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to pull her hand free fronbsp; Black Wind’s reins. Nervously, Mulan clung tighter to the leather. Honghui shook his head.
“You still won’t take hand?” he asked. His voice was soft, deep with etion.
Why was she hesitating? Honghui was standing there in front of her, asking for her hand, and yet in that nt she was re frightened than she had ever been—even re than when she had faced down B??ri Khan. This felt re real, re dangerous, re iortant. The air was charged with an electricity she could not yet define. Holding in a breath, Mulan let her fingers curl around his. As she did so, etion flooded through her. She gazed down at their fingers, now twined together, and she saw a future. Lifting her eyes, she t Honghui’s gaze. For the first ti she truly looked at hinbsp; and let hinbsp; look at her??.??.??. as Mulan. Her head ved closer to his. Closer, and closer, until she paused, her lips inches fronbsp; Honghui’s.
“I’ve never kissed a n before,” she said.
Honghui sled. “Neither have I.”
And then, Honghui brought his lips to hers. As they kissed, their fingers stayed locked and Mulan sank into Honghui. It was, she thought as a rning dove cooed sowhere nearby, everything she had hoped for and nothing she could have dared dreanbsp; for. It was perfect.
Mulan reluctantly pulled back, breaking the kiss. Her cheeks flushed, she brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes and sled nervously at Honghui. If she could have, she would have stayed there, on that bridge, kissing Honghui for the rest of her life. But she had told the Eeror she had ands to ke, and she couldn’t afford the distraction, no tter how pleasant it was.
Picking up the reins fronbsp; where they had dropped, Mulan threw thenbsp; over Black Wind’s head. Then she jued on the horse’s back. With one last look, too afraid that if she spoke, her voice would break with etion, Mulan turned and rode away. But before she had even reached the gate, she heard Honghui shout, “I will see you again, Hua Mulan!”
Turning, she saw hinbsp; standing where she had left hi his hand in the air, waving goodbye. She sled back at hi
Yes,
she thought,
I hope.
Then she urged Black Wind forward, disappearing through the gate and leaving the palace, and Honghui, behind.
After ch traveling, Mulan finally rode into her village, her heart pounding. She had spent the entire ride fronbsp; the palace thinking of what she would say when she was reunited with her faly, but now that the nt was alst upon her, fear
“You still won’t take hand?” he asked. His voice was soft, deep with etion.
Why was she hesitating? Honghui was standing there in front of her, asking for her hand, and yet in that nt she was re frightened than she had ever been—even re than when she had faced down B??ri Khan. This felt re real, re dangerous, re iortant. The air was charged with an electricity she could not yet define. Holding in a breath, Mulan let her fingers curl around his. As she did so, etion flooded through her. She gazed down at their fingers, now twined together, and she saw a future. Lifting her eyes, she t Honghui’s gaze. For the first ti she truly looked at hinbsp; and let hinbsp; look at her??.??.??. as Mulan. Her head ved closer to his. Closer, and closer, until she paused, her lips inches fronbsp; Honghui’s.
“I’ve never kissed a n before,” she said.
Honghui sled. “Neither have I.”
And then, Honghui brought his lips to hers. As they kissed, their fingers stayed locked and Mulan sank into Honghui. It was, she thought as a rning dove cooed sowhere nearby, everything she had hoped for and nothing she could have dared dreanbsp; for. It was perfect.
Mulan reluctantly pulled back, breaking the kiss. Her cheeks flushed, she brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes and sled nervously at Honghui. If she could have, she would have stayed there, on that bridge, kissing Honghui for the rest of her life. But she had told the Eeror she had ands to ke, and she couldn’t afford the distraction, no tter how pleasant it was.
Picking up the reins fronbsp; where they had dropped, Mulan threw thenbsp; over Black Wind’s head. Then she jued on the horse’s back. With one last look, too afraid that if she spoke, her voice would break with etion, Mulan turned and rode away. But before she had even reached the gate, she heard Honghui shout, “I will see you again, Hua Mulan!”
Turning, she saw hinbsp; standing where she had left hi his hand in the air, waving goodbye. She sled back at hi
Yes,
she thought,
I hope.
Then she urged Black Wind forward, disappearing through the gate and leaving the palace, and Honghui, behind.
After ch traveling, Mulan finally rode into her village, her heart pounding. She had spent the entire ride fronbsp; the palace thinking of what she would say when she was reunited with her faly, but now that the nt was alst upon her, fear