Hello everyone!
I'm sooo sorry it's been so long since I updated. First school, then I ended up breaking my wrist, then more school..........Anyway, I'm back finally!!! I want to thank all of my reviews and apologize again for making you guys wait so long to find out what happens. I promise the next won't take this long! So here's chapter 3!
The enticing aroma of eggs cooking, frying bacon and freshly brewed breakfast tea greeted Mulan as she made her way downstairs to start the day with the people she loved the most. When she came around the corner, the sight she saw warmed her heart. Her mother stood at the cooking area, preparing the food. Fa Zhou leaned over his wife shoulder, trying to sneak a taste of Fa Li's cooking before the family sat to eat. Thinking no one was watching, Fa Zhou quickly and silently stole a small kiss from his wife. When she gasped, he placed a finger to her lips to silence her before his mother could ask what was going on.
Although Granny Fa had her back to the couple, Mulan saw her smile. She knew her grandmother knew what had just happened, despite the fact she hadn't seen it with her own eyes. Mulan's smile grew large after witnessing these actions. She knew her parent's marriage had been a traditional arranged one, but it had grown into something more. Love. Anyone who knew them could see it. Although her parents always acted proper in public, at home, they had their little moments of surprise and romance in their relationship. It was these moments that made Mulan smile with hope that one day, she would be fortunate enough to experience that same kind of love that her parents shared.
Fa Zhou was the first to see his daughter as she rounded the corner into the kitchen. Giving a small nod in her direction, he greeted her. "Good morning Mulan." He said. "I trust you slept well?" Mulan bowed in respect to her father as she answered him. "Good Morning Baba. I slept very well, thank you." Fa Zhou nodded and gestured towards the seat to his left. Mulan obeyed and sat quietly while she waited for her mother to serve breakfast.
After the food was served and a prayer of thanks said, the small family began yet another morning in their lives, this time, thankful that one person inparticular had joined them again. Mulan was quiet through most of the meal, only answering questions that were directed to her. Although she was present physically at breakfast that morning, her thoughts were elsewhere.
She was think of a certain young captain that she had seen only the night before. Where did he live? What was his family like? How did they react with his father's death? Would they be alright? Did he make it home safely? When would she see him again? These were the questions that were in her mind all through the meal. It was only her grandmother's question that snapped her back to reality.
"So Mulan." Her grandmother asked, a mischievous look in her eyes, "when will we see your young man again?" Mulan almost choked on her eggs when her grandmother asked this. "Grandma," she began. "Shang is not 'my young man'. He's only my commanding officer in the army." Her grandmother wasn't convinced. "Sure. However, your two were looking very friendly in the garden last night." She quipped. By this time, Mulan's cheeks were flaming. "I was only comforting him while he was grieving for his father. He is my friend, nothing more." Her grandmother just smiled back at her. "Whatever you say Mulan." She said, before turning away to help Fa Li with the dishes. Mulan didn't miss the "but a very good friend" comment from her grandmother that was added when she thought she was out of hearing range.
Her face still red, Mulan turned to face her father. He looked at her with compassion and admiration in his eyes. Gently placing a hand alongside her face to comfort her, he nodded toward the back gate to the garden. Mulan understood and rose to follow behind her father. Once in the garden, the two sat on the very bench they had yesterday when Mulan had first returned. The sword of Shan Yu and the Emperors crest still lie in the very place her father had dropped them before.
Several moments of silence past before Fa Zhou spoke. "Mulan, when you first went off to war in my place, my greatest fear was that you would be killed." Mulan shuddered when her father said those words. He had no idea that she almost had been and would be if it were not for Shang. He had saved her, yet almost killed her as well. She decided that it would be best if she not share that information with her father.
She looked up as her father continued. "All the time you were gone, I hoped and prayed that you would return safely to us. And my prayers were answered. Mulan, I could not be prouder of you." Mulan's heart soared upon hearing these words from her father. Unfortunately, his next ones had just the opposite effect. Fa Zhous's eyes darkened when he said his next words. "Mulan, listen to me. While your mother, grandmother and I couldn't be prouder of you, there are those in the village who feel differently. They believe that you have brought tremendous dishonor to your family and they will make this evident in public. They believe the only way you can restore your honor to this family is to pass the matchmaker's test." Mulan groaned inwardly at the last statement. She never wanted to go through that again.
She was about to answer when her mother's voice came from the house. "Mulan, you have a visitor." Mulan looked at her father, who nodded, then answered. "I'll be right there!" She was standing up when she felt a slight pressure on her arm. She turned to see her father holding her arm softly. Looking straight into her eyes, her father said one last thing to her before letting her go. "Mulan," he said. "whatever happens, just remember that your mother, grandmother and I love you very much." Releasing her, she turned with one last glance toward her father. As she made her way to the house to see who her visitor was, she knew everything would be fine. She knew this because of something her father had done before she left him. He had smiled at her.
Shang walked into his house from the garden, tired from his morning exercises. He had forgotten how intense it could be and thought he would have been used to it with all he had put his recruits through in their training. He grabbed a nearby towel and mopped the sweat from his face and brow. Placing the towel around his neck, he followed his nose to where his mother was preparing breakfast. Li Sing was the first to see her eldest son enter and she quickly dried her hands to greet him. Shang smiled at his mother. Though her hair was graying around the edges and she was starting to show her age, she still had more spirit than half of China. He was also surprised to see how well the family was doing after just losing a husband and a father. From behind his mother, Seng could see his younger brother Seng. Seng was only ten, but acted older then his years. The youngest of the Li clan, Seng was quiet and wise. Unlike most boys his age, Seng would rather have been studying philosophy than training in the martial arts. Always a peacemaker, his brother's stories of war held no interest for him, though he would listen to be polite.
Shang greeted his mother with a small kiss on the cheek and ruffled Seng's hair as he passed by. Seng, not even giving a second thought, quickly smoothed it back out, never taking his eyes from the book he was reading. Shang chuckled to himself as he shook his head at his brother's actions.
Li Sing set a plate in front of her eldest son, which he gratefully accepted, then went to take the seat across from him. "It is so good to have you home." she finally said. Shang took a swallow of milk before patting his mother's hand. "It's good to be home." he replied. He took another bite before asking, "Did Song leave yet?" Sing nodded. "About ten minutes ago. She went to tell a friend the news of her engagement. Speaking of that, Shang, when do you plan on marrying. you don't have that much longer you know. You'll be 23 soon."
Shang groaned inwardly at his mother's subject, yet he only smiled and nodded. "All in good time, mother. When it's suppose to happen, it will. Until then, let's just worry about the wedding we have on our hands now." Sing smiled and patted her son's hand. "So much like your father. Speaking of him, I hope he returns home soon. We can't arrange Song's wedding without him." Upon hearing those words, Shang's chopsticks stopped within an inch of his mouth. "Mother, what do you mean. Has no one told you?" Li Sing looked confused. "Told me what dear?" Shang lowered his eyes, out of respect for his father and because he didn't want to see his mother's face when he told her. "Mother, Father's not coming home." Shang said softly. "He was killed by the Hun's at the Tung Sho pass."
I'm sooo sorry it's been so long since I updated. First school, then I ended up breaking my wrist, then more school..........Anyway, I'm back finally!!! I want to thank all of my reviews and apologize again for making you guys wait so long to find out what happens. I promise the next won't take this long! So here's chapter 3!
The enticing aroma of eggs cooking, frying bacon and freshly brewed breakfast tea greeted Mulan as she made her way downstairs to start the day with the people she loved the most. When she came around the corner, the sight she saw warmed her heart. Her mother stood at the cooking area, preparing the food. Fa Zhou leaned over his wife shoulder, trying to sneak a taste of Fa Li's cooking before the family sat to eat. Thinking no one was watching, Fa Zhou quickly and silently stole a small kiss from his wife. When she gasped, he placed a finger to her lips to silence her before his mother could ask what was going on.
Although Granny Fa had her back to the couple, Mulan saw her smile. She knew her grandmother knew what had just happened, despite the fact she hadn't seen it with her own eyes. Mulan's smile grew large after witnessing these actions. She knew her parent's marriage had been a traditional arranged one, but it had grown into something more. Love. Anyone who knew them could see it. Although her parents always acted proper in public, at home, they had their little moments of surprise and romance in their relationship. It was these moments that made Mulan smile with hope that one day, she would be fortunate enough to experience that same kind of love that her parents shared.
Fa Zhou was the first to see his daughter as she rounded the corner into the kitchen. Giving a small nod in her direction, he greeted her. "Good morning Mulan." He said. "I trust you slept well?" Mulan bowed in respect to her father as she answered him. "Good Morning Baba. I slept very well, thank you." Fa Zhou nodded and gestured towards the seat to his left. Mulan obeyed and sat quietly while she waited for her mother to serve breakfast.
After the food was served and a prayer of thanks said, the small family began yet another morning in their lives, this time, thankful that one person inparticular had joined them again. Mulan was quiet through most of the meal, only answering questions that were directed to her. Although she was present physically at breakfast that morning, her thoughts were elsewhere.
She was think of a certain young captain that she had seen only the night before. Where did he live? What was his family like? How did they react with his father's death? Would they be alright? Did he make it home safely? When would she see him again? These were the questions that were in her mind all through the meal. It was only her grandmother's question that snapped her back to reality.
"So Mulan." Her grandmother asked, a mischievous look in her eyes, "when will we see your young man again?" Mulan almost choked on her eggs when her grandmother asked this. "Grandma," she began. "Shang is not 'my young man'. He's only my commanding officer in the army." Her grandmother wasn't convinced. "Sure. However, your two were looking very friendly in the garden last night." She quipped. By this time, Mulan's cheeks were flaming. "I was only comforting him while he was grieving for his father. He is my friend, nothing more." Her grandmother just smiled back at her. "Whatever you say Mulan." She said, before turning away to help Fa Li with the dishes. Mulan didn't miss the "but a very good friend" comment from her grandmother that was added when she thought she was out of hearing range.
Her face still red, Mulan turned to face her father. He looked at her with compassion and admiration in his eyes. Gently placing a hand alongside her face to comfort her, he nodded toward the back gate to the garden. Mulan understood and rose to follow behind her father. Once in the garden, the two sat on the very bench they had yesterday when Mulan had first returned. The sword of Shan Yu and the Emperors crest still lie in the very place her father had dropped them before.
Several moments of silence past before Fa Zhou spoke. "Mulan, when you first went off to war in my place, my greatest fear was that you would be killed." Mulan shuddered when her father said those words. He had no idea that she almost had been and would be if it were not for Shang. He had saved her, yet almost killed her as well. She decided that it would be best if she not share that information with her father.
She looked up as her father continued. "All the time you were gone, I hoped and prayed that you would return safely to us. And my prayers were answered. Mulan, I could not be prouder of you." Mulan's heart soared upon hearing these words from her father. Unfortunately, his next ones had just the opposite effect. Fa Zhous's eyes darkened when he said his next words. "Mulan, listen to me. While your mother, grandmother and I couldn't be prouder of you, there are those in the village who feel differently. They believe that you have brought tremendous dishonor to your family and they will make this evident in public. They believe the only way you can restore your honor to this family is to pass the matchmaker's test." Mulan groaned inwardly at the last statement. She never wanted to go through that again.
She was about to answer when her mother's voice came from the house. "Mulan, you have a visitor." Mulan looked at her father, who nodded, then answered. "I'll be right there!" She was standing up when she felt a slight pressure on her arm. She turned to see her father holding her arm softly. Looking straight into her eyes, her father said one last thing to her before letting her go. "Mulan," he said. "whatever happens, just remember that your mother, grandmother and I love you very much." Releasing her, she turned with one last glance toward her father. As she made her way to the house to see who her visitor was, she knew everything would be fine. She knew this because of something her father had done before she left him. He had smiled at her.
Shang walked into his house from the garden, tired from his morning exercises. He had forgotten how intense it could be and thought he would have been used to it with all he had put his recruits through in their training. He grabbed a nearby towel and mopped the sweat from his face and brow. Placing the towel around his neck, he followed his nose to where his mother was preparing breakfast. Li Sing was the first to see her eldest son enter and she quickly dried her hands to greet him. Shang smiled at his mother. Though her hair was graying around the edges and she was starting to show her age, she still had more spirit than half of China. He was also surprised to see how well the family was doing after just losing a husband and a father. From behind his mother, Seng could see his younger brother Seng. Seng was only ten, but acted older then his years. The youngest of the Li clan, Seng was quiet and wise. Unlike most boys his age, Seng would rather have been studying philosophy than training in the martial arts. Always a peacemaker, his brother's stories of war held no interest for him, though he would listen to be polite.
Shang greeted his mother with a small kiss on the cheek and ruffled Seng's hair as he passed by. Seng, not even giving a second thought, quickly smoothed it back out, never taking his eyes from the book he was reading. Shang chuckled to himself as he shook his head at his brother's actions.
Li Sing set a plate in front of her eldest son, which he gratefully accepted, then went to take the seat across from him. "It is so good to have you home." she finally said. Shang took a swallow of milk before patting his mother's hand. "It's good to be home." he replied. He took another bite before asking, "Did Song leave yet?" Sing nodded. "About ten minutes ago. She went to tell a friend the news of her engagement. Speaking of that, Shang, when do you plan on marrying. you don't have that much longer you know. You'll be 23 soon."
Shang groaned inwardly at his mother's subject, yet he only smiled and nodded. "All in good time, mother. When it's suppose to happen, it will. Until then, let's just worry about the wedding we have on our hands now." Sing smiled and patted her son's hand. "So much like your father. Speaking of him, I hope he returns home soon. We can't arrange Song's wedding without him." Upon hearing those words, Shang's chopsticks stopped within an inch of his mouth. "Mother, what do you mean. Has no one told you?" Li Sing looked confused. "Told me what dear?" Shang lowered his eyes, out of respect for his father and because he didn't want to see his mother's face when he told her. "Mother, Father's not coming home." Shang said softly. "He was killed by the Hun's at the Tung Sho pass."
