Chapter 5
The next day when they left the now group of four were silent. They didn’t say much as they rode towards their destination. Red was used to starting a conversation but she still had a headache from too much ale the night before. Dorothy was usually silent, its one of the things that Red loved about her. The strong silent type she was. Merida was also one to speak up when things got too silent. This morning though she was still trying to come to terms that the woman she thought was dead was alive.
Finally Red didn’t care if her head hurt or not, she needed someone to speak, “Thanks for the welcome feast Merida.”
Merida smiled with relief to hear someone talking, “Of course.”
“How have you liked being Queen?” Red asked trying to keep the conversation going.
Merida smiled wide as she answered, “I have been able to get the clans to listen to each other better. We have been very prosperous this last year.”
“Why did Emma take you?” Mulan asked.
The question threw Merida off but she shook it off to answer, “She wanted to me to train Rumple to be a hero. She and Hook had become dark ones. She needed a hero to pull the sword of excalibur from the stone. Didn’t work though, Hooks name was on it and he was the only one who could pull it. I was able to escape and hook ended up dying. We were sent back by Zelena to keep us from Hades.”
“I wonder how much time passes in each realm. It seems as if we just saw Zelena and now she is helping save people. It seems a little odd to me.” Mulan answered.
“We would have to time it. Maybe one day we will.” Red smiled, Dorothy smiled at her girlfriend.
“How did you like the other realm?” Mulan questioned the redhead.
“Didn’t really see much of it. Of what I did see it was an odd place. Lets just say I’m happy to be home.”
“Can’t wait to see what that is like.” Mulan answered.
“You really do want to settle down?” Merida asked. Red signaled Dorothy to slow down, allowing Merida and Mulan to get a little ways ahead of them.
“Yes,” Mulan noticed Red’s actions right away. She was giving her friend room. “I actually wanted to talk to you about that.” Mulan was feeling her beating heart as she tried to find the words.
“You are always welcome to stay in my kingdom.” Merida was excited to hear that Mulan was thinking about staying with her.
“I actually was wondering if,” She looked at Merida. Merida had a smile on her face with eyes that sparkled as she looked at Mulan. “I wanted to tell you.” Mulan looked ahead and cleared her throat, “I wanted to tell you that I like you as more than a friend.” There, it was said. She had finally done what she had told everyone else to do. She told the one she cared for how she felt. Now question is did Merida return her feelings.
Merida for her part was stunned. She was not expecting that to come from Mulan. She wasn’t sure how she felt about the brunette. She did know however that when Mulan left and seemed to disappear she was very hurt. She thought of her every day for the first few months. As time passed she slowly stopped thinking about her but now she wonders if those thoughts were for a friend lost or an opportunity.
The silence was killing Mulan, “If you don’t feel the same way I understand. I just couldn’t keep it to myself, not this time.” She risked looking at Merida. She could see the wheels turning in the Queen’s head.
“I can’t really say how I feel about you. I do know when I thought you were lost it hurt. I’ve been so focused on fixing my kingdom I haven’t really thought about being with anyone. Not to say I don’t feel the same way, I’m just not sure.” Merida knew that she could only be honest.
“Thank you. As long as I know where we stand that is all that matters.” Mulan looked a little sad at the answer but she knew she couldn’t make someone feel something for her.
Red could see the hurt at Merida’s words written all over Mulan. She let out a sigh at the conversation. Those two were good together. They didn’t even see it.
“Why the sigh Wolfie?”
“Mulan told Merida how she felt but Merida isn’t sure how she feels about Mulan.” Red answered.
“I thought the point of us staying back was to allow them privacy.” Dorothy pointed out. She felt for Mulan but she wanted to cheer up Red.
“Hey, I can’t help my hearing is so good.” Red pointed out.
“I’m sure you know how to ignore what people whisper about though.” Dorothy smirked as she answered.
“I am concerned about my friend. She has been through so much. She deserves to be happy as well.”
Dorothy looked ahead at the quiet pair, “She does but we can’t force people to fall in love.”
“I know it just blows.” Red answered. “Now they don’t even know how to speak to each other.”
“Do you want me to ease the tension?”
“How?”
“Do you?”
“Yes.”
“Ride up in a moment.” Red nodded her answer. Dorothy spurred her horse to walk a little faster. She wanted to be right next to Mulan. “Can we speak?”
“Sure.” Mulan answered, happy for the distraction.
“I think we should look at the map and make sure we are still heading in the right direction. We don’t want to accidently get off course.”
“Yes, that is a good idea.” They stopped the horses then hopped off to take a look at the map. Red rode up to stand a few feet away with Merida who was still thinking about what Mulan said.
“Doing ok?” Red asked Merida
“I’m not sure.” She answered quietly. I don’t want to hurt Mulan but I’m just not sure how to answer her back right now.”
Red smiled, “Don’t think about it. Just feel it. If you feel the same you will know. Why don’t you focus on the task at hand. When all's said and done I’m sure you will get an answer.”
“I hope so.” Merida gave her a small smile as Dorothy and Mulan saddled up. They were off again and this time the four traveled in a straight line.
As the sun began to set Mulan pulled off the road to find a place to camp. The three followed right behind ready for a break from the day of riding. Everyone chose something different to do so that camp was setup in no time. Mulan and Ruby went off hunting leaving Merida and Dorothy behind.
“How long have you known them?” Merida asked.
Dorothy smiled, “Only a month or so. Not very long.”
“Yet you know that Red is your true love?”
“I was under a sleeping curse, one that can only be broken by true love's kiss. She woke me up.” Dorothy smiled wider at the memory. “Before that she had made a pretty big impression on me. Especially when I watched her change. It was beautiful.”
“I haven’t seen her change before. She look fierce?” Merida smirked.
“Yes. She is fast as well. We were being chased by Zelena’s monkeys at the time.”
“I hate that witch.” Merida was staring at the fire. After some silence, “Did you know before the spell?”
“That I loved her?” Merida nodded. Dorothy smiled as she looked into the flames, “I think I did. It was a scary thought. Then as I sat in my room waiting for the attack to happen I realized I didn’t want Red to fight Zelena. Better I be lost then her hurt.”
“That’s how she got you?”
“Yes, I went by myself to her castle. I lost, at least that battle.” Dorothy smiled.
“Mulan likes me. She likes me and I don’t know what to do about it.”
“Do? You can’t do anything about it. You either feel the same thing or you don’t.”
Merida sighed as she leaned back to look at the sky, “You’re right. How do I know how I feel though? I have been here and there and now that I am home I have been focusing on that. Feelings haven’t been present really.”
“How long has it been like that?” Dorothy thought she knew the answer but Merida needed to come to the answers on her own. Merida for her part was quiet. She kept her eyes on the sky as she thought about the question. She went through the events until she could figure out the answer to the question.
Suddenly her head snapped to look at Dorothy, “It was because of her.” Merida and Dorothy stared at one another. “She left and I went home and everything felt off. It was like I lost a piece of me. Why didn’t I see it before?”
Dorothy smiled, “You didn’t have her constantly there to let you see it. You shut off because it was easier than dealing with what you were feeling.”
“What do I do now though?”
“Do about what?” Red asked as she walked into the fire light. Mulan not far behind looked at Merida with questions in her eyes. Merida looked at Dorothy then to the two other brunettes.
“Maybe we should all get some shut eye. We do have to wake up early.” Dorothy enterjected.
“Shouldn’t we eat first.” Red said a little confused.
“Right, eat then sleep.” Merida said thankful for the change of subject.
The next morning was uneventful. The camp was taken down and they were on their way. Since all the cursing of going back and forth things seemed to be more confused than anything. The normal attacks that would have happened by now haven't and it has Mulan a little on edge.
“You ok there?” Merida asked when she noticed how quiet Mulan was.
“I’m not sure. I feel like we are being watched but no one has shown themselves.”
“These woods have been pretty quiet since I have been back.”
“They used to have untold dangers, hence the name the dark forest. I wonder why they aren’t showing themselves right now.” Red instantly started listening.
The group kept pace but silent as they all watched the woods for any signs of attackers. As the sun hit midday they stopped by a river to water the horses and themselves. They let their guard down a little since no one has shown yet. They have every right to be on edge though. A man watches in the distance as they progress through the woods. The woods he has claimed as his own. A man who most would have never thought had the potential to be a leader.
“So are we still on the right track?” Merida asked as she let her feet soak in the cool water. Mulan and Dorothy were looking over the map to make sure that they truly were on the right path.
Red sat next to Merida to let her feet soak as well, “I miss hot baths,” Red said as she laid back to soak in the sun.
Merida smiled at Red, “Doesn’t seem like they heard me?”
Red looked over, “Nope. They are too focused to hear you.” The two smiled at one another. Red closed her eyes letting herself rest a little, “So, have you figured out your feelings yet.”
Merida sighed, “Yes and no. I mean I realized she means very much to me I just not sure I’m ready to admit it. It's hard, I’ve been pretty content being on my own. I never thought I would find someone.”
Red smiled as she kept her eyes closed, “Sounds like someone else I know.”
Merida looked at Mulan then back out at the river, “She was the same?”
“After her heart was broken, yes. Now she has a glimmer of hope and is waiting to see what happens. She has been through so much just to get here.” Red sat up to look at Merida, “She even had dinner with the woman she loved and the man who she married. She is ready to move on. More than ready and she wants to do that with you.”
“So we should be there by nightfall,” Mulan concluded.
“That’s what it looks like.” Dorothy said as she studied the map.
“Were you talking about me last night?” Mulan asked still looking at the map.
Dorothy looked at the strong woman finding her to be so vulnerable, “Yes.” She wasn’t going to lie to someone who had proven herself as good friend.
“Can you tell me what she said?” Mulan kept her eyes on the map so that from the outside it would look like they were studying the map.
Dorothy kept her smile in check, “What I can tell you is give it time. You kind of turned her world upside down. She needs time to comes to terms with a change in her point of view.”
“What does that mean?” Mulan looked at Dorothy with worried eyes.
“It means that you need to give her room to think but do not turn away from her. She has been living with the thought you were dead. Now you're here and you love her. How would you feel?” Dorothy took the map and started rolling it up.
“You’re right.” Mulan held out her hand, “Thanks” Dorothy took it with a smile.