Thanks for all your awesome reviews!

I apologize for this mistake in the previous chapter... the ping-ying I used got mixed up, since I was too lazy to memorize the chart and made the names up as to what I can remember (however inaccurately) of it. Of course, some of it still isn't precisely certain, but "Shwa-Kwong" has been changed to "Shua-Guong." Thanks!

...And guess what? I spell-checked this time! XD Heh heh.. If you see any more grammatical/spelling mistakes, please tell me!

A Cultural Note (For Other Fanfic Writers, PLEASE READ):

I've noticed a lot of this going around... After marriage, many fanfictions have referred to Fa Mulan as "Li Mulan."

I would like to address the fact that, in almost all circumstances, women do not change their surname after being wed

The changing of surnames is mainly from the Western culture. But--as most of you already know--the children recieve the surname from the father, rather than the mother.

So please keep Mulan's surname "Fa." I'd really appreciate it if you did; it's just something that's really been bothering me lately--sorry. Thanks!

Chapter Two

Mulan sighed. She'd met Jing-Chiou about a week ago--six, seven days, was it? And his family--his father, mainly--never failed to stop by their house at least once a day, just to "check up," as it was worded. But she knew better. They arrived to make sure that she wasn't betraying them, or, in other terms, thinking about another man. They arrived to make sure that she would always be the perfect housewife that she didn't want to be.

And that she couldn't be.

She felt as though she were constantly trapped within herself, like she did before she went into war. And though she'd never paid much attention to it before, being disguised as a man was the best time of her life. Complicated, but she was finally free from all of her bounds.

She knew what she had to do. Though her parents were both very reasonable and wise, they were bound to tradition and honor. She needed to speak with her grandmother.

Her grandmother, in all honesty, was often considered a bit crazy by certain standards, but it was all relative. During her youthful age, she had been just as independent and as much of a rule-breaker--if not more--as Mulan. And she was the one person Mulan could honestly relate to when it came to woman's rights.

She stood up from her chair, walking quietly and deftly toward her grandmother's bedroom. Before entering, she knocked, and slowly pushed the door open. "Grandmama?" she called quietly. No one was there.

She sighed, turning around, only to meet her grandmother, standing behind her the whole time. "Huh!" she said. "By the way you act, you'd think I am old!"

Mulan only smiled slightly and kept in her comments, getting straight to the point. "Grandmama," Mulan said, slightly exasperated, "what do you think about Hei Shua-Guong and his son, Hei Jing-Qiou?"

Her grandmother crossed her arms and said rather bluntly, "You mean that fat dictator and his faithful minion? No. How that guy ever managed to survive a war, I have no idea. His fellow soldiers must have rolled him down the hill, trampling the Huns in the process!"

Mulan had to fight to keep her smile in. Her grandma's explanation was true enough; Shua-Guong was the one that dictated all the commands and his son only stood by his side, his own thoughts unvoiced. And the father was quite rounded aw well, but that was not the answer to her question. "No what?" Mulan asked, frowning, slightly confused.

"You can't marry him," her grandmother said. "You'll be unhappy."

Mulan sighed. "I know," she said, "but I can't do anything about it."

"Run away," her grandmother said as though it were the easiest thing in the world. "Run away, like you did before. And go find that Li Shang of yours."

Mulan colored slightly her grandmother's direct statement and insisted, "I can't. They'll find me. And besides, he doesn't consider me anything more than a soldier. And he is nothing but a captain to me." It was a phrase that she'd repeated so often in her head, that it no longer came out stuttered when she spoke it, but the pain never completely subsided.

"That's a pity," her grandmother said, "because that Shang was a real--"

Mulan quickly quieted her grandmother as she heard footsteps advancing. Her grandmother heard it too and fell silent, something that Mulan was entirely grateful for. She didn't know what would happen if Hei Shua-Guong heard them conversing about her previous captain--someone who Shua-Guong appeared to highly detest.

But once Mulan realized who was at the door, she'd wished that it had been Shua-Kwong and his son.

----------------------------

It had taken a little longer than he had hoped, but once he had arrived there, he was anxious and wished that the trip had taken longer than it had. He'd spent the previous night at the neighboring town, making sure to bathe and washed his soiled clothes. In fact, Shang had gotten so far as to even buy a new set--which he had changed into for a good first impression when he met her.

And now, as he stood next to his horse before their door, he was suddenly overcome with a desire to bolt away, never looking back. But he had to do this. If nothing else, for the emperor's task. And slowly, he raised his hand and knocked on the door.

It was later opened by the person he hoped would not open it--Fa Mulan. Upon seeing her, he felt his heart freeze in place and the world around him come to a standstill, his eyes fixed upon her face. She was just as beautiful--if not more--since he last remembered her. A curtain of smooth, black hair--a natural blush on her cheeks. Her eager eyes and her soft, red lips. It was she who spoke first.

"Shang?" she asked uncertainly, as if she was not sure what she was seeing. And he couldn't blame her; it was his fault for not contacting her in the past year.

He instantly snapped out of his daze and colored slightly. "Oh, uh, Mulan," he said, flustered. Why was it that his mind always blanked out when he came in such close proximity to her? He'd planned out everything he was going to say, and how he was going to say it. And all for nothing, now.

Her eyes wandered to his dapple grey steed. "Would you like me to put him with Khan?" she offered.

"Oh... err, yes, that would be nice. Thank you."

She nodded and she took the reins of the horse and led him to the pen in which Khan was kept. Once the door was properly locked, Mulan turned back toward Shang, who had been oddly silent the whole time. Finally, she spoke up. "Is... is there something you wanted to say?"

"Yes," he replied instantly, then chided himself for the lack of character that he had been hoping for. He paused, trying to regain some self-control. "The emperor has requested to see you, for reasons that he did not directly mention."

Mulan paused. "But he did mention it, even though it was not direct, didn't he?" she said, analyzing his word choice.

"Well..." He hesitated. He was afraid to answer her, for fear of what a fool he'd make of himself again. "Along the lines of helping an Imperial army."

She suddenly faltered, her eyes flickering away. "The commander?" she said, her voice a mere whisper. He didn't quite understand the change in her mood, but he had no choice but to respond to her.

"Me." He searched her face for any sign of emotion, but the only one he saw was one of sadness.

She sighed and shook her head. "I can't."

"What do you mean?" Shang said, utterly confused. Who disobeyed the emperor's order? A terrifying thought swept over him. Perhaps it was because of him. Perhaps she resented him for that full year that he didn't communicate, and wanted nothing to do with him. His heart ached at the mere thought.

She sighed once more, only this time it was exasperated rather than weary. "Look, Shang," she started, "a lot of things have happened since the year you've been gone."

He felt his blood run cold. What did she mean?

"...And I can't," she finished off, lamely. "I can't. I'm not saying I don't want to; I'm saying I can't." She turned away to leave, but he caught onto her wrist, holding it firmly so that she couldn't go.

"Why?" he asked her, his eyes searching hers, his grip tightening. "Why can't you?"

Her voice was quiet and weak when she finally spoke after her hesitation. "He wouldn't let me."

"Who wouldn't let you?" he pressed on.

She attempted to break away and run once more, but he caught ahold of her shoulder. "Tell me," he said, his voice low. "Who wouldn't let you?"

She refused to look at him when she did answer. "Hei Jing-Qiou."

That name struck a familiar chord in Shang's mind. Where did that name sound familiar? But it did not matter now; he was desperate to know of this man's relation to Mulan. He this he asked her. She seemed awkward and hesitant to reply, but he forced it out of her, as much as it hurt him.

"He's my fiancé."

And that sentence murdered him on the inside, and he tried his best not to let it show. He choked on his words as he spoke. "Oh, that's--um, congratulations," he said, feeling incredibly awkward as he let go of her. He instantly understood her position. They wanted a perfect housewife--not an intellegent wife that was capable of becoming more than the husband ever would. And what could she do about it? "So I guess that's why then."

He acted indifferent, but he longed to tell her that she deserved more than that Jing-Qiou, that he was right for her. He longed to take her into his arms and whisper into her ear about all his feelings for her. But he couldn't. Even if the marriage had not been set, he would not be brave enough to do so. It was improper, anyways. And it was dishonorable.

And it was even more dishonorable because she already had a to-be husband waiting.

"When is the wedding?" he asked, attempting to be casual. She looked up, startled, as though this was not the question she had expected.

She frowned, trying to focus her memory. "A few months," she said, her voice low. "A few months."

That was it. A few months to think up of an ingenious plan to sweep her off her feet and pursuade her to marry him instead. A few months to find away to get rid of Jing-Qiou from the picture.

"They don't like you."

He was surprised by the sudden comment that was so far from his train of thought. "Sorry?" he asked, wanting an explanation.

"They... well, Hei Jing-Qiou's father, mainly... don't like you," she said quietly, looking away. "They would never let me aid any army, let alone yours." She paused. "In fact, they would not permit me to see you at all." She turned to look at him desperately. "Please go. Forget about my existance, and I'll forget about yours. We'll both live on our lives like it's supposed to be."

He wanted to tell her no, that it wasn't how things were supposed to be. That he would never be able to forget her, no matter how hard he tried--and he would die if she forgot him. But he couldn't--he didn't. And it pained him to know that she didn't care for him half as much as he did for her. "You're not married to him yet," he whispered. "You still have your last months of freedom."

She shook her head. "If that were the case," she said sadly, "then I would have been long gone." She looked up at him. "Go. Go back to where you belong, and never come back here. Never look back. And should you chance to ever see me again, pretend as though you do not know me, and I am nothing but a stranger to you."

He knew that this was what she wanted, but what she wanted, he could not give. Likewise, she couldn't offer what he desperately needed. Knowing that he could not confess his feelings to her, he attempted a different tactic. "Then what of the emperor?"

She sighed. "You'll think of something," she said. "You're intelligent."

But he only shook his head, thinking to himself. If he was intelligent, then he would have made a move for her that potential night one year ago. But he wasn't. She opened the door to the pen and led his horse out, telling that he should mount it.

"If they are to come across here and see you," she said, "they would assume the worst."

And he was in a state that he was willing to do whatever it was to make her happy, even if it killed him. "Is there any chance that I will see you in the army one day?"

"I would," she whispered, "but the chances are highly unlikely. Don't wager on it." She looked at him one last time. "I bid you the final farewell."

He sighed. Was it really the end? "And you, as well." He paused before turning the horse around. "Good luck." Casting one last glance over his shoulder, he started to canter away, hoping that things would turn out better than it would seem.

Despite the knowledge wedged deep within his mind that nothing would ever work out.

-----------------------

Only minutes after Shang had left, she saw Jing-Qiou and his father enter their farm. She breathed a sigh of relief; it was lucky that she'd gotten Shang to leave when he did.

The pair quickly saw her and they came over to her, much to her regret. As they dismounted their horses, Shua-Guong and Jing-Qiou both said their greetings, and Mulan bowed in return. What came next was not exactly what Mulan had expected, but she thought nothing more of Shua-Guong--he was a man who was to the point and rather direct about it, but, should he wish to do so, was able to force words out of people rather slyly. "I have seen someone that I had not expected to see on the ride here, Mulan."

Mulan looked up, startled. "There are many people in the Middle Kingdom that pass through this area. Of whom may you be referring to?" Her words were polite, but not at all appreciated by Shua-Guong, who preferred a woman of less intellect for his son. Mulan had noticed that his son rarely spoke for himself; it was mainly his father directing his actions for him.

Wrinkling his nose in disgust, Shua-Guong looked toward her with a cautioning glance, as if telling her not to be so clever next time. "A person by the name of Li Shang," he replied. "I know you are familiar with him."

Mulan chose her words carefully, not wanting to anger Shua-Guong any futher than he already was. "Somewhat," she said. "'Associated' would be a better term; I would not say I know him quite so much as to be familiar with him. He was--and is--nothing more than my previous captain." She knew that she was, indeed, rather familiar with Shang, but she was starting anew now. Mulan, the heroine of China, lived no more. In its place was a commoner who was destined to be no more than a perfect housewife.

"If that is the case," Shua-Guong said slowly, his voice hinting a little ice behind it, "then what was he doing here?"

She decided to tell them part of the truth, if nothing more, and act as though the meeting was purely business. "The emperor had sent him to request my aid for an army--in what particular form of aid, he did not specify." She hesitated before continuing, meeting their anticipated yet angry looks. "I declined."

Relief visibly flooded through Jing-Qiou and Shua-Guong merely looked a bit more relaxed. Mulan wished that she could have run away with Shang, but she wasn't willing to test the limits that Shua-Guong would stretch to in order to take her back with a bit of punishment added as well.

She understood that Wu-Di would have defended her, and his rule was the ultimate; however, Shua-Guong was a slippery sort of man and could easily slide through any sort of precaution and might cause brutal harm to her while she slept in false security.

She, in sort, wasn't willing to take any chances.

Closing her eyes for a brief moment, she sighed inwardly. If only things could have been just a little different.

Just a little.

Historical Note:

I hadn't meant to do this, but I stumbled across this bit of information purely by accident.

General Li was one of the greatest soldiers in Wu-Di's dynasty and never lost a battle, until his fight with the Huns, where they were overpowered. He surrendered and started to plan a surprise attack on them, but the councilmen twisted the truth and informed Wu-Di of Li's surrender. Thus, Li's wife and mother were both sent to be killed as punishment.

One man (whose name I cannot recall) believed that if Li had surrendered, he must have done so for a reason, but Wu-Di payed him no heed and he was sent to prison.

It doesn't really fit in with the Disney version--considering the emperor's potrayed kindness toward the end--but it's interesting all the same. XD

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