Chapter 6: Saying Goodbye
Mulan was packing for her trip back home. Her eyes were red and wet from crying that night. Mulan was going to ride by herself to her home. As she finished up she brought her stuff to Khan and tied it up onto his back.
It was still pretty early in the morning, and there were still many men that were asleep. Shang on the other hand was in his tent staring at his paper work that he never finished. He was depressed about the whole idea that he might never see Mulan again. Why did it have to come to this? He thought.
"Shang?"
Shang turned around to see that it was only Wang. Shang turned back to his unfinished paper work. Wang sighed he knew that his friend was having a hard time with all this. "Shang, Mulan is about to leave to go say goodbye to her family. Do you want me to have her come in so you can talk to her real quick?" He asked.
"Sure." Answered Shang. Wang then left to go get Mulan.
Shang closed his eyes, fighting back the tears of hopelessness and defeat. He stayed strong, he did not want to cry, and his father always told him that true men don't cry, because it would make them look weak.
There was a knock on the tent, "Come in" Said Shang.
In came, Mulan. She stayed quiet as she entered in. As she sat down on a chair across from Shang, she still remained quiet and to herself. Shang glanced at Mulan whose head was face down to the ground. "Um...Do you want me to accompany you on your journey home?" Asked Shnag.
"That's all right, you probably have better things to be doing then taking me to say goodbye to my family." She said not making any eye contact at all with him. "May I go now?"
Shang nodded, "Yes, you may go"
Mulan got up and bowed down at him then left the room. Minutes later both Wang and the gang of three came in. "How did it go, did you tell her?" Asked Ling.
"No, I couldn't"
"What do you mean you couldn't, all you had to say was that you love her." Exclaimed Yao.
"How could I she's going through so much? If I tell her how I feel what would she do? She'll know the truth but what if she doesn't want that what will she think of me then?" Yelled out Shang if fury. "Plus she loves someone else, she even told me!" He sat back down and put his hand over his face.
They stayed quiet, He was right. If he told her how he felt she would fall apart even more then she already is. "Shang." Wang got down in front of him; "All I have to tell you is do what you think is right in your heart." Wang gave Shang a half smile. He placed his hand on Shang's shoulder and walked away with the gang right behind him. Leaving Shang to think about what he was going to do and say.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Mulan was riding hard to her home; tears would once in a while shed down her face. It was too much; this would be the last time that she would see her town, her friends, her family and Shang. What did Shan Tao want with her? Why her? These questions and more filled Mulan's head.
Once she made it into her hometown she made Khan walk so that she could see for one last time, the place where she grew up. So many memories flashed before her eyes almost like she was going back in time to her childhood.
It began to rain a soft drizzle. The Emperor had already come through and told Mulan's family what was going on. The news spread and almost everyone knew about it now. Some of the people stopped to see that it was Mulan on her horse. They just stared at her almost as if they didn't know her but they did.
Some felt bad for the young girl, and some didn't even care. This made Mulan feel sad, depressed and worst alone. She almost wanted to just scream out and cry right there. It hurt so much.
As she made her way into the house gates her dog, Little brother, greeted her. She knelt down and put her young pup into her arms. She began to shed tears once more. Little Brother sensing that she was not well began to whimper.
Hearing that someone was here, her parents and grandmother came out. They watched from the porch as their daughter held onto her dog. "Mulan" called out her mother to get her attention.
Mulan looked up and ran to them. They all hugged her tight. And many tears were shed. As they went in they talked and cried at the same time as storied of her childhood were told out. As hours passed Fa Zhou came out with a small little gift that was raped in a thin cloth. He sat down right next to her and handed it to her.
As she opened it, it reveled her comb. She took it into her hands, "Thank you baba." She said all chocked up. Giving her a warm hug he took the comb from her delicate fingers and placed it into her hair where he did last time.
"Take care of it ok, so can look at it and remember that we are always there with you." Said Fa Zhou. Mulan raped her arms around her father and cried on his shoulder.
"I will"
When it was time that she had to leave, she hugged her parents for the last time. "I'll have Shang bring back Khan when I leave" Said Mulan.
Fa Zhou shook his head, "Take Khan with you, you'll need him."
Mulan nodded.
Fa Zhou put his hand on her cheek and whipped away the tears that were coming down her soft face. "I love you"
"I love you too baba." She jumped into his arms and held onto him tighter then ever.
When she released from her father's embrace, She headed towards Khan. She placed her foot in the stirrup and lifted herself up onto Khan's back. She took the reins in her hands and took one more glace at her family. Fa Zhou nodded to her. She did the same, then pressed her heals against the barrel of her horse and was off.
Fa Zhou held his wife and mother in his arms as they watched their daughter leave. "Good bye my daughter" He said as a tear came running down his face and onto his clothing.
Mulan was galloping her way back to the camp; tears ran down face more then ever. Her heart was broken and there was nothing she could but cry to release some her pain and agony.
When she got back at Camp she made Khan gallop even faster to her tent. Others watched as she got off and went into her tent to cry. The gang with Wang and Shang all looked at each other with frowns on their faces.
They all at once began to approach her tent. Once they got to her tent they could hear her crying hard. It broke all their hearts to hear her like this. Shang opened the flap and saw her on her bed face down crying. He slowly went in and tapped her on her shoulder. Mulan stopped for that second and saw that it was Shang. She didn't care any more if he saw her like this.
She wrapped her arms around Shang's neck and continued crying. Shang knowing that it was totally improper, he wrapped his arms around her waist to comfort her. He didn't care any more if any one said anything, or if it was improper. He loved her.
Wang and the gang watched in sorrow as he held her in his arms ever so tightly, to try to comfort her. "Sh......I know....I know" Whispered Shang.
"Why?......Why...." Said Mulan all chocked up. "I don't want to go." She exclaimed.
"I know you don't, I don't want you to leave either, none of us do."
"You probably should get ready" Said Wang in a whisper. "The carriage will be here soon."
Mulan let go from the embrace and whipped away her tears. Shang got up and handed her his hand so she he could help her up. Mulan took his hand and got up. Mulan walked over to where she put the dresses that the Emperor had given her. She took one of them that was blue and silver. She sat back down on her bed with the dress in her lap.
"We'll be outside if you need us." Said Shang. Mulan nodded in response. Shang and the others made their way outside where they would wait for her. Shang was the last one out, before he closed the tent flap, he looked at Mulan and frowned. He wanted to change of all of this but knew that he couldn't, or could he? Giving her some privacy he closed the flap behind him and sat with his friends near a fire not to far away from Mulan's tent.
Shang stared at the blazing fire, as did all of the others. The Camp was silent no one was having fun, all of them just stood around thinking about Mulan and her leaving. Many were losing the greatest heroine they ever had some a good friend and yes even one they loved. It was truly a sad day.
Mulan slowly and quietly came out with the well fight blue and silver dress on. She had also put a little bit of makeup on. The dress was long making it blow everywhere with the way of the wind. As she approached them, they all seemed to turn around at the same time. Once they saw her they all got up and went over to her.
They all then heard the sound of hooves and horses neighing. Turning around they could see that there was a small carriage waiting for her.
"Well I guess this is it." Mulan said calmly. The guys stayed quiet. Yao began to get upset. He walked over to Mulan and gave her a hug.
"Good luck." Said Yao who was now fighting the tears.
Ling and Chien Po looked at each other and joined in with the hug. "Thanks for being there guys" Said Mulan. Breaking from the embrace She walked over to Wang and Shang and followed them to the carriage. Wang opened the door while Shang took her hand to help her up.
Before getting in she looked at Shang, "Can you make sure Khan comes with us, I want to take him with me." She asked kindly.
"Sure"
Mulan gave him a quick smile; "Thank you" She tightened her grip on Shang's as he helped her up. Once in she sat down Wang closed the door.
Shang made sure that Khan was tied up onto the carriage, so that Mulan would be able to take him with her. Shang got up on his white stallion and Wang and him made there way back to the carriage where five other highly trained solders that were on horse back. These five would protect them if anything went wrong.
As the carriage began to leave, Mulan looked outside from the little window. All the solders including the gang were all lined up watching as China's heroine was leaving. One man yelled out something, which made all of them bow down at once. Mulan bowed her head a bit and watched as she was leaving her friends and comrades. As they exited the camp a single tear was shed down her moist eyes for that was the last time that she would see her friends and comrades.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
I was typing this chapter up and I was playing Enya, it made it a lot sadder ya know. Well hope this chapter was ok, it was kind of hard to do because I didn't want anything to repeat. Well please review and tell me if it is all right.