Last chapter.... Duh duh DUNNNN! Not very dramatic since everyone knows what happens.... :) Please review
P.S. I don't own Mulan. It's all Disney...
I raced into the stable. Grabbing my saddle, reins, bridle. I threw the saddle onto the back of my steed, tightening the strap.
"Ahem." Jumping in surprise, I spun and reached for my sword, unsheathing the sharp blade and held it defensively in front of me.
The stable boy looked wide-eyed at the deadly tip, his hands up in a surrender position.
"Would you like me to get that for you, Captain?" he squeaked, his legs shaking.
I sheathed my sword, feeling my face flush.
"Uh, yes. Please. I'll be back." I handed him my supplies and raced out of the stable and back into the Palace. I reached my room, the smell of smoke staining everything I had. I grabbed a canvas satchel and started shoving articles of clothing into it. Anything I could find. I had to catch up to her. I had to tell her–
Tell her what? I really hadn't prepared anything to say. I paused. What would I say to her? I shrugged to myself, although I was alone, and continued packing. I'd figure it out on the ride. I finished quickly, and threw the satchel over my shoulder and fled the room.
I wove through the Palace corridors, rounded a corner, narrowly avoided crashing into...
The Emperor. My eyes grew wide and my face heated.
"I'm....I apologize, Your Majesty," his eyes twinkled with humour. He smiled knowingly at me.
"If you are, indeed, going after her, shall you mind returning this to her?" He held forth a highly polished helmet. I nodded and bowed, gingerly taking the helmet. If I didn't find her, at least I'd have something left of her. Don't even think that.
I finally made it back to the stable, where my horse was waiting, ready for battle, with the stable boy standing by looking satisfied. I attached the satchel to the horse's side and swung up on the saddle. He looked and me patiently, waiting. A tip! I looked down, I had nothing but my armour and a crudely packed bag.
"I, uh..." He shook his head.
"Just go." I smiled thankfully and kicked the steed's side, and galloped out the door.
Seven days. I had been riding for seven days, but I had seen no sign of her. The horizon was dotted with small farm houses. Fields stretched out before me, as far as I could see. I had long since passed the snow-covered region, and it although the air was cool and crisp, the land remained green. Finally, I approached a small village.
It was a small town, mostly agriculture. Small, crumbling shops lined the dirt streets. The road was fairly busy, bustling with merchants and shoppers. Carts jostled passed me, bouncing in the potholes in the roads. I dismounted my horse and lead it by the reins. Stopping on the thin side streets, I leaned into one of the tented merchant shops.
"Fa Mulan?" I asked. He shook his head and waved me off, turning back to his customers. I continued down the streets stopping several more men and women. They all shook their hands, apologized, and continued on their way, much too busy to be stopped by a desperate stranger. My hope was diminishing. This town was bigger than I thought. This was the only village I've passed for several days, and must be the centre activity in the area.
"Are you looking for Fa Mulan?" A voice behind me asked. I spun to see an squat older woman, her hair pulled back into a painfully tight bun. She stared at me with her eyebrows raised, questioningly. She wore fine clothing and stood before a well-maintained building.
"Yes," I breathed. "Do you know where I can find her?" She smiled and pointed her thin finger behind me. I turned and my gaze curved around a winding path.
"About a twenty minute ride," she croaked. I nodded and bowed.
"Thank you. Thank you." Swinging back onto my horse, I carefully made my way into the rocky street.
As I rounded another bend, I found myself nervously rehearsing what I would say to her. I didn't have a clue what to tell her, or have a reason why I came other than to see her, to return her helmet. My hands were shaking. Why am I so nervous since I've met her? But she had changed me, several times over. She had saved my life. She was a national hero. And here I was, holding just her helmet, my only contribution to the county's saviour. A sad, unsuitable offering.
And I had nothing to say to her. Nothing but, Hello, remember me? The one who abandoned you and left you for dead on the mountain, then blacked out when Shan Yu tried to kill you?
I shook my head. I would think of something. And I saw it. Her house unravelled from the ribbon of the road. And as I grew closer, my excitement seemed to multiply. The house was bright and clean. Blossoms littered the ground like a pathway, dotting the ground as if stepping stones. I climbed down from my horse and drew in a deep breath. Counting fourteen steps to the door, I raised my fist and rapped on the solid wood. Fifty-six seconds later, not that I was counting, I knocked again. Nothing. Only silence.
After all of that? I sighed in disappointment. Turning, I made my way back to my horse when I heard voices drifting in the wind. Feeling slightly nosy, I made my way past the house, keeping close to the stone wall on my side. As I reached a break in the wall, I saw two women; their heads bent together and their voices hushed. Here goes nothing...
"Excuse me? Does Fa Mulan live here?" I clutched the helmet in my hands, running my hands over the smooth metal. The women spun, their faces filled with shock. The younger of the two looked remarkably like Mulan. They just pointed through a break in the wall, and I slipped passed them and into the garden.
I stepped forward nervously. A man was crouched in the corner, sitting on his knees. I approached him, and he shakily got to his feet. Fa Zhou! The Fa Zhou! I bowed my head in respect to the great warrior.
"Honourable Fa Zhou, I–" but before I could finish, she appeared, filling my vision and making my heart race. Say something! Say ANYHTING. Do it! Now!
"You forgot your helmet!" Niiiccceee...... "Oh, well, actually, it's your helmet, isn't it?" I stuttered, offering it over to Fa Zhou "I mean – "
He nodded towards Mulan, as if to say Where in the world did you pick up this boy? But she seemed to understand, and she rushed forwards, taking the helmet from me, her soft hands momentarily brushing mine.
"Would you like to stay for dinner?" she asked, her soft smile making the corners of my mouth turn up as well.
"Would you like to stay forever?" exclaimed a voice from behind us. We both turned, and Mulan blushed, the warmth sweeping her face as she shook her head in silent laughter.
"Dinner would be great." Fa Zhou stepped forward to shake my hand.
"I don't believe we've been properly introduced." He looked at Mulan expectantly. She cleared her throat.
"This is Captain Li Shang. Shang, this is my father." I smiled. Captain Li Shang. Here I was not The General's son. "And this is my mother, Fa Li, and my grandmother." I bowed to the two women.
"It's very nice to meet you." The older woman looked up at me, a smirk stained on her lips, but the rest of her expression was unreadable.
"Oh yes. We were just discussing how wonderful it would be if Mulan–" Fa Li cleared her throat in that instant, cutting the older woman off.
"I think it's time for dinner," she said calmly, earning her a grateful look from Mulan. Her family walked through the doorway, leaving me and Mulan standing awkwardly alone.
"Mulan, I–" she gazed up at me, waiting expectantly. I sighed and shook my head. She gave a small smile and motioned me towards her home, making her way there herself. I followed.
Continue? Or not? I was thinking about doing an in-between for the first and second movies, but I'm not really sure.... Please review!!!!