Disclaimer: I don't own Mulan or the other characters, someone else does. Nor do I own the poem.

Chapter 2

"Khan, let's go home." Mulan could hear the crowd cheering around her but all she could think about was getting home to her family. Mulan knew that her father would be disappointed in her and she hoped that by bring him the sword of Shan Yu and the crest of the emperor that would, at least, forgive her for taking his place and almost bringing the family dishonor. Mulan was so deep in thought that she didn't realize that Khan had stopped in front of someone until that someone started talking.

"Oh sure, take the cow and leave me and Cri-kee behind. Do you know how long it took us to catch up with you and Betsy over here? "

"Sorry, Mushu, I'm just eager to get home." Mulan saw a look of understanding pass through Mushu's face as climbed on to Khan with Cri-kee. After a while, Mushu spoke of saying, "How can you stand riding Betsy all the time?"

Mulan smiled to herself, glad to be able to put a hold to her worrying. She thought of a way to describe riding Khan when she finally remembered a poem by Les Zsoldos that goes like

"Through the air as if suspended,
Legs extended and tail flapping,
Gliding smoothly in full view,
The horse lands on legs of steel.

The rhythm of experienced hooves
Combines with sunken eyes.
The sighs and groans of exhaustion
Combine with the young rider's
Bold determination.
Horse and rider blend.
Together they appear
Horse with rider.
They ride as one.
With great force
The horse springs,
Travels far
Across endless sky.

Viewers gaze,
Faces in wonder,
Full of surprise
At scenes of endeavour.
But the legs of steel
Feel fragile.
Exhausted the horse
Can barely continue,
But suddenly receives
Shouts from the crowd.
Inspired by their fervent
Cheers and claps
His energy is reborn.

His valiant stride
And courageous leaps
Rescue the situation
Horse and rider
Had thought forlorn."

And when she told Mushu this, he looked like he would throw up."Gee, when I asked you why you riding this cow all the time, I didn't expect for you to go all poetic on me." He became quiet as he saw that they were almost home.

When they got to the gate that surrounded her home, Mushu and Cri-kee got off knowing that Mulan had to do this alone. Mulan put Khan in his stall and then walked to her father's favorite spot on the Fa property, the bench under the orchid blossoms. Her father heard her coming and he looked surprised.

"Mulan..."
Mulan didn't know what to do so she knelt down in front of him and said, "Father. I brought you the sword of Shan-Yu, and the crest of the Emperor. They're gifts, to honor the Fa family." After she gave him the sword and the crest of the Emperor, Mulan bowed her head not knowing if her father forgave her or not. She heard her father dropped the sword and crest on the ground and when she looked up, Mulan saw that he was kneeling next to her.

"The greatest gift and honor... is having you for a daughter." Fa Zhou embraced Mulan and they sat like that for a while, enjoying the company of one another. When they finally let go of each other, Mulan went and embraced her mother and grandmamma, who she missed almost as much as she missed her father. Mulan could have stayed like that forever, if someone hadn't cleared his throat at them. Mulan looked up and saw that she was staring straight into Shang's eyes.

"Oh, hi." Mulan finally said, after overcoming her shock and longing to give Shang a hug. "What brings you here, Captain," Mulan asked in a teasing tone.

"For your information, Ping, its Shang," He replied back with the same teasing tone that Mulan had.

"Well don't just standing there, staring at each other. Mulan invite him to stay for supper…maybe forever," her grandmamma scolded lightly. Mulan hadn't realized that she had been staring at him.

"Would you like to say for supper," she asked, wincing slightly as her voice quavered, and not being able to hide how red her cheeks must have become. She didn't notice the Shang nod his head as an answer, so she quickly said, "it's alright if you don't want to…after all your probably busy and –"

"I'd love to join y'all for supper," Shang interrupted her rambling, and gave her a small smile that only she could see.

Shang was nervous, never in a million years would he ever would have thought that he would be in Fa Zhou's house, sitting next to what he considered the most beautiful girl he has ever laid eyes on. He tensed slightly when her arm brushed against his as she poured his tea. She looked at him but he only shrugged. Shang tried not to stare as Mulan left the room, succeeding only because her father had cleared his throat before saying, "I wanted to thank you, Li Shang. You protected my daughter when I could not, and for that I am forever in you debt."

Shang didn't get a chance to reply before Mulan came in. He noticed that she limping so slightly that you would have had to know that she was injured in order to notice it. Finally Shang couldn't hold it in as he suddenly busted out in saying, "Fa Zhou, I known Mulan for almost a year now, and I know that she wouldn't tell you if something happened to her, so I will. Mulan has a deep cut on her lower stomach which she got from Shan Yu."

Shang watched as Mulan got up and left, not knowing whether to go after her or not. His thoughts were interrupted by a grandmamma pushing him out the door. "Well that settles that," he thought. Shang didn't know how he made it to Mulan without getting lost, but he was grateful for that. He watched her as she just stared off into the sunset. Shang saw the tears as they reflected against the setting sun. Almost without any thought, he approached her wiping the tears away with his palm. "I'm sorry, Mulan, but they had to know…," Shang said in reply to Mulan's sigh.

"I know…I just wish that you would have told me first that you were planning on telling them," Mulan replied as she got up and started to walk back. "If I would have done that, you would have manage to change my mind," he thought to himself as he followed her.