AN: This was originally meant to be the intro to a series of multiple ways that CQ could've left YX before the icy lake scene, but with a bit of polishing it can stand as a one-shot. [Edit: Okay, so maybe it's going to be a full story instead of a one-shot. That's what happens when I forget to mark one-shots complete, I guess;).] I've tried to be true to CQ's character as I understand it and to flesh out a CQ who's ready to leave a bit earlier than what the writers give us in canon. I'm not criticizing canon CQ because the writers were never going to let her leave YX before the icy lake scene anyway, which was always slotted to be at the end of the series.

Chu Qiao rarely had use for long bouts of introspection. After all, what good did lamenting about the past do anyway? No amount of regret could change a single thing about anything that had already happened, so the best course of action was to accept that you'd done the best that you could with what you had and get on with your life. And yet…

Once again, the image of her Xiulis—her men, regardless of what Yan Xun said—being knifed in the back played through her mind. She had sworn to protect them, to redeem them, to give them the peaceful life in their homeland that they'd craved for years. They'd trusted her, followed her, sworn loyalty to her...And yet…

Yan Xun's voice interrupted her agonized thoughts as he talked to her through the window, a shadow that was both there and not there at the same time. His words pulled at her as they always had, recalling to her mind all of the trials that they'd been through together, all of the things that they'd done for one another, all of the promises that they'd made.

He promised her Chang'an and the world, causing her to sit down at the seat before the window with an undignified thump even as he admitted that he knew that that wasn't what she really wanted.

So what do you really want? Chu Qiao thought as Yan Xun told her that she could never leave nor betray him. The question echoed in her mind as his footsteps faded away.

While she couldn't yet answer that question in its entirety, one fact crystallized in her mind.

"Yan Xun," she whispered, "It's a pity that you and I are no longer walking on the same path."

So what path are you walking on? What do you really want? she thought as she stared off into the middle distance.

Yuwen Yue's face suddenly popped into her head, but she ruthlessly shoved those thoughts to the side as she always did. She knew that no amount of wishing could change the past or the future, so she focused on the practical and the just.

To stop the war.

She nodded once, accepting that she'd moved beyond wanting vengeance to desiring nothing but peace and happiness for her people. After all, she'd already achieved her personal vengeance on behalf of her family and had killed all of the guilty parties involved in the human hunt. What good would more bloodshed achieve?

Okay, so how are you going to stop the war? What resources do you have at your disposal?

He Xiao's strong face flashed through her mind.

The Xiulis are not only people I'm responsible for but are also a valuable resource that I could offer to a potential ally.

Chu Qiao's eyes widened in shock as she realized that she'd already made her choice to leave even though she hadn't yet admitted it to herself. She acknowledged that she'd never been good at making long-term plans, but she was still proud of the way that her agile mind would often make the swift leaps and bounds necessary to craft an excellent short-term plan.

So you want to stop the war, and the best way to accomplish this is by leaving and taking your Xiulis with you. So where will you go? How will you get there? What will you do once you're-

She cut off those thoughts, figuring that she'd work out more of the particulars once she'd made her escape.

Escape? It's not like Yan Xun would physically stop you from leaving...would he?

Memories of the Xiuli execution assaulted her again, making her doubt everything that she'd once believed about the man who had been her closest friend and ally not all that long ago. She was troubled that she couldn't give a definitive answer to that question. All she knew was that that familiar feeling of panic that told her that she had to get out now was building in her again.

Perversely, she welcomed that feeling as it was something familiar to her, something within her comfort zone. True, her world was much larger now that it had once been and her responsibilities were greater, but she was still confident that she'd be able to not only see her people and herself to safety but to also stop the seemingly inevitable war between Wei and Yan Bei.

What other choice do you have other than to be confident? Too much thinking slows you down, and too much slowing down gets you killed. The key is to never stop moving.

Threads of a plan began weaving themselves together in her mind, and she let them come together just as they always had. She knew realistically that so much could go wrong and that the entire scheme could end in disaster, but she mentally shrugged because she figured that since her current course was heading for catastrophe anyway, she may as well try to do something new to save her people.

Life in chaotic times is just that way. You do your best to hold on to those you love, but you end up losing them anyway one by one. So you pick your target, pull back the string, aim your arrow, and let it fly. And if you go down swinging your sword in the end…

Her eyes fell on Can Hong Jian, remembering the way that she'd felt when Yuwen Yue had first handed it to her. She picked up the sword, relishing the feelings of safety and security that she felt from its familiar heft in her hand. Her eyes fell on the flute that Yan Xun had given her not long after Yuwen Yue had given her the sword that she could've stopped carrying long ago.

She looked at the flute before tightening her hand on the scabbard of Can Hong Jian. Turning away, she walked to the door and firmly pushed it open. After all, she had things to do, and thinking too hard about the things that she had to do would lessen her odds of being able to do them.

Even now, a large part of her was shocked at how ready she was to throw away much of the last three years just to chase after the unknown. And yet was that not how her life had always been? Had she not always been forced to give up those she loved in order to live to fight another day?

She briefly thought about saying goodbye to her adoptive sisters, who were safely tucked away in anonymity in a small town that only a few people close to her knew about. Her mouth tightened as she acknowledged the sad truth.

The farther they are away from me, the better off they'll be.

Chu Qiao knew that the same couldn't be said for Yan Xun, but the events of earlier had driven home just how little influence she now had over the man who had once grinned impishly at her and called her his little wild kitten. That man was dead, and a battlefield shade was all that was left in his place. Her first duty must be to the people that she actually stood a chance of being able to save, and that's just what she intended to do—or die trying.

The first step was to talk to her Xiulis, and then to find Yuwen Yue, and then…well, she had no idea of Yuan Song's current frame of mind, but if Yuwen Yue found him worth protecting, then maybe he was worth setting up as the leader of Yanbei with a bit more practical authority than a royal decree from the emperor could give him.

She realized with a start that her feet had taken her to the ramparts almost of their own volition, as if they were already ready to start the process of leaving. Chu Qiao was surprised to see Zhong Yu already standing there and looking forlornly out at the city. Wordlessly, she shuffled up to the wall beside her long-time friend and comrade in arms.

Zhong Yu, who had almost lost Mister Wu to death at Yan Xun's command. Zhong Yu, who would now have to leave Yanbei if she wanted to be with the man she loved. Zhong Yu, who'd been the head of Yanbei's spies well before the rebellion had taken place and who thus had a keen grasp of Yanbei politics.

Maybe she'd be interested in backing a government that would let her and Mister Wu live in Yanbei together in peace? Come to think of it, A'Jing knows better than most how close Yanbei is to starvation, and he did seem distressed about the killing of my Xiulis. Maybe…

But she was getting ahead of herself. She revised her plan to include this new wrinkle.

The more I can bring with me, the better off we'll be—and the worse off Yan Xun will be. Of course, I'll have to deal with Cheng Yuan, but…

Chu Qiao gripped Can Hong Jian tightly as she acknowledged the truth.

I'm no match for him as a general, but he's no match for what I truly am, either. When the time comes…

She turned her head and looked at Zhong Yu, opening her mouth and officially committing herself to a different path.