Mulan overhears the kidnappers sorting out prices and brides. She is roughly dressed in a wedding gown and presented to a man. When trying to escape, she finds herself in a closet, trying to fight off the dread of her impending arrival.
3rd person POV unless stated otherwise.

"GET UP!" A voice yelled. Mulan opened her eyes and blinked harshly. "Mei!" She cried, reaching for the girl. "MULAN!" She sobbed. "Get off of her!" Mulan yelled. She didn't really know much in the way of martial arts, but her father (and Lao to a certain extent) had taught her the very, very, basics. Like, how to punch somebody hard enough to make a break for it and get to safety. Also how to duck... though Mulan learnt that one on her own. Many noses were bruised in that lesson.

Mei sobbed loudly and grabbed for anyone that would help. Mulan stood up as quick as her body would allow her, allowing for her ready-to-burst pregnancy bump. One of the men laughed loudly. "And what're you gonna do? Bake me to death?" He cackled with his friend. Mulan reeled her fist back and swung it, straight at his face. He dropped. Mei crashed to the ground and scampered over to her sisters. Mulan gulped. She redied her fists and met the astonished stare of the other man. He took a step forward, so she swung her fist again, catching his nose. "How did you do that!?" One of the ladies from behind her gasped. "Um... my father taught me self-defence..." She replied, distracted. Her eyes met those of another man, hidden in the shadows. She narrowed them. The man hummed and clicked his fingers. "That one," He met her glare with a calm stare. "Atilla will like her,"

~

She was roughly dressed in a formal dress, composed of a white main body, dark pink sleeves, a red belt and a dark pink underskirt. A tiara was forced onto her head, bringing a headache in its wake. She was then marched along several (very golden) corridors and displayed in front of a throne. Mulan was cultured enough to know whoever had taken her had infiltrated the palace, and whoever this "Atilla" was, he sat on the emperor's throne. "Why have you brought me her?" He asked, bored. "We think you'll like her, sir." One of the men who carried her bowed. The man from earlier cleared his throat. "She took down two of your guards with a simple right-hook, sir. That's why we brought her,"

Attila frowned as he stood up from the throne. Mulan gulped as he stalked closer. She only came to his chest, but she maintained her equal stare. He grabbed her chin and twisted her face about. "Hmm. She's certainly good-looking," He grabbed her hair making her wince. "Nice hair as well." He hummed. "Dresses up nicely... yes. She'll be a perfect bride to bear my children,"

Mulan blinked.

"No," She whispered. Attila laughed and stepped away. His laughter abruptly stopped as his eyes fixed on her belly. He spun to glare at the men who brought her here. "You didn't tell me you found her in a brothel!" He yelled. "We didn't! She was in the village of Nai-Poh!" Attila growled. "Clearly! Seeing as she's pregnant! Tenegüüd!" He dismissed her. "Get her out of my sight. I'm not interested in a yankhan,"

Had Mulan spoken Mongolian, no doubt she'd of been offended.

But before she had any time to respond, the room shook violently and the candles blew out as chaos erupted.

~

She ran to the old room and shouted at the ladies to escape while their kidnappers were busy. "Thank you, Mulan. For saving me," Mei thanked gratefully. Mulan grasped her hands back. "It's nothing. Please, go to safety. Alert anybody you can!"

Mulan heard voices very quickly and dashed about trying to find a safe place. She eventually came across an unused small closet. She dropped to the ground, exhausted.

Sometime later, Mulan held her baby. It happened so quickly, that Mulan was struggling to come to terms with it. She'd laid down in pain, shut her eyes for a split second, and woke up with the uncontrollable urge to push. The stress of the last two weeks had forced her body to perform an emergency eviction of her daughter. "She's so tiny," Mulan whispered to herself. Her newborn slept peacefully in her arms, swaddled with some thin cotton that used to hang on a hook. Mulan found a bucket of water (albeit, not a lot, but enough) to clean the baby down of any blood or fluids.

She is so perfect, Mulan marvelled. She gently ran her thumb across her full, rosy cheeks. Then her eyes opened; so dark, they were almost black. A tear slipped down Mulan's cheek. Her perfect little nose crinkled up as if she was going to cry but instead, she yawned. Mulan sighed quietly.

"I can't believe I'm actually a mother," Mulan sighed in awe. "I am completely responsible for this little human. And I love her more than anything in the world." She fingered the wild tuft of soft black hair and smiled blissfully. Despite being mere minutes old, Mulan could already see her mother in the baby.

Small SHANG POV... I'M SORRY

While Shang's soldiers were busy distracting the huns, he, Zhou and five of his most trusted ventured into the eery palace. He ventured near the throne room, knowing that is where the leader would be. Yet, it was deserted. He shrugged it off and wandered down the usually restricted corridor that housed the empress and princess' suites. A small light under a door caught his attention. Maybe one of them had taken refuge? He pushed the door open with his foot. "Hello?" he called. He turned to look at Zhou, who had followed him. He nodded and they stepped in. Imediately, Shang knew something was amiss. There was the strong scent of blood. He exchanged a look with Zhou before looking back at the ground.

"What the-" He mumbled. He shared another look with Zhou. "Do you think they were kept here?" He asked. Zhou frowned. "Possibly... there were reports of multiple women. But this room seems far too small for twenty-odd women..." Shang hummed in agreement. Zhou walked around the room, lifting various objects. Shang examined the stained mattress. It was definitely blood, and judging by the colour, it was about an hour old. Who died here? He thought with a frown. He saw an overturned bucket nearby and lifted it up slightly with his foot. He immediately dropped it with a shudder. "You ok?" Zhou called. Shang nodded and shuddered. "Yeah... whatever went down in here was not pleasant,"

Underneath the bucket was a gory intestine, still covered in blood. With a sudden thought, Shang turned to Zhou. "Are you one hundred per cent they took Mulan?" He asked. Zhou dropped the pillow he was riffling under. "Well... no, but many people witnessed her being taken... why?" Shang blew out of his mouth. "I think I know what happened here then..." He hovered near the mattress. "What's on your mind, captain?" Zhou asked, hobbling over. "I think... I think Mulan was here..." He began. He faced Zhou with a grim expression. "And I think she had her baby,"

MULAN.

Mulan dashed in between thick wooden pillars, desperately trying to get away without being noticed. A sudden bolt of searing pain in Mulan's lower region made her stumble to the hard ground, her vision clouding slightly. She panted and rubbed her eyes, desperately trying to make her vision clear. "I think there's someone up here," A voice grumbled from down the hall. Her eyes widened. She forced herself to stand up on her unsteady legs. She rushed as quick as she could along the guard wall. She ducked behind a thick wooden post. The baby mewed from beneath the makeshift baby basket. "Shh," Mulan whispered desperately, slipping a finger beneath the blanket for her to grasp. The baby hiccuped and stopped whimpering. Mulan held her breath as the men approached.

"Tenegüüd. There's nobody down here!" One snapped. "I dunno. I heard someone!" The first voice argued. "Probably some concubines, Chao." Chaa, now identified, grumbled. "I dunno why we ain't running away. Attila did. Why do we have to stay!" He whined. Mulan swallowed slowly begging the men to move on. "I dunno! We just do! Let's go downstairs,"

Mulan listened in relief as their footsteps grew quieter. She sighed shakily. "We're ok baby... I promise... I'll protect you," She swore.

Mulan looked around and grabbed a discarded knife. She couldn't run in this ridiculous wedding dress. She sliced upwards, the fabric tearing apart. She sliced it just above her ankles as well, leaving her feet to run freely.

She dropped the knife and picked the carrier up. "Come on... let's try and find someone," She mumbled. She walked back the way she came, back towards the closet. It was close to the throne room, so if anyone had come to help her, then they were bound to see her birthing place. She walked as quietly as her bare feet would allow. "What are we going to call you, hmm?" She asked quietly. Whether it was to herself or the baby, she didn't know. She descended some stairs slowly. "Mei? Nah... Ping? Nope... Li?" She paused. She shook her head. "No, you're not a Li... how about..." She gazed into the black eyes of her newborn. "Jia. Fa Jiang," She smiled, testing the name.

Seeing as Lao was dead, there was no use in keeping the Bing surname, not as his mother went loopy. The thought of his family not caring for the newest member upset her.

She shook her head and made the final trek to the closet and gasped in relief. The two men spun, swords pointed in her direction. "Baba," She cried. "Mulan!" He gasped. She ran (read, limped) to her father and hugged him tightly.

"Baba!" she cried out, her head pressed against his broad chest, which heaved with heavy breaths. He cupped the back of her neck and pulled her in tighter. "Thank the ancestors your safe," he murmured. "I'm sorry for what I said... I wasn't thinking straight, you have to know I didn't mean it."

"Of course, I knew that," she answers with a shaky laugh, "And I'm sorry I yelled at you as well." Mulan pulled away slightly and wiped her teary eyes. She turned to the captain. "Thank you... for coming to save me," She said as earnestly as she could. He nodded back. "It was partly my fault you left. I couldn't rest knowing what I'd done," He said back, a small smile gracing his features. Mulan smiled back. Jia suddenly whimpered, making both men blink in shock. Mulan chuckled as she placed the basket on the ground and picked up her newborn.

She cradled her and displayed her. "Baba, meet your granddaughter, Jia," She smiled.

TRANSLATIONS

tenegüüd - idiots
yankhan - whore