Chapter 7: The Xin Family
Chen woke up, feeling that the carriage he was in was moving.
It was light out already. He sat up and looked around, trying to see where he was. They were in the middle of a forest and there was no sign of the Imperial Palace.
"Uh oh," he muttered.
"Who are you?"
Chen looked to his left and saw that there was a little girl in the carriage with him. He didn't know what to say.
"It's okay. I never have anyone to play with. I'm glad you're here."
"I'm Li Chen."
"I'm Xin Su-Tan. Su. How old are you?"
"Eight."
"Me, too."
"Where are we going?"
"I don't know. The same place we go all the time."
"You don't know where it is?"
"No."
"How do you know you're in the same place."
"I recognize the people. And some of the places."
"Why do you go there? To visit?"
"I don't know. My father tells everyone we are going to visit an aunt who is sick. But it's not true."
Chen looked at her quizzically. "Really? Why would he lie?"
"I don't know. I don't care. I'm sick of doing this. They always make me go. And they always take Shio away from me for a long time."
"Who is Shio?"
The little girl turned and searched for something. She came up with the same wooden toy dragon he'd seen the night before. Chen looked at it uneasily.
"Why do they take him away from you?"
She shrugged. "They say they are showing it to people. They always bring him back, but after a long time."
The wagon stopped and they heard her father's voice.
"Quick, hide." She took a huge pile of blankets and threw them over Chen so he wouldn't be seen. The door to the carriage opened.
"Come and eat, Su-Tan."
Su-Tan obeyed her father and Chen was left alone in the carriage. He was hungry, too. He would have to ask Su-Tan to get him something next time.
"Hey, kid."
"Mushu!"
"Mulan is on her way, coming in this direction. She asked me to watch over you until she could find you. How are you doing, kid?"
"Okay. I have a new friend, Su."
"Su?"
"Su-Tan."
"Your family is very worried about you, Chen. And so is Mulan."
"I didn't mean for this to happen. I fell asleep."
"I know, kid. But don't you worry. I'll be here with you the whole time. And I've got a lucky cricket with me, too."
Chen grinned with delight at the cricket. "He was at the house, too!"
"Yep. He comes with me wherever I go. He's my good friend."
Mushu hid in Chen's sleeve when Su-Tan returned. She had food for Chen with her.
"Thanks."
She watched him eat.
"I'll make sure I keep bringing you food."
"Okay. Thank you."
She picked up her wooden toy dragon Shio again and held him.
"You're really pretty, Su-Tan."
"Thank you," she answered, shyly.
Chen noticed something at the bottom of Shio. "What is that?"
"What?"
Chen pointed to the bottom of the toy. She turned it over and looked.
"What are you talking about?"
Chen reached out and touched the dragon, gingerly, afraid that the feeling he'd had the night before would return. It did return. But he pressed the tiny, odd-looking latch in the wood and the bottom of the dragon opened.
They both gasped.
"Maybe there's a treasure inside!" Su-Tan whispered excitedly.
She reached in and pulled something out and the two of them looked at it in disappointment.
"Oh, it's just paper," she said, pouting. "I thought it would be something good like a jewel or something."
"What does it say?"
"I don't know. I can't read. Can you?"
Chen took the paper to see if he could read it. He had that same odd feeling as he touched it. He dropped the paper and shook his head.
"I don't know what it says."
There were voices outside of the carriage and Su-Tan picked the paper back up and shoved it back inside Shio. They fumbled with Shio then, trying to close the bottom back up. The voices got closer.
"Quick, Chen! Hide!" she whispered.
Chen took the dragon from her and hid under the blankets again, fiddling with it until he finally got the bottom closed. Then he lay there and listened to the voices outside.
They were talking about a scout from Chang'an. He heard Su's father telling them that she was on foot and had left that morning. Another voice spoke about setting up an ambush.
Chen gasped, knowing when he heard 'she' that it was Mulan that they were talking about. "Mushu," he whispered. "What's an ambush?"
"An attack."
"You have to warn her."
"I will, Chen. But don't you worry. The information that these people have is wrong. Mulan left last night, not this morning. And she is coming by a different route and not on foot. I'm going to leave Cri-Kee to look out for you while I'm gone. I'll be back as soon as I can."
