"What do you mean a summer wedding?" Mulan asked opening her arms to her father.
"Well it's not your grandmother's ," Her mother replied touching her face. "Mulan we will talk in the morning we are both tired and desire,"
"No, we will speak now! I demand to know what is occurring!" Mulan firmly enforced upon her family.
Her father's gaze was not of frustration as her mother's but of at ease from his daughter's clear confusion to the matter. Taking his daughter's hand he explained. "Today there was a young man and his father observing during your meeting with the match maker and it seems you made a great impression on the man and his father. We spoke with them and after much debate and bargaining we have decided he would be perfect for you."
"You arranged this," She said with the words stuck in her throat.
"A majority of it yes, the wedding will occur at the end of this month as the General Li and his son must return to his men in this time." He said with a smile.
"You are marrying off to a soldier!" Mulan snapped pulling her hand away from him.
"Yes, you will be following the tradition of your mother's family of marrying into the men of the army." He said with his smile falling from his face. "Your mother and I are very proud of this match as having such a high ranking son will bring upon this family,"
"You didn't even speak to me! You didn't say a word to me and yet you are happy about this marriage!" Mulan shouted echoing throughout the home. "How can you do this to me?"
"You knew what would happen Mulan once you were presented to the match maker. You knew that your marriage would be arranged." Her mother stated standing beside her husband.
"I thought that you would at least have the curiosity of approaching me before agreeing to this I thought you would at least let me determine and decide if I could be happy with this man and eventually grow to love him!" Mulan shouted toward her parents. "I thought you respected me at least that much."
"That is the way things are done, I didn't meet your father till the day of our wedding and we are happy." Fa Li stated rising her voice to match her daughters. "That is the tradition."
" You can't honestly expect me to do this, I refuse! I will not marry this man!" Mulan stated.
"You will do as we say!" Her father shouted silencing all sounds that dwelled within the home. "It is the tradition of the family which has been in place for thousands of years and I will not allow my reckless, embarrassment of a daughter ruin this and ruin her family in the making!"
With the end of his speech the silence still lingered throughout the home and across the mouths of all who were present. Mulan's heart leapt a beat at her father's speech making the tears harder to hold back then ever before. Never in her life had she heard her father speak with such force and such terror reigning in his voice. His eyes were burning with fury while his hands had curled into a tight fist as if he were about to strike. His stare was hard and long looking directly at Mulan without a blink in either eye. Yet it was not a blink that did occur or a word but Mulan turned away from her father running as quickly as she could into the garden allowing her tears to flow was freely as the river.
"What's done is done. Tomorrow we begin the arrangements no questions asked." Fa Zhou stated turning toward his bedchamber.
Running through the mud and stone Mulan felt her body collapse against the side of the Great Stone Dragon which protected their home. Mulan felt safe nowhere in her home as she felt more betrayal than she ever thought possible. Her entire body felt weak and empty as if her entire being had escaped from her as she hoped to do that moment. Her once silk, soft gown had become covered in the mud and grim which lay beneath her knees. Her makeup ran gently down her face destroying all the work the woman had done to destroy her freedom. In a break from her tears Mulan glanced down at her feet to see in the reflection of the pond her face which appeared so foreign to her. Raising her gown's hem she whipped the ruin makeup leaving one side of her face reflecting her natural beauty and the other covered in the products which hid her true self. The image haunted her thoughts and haunted her feelings. She knew that if she were to agree with this marriage and do as they so desire her to do she would risk the possibility of her happiness and her freedom. Yet if she were no refuse she would also risk the happiness and being of her entire family. For what appeared hours Mulan stared into this reflection only to leave with a decision she believed she would regret.
"I want to meet him." Mulan stated upon looking at her family sitting at the table the next morning.
"Pardon me?" Her mother asked with the astonishment of her daughter's presence.
"Before the marriage I desire to meet this man." Mulan stated sitting herself down. "I want to at least know what he looks like before I give my freedom to him."
"Mulan I don't think that will be possible it would be challenging for your father and I," Her mother stated looking down at the table.
"If I do this will you grantee you will be as we instruct during the arrangements and wedding?" Her father stated still looking at his bowl.
"I will do as best as I can but you must permit me to have a meeting with him free of any others. I want to speak to him alone." Mulan said looking at her father.
"My word, we cannot allow that." Her mother stated. "What will people say?"
"In the garden, that is where I shall permit the meeting to take place." Her father stated raising his head. "Is it a deal?"
"Yes," Mulan said rising from her spot.
"What do you mean she wants to meet me?" Li Shang said with his arms crossed as he turned to face his sitting father.
"The young woman desires to meet her future husband that is her simple request. I have spoken with her father this late morning and he states that she desires to meet you. I am sure it is just to get a look at you and learn your name." He laughed as he read over his maps and letters.
"But it is not done in that fashion, I am not to meet her till the ceremony. Besides I already know what she looks like." Shang replied turning his head away.
"Yes but she doesn't know you, so tomorrow afternoon we are visiting the Fa estate. I shall be coming with you and you are her shall be having a private audience with one another."
"A private audience?"
"Yes, for God's sake boy the girl just wants to meet you."
"Yes father." Shang said turning back toward the window and whispering under his breath. "It is simply the matter of me speaking to her."