Owe nothing related to Mulan - frustratingly.
Mulan arrived at the imperial city, she made her way to the palace and trotted round the back as she knew her way around due to being a residence here. Not seeing anyone around in the palace gardens she called Mushu out of her bag and told him to climb up and find which room belonged to the emperor.
He scampered up and several moments later he whistled. Hearing his signal, Mulan threw up a rope which Mushu tied around the railings of the balcony. Making sure Shang was ok, she hauled herself up the rope and pulled herself over the balcony.
Using Mushu's somewhat limited fire breathing ability she lit a candle and approached the great bed.
Gently shaking the emperor, he shot up and almost leapt off the bed if it wasn't for Mulan who said, "It's me, Mulan."
"Mulan? what's going on?" he asked as he pulled his robes on.
"Shang and I are in mortal danger, it seems the traitor has set Shang up. He's been arrested and tortured." Mulan bowed, the emperor placed a gentle hand on her shoulder as he said, "Where is he?"
"He's outside but I'm afraid he's taken a turn for the worst." Mulan explained as she walked over to the rope.
"You bring him up and I'll pull the rope. No one must know you are here." The emperor took the rope.
"But sir..."Mulan started, her ruler was old and frail, surely he wouldn't have the strength to pull up Mulan and Shang.
"Go. I may be old but do not underestimate my strength."
Mulan obeyed and climbed down the rope to the bottom where she tied Shang to the rope, she watched his body get smaller as the emperor pulled him up. Several minutes later he threw the rope down for her to climb up. When she reached the top, she saw the emperor crouched over Shang. "Did you know the full extent of his injuries." He asked, Mulan shook her head.
"Get him on my bed." He grabbed one of his shoulders as Mulan stepped forward to help. They heaved him onto the bed and quickly lit more candles so they could see the injuries he sustained. On taking his top off, they both recoiled at the unholy stench of the wounds.
"By the great ancestors..look Mulan!" The emperor pointed at one of the many gashes to Shang's chest. "These wounds are inflicted through normal Chinese torture methods but what's more interesting..." the emperor pulled out a piece of clear rock from the wound. "They packed it full of rock salt...a constant stinging form of torture that weakens a man from the never ending pain caused by this rock."
"Shang must be in pain." Cringed Mulan.
"No!" The emperor said excitedly, "This torture method is used only by the huns..so whoever tortured him was a hun or knew of this practice." The emperor explained.
"That supports your evidence of the huns infiltrating the military." Mulan frowned. "Why would they want to do this?"
"They wanted to weaken Shang, in his weakness he would admit anything even the betrayal of the empire. By his mistake they hoped to have him killed." The emperor said sadly.
"Oh Shang." Mulan sighed and reached out to rest her hand on his hot forehead.
"Come. We must quickly get this salt out." The emperor ordered.
Throughout the night the emperor and Mulan worked together to remove as much salt as they could. The emperor told Mulan to avert her eyes when he undressed the unconscious general. "He got burns to his legs! I'm surprised Shang hasn't broke under the pressure." He exclaimed.
Dawn broke, the emperor left to attend his usual court routine, telling Mulan no one would know they were there.
Mulan had washed Shang's wounds and bound them. She combed his long hair free of dirt and dried blood. The bed sheet was drawn up to hide his modesty but left his legs bare so Mulan could treat his burnt legs. She was pressing a cold cloth to his head when he stirred. Reaching out and grabbing the stranger's hand, Shang awoke to see it belonged to Mulan.
"Where am I?" he asked groggily. He slowly sat up and winched.
"You're in the emperor's bedroom." Mulan replied, still wiping sweat from his face, he pushed her hand away, he didn't need her nursing!
Shang looked around and stared under the sheet which was drawn up to his waist. He shot a look at Mulan and asked, "Who undressed me?"
" The emperor did." Mulan said as she started mixing some salve together. She explained as she worked the emperor's discovery as Shang winched as he tried to find a comfortable way to sit. "They burnt my feet, my legs and everywhere else on my body. I'm surprised they didn't burn my bal.." He cursed to himself.
"How do you feel?" Mulan interrupting, she knew when Shang was provoked or annoyed, he could swear for China and she wasn't in a mood to withstand his foul mouth when all she wanted to do was to got to sleep. but here she was attending to Shang who was acting like a baby!
"I'll survive." He sighed as he sank into the cushions and yawned. Mulan shook her head as he fell asleep. Men!
Shang awoke later to find Mulan sleeping next to him, apparently she crawled onto the bed and fell asleep. Watching her as she slept he frowned and cursed himself. He hadn't made life easy for her.
She rescued him and now attended to him and all he could do was bitterly object and complain. He couldn't resist as his fingers reached out and stroked her hair.
She moaned as she stirred and woke up.
For a moment she looked dazed as she looked at Shang deep in his eyes then he watched her eyes widen when she realised what she was doing. She leapt off the bed and busied herself with some tea.
"Drink this....here I'll help you." She held the cup to his lips as he slowly drank, his dark eyes watching hers all the time.
"Thank you Mulan for everything." He said as he laid back.
"You would have done the same for me." She smiled as she watched Shang slowly sit up, he unconsciously started twiddling his hair round his fingers. He stopped when he saw her watching him. "Sorry, just a habit I got."
"I'm amazed you put up with all the pain you received." Mulan softly said. Shang cleared his throat, "I just kept thinking of you and what would you do in the same situation as me."
"Really?" Mulan blushed, she swiftly hid her embarrassment by standing up and wandering to the side of the room to pick up some medical supplies Shang would need.
She resume her nursing when she rejoined his side, leaning close to Shang, a bit too close to him for his liking as he couldn't remember what he was trying to say till she reminded him.
"You were saying?" Mulan looked up from cleaning a deep cut on his chest, his stomach fluttered as he felt her warm breath on his bare skin and her sweet aroma dancing under his nose.
"Err...yeah what I was trying to say..Ouch!" Shang yelped as Mulan touched a raw part of his wound.
"Anyway, since you are so brave and Argh!" he yelled louder as Mulan struggled to attend to him.
"Be gentle would you? Mulan what I'm trying to say is...what the hell is that?!" He stopped and pointed at the long needle Mulan held close to his skin.
"I'm trying to sew your wounds up...carry on what you were saying." Mulan pouted, she tried to resume her path with the needle but Shang wasn't having any of it.
He grabbed her hands and tried to wrestle her, frustrated that she wasn't listening to what he had to say.
"Damn it! What I was trying to say..." He growled as Mulan pushed him back.
"For a general you don't take pain very well do you?" Mulan snapped back.
"Only when it's you so shut up! I'm trying to say..." He pushed her away from him as she locked her knees round his waist. "Is that I think..." Shang gritted his teeth as he tried to tell her.
"I love you." There, he said it.
Mulan stopped wrestling and looked at him stunned, her hair was tussled in their fight as her mouth made a frozen 'o'.
"Shang?" She softly inquired, confirming she hadn't misheard what he said.
"It's true." He swallowed nervously, a blush slowly crept into his cheeks. "I love you Mulan."
A stunned silence fell between them as they sat and stared at each other, Shang coughed and slid his hands from her wrists to her palms and gently squeezed them, "Tell me Mulan, do you feel the same way for me?"
"Yes! Oh yes!" She whispered as she slowly inched her head towards his, unaware of what she should do. Shang's eyes silently told her, let him make the first move as she felt his warm breath tingle on her lips, his gentle fingers touched her neck as he kissed her softly, not wanting to scare Mulan.
Mulan's heart raced so fast, she never felt so many sensations pulsate through her. She never thought her first kissed would be with Shang.
Sure she dreamt it but she underestimated how it made her feel. His warm soft lips on hers making her lose control. She pulled him closer as he deepened the kiss, his lips became demanding and hard as Mulan responded to him, her tongue danced against his in an erotic way she never knew existed.
She was dimly aware of his hands holding her tightly against him as he slipped her beneath him, the warm delicious pressure of his body on top of hers.
Her hands became entwined with his hair as she couldn't believe he loved and wanted her so. She felt she was on fire and wantonly pushed her body up against his, making him softly groan.
"Hello, just thought I pop..Oh!" The emperor interrupted them.
Shang and Mulan laid frozen, both staring at the emperor in horror.
They looked a sight, Shang's hand was frozen in the act of pulling Mulan's stocking down her leg, exposing her pale flesh as Mulan had both hands digging her nails into his lower back.
They both looked at each other and flew apart as if an electric shock flew between them.
Mulan rushed to the other side of the room, franticly tidying her hair as she busied herself tidying the already neatly arranged medicine.
Shang sat back up in bed, he pulled the covers tightly round his waist to hide his arousal with the little dignity he had left.
He realised he had pink lip rouge smeared round his lips, the very little make-up Mulan did wear and tried to wipe it off with his hands.
"Mulan could you leave us a minute and go wait on the balcony till I call you in." the emperor softly ordered, Mulan hid her face behind her hair as she bowed and hurried out the room. Out on the balcony she reached under her dress to pull up the stocking Shang pulled down to the teasing of Mushu who leaned against a stone dragon, grinning. "You kissed Sha-ng!"
Shang groaned inwardly, just his luck to be caught breaking one of the oldest rules in the land by the emperor himself! "Shang." The emperor started, but was interrupted by Shang's apologies.
"Shang, I can't say I'm surprised." The emperor sat on the edge of the bed, Shang tried to sit up only to be told to rest. "You have broke one of the oldest rules in China in front of my eyes but I'll turn a blind eye after all I cannot deny a couple's right to be err..."
"Intimate?" Shang suggested, the emperor nodded and continued. "Yes, to be intimate but this once I'm ordering you to restrain any desires between the two of you until the war is over. I must strongly suggest that you take Mulan for a wife before taking such matters further."
"I will." Shang nodded.
"You'll have my blessing on the marriage but not until after this mission I am to give to you. I cannot bare to see the heroine of China heartbroken if she loses you, or you her. And think of what would happen to Mulan if you leave her with child, not even my powers could stretch to protect her from the law." The emperor sadly said, Shang hung his head in shame, he didn't think of the possibilities, he was blinded by his passion as they laid on his bed moments ago, he almost forced Mulan to...no he couldn't bare the thought of it.
"I know what you are going through, I was a young man like you once, and women like Mulan were a sore temptation." The emperor smiled, he looked over to the balcony where Mulan stood behind a curtain, he looked back at Shang and smiled as Shang turned his attention from the young woman back to him.
"Please, marry her after the mission. Tell her what I said to you." The emperor sadly smiled, Shang nodded.
The emperor called Mulan back in, she shyly entered again as she curiously looked at him for signs of what the two men said in private but Shang kept his eyes on the emperor.
"Shang I hate to rush your recovery but I mush hurry you. Soldiers are now looking for you and it's not safe. You and Mulan will go behind the enemy lines to gain information on the huns, on their status, weapons and plan of action. More importantly see who is leading them and who are the imperial soldiers involved in this conspiracy against China. Take all you want but be safe. I should warn you that no one of my court will know of this mission and I bless you with all the protection you'll need as if you should be caught, you're on your own as no one will be sent to rescue you. Good luck."
They silently watched the emperor leave, the door closed quietly behind him as Shang looked across at Mulan.
"Look.." He started.
"It doesn't matter, it was a mistake. A one off. It wasn't your fault." Mulan interrupted, she started packing as he watched, frustrated at how the world seems so against him.
"Yeah, I'm glad we came to an understanding about that." He said quietly as Mulan quickly wiped away a tear, hoping he wouldn't see.
Shang saw and he hated himself at that moment.
Mulan arrived at the imperial city, she made her way to the palace and trotted round the back as she knew her way around due to being a residence here. Not seeing anyone around in the palace gardens she called Mushu out of her bag and told him to climb up and find which room belonged to the emperor.
He scampered up and several moments later he whistled. Hearing his signal, Mulan threw up a rope which Mushu tied around the railings of the balcony. Making sure Shang was ok, she hauled herself up the rope and pulled herself over the balcony.
Using Mushu's somewhat limited fire breathing ability she lit a candle and approached the great bed.
Gently shaking the emperor, he shot up and almost leapt off the bed if it wasn't for Mulan who said, "It's me, Mulan."
"Mulan? what's going on?" he asked as he pulled his robes on.
"Shang and I are in mortal danger, it seems the traitor has set Shang up. He's been arrested and tortured." Mulan bowed, the emperor placed a gentle hand on her shoulder as he said, "Where is he?"
"He's outside but I'm afraid he's taken a turn for the worst." Mulan explained as she walked over to the rope.
"You bring him up and I'll pull the rope. No one must know you are here." The emperor took the rope.
"But sir..."Mulan started, her ruler was old and frail, surely he wouldn't have the strength to pull up Mulan and Shang.
"Go. I may be old but do not underestimate my strength."
Mulan obeyed and climbed down the rope to the bottom where she tied Shang to the rope, she watched his body get smaller as the emperor pulled him up. Several minutes later he threw the rope down for her to climb up. When she reached the top, she saw the emperor crouched over Shang. "Did you know the full extent of his injuries." He asked, Mulan shook her head.
"Get him on my bed." He grabbed one of his shoulders as Mulan stepped forward to help. They heaved him onto the bed and quickly lit more candles so they could see the injuries he sustained. On taking his top off, they both recoiled at the unholy stench of the wounds.
"By the great ancestors..look Mulan!" The emperor pointed at one of the many gashes to Shang's chest. "These wounds are inflicted through normal Chinese torture methods but what's more interesting..." the emperor pulled out a piece of clear rock from the wound. "They packed it full of rock salt...a constant stinging form of torture that weakens a man from the never ending pain caused by this rock."
"Shang must be in pain." Cringed Mulan.
"No!" The emperor said excitedly, "This torture method is used only by the huns..so whoever tortured him was a hun or knew of this practice." The emperor explained.
"That supports your evidence of the huns infiltrating the military." Mulan frowned. "Why would they want to do this?"
"They wanted to weaken Shang, in his weakness he would admit anything even the betrayal of the empire. By his mistake they hoped to have him killed." The emperor said sadly.
"Oh Shang." Mulan sighed and reached out to rest her hand on his hot forehead.
"Come. We must quickly get this salt out." The emperor ordered.
Throughout the night the emperor and Mulan worked together to remove as much salt as they could. The emperor told Mulan to avert her eyes when he undressed the unconscious general. "He got burns to his legs! I'm surprised Shang hasn't broke under the pressure." He exclaimed.
Dawn broke, the emperor left to attend his usual court routine, telling Mulan no one would know they were there.
Mulan had washed Shang's wounds and bound them. She combed his long hair free of dirt and dried blood. The bed sheet was drawn up to hide his modesty but left his legs bare so Mulan could treat his burnt legs. She was pressing a cold cloth to his head when he stirred. Reaching out and grabbing the stranger's hand, Shang awoke to see it belonged to Mulan.
"Where am I?" he asked groggily. He slowly sat up and winched.
"You're in the emperor's bedroom." Mulan replied, still wiping sweat from his face, he pushed her hand away, he didn't need her nursing!
Shang looked around and stared under the sheet which was drawn up to his waist. He shot a look at Mulan and asked, "Who undressed me?"
" The emperor did." Mulan said as she started mixing some salve together. She explained as she worked the emperor's discovery as Shang winched as he tried to find a comfortable way to sit. "They burnt my feet, my legs and everywhere else on my body. I'm surprised they didn't burn my bal.." He cursed to himself.
"How do you feel?" Mulan interrupting, she knew when Shang was provoked or annoyed, he could swear for China and she wasn't in a mood to withstand his foul mouth when all she wanted to do was to got to sleep. but here she was attending to Shang who was acting like a baby!
"I'll survive." He sighed as he sank into the cushions and yawned. Mulan shook her head as he fell asleep. Men!
Shang awoke later to find Mulan sleeping next to him, apparently she crawled onto the bed and fell asleep. Watching her as she slept he frowned and cursed himself. He hadn't made life easy for her.
She rescued him and now attended to him and all he could do was bitterly object and complain. He couldn't resist as his fingers reached out and stroked her hair.
She moaned as she stirred and woke up.
For a moment she looked dazed as she looked at Shang deep in his eyes then he watched her eyes widen when she realised what she was doing. She leapt off the bed and busied herself with some tea.
"Drink this....here I'll help you." She held the cup to his lips as he slowly drank, his dark eyes watching hers all the time.
"Thank you Mulan for everything." He said as he laid back.
"You would have done the same for me." She smiled as she watched Shang slowly sit up, he unconsciously started twiddling his hair round his fingers. He stopped when he saw her watching him. "Sorry, just a habit I got."
"I'm amazed you put up with all the pain you received." Mulan softly said. Shang cleared his throat, "I just kept thinking of you and what would you do in the same situation as me."
"Really?" Mulan blushed, she swiftly hid her embarrassment by standing up and wandering to the side of the room to pick up some medical supplies Shang would need.
She resume her nursing when she rejoined his side, leaning close to Shang, a bit too close to him for his liking as he couldn't remember what he was trying to say till she reminded him.
"You were saying?" Mulan looked up from cleaning a deep cut on his chest, his stomach fluttered as he felt her warm breath on his bare skin and her sweet aroma dancing under his nose.
"Err...yeah what I was trying to say..Ouch!" Shang yelped as Mulan touched a raw part of his wound.
"Anyway, since you are so brave and Argh!" he yelled louder as Mulan struggled to attend to him.
"Be gentle would you? Mulan what I'm trying to say is...what the hell is that?!" He stopped and pointed at the long needle Mulan held close to his skin.
"I'm trying to sew your wounds up...carry on what you were saying." Mulan pouted, she tried to resume her path with the needle but Shang wasn't having any of it.
He grabbed her hands and tried to wrestle her, frustrated that she wasn't listening to what he had to say.
"Damn it! What I was trying to say..." He growled as Mulan pushed him back.
"For a general you don't take pain very well do you?" Mulan snapped back.
"Only when it's you so shut up! I'm trying to say..." He pushed her away from him as she locked her knees round his waist. "Is that I think..." Shang gritted his teeth as he tried to tell her.
"I love you." There, he said it.
Mulan stopped wrestling and looked at him stunned, her hair was tussled in their fight as her mouth made a frozen 'o'.
"Shang?" She softly inquired, confirming she hadn't misheard what he said.
"It's true." He swallowed nervously, a blush slowly crept into his cheeks. "I love you Mulan."
A stunned silence fell between them as they sat and stared at each other, Shang coughed and slid his hands from her wrists to her palms and gently squeezed them, "Tell me Mulan, do you feel the same way for me?"
"Yes! Oh yes!" She whispered as she slowly inched her head towards his, unaware of what she should do. Shang's eyes silently told her, let him make the first move as she felt his warm breath tingle on her lips, his gentle fingers touched her neck as he kissed her softly, not wanting to scare Mulan.
Mulan's heart raced so fast, she never felt so many sensations pulsate through her. She never thought her first kissed would be with Shang.
Sure she dreamt it but she underestimated how it made her feel. His warm soft lips on hers making her lose control. She pulled him closer as he deepened the kiss, his lips became demanding and hard as Mulan responded to him, her tongue danced against his in an erotic way she never knew existed.
She was dimly aware of his hands holding her tightly against him as he slipped her beneath him, the warm delicious pressure of his body on top of hers.
Her hands became entwined with his hair as she couldn't believe he loved and wanted her so. She felt she was on fire and wantonly pushed her body up against his, making him softly groan.
"Hello, just thought I pop..Oh!" The emperor interrupted them.
Shang and Mulan laid frozen, both staring at the emperor in horror.
They looked a sight, Shang's hand was frozen in the act of pulling Mulan's stocking down her leg, exposing her pale flesh as Mulan had both hands digging her nails into his lower back.
They both looked at each other and flew apart as if an electric shock flew between them.
Mulan rushed to the other side of the room, franticly tidying her hair as she busied herself tidying the already neatly arranged medicine.
Shang sat back up in bed, he pulled the covers tightly round his waist to hide his arousal with the little dignity he had left.
He realised he had pink lip rouge smeared round his lips, the very little make-up Mulan did wear and tried to wipe it off with his hands.
"Mulan could you leave us a minute and go wait on the balcony till I call you in." the emperor softly ordered, Mulan hid her face behind her hair as she bowed and hurried out the room. Out on the balcony she reached under her dress to pull up the stocking Shang pulled down to the teasing of Mushu who leaned against a stone dragon, grinning. "You kissed Sha-ng!"
Shang groaned inwardly, just his luck to be caught breaking one of the oldest rules in the land by the emperor himself! "Shang." The emperor started, but was interrupted by Shang's apologies.
"Shang, I can't say I'm surprised." The emperor sat on the edge of the bed, Shang tried to sit up only to be told to rest. "You have broke one of the oldest rules in China in front of my eyes but I'll turn a blind eye after all I cannot deny a couple's right to be err..."
"Intimate?" Shang suggested, the emperor nodded and continued. "Yes, to be intimate but this once I'm ordering you to restrain any desires between the two of you until the war is over. I must strongly suggest that you take Mulan for a wife before taking such matters further."
"I will." Shang nodded.
"You'll have my blessing on the marriage but not until after this mission I am to give to you. I cannot bare to see the heroine of China heartbroken if she loses you, or you her. And think of what would happen to Mulan if you leave her with child, not even my powers could stretch to protect her from the law." The emperor sadly said, Shang hung his head in shame, he didn't think of the possibilities, he was blinded by his passion as they laid on his bed moments ago, he almost forced Mulan to...no he couldn't bare the thought of it.
"I know what you are going through, I was a young man like you once, and women like Mulan were a sore temptation." The emperor smiled, he looked over to the balcony where Mulan stood behind a curtain, he looked back at Shang and smiled as Shang turned his attention from the young woman back to him.
"Please, marry her after the mission. Tell her what I said to you." The emperor sadly smiled, Shang nodded.
The emperor called Mulan back in, she shyly entered again as she curiously looked at him for signs of what the two men said in private but Shang kept his eyes on the emperor.
"Shang I hate to rush your recovery but I mush hurry you. Soldiers are now looking for you and it's not safe. You and Mulan will go behind the enemy lines to gain information on the huns, on their status, weapons and plan of action. More importantly see who is leading them and who are the imperial soldiers involved in this conspiracy against China. Take all you want but be safe. I should warn you that no one of my court will know of this mission and I bless you with all the protection you'll need as if you should be caught, you're on your own as no one will be sent to rescue you. Good luck."
They silently watched the emperor leave, the door closed quietly behind him as Shang looked across at Mulan.
"Look.." He started.
"It doesn't matter, it was a mistake. A one off. It wasn't your fault." Mulan interrupted, she started packing as he watched, frustrated at how the world seems so against him.
"Yeah, I'm glad we came to an understanding about that." He said quietly as Mulan quickly wiped away a tear, hoping he wouldn't see.
Shang saw and he hated himself at that moment.