Mulan’sthoughtswerestilltwirlingthenextmorningastheymarchedoutofthecampandtowardtheMountainSteppeGarrison.Thefootstepsofthenewlymadesoldiersprovidedbackgroundnoisetoherpoundingheart.

Herdeceitwasweighingherdownmorethanthebagonherback.Shewantedtostayquiet,butshefeltasthoughsheshouldcomeclean.Thesemenhadbecomeherfriends.CommanderTungandSergeantQianghadbecomementors.Shewasbetrayingthemall,andtogiveherfullattentiononthebattlefield,sheneededaclearmind.Yet,silencewasherfriend,too.Notspeakingwouldallowhertokeephersecret,whiletheotherchoicewouldresultinapunishmentworsethandeath??.??.??.disgrace.

ShelookedaheadtowhereHonghuimarched,hisheadup,hiseyesclear.What,shewondered,wouldhedo?Whatadvicewouldhegiveherifsheweretoask?ThenanimageofthePhoenixflashedinhermind.Wouldherancestorswanthertorevealwhoshewas?Orwouldtheywanthertolivealie?Bythetimetheystoppedtomakecampforthenight,Mulanhadmadeherdecision.

Walkingovertothecommander’stent,shepaused.Takingadeepbreath,shecomposedherself.“CommanderTung,”shesaid,announcingherself.“It’sHuaJun.”

“Youmayenter,HuaJun.”CommanderTung’sresponsewasquickandcurt.

Enteringthetent,Mulannoddedathercommandingofficer.Hisattentionwasfocusedonhissword,whichlayacrosshislap.Hewassharpeningitwithsmooth,methodicalstrokes.

“CommanderTung,”Mulanbegan.“Thereissomethingthatweighsheavilyonmyheart.Ineedtoconfessittoyou.”Hermouthgrewdryasthecommanderlookedupather.Sheopenedandclosedhermouthseveraltimes,tryingdesperatelytomakehertongueformtherightwords.“IthastodowiththeThreeVirtues??.??.??.”Thatwasasfarasshecouldget.

Asshestruggled,CommanderTungwatched.Tohersurprise,shesawcompassioninhiseyes,asifseeingherstrugglehurthim.Gettingtohisfeet,thecommanderapproachedher.“There’snoshameinbeingfearfulbeforebattle,”hesaid,mistakingthereasonforhervisit.“Infact,it’satestamenttoyourhonestythatyouconfesssuchdoubt.”

HiswordsstabbedatMulan’salreadyguiltyconscience.Honesty?Shewastheretotellhimhowdishonestshewas.Sheshookherhead,tryingtogettheconversationbackontrackandsaywhatsheneededtosay.“Yes,Commander,”shesaid,“buttheothervirtues—”

CommanderTunginterruptedher.“HuaJun,”hesaid,histoneserious.“I’vebeendoingthisalongtime.Istakemycareeronmyabilitytojudgecharacter.You’reagoodman.Perhapsonedayyou’llaccompanymetomyvillage,whereIwillintroduceyoutomydaughter.”

Hisdaughter?

Mulan’sjawdropped.Thosewerethelastwordsshehadanticipatedcomingoutofhismouth.

“Andourvillagematchmaker,ofcourse,”CommanderTungfinished.

Mulan’skneesbuckledassheunderstoodwhatthecommander’swordsimplied.Notknowinghowtorespond,shebowed.Shehadnochoicebuttonodherhead.“Itwouldbemygreathonor,Commander.”

Hesmiled,reliefonhisface.Mulanrealizedthathehadbeenoddlynervoustosaysuchathingtoher.Itmadethelieshewaslivingfeelstillmoreshameful.Shehadcometotellhimthetruth,andyetsomehowendedupfurtherintothemessherliehadcreated.

“I’lllookforwardtothelookonyourfather’sfacewhenyougivehimthisnews,”thecommandersaid,bringingtheconversationtoaclose.

Slippingoutsidethetent,Mulanletoutashakybreath.Asshedid,shesawthePhoenixstandingafewfeetaway.Thebirdhadoverheardtheentireexchange.ShegaveMulanalookthatclearlysaid,

Really?

“Well,whatwasIsupposedtodo?”Mulanwhispered.

ThePhoenixshotheranotherlook.Thisonewaseveneasiertoread.

Idon’tknow.Maybenotagreetogetmarriedtoawoman.

“Thankyouforyoursupport,”Mulansaid,thistimenotbotheringtowhisperorkeepthesarcasmfromhervoice.“Really.”

ButthePhoenixwasright.Sheshouldn’thavesaidyes.Sheshouldhavetoldthetruthlikeshehadplannedto.Instead,shehadletthelielive,andnowthingscouldn’tpossiblygetworse.

Fortunately,Mulanwasn’tgiventimetodwellonthegrowingchaosofhersituation.Arrivingbackathertent,shehadonlyafewhoursofrestlesssleepbeforethesoldierswereonceagainawokenandorderedtomoveout.

Theymarchedthroughthedesertsteppe,thedry,shrub-coveredgroundofferingthemlittleprotectionfromtheelements,oranypotentialenemyeyes.Mulan’sgazedriftedoverthearidlandscapeastheywalked,hermindfeelingasdrainedasthelandaroundher.Afterafewhours’march,thelandbegantorisebeneaththeirfeet,theshrubsgivingwaytoarockylandscape.Inthedistance,theMountainSteppeGarrisonroseup,protectedononesidebymountainsbutleftvulnerableinthefront.

Arrivinginfrontofthegarrisonentrance,CommanderTungliftedahand.Mulanandtheotherscametoahaltastheywaitedforthesoldierstoopentheheavygates.Asthewoodendoorsopened,theinsideofthegarrisoncameintoview.ItwaslikeanyothergarrisonundertheEmperor’srule.Filledwithvendorssellingtheirgoodsandafewsmallerbuildings,itwasbusy,butnotbustling.Inonecorner,Mulanspottedatavern.Thenhereyesgrewwideandsheletoutahappyshout.

“BlackWind!”

Astheothersoldierslookedaroundforwhathadcausedheroutburst,Mulanracedacrossthegarrisontowardthetavern.Herhorsestoodtiedupinfront.Hearinghervoice,heletoutahappynickerandpulledbackagainstthereins,tryingtofreehimself.Mulanthrewherarmsaroundhim,breathinginhisfamiliarandcomfortingscent.Finally,shepulledaway.Herhandstillgentlyrubbingthehorse’sneck,hereyesshiftedtowardthetaverndoor.Thentheynarrowed.Sheknewexactlywhowasinside.

GivingBlackWindonelastpatandpromisingshewouldbeback,Mulanstormedinsidethetavern.ShespottedSkatchandRamtishimmediately.Theyweresittingatatable,staringdownatamap.Theirrobesandbeardsseemeddirtierthanwhenshehadlastseenthem.Mulanapproached,herstepsdetermined.Ramtishspottedher,andherexpressiongrewmorefuriousasshesawhimshiftuncomfortablyinhisseat.

“Rememberthatconscript,thatkid??.??.??.”sheheardRamtishsaytoSkatch.

Theothermannodded.“HuaJun,”hesaid.

“Rememberyoutaughthimtostandhisground,owntheplace?”hesaid.Skatchmumbledayesbutkeptstaringatthemap.Ramtishwenton.“Tipofthebladeandallthat?”

“So?”Skatchsaid,soundingannoyedtobedistracted.

“Hetookittoheart,”Ramtishfinished.