Chapter Eight: Homecoming

Mulan sighed. "You misunderstand me. I want to marry for love, but you're not the one."

Leng frowned. "I'm not? Then who-oh. The Captain. That's a little cliché, Mulan."

"And of course the childhood best friend isn't?" She teased slightly, but turned serious again. "I love him Leng. And that's all there is to it."

Leng sighed. "And you're worried he doesn't love you?"

She bowed her head. "Yes."

Leng shook his head. "All these years I had the same worry. Of course, mine was accurate. But I can tell when someone is in love, Mulan. And he loves you. It's as clear as his freakishly straight nose."

"It's not freakishly straight..."

"Your kids are gonna have weird noses. Diagonal ones. I swear, it's a triangle. But at least they'll be pretty. He's such a pretty boy."

Mulan smiled. "You wouldn't be the first to say that."

"Seriously, Mulan, he seems to be a good man. And a good match for you." Leng sighed deeply. "I...I'm just disappointed it wasn't me...You were always one of the few things I took seriously."

"It could've been, a long time ago. But a lot of things have changed. And I'll always appreciate your friendship. Besides, you and I…we wouldn't have lasted."

He smiled a little. "Besides, I'm not sure how I'd feel about marrying someone who could beat me in a fight."

"Unless things have changed a lot, you'll have to compromise that if you want a family." He punched her arm playfully, and she raised her eyebrows. "Just proved my point."

"At least there are still some women in the village who like me. And who can't beat me that badly... Hey, who would win in a fight between you and pretty boy?"

"I think me. He thinks him. But I don't think it'd be wise to find out…I don't want to hurt him."

"Then it must be love." He embraced her warmly. "Go to him, Mulan, and tell him the truth. The truth about everything."

Shang stood in the doorway, his heart aching as he watched them hold one another. He cleared his throat a little, and she turned to him, beaming. "I just wanted to see if you were ready to leave...but I'm sorry for interrupting."

She went over to him and hugged him tightly, causing him to glance at Leng in surprise, who merely shrugged. "You weren't interrupting anything." She smiled at him. "And I'm ready, so long as you're with me. So long as you're there, I'm ready for anything."

"Now that? That right there? That was cheesy." Leng drawled.

Mulan turned and stuck her tongue out at him. "I'll visit you next time I'm in town. Goodbye, Leng!"

Shang waved. "Goodbye..."

They let. Leng shook his head. "What IS IT about pretty boys!"

"I can't believe I'm nearly home." Mulan whispered, reaching the gates.

Shang looked at a loss, looking at the impressive house. It was rather like his own, but on a smaller scale. She dismounted and stood outside the gates, afraid of what to do.

He stood next to her, and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Go through and find your parents, Mulan. They'll be waiting."

She leapt up and threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. He closed his eyes, leaning his head against hers and returning the hug. It could be the last time this happened, he thought glumly, married women very rarely greet men like this.

"Thank you." She whispered in his ear, kissing him briefly on the cheek. He nodded a little.

"It's alright...go on. I'll be right here waiting."

She let go of him, taking the sword and pendant given to her by the Emperor, and returned home.

Shang felt his heart ache as he watched her go. It wasn't just that the chapter of their lives together, at least like this, was over. He sighed.

"Excuse me, young sir? Who are you?" An elderly woman, rather short, but still with a lot of life in her stood before him.

"I'm Li Shang...I...I escorted Mulan home, from the Imperial City..."

The woman smirked. "Then come on in, you'll be welcome here."

"Oh, no, I don't want to intrude-" She pulled him through.

"Now then, Mulan is getting reacquainted with her parents, you can get a room set up-and you can borrow some clothes, at least for now. I'm going to need to get to know my grandson-in-law..."

"Oh, no, no, it's nothing like that-"

"Going on a four day trek from the Imperial City to her home when a rich lad like you lives in the north for a girl you thought was a man?"

"...it was only three days, actually." Shang finally answered.

The woman smirked. "You can call me Grandmama. Come on, handsome, we've got clothing that'll fit you..."

At least she wasn't calling him pretty boy.