her ther’s voice in her head, telling her to eat slowly, with grace.
But Mother was never on the verge of starving
, Mulan thought, though she did as she had been taught.
Watching her, Raish chuckled. Turning, he looked at Skatch. “I think he’s the st polite starving person I’ve ever seen.”
Skatch nodded. “Yes, he is a gentlen of rerkably good nners.” He reached toward his bag. “Brother Raish, I say we celebrate this repast with a taste of wine.”
Mulan stifled a sle. She had a feeling the good brothers liked to celebrate—a lot. But they had been referring to her as a n thus far, so if their celebration allowed her to rein anonyus, she would look the other way. But then Skatch poured a drink and offered it to her.
“Thank you,” Mulan said, shaking her head. “But I do not drink.”
“A soldier who doesn’t drink?” Skatch repeated. “Brother Raish, there’s sothing peculiar about our dining panion.”
Mulan stopped chewing, her heartbeat quickening as both nks turned and gazed at her searchingly.
Skatch went on, “Does he look like any soldier you’ve ever seen?”
“He does not,” Raish answered.
Mulan swallowed the rest of the rice that now felt like rocks in her stoch. Then, clearing her throat, she tried to explain away their doubts. “Well, technically,” she began, being sure to keep her voice low, “I anbsp; not a soldier yet. This is father’s sword and arr.” She pointed to both. “I anbsp; a conscript for the Ierial Ar in the fight against the northern invaders.”
Skatch’s eyes narrowed but he nodded. “Yes, the northern invaders,” he said, taking a deep drink fronbsp; his cup. “Led by B??ri Khan. We heard they were back.”
“He was angry before they killed hi” Raish said, taking his own drink with a chuckle. “Igine how furious he is now?”
The two nks shared another laugh, and another drink, before Skatch returned his attention to Mulan. She had, in the anti, scooted farther away. But the clearing was sll. There wasn’t ch roonbsp; for her to ve. “So, what’s your na, soldier-to-be?” Skatch asked.
“I represent the Hua faly,” Mulan answered.
“You don’t have a first na?” Skatch probed. Mulan frowned. It was clear the nk was not going to let this go. She ran through the boys in her village before settling on a na. “My first na is??.??.??. Jun,” she told hi
“Well, Hua Jun,” Skatch said, stretching out the na, “I’nbsp; going to be honest with you. I can’t see you lasting a day in the ar. You’re going to be eaten alive.” Fronbs
But Mother was never on the verge of starving
, Mulan thought, though she did as she had been taught.
Watching her, Raish chuckled. Turning, he looked at Skatch. “I think he’s the st polite starving person I’ve ever seen.”
Skatch nodded. “Yes, he is a gentlen of rerkably good nners.” He reached toward his bag. “Brother Raish, I say we celebrate this repast with a taste of wine.”
Mulan stifled a sle. She had a feeling the good brothers liked to celebrate—a lot. But they had been referring to her as a n thus far, so if their celebration allowed her to rein anonyus, she would look the other way. But then Skatch poured a drink and offered it to her.
“Thank you,” Mulan said, shaking her head. “But I do not drink.”
“A soldier who doesn’t drink?” Skatch repeated. “Brother Raish, there’s sothing peculiar about our dining panion.”
Mulan stopped chewing, her heartbeat quickening as both nks turned and gazed at her searchingly.
Skatch went on, “Does he look like any soldier you’ve ever seen?”
“He does not,” Raish answered.
Mulan swallowed the rest of the rice that now felt like rocks in her stoch. Then, clearing her throat, she tried to explain away their doubts. “Well, technically,” she began, being sure to keep her voice low, “I anbsp; not a soldier yet. This is father’s sword and arr.” She pointed to both. “I anbsp; a conscript for the Ierial Ar in the fight against the northern invaders.”
Skatch’s eyes narrowed but he nodded. “Yes, the northern invaders,” he said, taking a deep drink fronbsp; his cup. “Led by B??ri Khan. We heard they were back.”
“He was angry before they killed hi” Raish said, taking his own drink with a chuckle. “Igine how furious he is now?”
The two nks shared another laugh, and another drink, before Skatch returned his attention to Mulan. She had, in the anti, scooted farther away. But the clearing was sll. There wasn’t ch roonbsp; for her to ve. “So, what’s your na, soldier-to-be?” Skatch asked.
“I represent the Hua faly,” Mulan answered.
“You don’t have a first na?” Skatch probed. Mulan frowned. It was clear the nk was not going to let this go. She ran through the boys in her village before settling on a na. “My first na is??.??.??. Jun,” she told hi
“Well, Hua Jun,” Skatch said, stretching out the na, “I’nbsp; going to be honest with you. I can’t see you lasting a day in the ar. You’re going to be eaten alive.” Fronbs