CHAPTER FIVE:
THE BIG FIGHT
THE NIGHT SKY was up and out in China as the crickets were loud as they chirped in the tall grass they hid in like they always did. Tents could be seen set up near the same river the soldiers and princesses had fallen in, along with a fire with logs around it as the flames should keep the people who were awake warm during the cold night.
Some stars could be seen high in the dark sky as it shined down on the civilians of China. Only a few hours had gone by since the group had fallen off the cliff and into the water below and they had been able to save almost all of their supplies that they'd need for their mission to escort the princesses to Qui Gong like they Emperor told them to.
At the moment, Y/n was placing a towel over a stick that she had connected with other ones as it was near the fire to dry it out. The others had gone to sleep while Milan ventured in the girl's direction, the map they had in his hands after speaking with Shang earlier. Hearing the sound of his footsteps, Y/n glances over at her fiancé as she folded the cloth around before placing it over the stick, hoping the flames could dry it out.
"I've seen happier princesses." Y/n speaks up.
"That's the least of our problems." Milan replies as he kneels down, opening up the soaked map, causing it to rip. "There's a mountain pass between here and Qui Gong. Shang told me it takes us through bandit country, but it's the only way."
"Why not just follow the river?" Y/n suggests, pointing at the river.
"Because the river is not on the map." Milan tells her.
Y/n shrugs. "It's bound to go past a town. And where there's a town, there's a road."
"There's no town on the map." Milan states as he rolls the paper up.
"Well, then maybe we should just forget the map and wing it." Y/n replies.
Milan shakes his head. "We can't 'wing it'. We need a new plan. We have three days. What if we get lost?"
"Then we pull over and ask directions." Y/n simply tells him, chuckling a bit with a shrug.
"We don't need to pull over and ask directions. We have a map." Milan reminds, looking back down at the ripped up map.
"What is it with men and asking directions?" Y/n asks.
"What is it with women and maps?" Milan fires back, stopping in front of her as he raised his voice a bit.
Y/n raises a brow. "Oh, you're saying women can't read maps?"
Almost right after, they were speaking over one another as they began to argue about what women and men can't do and can do and what they do do. At the sound of a voice cutting in but stopping at the sound of their arguing, the couple look over to see Yao standing there awkwardly.
"Am I interrupting?" Yao questions.
"What is it, Yao?" Milan asks.
"Scout report. I just told General Shang, he told me to tell you two. I've found a village and a path to it through the forest." Yao informs.
"A forest path?" The couple repeat in unison, nervously chuckling.
"Great. Show us." Milan instructs.
Nodding in response, the man leads them through the forest and near a cliff where Shang stood, moving some bushes out of the way to show them the small town just down below, the lights shining from where they could see.
After claiming that there had to be a road that would lead them to Qui Gong, Shang praised Yao before both men walked off, leaving the couple to themselves. The two glanced at each other with frowns before they both looked away. Not liking how they fought and hating the silence, Y/n turns around and rests her hand on his shoulder.
"Milan, I'm sorry. You're Shang's second in command of the mission." Y/n admits.
Milan shakes his head. "No, I'm the one who's sorry. A good command is open to new ideas. Forgive me?"
Y/n smiles, placing her hand in his. "There's nothing to forgive."
Both letting out pleased hums, they lean forward and wrap their arms around each other, happy they weren't fighting anymore. When they went to pull away, Milan's hands on her arms, they both let out sounds of shock when they saw the necklaces the girl's parents gave them hooked together. Letting out a chuckle, Y/n unhooks them together before Milan places his hands over hers as the necklaces hit their chests.
"I'd better go. I've got the first watch." Y/n tells him.
And with that, she releases her hands from his as she turns around and walks off, ready to do first watch all while Milan watched her with love in his awes and a smile as she walked off, wanting to marry her right there and then. As the minutes go by, the girl found herself sitting by a rock, her back to the camp with her sword right beside her. Cri-Kee had soon joined her as he sat on her shoulder while they sat in silence.
"Y/n!" A rather angry voice calls out.
However, not noticing the anger in his voice, Y/n glances over her shoulder, standing up when she saw Milan stomping over to her. At first, her expression was a bit surprised because she thought he was sleeping, but she smiled at the sight of him, wondering what he could need at the moment.
Y/n smiles. "Why, hello. Out on night maneuvers?"
"Hardhead? Brushing my teeth?" Milan lists, making her share a confused look with Cri-Kee.
"Um, is something wrong?" Y/n questions, voice full of confusion.
"I heard you, Y/n. Every word." Milan blurts out, but quickly covering his mouth after that when his teeth was shown.
Y/n furrows her brows even more. "Every word of what?"
"Don't play coy. I saw you outside my tent." Milan states.
"What? I haven't left my post." Y/n replies.
"And I suppose you weren't gossiping about me with the princesses?" Milan continues with anger.
"Milan, did that dip in the river get you waterlogged?" Y/n jokes in question, still wondering what he was angry for. "And why are you talking with your hand over your mouth?"
"I wouldn't want to peel your paint." Milan grunts out, turning around and walking off.
Yao walks over. "Changing of the guard."
"And next time, don't leave your post." Milan demands.
With that, he stomps back to his tent, leaving Y/n to stare at him in anger. The girl ignores Yao's confused questions as she stomps towards her tent, the couple both leaving a confused Yao behind. Letting out a groan of anger, the girl roughly moves the flap of her tent aside, walking in to see Mushu and Cri-Kee in there as she throws her sword beside them, taking off the top of her outfit.
"How could he not believe me?" Y/n asks herself.
Cri-Kee lets out loud chirps as he hops up and down, pointing at the red dragon right beside him with an angry look on his face, similar to the look on the girl's face. However, before she could pay attention to the insect, Mushu flicks the cricket out of the tent, leaving him and Y/n inside.
"I don't know, girlfriend. But I do know this. Without trust, there can be no relationship. And that man don't trust you." Mushu replies.
Y/n sighs, shrugging. "Maybe he was just confused."
"Oh, please. First, you fussed about the arranged marriage. Then you fought about which way to Qui Gong. Now, y'all feuding over nothing. It seems pretty clear to me." Mushu lists off.
"You're right." Y/n agrees with a sad tone. "Mushu, I don't know what to do."
"Oh, I do. It's simple. Drop that boy like a hot pot sticker. Kick him to the curb. Burn his letters and dance around the fire yelling, 'happy days are here again'." Mushu rambles, resting against her pillow.
"You know, you have a point. If this is the real Fa Milan that I've known since we were kids, I don't like what I'm seeing." Y/n admits with a shake of her head, rubbing her eyes. "How come I didn't see this years ago when we were kids? I never noticed we were so different. It's like I don't even know him anymore. I mean, I know he's by the book, but doesn't the man ever bend a rule?"
"And, uh, speaking of bending rules..." Mushu begins.
"You know, relationships are easy when everything runs nice and smooth. Oh, but--" Y/n rambles.
"Y/n. Nice and smooth just ran out of camp." Mushu blurts out.
Y/n's eyes widen. "What?"
"Did you know that almonds, rice and milk are part of a complete breakfast?" Mushu questions, ignoring her panic.
"Mushu." Y/n warns.
"I'm just trying to tell you the princesses went AWOL, that's all." Mushu informs.
"Where are the guards?" Y/n asks, running into the top of her clothing that was hanging on the line above.
"Showing them the way." Mushu replies.
"They're together?" Y/n exclaims, receiving a hum in response. "'Together' together?"
Mushu raises a brow. "Don't you understand Chinese?"
Quickly, the girl grabs her clothing and her sword before walking out of her tent, rushing over to her horse, the saddle tied up to a tree. Mushu was quick to follow out to see her placing the top of her clothes on the clothes she was still wearing, wrapping the scarf-like clothing around her waist, placing her sword right beneath it.
"Hey, what about old Milan and Shang-hai?" Mushu reminds.
"I think I better handle this one on my own. Shang deserves some rest. And Milan's on short fuse as it is." Y/n comments, grabbing the rope of her horse's saddle and beginning to walk off. "Just make sure nothing wakes them up."
Quickly, she was walking in the direction she saw the footprints and heading to the town Yao had shown her and Milan earlier in the night. Hopping onto her horse, she rode along the road, soon finding herself in the town. For minutes, she was searching for her three friends and the three princesses, eventually finding them on a bridge as they stared down at the reflection of the moon from the water.
Mei and Yao were cuddled up together, Su and Chien-Po also like that and the same with Ting Ting and Ling. Letting out a sigh, the girl hops off her horse, heading over and stopping on the left side as she leaned against the railing, hearing their conversation together.
"It's the same moon we see from the palace." Ting Ting's voice fills her ears.
Su shakes her head. "No, this one is entirely different."
"You're right." Ting Ting agrees.
"I know I've never seen anything like it." Y/n speaks up, announcing her presence.
They all gasp, turning to her. "Y/n!"
"I'm listening." Y/n insists, to which the men stammer out responses.
"L/n Y/n, it's love." Mei blurts out with a smile, watching as the soldier walked up the stairs. "Yao and myself, Chien-Po and Su--"
"And myself and Lingy Bear. I mean, Ling." Ting Ting finishes, quickly correcting herself as she cuddled up against Ling.
They watch as the female soldier raised a brow at that before she let out a loud and excited squeal, jumping while the princesses did the same. The three men were quick to follow when they realized Y/n wasn't mad at them before Chien-Po wrapped them all up in a hug, rocking back and forth.
"I'm so happy for all of you." Y/n croaks out as Chien-Po's arms tightened around them all.
At the sound of horses neighing, they all looked over to see Milan and Shang riding up on their horses. In panic, Chien-Po accidentally let them all go, causing them to fall to the floor before Ling walked down the stairs, Yao following after giving the panda stuffed animal he had won to Mei over to the said princess, Chien-Po being the last one to follow. The four females all stand up as Y/n glances between the three sisters, seeing their saddened faces.
"Don't worry. I'll handle this." Y/n assures.
The sisters all glance at one another as they slowly follow the soldier down the stairs, seeing the three men they grew to love standing in a line, their shoulders straight as Shang stomped towards them with an angry look, Milan doing the same. It was no doubt that Milan had woken up and had noticed they were gone and woke up his general since he was always following the rules.
"I'm so sorry to break up your little party." Shang sarcastically says in anger as he stops in front of his soldiers.
Y/n walks up to them. "Shang, before you jump to conclusions, let me explain the situation."
"Fine. Why don't we start with this?" Milan suggests as he grabs a piece of paper when Shang nodded at him.
Mei gasps, pointing at it. "That's mine."
"All yours?" Shang asks.
"Or did you have help?" Milan adds in question, looking right at Y/n as he hands Shang the paper.
"'And so, my dear father, I cannot complete this mission. I have come to realize that my duty is to my heart'." Shang reads off.
Milan squints his eyes at his... fiancé. "Now, who does that sound like?"
"Mei never meant to send that letter." Su intervenes.
"Your Highnesses, you swore a vow to be married in Qui Gong." Shang reminds, walking to them. "If your father saw you now breaking that vow, what would he say?" The princesses sigh as he looks to the three men. "You three are to escort Their Highnesses back to their tents immediately. You are to guard them. You are not to enter their tents. You are not to speak to them. Not a word, ever. Am I understood?"
The men nod. "Yes, sir."
The men stop in front of the princesses before they all look away, sad sighs escaping them. Y/n watches them walk away before looking to Shang and Milan, seeing the general whisper something in his second in command's ear before he was following the others, giving a slight glare to Y/n as he hopped onto his horse, following behind the soldiers and princesses. Y/n looks to Milan, who had a clenched jaw as he looked at her.
"Milan, the problem isn't as bad as it seems." Y/n reasons.
"The problem, Y/n, is you." Milan blurts out, making her eyes widen. "You place your own feelings above everything. Duty, obligation, tradition, it all means nothing to you."
"It means everything to me. My heart tells me my duty, and I follow it." Y/n argues. "You're a brilliant warrior, Milan. You're brave, you're loyal, but you don't trust your heart. Sometimes I wonder if you even have one."
Milan's eyes widen before his gaze hardens. "This assignment has made it clear. We are very different people."
"Maybe too different." Y/n agrees, hardening her face.
"Fine." Milan whispers, hopping on his horse. "We have a mission to complete."
And with that, he rides off in the direction of their camp as clouds form in the sky, the rumble of thunder being heard as rain slowly starts to spit from the sky, while Y/n watches Milan's retreating figure.