The Concubine's Cannon

Chapter 1: Location

"THIS IS ABSURD! Are you really going to let her make every decision for you! This... this. THIS GIRL!" The thin man points to her as if the word is an insult. It's obviously meant to be one but he really couldn't think of anything better. "If you have any ideas then I'd like to hear them. But for now, I trust her judgment. Let her decide on the captain." He waves her hand towards her. As always she's spoken about but never to. "Thank you, your majesty." She bows her thanks though it pains her to do so. She really shouldn't have to.

The snouty councilmember holds his nose up and quickly dismisses himself. "I do trust you Mulan but this captain..." The wise man trails off pondering on who knows what kind of information Chi-fu filled his head with. "I would like to meet him privately to observe him. If he's anything like his father or rather how Chi-fu described him, I'll know." He nods his acknowledgment. The woman has no idea how she got so much power in so little time but she's proud. Proud of herself, her abilities, her....

Her eyes widen at the sight of him. A good height, chiseled jaw, built. Most of the men she's met have all been the same. Either too big or too thin, then again she isn't one to judge. She bows to the man as she takes her leave from the emperor. It looks as though he's about to speak but the emperor swiftly waves him over. "What a jealous old man," she finds herself giggle as she struts down the hall. She wishes to speak to her father before the meeting.

"Mulan." He greets her as she glides down the hall. "Baba," her heart seems to flood at the touch of her father. She really has missed him. "You are doing well?" She nods, truthfully though she knows this is not her place, as if she can say that though. "Being here is a gift. For both of us." She pauses between the lines and breaks away from the hug.

"They don't know where the Huns are. Some of them think they are still in the Pass while others think they haven't arrived there yet..." They ponder both ideas. The thought of them having not to reach the mountain points is an odd one. The village near it was reported to be destroyed, of course, them still being in there makes little sense as well. "They would have attacked our troops if they were still in Tung Shao or the troops would've seen them before they even got to it." The older man nods in agreement. "If they were near the city we surely would've seen them." She continues to think until she finally odds. "The situation makes no sense."

They continue with their small meeting. They speak of soldiers, generals, and even the young captain. While it's peculiar to have a captain so young not to mention a general, it's obvious why they are trying to rush his evaluation so quickly. It's only been a year since he was promoted and yet he's getting another. A lot of people would think poorly upon such quick succession but Mulan isn't a lot of people. She knows how flattery works and if what is said is true it's not entirely his fault.

"Come. The sun is lowering soon, we should be arriving there." With a nod, they switch their direction to the council hall. By the time she enters, after her father and with the emperor nonetheless, arguments are already being passed around.

"THEY'RE BEFORE THE PASS!" "AT THE PASS!" The men bicker like wild dogs, always with their tail between their legs. This does not seem to bother Mulan though, even with the not at all subtle glares she still is more interested in her latest request. "Which one is he?" She turns her head towards the emperor. He simply lifts a single finger and points towards a man gazing intensely at the map. "That one." She nods and bows her respects. She leaves his side at the snort of Chi-fu and makes her way towards him.

"It makes no sense..." The soldier ponders, his chin rested amongst his fist, his other hand being occupied by the table. "It really is an odd situation we're in." The soft voice sounds out. Feminine. He pays no mind to it. Why would a woman be there? "My mother was right about getting a wife," he chuckles at his own joke. "I doubt any of this is funny. So what is the joke?" His face flushes as he looks down at the pretty face. A woman was there, and next to him no doubt. "I...um. I mean." All his sense of confidence jumps out the window. He never has been good with women, the only ones he's ever even been able to have a proper conversation with being the ones who have changed him as an infant. They always seem so foreign.

"Captain?" She tries to hide her laughter. In the year that she's been here never has a man been so flustered. "I.." He tries to make a proper sentence but is quickly interrupted. "It's decided. They're in the Tung Shao Pass." The two look up at the proclamation. "It really makes no sense. We should've seen them if they were in there..." Her face grows tense as she continues to ponder the idea. From all the silence of what you could barely call a conversation, they forgot to take part in the argument. "Not unless they moved." A light seems to flicker in her brain. "Of course! They could've moved when they got here. Only troops from the north were called here. Correct?" She looks to him for clarification. He can only stifle a nod at the confidence radiating from this girl. "Baba," she calls over an older man towards him, one using a cane to walk around.

"Did anybody report anything from the other directions? I think they could've moved." She speaks to him in a hushed whisper, pride glowing through her. Though she has no reason to be quiet she still is, leaving the captain to guess from the bits and pieces of batter that he does catch. "The emperor sent the majority of his men to the north. That's where they entered from." He proves her theory as much as she's concerned. "We need to send men to search the other directions, not the north." She nods to her own approval and is ready to murmur what her father needs to say. "If they got here before the troops then why didn't they kill the emperor when they had the chance?" She ponders the question, with her eyes closed a smirk crosses her face. "They're planning to send more troops to the Pass. That's what they're aiming for."

"They aren't in the Pass." The generals stare at the man. If he hadn't been in the same room as them they would think of him as a farmer. With the escort of a cane, he makes his way closer to the Hun marker. "I think they are in a different direction. Hiding." Laughter faulters through the room but a whisper enters his brain. "They want us to go to Tung Shao. To leave our defenses down here. We've already been ridden of far too many men." He pauses for his daughter's idea. "We need to search the remaining territory around the palace. I believe they are already here." The room grows quiet with whispers. "How do you know this?" A man calls out.

"We have few to no troops in the other directions. We have reports from villages near the pass being burnt. None of the troops saw his army when they passed through. They can only be in one of the other directions." With that, the speech concludes, an astonished look on the young captain's face. How did a simple girl figure out all of that? The room is silent only to burst out with hysteria at the accusation. "I think someone's been having a little too much to drink." One of the older generals laugh at what seems to be a foolish remark, but it isn't. What the young lady's father had said made perfect sense, or at least to the young captain it did.

"I agree with him." The captain stands closer to the two and though the father does not look at him, his daughter does. "It looks like we have two drunks." he people laugh and keep the marker still. They swiftly return to their planning as before, surrounding the pass was what they thought was best.

The young captain watches as the young mistress storms over to the emperor but he simply raises his hand. A defeated look flickers across her face as she passes by him. "Mulan..." the old man speaks softly. "So that's her name." Is all he seems to think.

Author: HELLO! I'm back! I really hope you enjoyed this chapter. The story itself was inspired by several different Mulan fanfics and also one of the original stories of Mulan.
Fun fact: in one of the original stories Mulan was ordered to become the emperor's concubine after she returned home. So what did Mulan do? She killed herself so she wouldn't have to. Oh yeah, also her dad died and her mom remarried in that one.

You can see where my head is at. I don't know how often I'll be posting but it'll probably be often since I already finished writing this. Anyways have a good night/day everyone!