Mulan turned to Shang. His expression was unreadable—general to general, husband to wife.
“Not the treaty,” Mulan said. “The men you’re being sent to. Do you love them?”
But Mulan had watched the princesses practice swordplay behind the pavilion tents. She had heard Ting-Ting whisper about the baker’s son she truly loved. She had seen Su cry into her sleeve when she thought no one was looking. Mulan 2
Instead, she felt like a sword forced back into a scabbard that no longer fit.
The wind moved through the bamboo like a held breath. Behind her, the guards shifted uneasily. The fate of three kingdoms balanced on the edge of a single question. Mulan turned to Shang
“How much do you want this?” she asked them directly.
“You’re brooding,” Shang said, leaning on the rail beside her. His wedding band caught the firelight. “It’s your best skill.” “The men you’re being sent to
The mission was supposed to be simple: escort Princesses Mei, Ting-Ting, and Su to their arranged marriages in the Kingdom of Qui Gong. Unite the lands. End a generation of tension.