'Destiny' by Laurae

Disclaimer: I do not own Disney's "Mulan" or any characters affiliated with it. I do however own Shang's bride, Yu Tien, Ting Ting, Shu Fang, and Shaiming.

"What?!" Ting Ting cried. "You like him, but, how could you know. It hasn't even been a full day since you laid eyes on him!" Ting Ting walked briskly over to the window and leaned on its sill looking out,

"I didn't say that." Yu Tien replied calmly. "I said 'what if'. He does seem very likeable you know." Yu Tien settled herself down on a large cushion in the corner resting her head against the wall.

"I've known you nearly my whole life Tien, and I've never known you to make a hasty decision."

"Ting Ting, I'm not making any hasty decisions. I just, well. I'm just deciding quickly?" Yu Tien looked at her long time friend. Although Ting Ting was her maid, she was also the only friend that she had had as a child. They grew up together and when it was announced that Yu Tien was to be married, Yu Tien's father decided that Ting Ting should go with her to continue to serve her and provide companionship.

Ting Ting shook her head. "Come on, you might as well eat that porridge, it's getting cold Tien."

Yu Tien stood and walked down behind Ting Ting to have her breakfast. She paused in front of the door to the bedroom where Shang slept. "Ting, I should wake him. Shouldn't I?" She gently pushed the door open and stepped inside. Sitting down on the edge of the big bed, Yu Tien reached out and touched the sleeping Shang's shoulder. He started and jolted awake, moving away defensively.

Upon realizing that it was just his wife he relaxed and lie back down against the pillow. "You're up early," he yawned stretching.

"It isn't early, Shang, the sun has been up for almost an hour already and your breakfast is getting cold." She folded her hands serenely in her lap and looked down at them as he rose. He crossed the room scratching his head and dressed in silks before turning to face his wife.

A light blush was spread across her high cheekbones. "Eh, I'm sorry." He said sheepishly looking away. Quickly, he changed the subject. "So, you said something about breakfast?" She smiled and led him down to the kitchen

A half an hour later, Yu Tien was settled down on a cushion under a tree in the garden. Small yellow flowers were growing through the moss around her. She dipped her brush into some ink and stared thoughtfully at the thick paper that she held on a board before making the first sweeping brush stroke. The lines on the paper very soon began to resemble the flowers around her and as she completed the last brush stroke, she sighed and laid the brush down.

Yu Tien gazed off into the distance. Her feet were so sore and it was only the morning, she could tell that it was going to be a very bad day for her. Looking down, Yu Tien pulled her skirt up to her ankles. Her tiny feet curled up at the toe and were in tiny shoes that were only about three inches long. Today, they were blue, with small ornate flowers and birds embroidered over most of their surface. She touched one foot and winced.

"Didn't that hurt?" came Shang's voice from behind her. She jumped.

"What do you mean?" Yu Tien hurriedly pulled the yellow silk of her skirt over her feet.

"Didn't that hurt? Your feet I mean." He sank down beside her in the grass depositing a tray with a teapot and two cups in front of her.

"Well," she said slowly, "I was very little when it was done, but I can remember most of it and it was very painful."

Shang poured her a cup of the hot tea and handed it to her. "Would you tell me about it? I would like to hear." Shang poured himself a cup of tea also and sat silently. The two sat in silence for several minutes as they sipped their tea. "If you don't want to, that is fine, I won't press it."

"No, I can tell you." Yu Tien paused and took a sip of her tea. "When I was four years old, it was a very cold winter, I think that that is why my mother did it when she did. She brought me into a quiet room at the far end of our house and had Ting Ting's mother hold me down. Ting Ting was there too, come to think of it. She stood in the corner and watched wide eyed the whole time, but, anyway, my mother pulled out a thick roll of bandage and bent my left foot over as far as she could with her hands.

"She then took the end of one of the rolls of the bandage and wrapped it tightly around my foot. My foot began to bend in half and I can remember feeling the bones snap. At this point I was struggling against Ting Ting's mother, Shu Fang, and my mother began to do my right foot. This time I knew what to expect and I kicked my leg. Shu Fang smacked me and I lie still crying as my mother wrapped the bandage tightly around my foot.

"When she had finished Shu Fang took Ting Ting from the room and my mother beat me for crying. After that, we tightened the bandages everyday for a time, until my feet were as small as they could be."

Yu Tien was pale and leaning back against the tree trunk by the time she finished her story. She held the teacup in her lap with two hands as she closed her eyes and tried to fight the painful memories back into submission.

Shang leaned forward and pulled Yu Tien into his arms watching as she fought back tears. "If it means anything to you, I think you'd be beautiful even if she didn't bind your feet." He hugged her kissed the top of her head and settled her back onto the cushion. Picking up the teapot and two cups, he said, "I have to go and write a letter and I also have some paper work to finish. I will be inside if you need me." He rose and walked off to the house and Yu Tien smiled after him.

~*~

Author's Note: I know everyone is getting fed up with the lack of Mulan in this story. I'm planning on keeping it the way it is for a while and then writing a very Mulan-centric sequel. Please, try and bear with me for the time being.

I would like to thin my friends Ivy and John for all of their help with names and historical guesswork.

So, what do you think? Please, feel free to review. If there are any issues with spelling or grammar, let me know please. Thank you for reading!