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filled her. What if they didn’t want her back? What if they were already disgraced? What if they told her to leave and never return?
As Black Wind’s pace slowed, Mulan saw villagers begin to enter the courtyard, curious to see who had arrived. Spotting Mulan, their faces filled with interest. The Matchker stepped out onto her front steps, her angry face growing still angrier when she saw Mulan.
Stopping in the courtyard, Mulan saw the door to her ho open. A nt later, her sister rushed out. Upon seeing Xiu, all her fear vanished. Juing down, Mulan ran over to her sister and threw her ar around her. She was ho.
Mulan pulled back. Looking at Xiu, she sled wary. The younger girl looked??.??.??. different. But then her sister spoke, and her war happy voice was the sa. “There is so ch I have to ask you!” she said, grabbing Mulan’s hand and squeezing it tightly.
Mulan laughed. “Tell about you first,” she said.
“I anbsp; tched,” Xiu said, letting out her own laugh when she saw Mulan’s surprised expression. “You will like hi”
“I anbsp; happy for—” Mulan didn’t get a chance to finish as her ther plowed between the daughters, throwing her ar around Mulan and eracing her. The older won’s ar shook, and Mulan let her ther cling to her. No words needed to be spoken. Mulan knew she had been iven.
But then, over her ther’s shoulder, she saw her father. Zhou stood silently, leaning upon his cane. His expression was blank, his eyes iossible to read. Pulling free fronbsp; her ther, she approached hi Once again, her heart began to pound nervously. She had practiced her speech to hinbsp; a hundred tis, yet still she struggled to find the words.
“ive , Father. I stole your horse, I stole your arr??.??.??. I stole your sword.” She choked on the word. Stopping, she gathered the courage she had found on the battlefield and went on. “And I lost it—the sword is gone. I understand now how ch that sword ans to you.”
Silence fell upon thenbsp; as Mulan stared up at her father, desperate to hear his answer. And when he spoke, his voice shook with etion. “It is daughter that ans everything to .” As tears dropped down Zhou’s cheeks, he went on. “And it is I who owe you an apology. It was foolish pride that drove you away.”
Mulan began to shake her head but stopped as Zhou held up his hand. He looked at her, taking in the warrior clothing she wore and the way she carried herself, even when filled with etion. He nodded slowly, as realization of who she was, who she ha
As Black Wind’s pace slowed, Mulan saw villagers begin to enter the courtyard, curious to see who had arrived. Spotting Mulan, their faces filled with interest. The Matchker stepped out onto her front steps, her angry face growing still angrier when she saw Mulan.
Stopping in the courtyard, Mulan saw the door to her ho open. A nt later, her sister rushed out. Upon seeing Xiu, all her fear vanished. Juing down, Mulan ran over to her sister and threw her ar around her. She was ho.
Mulan pulled back. Looking at Xiu, she sled wary. The younger girl looked??.??.??. different. But then her sister spoke, and her war happy voice was the sa. “There is so ch I have to ask you!” she said, grabbing Mulan’s hand and squeezing it tightly.
Mulan laughed. “Tell about you first,” she said.
“I anbsp; tched,” Xiu said, letting out her own laugh when she saw Mulan’s surprised expression. “You will like hi”
“I anbsp; happy for—” Mulan didn’t get a chance to finish as her ther plowed between the daughters, throwing her ar around Mulan and eracing her. The older won’s ar shook, and Mulan let her ther cling to her. No words needed to be spoken. Mulan knew she had been iven.
But then, over her ther’s shoulder, she saw her father. Zhou stood silently, leaning upon his cane. His expression was blank, his eyes iossible to read. Pulling free fronbsp; her ther, she approached hi Once again, her heart began to pound nervously. She had practiced her speech to hinbsp; a hundred tis, yet still she struggled to find the words.
“ive , Father. I stole your horse, I stole your arr??.??.??. I stole your sword.” She choked on the word. Stopping, she gathered the courage she had found on the battlefield and went on. “And I lost it—the sword is gone. I understand now how ch that sword ans to you.”
Silence fell upon thenbsp; as Mulan stared up at her father, desperate to hear his answer. And when he spoke, his voice shook with etion. “It is daughter that ans everything to .” As tears dropped down Zhou’s cheeks, he went on. “And it is I who owe you an apology. It was foolish pride that drove you away.”
Mulan began to shake her head but stopped as Zhou held up his hand. He looked at her, taking in the warrior clothing she wore and the way she carried herself, even when filled with etion. He nodded slowly, as realization of who she was, who she ha