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www.jingli.mewww.ruxia.meMulan’s thoughts were still twirling the next rning as they rched out of the ca and toward the Mountain Steppe Garrison. The footsteps of the newly de soldiers provided background noise to her pounding heart.
Her deceit was weighing her down re than the bag on her back. She wanted to stay quiet, but she felt as though she should e clean. These n had bee her friends. Coander Tung and Sergeant Qiang had bee ntors. She was betraying thenbsp; all, and to give her full attention on the battlefield, she needed a clear nd. Yet, silence was her friend, too. Not speaking would allow her to keep her secret, while the other choice would result in a punishnt worse than death??.??.??. disgrace.
She looked ahead to where Honghui rched, his head up, his eyes clear. What, she wondered, would he do? What advice would he give her if she were to ask? Then an ige of the Phoenix flashed in her nd. Would her ancestors want her to reveal who she was? Or would they want her to live a lie? By the ti they stopped to ke ca for the night, Mulan had de her decision.
Walking over to the nder’s tent, she paused. Taking a deep breath, she posed herself. “Coander Tung,” she said, announcing herself. “It’s Hua Jun.”
“You y enter, Hua Jun.” Coander Tung’s response was quick and curt.
Entering the tent, Mulan nodded at her nding officer. His attention was focused on his sword, which lay across his lap. He was sharpening it with soth, thodical strokes.
“Coander Tung,” Mulan began. “There is sothing that weighs heavily on heart. I need to confess it to you.” Her uth grew dry as the nder looked up at her. She opened and closed her uth several tis, trying desperately to ke her tongue fornbsp; the right words. “It has to do with the Three Virtues??.??.??.” That was as far as she could get.
As she struggled, Coander Tung watched. To her surprise, she saw passion in his eyes, as if seeing her struggle hurt hi Getting to his feet, the nder approached her. “There’s no sha in being fearful before battle,” he said, staking the reason for her visit. “In fact, it’s a testant to your honesty that you confess such doubt.”
His words stabbed at Mulan’s already guilty conscience. Honesty? She was there to tell hinbsp; how dishonest she was. She shook her head, trying to get the conversation back on track and say what she needed to say. “Yes, Coander,” she said, “but the other virtues—”
Coander Tung interrupted her. “Hua Jun,” he said, his tone serious. “I’ve been doing thi
Her deceit was weighing her down re than the bag on her back. She wanted to stay quiet, but she felt as though she should e clean. These n had bee her friends. Coander Tung and Sergeant Qiang had bee ntors. She was betraying thenbsp; all, and to give her full attention on the battlefield, she needed a clear nd. Yet, silence was her friend, too. Not speaking would allow her to keep her secret, while the other choice would result in a punishnt worse than death??.??.??. disgrace.
She looked ahead to where Honghui rched, his head up, his eyes clear. What, she wondered, would he do? What advice would he give her if she were to ask? Then an ige of the Phoenix flashed in her nd. Would her ancestors want her to reveal who she was? Or would they want her to live a lie? By the ti they stopped to ke ca for the night, Mulan had de her decision.
Walking over to the nder’s tent, she paused. Taking a deep breath, she posed herself. “Coander Tung,” she said, announcing herself. “It’s Hua Jun.”
“You y enter, Hua Jun.” Coander Tung’s response was quick and curt.
Entering the tent, Mulan nodded at her nding officer. His attention was focused on his sword, which lay across his lap. He was sharpening it with soth, thodical strokes.
“Coander Tung,” Mulan began. “There is sothing that weighs heavily on heart. I need to confess it to you.” Her uth grew dry as the nder looked up at her. She opened and closed her uth several tis, trying desperately to ke her tongue fornbsp; the right words. “It has to do with the Three Virtues??.??.??.” That was as far as she could get.
As she struggled, Coander Tung watched. To her surprise, she saw passion in his eyes, as if seeing her struggle hurt hi Getting to his feet, the nder approached her. “There’s no sha in being fearful before battle,” he said, staking the reason for her visit. “In fact, it’s a testant to your honesty that you confess such doubt.”
His words stabbed at Mulan’s already guilty conscience. Honesty? She was there to tell hinbsp; how dishonest she was. She shook her head, trying to get the conversation back on track and say what she needed to say. “Yes, Coander,” she said, “but the other virtues—”
Coander Tung interrupted her. “Hua Jun,” he said, his tone serious. “I’ve been doing thi