Finn and Mayra planned out in the early morning the best strategy for their return to Klain as they packed food. The fruits from Faeland were sweet and good, and Gwen had assured the girls they did not rot quickly.
Mayra advocated for staying outside the city, perhaps asking Jimmy if they could reside with him since they were now outside the law. Finn did not have any wish to see where the quarter-halfling lived, and doubted that they would be allowed anyway. Though the crotchety man tolerated their visits, houseguests were an entirely different thing.
Finn thought they could camp near the city, or even stay in a town nearby, where they would be less likely to be recognized. Gwen kept her lips pressed tightly together through the exchange, which Finn took to indicate they had not yet discussed the course of action Gwen would have them take. It was frustrating to have to guess these things.
Both of them knew they needed to get a report to the General, but neither wanted to implicate the Shermans. They didn't want the couple to be arrested for harboring fugitives, if that was indeed what they were.
"We'll have time to decide on the way," Finn said at last, "but perhaps we should make haste." Gwen's mouth relaxed slightly.
"Can Fae see the future?" Finn turned and asked her suddenly.
Gwen blinked rapidly a few times and stared at Finn, who was studying her face in return.
"Hmph." Gwen finally said. "Clever girl. Too clever for your own good, maybe."
Finn grinned, and Mayra's eyes bounced back and forth between the two as she tried to decipher what had just happened. "Anybody want to tell me anything?"
"Your friend was using my concentration against me. I'm not usually in this form with its readable face, and I usually have no use for remaining unreadable since the Fae share thoughts freely." Gwen admitted.
"And yet you keep so many secrets!" Mayra scolded.
The Fae gave her a mildly irritated look, the first either girl had seen from her. Finn imagined that the grey-haired woman's attitude had soured because of what she had accidentally revealed: that she had at least some future insight into what the different choices might lead to, and since she wanted the girls with her to succeed, her face was reflecting which choices were, in her view, incorrect.
She stopped mid-thought as Gwen looked in her direction, then lowered her eyes in embarrassment. She really didn't want to offend the powerful Fae.
"If that's what you've decided, we may as well go now." Gwen said, and Finn smiled.
"Let me say goodbye to Gabe briefly," She said over her shoulder, already running towards her brother's hammock. The boy was still sleeping, and she hated to wake him. She doubted he'd gotten truly good rest in quite a long while. Still, he would be upset if he woke and she were already gone.
"Gabe," She brushed his hair back from his forehead, as she had the night before. His unruly curls were difficult to tame, especially now that they were longer. He mumbled sleepily but did not open his eyes.
"Gabriel," she tried again, "I need to leave now, but I love you very much and didn't want to go without saying so."
Slowly, he blinked a few times and then squinted at her through the early morning light. "You're leaving now, Finn?" His voice was scratchy from sleep, and broke a little on her name.
She nodded and opened her arms. He rolled out of his hammock almost comically and fell into them, then clung to her. "I don't want you to go." He whispered into her shoulder.
"I know. I want to stay with you, but I need to try to help save everyone we love. You'll be safe here, and I love you, and you're going to have such a wonderful time you won't even notice that much that I'm gone," She hoped that was true. "Will you be extra brave for me, in case I forget to be?"
He smiled at her, "I'll be the bravest."
She hugged him again. "I hope I'll see you again soon. I love you." She felt as if she couldn't say the words enough. If the worst happened, she wanted him to know how dearly he was loved.
"I love you too." He said. His lips quivered slightly, but his eyes did not well with tears as she feared. Almost overwhelmed with guilt at leaving him behind, Finn reminded herself that it was for the good of the world, and his own safety, that she needed to do so.
She kissed his forehead and ruffled his hair. He pulled his head away in typical six-year-old fashion, but a little grin told her he didn't really mind it, this time.
"All right," She turned back towards Gwen and Mayra, "I'm ready."
Gwen clapped her hands, and a doorway appeared as before. Compared to the brightness of Faeland, it looked dark wherever she was taking them.
The girls donned their coats, shouldered their burdens, and grasped hands before stepping through. Whatever came, they were in this together.
______________________
Gwen wound up taking them much closer to Klain than the girls expected. Though Gwen took time to rest after bringing them through the doorway back into their world, and periodically along the way, by the time she left them to return to her home, she had taken them a great distance.
When she bid them goodbye, they really only had one mountain to descend before they would reach the base of the mountain chain, minimizing their exposure to what was becoming unbearable cold in the higher peaks. They could even see Klain from their high perch.
Finn felt enormous relief. Part of her had feared that they would get lost amongst the mountains and never make it back. Gwen was generous in giving them a clear line of sight to their destination... though they had not explicitly stated they would go straight into the city.
Finn wondered if it were a hint that they should go ahead and enter it even before Gwen returned with the things Finn had requested.
The prudent course of action seemed to be staying outside of Klain, but Gwen's face had been tense as they discussed each of those options.
"I think we need to go straight into Klain," Finn said the next time they paused for rest. Mayra smirked.
"Always with the 'let's go get ourselves captured' plan with you, isn't it?"
Finn ducked her head, chagrined. "I was studying Gwen's reactions to all of our plans, and each of them was met with disapproval. Then she left us within sight of the city. I think we just need to head straight there without trying to work around it."
"Fine. I guess we can do it your way. If the food in jail is terrible, I'm blaming you." Mayra tossed a handful of snow at her friend, causing them both to laugh.
"There's no guarantee we'll get arrested." Finn defended herself. "We don't know what The Provider has done since we left. Maybe he forgot about us."
"That seems awfully likely," Mayra rolled her eyes, "Spy masterminds manipulating international matters often overlook pesky little people threatening to expose their entire scheme."
Finn laughed again. "I'm sure you're right."
"I usually, scratch that, almost always, am." The other girl nodded at her.
They descended the next section together, taking turns leading the way. The air was gradually growing less frigid and more breathable, which was a relief after the high altitudes, but could not compare to the sweet, soft air of Faeland.
Finn doubted they would ever find such a completely wonderful place in their own world purely on its merits, but the people and the memories were strong factors in favor of certain locations. For instance, a certain small stable in Klain was perhaps her favorite place out of everywhere she'd ever visited.
The blood rushed to her face in a familiar way as the memory entered her head. Either Mayra thought it was from the exertion of the hike or didn't notice, because Finn was sure the younger girl would tease her about it if she knew Finn's thoughts.
Then again, the journey was maturing Mayra more than Finn thought. Surviving in the mountains and meeting the Fae had given her an air of confidence no longer based on the arrogance of youth. By increments, Mayra was becoming a little quieter and a little wiser, even if she maintained her moments of innocence and teasing.
Coming to the edge of the next ledge, they looked down, closer to Klain than they'd been in weeks. It looked as peaceful as when they'd left it, but Finn's gaze swept the foothills and plains to the West, somehow expecting the Rhone army to be waiting in well-organized ranks, ready to attack in an open and shocking display of force.
Seeing nothing, she knew that relief was unwarranted. Their invasion was more subtle and serious than an open attack would be. She hoped Gwen would meet her in time to help stop it.