A/N- Yay! Updatage! Okay, so if you didn't get the clue from the last chapter, look really hard. It's there, you just haven't found it yet. Anyway, new chapter, so enjoy!

Chapter 8

Shang stood alone in the garden, still in a daze. The beautiful garden was abloom, and the world seemed a happy, bright place yet again.

Mulan, he thought longingly. I remember now. Why must we be tied to such complicated circumstances?

His love for her was as ardent as it was two years ago. He remembered with a pang the argument they had before he had let go of her. Now that he had realized what she had done for her country and for her friends, he felt like the gunk on the bottom of sewers.

He sighed as he was slowly brought back down to reality. He had a wife, with a baby coming soon. What will I do?

That night, after everyone had fallen asleep, Jade quietly crept out of her room. She looked down both sides of the extensive hallway, making sure that no one was near.

She quickly ran out of the palace and outside the palace gate. I have to drive him off, she determined to herself. I have to make him forget me.

Just as she suspected, Liao Bao was waiting for her outside the gates. Jade felt the familiar sexual desire for him rise up through her, but she quickly repressed it, remembering her mission in bringing him here.

"There you are," he whispered seductively while taking her hand.

She slapped him away sharply. "No, Bao."

He was taken aback. "What? Why not?"

"I've come here to tell you that I want nothing to do with you anymore." She said coldly. "I would appreciate it if you left me alone."

"You don't mean that," He said confidently.

"Yes I do! I have Shing, he's my everything now. You are out of the picture."

Bao's eyes narrowed menacingly. "He can do nothing for you." He reached out and brought her body close to his and ran his lips across her cheek and down her neck. "Can he make you feel like this?" He whispered.

Jade couldn't struggle. Her breathing was shallow as excitement coursed through her veins. Curse you, she thought. Why must you be so good?

"Or can he make you feel like this?" He asked as he brought his mouth to her ear and kissed it softly, trailing fire on her skin with his lips.

No, he can't, she answered herself truthfully. But I can't let him know that. Despite how much she wanted him to continue, she pulled away and stared at him with a steely glint in her eye. "Goodbye, Bao." And she walked away with her head high.

"Humph," Bao said with a smile. "She'll be back," he said to himself. "She'll be back."

Mulan was in her bed with Jeeki. She had just finished making love to him (A/N- I know, I know, totally oogie. I apologize, it's not like I enjoy writing sentences like that, I have to, it's part of the story). He had fallen asleep two hours ago with her in his arms whispering, "I love you, Mulan." But she couldn't repeat it. Her heart wouldn't let her.

Here she was, two hours later, still awake, and thinking about the mind-bending kiss that Shang had given to her. She knew now that he was Shang. Her heart knew him.

Every time she thought about him, she wanted to cry in happiness and sorrow. She had finally found him, he was still alive. But it seemed like he was farther away from ever. He was married and had a child coming. And she was married to, with responsibilities to millions of people, including Shang and his family.

Many had called her the brilliant and dutiful Empress. She was flattered, but she knew that she would forgo that compliment any day just to be happy.

She told Shang two years ago that her heart told her her duty and she followed it.

For two years now, her heart would not talk to her.

Uneasily, she drifted off to sleep.

The next day, Shang woke up to the sun shining brightly through his window. Jade was sleeping next to him, peacefully. Careful not to wake her, he slipped out of bed to get dressed and see if he could catch Mulan.

As he quietly closed the door to his suite, he thought to himself, where would she be right now?

A servant was walking down the hall and he stopped her shortly. "Excuse me. Do you know where Empress Mulan is?"

She bowed and replied, "At this time, she is normally in the gardens."

"Thank you." And he rushed off.

He ran into the gardens where he had kissed her the other night. And there she was, in all her glorious beauty, quietly strolling down the path and smiling at the flowers.

For a moment he admired her beauty from afar. Her wise, pondering look intrigued him. He was jealous of the roses that she was caressing with her soft, white hands. Her long black hair had grown back, and it was now loose, reaching all the way to her waist. How he wanted run his fingers through the silky, fragrant strands. She was dressed in red silk; a color that accentuated her fair skin and bright, intelligent dark eyes.

He began to approach her when Lord Jeeki had appeared. "Hello, darling." And he wrapped her in an embrace and planted a kiss on her lips.

"Hello," She smiled back, but her eyes depicted a sad glow, something that pained Shang to watch.

"I woke up this morning and I found you were gone," He said with concern. "I was scared."

"I'm sorry to have scared you," She replied, rather politely. "I always go into the gardens at this hour, you know that."

"I know," He replied with a knowing grin. He brushed back her hair and kissed her on the forehead.

"Lord Jeeki," One of the guards had approached him and dropped a quick bow. "The ambassadors from the Kingdom Across the Sea have come. They wish to meet you now."

"Yes soldier, I'll be there." He gave Mulan an apologizing look and said, "I'll see you tonight, love."

She kissed him on the cheek that made Shang's skin crawl. "Yes."

He squeezed her hand and left with the soldier leading the way.

Finally, Shang thought. I can talk to her. He approached quickly before any other interruption approached.

"Mulan?" He asked.

She whirled around and was happy to see joy in her eyes. "Hello."

For a moment, he didn't know what to do. He stood there, wondering if anyone was around that wouldn't see him catch her in his arms and rain kisses all over her face.

Several moments of silence passed, then she approached him slowly. "I thought you were dead," She whispered with wet eyes.

Hearing the tears in her voice broke his heart in two. Without thinking, he automatically reached for her and pulled her into his arms. "Oh, Mulan, I'm sorry," he whispered back. "I didn't know who I was."

She clung to him, as he held on to her tightly. Being in each other's arms again felt so…right. She leaned her head against his lean chest and cried softly. "I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you too," he choked as he planted a kiss on the top of her head.

"It's Shang!" Ming-Su whispered to herself as she watched the heart wrenching scene unfold. She was happy for her daughter-in-law, finally getting the closure that she had so desperately sought for two years. But she also worried for her. She was already married, as was Shang. What would become of them?

She loved Mulan and had known for a long time that the ardent passion that Jeeki harbored for her was not returned.

How will they get out of this one? She asked herself.

"Shang!" Mulan jumped when she heard that voice. It was his wife, Jade.

"Dammit," He whispered. He reluctantly released her from his arms and stepped back a few steps. "I'm sorry," He said to her. "But I have to go."

"Will I see you again?" She asked desperately.

"Yes," he gave her one last kiss on the forehead. "I promise." And with that, he ran off to look for his pregnant bride.

Pregnant. At that word, Mulan gulped. What am I doing? I'm married! He's married! He's got a kid coming!

She broke down into tears again for what seemed the millionth time that week. Why did she have to be tied to such circumstances? Why did she have to be married to man she didn't love? Why did Shang have to be married to a woman he didn't love? Why did that woman have to be pregnant with his child? Why did this have to happen to her?

Oh stop crying, a voice in her head yelled at her angrily. You've wasted two years of your life crying! Tears do nothing!

She thought for a moment and immediately wiped her eyes. She was being selfish. She was in charge of an entire kingdom and they looked up to her. If she could not lead a happy life for herself, then she must live a happy life for her people. It was her duty.

Mulan looked up, held her head up high and walked back into the throne room. She could no longer have Shang, but she still had her dignity.

Jeeki was being led down the opulent halls of his palace, feeling anxious and nervous. It had been three years since he had seen his brothers Liao Bao and Shien Chu, but he was still excited. He loved his brothers very much and was eager to hear their tales of the Kingdom Across the Sea.

He walked into the throne room and opened his arms wide at the sight of his brothers. "Brothers! I have missed you so much."

They embraced each other as Shien Chu replied, "We have missed you too, Jeeki."

"How long have you been back?"

"Several months now," Liao Bao replied with a grin.

"Why did you never come home? Father has died and I have married." Jeeki frowned.

"I know, but our tutors said that we still were not completed with our education." Shien Chu replied. "They made sure that we had learned everything first."

"So did anything happen to you while you were away?" Jeeki asked.

"No, not really." Shien Chu replied. He was one third of the famous, charismatic, and handsome Qui Gong brothers, but he was perhaps the most logical. Known throughout his kingdom for being wise and kind, he was the calmest.

"What about you, Liao Bao?"

"I met a woman, if that's anything new." He replied with a mischievous grin. He was the playboy of the trio, and their father, Lord Chin had sent him to the Kingdom Across the Sea in hopes of reigning his erratic conquests. Apparently, the attempt was in vain.

"Another one, Bao?" Jeeki asked, exasperatedly.

"This one is different," He replied as his eyes glazed over in fantasy. "She's perfect for me. She's beautiful, she's talented, she's—"

"She's pregnant," Shien Chu said sternly.

A/N- pokes reader> You wanna know what's gonna happen, dontcha? Well guess what? You don't get to know till you review! MUAHAHAHAHA! Sorry, I'm feeling particularly evil today. Oh, and before I forget, be sure to visit my website, I know, really lame advertising myself on here, but I need more traffic. I promise, it'll be worth your while. Well, sorta anyway.