A/N: Many thanks to all who have been reading and reviewing. Another chapter up. I realize the story is moving slowly now, but it will pick up.
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Chapter 4: Waiting
Mulan's head was on fire when she opened her eyes. She was lying on the bed in the dark room that Bi had sent her to, the incense smell still in the air, the odor making her head buzz. She had the taste of sickness in her mouth. She swallowed with unexpected difficulty, stiffening at the excruciating pain that came with the swallow. She cursed. She wouldn't be able to travel now and she had wanted to leave first thing in the morning.
"Mushu?" she croaked, trying to speak from below the pain.
"What's wrong, baby?"
"I'm sick."
The small red dragon hopped up and felt her head. "You have a high fever."
"Shit. I need to get out of here," she muttered.
"You can't go anywhere. Not like this. And where did you learn those words? Yao?"
The door to the room suddenly flew open and a woman came in, leading a man along. They both stopped when they saw Mulan and gaped at Mushu.
"What?" Mushu demanded, defiantly.
"Wrong room. Sorry," the woman finally said, turning to lead the man out.
"What the hell is that thing?" the man was exclaiming as the woman pulled him out of the room and shut the door.
There was a knock on the door several minutes later and Mulan called out, wishing she hadn't.
Bi stepped into the room and looked around suspiciously. Her gaze fell on Mulan.
"You look really sick. I'll get the medic again."
She brought him in a while later. As he tended to Mulan, administering tea and some other medicinal concoctions, Bi stood back, inspecting the room again and looking for the so-called magical tiny red talking lizard that Tao and Jia had been going on about.
She shook her head. Tao drank too much, and could have easily been seeing things. But Jia was one of her best girls and very level-headed. And there was something odd about this girl. She suspected that Mulan wasn't at all what she seemed, and she had doubts about the story that she had told her about where she came from.
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Shang opened his eyes, waking from complete darkness.
His mind registered that he was sitting on the floor, his knees bent up toward his chest, his head slumped forward, and his hands and feet bound tightly.
He lifted his head, which was throbbing, and looked around. He was in the hallway of the palace, alone, his back against the double doors that led to the balcony. He wriggled his wrists, attempting to loosen the rope with his movements. After several minutes of struggling he gave up, exhausted, his wrists sore from the friction, his head pounding now.
He remembered the fight with Shan-Yu. He had managed to disarm him, knocking his sword away. But the massive Hun was powerful and, despite his great size, extremely agile and he had dodged Shang's sword thrusts with ease, ramming into him with such force that Shang crashed to the floor, his own sword flying out of his grip.
They had fought hand to hand then, rolling over and over each other, wrestling wildly. It had taken all of Shang's strength just to defend himself against Shan-Yu. The Hun leader was a fierce warrior and much more experienced in combat than he.
He was suddenly aware of the sting of the cuts and bruises on his face and lips as he remembered Shan-Yu's blows. He hadn't noticed them at first, the pain in his head was so overpowering.
The last thing he remembered was something slamming into his forehead. He wished he could free his hands if only just to press them against his head and try to ease the pounding. But he hadn't been able to loosen the rope at all.
"Ah, you're awake," the deep, smoky voice came from his right. Shan-Yu stopped in front of him.
"You didn't kill me," Shang stated, puzzled. He couldn't fathom that this wild barbarian, who had slaughtered an entire village of innocent civilians and children as well as the elite regiment of the Imperial army that had included his father, was sparing his life.
'He must need something from me,' he thought.
"That would have been a waste," his adversary answered. "You are an excellent warrior, Commander, and a brave, honorable man. A man like you would be highly valued in my troop."
"I would never join your troop."
"Yes. Unfortunate that we are on different sides. We are very much alike. Both of us true warriors."
"I am nothing like you," he answered, disdainfully.
Shan-Yu grinned in amusement.
"What do you want with me?" Shang demanded. "Where is the Emperor?"
"He's alive. For now."
"Where are my men?"
"There is a soldier missing from your troop. I am very interested in that one. He didn't come into the palace with you. But if you are as wise a military strategist as I think, Commander, I assume that he stayed behind for a reason. And will be coming at a later time to implement some plan. I'm waiting for him. We have a score to settle."
Shang stared at him in confusion.
"I will be back shortly with my men. We'll take you somewhere secure and then we can untie you. I don't want you to be uncomfortable during your…stay."
Shan-Yu left him and Shang pondered the conversation he had just had. He was stunned that the Hun leader didn't want to kill him, or his men. He had been prepared to die; maybe even hoping for it.
And what was he talking about a missing soldier? Shang wracked his brain, thinking of his men that had followed him. Yao, Ling and Chien-Po had been conspicuously absent. Was he talking about one of them? They hadn't been anywhere near Shan-Yu, and he had no idea where the three of them had gone to now. The only one in his troop that got close to Shan-Yu was…Mulan.
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A/N: More to follow shortly. Please review and let me know what you think.
