For Our Families (Mulan Fan-Fic)

Chapter 2

I limply held the letter in my hand as my mind played over the contents. Sai was to leave today, to the designated battle training area, which was less than a 4 hour horse ride away.

I looked at Sai and kissed his forehead as I stood up and made my decision. I am going in Sai’s place, I am a better option. He has to carry on the Oh Family name, I will just be married off against my will
to carry on someone else’s name, he has a future to look forward to, I don't.

I swiftly and silently walked to my beloved father’s room, he had kept his many pieces of armor and weapons in a chest beside his bed. He had multiple pieces because he had started as a regular soldier and had progressed to a commander’s level, which he had only ended up having for 5 years before enemy scouts had killed him and his second command as they were coming
home from a battle that had been won.

I had only been 7, Sai was still in the womb. He never met our father. Our father was a
wonderful and caring man, can't say the same about Sai’s mother though. Father hadn’t made the best choice when he had remarried, but I won’t shame him in death.
I flung open the chest and quickly pulled out articles of armor and clothing and weapons, sizing up each one to see if they could possibly fit me in any way, I am thin and tall.

About 175 cm, my height isn't a problem for my clothes and armor but the broadness is one but that shouldn’t be
too big a problem since there are a lot of slender guys. I put on the one that belongs to the lowest rank of soldiers, thankfully I am quite knowledgeable when it comes to military affairs since I was a curious child and my father was a big talker. I slipped it on and it definitely did not feel right against my chest since this was made for the flat torso of a man.

“Now that I have the clothes, what do I do about my hair? It’s far too long… Unless I just tied up. There are plenty of men who have long hair that they just tie up, but then I have to make it really tight so the bun doesn’t look too big.” I flipped my head over and gathered all my hair to tie it up,
I then wrapped it up and finished the hairdo. It look a tiny bit bigger but it was fine, I’ll just say I didn’t want to cut off all my hair if someone asks. I took a quick glance into the mirror and felt ready, this shouldn’t be too hard to act like a man, especially since I had observed someone that was a man for the first 7 years of my life.

I look out the window and observe my home for a second before I run out, I take a glance back and set a letter down to my brothers head and go to my room. I peer in and walk to my little cage that held my pet snake, it was an exotic animal to China. A diamondback rattlesnake, I had practically grew up with the animal, it was pretty
much my best and only friend.

“Hey, Mian Feng, you are going to come with me ok?” She stared back at me as she was coiled up before slithering over and up my arms. She coiled around my neck loosely and stayed there, I kissed the top of her head before speed walking across the wooden flooring. I skipped steps
over to the horse stables, I didn’t have any that solely belongs to me so I had no preference.

I skimmed over each of their names before seeing a name, Si, that was the name of my fathers horse. But that horse had to be too old to be alive, unless this is their child, I look over and see a brown stallion, it’s stance just held power. I walked over and grabbed the reins before swinging
myself over, thankfully Si was spooked with Mian Feng on my shoulder.

I settled myself down comfortably before making Si break out into a jog, I expertly sat on top of the saddle, Mian Feng having curled a little bit tighter around my neck. This was my destiny now and all I ask for it to not be over too soon or not have my brother and family come after me.

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End of Chapter 2, if u haven't noticed I'm going to upload every piece 1 at a time for everyday.