The Power of Love: Chapter Eight

Disclaimer: I don't own Disney's Mulan.  I'm not making any profit by writing this story.  I do own Ta-Ni, Yi-Pek, and Ma Ti.

By: Susan

Summary: Mulan is kidnapped from her wedding in order to save the honor in Shan Yu's family. Can she show Shan Yu's brother what true love is? Will she still marry Shang?

A/N: This is a sequel to my story, After Dinner, although you don't really need to read it in order to grasp the concept of the story ;)  Enjoy. ;)

xxx

As Ta-Ni, Shang, and Mulan sat in deep discussion, Yi-Pek was beginning to grow restless. In an effort to be nice to Mulan after she had yelled at him once again, he had decided that early tomorrow they'd go to Mulan's town to find the emperor. If he wasn't there, they would venture to the Imperial City.

He knew in his heart Mulan must be angry, and he feared going back to her room. After all, this was the woman single-handedly took down his brother.  Though petite, Mulan had much strength. Ta-Ni, however, was befriending her- she took her side on every argument, brought food to her room, and cared for the girl. How long had they sat together and spoken today? It must have been three hours. Too long, in his opinion. He stood from his chair to go and find her.

As Yi-Pek started through the hallway, he thought about what had happened these last couple of days. It frightened him to think of how close he had come to his brother. Strong, menacing, and with brutal ways. He wasn't violent at heart, but he had a temper, and a jealous rage that burned all through his childhood, enough to make him violent when something hadn't gone his way.

He reached Mulan's door, and pressed his ear against it. He had heard voices. Mulan's voice, Ta-Ni's voice.and a deeper voice. A man's voice. He listened closely for a moment, hoping that his heavy breathing couldn't be heard through the door. He grabbed the knob and pushed- quickly revealing himself to the trio. The bed located in the middle of the room, Shang and Mulan were sitting behind it, by the wall, and Ta-Ni sat atop the bed. He stared in shock for a couple of seconds, then angrily concluded that Shang was present to take Mulan away.

"WHAT IS HE DOING HERE?" Yi-Pek shouted, throwing himself towards Shang, pushing Ta-Ni, and flying over the bed. Shang leaned back against the table beside the bed, bracing himself for Yi-Pek's angry attack. However, Mulan launched herself in the air between them, pushing Yi-Pek back away from them. Shang protectively jumped in front of Mulan as Yi-Pek started once again towards the two. Ta-Ni jumped in to help, holding her brother back as he thrashed his arms.

"STOP!!" Ta-Ni screamed, pulling on him, but with a wave of his arm, he had thrown Ta-Ni back against the door. Her nose was bleeding, and she looked on in terror.

Mulan started to push Yi-Pek back, but Yi-Pek was too strong. He slammed her against the wall and started again towards Shang.

"MULAN!" Shang cried out. "DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH HER-" Yi-Pek pounced on Shang, and with a crash, Shang's head hit the side of the bed. His head hit the metal hard, and he slumped over, blood quickly beginning to drip from a cut on his head. Yi-Pek gasped, his eyes wide.

"SHANG!" Mulan crawled over to him, pulling him to a sitting position. "Shang, are you all right? Shang?"

Yi-Pek stared for a moment at the two, suddenly in disbelief at what he had done. He hadn't meant to-

"YOU HORRIBLE, DISGUSTING-" Mulan threw herself at Yi-Pek for the last time, kicking, and punching. Yi-Pek pushed her back against Shang, but Shang was on his knees and ready. Holding one hand against his bleeding head, blood slipping through his fingers, he slammed his fist into Yi-Pek's face.

"DON'T TOUCH MULAN!" He shouted, falling back upon her, suddenly extremely dizzy. They watched as Yi-Pek's head hit the bedpost. He didn't get up.

"Shang?" Mulan pulled Shang up so he could lay his head against her shoulder. "Can you hear me?"

"Yes Mulan…I'm just dizzy…and."

"Shh." She put her hand against his mouth. His lip was bleeding.

"My head! Ouch!"

"Ta-Ni? Are you all right?"

"Yes Mulan- bruised, and my nose is bleeding."

"I need bandages for Shang's head. Quickly." Ta-Ni hurried out of the room. Mulan sat Shang against the bed, and quickly unbuttoned his shirt, pulled it off of him, and rolled it up, pressing it against his bleeding head.

"Are you all right, Mulan?"

"Yes, Shang. Fine." He touched a cut on her arm, and she smiled. "One cut is nothing compared to this, Shang." He pressed his hand against the back of her arm and she winced.

"That will be a bruise tomorrow," he said softly. Suddenly he felt dizzy again.

"Mulan- I told Mushu- Moo Shoo!" He began to laugh. "What a funny name! A funny name for a funny dragon."

"He's disoriented- delusional," Ta-Ni said, appearing with a wet rag and a roll of bandages. Mulan washed off his cut and the blood on his face and shoulders.

"Still handsome, even with blood all over you," Mulan said softly, kissing his forehead. She began wrapping the bandages around his head tightly. "Does this hurt?"

"You're so beautiful. Such a pretty woman." Mulan glanced at Ta-Ni nervously.

"You think he's all right?"

"I think so. Maybe after a rest and some hot soup."

Mulan handed Ta-Ni Shang's bloody shirt. "Can you wash this for me?"

"Of course, dear."

"Mulan, can I be your concubine when you get married to him?" Shang said, gesturing to Yi-Pek on the floor. Mulan and Ta-Ni began to laugh.

"Shang, honey, I'm not marrying him. I'm marrying you."

"Well if you do…Will you kiss me? You're very pretty." Mulan smiled at him.

"I kind of like him delirious. It's very flattering." Ta-Ni giggled, while Mulan kissed Shang's cheek. Shang's eyes came back into focus, and he made eye contact with Mulan above him. He suddenly felt more clearheaded.

"Now, Shang, you won't have a concubine when we get married, will you?"

"No! Concubines are for men who crave pleasure. Mulan, just looking at you gives me pleasure. I don't need another wife…you're perfect. I love you."

"I think he's back," Mulan said softly, a big smile on her face.

"I'll start dinner," Ta-Ni said. "I'll bring some food up for him. Take him three doors down. That will be his room for the night."

"Thank you, Ta-Ni."

xxx

Mulan settled into bed slowly. Shang was right. Her arm, as well as her whole back, was sore, and moving sent shots of pain down her spine. She had fed Shang some hot soup and dumplings, and helped him to bed. He seemed better, he hadn't acted oddly again. Yi-Pek had awakened, to Mulan's disgust, he too with a sore head, however, not bleeding. She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep, tired and sore from a long, horrible day.

About three hours later, Mulan awoke with a scream. She was in a deep sweat, and the blankets were twisted in knots all around her. Shuddering, she recalled the dream she had. It had started out all right, Shang and her were happily playing in her garden, but it had gotten dark so suddenly, and she looked at Shang and he was dead, his body crumpled on the floor, and Yi-Pek was standing there, laughing.

Holding back tears of fright and frustration, she jumped from her bed to find Shang. A voice in the back of her mind feared what she might find. She hurried down the hallway, slammed open the door to Shang's room, and breathed a huge sigh of relief when she saw that he was sleeping. His muscular body was rising and falling with each breath, and the moon shone through the window, illuminating his handsome, chiseled features. She laughed an awful, forced laugh.  I can't believe I thought a silly dream could be true, Mulan thought to herself.

She sat slowly on the bed, as not to disturb Shang by shaking it. She reached out to put a hand on his back, to feel the rhythm of his breathing. That dream had seemed so real. She let her hand travel to his dark hair and then the smooth skin on his cheeks. To think she'd end up marrying someone like him! Someone so amazing! Nobody would have believed it before she'd left. In fact, if someone would have told her so, she would have dismissed them as crazy.

Shang stirred under her gentle touch, which reassured her once again. That dream, she thought to herself, I was so frightened it was real. His eyes opened as he felt her tender hand on his cheek.

"Mulan? Mulan, it's late. What are you doing?"

"I had this dream. An awful, awful dream."

"What about?" he said, yawning, and sliding over to make more room for her. "I guess this isn't proper, but you can lay with me if it would make you feel better." Mulan smiled at him.

"Thanks, Shang." She crept under the covers and he put a strong arm around her. Suddenly she felt so safe, so protected.

"What kind of dream?"

"Forget it; it's not worth talking about."

"But it is, if it frightened you. You aren't one to come to someone else when you're scared. You hold it in. But you can tell me, Mulan." Shang's words were as comforting as his loving eyes.

"You…you were…you were dead." She put her face in his muscular chest to hide herself from his eyes. It all seemed so ridiculous now. Why had she come to him?

"There must be more. My death is not enough to scare you," he joked.

"It just all seemed so real. And.Yi-Pek was laughing…and…And, your death is the most frightening thing in the world for me, Shang. Don't even think it isn't. You're everything to me." This time she met his eyes.

"I'm glad you can come to me when you're scared."

"I guess it's different because you aren't my captain anymore, you're my…well, husband-to-be." He pulled her close and kissed her.

"This isn't proper," he said softly. "We aren't married yet. I'm sorry." Mulan silenced him with a kiss.

"I just want to stay here with you. That dream…Shang, it was so real. Besides, we won't do anything against tradition." He smiled at her.

"You know, we're as good as married anyway, even without a ceremony and a celebration. Love is a stronger bond than marriage." Mulan curled up against his body, and Shang placed his hand on her stomach.

"Love is a stronger bond than marriage," Mulan said softly. "I wish Yi-Pek understood it the way we do." She wrapped her arms around his neck and their lips met for a long, tender kiss.

xxx

Shang awoke the next morning, his head ached slightly, but he felt a lot better. He looked down at Mulan in his arms, feeling so lucky that he could have her. He was thinking about their conversation last night. What had they said? Love is a stronger bond than marriage? He slowly got up, trying not to disturb her. Still in his pajama pants, he slipped his boots on and ran out of the house. He had an idea.

"MUSHU?? MUSHU?" Shang shouted, as he ran to where the tent was and his horse was tethered. Mushu crawled out of a giant mess of blankets.

"Great! Here you are. I was beginning to think you wouldn't come back for me!" He glanced at the bandages on Shang's head. "What happened to you, buddy? And how's Mulan?"

"I got in a fight with Yi-Pek, and my head was bleeding. I couldn't come back out here to you. Mulan is fine."

"He beat you up? Did Mulan save your butt for the second time?" He sent Mushu a disgruntled look.

"No, Mushu, I saved her that time. I'm glad you're counting though. Look, can you do me a favor?"

"Not sure, after you left me out there in the cold for the night. You couldn't have sent someone out to tell me where you were?"

"You couldn't have gotten off your lazy dragon behind and found out for yourself? Listen, Mushu- this could be the one way to save Mulan. If you do this for me…Mushu, you've got to help me out. Believe me on this one."

"I will on one condition," Mushu said. Shang sighed.

"What might that be?"

"Can you get me some food? Shang, buddy, I'm starved!"

"There's some food in my pack over there. You went through everything. I figured you might have found it."

"Oh, I did. I just ate it all."

"I'll get you food. But Mushu- What does this mean to you? Love is a stronger bond than marriage. It's the key to saving Mulan!"

xxx