School for Good and Evil Disney AUs

Mulan

The emperor looked up at the General.

He had to get recruits for their army to fight the Huns immediately.

They needed a man from each family to even out their ranks.

~

Nicola woke up early, as always.

She had chores to get done.

She woke up her 'little brother', the dog, and tied him to the grain sack, putting a stick connected to a bone.

She could see her father with their ancestors, praying.

Most likely for her, hoping that she wouldn't fail at the matchmaker's.

She wasn't ready, but she had been taken notes for hours on her arm and she was hopeful she would bring honor to her family.

But she wasn't sure how she was going to do.

She hurried downtown after promising her father she would do her best to bring honor.

~

They primped and polished her, though she was late, and she went over her notes again in her head.

She joined the other girls and tried her best to copy their actions.

She continued to pray that she would be able to impress the matchmaker.

But... well... it was a disaster.

The lucky cricket her grandmother had given her had gotten into the woman's tea, which led to a whole series of very unfortunate occurrences, including setting the woman on fire and having to put it out with scalding tea.

"You may look like a bride, but you will never bring honor to your family!" the matchmaker shouted loudly.

Her mother held her protectively and whispered kind words, but she knew they were false.

She was nothing but a disappointment.

~

She hurried down through their land until she was alone in the stable with her horse.

She looked into the horse trough and tried to keep herself from crying.

She wiped her face to clean off the makeup.

She wondered... when her reflection would show who she was inside.

She ran to where her ancestors lay and tried to find answers, but she couldn't find any.

Because there were none.

She just had to accept that she was nothing but a disappointment.

She heard a loud voice in the distant, calling all men into the square.

She knew she couldn't go... but she snuck over the wall of their farm anyways and watched as the man announced the unthinkable.

The Huns has invaded.

And they needed a man from each family to fight.

When they called for her family, she jumped in front of her father.

"No! You cannot make him go! He's already fought his war!"

The man gave her a disgusted look.

"Your daughter would do well to learn to hold her tongue in a man's presence."

Nicola looked to her father.

"You have dishonored me," he said.

Her eyes filled with tears and she hurried away.