The untraditional daughter (Mulan AU)

𝟫: 𝐵𝓇𝒾𝒹𝑒𝓈 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒷𝒶𝒷𝒾𝑒𝓈

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.