The Emperors Daughter: A Mulan Retelling <ON HOLD>

Chapter 1: Cherry Blossoms and Weapons

Glossary: Laoshi=Teacher, Madame=Wife, Nunchaku=Nunchucks, Hanfu=Chinese Dress, Yisheng=Doctor

I stood still, eyes closed, and listened to the room around me. My left leg was held up, my foot pressed firmly against my right knee. Balance my inner voice instructed as I wavered slightly. I breathed almost silently so I could carefully listen to the room around me. Like a fox, I could hear the faintest creak of the floorboards, and the most subtle breaths. One small bump was all it took and my eyes flew open. "Hyah!" I yelled, delivering a sudden blow to my opponent, who staggered backwards panting. "You have gotten far better Princess Mulan," Laoshi Bingwen breathed, his hands on his knees, obviously winded from my jab. I smiled and wiped the sweat off the back of my neck. I walked towards him, Laoshi Bingwen had been teaching me martial arts ever since I was nine. Though girls aren't supposed to learn how to fight, my father, the Emperor, knew I had a passion for it and couldn't say no. Bingwen used to be one of the greatest warriors in China, but ever since he retired, he had been teaching me. He used to have muscles all over, now he had a slight gut and a goofy grin. He was like an uncle.

"Get up old man, we still have some more training to do," I demanded mock haughtily, but he ignored me, limping over to the benches that lined the training room, "Don't you ever rest Princess?" He grumbled, leaning against the wall and breathing deeply. "No, and I have no desire to, I want to get better and better," I said, trying to pull him up, but he was far heavier than I was, "What if I said you were already the best student I've ever had, would you let me rest?" Bingwen asked, I paused slightly, and let his arms drop, "Only if you truly meant it." I said folding my arms, he peered up at me and smiled, "I do truly mean it Princess, you are an exceptional fighter." Bingwen affirmed, I smiled broadly, "Good, that means we can finally move on to weapons." His eyes shot open, "Weapons?! Princess, your father would have me executed if I even let you hold a weapon!" He admonished, I pouted, walking away from him, "We've gone over every fighting technique, every form of martial arts, I've mastered it all, now I need to take the next step, and that is weapons." I begged, Bingwen squinted at me, but shook his head, "Unless you get your father's permission, it is a no." He insisted, before falling back against the wall. I groaned and left the room.

Princesses are supposed to be dainty, beautiful, graceful. I know, but I love the art of the warrior, I know I will never be a soldier, but sometimes I imagined that the castle would be attacked, and I'd be able to defend all my younger sisters. I am the eldest daughter,  of five daughters, including myself. I was born first, then Daiyu, Lanfen, the twins Chunhua and Chuntao, then lastly Mei. My father never had any sons, and my mother was his first wife, the only Empress. She died when I was three, my father said she was the only love he had ever had, so he would never take another Empress. This didn't sit well with his Madames, but they were okay as long as they were bearing his children. As I walked towards my room which was on the upper floors, I passed father's first Madame, Lihua, she despised me. She had always been dreadfully envious of my mother, though is not capable of murder, after my mother died of an illness, she was hoping to be made Empress, but my father had made his vow, and she hated it. She looked at me in distain, and stopped me before I walked any further, I sighed. She narrowed her eyes at me and lifted her chin, "A Princess should not be parading around the halls in sweaty mens clothes." She said in a pinched voice, I rolled my eyes, and her brow creased, "Your sister Daiyu is the perfect Princess, refined, graceful, and impressively beautiful, you should learn from her..." I groaned internally, I'd heard this story many times before. Daiyu was Lihua's only daughter, she was in fact very beautiful, but Lihua exaggerated. Daiyu was extremely clumsy and blushed all the time. She tried to act like a lady but it always came off in an odd way. And as much as Lihua praised her daughter, she was constantly repremanding Daiyu, scolding at her and sending her disappointed looks.