Chapter 2:
Mulan and Shang went to talk under the magnolia tree, in private.
"What are you doing here?" Mulan asked politely.
Shang sighed and answered," A war has started."
Mulan made a disappointed look, actually she was hoping for the tiny posibility that Shang would tell her something more important, not that she didn´t care about her country, but he would always talk about war or something to make a conversation with her.
"So, would you like to help?" asked Shang.
"Sure," nodded Mulan.
They both sighed at the same time. Mulan would rather a thousand times going to war than meeting the matchmaker. Sometimes, she found it easier.
Shang turned to see Mulan who was playing with her hair by passing her thin fingers through it; he could notice something was making her feel uncomfortable. Mulan noticed Shang was watching her and she could feel her cheeks blushing.
Shang sighed, and looked at his surroundings, the plants all around, the shrine that was a few yards away next to the bench. He liked to be at Mulan´s house, there was this sort of peaceful atmosphere around.
"How was your meeting with the matchmaker?" asked Shang hesitating, maybe he shouldn´t have asked that question, maybe Mulan would get mad at him for being such a nosy person. Why would he care? For the simple reason that he loved her. All those thoughts went through his head as he regretted about his own question.
"Who told you I was going to see the matchmaker?"replied Mulan.
Shang shook his head and didn´t look into her bright eyes, he thought that Mulan was mad at him and that he owed her a good explanation.
"I´m sorry," he muttered.
Mulan looked at him puzzled and asked," Why? You know you don´t have to be sorry."
Shang took a deep breath and said," Doesn´t it bother you that I´m asking you that question. I´m sorry, how could I?"
Mulan shook her head and grinned. " Not if you are the one who asks me, because you´re my friend."
Shang felt relieved and he smiled back at her.
Mulan started to explain him about her meeting with the matchmaker," Well, the matchmaker still hates me and she thinks I´m some kind of..." She shut her mouth; yes she was thinking of a bad word (all those that can fit in there) but she kept herself from saying it out loud, she didn´t want Shang to think she had a lack of manners, since he was a well raised young sort of noble man. Mulan continued," Well, she insulted me and I yelled back at her."
To Shang´s surprise, Muland didn´t sound very worried about what she had done that day, nor he didn´t notice the tinniest drop of embarassment as she told him everything. Well, Mulan had her reasons to be rude with that woman. Deep inside, Shang felt this joy when he realized Mulan wasn´t betrothed to some village looser, she deserved much more than that.
"So, did she match you with someone?" Shang asked. A very stupid question indeed.
"I don´t think so, I´ll probably be a maiden for the rest of my life."
"Doesn´t it bother you?" said Shang. He slapped his forehead for being such an idiot. He knew he sounded kind of pompuos and proud, who was he to tell her what was right for a young lady and what was wrong. He just knew it.
"Not really," she went on, not sounding irritated as he expected her to," I´m starting to like the idea of being free to do whatever I want to and I will not have to be pleasing anyone."
Shang nodded. He felt a little upset, he guessed if he´d ask her to marry him no was going to be the answer right away because he would only be messing around with her freedom. Honestly Mulan couldn´t believe her words at times. These were moments of confussion she was going through. Mulan didn´t know what she wanted.
After quiet moments of silence Mulan spoke up trying to explain her point of view in life," Well, I think we should be free to love whoever we please to." She had her point and Shang definately agreed with her. Her idea was clever and fair. "I know you´re probably thinking this is nonsense but that´t how things should be." Mulan kept talking and Shang was paying close attention to her. Never in her life, Mulan had been so sincere and so concrete about her ideas."There shouldn´t be any arragements between families, parents should just take care of their business by themselves and leave their children marry whoever they love."
Shang took a deep breath and said," Sounds mad but it does make sense."
It was strange for Mulan, she never thought an honorable man like Shang would really like her crazy ideas, but there he was saying he agreed, not only because he loved her, because he really thought it was a worthy point of view.
Mulan looked down at her feet and sighed. Then she added," When somebody loves someone else he or she should just say it, it would probably keep people from suffering."
Mulan´s words made Shang to think deeply, he loved her madly, but he didn´t know which would be Mulan´s reaction, after all she was an independant woman. He took another deep breath, wondering if he should tell her about his feelings for her. His mother would completely disaprove of them getting married, she said Mulan was not a gracious young lady and probably not a suitable wife for him, the General, and since the matchmaker was his mother´s best friend. Anyway, Shang wanted to take the challenge, even if that meant that his own mother wouldn´t talk to him for the rest of her life. "Mulan I want you to...erm...forget it."he stopped himself abruptly.
"What were you going to tell me?"asked Mulan.
Shang stareted to turn red and said,"Nothing, nothing. It wasn´t so important."
Mulan placed a hand on Shang´s back and whispered into his ear," Please?"Then she made an inocent child´s face begging him to tell.
"Well, it´s something rather stupid."
"It doesn´t matter, I wanna know, come on."
Shang swallowed hard and tried to gather enough courage to tell Mulan what was on his mind," Mulan, I...I...I think you are the most amazing young lady I´ve ever met."
Something inside Mulan was telling her that Shang hadn´t finished yet, and she felt flattered inside with his words, eventhough she tried to hide it to look modest. She simply said," Thank you," and smiled at him fondly.
Shang thought she didn´t get the point as he expected her to. He remembered Mulan´s advice, about saying you love someone, well he was ready to take the risk no matter the concequences," I love you," he said quickly. Shang got to his feet and went to look for his horse.
Mulan wanted so much to go after him, but she was shocked for the moment. She didn´t know what to think or do, so she just sat there watching him leave without saying goodbye. Mulan knew she had to talk to him...soon...but anyway, she was going to battle and she was meeting him there. She also wanted to confess the truth about her love that kept increasing since the very first day she met him at Camp Wu Zhong.
Shang got a headache as he rode his horse home. He knew it wouldn´t work out . Well, the point is not that things weren´t as he hoped they would. Indeed Mulan wanted to talk to him but he felt like an idiot with her startled reaction, she was like frozen when he told her, just thinking, Speechless is the best adjective to describe Mulan´s reaction. But Shang´s uneasiness made him think she didn´t want to talk to him. At least he was going to see her. Maybe he could explain things more clearly, and was wondering if telling her it was just a mistake to confess his feelings. The thought that maybe Mulan decided not to go to battle just because of his presence was starting to bug him inside. He slapped his head to think of something else, but the memory couldn´t be vanished so easily.
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Meanwhile, Lynn and Tung Ma were sitting together on a bench in the palace´s garden. At this time of the year, there were lots of blooming blossoms from each of the exotic plants in the garden. The air was fresh and filled by the sweet scent of the beautiful flowers.
"I don´t want you to leave," said Lynn.
"Don´t worry, I will return safely."
Tung Ma leaned foward to kiss Lynn, she loved the way he would always kiss her lips to make her feel better when she felt affraid and uncertain. Both of them got lost in the passion of their kiss, forgetting completely for a moment about war and about their destiny. It was simply them sharing the moment, enjoying the day together. Lynn and Tung Ma pulled away to catch their breath.
"I´m going to battle with you," said Lynn firmly. She had always been so sure about her own decisions and there was nothing that could change her mind when she wanted something so badly.
Tung Ma placed a hand under her delicate chin and lifted her face to look closer into her eyes."I don´t want you to risk your life for me."
"That won´t be necessary," Lynn replied," If Fa Mulan could handle it, I surely can."
He knew Lynn could handle almost anything that got in her way. She had a strong will and she was very good at martial arts; when she was younger she begged her father to get some private lessons. Lynn was spoiled and she didn´t rest until she learned to kick butts, and she was a fast learner. After all, she was a princess, and she could always get what she wanted.
"Are you going to disguise yourself?" asked Tung Ma.
"Of course," replied Lynn.
"Just don´t cut your hair," said Tung Ma passing his hands through Lynn´s long, light and straigh black hair. He loved her hair.
"I won´t," Lynn assured," I´ll just fix my hair with a bun." The fact that Lynn´s hair was light helped her.
"You are way too stubborn." He bent again to kiss Lynn.
Tung Ma was thinking of having Lynn during those days of pressure and confusion. If he´d die, at least he would see her face just before his death.
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Mulan waited until dinner to announce she was leaving the next day to go to war.
Her father knew she was brave and she was so capable of surviving, but it was still too dangerous."Take care of yourself, specially at camp." Fa Zhou was concious that now that everyone knew his daughter was a girl many men could take advantage of the situation.
Mulan couldn´t take Shang off her mind, not when he had said that he loved her. Mulan wondered if it had something to do with a bet, or if it was something true. She never thought he would love her, since she didn´t feel pretty at all ( even if she was beautiful), and of course she was not as "useful" to the household as the other girls her age were. Mulan admitted she was lazy at times, but still she was intelligent.
Late at night, after she prayed at the shrine, Mulan went to talk to her father, she had always felt comfortable when talking to her dear father. They sat on the bench infront of the lake they had at their farm. The air was a little chilly but it felt pleasant.
"Dad, what do you think about Shang?" asked Mulan.
Fa Zhou stayed quiet for a moment thinking. Shang was an honorable young general indeed, but there was something about him that bothered Mulan´s father. He knew his daughter was sweet on the hadsome young general, he didn´t want to sound harsh on her, so he simply asked," As what ? As a General? As a man?"
Mulan explained," As a husband for your daughter of course."
"Has he proposed to you already?"
"Not quite..but."
"Mulan," Fa Zhou started," an honorable man does every kind of things just to keep his honor." Mulan couldn´t understand what he meant, so she reflected her confussion with a puzzled look on her face.
"He almost killed you once, and as your father I want you to be in good hands," explained Fa Zhou.
Mulan didn´t like his comment, it surely made her doubt more about Shang. Yes, Shang had almost killed her that day at the mountains but he had said he loved her, and she could forgive him openly. She felt uncertain and confused about Shang, maybe he was lying to her after all.
"Father, then what is right?" she demmanded," is it ok with you if I marry a stranger, whom I will never know until my wedding night. I don´t think so."
"Maybe I´m wrong," said Fa Zhou trying to calme her down," Perhaps you should get to know him better."
"I met him a very long time ago, and I´m not like the other girls... I want to get married to the person I love. I don´t want to learn to love someone I don´t want to," replied Mulan raising her voice. With that, she headed to her bedroom.
That night, Mulan couldn´t sleep, she could only think about Shang. Wondering if her father was right, the memory of the day she was discovered hauted her dreams the whole night. She sobbed softly until her pillow was all wet. Mulan had always felt something for him, and was he just making fun of her or taking advantage of the fact she was a lady? Mulan considered Shang so gentle and wise. She loved him in return for the man he was: honorable and respected by everyone. Terrible thoughts drifted insiede her head, pictures she wanted to get rid of.
The next day, she said good bye to her family, including Little Brother. All of them were gloomy for they didn´t knew what would be of Mulan´s fate during war. Her father was worried because there were so many things that could happen to his precious daughter at camp and at the battlefield.
"Take care of yourself," said Fa Zhou as he embraced Mulan and kissed her forehead.
Mulan nodded and kissed her father´s cheek. She mounted Khan, she felt sad too, wondering if she would ever see her family again.
Mulan and Shang went to talk under the magnolia tree, in private.
"What are you doing here?" Mulan asked politely.
Shang sighed and answered," A war has started."
Mulan made a disappointed look, actually she was hoping for the tiny posibility that Shang would tell her something more important, not that she didn´t care about her country, but he would always talk about war or something to make a conversation with her.
"So, would you like to help?" asked Shang.
"Sure," nodded Mulan.
They both sighed at the same time. Mulan would rather a thousand times going to war than meeting the matchmaker. Sometimes, she found it easier.
Shang turned to see Mulan who was playing with her hair by passing her thin fingers through it; he could notice something was making her feel uncomfortable. Mulan noticed Shang was watching her and she could feel her cheeks blushing.
Shang sighed, and looked at his surroundings, the plants all around, the shrine that was a few yards away next to the bench. He liked to be at Mulan´s house, there was this sort of peaceful atmosphere around.
"How was your meeting with the matchmaker?" asked Shang hesitating, maybe he shouldn´t have asked that question, maybe Mulan would get mad at him for being such a nosy person. Why would he care? For the simple reason that he loved her. All those thoughts went through his head as he regretted about his own question.
"Who told you I was going to see the matchmaker?"replied Mulan.
Shang shook his head and didn´t look into her bright eyes, he thought that Mulan was mad at him and that he owed her a good explanation.
"I´m sorry," he muttered.
Mulan looked at him puzzled and asked," Why? You know you don´t have to be sorry."
Shang took a deep breath and said," Doesn´t it bother you that I´m asking you that question. I´m sorry, how could I?"
Mulan shook her head and grinned. " Not if you are the one who asks me, because you´re my friend."
Shang felt relieved and he smiled back at her.
Mulan started to explain him about her meeting with the matchmaker," Well, the matchmaker still hates me and she thinks I´m some kind of..." She shut her mouth; yes she was thinking of a bad word (all those that can fit in there) but she kept herself from saying it out loud, she didn´t want Shang to think she had a lack of manners, since he was a well raised young sort of noble man. Mulan continued," Well, she insulted me and I yelled back at her."
To Shang´s surprise, Muland didn´t sound very worried about what she had done that day, nor he didn´t notice the tinniest drop of embarassment as she told him everything. Well, Mulan had her reasons to be rude with that woman. Deep inside, Shang felt this joy when he realized Mulan wasn´t betrothed to some village looser, she deserved much more than that.
"So, did she match you with someone?" Shang asked. A very stupid question indeed.
"I don´t think so, I´ll probably be a maiden for the rest of my life."
"Doesn´t it bother you?" said Shang. He slapped his forehead for being such an idiot. He knew he sounded kind of pompuos and proud, who was he to tell her what was right for a young lady and what was wrong. He just knew it.
"Not really," she went on, not sounding irritated as he expected her to," I´m starting to like the idea of being free to do whatever I want to and I will not have to be pleasing anyone."
Shang nodded. He felt a little upset, he guessed if he´d ask her to marry him no was going to be the answer right away because he would only be messing around with her freedom. Honestly Mulan couldn´t believe her words at times. These were moments of confussion she was going through. Mulan didn´t know what she wanted.
After quiet moments of silence Mulan spoke up trying to explain her point of view in life," Well, I think we should be free to love whoever we please to." She had her point and Shang definately agreed with her. Her idea was clever and fair. "I know you´re probably thinking this is nonsense but that´t how things should be." Mulan kept talking and Shang was paying close attention to her. Never in her life, Mulan had been so sincere and so concrete about her ideas."There shouldn´t be any arragements between families, parents should just take care of their business by themselves and leave their children marry whoever they love."
Shang took a deep breath and said," Sounds mad but it does make sense."
It was strange for Mulan, she never thought an honorable man like Shang would really like her crazy ideas, but there he was saying he agreed, not only because he loved her, because he really thought it was a worthy point of view.
Mulan looked down at her feet and sighed. Then she added," When somebody loves someone else he or she should just say it, it would probably keep people from suffering."
Mulan´s words made Shang to think deeply, he loved her madly, but he didn´t know which would be Mulan´s reaction, after all she was an independant woman. He took another deep breath, wondering if he should tell her about his feelings for her. His mother would completely disaprove of them getting married, she said Mulan was not a gracious young lady and probably not a suitable wife for him, the General, and since the matchmaker was his mother´s best friend. Anyway, Shang wanted to take the challenge, even if that meant that his own mother wouldn´t talk to him for the rest of her life. "Mulan I want you to...erm...forget it."he stopped himself abruptly.
"What were you going to tell me?"asked Mulan.
Shang stareted to turn red and said,"Nothing, nothing. It wasn´t so important."
Mulan placed a hand on Shang´s back and whispered into his ear," Please?"Then she made an inocent child´s face begging him to tell.
"Well, it´s something rather stupid."
"It doesn´t matter, I wanna know, come on."
Shang swallowed hard and tried to gather enough courage to tell Mulan what was on his mind," Mulan, I...I...I think you are the most amazing young lady I´ve ever met."
Something inside Mulan was telling her that Shang hadn´t finished yet, and she felt flattered inside with his words, eventhough she tried to hide it to look modest. She simply said," Thank you," and smiled at him fondly.
Shang thought she didn´t get the point as he expected her to. He remembered Mulan´s advice, about saying you love someone, well he was ready to take the risk no matter the concequences," I love you," he said quickly. Shang got to his feet and went to look for his horse.
Mulan wanted so much to go after him, but she was shocked for the moment. She didn´t know what to think or do, so she just sat there watching him leave without saying goodbye. Mulan knew she had to talk to him...soon...but anyway, she was going to battle and she was meeting him there. She also wanted to confess the truth about her love that kept increasing since the very first day she met him at Camp Wu Zhong.
Shang got a headache as he rode his horse home. He knew it wouldn´t work out . Well, the point is not that things weren´t as he hoped they would. Indeed Mulan wanted to talk to him but he felt like an idiot with her startled reaction, she was like frozen when he told her, just thinking, Speechless is the best adjective to describe Mulan´s reaction. But Shang´s uneasiness made him think she didn´t want to talk to him. At least he was going to see her. Maybe he could explain things more clearly, and was wondering if telling her it was just a mistake to confess his feelings. The thought that maybe Mulan decided not to go to battle just because of his presence was starting to bug him inside. He slapped his head to think of something else, but the memory couldn´t be vanished so easily.
***********************************************************************
Meanwhile, Lynn and Tung Ma were sitting together on a bench in the palace´s garden. At this time of the year, there were lots of blooming blossoms from each of the exotic plants in the garden. The air was fresh and filled by the sweet scent of the beautiful flowers.
"I don´t want you to leave," said Lynn.
"Don´t worry, I will return safely."
Tung Ma leaned foward to kiss Lynn, she loved the way he would always kiss her lips to make her feel better when she felt affraid and uncertain. Both of them got lost in the passion of their kiss, forgetting completely for a moment about war and about their destiny. It was simply them sharing the moment, enjoying the day together. Lynn and Tung Ma pulled away to catch their breath.
"I´m going to battle with you," said Lynn firmly. She had always been so sure about her own decisions and there was nothing that could change her mind when she wanted something so badly.
Tung Ma placed a hand under her delicate chin and lifted her face to look closer into her eyes."I don´t want you to risk your life for me."
"That won´t be necessary," Lynn replied," If Fa Mulan could handle it, I surely can."
He knew Lynn could handle almost anything that got in her way. She had a strong will and she was very good at martial arts; when she was younger she begged her father to get some private lessons. Lynn was spoiled and she didn´t rest until she learned to kick butts, and she was a fast learner. After all, she was a princess, and she could always get what she wanted.
"Are you going to disguise yourself?" asked Tung Ma.
"Of course," replied Lynn.
"Just don´t cut your hair," said Tung Ma passing his hands through Lynn´s long, light and straigh black hair. He loved her hair.
"I won´t," Lynn assured," I´ll just fix my hair with a bun." The fact that Lynn´s hair was light helped her.
"You are way too stubborn." He bent again to kiss Lynn.
Tung Ma was thinking of having Lynn during those days of pressure and confusion. If he´d die, at least he would see her face just before his death.
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Mulan waited until dinner to announce she was leaving the next day to go to war.
Her father knew she was brave and she was so capable of surviving, but it was still too dangerous."Take care of yourself, specially at camp." Fa Zhou was concious that now that everyone knew his daughter was a girl many men could take advantage of the situation.
Mulan couldn´t take Shang off her mind, not when he had said that he loved her. Mulan wondered if it had something to do with a bet, or if it was something true. She never thought he would love her, since she didn´t feel pretty at all ( even if she was beautiful), and of course she was not as "useful" to the household as the other girls her age were. Mulan admitted she was lazy at times, but still she was intelligent.
Late at night, after she prayed at the shrine, Mulan went to talk to her father, she had always felt comfortable when talking to her dear father. They sat on the bench infront of the lake they had at their farm. The air was a little chilly but it felt pleasant.
"Dad, what do you think about Shang?" asked Mulan.
Fa Zhou stayed quiet for a moment thinking. Shang was an honorable young general indeed, but there was something about him that bothered Mulan´s father. He knew his daughter was sweet on the hadsome young general, he didn´t want to sound harsh on her, so he simply asked," As what ? As a General? As a man?"
Mulan explained," As a husband for your daughter of course."
"Has he proposed to you already?"
"Not quite..but."
"Mulan," Fa Zhou started," an honorable man does every kind of things just to keep his honor." Mulan couldn´t understand what he meant, so she reflected her confussion with a puzzled look on her face.
"He almost killed you once, and as your father I want you to be in good hands," explained Fa Zhou.
Mulan didn´t like his comment, it surely made her doubt more about Shang. Yes, Shang had almost killed her that day at the mountains but he had said he loved her, and she could forgive him openly. She felt uncertain and confused about Shang, maybe he was lying to her after all.
"Father, then what is right?" she demmanded," is it ok with you if I marry a stranger, whom I will never know until my wedding night. I don´t think so."
"Maybe I´m wrong," said Fa Zhou trying to calme her down," Perhaps you should get to know him better."
"I met him a very long time ago, and I´m not like the other girls... I want to get married to the person I love. I don´t want to learn to love someone I don´t want to," replied Mulan raising her voice. With that, she headed to her bedroom.
That night, Mulan couldn´t sleep, she could only think about Shang. Wondering if her father was right, the memory of the day she was discovered hauted her dreams the whole night. She sobbed softly until her pillow was all wet. Mulan had always felt something for him, and was he just making fun of her or taking advantage of the fact she was a lady? Mulan considered Shang so gentle and wise. She loved him in return for the man he was: honorable and respected by everyone. Terrible thoughts drifted insiede her head, pictures she wanted to get rid of.
The next day, she said good bye to her family, including Little Brother. All of them were gloomy for they didn´t knew what would be of Mulan´s fate during war. Her father was worried because there were so many things that could happen to his precious daughter at camp and at the battlefield.
"Take care of yourself," said Fa Zhou as he embraced Mulan and kissed her forehead.
Mulan nodded and kissed her father´s cheek. She mounted Khan, she felt sad too, wondering if she would ever see her family again.