AsenseofimpendingdoomhungovertheHuahousehold.Theyhadmanagedtoignoretheeventsoftheafternoonfortherestoftheday,butnow,astheygatheredaroundthedinnertable,thetensionwasthick.

Mulanplayedwithherfood.Shehadnoappetite.Howcouldshewhentherewasarockinthemiddleofherstomachfromthethoughtofherfatherfightingthenortherninvaders?Besideher,Xiutookahalf-heartedbiteandthenputdownherfood.Shewasn’thungry,either.

Acrosstheway,Mulan’smotherhadn’tevenbotheredtotakeaplate.ShesatwithhereyeslockedonZhou.Unaware,orchoosingtoignorethelooksfromhiswifeanddaughters,Zhouatewithgusto.

“You’reawarhero,”Lisaid,herwordssoftasshebrokethesilence.“You’vealreadymademanygreatsacrifices—”

Zhoudidn’tletherfinish.Heknewwhatshewasgoingtosay.“AreyousuggestingourfamilynotcomplywiththeImperialedict?”

ThewordswereoutofMulan’smouthbeforeshecouldstopthem.“Buthowcanyoufightwhenyoucanbarely—”

Zhou’sfistslammedontothetable,stoppingMulanmidsentence.Furyfilledhisface.Hiswifeanddaughterslookedathimaghast.Hehadalwaysbeenamanwhopridedhimselfonrestraintandkeepinghiscalm.Thisoutburstwasunlikehim—anditwasfrightening.

“Iamthefather!”hesaid,hisvoiceboomingthroughthesmallroom.“Itismyplacetobringhonortoourfamilyonthebattlefield.Youarethedaughter.”Hepaused,hiseyesboringintoMulan.“Learnyourplace!”Pushinghimselftohisfeet,Zhoulimpedfromtheroom.

Atthetable,Mulansatstill,herheadhunglow.Herfather’swordsstung.Notjustbecauseoftheirtone,butbecauseofthemeaningbehindthem.Herfatherhadalwaysbeenherbiggestsupporter.Hehadalwaysencouragedhertobewhoshewas;evenwhenshewastryingtohideherimpetuousnature,shehadstillfelthisloveandencouragement.Shehadalwaysbelievedherfatherknewthatshewantedmore,couldbemore.

Butshehadbeenwrong.

Andworsestill,hisstubbornpridewasgoingtoputhiminmortaldanger.

Asifreadingherthoughts,Listoodupandwalkedovertoherdaughter’ssideofthetable.ShegrabbedMulan’shandandthenXiu’s.“Wemustbestrong,”shesaid.Shepaused.Andthenhereyeswelledandherhandsshook.Evenshecouldnotfollowherownorders.“Thistimehewillnotreturn,”shesaid,lettingthetearsfall.Hershouldersslumpedandshesanktotheground,overcomebyemotion.“Howwillwesurvivewithouthim?”

Mulanlookedatherdistraughtmotherandthenathersister.Bothwerenowopenlyweeping.Hermotherwasright.Ifherfatherwenttofight,hewoulddie.Ifherfatherdied,hewouldleavethemwithnothing.AndasMulanhadjustdestroyedheronechanceatamatch,therewasnohopeforafuturehusbandtohelptheirfamilyifZhouweregone.

Thetruthwasclear.IfZhouwenttowar,noneofthemwouldsurviveit.

Thehousehadgrownquiet.Thesoundsofhermother’ssobshadfaded,andhersister,tearsdryingonhercheeks,hadfallenintoarestlesssleepasMulantiptoedacrossthelivingareatowardthelargecabinetthatstoodinthecorner.Theornatepiecewasoneoftheonlyitemsofworthintheirhome.Whenshewasagirl,Mulanhadbeenforbiddentogonearit,andevenasayoungwomanshe’dkeptherdistance.

Untiltonight.

Mulantookadeepbreath.Theideathathadcometoherasshelayinbedhadstartedasjustaflickerofathought,assheheardherfather’swordsechoaroundherhead.Learnyourplace,hehadsaid.Herplace,sheknew,wasclear—toherfather,atleast.Herplacewasinthehome,takingcareofahusbandshemostlikelywouldneverhave.Butwhatifherplaceweredifferent?Whatifshehadbeenbornaboy?Itwouldhavebeenherplacetogofighttheinvaders.Andthatwaswhentheideablossomed.Whycouldn’tshefight?Whowasstoppingher?Allsheneededwasasuitofarmor,aweapon,andahorse.Well,shehadthehorse,sothatlefttheweaponandarmor.

Whichwashowshehadendeduphere,now,standinginfrontofthefamily’scabinet.

Slowlysheopenedthecabinetdoors.TheysqueakedslightlyandMulanfroze.Whennocandlewaslitandnonoisecamefromthefamily’srooms,Mulanletoutherbreath.Thensheopenedthedoorstherestoftheway.

Insidewasherfather’ssuitofarmorandsword.Theverysamesuitandswordhehadwornintobattleyearsago.Theylookedbrand-new.Herfatherlovinglycleanedbothatleastonceaweek.Mulan’seyeslingeredonthesword.Inthelightfromthelanternatherfeet,themetalseemedtoburnwithaninternalfire.

Mulanpulledtheswordfreefromitsdisplay.Herhandsdroppedunderthesurprisingweightandsheshiftedtokeepherbalance.Shestayedstillforamoment,gettingusedtotheheftandfeelofthemetalinherhands.Herfatherhad,ontherareoccasionhislegwasn’tbotheringhim,takentheswordoutandpracticedintheyard.HehadmadethemovementsseemsofluidthatMulanhadalwaysassumedtheswordwaslightasafeather.Butinherhand,itwasheavyandawkward.Asshetriedtoliftitstraightinfrontofher,hereyesflickeredoverthreewordsetchedintothebladeitself.Squinting,sheread:LOYAL.BRAVE.TRUE.

Asthemoonmovedfrombehindacloud,theroomfilledwithwhitelight.Inthatmoment,Mulancaughtherownreflectioninthesteeloftheblade.Assheturnedtheswordthiswayandthat,herfeatureschanged.Hercheeksgrewsharper,hereyeswider,herlipsthinner.Shelookedlikeadifferentversionofherself.

Whatwasahintofanideabegantogrow.Whycouldn’tshebeherself—andsomeoneelse—atthesametime?Whycouldn’tshetakeherfather’splace?Shehadeverythingsheneededrightthereinfrontofher.Shecouldbeasoldier.Sheloweredherarmsandstretchedtheswordoutinfrontofher,hereyesassteelyandstrongastheweaponitself.

Mulanwasnolongergoingtoletothersdecideherfuture.ShehadtriedtokeepherpromisetobringhonortoherfamilybyparadinginfrontoftheMatchmaker.Shehad,foryears,practicedherweaving.Shehadlearnedtobesilentandreininherwildestimpulses.Shehadpracticedpouringteaandmadecountlessdinners.Yetnomatterhowhardshetried,shehadalwaysseemedtofallshort.Sonowshewouldbringhonortoherfamilyinanotherway.