Chapter Text
It was a cold morning even though summer was in full swing, it seemed almost as if the weather was trying to mimic in some way the sadness and grief that the villagers felt, everyone knew they had to trust their leaders, but how could they trust when the great Khan was wounded and confined to his bed, even with the Khatun the people were now frightened.
In the Khan's tent the attitude and mood was not unlike that of the people, the family felt very uneasy and unprotected without their new member in full health, even though they knew he would recover, the elders had a bad feeling about this latest attack on their little family.
On the other hand, the young Khatun, stood silently beside her convalescent husband, her mind buzzing with plans to avenge this attack, the idea that a damned unbalanced person was after her family and almost succeeded in murdering her baby and husband, made her blood boil inside her veins, but she knew she should not act out of rage, Batar had taught her that anger and pain would only lead to defeat, and that is something she could not allow herself under any circumstances, so silently holding her beloved's hand, she planned, thought and meditated on every little detail of her strategy to end the Chinese empire and its new regent. The hours passed, Mulan did not feel them as she sat there lost in thought, only when her mother placed her son on her lap did she seem to leave her mind and return to the real world.
Mulan
I give a quiet smile to my little one who is now in my arms, the little one babbles and spits out his mouth smiling slightly, I laugh wiping the spittle with a handkerchief, my mother looks at me happily at my motherly interaction with the little one.
-Grandmother and I will retire to rest," she pats my shoulder, "your father will stay with you and my grandson.
-It's not necessary mother," I give her a reassuring smile, "Everyone needs rest, besides I'll send for Ling, Yao and Chien Po, we'll be fine.
-As you wish, my dear," she kisses my forehead, "may you rest.
The three elders quietly leave the tent, I let out a sigh before asking the guards to call my friends to guard the tent. I doubt very much that I will get any sleep tonight, but still it is better to have reinforcements in case of another unexpected attack, Ernak curls up between my legs blinking sleepily, I stroke his head tenderly, my little warrior I almost lost him, my heart aches at the thought of him.
Batar stirs in his sleep, his left hand looks for me next to him, his eyes move behind his eyelids, he is waking up when he feels that I am not next to him, I take his right hand squeezing it tightly, that seems to wake him up completely because he opens his eyes looking at the room being a little confused at first.
- What time is it? - he asks in a sleepy voice.
-The night is already closed, husband," I answer him, pulling his hair out of his face, "You slept a lot.
-I try to help him, but he pushes me away, seeing the child in my lap, "I can get up on my own, Mulan.
When he finally sits up in bed he looks totally exhausted, some sweat runs down his forehead, I carefully lift my son from my lap and carry him to the cot.
-No," Batar complains, I look at him confused, "Bring him in, it's not safe in there," I completely melt at his comment, he looks so worried, I smile at him and pick our son back up and carry him towards him.
-You want to hold him," he stretches out his arms taking the boy on his good side, Ernak is still sleeping comforted in his father's warmth, "he looks so much like you.
-We almost lost him Mulan- he looks frightened- someone almost took him from us...if we had been together last night...our son would be dead.
-Batar...
-I should have been more attentive...to be...to be better- his head drops directing his gaze to the bundle in his arms- I have no reason to live but for our son and for you Mulan, you are my family...the only one I have left and I refused to lose you.
I can see the tears fall down his cheeks, I sip a little just looking at our baby sleeping comfortably in his arms, my eyes water, I move closer to him sitting on his lap, leaving the child between us, I take Batar's face in my hands gently lift it up meeting his gaze watery with silent tears, I kiss his cheeks wiping the tears away, he sighs through his nose at my loving act.
-I don't deserve your love," he whispers, "I don't deserve my son," I silence him with a soft kiss on his lips.
-Batar- I whisper- listen to me well, you deserve all the happiness that was taken away from you when you were a child, you deserve to be happy, you deserve to have us, you deserve all the love I keep in my heart just for you- I lean my forehead on his- you don't have to be strong alone Batar, you don't need to face danger alone and the most important you don't have to fight this war alone, because now I am here for you, we are a team...and I will never abandon you, because I love you so much that it hurts.
-Mulan," he whispers, "my Mulan, I love you madly, ask me for the moon and I will bring it to you, ask me for jewels and I will buy them, there is nothing I would not do for you, my beloved warrior," I chuckle, to kiss him passionately, leaning my body against his side for a moment afterwards.
We spend the rest of the night sitting on the bed with our baby between us, silence lingers in the place, nothing disturbs us that night, but neither Batar nor I have any desire to sleep, we fear that in every shadow lurks an enemy coming for our little baby.
-We have to strike back," I break the silence of the tent as the sun begins to rise, illuminating the place.
-What are you planning, my love? - he asks kissing my hand.
-Son for son," I whisper.
-The empress has already lost her two sons to my sword- he smiles proudly.
-She is missing then, -I reply- the concubine mother of the new king is known for her kindness and gentle character, no doubt she will raise the young emperor well.
-And it will be easier to deal with her," he sighs, "than with a bitter and vengeful old woman," he remains silent for a moment just staring at the ceiling, "who will we entrust with such an important mission?
-I already have them in mind... -I already have them in mind...
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The Forbidden City
The emperor's personal palace.
Two maids walk calmly in the darkness of the night, one tall and thin, the other wide and short, both hide their faces in the shadows, they carry a small lantern in their hands, the guards let them pass without asking many questions, both enter the Empress's private palace, the shortest woman carries in her hands a tray with fresh pastries and liquor for the empress regent.
They arrive at the door, they touch the door with delicacy, receiving the order to enter first the lowest of the women enters, the empress has her back to the servants, she is seated on a small stool observing the bright moon of that night, in her face you can see the satisfaction for the letter that has just arrived, informing her of the recent death of the bastard son of Shan Yu, she laughs low in her face there is a devilish cat-like smile, she enjoys thinking about the pain of the young mother or ex-mother.
The servant girls watch the cruel woman with utter distaste on their faces, one of them carefully pulls a long knife from her sleeve, the other cautiously approaches the unsuspecting woman pulling a handkerchief from her sleeve, the Empress laughs again with malice, stretching out her hand towards the servant girls.
-Give me wine," she orders, no one answers.
The woman tries to turn around angrily, but it is then that the shortest servant jumps on her, covering her mouth with the handkerchief, the woman screams in terror, but the gag prevents the sound from coming out, she moves her eyes and arms desperate to get free, she tries to ask for help with all her strength, but it is completely useless, the thin woman approaches her, putting herself in front of her, the woman observes frightened when in front of her she does not see the face of a woman, but that of a man.
-The Khan and his family send their greetings.
Without further conversation he buries the knife forcefully in the arm of the woman who screams in despair, the pattern is repeated on her leg, arm, hands, ears, fingers, until finally the woman falls dead after hours of torture. The men discard the bloody clothes and run out of the imperial palace, disappearing into the darkness of the night.
The next morning the real servants enter the empress's room to find the gruesome scene before them, the woman's body is mangled in many places, naked and battered, on one side of her is a small note.
"You caused this, this is the consequence, blood for blood, death for death, the Huns will never forget the damage you have caused them, this is the last warning".
Two days later the concubine Chen mother of the new emperor ascended as queen regent, looking after her son, her first order was to leave the Huns alone in their new lands, and begin to make a peace and export agreement with them of mutual benefit to both kingdoms, along with an apology signed by the young emperor and his mother hoping to appease the anger of the parents concerned.
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2 YEARS LATER
Mulan
Ernak was running through the long grass being chased by his father, they both laugh and jump trying to catch each other, finally Batar catches him throwing him up in the air, I laugh seeing my son screaming with emission at his father's playful action, I shake my head watching the antics of these two, I caress my round belly, I am close to term, the days are getting longer than I would like and I feel heavier than I did with my little Ernak, Batar has already declared that this time we will have a girl, I let him dream in peace.
-Daddy, put me down," Ernak shouts excitedly, "Mummy," he calls to me, I laugh and greet him, Batar lets go and he runs towards me, stopping before he falls on my swollen belly, his black hair has grown a lot over the years, and his eyes have become as bright as his father's. "Baby, she'll be out soon?
-It'll be a while yet, love," I kiss his cheek, Batar falls beside me, kissing my belly, "You must be patient.
-No," he sticks out his lip, "I want to play with the baby now.
-You can do it son," Batar ruffles his hair making him laugh, "now go play.
Without further ado he runs back out into the tall grass, running after the crickets and butterflies that wandered by, Batar hugs me by the shoulder looking proudly at our little warrior, I snuggle into his chest, he kisses my head softly.
It has been two years of peace and tranquility, after the death of the empress no han had ever bothered us again, the new empress regent offered us peace on terms that benefited both sides so we accepted and peace between the two peoples was finally established after years of war and death at last both kingdoms could rest and prosper side by side, our people can finally enjoy abundance and good harvest in fertile lands and not cold and barren as they had to live in for all those years of war, but the most important thing for me right now is the fact that my family is safe.
We no longer need to run or hide, I am no longer afraid of being different, Batar no longer fears loneliness and our people no longer fear the tyranny of the Chinese people, now we are all like brothers working side by side to build a better and more lasting future, without resentment, without betrayal, without hatred and most importantly, without wars or fights in between.
-Batar my love," I tell him, as I feel something wet under me.
-Yes my life," he kisses my cheek, oblivious to the situation.
-It's time...
The hours pass quickly for the young mother, the delivery is faster than with her first child, this time the father stays outside the tent, taking care of the young boy who was noticeably frightened with the screams and movements inside his home, not to mention the fact that he could not see his mother, his father and grandfather tried to distract him with toys and games but the boy was filled with tears with every anguished scream that his mother let out from inside her tent, it was too much stress for the young boy.
Batar paced desperately with his son in his arms trying to cry out his endless cries, but nothing seemed to calm the distressed infant and that put more worry in the man who held him, he knew that his little boy could not understand what was happening with his mother, but the shaman had said that it would be worse to have the child with Mulan at this time, she should just concentrate on bringing her new son into this world.
It was two hours before the child collapsed on his father's shoulder exhausted from crying, Batar sighed with relief passing the child carefully to his grandfather who cradled him just in time to hear a loud cry coming from the tent, he saw the new father rush into the tent with a smile as he rocked his eldest grandson back and forth keeping him asleep.
The Khan rushed into the tent to find Mulan already holding a small pink crying bundle, he approached with slow steps, his gaze fixed on the woman he loved and his new son, a big smile lingering on his mouth, the shaman and his mother-in-law let him pass to his wife without saying anything, just smiling at the father's excitement.
-Husband," Mulan smiled tiredly, "you won this time," they both laughed.
-A girl then," Mulan smiles bigger and nods, "She's perfect," the proud father takes her in his arms, "What shall we name her?
-I was thinking of Yun," Batar looks at the woman in awe, "I know it means a lot to you.
-My sister's name," he caresses the baby with love, "is perfect.
It is then that a very awake Ernak enters running towards his parents, Batar sits on the floor, letting him see his little sister, the boy smiles taking the hand of the infant, the family is complete think the proud parents, looking at the little baby now asleep, at last two hurt and lonely souls feel the great warmth of a family full of love and understanding...at last they are free to love, feel and be who they want to be, now nothing will ever stop them or separate them.
END.