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Shan-Yu's Victory	By : lightbird Category: +M through R > Mulan (Disney) > Mulan (Disney) Views: 16642 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own the cartoons of Disney Studios, nor any of the characters from them. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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“That’s the column she climbed up,” Chien-Po told Shang quietly as they passed behind the palace. “The third column from the end.”

Gao had managed to obtain two black cloaks, one large enough to cover Chien-Po and one for him.

Shang surveyed the column and the balcony it led to with narrowed eyes. There were no rooms there. These were balconies off of a corridor and there would very likely be a heavy guard posted up there. He could see several guards on the ground level, posted by each column as well. He wondered how Mulan had managed to get in without being seen.

“She said that going in as a woman, she would remain unseen,” Chien-Po spoke up in answer, as if he were reading his mind. “That’s why she wore the dress and went as herself. It was with the idea that women are supposed to be invisible.”

Shang nodded, pushing away the painful twinge of guilt that nagged him as he was reminded that he had treated her terribly for that very reason.

They headed out through the east gate and back to camp, carrying the sacks of food that they had bought.

“Captain, Chien-Po,” Gao greeted them as they approached him. “We have a visitor in our camp.”

“Oh?” Shang answered, his eyebrow raised.

Gao indicated with his thumb and Shang’s eyes fell on Mulan’s little guardian dragon Mushu, perched beside the fire, helping himself to some food.

Mushu glanced at him and nodded as Shang crouched down beside him, wanting to hear what message he might have brought for them. But the guardian didn’t seem to have any sense of urgency at all and sat munching on a dumpling, saying nothing.

Shang sighed, realizing that the odd creature would speak to him in his own good time, and served himself dinner.

“Mulan is alright,” Mushu told him finally when he had finished eating and decided it was the time for them to talk.

“What made you come now?”

“She asked me to be the liaison between you and her. This way you can know what’s going on in the palace and I can let her know what you’re up to.”

Shang’s eyebrow went up in surprise. Mushu just shrugged.

“Hey, it’s a living.”

“I know she’s in the smaller room off of the larger bedchamber used by…him…and the former Emperors.”

“And his falcon is there in her chamber.”

“Guarding her?”

“Waiting for you to come back there,” Mushu laughed. “Shan-Yu believes that you will return for her. And the falcon apparently has your scent memorized.”

Shang just stared at him, not sure what to say to that.

“But that’s one way that I can be of help,” the small dragon continued with a sly smile. “I have that falcon somewhat perplexed. I’m an immortal. He sees me and senses a presence; but I have no scent. That completely throws the bird off.”

“Is there any way I can see her?”

Mushu looked at him as if he was nuts. “Not unless you want your head cut off.”

“She never leaves the palace grounds, I assume.”

“No. She’s wherever he is most of the time, but sometimes she sits out in the palace garden.”

Shang stared into the fire thoughtfully.

“Maybe…”

“Forget it, Shang. I know what you’re thinking. She’s right that Shan-Yu is not to be underestimated. He’s clever and perceptive and nothing gets by him. Don’t even think about going into the garden to meet with her. There are guards watching her wherever she goes, especially there.”

“Why especially?”

He shrugged. “I just know that they keep a close eye on her there. Maybe they’re afraid she’s going to leap over the garden wall and escape.”

“I see.”

“And lately I’ve noticed some of the men checking the trees and shrubs around her.”

Shang laughed slightly at that. “They’re probably trying to find out who she’s talking to. I assume you’re always there with her, having a conversation.”

“Yeah, you’re right.”

“I do have a Hun uniform and armor. If I could somehow slip back in there dressed in the uniform, I could meet her in the garden. I would look like one of them.”

“Yeah, but if that falcon is anywhere around he’ll sniff you out and start squawking up a storm.”

Shang nodded. “Alright, let her know that the men and I are in the market place everyday, observing what’s going on. We’re dressed in plain clothes, either selling things in the market or browsing as if we’re shoppers. Gao and Dr. Kong have a cart from which they’re selling herbs everyday. If she is able to at least get out into the market once in awhile, tell her to try to find them.”

“That’s good. She’ll recognize Dr. Kong. He treated her when she first arrived at that village. Any ideas for a plan yet?”

“No. But we’re keeping our eyes open for an opportunity. Dissention among the Huns that we can take advantage of perhaps. Maybe Mulan can keep an eye out for the same on the inside.”

“She already is. I’ll continue to go back and forth between here and the palace with news and other messages.”

They were silent for a few minutes, then Shang spoke up, hesitantly.

“Mushu, you said that you didn’t know what she saw in me.”

“Yeah, what about it?”

“I…” he trailed off, feeling foolish for having brought it up, and shook his head. “Never mind.”

Shang trailed fell silent for a long time. He felt confused and he didn’t really know why he was asking about it other than it had been on his mind ever since Mushu had made the remark to him. He didn’t know what he had been expecting her guardian to tell him about her.

“I’ll give her the message about you and the others being stationed in the market place everyday. Any other messages you want me to give her, Shang?”

He turned to him and stared at him blankly. “Hmm?”

“Any other messages for her other than the market place?”

Shang shook his head. Mushu darted off and he returned to his previous thoughts.

Yao was right. He owed her an apology. But it had to be in person not through Mushu.

~~~

“How’s the tea?” Mushu quipped as she took a sip and screwed up her face in disgust.

“Nasty. But I’m not ready to give birth, so if this will prevent it I’ll suffer through it.”

“Just be careful. Bi said that it can really be hard on your body and that she would have preferred if you did this under a medic’s supervision.”

“Well, if there’s a medic in the palace I don’t know who he is. But now I know Doctor Kong is around. If I get sick from it maybe you can drag him in out of the market place for me. Thanks for sneaking into the kitchen and making it for me. I don’t think I could have explained my presence in there.”

Mushu watched her as she drained the cup, taking large, quick swallows so she would be less apt to taste the nasty brew.

“What would you say if I told you a certain captain may have second thoughts about you?” her guardian asked with a mischievous smile.

“I would say to mind your own business, Mushu.”

She set the teacup aside and swung her legs up onto the bed, pulling herself back to lean against the wall.

“I know you still have feelings for him, despite whatever nonsense is going on with you and the other guy.”

She closed her eyes with a weary sigh.

“It doesn’t matter. Besides, I’m tainted now.”

“That isn’t all your fault. You were coerced.”

She opened her eyes and turned to him, forcing a laugh as tears began to well up in her eyes. “Coerced? No, not completely. I lost control of myself. And I’m afraid I lost my mind a little, too.”

“Look, even if he treats you well, you have technically been a prisoner here. You’ve been scared, trapped and you were vulnerable.”

“Nobody cares about that.”

“I would. And so would your friends.”

She pondered that for a moment.

“Yes, you’re right. Those three never lost their respect for me when I was revealed. They would care.”

“They stepped forward to help when you were revealed.”

“And Bi would care, too. I suppose if I ever get out of here I can go back to her tavern and ask for a job.”

“Shang may be more understanding than you expect. I really think that he’s starting to look at you differently.”

“I don’t know why I’m still so upset over him anyway,” she mused, more to herself than to her guardian. “How well do I really know him that I should care so much about his opinion of me? He’s a handsome face, that’s all.”

“Yeah, well it wasn’t his face that you were looking at when you were at camp.”

Mulan grinned at him. “Okay, he has a great body, too. Always ready to make a sarcastic remark, aren’t you, Mushu?”

“You know I’m just teasing you. Look, Mulan, Shang...”

“Mushu, please just leave it alone,” she interrupted him insistently. “I don’t want to think about Shang anymore. At least Shan-Yu seems to have respect for who I am as a person in a strange sort of way. I don’t know. The whole thing is a game between the two of us. I don’t have a handle on it and at the same time I feel compelled to keep playing it. It really scares me sometimes.”

“Trying to manipulate and play people like that can be very dangerous,” Mushu remarked, almost philosophically.

“It’s all very complicated, Mushu. It’s a matter of wits. He thought that I chose to stay here with him instead of escaping with Shang, and I let him think that so he wouldn’t kill me for helping him. And so I could stall him and give Shang enough time to escape. Sometimes he tries to pull at the bandage around my waist and peek underneath but I say something to distract him and he stops. But it’s all a game. And he knows when I’m doing it, he even says so. I’m not good at it; he’s just humoring me and letting me win…that round. It’s really weird.”

“Sounds like it,” he muttered. “You said he told you his side of the story.”

She nodded.

“His wife was killed in a skirmish that was started by Imperial soldiers guarding the border towns. It seems that we were aggressors and invaders too.”

She sighed and closed her eyes again.

“I really just don’t know what I think and feel anymore. Everything is different now and it can never go back to the way it was. All I want to do is see to it that my friends are alright.”

“You see? You’re still an honorable girl who wants to do the right thing for the people you care about.”

She opened her eyes and smiled slightly.

Mushu hopped up onto her shoulder and hugged her. “Look, if Shang and the others can get you out of here, wouldn’t you want to go home?”

“Of course, but how can I now?”

“Let’s worry about that after you’re out of here.”

She laughed. “Thanks for the cheering up.”

“Your friends and the others are in the market place now. As soon as there’s an opportunity to come in and get you they will. Shang has a Hun uniform and wants to come meet you in the garden. But I don’t think that would be a wise idea unless I can distract the falcon away from you. And him.”

“Why does he want to meet me in the garden?”

“I guess he’s not satisfied with getting messages from you through me. He wants to talk to you in person.”

He nudged her and Mulan rolled her eyes.

“Enough, Mushu. I finally got him safely out of here. He wants to come back in now?”

“If an opportunity comes up for it, it may be a good idea, Mulan. Talking to him in person, you may come up with other ideas and things you have to say. It’s more immediate than having to get messages back and forth and you may come up with a plan more quickly.”

“You’re right. I just don’t think it’s very plausible with all the guards looking after me in the garden.”

“Well, he’ll be dressed as a guard. Our only problem is that damned bird,” he grumbled, glancing at Suren who was eyeing him. The bird appeared suspicious and perplexed, if it was possible to describe a falcon’s expression that way. “But I think I can take care of him.”

“Alright. Maybe by the time he’s able to get in I’ll actually have something to report.”

“I thought you said the waters were troubled.”

She shook her head slowly.

“I don’t know for sure. It’s just whisperings, and in a language I don’t understand. It’s more of a sense that I get.”
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Shan-Yu's Victory