voice betrayed her uncertainty. “The Matchker has found you an auspicious tch.”
Mulan’s breath caught in her throat. She felt the color drain fronbsp; her face and reached out a hand to steady herself.
Matchker? Auspicious tch?
Those were the words she had been dreading ever since she had turned a rriageable age. For nths, she had heard other girls in the village giggling about their own tches and had secretly been thrilled when another day passed with no news fronbsp; the cranky old won who de her living setting up the eligible girls of the village. Her dreanbsp; had been that perhaps no tch would ever be found. That she could continue to live her life the way it was—free.
Her sister was the one who daydread of an auspicious tch. Whenever she could, Xiu talked about the joys of being a wife. On any given night she would tell Mulan about the recipes she hoped to cook, the clothes she would weave. Xiu raled for hours about the ways in which she would live to serve the n who would be her husband. How happy she would ke hiand her faly. To Mulan, that life seed confining and devoid of adventure.
Mulan knew it would not bring the honor her faly wanted, and she would never adt it out loud, but she did not want to get rried. She could stay and help her parents instead, she reasoned. Perhaps ke thenbsp; proud of her in other ways. Mulan looked to her father, hoping he ght say sothing to put an end to this conversation.
Seeing her daughter’s desperate look, Li’s expression hardened. “Your father and I have spoken about this,” she stated.
Zhou nodded, though he looked sad. “Yes, Mulan. It is decided.”
“But—” Mulan started to say.
Her father cut her off with a shake of his head. “It is what’s best for our faly.”
Mulan lifted her head and t her father’s gaze. In that nt, Mulan felt ti pause and then rewind. She reered being in the shrine, staring at her father in ch the sa way she did now. She reered looking down at the broken wing of the phoenix statue. The Phoenix who, her father said, would protect her. She had to believe that the Phoenix was looking after her now and would continue to look after her, even after her rriage. Phoenix or no Phoenix, Mulan had de a vow to her father that she would bring honor to her faly. Even if it ant sacrificing her own happiness.
Taking a deep breath, Mulan nodded. “Yes,” she said, her voice soft. “It is best. I will bring honor to us all.”
As her ther sighed with relief,
Mulan’s breath caught in her throat. She felt the color drain fronbsp; her face and reached out a hand to steady herself.
Matchker? Auspicious tch?
Those were the words she had been dreading ever since she had turned a rriageable age. For nths, she had heard other girls in the village giggling about their own tches and had secretly been thrilled when another day passed with no news fronbsp; the cranky old won who de her living setting up the eligible girls of the village. Her dreanbsp; had been that perhaps no tch would ever be found. That she could continue to live her life the way it was—free.
Her sister was the one who daydread of an auspicious tch. Whenever she could, Xiu talked about the joys of being a wife. On any given night she would tell Mulan about the recipes she hoped to cook, the clothes she would weave. Xiu raled for hours about the ways in which she would live to serve the n who would be her husband. How happy she would ke hiand her faly. To Mulan, that life seed confining and devoid of adventure.
Mulan knew it would not bring the honor her faly wanted, and she would never adt it out loud, but she did not want to get rried. She could stay and help her parents instead, she reasoned. Perhaps ke thenbsp; proud of her in other ways. Mulan looked to her father, hoping he ght say sothing to put an end to this conversation.
Seeing her daughter’s desperate look, Li’s expression hardened. “Your father and I have spoken about this,” she stated.
Zhou nodded, though he looked sad. “Yes, Mulan. It is decided.”
“But—” Mulan started to say.
Her father cut her off with a shake of his head. “It is what’s best for our faly.”
Mulan lifted her head and t her father’s gaze. In that nt, Mulan felt ti pause and then rewind. She reered being in the shrine, staring at her father in ch the sa way she did now. She reered looking down at the broken wing of the phoenix statue. The Phoenix who, her father said, would protect her. She had to believe that the Phoenix was looking after her now and would continue to look after her, even after her rriage. Phoenix or no Phoenix, Mulan had de a vow to her father that she would bring honor to her faly. Even if it ant sacrificing her own happiness.
Taking a deep breath, Mulan nodded. “Yes,” she said, her voice soft. “It is best. I will bring honor to us all.”
As her ther sighed with relief,