I took the liberty of adding a few new characters (necessary for plot development and all that junk), and the possibility for a little love triangle… read if you're curious; review and tell me what you liked, disliked, and what you'd like to see.  It's all about you, the reader.  Enjoy!

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She stared at him with same wide-eyed look of disbelief she gave when he made that impromptu visit to her house.  What was he doing here?  He couldn't be back just to see me, and I'm not ready to see him.  Why's he just standing there?  What should I say??

"Did you forget something?" Mulan casually asked, trying to quiet down the inquisitive voices in her head.

He noticed something wrong with Mulan's countenance—she had been crying.  She had been crying in the empty room.  "Am I disturbing you?"

"Oh no," Mulan lied.  "I was just looking at the paintings on the walls."

Shang took a bold step forward and asked her plainly, "Were you crying?"

Mulan wondered for a moment about his intrudingly insightful question, but she denied his question all the same with a half-hearted laugh.  Shang, however, was not about to let it go.

"What's wrong, Mulan?" Shang tenderly asked. His instincts were telling him that Chi Fu upset her, and he was more than ready to act the hero to Mulan's damsel in distress, especially if he would be pitted against Chi Fu.  "Why were you crying?"

For a second time, Mulan tried to shake him off.  "I'm just tired. I need some sleep. I'll go to my room."

Before Mulan could make a quick exit, Shang's pleading words caused her to stay. "Please Mulan, tell me what's wrong."

She gave in to his soft brown eyes looking down at her. She closed the door and began her confession.  She was sad to be so far apart from her family, and that they had told her to go.  She told him of how she was torn between staying with her family and going to the palace.

Shang listened intently, ready to act on the mention of a certain consulate's name, and although not a syllable concerning him was uttered, he genuinely wanted to help her all the same.  "Do you regret your decision?" Shang asked.

Mulan paused to think about it.  Would she rather be at her village, possibly in the matchmaker's house, learning how to pour tea the proper way, or would she rather be sitting next to the man who holds her secret affections.  Would she rather be at home with her family taking care of her, or would she rather be in the Imperial City with Chi Fu and his sneer.  "I don't know yet."

Shang wanted so much to ask about Chi Fu, but he did not want to ask for fear of how she would react.  But he was intent on getting Mulan's version of Chi Fu's story, so he asked her, "When did you get here?"

Does he know what happened to me?  No doubt Chi Fu would have said something.  "I arrived here late last night," Mulan mumbled, not wanting to talk too much about what happened. 

Shang asked her, "how was your trip?"

She looked him in the eye, and her eyes revealed to him more sadness than she would let on.  He knows.  But, she couldn't bring herself to put into words anything that happened, other than saying, "not now."

"Please, Mulan," Shang said determinedly.  "Let me help."

"How can you help?" Mulan found herself asking.  She began asking him, resentfully, "Weren't you listening to Chi Fu??  I was almost raped in the middle of nowhere, in front of three horses, two soldiers, and Chi Fu, and then he came and saved me."  She paused from all the anger she had for being so blunt with him.  "It's because of Chi Fu that I was not raped or killed."

"But how?!" Shang asked in frustration.  "I don't get it.  He said he warded off five bandits single-handedly!"

Tears of anger welled in her eyes.  Is he concerned for me, or does he just want to catch Chi Fu in a lie?  "What does it matter 'how?'" Mulan snapped at him.  "What does it matter if he fought one or one hundred?  I was overpowered, and he saved me.  And, now everyone knows what almost happened to me, and they look at me like I'm a New Year's rocket ready to explode."

"I'm sorry," Shang said, realizing that he was upsetting her.

Mulan took in a few breaths to calm herself down before she responded again.  "Don't be.  It's not your fault."

Shang felt awful. He had been so focused on beating Chi Fu to a pulp that he didn't think that Mulan could ever be grateful to Chi Fu.  He never actually considered that Mulan could have been violated and killed, and he only saw that Chi Fu was taking advantage of the situation.  He never realized how fortunate Mulan had been that Chi Fu had been there to help her, since he had only paid attention to the shame that came along with her rescue.  He wished he could have been there for her all that time. He also wished he had something to say that could make her feel better, but the best he could muster were some staid clichés. "You shouldn't dwell on something like that. It's best to move on and try to think of it as little as possible."

"I know," Mulan replied, wiping tears from her eyes. "I am grateful that he saved me," Mulan said, trying to convince herself more than she was trying to convince Shang.  "And I want to move on and pay attention to more important things, but every time Chi Fu is around, I'm reminded. And, every time he looks down on me I know he's thinking about what almost happened."

Shang couldn't do much else but nod in sympathy. Just because Chi Fu was basking in the glory of his rescue, as vile as he was acting, hardly seemed like veritable grounds for Shang to beat Chi Fu up.  And, he imagined that Mulan would probably get more satisfaction out of beating Chi Fu up anyway, and she was more than capable of doing that for herself.  He suddenly brightened up with the thought. "I know what'll make you feel better," he said with smile.

"What's that?" Mulan asked, too caught up in her own feelings of hopelessness to see what Shang possibly could offer that would make her feel good about herself.

"I'll hold, you punch," Shang said smiling, emphasizing the word punch by hitting his fist into his other hand, reminiscent of the same words Ping told Shang after he came out of an argument with Chi Fu.

Mulan broke into a smile. "Thanks." She looked back at him with a newfound sense of gratitude.

He spoke again, "You'll always have me to turn to. I hope you know that you can trust me."

Mulan was speechless, but managed to let out a "thank you." She smiled, and he smiled back.  Mulan, as any other girl in her situation would do, fell in love with the Captain sitting next to her.  And, she was afraid that the ensuing silence had revealed her feelings.  Shang was likewise uncomfortable in the quiet.  He wanted another reason to look at her again, but knew the impropriety of just staring at her without any exchange of words.  Mulan, who spoke the second thing on her mind (the first thing being a fantasy marriage with you-know-who), asked, "So, why didn't you accept the position the Emperor offered you?"

A look of surprise flashed across his eyes, leaving Mulan unsure if she had asked something inappropriate.  "I didn't feel like I deserved it," Shang replied, sounding very vulnerable at the moment.  "Looking back at what's been happening, I don't think I really deserved to be a Captain.  My father was the one who had been pulling all the strings for me, to get me the best mentors and trainers.  And even now, the only reason they are handing me the position is because it was my father's and his death provided an opening.  I don't want to have nothing to contribute to my family's name, but I want to earn my achievements."

"You were a great Captain," Mulan said.  "You prepared all of us for the worst, and we defeated the Huns."

"Any captain would have done the same thing," Shang remarked.  "My father gave me that position.  I didn't go through any selection process.  My father chose me because I was his son, and now the Emperor wants to make me general because I am my father's son.  But… I want to be appointed because of what I have done, and I haven't done anything else that another soldier wouldn't do.  Most other men are only considered for the job after they've fought in at least ten battles, and I've only fought this one."

"I understand," Mulan replied thoughtfully.  "You want to become general on your own terms."

Shang was glad that Mulan could sympathize with him, and he could not help but smile of the thought that he could relate things to Mulan.  Just then he remembered: "Chien Po has become the Emperor's spiritual adviser and bodyguard."

Mulan was in happy disbelief as Shang told her how it happened.  "The Emperor offered him and his friends each a government position for their acts of bravery.  Chien Po got that, Yao is an oversees safety around the city, and Ling is being mentored on politics while keeping a job as a guard on the city's perimeters."

Mulan and Shang could have spent hours talking with each other, given the chance.  The fact was that the maid who had helped Mulan earlier that day had been looking up and down the palace to give Mulan her tour of the palace.  She finally found the pair alone in the room.

Both gave the awkward laugh, characteristic of people who are caught in a compromising situation but deny any wrongdoing, and the maid simply rushed Mulan out, since they were behind on the day's schedule.  Mulan left Shang back in the room, and she tried to keep up with the maid, who was speedily guiding her through the hallways.

She did not slow down for a single room, but instead pointed and named each room.  "This is the dining room… that door leads to the kitchen… there is where the princesses bathe… over there is the entrance to his gardens…  don't go into that room over there, and don't go to this one here…"

After the speedy walkthrough, Mulan came out not knowing much more than when she came in.  The maid, who was a bit flustered, said to Mulan, "Normally, I would be very angry that you did not come to me right after the meeting, because there's much to be done today (Here's an apple, dear.  Eat it because I know you haven't eaten since yesterday.) but I will not get mad, because you were with that him."

Mulan blushed.  The maid continued, "I am guessing he's the one you would like to marry…"  She received no verbal response from Mulan, but seeing the color in her cheeks was response enough.

Mulan ate the apple, and the maid shoved her into bed.  "You must rest now.  You look tired.  I will wake you up to prepare you for dinner."

Mulan did not resist:  she was exhausted and hungry.  She slept for a while, and she woke up refreshed for dinnertime.  The maid, who asked that Mulan call her Bing ("like the sound a bell makes—because I used to play with bells when I was little"), chattered away as she prepared Mulan for dinner.

 "I don't like to speak ill of the royal family, but I'll tell you anyway.  He has three daughters.  One is married, so you'll hardly ever see her.  The other two are inseparable, and they are the most spoiled girls.  And of course you've heard of the Crown Prince, right?  He's the biggest troublemaker.  Ever since he was little he was always doing such naughty things.  It is horrible to think that he'll be ruling our country."  She shook her head.  "It is all the mother's fault, you know.  She hardly lifts a finger for anything.  She likes to sit with her little dog and talk about nonsense.  She carries that dog wherever she goes.  She is the most clueless woman you could meet."

Mulan did not even look at her reflection, but made her way to the dinner table.  She found, eating dinner with them, that they were very much like what Bing described them to be; however, Bing failed to mention that they were all strikingly beautiful.  All the ladies at the table looked so elegant, and Crown Prince Jian-Sheng was the most handsome man she had ever seen.  She found it a shame that their good looks did not match with Bing's descriptions of their personalities. 

The initial reaction of the royal family upon meeting her was that of indifference. The Crown Prince, taking on the interests of other young men his age, saw the potential in her beauty but did not care to pursue her, as he believed any person on his father's council to be boring. The Princesses, brought up to be well-rounded in the arts, were astonished to find that Mulan did not know how to play an instrument, sing, or dance. They immediately branded her as ignorant and took pity on her for her lowly upbringing. The Empress, not one to exert an effort on anything unless necessary, expressed a subdued surprise in finding her to be "very petite and not masculine at all."

The dinner was nonetheless very good.  The conversation mainly revolved around the differences between palace life and Mulan's upbringing.  Mulan tried to keep the farm anecdotes to a minimum, for fear of alienating herself.  However, what stories she did recount amused the princesses and impressed the Crown Prince, and the Empress was interested in hearing about the dog that Mulan kept in her village.  "You should bring your dog here so he can play with Shen."  She patted her dog, which sat still in her master's lap.

Mulan looked at the tiny animal and was amazed that the dog was sitting on her lap and now scampering around begging for food, as Little Brother would do before her father banned him from the dining area.  Its hair was so well groomed and it sat so perfectly still that Mulan doubted that Shen was a real dog until she saw it blink.

At the end of dinner, Crown Prince Jian-Sheng escorted her back to her room.  She was afraid of getting lost, and the Crown Prince expressed his willingness to show her back.  He started looking at her differently when she talked about her experiences in her village.  He had never heard of a woman doing such work, and with her recounts she garnered his admiration and respect.

"I understand now why my father wanted you to be a part of the consul," he told her as they walked down the hallway.  "You're a very strong person."

Mulan blushed from the compliment.  "My parents call it stubbornness," she replied.

He turned to look at her, pleased with her candor.  "Most of the consulates there are boring yes-men who want status.   These men have never done real work in their lives, so I don't listen to what they have to say about the people of China.  I hope you'll be able to provide that insight."

"I'll do my best, your highness," Mulan replied.

The Crown Prince looked at her with a smirk.  "I want you to be completely straightforward with me.  I want us to be on the same level.  I hope you don't mind if I call you Mulan.  You can call me Jian-Sheng."

Mulan was taken back by the directness he expected from her.  She could hear her father's voice telling her to bow and be honored that she is just in his presence.  She could hear her mother's voice telling her to forget becoming a consulate, and to marry the Crown Prince.  And, she could hear her grandmother's voice telling her to have the Crown Prince's babies.  She shook off the voices, since all they did was clutter her mind.  Although he is a direct descendant of the gods, and he commands the respect of all China, he is still just a man.  Don't get intimidated, Mulan told herself.  "I wouldn't mind addressing you by your name, but I think the others would."

The Crown Prince nodded.  "When they see that I don't mind, then they won't mind either.  Anyway, my friends call me by my name.  I really don't like being identified by a title."

Mulan hesitantly assented to calling him by his name, and then he bid her goodnight and made his way back to his room.  Before entering her own room to go to sleep, she stood there for a moment to take in what just happened.  She had not been in the palace a day, and she already gained the Crown Prince's trust.  And at this point, she did not know whether to take Bing's word concerning Jian-Sheng.  It is horrible to think that he'll be ruling our country, she told Mulan earlier that day.  Mulan would not trouble her mind with any more thoughts though, because her tiredness outweighed her curiosity.

Jian-Sheng walked back to his room, pleased with what he saw in Mulan.  She was so different from any other girl he had met, so for the fact of this novelty he adored her.  He was attracted to the elegance of her face, in spite of the humble environment in which she was raised, and he was enchanted by the strength of her spirit.