Chapter 9-Betrayal
Disclaimer: I'll make this short. Mulan-not-mine. Done.
A/N: Thank you to my friend, The Imaginator for your ideas! You, pal, are inspirational! Also, thank you so much to the reviewers!
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Mulan was back in the mountains. Shang's cold face loomed over her as she tried to explain what she was doing in the army. But as he drew her father's sword, Mulan knew it was all over. He raised the sword and she closed her eyes in acceptance of her fate...
Her eyes opened in horror. Mulan felt like she was being burnt, pain searing through every muscle and bone in her body. Her eyes showed anything but pain. Instead, they burned with defiance at her captors. After she had gone to the spot where 'Loong Fai' had pointed out, ten burly men armed to the teeth ambushed her.
She fought bravely and hard but sometimes, speed and agility can't beat brute strength. Especially from ten huge men with swords and daggers. It also explained the many open wounds and bruises on her body. Being dragged along by a horse also didn't help it at all. Her feet were bound and her mouth was gagged. Mulan's hands were bound to a rope tied to the horse's neck.
They'd traveled all day from the night she was kidnapped, only stopping every few hours to give her a sip of water. And that wasn't much. The high speed at which they were traveling and the rough terrain also added to her torture. Thankfully, they started to slow down as the sun began to rise. The pain Mulan's body was going through abated a little but only returned with more force as she was untied and roughly thrown into a donkey-pulled cart.
Mulan felt like a fool being tricked so easily. But it had a good side, she supposed. At least she wouldn't have to marry Ming Kei as soon. As she was carried and tossed about, her pain grew ravaging her already exhausted body. Her pants soaked with blood and all she could do was watch. Finally, they threw her into a cell. She saw blurry figures before she slipped into darkness.
Hours later, she awoke to a face of a man in his twenties, looking down at her. Quickly, she sat up, surprised that her wounds had been treated. However, her wrists and legs were still bound. Mulan looked presumably at her captor. The man was tall and although handsome, he oozed certain sleaziness. This was a character you couldn't trust. He was wearing very grand attire. He saw her observing him and smirked.
"Welcome, Fa Mulan. I apologize for the ropes and accommodations but I cannot take any chance of letting you escape me again." Again? Wondered Mulan. A thought struck her. No, it couldn't be him... "Let me introduce myself. I am Ming Kei, your husband-to-be." It was, thought Mulan bitterly. She narrowed her eyes in anger but said nothing. Her contempt for him grew with his every word.
"You may have figured out it was me who ordered your uh, taking. Those bumbling incompetents! I pay them more than what they're worth and yet, they still dare to harm my bride. Luckily, the doctor said it was treatable." He knelt down and stroked her cheek. Mulan jerked her head away furiously.
"I never will be your bride, not to a common criminal!" Ming Kei raised an eyebrow and stood up. "Your attitude needs work. But then again, what else would you expect from a woman who joined Li Shang's troops?"
Mulan burned with anger but kept silent as he continued to speak. "That treacherous boy," he sneered at this point. "was supposed to return with you to the city over a month ago! What a fool! Did he not think I would expect such a trick from the likes of him? I've been sending spies after him ever since he left the palace! I was only waiting for the right moment."
"I was there when my uncle bowed to you. I also saw the look on Li Shang's face when you left. Do you know what else I saw?" He didn't wait for an answer. "An opportunity. One to hurt my most hated enemy the best way possible and to cover up my tracks. I presume a peasant girl like you wouldn't know of the Empress Wang."
Peasant girl! Mulan gritted her teeth but remembered something her father had said when she was younger. If an unwise enemy has you captured, sooner or later he'll boast. After all, they've done something so clever yet they can't tell anyone. So, the only people they're sure they can tell are their prisoners. Use the boasts to your advantage and like the tiger, crouch before you pounce.
"My uncle married Empress Wang when he was just crowned. I was 19 at the time. Naturally, whenever my uncle had business to attend to, I crept into their bedchamber. The empress was only 23 while my uncle was 40. Of course, she felt closer to me than anyone else."
"You slept with your own aunt. It should seem normal to a traitor like you!" spat Mulan angrily. Ming Kei remained cool. He even smiled. "Not a traitor but a boy who was in love." "Love? You probably did it just to spite your uncle even if he didn't know about it!" He raised an eyebrow. "Believe what you will. Two years went by and no one knew of our affair. Then, a year ago," here, he sighed. "a servant saw me and the Empress together in bed."
"That servant was poisoned but rumours had already spread. Sooner or later, it would've reached my uncle's ears. I had to do something. So when I saw Li Shang's lovesick face, I found the perfect excuse. Marrying you would dispel the rumours. It's also the perfect way to get rid of Li Shang. Now, all I have to do is elope with you, fake our deaths and it's goodbye, General Li."
Mulan heard all this in horror. He was right. Shang was responsible for her safety. If she and Ming Kei were dead, Shang would be executed for his failure to complete a task. It would be a double blow to his honour and his pride. Lady Mai Lin would be sure to have his head. After all, Ming Kei was her baby son, the favourite of her children. Mulan realized another thing as well.
"You're going to use me to kill the one I love. You have no honour within yourself." Ming Kei threw his head back and laughed. "Honour? Is that worth a whole bag of gold?" He gave her a withering look. "You must learn, Fa Mulan that honour will never get you anywhere. Now, goodnight. We shall meet again very soon." He walked out of the cell and the dungeon.
Mulan clenched her fist. No, she wouldn't let herself be Shang's downfall. A desperate idea came to her. Hopefully the guards would fall for it. She gave a loud dramatic groan then fell to her side. It wouldn't be surprising if she fell because of an injury. Two guards rushed in and inspected her. She held her breath as they untied her legs and wrists.
Jumping up, she kicked the two guards square in the face and ran. But before she could even get halfway across the room, hands roughly grabbed her from behind. She struggled fiercely but was tossed back inside her cold cell. Now she knew. There were guards all around the room. Guards that would stop any attempt of escape.
Rubbing her bandaged side, she slumped to the ground; hopelessness feeling her. "Shang," whispered Mulan. "Wherever you are, I'm sorry." Tears blurred her vision as they fell silently to the ground.
Disclaimer: I'll make this short. Mulan-not-mine. Done.
A/N: Thank you to my friend, The Imaginator for your ideas! You, pal, are inspirational! Also, thank you so much to the reviewers!
************************************************************************
Mulan was back in the mountains. Shang's cold face loomed over her as she tried to explain what she was doing in the army. But as he drew her father's sword, Mulan knew it was all over. He raised the sword and she closed her eyes in acceptance of her fate...
Her eyes opened in horror. Mulan felt like she was being burnt, pain searing through every muscle and bone in her body. Her eyes showed anything but pain. Instead, they burned with defiance at her captors. After she had gone to the spot where 'Loong Fai' had pointed out, ten burly men armed to the teeth ambushed her.
She fought bravely and hard but sometimes, speed and agility can't beat brute strength. Especially from ten huge men with swords and daggers. It also explained the many open wounds and bruises on her body. Being dragged along by a horse also didn't help it at all. Her feet were bound and her mouth was gagged. Mulan's hands were bound to a rope tied to the horse's neck.
They'd traveled all day from the night she was kidnapped, only stopping every few hours to give her a sip of water. And that wasn't much. The high speed at which they were traveling and the rough terrain also added to her torture. Thankfully, they started to slow down as the sun began to rise. The pain Mulan's body was going through abated a little but only returned with more force as she was untied and roughly thrown into a donkey-pulled cart.
Mulan felt like a fool being tricked so easily. But it had a good side, she supposed. At least she wouldn't have to marry Ming Kei as soon. As she was carried and tossed about, her pain grew ravaging her already exhausted body. Her pants soaked with blood and all she could do was watch. Finally, they threw her into a cell. She saw blurry figures before she slipped into darkness.
Hours later, she awoke to a face of a man in his twenties, looking down at her. Quickly, she sat up, surprised that her wounds had been treated. However, her wrists and legs were still bound. Mulan looked presumably at her captor. The man was tall and although handsome, he oozed certain sleaziness. This was a character you couldn't trust. He was wearing very grand attire. He saw her observing him and smirked.
"Welcome, Fa Mulan. I apologize for the ropes and accommodations but I cannot take any chance of letting you escape me again." Again? Wondered Mulan. A thought struck her. No, it couldn't be him... "Let me introduce myself. I am Ming Kei, your husband-to-be." It was, thought Mulan bitterly. She narrowed her eyes in anger but said nothing. Her contempt for him grew with his every word.
"You may have figured out it was me who ordered your uh, taking. Those bumbling incompetents! I pay them more than what they're worth and yet, they still dare to harm my bride. Luckily, the doctor said it was treatable." He knelt down and stroked her cheek. Mulan jerked her head away furiously.
"I never will be your bride, not to a common criminal!" Ming Kei raised an eyebrow and stood up. "Your attitude needs work. But then again, what else would you expect from a woman who joined Li Shang's troops?"
Mulan burned with anger but kept silent as he continued to speak. "That treacherous boy," he sneered at this point. "was supposed to return with you to the city over a month ago! What a fool! Did he not think I would expect such a trick from the likes of him? I've been sending spies after him ever since he left the palace! I was only waiting for the right moment."
"I was there when my uncle bowed to you. I also saw the look on Li Shang's face when you left. Do you know what else I saw?" He didn't wait for an answer. "An opportunity. One to hurt my most hated enemy the best way possible and to cover up my tracks. I presume a peasant girl like you wouldn't know of the Empress Wang."
Peasant girl! Mulan gritted her teeth but remembered something her father had said when she was younger. If an unwise enemy has you captured, sooner or later he'll boast. After all, they've done something so clever yet they can't tell anyone. So, the only people they're sure they can tell are their prisoners. Use the boasts to your advantage and like the tiger, crouch before you pounce.
"My uncle married Empress Wang when he was just crowned. I was 19 at the time. Naturally, whenever my uncle had business to attend to, I crept into their bedchamber. The empress was only 23 while my uncle was 40. Of course, she felt closer to me than anyone else."
"You slept with your own aunt. It should seem normal to a traitor like you!" spat Mulan angrily. Ming Kei remained cool. He even smiled. "Not a traitor but a boy who was in love." "Love? You probably did it just to spite your uncle even if he didn't know about it!" He raised an eyebrow. "Believe what you will. Two years went by and no one knew of our affair. Then, a year ago," here, he sighed. "a servant saw me and the Empress together in bed."
"That servant was poisoned but rumours had already spread. Sooner or later, it would've reached my uncle's ears. I had to do something. So when I saw Li Shang's lovesick face, I found the perfect excuse. Marrying you would dispel the rumours. It's also the perfect way to get rid of Li Shang. Now, all I have to do is elope with you, fake our deaths and it's goodbye, General Li."
Mulan heard all this in horror. He was right. Shang was responsible for her safety. If she and Ming Kei were dead, Shang would be executed for his failure to complete a task. It would be a double blow to his honour and his pride. Lady Mai Lin would be sure to have his head. After all, Ming Kei was her baby son, the favourite of her children. Mulan realized another thing as well.
"You're going to use me to kill the one I love. You have no honour within yourself." Ming Kei threw his head back and laughed. "Honour? Is that worth a whole bag of gold?" He gave her a withering look. "You must learn, Fa Mulan that honour will never get you anywhere. Now, goodnight. We shall meet again very soon." He walked out of the cell and the dungeon.
Mulan clenched her fist. No, she wouldn't let herself be Shang's downfall. A desperate idea came to her. Hopefully the guards would fall for it. She gave a loud dramatic groan then fell to her side. It wouldn't be surprising if she fell because of an injury. Two guards rushed in and inspected her. She held her breath as they untied her legs and wrists.
Jumping up, she kicked the two guards square in the face and ran. But before she could even get halfway across the room, hands roughly grabbed her from behind. She struggled fiercely but was tossed back inside her cold cell. Now she knew. There were guards all around the room. Guards that would stop any attempt of escape.
Rubbing her bandaged side, she slumped to the ground; hopelessness feeling her. "Shang," whispered Mulan. "Wherever you are, I'm sorry." Tears blurred her vision as they fell silently to the ground.