Aurora felt Mulan tense beside her. She gave the warrior a look that would hopefully reassure. She didn't believe that this man meant them any harm. Not if the stories were true. Then again, she knew full well that stories could be deceiving. There were certainly stories about her life that had gotten important details wrong.
The man in red beamed at Mulan, his smile warm enough to almost combat the chill in the air.
"Some call me Santa Claus, others call me Saint Nick. I'll answer to whatever you choose to call me. And this is my village. I know the names of everyone who comes to visit us here."
He looked at Mulan, as if taking in the sight of the woman who was braced for a fight.
"I give you my word that no harm will come to either of you so long as you're within my village. This is a place of peace and goodwill."