"Please Mulan, bring honor to our family," her mother said softly as Mulan was made into a geisha girl. She certainly looked the part, but Mulan was never one to fit that part.
Mulan nodded soberly and walked in line with the other geisha girls. She felt the pressure of this day though her whole body, especially on her shoulders. She knew if she messed this up, it would disgrace her family's name.
When it was Mulan's turn to meet the woman who would make her break her, she took a steadying breath and walked inside. The woman barked orders at Mulan and she was having a hard time keeping up. The woman kept writing stuff down, making Mulan extremely nervous. She ended up dumping hot tea into the woman's lap, speaking out of turn several times, knocking the whole table over and burning the meal she had tried to prepare.
Everyone saw the smoke and Mulan's mother sighed sadly. "You will never bring honor to your family," the woman roared as she shoved Mulan out the door and slammed it shut.
Mulan walked out with her head dropped and didn't dare look at anyone. She knew how bad this situation was and she wasn't ready to see the hurt faces of her family. Keeping her head down as she walked home.
Once she arrived home she hurried towards the pond. She wasn't ready to face her father, actually she wasn't sure if she would ever be able to face her father. She was a disgrace to him and that hurt her. Mulan's mother talked to her father and told him what had happened. He sighed sadly and nodded. As he limped towards Mulan, he thought of what to say.
Her father found her by the lake gazing at her reflection sadly. "Mulan," he said softly after pulling a cherry blossom from the tree. As she looked up at him, he sat down beside her. "See the cherry blossoms," he said, causing Mulan to gaze up at the tree and then nod at him. "Notice how late they bloomed this year. Not all things blossom at the same time. Some take more time to mature and blossom into a beautiful flower," he said gently as he tucked the flower into Mulan's hair. "You, my daughter, have yet to blossom, but I have no doubt that you will blossom beautifully," he concluded with a warm smile.
Mulan smiled back at her father and then hugged him tightly. He had every right to be mad at her, to even shun her, but he didn't. "Thank you father," she whispered softly and then helped him up.
As her and her father walked back towards their house, the Imperial Guards rode up. "We are at war! When you are called, come and receive your summons," one said as he looked over a scroll. Mulan's heart raced as she listened to each name being called, but her heart stopped when her father's name was called. He handed his cane to his wife and limped towards the guard.
"My father already fought for China," she yelled as she ran up beside her father. The guard snapped at her father for her speaking out of turn, which made her shrink away. She had dishonored her family again, this time in front of Imperial Guards. Her father took the scroll and then limped for the house without his cane. Mulan knew he was very angry now.
Her grandmother took her arm and they headed into the house. At dinner, everyone was quiet. The weight of the situation was weighing on them. "It's not fair," Mulan finally yelled as she stood up and slammed her hands on the table. Her mother gasped, but Mulan continued, "There are plenty of young men who can fight for China."
Her father's anger finally got the best of him. "Enough! It is an honor to fight for my country," he yelled back.
Mulan sighed sadly, "But you could die."
"I would be dying for something I believe in! I know my place Mulan, it's time you learned yours," he yelled back.
Mulan's bottom lip quivered and she ran from the room. She had never seen her father so angry before. Later that night, Mulan snuck from her room and spotted her father. He was practicing his fighting and not doing well. She saw his pain and it hurt her inside. She ran into her room and waited for her father to go to sleep.
