"What?"
The exclamation was wrought from Shang's mouth, quiet and disbelieving. He shook his head even as the military doctor nodded his reaffirmation. The army's general pushed his way past the guards posted, into the tent that housed a young man he had believed was... just that.
Mulan pushed gingerly at the drugging haze that surrounded her, trying to gain some understanding of where she was and what had happened. She remembered Shang's face, his concern before she had fainted, and smiled. His face then, was more than a memory. She was seeing it in the flesh as he strode into her tent. Her smile broadened and she sat up despite the ache near her stomach, and the throbbing at her temple, wanting to talk to him, to make sure he was okay.
He had walked into the tent on an impulse borne of stunned incredulity. His face now fell, faced with such obvious evidence of the truth. Gauze bandage had been wrapped around her torso, but did nothing to hide curves that could belong to no man. She watched his face register first amazement then denial and finally anger. She followed his gaze to the gauze that adorned her breast, and cringed painfully at what she knew was the end.
She opened her mouth to explain, to offer some excuse for what had to be the greatest shock imaginable, but was interrupted by the entry of the Emperor's Consul.
"So, it's true!!!" the ugly little man exclaimed, perversely delighted at this turn of events.
Shang, disgusted with himself for not knowing, with Mulan for being what she wasn't supposed to be, and with the old man for being such a sickening little prick, shoved the tent flap up and stormed out. The guards at the tent followed him bemusedly with their eyes.
"Sir?" one ventured.
Shang turned abruptly at the voice. He shook his head abruptly, and snapped out orders.
"At ease, Quan. You and Lau take the others and search for any survivors. Assemble at the base of the mountain, we'll be moving out soon, and I don't want to leave anyone behind."
He watched them leave, joined by seven others who had survived the avalanche. Yao, Chien-Po and Ling stayed behind. Shang didn't tell them to leave, they were closest to Ping and…. He heard the tent flap open and fought a fierce rage as he braced himself for the chaos.
Mulan was rudely snatched up and out of her warm shelter into the freezing climate of a Chinese winter. Eyes stared, uncomprehending as the Consul threw her to the ground and announced her gender in ringing, revolted tone. That she should be ashamed of the fact coated every word. Her friends, men she had won the respect and trust of as Ping, looked at her now aghast. She clutched the blanket about her shoulders, appealing to Shang for understanding if not acceptance.
"I did it to protect my father," she protested amidst the Consul's resonating accusations. She pleaded with Shang, her emotions unguarded and desperate on her face.
"It was the only way."
He didn't even look at her. And the pain of that was worse than any humiliation suffered before the soldiers.
"The penalty is DEATH," came the Consul's tinny voice, and an audible gasp rose from those surrounding.
Mulan watched Shang close his face off. Watched the stone assert itself in his features, and saw him remove her sword from its scabbard. With a sinking heart she realized he would prove no better. No different than the men he led. She fought the tears that threatened, and bowed her head.
The exclamation was wrought from Shang's mouth, quiet and disbelieving. He shook his head even as the military doctor nodded his reaffirmation. The army's general pushed his way past the guards posted, into the tent that housed a young man he had believed was... just that.
Mulan pushed gingerly at the drugging haze that surrounded her, trying to gain some understanding of where she was and what had happened. She remembered Shang's face, his concern before she had fainted, and smiled. His face then, was more than a memory. She was seeing it in the flesh as he strode into her tent. Her smile broadened and she sat up despite the ache near her stomach, and the throbbing at her temple, wanting to talk to him, to make sure he was okay.
He had walked into the tent on an impulse borne of stunned incredulity. His face now fell, faced with such obvious evidence of the truth. Gauze bandage had been wrapped around her torso, but did nothing to hide curves that could belong to no man. She watched his face register first amazement then denial and finally anger. She followed his gaze to the gauze that adorned her breast, and cringed painfully at what she knew was the end.
She opened her mouth to explain, to offer some excuse for what had to be the greatest shock imaginable, but was interrupted by the entry of the Emperor's Consul.
"So, it's true!!!" the ugly little man exclaimed, perversely delighted at this turn of events.
Shang, disgusted with himself for not knowing, with Mulan for being what she wasn't supposed to be, and with the old man for being such a sickening little prick, shoved the tent flap up and stormed out. The guards at the tent followed him bemusedly with their eyes.
"Sir?" one ventured.
Shang turned abruptly at the voice. He shook his head abruptly, and snapped out orders.
"At ease, Quan. You and Lau take the others and search for any survivors. Assemble at the base of the mountain, we'll be moving out soon, and I don't want to leave anyone behind."
He watched them leave, joined by seven others who had survived the avalanche. Yao, Chien-Po and Ling stayed behind. Shang didn't tell them to leave, they were closest to Ping and…. He heard the tent flap open and fought a fierce rage as he braced himself for the chaos.
Mulan was rudely snatched up and out of her warm shelter into the freezing climate of a Chinese winter. Eyes stared, uncomprehending as the Consul threw her to the ground and announced her gender in ringing, revolted tone. That she should be ashamed of the fact coated every word. Her friends, men she had won the respect and trust of as Ping, looked at her now aghast. She clutched the blanket about her shoulders, appealing to Shang for understanding if not acceptance.
"I did it to protect my father," she protested amidst the Consul's resonating accusations. She pleaded with Shang, her emotions unguarded and desperate on her face.
"It was the only way."
He didn't even look at her. And the pain of that was worse than any humiliation suffered before the soldiers.
"The penalty is DEATH," came the Consul's tinny voice, and an audible gasp rose from those surrounding.
Mulan watched Shang close his face off. Watched the stone assert itself in his features, and saw him remove her sword from its scabbard. With a sinking heart she realized he would prove no better. No different than the men he led. She fought the tears that threatened, and bowed her head.