Asthedayspassed,Mulantried,andtried,andtriedtobethehonorabledaughterwhowouldmakeherfamilyproud.Shedutifullysatbyhermother’ssideandpracticedweaving.Shelettheoccasionalchickenwanderawayeventhoughherfeetitchedtogivechase.Whentheboysofthevillagegatheredinthecourtyardtoplay,shedidherbestnottokickthewaywardballthatstoppedinherpath.

Butdespiteherbestintentions,itwashardtoalwaysbegood.SometimesMulancouldn’tcontrolherimpulses.Likewhenshejusthadtonudgetheballbacktowardtheboys,anditwasnotentirelyherfaultthatwhenshedid,thekickwasharderthansheanticipatedandtheballhappenedtohitthepoorphoenixstatue,knockingoffitshead.Orwhensherodeherhorse,BlackWind,infromthefieldsalittletoofastandknockedovertheneighbor’slaundry??.??.??.again.

Asthedays,andthenyears,passed,Mulancontinuedtotampdownrecklessurges.Sheworkedonmakingsureherhairwaspulledbackinaneatbun—atleastwhenthedaystarted.Andshestayedfarawayfromtheshrineandthechickencoop??.??.??.forthemostpart.Bythetimesheturnedsixteen,shehadgrownintoherlong,lankylimbsandwastall,lithe,andbeautiful.Buteverysooften,thelittlegirlwhohadbrokenthephoenixstatuewouldappear—eagertodosomethingwildanddaring.

Arrivinghomeoneafternoonfromthecountryside,whereshehadbeenracingwithBlackWind,Mulanhastilyjumpedoffthehorse’sbackandputhiminhisstall.Shecouldsmelldinnerandknewthatshewaslate.Shegroaned.Hermotherwasnotgoingtobepleased.Quickly,shemadeherwayacrossthecourtyardandintoherhome.

Herfamilywassittingatthedinnertable.Rushingin,Mulangrabbedaplateandjoinedthem.“BlackWindandIrodealongsidetworabbitsrunningsidebyside,”shesaid,pickingapieceofriceoutofthebowl.“Ithinkonewasamaleandonewasfemale??.??.??.”Hervoicetrailedoffassherealizedherfamilyhadn’tmoved.Theywerealllookingather,theroomsilentexceptforherownvoice.“What?”sheasked,growingworried.Hadsheleftgrassinherhair?Wastheremudsmearedonherface?

Linervouslywrungherhands.Sheopenedhermouthandthenshutit.Mulan’seyesnarrowed.Thiscouldn’tbegood.Hermotherwasneveronetoshyfromstatingwhatwasonhermind.Butnowsheseemedalmost??.??.??.scared.

“Whatisit?”Mulanpressed.

“Wehaveexcellentnews,”Lisaid,thoughhervoicebetrayedheruncertainty.“TheMatchmakerhasfoundyouanauspiciousmatch.”

Mulan’sbreathcaughtinherthroat.Shefeltthecolordrainfromherfaceandreachedoutahandtosteadyherself.

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Matchmaker?Auspiciousmatch?

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Thosewerethewordsshehadbeendreadingeversinceshehadturnedamarriageableage.Formonths,shehadheardothergirlsinthevillagegigglingabouttheirownmatchesandhadsecretlybeenthrilledwhenanotherdaypassedwithnonewsfromthecrankyoldwomanwhomadeherlivingsettinguptheeligiblegirlsofthevillage.Herdreamhadbeenthatperhapsnomatchwouldeverbefound.Thatshecouldcontinuetoliveherlifethewayitwas—free.

Hersisterwastheonewhodaydreamedofanauspiciousmatch.Whenevershecould,Xiutalkedaboutthejoysofbeingawife.OnanygivennightshewouldtellMulanabouttherecipesshehopedtocook,theclothesshewouldweave.Xiurambledforhoursaboutthewaysinwhichshewouldlivetoservethemanwhowouldbeherhusband.Howhappyshewouldmakehim—andherfamily.ToMulan,thatlifeseemedconfininganddevoidofadventure.

Mulanknewitwouldnotbringthehonorherfamilywanted,andshewouldneveradmititoutloud,butshedidnotwanttogetmarried.Shecouldstayandhelpherparentsinstead,shereasoned.Perhapsmakethemproudofherinotherways.Mulanlookedtoherfather,hopinghemightsaysomethingtoputanendtothisconversation.

Seeingherdaughter’sdesperatelook,Li’sexpressionhardened.“YourfatherandIhavespokenaboutthis,”shestated.

Zhounodded,thoughhelookedsad.“Yes,Mulan.Itisdecided.”

“But—”Mulanstartedtosay.

Herfathercutheroffwithashakeofhishead.“Itiswhat’sbestforourfamily.”

Mulanliftedherheadandmetherfather’sgaze.Inthatmoment,Mulanfelttimepauseandthenrewind.Sherememberedbeingintheshrine,staringatherfatherinmuchthesamewayshedidnow.Sherememberedlookingdownatthebrokenwingofthephoenixstatue.ThePhoenixwho,herfathersaid,wouldprotecther.ShehadtobelievethatthePhoenixwaslookingafterhernowandwouldcontinuetolookafterher,evenafterhermarriage.PhoenixornoPhoenix,Mulanhadmadeavowtoherfatherthatshewouldbringhonortoherfamily.Evenifitmeantsacrificingherownhappiness.

Takingadeepbreath,Mulannodded.“Yes,”shesaid,hervoicesoft.“Itisbest.Iwillbringhonortousall.”

Ashermothersighedwithrelief,Mulansankdownintoherchair.Whileherfamilyresumedtheirregulartableconversation,Mulanwassilent,lostinherownthoughts.Inonemoment,herlifeandherfatehadbeendecided.Shehadneverfeltmoremiserable.

Farfromthetulou,adifferentfatewasbeingdecided.

Thedesertairwasclear.Intheskyabove,thesunshonebrilliantly,causingthewalledtradingpostonthehorizontoshimmerasifitwereamirage.Oneofthefewsuchspotsinthevast,sprawlingdesertsteppe,thegarrisontradingplacewasbustling.Peoplefromallovertheworldmovedinandout,bringinggoodstosellortrade.Thecrowdedmarketplacewasfullofthesoundsofmerchantshagglingovercolorfulsilkswaths,carpets,gems,andfruit.Amyriadoflanguagesblendedtogether.Occasionally,atranslator’svoicewouldriseoverthedinashehelpedabuyerhaggleforabetterprice.Despitetheelectricfeeltotheair,orderreigned.Officialsoverseeingthetrademarkeddowntransactions,keepingthoseinvolvedhonest.

Sittingastridehislargestallion,B??riKhanlookedacrossthesteppeatthetradingpost.Underhislightarmor,hismusclesrippled,hisskincoveredwithafinelayerofdust.Likemostofthemenaroundhim,hislonghairwasdarkanddisheveled.ButB??riKhandidnotcareabouthisappearance.Heandhismenhadtraveledagreatdistancetogetthere,andwhiletheymighthavelookedtiredandworn,theywereanythingbut.