Love or Law

Winter into Spring

The next morning they were greeted by the sight of snow blanketing the ground. Winter had officially begun. Mulan shivered as she trudged through the snow to the stables to check on Khan. She found him safe and warm in his own box stall, munching on some hay.

"Well, aren't you being spoiled." She murmured to him with a smile, "Don't worry Khan, I'm sure we'll be home soon." Looking around, she found a barrel with the dried remains of autumn's apples within. Pulling one out, she offered it to her faithful steed who munched it with enthusiasm before snuffling her for another.

"Oh, no. You may deserve to be spoiled a little after everything I've put you through but that doesn't mean you get two apples in one day. Then you'll run out faster." Khan snorted at her as if to say, what do I care? But he gave it up when she began to gently scratch behind his ear.

"Mulan?"

She turned at the sound of her name to see Shang standing in the stable doorway.

"I'm here." She answered.

"Mother sent me to find you. Breakfast is ready to be served." He said as he approached her.

"Alright."

Shang wrapped his arms around her from behind as she continued to stroke Khan.

"Everything okay?" He murmured, sensing her melancholy.

"Just thinking of home." She answered honestly.

"Hmm. Is there anything I can do?"

"Pray for a mild winter to ease our travel?" Mulan suggested.

She felt Shang sigh into her hair, "About that. With the snow now here, Mother is concerned about road conditions and such. She suggested that we stay here with her."

Mulan rested her hands over his where they overlapped around her. "How long?" She asked with some trepidation.

"Until after the spring thaw." Shang answered quietly, knowing she wouldn't like it. He felt her stiffen against him but remained quiet as she processed the information.

After a minute she asked, "What are your thoughts?"

"I think...that my mother is rarely wrong. If she feels that the roads will be too dangerous to traverse safely I would rather remain here than risk further injury. To us or our horses." He said slowly.

Mulan sighed heavily, then leaned back against him. She tipped her head to the side slightly when Shang nuzzled into her neck.

"Then I guess you better make spring come faster." She joked, half-seriously.

Shang chuckled, feeling her shiver slightly at the feel of his breath on her neck, "I'll get right on that, Mistress Fa." He murmured, before pressing a warm, soft kiss just under her ear. When she didn't protest right away but subconsciously tipped her head to allow him more access, he did it again. And again. Tightening his hold on her, he shifted slightly to run his lips slowly down her throat to the hollow of her shoulder and then back up to the underside of her jaw, then back to that spot just behind her ear that had her shivering in his arms. He planted soft, open-mouthed kisses there, allowing himself to taste her with small flicks of his tongue. She moaned almost silently, a deep vibration in her throat that he felt more than heard.

"Shang." She whispered.

"Hmm..." He hummed against her, sending another shiver through her.

"Shang, please..." She rasped, and he knew what she meant. With a groan, he planted one last kiss before loosening his hold on her. Instead of pulling away as he expected, she turned in his arms and cupped one of his cheeks in her small, calloused hand.