Fearless (A Mulan Retelling)

Chapter Thirty Nine

"Go on, now," he urged her.

"You'll need your rest too," Iris pointed out, "In fact, you are our general... you'll need your strength more than we will. Why are you not headed toward the inn?"

"I am. I am waiting to make sure you go first."

"That sounds like mistrust," Iris said with an even rougher voice than usual, "Fine. Let us walk there together, then."

"Very well," he nodded, "And do not misunderstand me, I would trust you with my life. After all, you have taken an arrow to save me before."

"I see," she narrowed her eyes, "If you trust me that much, surely you would let me go about my time alone? Instead, right now, you seem to watch me like a hawk, as if the opposite is true. Would you really trust me with your life?" Iris was mainly joking, but the question was a serious one.

"Aye, I would. But I wouldn't trust you with yours. Let me reiterate... you took an arrow, intentionally."

She shrugged. "Perhaps you are right."

After that, both Iris and the general started toward their inn room. Iris wondered if Kayde was already there waiting on them. She knew that he wouldn't sleep until she was there. He was sent there to protect her, which meant always making sure she was where she should be. Not to mention the fact that it took a bit for him to fall asleep. At least, from what she had seen on the night she had stayed awake.

"Forgive me for noticing," Iris said with a curious expression as they made their way to their destination, "But you seem to smile a lot more now than when I first met you at the training camp."

"Yes, it seems so. What of it?"

"It is nice to see happiness is still in the world. These are hard times, general. With the war and tragedy that has been brought upon Eldia... it's hard to believe that it still exists. A smile is always a welcome sight to see," she said without an expression. Now, the general smirked slightly at her.

"Then why don't you?" he asked, knowing the reason.

"I do smile," she argued, and gave him a small smile, "See?"

"Not happy ones. Just nonchalant ones. Of everyone in this group, you're the only one who hasn't smiled. Why? Are you not happy?" he asked. He was mainly giving her a hard time, but there was some truth behind the question. From what he'd seen in the picture, Iris hadn't seemed to be the happiest person either, even when she lived with both her aunt and her father back in Eda.

"I'm perfectly chipper," she said, "What's not to be happy about? Well, besides the looming fact that I might die tomorrow."

"Hmm," he said, shaking his head.

"Perhaps that can be a good thing, though. Gives my life some sort of purpose. A lot more purpose than I had before," she added.

"You had purpose before, I'm sure."

"Not like this. I was a mere caretaker. The only good thing about Eda ever... was my father and aunt. They're the only ones there that cared about me. But, I had no reason to live then besides protecting my father. Before this quest, I didn't have much for friends. In fact, I'm pretty sure I didn't have one," her words were harsh, but she was not. Iris didn't seem sad at all that she had no one to call 'friend'.

"I was never one to have any acquaintances either. And, in a sense, protecting your father is still your purpose. Unless you have found another?" he said it as a question.