Sorry to cause outrage amongst you guys...teehee. here's a new chapter so
read on to find out what happens to Mulan..
Mulan came around, the bright candle light stung her eyes as she squinted to get use to the sudden brightness. Hearing laboured breathing, she looked over to her left to see Shang tied up and was in a bad way. Trying to move to help him, much to her dismay she discovered she was tied to a piece of heavy furniture.
"Shang? Are you ok?" She asked, he opened his eyes and croaked, "I'm bleeding but I'll survive."
Her eyes fell on the large wound to his chest that leaked blood dangerously.
She stifled a gasp as she realised he wouldn't survive unless he got medical help.
"Are you ok?" He rolled his head to look at her, sweat beading his skin as he winched loudly, making Mulan cringe.
"I'm fine." She nodded.
"They didn't..?" he looked at her, his eyes questioning as he scanned her body for signs.
"No..I don't think so." She watched him utter a curse and tried to breath, she watched as blood bubbled from the wound to his chest. She seen such wounds before and they were serious, not many people lived after receiving such a wound.
"Greetings!" a voice made them jump, looking in front of them sat a captain. Mulan could tell what his rank was due to the similar clothes that were worn by Shang back at Wu Zhong.
"General Li Shang and China's legend, Fa Mulan." The captain smirked as he sipped from a goblet of wine. He picked up a piece of paper and looked at them. "Such irony, I just received a letter from General Ying informing me of two traitors."
"Who are you?" challenged Shang.
"It's not a matter of who am I, rather it what shall I do with you." The captain smiled, the huns which stood near him growled with laughter as Shang swore, earning him a punch.
"You should be grateful for me, as I intervened with the huns before they could take matters further..." The captain looked at Mulan who silently prayed to the gods for allowing her virginity to remain intact.
Shang looked over at her despite the haze of pain which dimmed his vision and everything else. Relief flooded his system as he saw Mulan sigh a breath of relief.
"You escaped from everybody but you'll never escape from me. Send them to the great wall." The captain ordered two huns who dragged the captives to their feet.
Mulan and Shang were marched to a great enclosure constructed from wood. Rain belted down on them and the night's darkness limited their vision. The gate was opened and they were pushed in. the loud slam of the door told them they were locked in. Mulan struggled with her bonds as the cold rain slammed her face.
Shang groaned loudly and collapsed to the floor.
"Shang!" Mulan yelled, somehow she shrugged free of her bonds and dropped to her knees next to the unconscious general.
Suddenly a large figure appeared over her and she screamed.
"It's all right! I'm here to help!" The voice said, the figure leaned closer and Mulan could see through her tears he was an old man which a long white beard coated in rain drops.
Shang laid as still as death, she started to panicked and shook him. "Shang?" She cried, she franticly stared to shake him as tears fell down her face.
The old man yelled something in a foreign language but Mulan couldn't care, her eyes only for Shang. Hysteria settled in as she started wailing.
People came running out the small buildings within the compound and hands pulled Mulan away from Shang as he was lifted and taken to a nearby building. Mulan followed as the group went through a large room where several families were asleep on the floor, all of them now awake. Shang was taken into a small room and laid to rest on a table. Mulan sobbed pathetically, she knew crying wasn't of no help to Shang but it was all to much.
Shang was stripped naked and a woman place a sheet across his nudity. The large wound caused by a sword looked even more ugly as the women bustled around. The old man walked up to Mulan and smiled.
"We're going to save him but I need your help. Wash your hands because we haven't much time."
Mulan numbly nodded and did so, she waited by Shang's body for further orders, the old man handed her a bowl of warm water, "Clean him up."
Mulan obeyed, she wiped his body free of dried blood, dirt and grime, her eyes looking at the scars which dotted his body, each telling a story as she felt the tears threaten to flow again. She saw the small rise of his chest, the only sign that he was alive. Already his skin was cold and clammy. This tall, handsome strong man was at death's door and she couldn't save him.
"You are going to reach into his chest and sew up his lung which has been punctured. You're the only one with small enough fingers. Don't worry, I'll be next to you telling you what to do." The old man quietly told her, she nodded as she watched tow men stand either side of Shang ready to hold him down.
Fear yanked at her heart as she stepped up to Shang, praying to all the gods she knew, she reached into the gapping wound and started the operation.
Swallowing revulsion down which threatened to make her sick, she watched her fingers slick with blood close the spongy organ which stopped the bubbling blood oozing from it. With shaky breath she took the needle from the old man who quietly praised her and told her what to do, she reached in and slowly sewed up the tear. Her back ached from bending in a fixed position as her fingers burned with tiredness. She cursed as she knocked her wrist against Shang ribcage.
They discovered that the sword has scratched the bone and tear open the cartilage between each rib. A woman wiped the sweat from her forehead as she exhaled, calming her rattled nerves.
"I don't wish to hurry you but I must, he lost too much blood and he cannot waste another moment." The old man quietly urged her on, she licked her parched lips and looked at Shang's face which was partly blocked by the thick wad of cloth soaked in some sort of fluid which kept him unconscious.
Resuming her work, she managed to sew up his lung and clean up the free blood before handing the rest of the job over to the old man who praised her. She slumped into a corner and watched the operation continue, too tired to cry and ravaged by mixed feelings to rest, she watched the old man pour in some medicine into the wound and sew up the skin. Her eyes felt gritty as she fought sleep, feeling she had to stay awake for Shang's sake.
"he is done." The old man's voice pierced her foggy mind as she fell asleep.
Mulan jerked awake to find herself sleeping on the floor next to Shang who laid so still. She scampered up to him and to her relief he lived through the remainder of the night. She wiped away a few tears of relief as she sat back down. It has all been too much for her. She couldn't take no more.
"He will live but it will be a while till he can walk." The old man said, he handed her a bowl of warm broth.
"Thank you for all you've done." Mulan whispered.
"My name is Bei, I'm the medicine man here. What's your name?" Bei asked as he silently handed her a change of clothes to replace her damp ones.
"Mulan..and this is Shang." She indicated to the unconscious man next to her. "What is this place?"
"It's a slave village, we are to repair the great wall which has been damaged from the last hun invasion. Nearly all of us here will die." Bei said, sombrely. "Most of us are huns here, we were betrayed by our own people. Shan-Yu delivered the ultimatum that either we join his army to defeat China or we'll die."
"He put his own people in here?" Mulan gasped.
"Most of us huns are nomads, we travel and carry our homes with us. We lived in harmony with nature and avoid bloodshed but some of our people wanted power in the form of China."
Bei stirred the fire which burned next to Shang to keep him warm. "I've heard many things about you Fa Mulan...yes even us slaves heard of your victory against Shan-Yu and it was the same man who put you here but in the form of another."
"Who is he?" Mulan asked, Bei stroked his chin, "I don't know myself but I remember Shan-Yu's son who was called Yang. He grew up to join his father in his war against China. My bet if I was a gambling man is that Yang now leads his father's former army and is responsible for putting you away here."
Bei looked down at Shang, "he is lucky. It seems the imperial soldiers had too much to drink and are suffering. There will be no work on the wall today. But it will also mean there will be no food or firewood. The nights will be cold and so you will have to sleep close to Shang to keep him warm."
Mulan nodded.
"But first, lets get you washed and dried." Mulan smiled at the old man's words and nodded.
At night fall, Mulan did what Bei have told her, she got on the pallet of furs next to Shang and pulled a blanket over them. Surrounding them families did the same, small children didn't voice their hunger or coldness as they hugged each other.
Mulan rested her head next to Shang's and gently placed an arm round him. Sleep washed over her as soon as she closed her eyes.
She awoke for no reason in the dead of the night. She was resting on top of Shang's chest, her face burrowed in his warm neck. Then she heard what had awoken her, Shang issued a small sound of discomfort from his lips.
"Shang?" She whispered, looking up at his face which was crumpled with pain. He opened his eyes and blinked.
"My chest hurts." He rasped.
"You were injured badly, oh Shang I thought you were dead!" Mulan said, tearfully.
"I'm so tired. " Shang spoke with his eyes closed. "I'm cold, come closer."
Mulan gently shifted her weight as his arms wrapped around her, one of his hands rested on her buttocks which made her senses tingle. Looking up she realised he was asleep once more and smiled. He was alive!
Morning came and Mulan was already up, she helped prepare what little food was left for the many people. After she eaten her small share, she took some broth to Shang. As she entered, she dropped the bowl. Shang was strangling Bei with one hand as he laid on his back.
"Shang! Let go of him!" Mulan prised his fingers from Bei's neck. Bei gasped as he sat back, "I was checking his bandages."
"A hun!" Shang angrily gasped, his chest heaved with sweat as he breathed hard.
Mulan told him where they were as she cooled him down and gave him something to drink. Bei told him of Mulan saving his life by carrying out surgery she never done before.
"Bei...you told me what to do, you saved him." Mulan blushed, Shang looked over at her as he lay on his back. "Thank you." He softly said.
"I believe you'll be fine now Shang, only that you cannot be moved from this bed in case you do some serious damage to yourself." Bei looked at the dressing which cover nearly all his chest. "Do I have your permission to inspect your wound?"
Shang smiled, "I do apologise and yes though don't make me scream."
Shang endured his discomfort as Mulan and Bei applied more cream to the raw wound . it was healing but Shang was far from recovery, though this gave Mulan hope.
"I'm tired...i'm just going to get some sleep." Shang said as his eyes drooped closed. He feel asleep as Mulan gently lowered his head and drew up a blanket to keep him warm.
"Come..we've a full day ahead of us." Bei smiled.
Mulan stepped out to see the imperial soldiers in the yard.
"Where's Li Shang?" a soldier barked.
"He's not well..." Mulan started.
"I have orders that he must come out with the rest of the slaves to the wall." The soldier interrupted.
"He's at death's door!" Mulan snapped.
"I'll go in his place." Bei offered.
"No, I cannot allow that!" the soldier threaten raised his sword.
"Then allow me!" Mulan shouted at him, the soldier blinked how dare a woman shout at him!
"No Mulan I can't let you!" Bei exclaimed as he begged her.
"I'm not made of.." Mulan started.
"You'll do." The soldier grabbed Mulan's arm and yanked her into line with the rest of the men as they marched out the compound.
"It'll be your death." Bei whispered, realising that she was beyond rescuing.
Shang yawned and rolled over, he just had a very pleasant dream about Mulan. He smiled as the thoughts entertained him, he could not imagine her getting frisky with him as his dreams did. Looking around he didn't see Mulan.
Asking a somewhat troubled Bei who watched him all that time, he heard the news which made him fear for Mulan's life.
"She's at the great wall?!" Shang bellowed as he shot upright, he regretted his movement as he swore it ripped some of his stitches.
"I tried to stop her!" Bei cried as he attended to Shang who cursed every word he knew in his vocabulary.
"She's doomed, she'll never make it if she's a woman." Shang moaned.
"I'm so sorry." Bei replied mournfully.
"Why did she go?" Shang asked, lying back down.
"She insisted, she went as they couldn't have you on the wall."
"It's a certain way of killing convicts but Mulan no convict." Shang said rubbing his head, all this was too much.
At sunset Mulan returned with the others, limping and coughing, her black hair coated in building dust and her smooth hands were worked raw.
Bei helped her to the hut where Shang sat against the wall still in bed.
His face twisted with worry melted into concern when he spied Mulan hobbling towards him.
"Mulan. Are you alright?" He softly asked he reached out and gently helped Mulan sit down next to him. She hoarsely coughed then tried to talk but a raspy croak came out.
Handing her some water, Shang asked Bei to bring him some stuff.
"Oh Mulan why did you have to go and be a hero?" he gently scolded, Mulan looked such a state when she looked at him.
"You couldn't do it." She croaked. He frowned, she was right but why her?
He bathed her hands free of dirt and tended to her wounds before putting salve on them and bandaging them. Taking a damp cloth, he helped Mulan take a quick wash. She kept his back to him as she washed her face and her body as he gingerly clean her back, partly to do with his own wounds and also the great masses of whip marks which scratched her back.
He managed to get her comfortable whilst ignoring his pain. Mulan was so tired, her eyes kept closing. He allowed her to rest, her head in his lap as he combed her long hair free of dirt as he kept asking himself; why did she had to go and be a hero?
Mulan came around, the bright candle light stung her eyes as she squinted to get use to the sudden brightness. Hearing laboured breathing, she looked over to her left to see Shang tied up and was in a bad way. Trying to move to help him, much to her dismay she discovered she was tied to a piece of heavy furniture.
"Shang? Are you ok?" She asked, he opened his eyes and croaked, "I'm bleeding but I'll survive."
Her eyes fell on the large wound to his chest that leaked blood dangerously.
She stifled a gasp as she realised he wouldn't survive unless he got medical help.
"Are you ok?" He rolled his head to look at her, sweat beading his skin as he winched loudly, making Mulan cringe.
"I'm fine." She nodded.
"They didn't..?" he looked at her, his eyes questioning as he scanned her body for signs.
"No..I don't think so." She watched him utter a curse and tried to breath, she watched as blood bubbled from the wound to his chest. She seen such wounds before and they were serious, not many people lived after receiving such a wound.
"Greetings!" a voice made them jump, looking in front of them sat a captain. Mulan could tell what his rank was due to the similar clothes that were worn by Shang back at Wu Zhong.
"General Li Shang and China's legend, Fa Mulan." The captain smirked as he sipped from a goblet of wine. He picked up a piece of paper and looked at them. "Such irony, I just received a letter from General Ying informing me of two traitors."
"Who are you?" challenged Shang.
"It's not a matter of who am I, rather it what shall I do with you." The captain smiled, the huns which stood near him growled with laughter as Shang swore, earning him a punch.
"You should be grateful for me, as I intervened with the huns before they could take matters further..." The captain looked at Mulan who silently prayed to the gods for allowing her virginity to remain intact.
Shang looked over at her despite the haze of pain which dimmed his vision and everything else. Relief flooded his system as he saw Mulan sigh a breath of relief.
"You escaped from everybody but you'll never escape from me. Send them to the great wall." The captain ordered two huns who dragged the captives to their feet.
Mulan and Shang were marched to a great enclosure constructed from wood. Rain belted down on them and the night's darkness limited their vision. The gate was opened and they were pushed in. the loud slam of the door told them they were locked in. Mulan struggled with her bonds as the cold rain slammed her face.
Shang groaned loudly and collapsed to the floor.
"Shang!" Mulan yelled, somehow she shrugged free of her bonds and dropped to her knees next to the unconscious general.
Suddenly a large figure appeared over her and she screamed.
"It's all right! I'm here to help!" The voice said, the figure leaned closer and Mulan could see through her tears he was an old man which a long white beard coated in rain drops.
Shang laid as still as death, she started to panicked and shook him. "Shang?" She cried, she franticly stared to shake him as tears fell down her face.
The old man yelled something in a foreign language but Mulan couldn't care, her eyes only for Shang. Hysteria settled in as she started wailing.
People came running out the small buildings within the compound and hands pulled Mulan away from Shang as he was lifted and taken to a nearby building. Mulan followed as the group went through a large room where several families were asleep on the floor, all of them now awake. Shang was taken into a small room and laid to rest on a table. Mulan sobbed pathetically, she knew crying wasn't of no help to Shang but it was all to much.
Shang was stripped naked and a woman place a sheet across his nudity. The large wound caused by a sword looked even more ugly as the women bustled around. The old man walked up to Mulan and smiled.
"We're going to save him but I need your help. Wash your hands because we haven't much time."
Mulan numbly nodded and did so, she waited by Shang's body for further orders, the old man handed her a bowl of warm water, "Clean him up."
Mulan obeyed, she wiped his body free of dried blood, dirt and grime, her eyes looking at the scars which dotted his body, each telling a story as she felt the tears threaten to flow again. She saw the small rise of his chest, the only sign that he was alive. Already his skin was cold and clammy. This tall, handsome strong man was at death's door and she couldn't save him.
"You are going to reach into his chest and sew up his lung which has been punctured. You're the only one with small enough fingers. Don't worry, I'll be next to you telling you what to do." The old man quietly told her, she nodded as she watched tow men stand either side of Shang ready to hold him down.
Fear yanked at her heart as she stepped up to Shang, praying to all the gods she knew, she reached into the gapping wound and started the operation.
Swallowing revulsion down which threatened to make her sick, she watched her fingers slick with blood close the spongy organ which stopped the bubbling blood oozing from it. With shaky breath she took the needle from the old man who quietly praised her and told her what to do, she reached in and slowly sewed up the tear. Her back ached from bending in a fixed position as her fingers burned with tiredness. She cursed as she knocked her wrist against Shang ribcage.
They discovered that the sword has scratched the bone and tear open the cartilage between each rib. A woman wiped the sweat from her forehead as she exhaled, calming her rattled nerves.
"I don't wish to hurry you but I must, he lost too much blood and he cannot waste another moment." The old man quietly urged her on, she licked her parched lips and looked at Shang's face which was partly blocked by the thick wad of cloth soaked in some sort of fluid which kept him unconscious.
Resuming her work, she managed to sew up his lung and clean up the free blood before handing the rest of the job over to the old man who praised her. She slumped into a corner and watched the operation continue, too tired to cry and ravaged by mixed feelings to rest, she watched the old man pour in some medicine into the wound and sew up the skin. Her eyes felt gritty as she fought sleep, feeling she had to stay awake for Shang's sake.
"he is done." The old man's voice pierced her foggy mind as she fell asleep.
Mulan jerked awake to find herself sleeping on the floor next to Shang who laid so still. She scampered up to him and to her relief he lived through the remainder of the night. She wiped away a few tears of relief as she sat back down. It has all been too much for her. She couldn't take no more.
"He will live but it will be a while till he can walk." The old man said, he handed her a bowl of warm broth.
"Thank you for all you've done." Mulan whispered.
"My name is Bei, I'm the medicine man here. What's your name?" Bei asked as he silently handed her a change of clothes to replace her damp ones.
"Mulan..and this is Shang." She indicated to the unconscious man next to her. "What is this place?"
"It's a slave village, we are to repair the great wall which has been damaged from the last hun invasion. Nearly all of us here will die." Bei said, sombrely. "Most of us are huns here, we were betrayed by our own people. Shan-Yu delivered the ultimatum that either we join his army to defeat China or we'll die."
"He put his own people in here?" Mulan gasped.
"Most of us huns are nomads, we travel and carry our homes with us. We lived in harmony with nature and avoid bloodshed but some of our people wanted power in the form of China."
Bei stirred the fire which burned next to Shang to keep him warm. "I've heard many things about you Fa Mulan...yes even us slaves heard of your victory against Shan-Yu and it was the same man who put you here but in the form of another."
"Who is he?" Mulan asked, Bei stroked his chin, "I don't know myself but I remember Shan-Yu's son who was called Yang. He grew up to join his father in his war against China. My bet if I was a gambling man is that Yang now leads his father's former army and is responsible for putting you away here."
Bei looked down at Shang, "he is lucky. It seems the imperial soldiers had too much to drink and are suffering. There will be no work on the wall today. But it will also mean there will be no food or firewood. The nights will be cold and so you will have to sleep close to Shang to keep him warm."
Mulan nodded.
"But first, lets get you washed and dried." Mulan smiled at the old man's words and nodded.
At night fall, Mulan did what Bei have told her, she got on the pallet of furs next to Shang and pulled a blanket over them. Surrounding them families did the same, small children didn't voice their hunger or coldness as they hugged each other.
Mulan rested her head next to Shang's and gently placed an arm round him. Sleep washed over her as soon as she closed her eyes.
She awoke for no reason in the dead of the night. She was resting on top of Shang's chest, her face burrowed in his warm neck. Then she heard what had awoken her, Shang issued a small sound of discomfort from his lips.
"Shang?" She whispered, looking up at his face which was crumpled with pain. He opened his eyes and blinked.
"My chest hurts." He rasped.
"You were injured badly, oh Shang I thought you were dead!" Mulan said, tearfully.
"I'm so tired. " Shang spoke with his eyes closed. "I'm cold, come closer."
Mulan gently shifted her weight as his arms wrapped around her, one of his hands rested on her buttocks which made her senses tingle. Looking up she realised he was asleep once more and smiled. He was alive!
Morning came and Mulan was already up, she helped prepare what little food was left for the many people. After she eaten her small share, she took some broth to Shang. As she entered, she dropped the bowl. Shang was strangling Bei with one hand as he laid on his back.
"Shang! Let go of him!" Mulan prised his fingers from Bei's neck. Bei gasped as he sat back, "I was checking his bandages."
"A hun!" Shang angrily gasped, his chest heaved with sweat as he breathed hard.
Mulan told him where they were as she cooled him down and gave him something to drink. Bei told him of Mulan saving his life by carrying out surgery she never done before.
"Bei...you told me what to do, you saved him." Mulan blushed, Shang looked over at her as he lay on his back. "Thank you." He softly said.
"I believe you'll be fine now Shang, only that you cannot be moved from this bed in case you do some serious damage to yourself." Bei looked at the dressing which cover nearly all his chest. "Do I have your permission to inspect your wound?"
Shang smiled, "I do apologise and yes though don't make me scream."
Shang endured his discomfort as Mulan and Bei applied more cream to the raw wound . it was healing but Shang was far from recovery, though this gave Mulan hope.
"I'm tired...i'm just going to get some sleep." Shang said as his eyes drooped closed. He feel asleep as Mulan gently lowered his head and drew up a blanket to keep him warm.
"Come..we've a full day ahead of us." Bei smiled.
Mulan stepped out to see the imperial soldiers in the yard.
"Where's Li Shang?" a soldier barked.
"He's not well..." Mulan started.
"I have orders that he must come out with the rest of the slaves to the wall." The soldier interrupted.
"He's at death's door!" Mulan snapped.
"I'll go in his place." Bei offered.
"No, I cannot allow that!" the soldier threaten raised his sword.
"Then allow me!" Mulan shouted at him, the soldier blinked how dare a woman shout at him!
"No Mulan I can't let you!" Bei exclaimed as he begged her.
"I'm not made of.." Mulan started.
"You'll do." The soldier grabbed Mulan's arm and yanked her into line with the rest of the men as they marched out the compound.
"It'll be your death." Bei whispered, realising that she was beyond rescuing.
Shang yawned and rolled over, he just had a very pleasant dream about Mulan. He smiled as the thoughts entertained him, he could not imagine her getting frisky with him as his dreams did. Looking around he didn't see Mulan.
Asking a somewhat troubled Bei who watched him all that time, he heard the news which made him fear for Mulan's life.
"She's at the great wall?!" Shang bellowed as he shot upright, he regretted his movement as he swore it ripped some of his stitches.
"I tried to stop her!" Bei cried as he attended to Shang who cursed every word he knew in his vocabulary.
"She's doomed, she'll never make it if she's a woman." Shang moaned.
"I'm so sorry." Bei replied mournfully.
"Why did she go?" Shang asked, lying back down.
"She insisted, she went as they couldn't have you on the wall."
"It's a certain way of killing convicts but Mulan no convict." Shang said rubbing his head, all this was too much.
At sunset Mulan returned with the others, limping and coughing, her black hair coated in building dust and her smooth hands were worked raw.
Bei helped her to the hut where Shang sat against the wall still in bed.
His face twisted with worry melted into concern when he spied Mulan hobbling towards him.
"Mulan. Are you alright?" He softly asked he reached out and gently helped Mulan sit down next to him. She hoarsely coughed then tried to talk but a raspy croak came out.
Handing her some water, Shang asked Bei to bring him some stuff.
"Oh Mulan why did you have to go and be a hero?" he gently scolded, Mulan looked such a state when she looked at him.
"You couldn't do it." She croaked. He frowned, she was right but why her?
He bathed her hands free of dirt and tended to her wounds before putting salve on them and bandaging them. Taking a damp cloth, he helped Mulan take a quick wash. She kept his back to him as she washed her face and her body as he gingerly clean her back, partly to do with his own wounds and also the great masses of whip marks which scratched her back.
He managed to get her comfortable whilst ignoring his pain. Mulan was so tired, her eyes kept closing. He allowed her to rest, her head in his lap as he combed her long hair free of dirt as he kept asking himself; why did she had to go and be a hero?