I did ask permission! Okay, I asked! I probably could have done this without asking, but I asked anyway because I felt like not asking was stealing someone else's idea.

Anyway, the idea came from a story called 'The Pass', written by whitetigerwolf. While it could have used a bit more work to it, I thought it was still a great story. And ever since I read it, this has been running through my head. So hopefully, all of you can enjoy it, too!

Disclaimer: Nope. Mulan does not belong to me.

Here the Story Starts

'Allowing the enemy to see tears is to allow the enemy to see weakness.' Words she heard her father say before. To her.

These words kept repeating through her young mind as she bounced on the saddle in front of the rider. The horse was stout but thick and ran over the strange terrain with ease. The man that held her in place was larger than any man she ever saw, taller than her father and four times as wide. He wore pelts instead of cloth and kept a sword of strange make strapped to his hip.

She tried to struggle against him, but he's a huge man and she is but a tiny girl, not even ten years of age. The horse under them panted heavily as it was pushed harder and harder, hooves beating the uneven ground in order to stay ahead of the ones chasing them.

It had happened so quickly. Her father was to receive great honor from the emperor for his part in the war. A prisoner had broken free, and in a desperate attempt to keep the Imperial guards off of him, he grabbed her to use as a shield. If he had grabbed a boy, they may have cared. The only reason they even backed up for the prisoner was because of her father, Fa Zhou.

He kept a blade to her throat until he managed to grab a horse, then he kept her as he rode away. She could still hear the horses of the Imperial soldiers giving chase, but they sounded so far off. How? Their horses have longer, thinner legs than this one. Can they not run on this ground like this horse can?

She tried biting the man's hand when he gripped her arms, but he only laughed. "Ha! Fire in such a tiny Han girl! Yes, my son may like you."

"Let me go!" she demanded fiercely around the flesh pinched between her teeth.

"No," he refused, pushing the horse even more.

Such a small thing, her teeth could do him no more harm than prints on skin. Though no matter how much of a hassle she is, he did not dare to knock her unconscious unless he absolutely has to. A damaged shield blocks less arrows and caves much easier to swords than an intact one. If she keeps this on, he may even keep this one if only so the stupid Hans do not destroy the spirit of this child.

Really, grabbing this child was random. He had no idea who she was, only that she could be used as leverage in order to escape. To his surprise, the guards did not seem to care that he was holding the tiny girl hostage, more intent on recapturing him. Then the one soldier receiving honor, her father, ordered them to stand down and demanded the release of his daughter.

From a father's standpoint, he could understand the fury and fear swirling in the man's eyes. But he had his own family and tribe to return to. His son, too young to participate in war, was eager to join him and furious when denied. The boy is too young to have to take on the duties of the chieftain. There is still much for him to learn, after all.

The sun was descending below the horizon. The Hans may slow their pursuit, too fearful of the darkness and of losing his trail. But his line had been blessed with eyes that allowed perfect sight in the night. Some saw the eyes are a sign of a curse, others say it is a blessing. He isn't sure which, but right now, he is damn glad to have them. When the sun is down and the night blankets the forest, he can slow the horse enough for it to rest. Hopefully find a place for themselves as well, then continue on in the morning.

Here is a line!

"Tell me your name, girl," he ordered firmly, expecting obedience that Han instill into their females as young as possible.

"No!" she refused with a huff and an angry pout.

"Then I shall keep calling you 'girl'," he decided, knowing it would eventually get on her nerves and she will tell him. "Eat."

"No!" the child repeated, turning away from the food he placed on a bit of leather for her.

Seeing her eye the horse then the forest, he snorted. "Do not even think of running, girl. You will get lost and the beasts of the forest will eat you."

"Father will find me!" she informed harshly.

He scoffed in amusement, leaning against the tree behind him. "So you are saying I should tie you to the horse, girl? Or to a tree?"

"No!"

"Pick one or stay put, girl."

"No!"

"No to what, girl?"

"I won't stay and I won't pick what you will tie me to!"

"So I choose, girl?"

"No!"

"It will be one way or the other, girl," he pointed out smugly.

"My name is Mulan!" she snapped at him angrily.

"Then eat, Mulan, and rest. Those soldier will be back on our trail tomorrow and we have a long way to go."

She glared at him, but with her youth, it was too cute for it to be worth any intimidation. "Where are you taking me? Are you going to eat me?"

He blinked in surprise. "Eat you?" he repeated in confusion. Just what did the Hans teach their children of the Huns?

"Father says barbarians take children and eat them," she stated, her voice strong but wavered just enough for her fear to slip through. "And they burn villages and kill everyone that lives there!" She heard him say more when he spoke with old war friends, but didn't understand what he meant by the words.

He stared at her blankly. "Your father tells tall tales," he commented boredly. "I will not eat you, and I do not wish to harm you."

"Then let me go!"

"No," he returned at her with a mocking grin.

The pout returned to her lips, her cheeks flushing red when her stomach grumbled. She wrapped her arms around her stomach as though to stave off the sound, tucking her head don to hide her embarrassed flush.

"Eat," he ordered again. "And your stomach will be silent."

Reluctantly, she started picking bits of berries and cooked fish off the leather. She wanted a bigger fire, but he only made it big enough to cook the fish without burning bright enough for others to see. In order to stay warm, she had to stay close to it. Close to him.

"What's your name?" she asked lowly.

He smirked, closing his eyes briefly. Childish curiosity. Angry and scared she may be, but curiosity will eventually get the best grip on a child. "Nakhu."

Here is a line!

It had taken days to lose the Imperial soldiers that were trailing him. Two days after that, the girl wasn't fighting him as much. Two weeks went by before he could finally detect the familiar scents of home. Once the scent came to him, he saw the herders managing the goats. Occasionally, one of the men patrolling the perimeter of their encampment. Sounds came to him soon enough, woman gossiping or scolding their husbands. Children training, if old enough, or wrestling if too young to train. Some playing, if too young for chores. Others old enough for chores were laughing and joking while they worked.

A shout rang through the air, announcing his return. The encampment went still as he approached, his shoulders squared and back straight so not to show his exhaustion. The horse snorted when he yanked the reins back to signal stop, massive hooves stomping the ground in irritation as he dismounted, grabbing the Han girl by the pelt he wrapped her in when she became too cold.

"Nakhu!" a woman yelled out, relief coloring her voice. His natural tongue, after hearing nothing but Han for so long, was music to his ears, especially in her voice. "I feared the worst when you did not return."

"No fear for me, Yesuntei," he assured her before holding Mulan in the air for her. "Take care of this girl. And do not take your eyes off her."

"A Han child? Nakhu, what were you thinking?!" his wife scolded him as she took the shivering child into her arms.

"Survival," he answered, looking around the camp. "Any trouble while I was gone?"

"Only once," she replied. "Be proud of your son. He will be a truly fierce warrior one day. Perhaps sooner than you think."

His wife turned from him, holding Mulan close to her bosom as she went to their tent in order to take proper care of her. One of the other men took the horse away, giving him much needed rest. Another approached him, bowing respectfully once close enough. "I hear there was trouble while I was away," he commented. "Chuluun, what happened?"

"One of the other tribes believed us to be weak when you did not return sooner," the skinnier man answered, combing back the black strands trying to hang over his eyes. "He and his warriors did not get much of a chance before your son decided he heard enough."

"Huh, he may be ready more than I think," Nakhu chuckled, shaking his head. "Where is he?"

Chuluun pointed in the general direction of the stream. "He and my son are either hunting, fishing, or sparring."

"It is good he collects his closest and most trusted while he is still young, but I do require him here," he informed.

"Then I shall retrieve them," the other volunteered, bowing to his leader once more before turning away and leaving.

Repressing the sigh that itched to leave him, Nakhu made his way to the respectively large tent his wife disappeared into, not allowing himself to show his tired demeanor until the flap was completely closed and he was seated on the pelt covered ground. Once planted on the ground, the sigh slipped out in relief. Warmth of the small fire in the middle, completely surrounded and covered by rocks with only enough air to breathe, filled the tent.

Yesuntei looked to him worriedly. "It has been a long ride for you," she noted.

Smirking, he held up his chewed-on hand then pointed to the glaring Han girl. "She did not make it easier," he pointed out.

"Yes, she fights well," the woman laughed merrily, petting back the dark strands on Mulan's head. How she did long to have a daughter, but her body struggled while carrying their son. The shaman said another might kill her. This did not mean she loves her son less, however. He is, after all, her child.

Mulan pouted as she listened to the strange language of the Huns. She could not understand a single word that was being said, but it sounded a lot like the way her parents speak to each other. Are they married like her Mama and Baba?

The hands petting back her hair were soothing, though the skin felt rough and fingers strong. Nothing like her Mama's hands, which were soft and gentle. Still, the motion was foreign to her and somewhat calming. These are the hands of a mother, even if they feel different.

"Why did you bring her here?" Yesuntei asked sharply, eyes narrowing at her tired husband. "If the Imperials do manage to track you-!"

"They won't go beyond their borders," he reassured. "And the various trails I left for them, they will stop searching for the girl in less than a month." He huffed a small laugh. "They hold no value over girls beyond breeding. And she seems to think we will eat her."

The woman snorted angrily. "They call us barbarians!" she snipped, wrapping her arms around the child and bringing her closer, gently rocking her. "How old is she?"

He shrugged. Beyond her name, he did not ask for much personal information about her. In fact, when he finally lost the Imperials chasing them, she only spoke to tell him when she was hungry or needed to go. Otherwise, they were silent. "Ask her. She can speak."

Tapping on Mulan's head caused her to look up curiously, staring into the blue eyes of the woman holding her. Her long black hair spilled over her shoulders, brushing the girl's cheek. "What is you name, child?" she asked in Chinese.

"Fa Mulan," she answered, her voice soft from such miniscule use.

"And how old are you, Mulan?" She kept her voice level, but soft.

"Nine," Mulan replied, tugging the pelt blanket tighter around herself as the big woman continued her rocking. Her own mother hadn't done this since she was six.

"Only five years younger than our boy," Yesuntei informed her husband with a small smile. That isn't too bad of an age gap. If the Imperials truly don't show up to retrieve Mulan from them, then they can raise her.

Nakhu only shrugged uncaringly, but was glad his wife approved of the girl. Kidnapping a child was not something he planned for. It was a sudden decision, the only one he thought he could make in order to escape the city. He honestly did not expect to make it home, even with his little hostage. Nor did he plan on actually bringing her home. If anything, he planned to have left her at a trading village so that whatever Imperial did come after her would find her and take her home. Instead, he ended up bringing her to his.

"Mulan, I am Yesuntei," she introduced herself in near perfect Chinese. "I am Nakhu's wife."

"Ye… Ye-sun…"

Patiently, she repeated her name, emphasizing the pronunciation. "Ye-sun-tei."

"Ye-sun-tei."

"Good!" she praised, ruffling Mulan's hair playfully. The girl huffed and tried to straighten the strands out, which only made Yesuntei laugh.

The flap to the tent suddenly opened and a new person came in, looking around frantically before being kicked in the leg by Nakhu.

"Know your surroundings at all times, boy, less you fall to an enemy," Nakhu scolded, earning a kick back from his son. Then he chuckled, nodding his head to the two females in the tent. "I brought back a present."

"You were gone for months!" his son exclaimed. "We thought you were dead! Everyone thought you were dead! And that is all you have to say!"

Mulan tried to hide in the fur covering her, drawing herself up into Yesuntei's lap as the teenage boy shouted at the bored Nakhu. The words sounded harsh and angry. His build was thick with muscle, various types of leathers and fur covering his broad shoulders and thick arms. Looking between the two, she could see one thing they had in common beyond hair color, and that is their eyes. Where her eyes are white, theirs are black. And where there is brown in hers, they hold gold.

"Not now," Nakhu told him sharply.

"Calm yourself, you're scaring the child!" Yesuntei scolded the teen, earning his attention.

Mulan shrunk when the angered eyes focused on her, glaring hatefully as she tried to hide in the woman's hold, then snapped back to Nakhu. "You bring back a Han?!" he demanded.

"They won't care," Nakhu brushed off. "To the Han, women are broodmares. This one, there is something special. I thought it was better to keep her."

"And bring their fury on us?!"

"They won't find us," he pointed out sharply, watching his son's stance. Tense, ready to spring. His child has always been quite quick to anger, but has a tactical mind unlike most Huns. If he can rein in that anger, use it wisely, he will bring the world to its knees. "But if it will settle you, then we move in two days. Winter is fast approaching and we need to go somewhere that will still have food for us to hunt. Now settle down."

The teen snarled at his father then sharply turned away, giving the scared little girl one last glare as he left the tent once again. Glad to have his father home, relieved even, why did he have to bring back such a tiny, useless creature?

Mulan stayed where she was in case the scary boy came back, barely hearing Yesuntei soothingly reassuring her that she is safe. "Who was that?" she asked hesitantly. "He sounded mad."

Nakhu laughed lowly, shaking his head when his wife glared at him. "That is my son, Shan-Yu."

Here the Chapter Ends

There we go, we're off to a good start! I think so, at least. Let me know what you guys think, though. I figured it was obvious enough for everyone to know who Nakhu's son was before it was even said. But this is how it goes in my mind.

Leave me a review and tell me what you think! ^^