"Something on your mind?", Pocahontas asked as Haku snapped back to reality. "Oh, sorry, was just sort of thinking about the future and all... once everything is all over and we're finally at peace.", he said.
"How sweet that day will be... so much pain and suffering finally over...", Pocahontas sighed at the thought.
Haku smiled, "Indeed. It will be a life-changing day.", as he left the window bench, and looked at Pocahontas, "We will all be free to do anything we want, for you and me to raise Koda in a prosperous time, for my friends to be together with their spouses and families to grow, for all the kingdoms to rebuild back to their designs, for all the lands to welcome hope and peace once more.", as he held her in his arms.
"I still wish so much didn't happen...", Pocahontas admitted as Haku nodded. "I know, this war has taken so much from everyone, yourself included. But... at least you and Koda are still here... that's enough for me.", Haku told her.
Pocahontas smiled softly, "When you give your word, you always intend to stay by it. Ever since I and Koda came by portal here, you haven't left us not even a minute...I know we only can possibly have a few days or a week at most before you must leave for the march to battle, but I am glad that I'm with you, Haku.".
"And me as well, Pocahontas... it pained me to leave you behind before... even if it was for you to be in much safer hands and all. But I still wished you had been with me at least during that journey.", Haku smiled as he kissed her.
Pocahontas sighed, "I felt the same as well, but we had Koda to think of, and from what you have described of the battle on that island and with Captain Hook on the seas, I am relieved that Koda wasn't there to be harmed...".
Haku nodded, "Oh, believe me when I imagined the same, honey. I would have gone to all limits to protect Koda if that came to be.", with a furrow of brows.
"At least that'll hopefully never come to pass... at least in terms of true dangers, but I would hope that at least you can keep an eye on Koda like a normal father would.", Pocahontas said.
"I plan to; once this is all over, I truly hope that I can be able to be a good father to him and a husband to you.", Haku looked determined.
Pocahontas smiled, kissing his cheek, "I know you will, but I'd like to court you as long as possible. After all, between everything, we have only been together for a week, if not halfway of two weeks, if I judged the timing correctly...".
Haku blushed softly, "That sounds about right...", before sighing, "There is a chance that I might not come back...I am keeping to my word, to listen to you for I know you don't want to rush into things like other people, and you are stubborn to stay to it until you change your mind, and I won't push you.".
"Of course.", Pocahontas chuckled and leaned in for another kiss. "I certainly want us to take this slow... not feel like we're rushing into things.".
"I agree... I suppose I kinda have been feeling like I've been pushing things forward too fast.", Haku said. "You're alright.", Pocahontas gave a warm smile that read 'all is well' to him.
Haku smiled, feeling relieved that Pocahontas understood him...He glanced at the sky through the window, "It's growing late. Shall we go to bed and just cuddle? It felt like forever since I held you to fall asleep to my heartbeat.".
"I would very much like that. Koda's all taken care of so hopefully we'll have quite a lot of time to cuddle.", Pocahontas smiled. "I get the feeling it might be much shorter if I know babies...", Haku gave a small laugh.
Pocahontas giggled softly, and after taking off shoes and necklaces, the couple went to bed, holding each other as they took up a summer blanket for comfort, and cuddled up close, with Pocahontas resting her head on his chest and Haku resting his chin on the top of Pocahontas's head, with gentle kisses, they fell asleep to the sounds of their hearts and breathing.
Well, for a few hours before Koda woke up in the middle of the night, and Haku took his turn to take care of Koda, content with his life for the time being.
"Okay, okay, I get it...", Haku whispered as he held Koda in his arms. "Can't allow me to fully enjoy the night with your mother, can you?", he teased the baby.
Koda gurgled happily, waving his hands, and Haku chuckled, "Let's check you up, Koda.", humming softly as he cleaned up Koda, glad that Mickey was really clever of making magical disposable garbage cans for diapers and such in several guest nurseries including Koda's current nursery.
After all, many staff of his castle have babies and young toddlers over the years and all, so it was decent of Mickey to do it as he was the employer of his staff.