AN: This is finally it, y'all. I'm equally amazed to be clicking that "complete" button at the end of 45,000+ words as I was when I found myself writing a 300-word "ending" scene and posting it on Soompi. For those wondering why the story seems a bit disjointed at the beginning, the reason is that this was never meant to be a story in the first place. It was just a loose collection of short stories set in an unrealistically happy canon continuation I've mentally dubbed "Green Hills Happyland" that I crafted for the sake of my sanity after that ending.

But now I'm ready to move onto a grittier story, so I'll be continuing "A Different Path" since there's been so much demand for me to do so. I will, however, take some time to actually craft a story line/plot arc that's more than a kludged-together monstrosity held together by duct tape and chewing gum. Writing something every day, reading it over a few times, and then posting it has been awesome, crazy, and therapeutic, but I want to take a bit more time to put a better product out there. Y'all have been amazing; thanks for your support and encouragement. Lostintranslation wanted a happy ending for the parrot, so I hope this satisfies. I hope you enjoy this ending and that you'll read "A Different Path" when I get it together.

Yuan Song stood just out of view of the garden area of Green Hills where he knew his old friend was training her adopted son in the art of scent detection. The emperor had invited a variety of Yanbei officials to Chang'an for the 2nd anniversary of the formal declaration of peace between Wei and Yanbei, and both Yuan Song and his wife had, naturally, been included in the invitation. Yuan Song had decided to come over to Green Hills earlier than expected because he'd wanted to revisit that part of his past without an audience—and because he wanted to give his wife some space.

He'd met Yue Qi at the gate, and the loyal guard had told him about A'Chu's whereabouts with a twinkle in his eye. Yuan Song could see A'Chu from where he was standing, and he smiled at the obvious peace and contentment that she was radiating even though her attitude towards her son as she explained his assignment was businesslike. She looked happy and healthy, so different from that wary, sober silver bell he'd met in another lifetime.

With a final bit of instruction, A'Chu sent her son on his way and almost immediately looked right at Yuan Song's hiding place. At first, Yuan Song assumed that this was just a coincidence, but as she continued to stare pointedly at him, he shook his head and slowly came into the garden area.

I'm not sure why I'm so surprised. Just because she's no longer who she was back then doesn't mean that she isn't at least as perceptive—and as dangerous.

A'Chu grinned mischievously at Yuan Song, who tilted his head in question. She gestured towards the boy with her head, so Yuan Song began to slowly stalk him through the flowers just like he'd done so long ago with A'Chu. The boy discovered Yuan Song's presence quickly and cocked his head, obviously trying to figure out what he was smelling.

The ruler of Yanbei started trying to evade the boy as A'Chu's son began to demonstrate the same prowess that his mother had shown all those years ago. The boy was persistent and eventually cornered Yuan Song in the pavilion. In desperation, Yuan Song scampered onto the same bridge on which A'Chu had caught him way back when and couldn't help but chuckle when her son caught him in almost the same place.

"I surrender!" Yuan Song cried out dramatically. "Please don't throw me in the water! I am at your mercy!"

"Why would I throw you in the water?" the boy asked. "I would never do that—unless you did something that made me think you deserved it, of course."

"I can see someone has learned his lesson well," A'Chu said impishly, walking up behind her son and taking off his blindfold.

"You did well, Mo'er. I'm going to enjoy telling this story to your father very much."

"But I failed the test. I didn't find the tulip."

"No, but you found and successfully tracked a smell that you knew didn't belong, which is at least as important. Sometimes you have to abandon a mission in order to do something that's more important, which is exactly what you did today. Well done, son. Very well done."

"Thanks, Mom," the boy said, smiling up at her.

"Let's go find your father," A'Chu said, looking pointedly at Yuan Song over her son's head.

"I have a feeling our guest came down here without your father's knowledge, so we should probably go say hello. Don't you agree?"

"I know better than to disagree with you this close to water," Yuan Song said, mock-bowing at A'Chu.

They set off at a leisurely pace towards the main area of the Courtyard, lapsing into a comfortable silence.

There were times when Meng Feng especially loved her husband, and this was one of them. He'd been fidgety all morning and had been able to see how much that had irritated her, so when he'd told her that he was going to head over to Green Hills Courtyard early to see what sort of trouble he could get into, she'd been glad to give him his space. Besides, he'd known that she'd likely need to rest given the circumstances, and this way, she hadn't had to make up an excuse to take an early afternoon nap.

There are times when I especially love my husband, Meng Feng mused from inside the carriage she was riding to Green Hills, but throwing up in our carriage again this morning thanks to the presence of our child growing inside of me was not one of those times.

Yuan Song had been both ecstatic and concerned once they'd both figured out that the "illness" that she'd contracted midway through their journey to Chang'an was actually pregnancy instead. He'd even suggested that they go back to Yanbei rather than traveling on, but Meng Feng had firmly said that they were at least halfway there anyway and that there was no way that she was missing out on this opportunity to see her friends in an official capacity.

Besides, she thought as she looked at the special friend riding in a cage beside her, I have one last debt I need to repay.

She and Zhong Yu had talked months ago. Both were, after all, still consummate professionals beneath their political veneers, and neither had had much use for sentiment. Meng Feng had thanked Zhong Yu for saving her life; Zhong Yu had thanked her for the poison; Meng Feng had told her what she knew of the princess's fate. Neither had felt the need to say more than that, and they had parted on good terms with one another.

Meng Feng knew that she, at least, would be expected to give a report to her former master about her involvement in the events of several months ago. She wasn't looking forward to that conversation, but she'd face it with the same calm determination with which she'd faced most other challenges in her life.

While she wasn't excited about that particular talk, she was looking forward to presenting her parrot friend with the female Cangwu bird she'd procured after expending considerable effort to find just the right one. She'd brought her all the way with her from Yanbei and was anticipating the reaction that her feathered friend would have to her gift.

Her nap had refreshed her, and now she found herself being escorted into Green Hills Courtyard in the late-afternoon sun. They'd all been invited to a late meal with the emperor at the palace, so Yuwen Yue and his wife had invited her, her husband, Zhong Yu, and Wu Daoya over to Green Hills for some afternoon refreshments and conversation.

Yuwen Yue, Chu Qiao, their adopted son, and her husband were there waiting for her. Yuan Song grinned mischievously when he saw the cage in her hand. Meng Feng wisely presented the cage to Chu Qiao, who predictably started cooing at the bird inside before turning those big, soulful eyes on her husband. Her former master seemed resigned to the situation; he turned his piercing eyes on her and said that they shouldn't be surprised given the circumstances.

Chu Qiao had elbowed her husband lightly in his ribs and told him that they had plenty of time to discuss serious matters later. Meng Feng readily agreed with her hostess and asked if she could present her present to their parrot. Yuwen Yue and Chu Qiao both walked off towards their rooms and entered them, he returning with his bird and she returning with their baby son.

Zhong Yu and her husband had joined the party by this time, escorted to the proper location by a smiling Yue Qi. Everyone gathered around Chu Qiao and the baby, making all of the proper introductions and greetings. Meng Feng chose that moment to announce her own condition, getting a bigger hug than she'd expected from Chu Qiao and her own round of congratulations from everyone else.

Yuwen Yue brought his parrot over to the table where Meng Feng had placed the cage, which she proceeded to open. Cautiously, the female bird inside hopped out, looked around in bewilderment, and locked eyes with the parrot who had spotted her at the same time.

For the Cangwu parrot, today had started like any other day. Crying baby; wakeful parents; nursing baby; master's pretense of indifference; a few insults of Xing'er here and there. Nothing extraordinary. But then Yuwen Yue had come to fetch him and had brought him out into the Courtyard to see a number of strangers—except for one woman he easily recognized.

He'd wanted to fly off and say hello to Badass, but everyone had surrounded her and begun congratulating her because she was with child. The parrot figured he'd congratulate her later when there weren't so many people around; maybe she'd want to talk to him, even. But then Yuwen Yue had brought him over to a table, set him down, and stepped back. And then...he saw her the same time she saw him, and he was smitten.

"Yo!" Yue Qi exclaimed from his place near the master. "I think I've seen that expression somewhere before! Oh, I remember. That's the same face the master made the first time he saw Xing'er in those lantern festival robes he had made for her."

"Don't you have anything more important to do, Yue Qi?" his master asked in slight irritation.

Yue Qi pretended to think hard for a moment before answering.

"Well, I've eaten already; I've done my chores; I've trained with the men; I've escorted these important people here and figured out that leaving them now would be rude. So no, I don't have anything more important to do."

Everyone laughed, but he tuned out the rest of the foolish human prattle. He had eyes only for his woman—for surely that was who she was. The bird tentatively hopped towards his soon-to-be mate and nudged her gently with the side of his head.

"Don't be afraid," he cooed softly in their own language the humans couldn't understand. "I know it's strange here and you don't know anybody, but I'll keep you safe. There are good people here, and the master and his wife are the best. If you stay with me, I'll make sure you have good food, a nice place to sleep, and a safe place to raise...um, I mean, a safe place to live."

The female parrot ducked her head bashfully but softly nudged him back.

"I've spent all my life so far in various types of cages, so I don't really know what to do. Am I really free here, or is this just a larger cage?"

Yuwen Yue's bird was silent for a few moments as he thought of the past and all of the things that he'd seen pass between his master and his master's wife.

"If you want to leave here, I won't stop you. I won't let them stop you. If you want to fly away from here, you can. But the world is big and dangerous and mean, and freedom might not be what you think it will be. Here, you'll be safe and provided for and...loved."

"I don't even know how to be free," she cooed, her eyes large and sparkling in the sunlight. "Will you show me?"

Needing no further prompting, he took off, elated when he heard a twin flapping of wings behind him. He slowed down and let her catch up with him, captivated by the crackling energy he could sense in her as she experienced the joy of flying free for the first time. The bird dove for the ground and rose back up sharply, reveling in the way his female counterpart matched him move for move.

He began an intricate series of aerial acrobatics, allowing her to observe his technique. When he began to repeat his moves, she matched him swoop for swoop. The parrot lost track of all sense of time and space, unable to think of anything besides flying in tandem with the woman at his side.

For the first time in his life, he truly understood his master. In all honesty, he'd always agree with Yue Qi whenever the faithful guard had told his master that he needed to forget Xing'er and move on, to accept her absence in his life. And yet the parrot had only known this woman at his side for a few minutes—or had it been hours? Days? Years?-and he already couldn't imagine his future without her.

For the first time in his life, he understood the terror of offering a woman a home, and love, and all of himself while knowing that the pull of freedom might be too much for her to ignore. For the first time since the time when Xing'er had freed him, he seriously considered leaving Green Hills and his master behind if this woman chose to go. For the first time since he'd heard about what had happened at the icy lake, he understood how his master could've been willing to do anything to keep his woman alive.

She finally led him to a remote portion of the wall safe from the prying eyes of humans. He landed close enough to convey support but far enough away to give her the space to make her choice. They studied the lengthening shadows caused by the dipping sun in silence.

"The human who brought me here told me that you saved her life and that you were strong and brave. Could you teach me how to be strong and brave?" she said, deliberately turning her back on the world visible beyond the wall.

He turned around as well and looked into her big, round eyes, not caring that his heart was likely visible in his own.

"You already are," he said softly, sidling closer and nudging her gently.

Without another word, she hopped off the wall and began to lead them home.

Yuwen Yue had seen the look in his parrot's eyes and had realized that he might actually lose his bird today. While his life now was more full than he ever could've imagined it would be when he'd first received his parrot so many years ago, he knew that he would miss the bird more than he'd be able to say to anyone.

"Don't worry," his wife whispered to him too softly for anyone else to hear. "He'll come back."

"How do you know?" Yuwen Yue asked his wife lowly as the rest of their friends talked around them.

"He'll come back for you. He loves you."

"Life doesn't always work that way."

Xing'er was quiet for a few seconds, a sad, wistful expression on her face as she looked down at their son in her arms.

"I saw the look in her eyes when she looked at him; I know it well. She knows he wants to stay for you."

His wife lapsed into silence once again.

"So why do you think she'll want to stay?"

Xing'er looked up at him, her heart in her eyes.

"She'll want to stay for him—even if it takes her awhile to realize it."

They stared into each others' eyes, indifferent to the people around them.

"But I don't think it'll take her that long to decide," Xing'er said lightly, obviously trying to lighten the moment. "She's much smarter than I am."

"Fool! Fool! Fool!" his parrot agreed, landing softly on Yuwen Yue's right shoulder.

The female parrot landed on Xing'er's left shoulder and settled near Yuwen Yue's bird.

Yuwen Yue wound an arm around Xing'er's waist and gently pulled her closer to him, feeling a rush of contentment when neither his wife, his son, nor his birds objected in the slightest. His adopted son walked over and stood in front of him, obviously wanting to be a part of this family tableau. Yuwen Yue placed his free hand on the boy's shoulder and drew him closer.

The master of the Green Hills Courtyard looked up to see their friends smiling at them, obviously basking in the happiness all around them. A touch of Yuan Song's—or was it his wife's?—mischief must've gotten into Yuwen Yue, because the one-time cold, aloof spymaster didn't even try to fight the temptation to grin wholeheartedly back at them.