Disclaimer: So I don't own any OUaT characters, but I'd like to!

Also, if you think I'm doing something really cool, or you just think its crap (oh heavens no she is ruining that character) whatever send me a message or review—I'd love to hear from any of you! Thanks for reading!—Adria

Also I just edited these today, but I hope to get up a chapter every few days—EXCEPT during breaks or finals.

Chapter 1: Homecoming

Home, finally I am going home. As I ride through the trees with the wind blowing through my hair, memories of my home flash before my mind's eye. Feng, my 6 year old brother, playing with our dog, him jumping me every morning wanting me to teach him how to shoot Father's bow, the joy on our parents faces the day he was born. I remember the day the soldiers came to order our Father to join the army. Feng stood by Father, supporting his weight on his little shoulder. How I wished it could have been me standing there, but from my post on the barn, I could see Feng shaking the strain was so great, but he never showed it on his face once. I'd never been so proud of him as that day.

He was the only person I told when I left to replace Father in the army. Figures it would be him, he never did sleep well, yet when I saw him standing there as I put on the armor I had expected him to run to Father to tell him what I was doing. Instead, he ran up to me and helped me put the armor on.

"Why are you taking Daddy's armor, Mulan? Can we train in it? Please, please, please?" He gave me his best puppy-dog smile to try to convince me—I swear he learned that from the neighbor's daughter. I shook my head sadly and kneeled down to talk to him at his own height.

"Feng, do you remember the soldiers that talked to Father today?" He nodded slowly. "Well, they are going to take him away to war to fight for the emperor unless I go in his place." His bottom lip began to tremble as he did his best to be brave and be a man like Father had taught him.

"But Mulan, you can't go to war! You're a girl; it's against the law! I should go in Daddy's place." His shoulders straightened as he stood as tall as he could. "I am the only other man in the family, so it's my place to protect Daddy."

I smiled at his bravery, but shook my head. "Feng you can't go either. If you go, no one will be here to protect the farm and Mother for Father."

"If they find out you're a girl though…"His lip started to tremble again and I patted him on the shoulder to reassure him.

"That is why you have to keep my secret, Feng. Go back to bed and tell no one you saw me leave, can you do that for me?" He nodded slowly and brushed his nose. "All-right then, back to bed with you now!"

He turned to go, and then ran back, gave me a hug, and said "Wait! I'll be right back! Don't leave yet." He ran to his room, stepping carefully to be quiet just as I'd taught him. He came back with his wrist cuffs, golden bracelets Father had given him to mark the birth of his only son. He offered them to me saying "Here, Mulan, take these with you. Daddy said they bring the wearer great honor and luck, and I want you to have them for me."

I smiled, knowing that Father had only said that to make him proud of them, but realizing they could be used to keep up my hair and pleased by his gesture I accepted them. "Thank you Feng! Remember while I'm gone take care of Mother and Father, and keep up your fighting, okay?" I stood and smiled at him then said with mock sternness, "Back to bed now and stay there this time."

He nodded, turned, and softly stepped back to his room.

I was passing rice fields now, and I saw the groups of women look up as I passed by. A few of the younger ones stood and waved, and I smirked a little remembering the women who had waved as I went off to war. True, I was still in my armor, so their mistake was understandable, and with the victory of the Chinese army, soldiers were honored everywhere. And yet I continued to keep up my deception of being a man. Even though the emperor had forgiven my crime of impersonating a soldier, Shang had recommended, for my homeward journey at least, that I keep up the pretense.

At first I thought it was ridiculous, as an honored woman I should be safe to travel, but at the first inn I stopped in on my way back, I heard men cursing my name. Most of the men were jealous, saying that had they been in my position they could have done far better than I at defeating the Huns, and a few expressed a desire to harm me as well as some other undesirable outcomes. Being disguised, I had to appear to agree with them, but later that night, I saw one of them looking at me too closely. He was about to speak out when I knocked him down, saying he had spat on my boots. The other men nodded and threw him outside. Since that night, I'd stayed out of inns on my journey, so there would be no chance of recognition, and I'd been grateful to Shang for his suggestion.

I passed by a farmer's hut and paused, considering the sinking sun ahead of me. I leapt from my horse, tied him to a post near the home's entrance, and knocked at the door to buy some food for the night. They sold me what they could spare, and I pressed on stopping to make camp a few hours later. As I rested I looked over the lands below me. Soon, within the next day even, I would be home, and I would see my family again. The thought comforted me, and I settled off to sleep thinking of everything I would tell Feng and my Father upon my return. Perhaps the matchmaker would think more fondly of me now. I smirked. Ha, after what I'd done, I doubted she would ever forgive me.

When the sun rose the next morning, my camp was already packed up, and I kneeled to the rising sun to pray for final blessings for my day's journey before mounting my horse and setting off. All the land I passed now was familiar territory. Here I had played as a child, there I had fallen into a well, and to the north I had broken my arm as I fell from the tree, and these thoughts comforted me in the silence as I rode onward.

When I saw the village gates, I removed my helmet and let my hair down. It had been hard to accept when I'd sheared it off before leaving for war, but with all the training and then battle, I'd never had time to cut it again, so it was nearly as long as before. I fiddled with Feng's bracelets—eager to be able to give them back to him, but almost missing the mementos I'd treasured for so long. Shang had mocked me many a time about my priority with keeping my hair nice, but I'd seen the approval in his eyes. He'd have liked a set like them for his own hair, even when he thought I was still a man.

I rode through the gates expecting greetings from the villagers I saw, but everyone looked away; not one of the citizens made eye contact with me. Inexplicably at this I felt fear and spurred my horse on toward my home.

Even my worst fears paled compared to what I saw when I reached my home. Nothing was left but rubble; the fields had been burned, my Father's cherry trees had been hacked down, the walls were breached in multiple places, and nothing was left of my home but ashes. I slid off my horse to my knees on the ground, and ashes rose up coating my armor in dust. Even the last 6 months of hiding my emotions could not prevent my tears from bursting through, and for the first time I unashamedly let the tears freely fall as I mourned my home.

Snap! Spinning quickly, I had my sword at the approaching person's neck and had forced them to the ground before I even saw who it was. Instantly upon recognizing my neighbor and her daughter I let go and helped her to her feet apologizing profusely for my actions.

"Bao Yu, I was startled by your approach, and I feared the worst. Please accept my sincerest apologies for harming or scaring you and your daughter. My actions do me dishonor." I began to bow, but she rushed forward and embraced me without letting me finish.

"Mulan, it is I and my family who are dishonored. My sons and husband were the ones who did this to your home." She kneeled, and continued. "Please forgive me for this terrible deed."

I looked down at her, my heart filling with rage, "Are any of my family yet alive?" She looked down and I could see her eyes fill with tears as she shook her head. I began to raise my sword, but looking at Mei, her daughter, I stopped, put it away, and lifted her up. "It was not your choice and you are not to blame. Please, tell me what happened."

She nodded and replied, "Of course, but we must not remain here. If the men see you, there will be more trouble." She led me into her garden and we sat down on a bench overlooking her pond. I found it ironic that even in the saddest hour of my life, the fish were swimming happily and I could still hear the birds singing. "Mei, please go play in your room for a while." Once Mei was out of sight Bao Yu turned to me and began.

"The first soldiers began to return from war a few weeks ago, my husband and sons among them. They all told this fantastic tale of how a girl, some 'Mulan' had posed as a man, saved the kingdom, and been honored by the emperor. They would have forgotten eventually, but your Father pressed it, and they all soon realized that the woman had been you. The town leader was able to calm them down that night, but I could tell they had not forgotten it, and my sons especially grew discontent, desiring the honor you and your family had been given for themselves.

One week ago, I heard my husband and sons rise late at night and went to the window. A group of men was outside and they were stirring them up for some great action, I knew not what. Then, they each took a torch and entered your family's farmyard. I saw them drag your family out, all of them. They beat your father until he stopped struggling, and your brother kept fighting on even though he was just a little boy. Your Mother…she stopped struggling once your Father and brother fell, and I could see her leaning over them, wailing." She stopped and sobbed as her eyes filled with tears again. I had been unable to see for the last half of her story because of the unshed tears in my own eyes, and my knuckles were white from my grip on the bench. In a corner of my mind, I was surprised that it had not yet broken, but I looked back up at her as she continued.

"My husband himself killed Feng—I know not who killed the others, and afterwards they threw the bodies back in the house and set it aflame. Then each man spread out and did what you see now to the rest of the property.

Mulan, you must leave town immediately. I know they intend to harm you and the word is already spreading that you have returned. If I can help you in any way to pay for the actions they took against your family, ask and I will do it if it is in my power."

She hesitated, perhaps realizing my anger but carried on in desperation. "I know you have a right to vengeance for this, but please spare my sons!"

She kneeled down in the dirt, and placed my hands on her head. Her honesty touched me, and I knew I could not blame her for the men's actions. But even so, it was not in my heart to forgive her or them. I rose to leave, and turned to say goodbye, "When they ask if you saw me, tell them I went north to fight the Huns again in hope of finding solace in war. Thank you for telling me what happened."

She looked up at me asking, "And of my family? Will you spare them?"

I turned back towards her, halfway out of the garden already in my haste to leave the place. "If chance spares them, so will I. Pray to your ancestors that I do not meet them on my way out of town, for if I see them, the last thing they see will be my sword, the sword of Shan Yu, killing them."

She nodded and rushed to her family's temple to pray. I returned to my former home, and glanced around the grounds for the last time. If I left now, I knew I would never return, but with the loss of my family, nothing was left for me here. I gathered the few stones from the riverbed that I could, and in the corner of the farm I built a shrine to them, tying the scarf of Shan Yu that was to have been my Father's new banner to a post and raising it as a flag in the center. Kneeling down I prayed for a safe journey to the afterlife for Father, Mother, and Feng. Collecting my things and my horse, I mounted and turned again toward the setting sun and rode out of my village. There was nothing left for me in China, but perhaps there would be something left for me in the barbaric lands to the west.