I thought I would try writing in first person. Please let me know what you think!
Day Five: Vow
I was setting up camp as I do every evening. Aurora was sitting off to the side with her back against a tree. She seemed to be deep in thought. I thought there might be something wrong and wanted to see if there was something I could do to make her feel better. Not sure how else to go about it, I started simple, asking her if she was alright.
"Why don't you just leave me somewhere?" she said. It took me a moment to figure out that that was what she had been thinking about.
Confused as to why she would ask such a thing, I asked, "Why would I leave you somewhere?"
She looked up at me. Her expression blatantly saying I should know the answer. In reality, I didn't.
"I slow you down, I am of no use; in fact, I make more work for you. It isn't fair that you should have to put up with me. Yet you keep me around….." she trailed off on the verge of tears. "Why?" she whispered.
Before I could stop myself, I started the practiced response, "Because I promised Philip, and my honor-"
She cut me off, "Yes, yes, your honor would not allow you to abandon a promise, but Philip is dead. Nothing is stopping you."
I stopped what I was doing to crouch in front of her. It sounded like she wanted me to leave her somewhere but her tears said otherwise. I wondered why this woman was so damn complicated. I tried to answer her question again.
"Aurora, I keep you with me because I enjoy having someone with me. It is true I have had to travel alone before. It is lonely and maddening. You keep me sane and I have something worth protecting. Your presence is a gift to me."
She looked at me with the biggest eyes I have seen to date. I think we were both a little surprised about how much I had opened up to her in those few sentences. I don't know what it is about her, but she brings out the more emotional side of me that I spent years trying to subdue. Strangely, I don't mind that much.
Putting my hand on her arm in what I hoped was a reassuring gesture, I said with all seriousness, "And I promise you, I will fight for you and protect you" and with a small smile forming I added, "even if there comes a time where you don't think you need it."
With tears still in her eyes a huge smile spread across her face. She lunged forward, knocking me back to land on my rear. When I could comprehend what just happened, I already had Aurora hugging me around my middle. My arms wrapped around her on their own accord. We sat there for some time not moving and not saying anything. Finally she lifted her head. "Thank you, Mulan."
Still not entirely sure this was all really happening, I looked at her. "For what?" I asked again genuinely confused.
She put her head back down on my chest. I could barely hear her answer: "For wanting me."