Chapter 5-The Camp
Disclaimer: Mulan isn't mine. Enough said. Please forgive me if this chapter and the ones that follow it aren't up to your expectations.
Night fell quickly. Shang and Mulan decided to make camp. The silence between them had gotten louder (so to speak). It was unbearable but neither of them had words to break the silence. The only time they'd spoken was when Mulan said she would set up the tents while Shang started a fire. Shang had kept glancing at Mulan, wondering what she was thinking. Mulan was doing the same thing. Their eyes had met several times but each time, they turned away from each other quickly.
Mulan didn't like it. Why couldn't they go back to the way they use to? Just talking and laughing about everything and anything. She stood up wiping away her sweat after setting up the tents. It was time for a bath. She quietly took a towel from her bag and headed to the stream two minutes behind them. Shang had seen the towel and didn't question where she was going. At least, now he had time to think and mutter to himself. He could guess what was bothering Mulan. She was probably still trying to comprehend that she wouldn't be seeing her family again.
Shang put his head into his hands and groaned. Why couldn't he just tell her he didn't want her to go? An answer swiftly presented itself. Because he had chosen to be a soldier. And as a soldier, he could not and would not show his love to a chosen bride of the emperor's nephew. After all, he was related to the Son of Heaven.
But could he last that long? Could he stay sane for a whole week without telling Mulan that he desperately wanted her to stay with him? Shang doubted it. But at least he would tell her that they would not reach the Imperial City intentionally for a week. During that week, maybe, just maybe he could develop the guts to tell Mulan he loved her and would continue to love her even after she became Ming Kei's wife. He smirked at the irony. He could face the Huns without fear yet just trying to tell Mulan how he felt terrified him.
Mulan came back quietly through the bushes. That part of her training as a soldier had been engraved into her brain. Always be silent and watch your feet. She looked at Shang who was staring intently into the fire. His cheekbones, illuminated by the flickering fire, made him look years beyond his age. Mulan's eyes couldn't help but trace the outline of his body, toned by years of intense training. He looked stern but she knew better. Inside, was a man with a sense of humour and cheerful nature. A branch cracked beneath her feet.
Shang looked up at her and smiled uneasily. "Here. It looks as if it'll be a cold night," he said, gesturing to an spot by the fire. Mulan half-smiled and sat. The two of them ate silently, staring into the fire, occasionally stealing glances at each other. Mulan had never felt this uncomfortable around him. It wasn't right at all.
After they couldn't eat any longer, they still had nothing to say. It was pretty frustrating. Shang decided now would be a good time to tell her about his plan.
"Mulan.you don't exactly like being 'married' off like this, do you?"
Mulan looked at him, amused. "Shang, if I may be so bold, that is one of the most obvious questions I've ever heard in my entire life. Also one of the stupidest." Shang laughed loudly. Mulan joined him in his laughter. And for a few crazy minutes, they laughed for no reason at all. It did them both good. "What were you laughing at, Mulan?" "You laughing!" That set them off again.
When they calmed down, Shang told her. "Mulan, I have to tell you something. I don't intend on reaching the Imperial City in two days. Even as a soldier, I don't like sending women off to marriages they don't want." Mulan arched an eyebrow. "What will you tell them when we reach?" "We got robbed and had to work to get money." Mulan laughed. "Will they buy that?"
Shang looked at her. "The emperor should understand." Mulan wondered at that cryptic sentence but she smiled anyway. "Thank you, Shang." They gazed at each other, unaware and forgetting about their previous nervousness. Mulan suddenly came out of it when a cricket chirped. She looked at her hands. Shang looked back to the fire, mentally berating himself.
"Shang, can I ask you a question?" "Of course." "What's your connection with Ming Kei?"
Shang nearly choked on the water he'd been drinking. "Why do you ask?" Mulan shrugged. "If I am to be married to someone you don't approve of, I should know what's wrong." I wouldn't approve of any man who wanted to marry you beside myself, thought Shang. Out loud, "It's a long story." "We've got time, Shang." He closed his eyes for a moment then began his story.
Disclaimer: Mulan isn't mine. Enough said. Please forgive me if this chapter and the ones that follow it aren't up to your expectations.
Night fell quickly. Shang and Mulan decided to make camp. The silence between them had gotten louder (so to speak). It was unbearable but neither of them had words to break the silence. The only time they'd spoken was when Mulan said she would set up the tents while Shang started a fire. Shang had kept glancing at Mulan, wondering what she was thinking. Mulan was doing the same thing. Their eyes had met several times but each time, they turned away from each other quickly.
Mulan didn't like it. Why couldn't they go back to the way they use to? Just talking and laughing about everything and anything. She stood up wiping away her sweat after setting up the tents. It was time for a bath. She quietly took a towel from her bag and headed to the stream two minutes behind them. Shang had seen the towel and didn't question where she was going. At least, now he had time to think and mutter to himself. He could guess what was bothering Mulan. She was probably still trying to comprehend that she wouldn't be seeing her family again.
Shang put his head into his hands and groaned. Why couldn't he just tell her he didn't want her to go? An answer swiftly presented itself. Because he had chosen to be a soldier. And as a soldier, he could not and would not show his love to a chosen bride of the emperor's nephew. After all, he was related to the Son of Heaven.
But could he last that long? Could he stay sane for a whole week without telling Mulan that he desperately wanted her to stay with him? Shang doubted it. But at least he would tell her that they would not reach the Imperial City intentionally for a week. During that week, maybe, just maybe he could develop the guts to tell Mulan he loved her and would continue to love her even after she became Ming Kei's wife. He smirked at the irony. He could face the Huns without fear yet just trying to tell Mulan how he felt terrified him.
Mulan came back quietly through the bushes. That part of her training as a soldier had been engraved into her brain. Always be silent and watch your feet. She looked at Shang who was staring intently into the fire. His cheekbones, illuminated by the flickering fire, made him look years beyond his age. Mulan's eyes couldn't help but trace the outline of his body, toned by years of intense training. He looked stern but she knew better. Inside, was a man with a sense of humour and cheerful nature. A branch cracked beneath her feet.
Shang looked up at her and smiled uneasily. "Here. It looks as if it'll be a cold night," he said, gesturing to an spot by the fire. Mulan half-smiled and sat. The two of them ate silently, staring into the fire, occasionally stealing glances at each other. Mulan had never felt this uncomfortable around him. It wasn't right at all.
After they couldn't eat any longer, they still had nothing to say. It was pretty frustrating. Shang decided now would be a good time to tell her about his plan.
"Mulan.you don't exactly like being 'married' off like this, do you?"
Mulan looked at him, amused. "Shang, if I may be so bold, that is one of the most obvious questions I've ever heard in my entire life. Also one of the stupidest." Shang laughed loudly. Mulan joined him in his laughter. And for a few crazy minutes, they laughed for no reason at all. It did them both good. "What were you laughing at, Mulan?" "You laughing!" That set them off again.
When they calmed down, Shang told her. "Mulan, I have to tell you something. I don't intend on reaching the Imperial City in two days. Even as a soldier, I don't like sending women off to marriages they don't want." Mulan arched an eyebrow. "What will you tell them when we reach?" "We got robbed and had to work to get money." Mulan laughed. "Will they buy that?"
Shang looked at her. "The emperor should understand." Mulan wondered at that cryptic sentence but she smiled anyway. "Thank you, Shang." They gazed at each other, unaware and forgetting about their previous nervousness. Mulan suddenly came out of it when a cricket chirped. She looked at her hands. Shang looked back to the fire, mentally berating himself.
"Shang, can I ask you a question?" "Of course." "What's your connection with Ming Kei?"
Shang nearly choked on the water he'd been drinking. "Why do you ask?" Mulan shrugged. "If I am to be married to someone you don't approve of, I should know what's wrong." I wouldn't approve of any man who wanted to marry you beside myself, thought Shang. Out loud, "It's a long story." "We've got time, Shang." He closed his eyes for a moment then began his story.