You all ready have it. " Mulan and Shang looked up to see her whole family in the doorway, including the two new boys. Mulan and Shang quickly separated from their embrace and moved further from each other and tried to act nonchalant. Mulan looked up embarrassed."This old bat's got great hearing." Grandmother fa smiled and pointed at her ears. Everyone laughed. That was something that didn't seem to happen much around there. Hopefully it would happen more often.

okay that happened last time.. Now, that ol' match maker and her niece are bound to come back.

Chapter 11 Traditions.

"So, what is wrong with Shu Fang?" Shang asked, later that day in the garden. Mulan was sitting on the bench near the magnolia tree. The tree had blooms again. She looked at the flowers.

"Shu Fang" Mulan began, "Was born early. Her spirit wasn't really due to blossom until summer and it is only early spring" (A/N I put Mulan returning home right before winter explaining the falling magnolia blossoms. late summer early autumn...reach with me peoples!) Mulan looked down at her hands, which she was clasping. "That's how father explained it to me anyways. That's why she cries a lot." Mulan kept looking down. Her hands went nervously to her hair. She began smoothing it out. A nervous trait she exhibited when she wanted to keep her hands busy. Shang had observed that as of recently. Shang looked onwards at the magnolia blossoms. He couldn't help but notice that Mulan always seem to go there when she seemed troubled. Maybe it was something she learned to do as a child. Shang put his hand on her shoulder.

"She'll be all right." he promised. Mulan laid her head on his shoulder.

"Thank you, I really needed to hear that. You couldn't imagine how lost and a lone I felt yesterday when I took her in. I felt like I had committed suicide. No one wants to marry a girl that already has a child." Mulan sighed. Shang thought back to the dream. Mulan curled up in fetal position and commiting suicide. "I better go check on Shu Fang." Mulan decided as she stood up from the bench. Shang decided to follow her. Shu Fang had to stay in the house because of her being born so early. A cold chill could be the death of her. Shang wondered how his mother would take to the news of having a fiancee and a baby all in a week. The Fa family wanted Shang to stay with them for a week or so to get everything under control. It was easier on Fa Zhou having Shang around to at least help entertain the two orphaned boys. Sheng long and Shing Ye. The youngest Sheng Long is so wirey. He always tries to get into trouble. He doesn't exactly have to try. And then there is Shing Ye. He's the calmer of the two. He's sneakier. Because of his quiet nature. Noone suspects that he's as mischievous as his younger brother. The two boys were between the ages of 5 and 6. Still a bit too young to understand where Mommy and Daddy went. The Fa family tried their hardest to keep the boys away from the house when they buried their father. They had grandmother Fa take them to the village to see if there were any other boys they could play with. They had a few strong men from the town help the fa family in the burial. Shang noticed how nonchalant the boys acted about their family's dissapearance. The boys just played with the town kids. Then they came back. Sheng Long begged to go play with the boys again. Shing Ye tried to sneak off. Fa Li finally caught the boy trying to climb the fence.

"You'd think the boy would have seen the gate that he could have walked through." Fa Li laughed. "So much like my Mulan. So much imagination; just no foresight."

"Would you like us to take the boys to the village?" Shang offered. "I have to send a letter to my family, I wouldn't mind taking the boys with me." Mrs. Fa gave him a grateful look.

"Thank you so much. Mulan, why don't you join him. You don't need to be so cooped up. Go we'll watch Shu Fang. Grandmother Fa loves that child. She'll watch her while you're gone." Shang went into the Fa household to write a letter explaining why he'll be later to his mother. And to appoligize for leaving with out the matchmaker. Shang quickly wrote his letter while Mulan readied the horses for the ride. She then checked in on Shu Fang and Grandmother Fa. Both were fine. Shang finished his letter and came out to see his horse ready for the small journey.

"Okay. Shing Ye, You'll be riding with Me. Shen Long Will be with Shang." Both boys were helped onto the horses and the slowly left the house. As soon as they were out of eyesight of her mother. Mulan was off. Shang noticed this gesture as a race. He darted out after her. But Khan was too fast. She was way ahead of them. When Shang finally caught up to her, she had Khan tied up to the post.

"I could have beaten you had I known where the market place was." Shang teased. Helping Sheng Long off of the horse.

"You passed the market place coming here the first few times." Mulan laughed. Shang knew she had him beat. Sheng Long and Shing Ye went off to play with the other boys. They only had an hour or so till dark.

"So, where will I find a runner for my letter?" Shang asked looking around. Mulan joined him in looking.

"Here I see one." Mulan said pointing at an inn. "They all ways have runners." Mulan took Shang's hand and began to lead him towards the inn. It was in that instant that she noticed all the eyes boring into her. She suddenly became fully aware of all of the ladies who held their fans slightly higher and closer to their faces, were staring at her and glaring. She instantly dropped Shang's hand and took a few steps behind him. "It's there. See it?" she motioned. Suddenly casting her eyes downward. Shang looked around and noticed the ladies staring at her. Life back home in the village must have been hell for her. He thought. He turned to face her.

"Mulan, what are you doing?" He awaited an answer, she averted her eyes from him.

"Those girls, they're all married. They saw the matchmaker after I did. They look down on me. I don't want you marring a disgraceful woman. I must follow the traditions." Mulan backed away from Shang slightly. Shang heard the girl's snickers around him. He heard the horrible comments they made about Mulan. What was worse was that he knew Mulan could hear them. "He must pity her." He heard one whisper.

"He must have saved her life and she's paying him." Another commented. The comments were deafening. They sounds were amplified in his head. He looked at Mulan, from the blush creeping across her face. He could tell that they were ringing in her mind as well.

"Mulan, because of traditions, I almost lost you. Do you care for me?" Mulan nodded.

"I care for you deeply."

"Even if I broke traditions?" He ventured.

"Yes, of course." She continued nodding.

"And I care for you no matter what. Traditions or not. That's all that should matter. How we feel, not traditions." And with that. He put his hands on her shoulders and pulled her into his arms and pressed his lips against hers. Mulan could clearly hear the gasps from all the women. Shang loosened his grip on her and they parted. Mulan's eyes were open wide with shock. That was her first real kiss and it had been in public. Showing affection in public was more taboo than killing someone in Bejing. Shang smiled back at her. "Now, where's the Inn, Mulan?" Mulan smiled a little more confident. She held her head high and took his hand, which he offered. And she led him into the Inn.

Once inside the inn, they had no trouble finding a runner who would leave immediately for Shang's village. Shang paid the man, and he was off. Shang offered Mulan a seat and sat down beside her.

"So, what do you think your mother's going to say about the engagement?" Mulan asked Shang smiled. She looked more relaxed.

"I think she'll be pleased. She liked you a lot more than Sui-Yen." Mulan was happy to hear that. But then she thought for a minute.

"How is she going to feel about Shu Fang?" Mulan looked for Shang to show an expression on his face. But he remained happy.

"We'll cross that bridge later. For right now, I want her getting used to the idea of you. Shu Fang will be discussed in a later letter." Mulan smiled, it seemed like a good idea to her. "Hey, did you notice how all of your objections to marry me disappeared in a matter of days?" Mulan gave him a look telling him to continue. "You were afraid your family would be alone without you. Now they have two boys. Who will also carry on the Fa family name. You don't have to worry about them anymore." Mulan smiled. It was perfect. "And traditions aren't holding us back." Shang laughed and Mulan joined him.

"What did Sui-Yen say when you broke off the engagement?" Mulan laughed imagining Sui-yen's face when Shang called it off. Shang stopped laughing.

"I didn't break it off. I just left." Shang thought for a minute. "I'm sure she got the message. But if not then I'll tell her. I'm in love with someone new."

Time passed quickly and before the couple knew it, the sun was setting. It was time to head home. Mulan and Shang were walking outside to go find the boys when they heard the voice. The grainy voice they bot dreaded..... Sui-Yen's.

Okay enough for now. I like this chapter and I Think I have the rest of the chapters out in my head. Bit for now. Any input is loved. Please review. I love reading them.