Love in War

Love in War - Chapter 18: An Imperial Burden

Ting Ting's sentiment had been all but complimentary to the mood of the day, and the four friends found themselves wide-eyed and speechless in the state of shock and confusion that had overtaken them.

Upon reading the situation and examining the carefree crowd within the gates of the estate, the princess felt blood rush to her face and immediately took a step back.

"Oh my goodness, I apologize! I didn't mean to interrupt an occasion!"

"No, no! Don't worry about it!" Mulan and Shang insisted, doing little to quell the girl's shame and embarrassment.

The group led Ting Ting inside and to an empty table so she could sit. In perhaps any other situation her presence would have sparked a firestorm in this small village, but at a celebration such as this one, she simply disappeared into the crowd as a rich party guest.

Once she was settled, Ling placed a concerned hand on her shoulder and she looked up to meet his gaze with sad eyes.

"What happened?" Chien Po asked in his ever so soft tone.

"No. No. This can't be about me," Ting Ting pressed as she turned to Mulan and Shang who had taken their seats beside her, "this is your wedding, is it not?"

They were engaged when she had met them; that coupled with both the celebration and the attire they currently dawned made the situation clear.

"It's your day. I really had no idea, and I would've never started that way had I known," she apologized again.

Mulan and Shang turned to each other and exchanged thoughtful glances before nodding in agreement; Mulan then reached out a hand, and settled it on top of Ting Ting's.

"It's absolutely fine," she insisted, "and now that we know something's troubling you, we won't be able to relax until we know what it is and how we can help ... It's what friends do."

Ting Ting looked up at the girl in a sort of awe. She had no idea Mulan had considered her a friend, and up to this point, she didn't even consider whether or not she considered Mulan one! The issue didn't come up often in her life; her duty was to her people, and her family acted as her support; that was it. The revelation that she had friends in this world was an unexpected, and yet welcome one.

Finally seeing as she was among good, trusting company, she decided that she could open up to the situation in which she had landed herself.

"It all started a little over a week ago..."

Mei had run away only a sum of days prior, and the palace was still in a state of disarray. Her absence at the table and about the day still did much to haunt Su and herself; slight noises and movements in the distance would cause their hearts to race with the hope that their nightmares were over, only to have that hope torn down with every realization that their sister was still gone. It was torturous.