A year had gone by. Neither Shang nor Mulan had seen each other since the day of Lynn's wedding. It had been a beautiful wedding, with all the luxury and perfection a princess's wedding should be. Both were invited and both of them assisted, but they avoided crossing words between them. Mulan spent most of the time all alone watching the happy couple celebrate and watching the man of her dreams slowly slipping away; he had been flirting to the young girls at the party. Their eyes locked a few times, but they turned their gaze and acted busy. After that both of them went on with their lives.

One day, Mulan was in the market place picking apples to buy; and she felt an aura that could only belong to one man. She knew him too well.

It was too late to hide away from him, and he was too near to be ignored. She turned around; head bent looking down at her feet, and didn't dare to see him. No words could escape from her mouth; it had been so unexpected and sudden.

Despite she wouldn't say a word to him; Shang decided to be the first to start the conversation with a polite, "What have you done with your life all this time?" He wasn't mad at her anymore, he was intrigued.

Mulan looked up at him and their eyes locked. She couldn't deny her feelings for him; it had been so hard to avoid him just for pride. She wondered if she should beg for his forgiveness. "Nothing" she replied in a low whispered. Still, she was too stunned to speak.

Shang raised his brow and asked, "Nothing? It's been a year?"

Mulan crossed her arms and replied, "What did you expect me to do? Get married and have children…when I still…"

He cut her off. "Well I did."

The words pierced through her heart, so he had forgotten about her after all. "Oh, Congratulations!" she said, not very sincerely. Deep in her mind she was planning to kill herself as soon as they'd say goodbye.

"And my wife is expecting a child," he completed.

Mulan wondered if he was enjoying seeing the torture he was making her go through. His love promises had been a total lie, was it worth to swear all that?

"Good for you," she managed to say.

That made it to assure she was being sarcastic and Shang could tell she still loved him. Well he didn't intend to be so cruel, but he thought she had done the same, he felt sorry for her.

"She's a good wife," he said trying to consol her. What kind of soothing was that?

"I'm glad for you," Mulan said through gritted teeth. She couldn't take it anymore.

"But maybe you could've been a better wife," he confessed.

Both sighed at the same time, and there was a long pause of silence between them.

"Shang," Mulan called breaking the silence, "I never really got to apologize."

"Yeah, if it weren't for that we'd still be together."

She pursed her lips and said, "It could've been wonderful." It didn't matter now if he heart what she still felt for him.

"I could never forget you all this time, for as much as I tried it was useless," Shang said.

"Things don't look like that," she muttered.

"I had to go on with my life," he replied.

Mulan couldn't hold back the tears, she was about to explode. "I ruined everything because I never had the guts to beg your forgiveness," she said. Mulan turned her back on him and wiped the tears from her face.

"I was too angry to talk to you."

"I wouldn't blame you for it."

Just then, a beautiful lady with a big round belly approached to them; obviously, she was Shang's wife. She looked disgusted, yeah just because she was jealous to see her husband talking to his ex girlfriend. "My feet are killing me darling," she said in a honeyed voice. He could've got something better for a wife than just a stupid, spoiled brat.

Shang turned to his wife and said, "Give me five more seconds, please."

"You don't need them Shang, what we had to say is already said," Mulan assured.

"No, Mulan."

"Goodbye Shang, forever." She walked away with her broken heart and he just watched her leave.



Mulan came back to reality and pulled the reins from Khan. She just couldn't concentrate in what she was doing.

"Maybe I should go back and apologize," she muttered out loud, "although it's gonna take a miracle for Shang to forgive me."

"Did I hear someone call for a miracle?" said a familiar voice. It couldn't be. Mulan dismounted her horse and looked around the place, but he was nowhere to be found, maybe it had been just a hallucination.

"Damn it!" she cursed.

"Over here, babe." She looked up, and Mushu was hanging on a tree branch with his tail, just like a monkey.

A laugh escaped from her lips; it had been long since the last time she laughed like that.

"Mushu I thought you were dead."

"Ha! You thought you were gonna get rid of me?"

"No, I just wondered why you had not come after me."

"That is very sweet, I'm gonna cry with that," said Mushu acting as if he were gonna break into a dramatic scene.

Mulan laughed one more time.

"You see, when the shrine was destroyed by those…mmm… I can't say the word," Mushu went on, "I was buried under the rocks and it took me a long time to get out."

"I'm glad you're here."

Mulan and her guardian embraced for a long time. He had been the aid she needed, the guiding spirit she desperately wanted when her parents were gone, and to make the decision to keep the secret.

"So, what will you do about Shang?"

"I don't know," Mulan answered, "I want him back."

"Tell him all that you feel, but never let him step on your pride," Mushu advised.

"Do you think he'll forgive me?"

"If you speak with your heart he will," Mushu answered, he sounded like her father, which brought a smile upon her face. "Now get going, don't make him wait longer."

Mulan rushed back to the Imperial Palace. It felt like forever to get there, she was desperate.

When the concubines and young maidens finally stopped harassing Shang, he decided he wanted to talk to Mulan. She was not in the banquet with the rest of the soldiers. He looked for her in the halls and outside the palace but she was nowhere in sight. Shang even looked for Mulan in the gardens of the palace, but she was not there. He was not aware that she had left the palace when he was very busy talking and socializing with the girls. Shang searched around for her desperately. He knew she was depressed for all she had been through…what if…he shook his head and tried to sweep the image off his mind, but he couldn't stop thinking of the possibility and he was getting nervous.

Shang pictured Mulan trying to escape from the pain of losing her parents and because Shang was mad at her. Maybe he shouldn't have been so harsh on her and try to understand her reasons. He could see her out in the forest holding her sword trembling thinking if she should do it or not. Then, she makes the decision and thrusts the sword into her stomach. She falls to the ground spilling the thick red blood from the piercing wound she made in her stomach. With that, she ends the pain of this world and passes away to another place where she will not suffer as much.

Shang left the gardens and searched for Mulan inside the palace again. In the way, he saw Lynn; she was kissing Tung Ma passionately. He really didn't want to interrupt them but he was quite certain that she had a clue of where could Mulan be. He cleared his throat so they would notice he was there. To his bad luck, the love birds were so lost in the little world of their own. So, he cleared his throat one more time, only a bit louder. This time, they heard him and immediately pulled away blushing and giggling nervously. The General bowed at the princess. "Excuse me your grace," Shang said hesitating, "Sorry for interrupting you but I need to know something."

"No, it's okay," Lynn replied, "What would you like to know?"

"Have you seen Mulan?"

"Oh yes, she told me to say goodbye to you."

"Where did she go?"

The young princess noticed Shang was desperate to know where was her, and he had been looking for her for long. "Home, I guess," Lynn answered, "I tried to persuade her to stay but she refused."

"Thank you, your grace," Shang walked away and rushed to get his horse. Lynn reached him and said, "Don't be too hard on her, it's my fault after all, I forced her to keep the secret from you."

Shang nodded and continued his way. As he walked down through the stairs, Shang got a big surprise. Mulan was walking up towards him. "Shang," he heard her call, "I need to speak to you."

"I've been looking all over the palace for you," he said, with a lopsided smile.

Mulan couldn't help but to smile at his comment, there was still some hope for them.

They walked upstairs together. On the way, Shang could tell Mulan was all agitated and tired by hearing her breath as they walked.

When they reached the door, Mulan knelt at his feet and said, "I'm sorry for keeping that secret from you."

Shang was startled by her action, he had never expected her to do such thing, and he was not pleased to see her acting like that. Shang knelt next to her and asked, "Would you forgive me for not asking your reasons and for being to harsh with you?"

"I deserved it," she replied. She bent her head down.

Shang lifted her chin and looked into her pleading eyes; those were definitely not the eyes of a liar. They remained silent for a moment, just looking into each other's eyes her eyes begging him to give her another chance and his were filled with mercy.

Shang put his arms around Mulan. "You never deserved it," he whispered, "I know you did that to help the princess."

"I didn't know what to do at the beginning," she whispered back, "I love you Shang, and I never meant to betray you."

They pulled away from the warm embrace.

"For some reason, you did the right thing," Shang went on, "If I knew about her from the start, I would've sent her home." He took a deep breath and continued. "As a woman, I think you acted fairly to give her the opportunity to save and serve her country although it's strictly forbidden."

"I know I should've told you, but I thought it would be quite hypocrite from part of me and well, I just kept the secret."

"I have nothing against you."

"I'm glad for that, but it will be difficult to win your trust again."

Shang shook his head and when he was about to reply, Chi Fu called their attention. Both turned their eyes on the annoying old man. "The banquet is about to begin and you show disrespect with your lack of interest for arriving punctual," he said in his one and only squeaky voice. He fixed his gaze at Mulan, and showed his disgust for her. "Look at you, Fa Mulan, are you planning to appear with your dirty training clothes?"

Mulan rolled her eyes biting her tongue to keep herself from saying something that she might regret about…or maybe not. Instead she looked at him with hater, and the scrawny mad man walked away.

"I'm leaving now, enjoy the feast," Mulan announced.

Shang placed his hand on her shoulder and asked, "Why must you go?"

"You heard the man; I cannot assist wearing these dull and bloody robes."

"You can always ask Lynn to lend you something to wear."

"Actually I don't wish to be here."

"Just stay until everyone gets drunk, and then we may escape to the gardens to continue our talk."

Mulan could tell Shang wanted her to stay, and with that she decided she was staying.

Mulan got dressed in a beautiful silk gown Lynn gave her, it was navy blue and had little white lilies printed on it. As anyone would expect, Mulan arrived late to the banquet just when the emperor was thanking each and every one of the soldiers for serving their country. The old man gratefully thanked Mulan for saving his youngest daughter. "Fa Mulan I'm entirely thankful to you, because you saved my daughter which is one of my most precious treasures." Mulan blushed, but nodded; she hated when people told her compliments. "You're welcome Your Highness."

After the thanks and toasts to glory and victory, Mulan and Shang left the banquet to continue their conversation. He led her into the guestroom he was spending the night in.

Both sat at the edge of the bed.

"You look beautiful, you know," Shang started.

"Yeah, right." Mulan replied.

He let out a laugh and said, "Don't be so modest."

"I can't help it."

Shang lied on the chamber stretching his arms, while Mulan untied the tight bun on her head. It was so uncomfortable to move around with that thing.

"Where were we?" he asked.

Both stayed pensive for a long while trying to remember the last words they said before Chi Fu interrupted their conversation.

"I recall saying something about you trusting me again," Mulan spoke up. She playfully was passing her hands as if she were ironing the silk dress she was wearing.

"Come closer and look into my eyes," Shang said.

Mulan did as she was told even if it sounded not quite proper. She lied next to him and looked into his dark black eyes. They were not cold and somber, instead she could see some longing, and she knew what kind of longing he showed.

"Mulan listen," Shang said caressing her face with the tip of his strong fingers, "it's not like I don't love you." Mulan nodded. "I won't hate you for the little lie you kept to yourself…like I said in part you were right to do so," He continued, "I still love you, and I still want to marry you…and still want to make you love."

She replied, "But…I."

He hushed her with a kiss on her warm lips. Mulan closed her eyes and pulled his body closer to her own and wrapped her arms tight around his neck.

After catching their breaths from the kiss Shang asked, "Was that a yes?"

Mulan let out a nervous laugh in reply.

"Why are you laughing?" Shang demanded laughing also, "This is supposed to be serious."

"I really don't know Shang," she answered.

He rested his head on her chest breathing hard; he could hear her heartbeat beating hard.

"Come on, you can always tell me," Shang said, "Your heart is pumping so hard."

Mulan sighed and confessed. "I'm nervous; I have never done this before." He noticed the bright blush on her cheeks.

"And do you think I'm an expert or something like that?" He teased.

"What if you're not satisfied?"

"Don't be silly, Mulan," Shang said through giggles, "What do I know about being satisfied with that when I've never made love with someone?"

A smile drew upon her features.

"You just kiss me and let this go on," Shang said.

"Ok," Mulan declared, "Then my body and my soul are yours, take them forever."

Shang started to kiss her neck and she closed her eyes. "Mine too, I love you Mulan."

So the rest of the night was only them, making love as if there was no tomorrow. Their problems had seemed to be forgotten with all their regrets and mistakes. No one knew about what happened between them that night. They made a vow of everlasting love.

They got married the next week, and months later they had a son whom they called Zhou after Mulan's father.

The rest of their days, Mulan and Shang lived together with no more lies and secrets. They had a wonderful life together, and they never broke their vow of loving each other until the end of eternity.

Maybe you deserve much better,

And we shouldn't be together.

Although you say it's fine

And you still want to be mine.

If I hurt your feelings I'm sorry,

Never meant to hide the secrets I hid.

Tell me "It's in the past, don't worry,

Nothing will change you're not stupid."

Heal my wounded heart

Stay with me and never leave

Forget about my mistakes and forgive.

Promise me you will never be apart.

With no regrets you have always been there

Gave me strength and shed my tears away

You have said like a thousand times that you care

And swore you'll love me come what may.

You are the only person who knows

My weaknesses, the things I never show,

You have even seen through my soul

And with that I must say I'm all yours.

Heal my wounded heart

You are still my only reason to live

For all the things that you give

Asking for nothing in return.

The End.

Thank You: Ingrid for encouraging to keep writing this even if I thought it totally sucked and I could do better, Tough spirit and Amb3r for reviewing in every chapter I wrote…you guys also encouraged me to go on with the story, Jeanine for emailing me to review…thank you for liking my story, and last but not least everyone who reads this story although you don't review and the reviewers that will come later. I'm gonna start a new fanfic this week called "Porcelain Warrior". BYE FOR NOW. I would appreciate your last reviews.