"That would be really helpful if it comes up, thank you!"

Vanyel smiles and bobs his head. "I - really want this to be able to work out. And as quickly as possible. It seems very important." 

They can ride until well after dark and only stop when they're actually sleepy, and then make an efficient departure again the next morning. 

Tarinda can sing while they ride when nobody has any questions about her world.

In that case, Vanyel will shush some of Dara's questions via Mindspeech so he can hear more singing! He tries to learn the songs she knows. 

They make good time through Rethwellan. 

She can learn his songs too! Page can take melodic dictation so she can read off what he sings after she's heard it once and it can come up with harmony lines.

This is such a good way to pass very, very long days on the road, and Vanyel is delighted. 

They're across Rethwellan in four days and spend the fifth day winding their way up into the mountains, higher and higher. Vanyel thinks he's almost in Mindspeech range except for the large quantity of mountain in the way, but he might be able to get it from the top - or, at the very least, Yfandes will be in range of any Companions near the Valdemaran border. 

Exciting!

Near the top of the Comb, the trails gets very narrow and steep - and it's still all snow and slush, this early in spring, and they have to dismount and go on foot in front of the Companions, who are better on the trail than most horses would be but still need to go carefully. It's late afternoon when they reach the summit. 

Vanyel is very out of breath. "Need to - catch breath..." He finds a rock to sit on. 

The view is spectacular. 

Tarinda can wait a minute while he deals with the altitude. (It doesn't trouble her a bit.)

Once Vanyel has caught his breath, he tries to reach out with his Mindspeech, straining for Haven. 

- he thinks he's almost got it, but his Mindspeech, though less affected by his injuries, is still a bit rusty from disuse, and he's getting a headache. :'Fandes, can you try?: 

She does. 

:I got through to Nalia - sorry, Herald Rostan's Companion in Bakerston. What should I tell them to relay: 

Vanyel looks over at Tarinda. "Sorry - I don't have the range right now but Yfandes can reach someone's Companion by the border and they can pass it up the Mindspeech relay. Er, tell them that we're nearly home, we're at the top of the Comb by–" he squints and reads off the marker someone has chiseled into the rock face beside them in lieu of putting up a signpost that inevitably won't survive the brutal mountain winters. "And we're in a hurry and would appreciate a Gate to wherever is possible - either here, or Bakerston when we reach it tomorrow." 

Yfandes can relay. :All right. It'll probably be half a candlemark before we hear back. Should we stop for a snack here or start heading down?: 

"We should stay put in case Savil can do a Gate to here. Not that I know where she'd put a threshold." 

"Threshold?"

"A Gate is sort of like a magic door between two places. You usually need an actual door or archway of some kind to build it on, but Savil's very good at it, I bet she could get a little creative. That rock formation over there might be close enough..." 

He starts digging in Yfandes' saddlebag for snacks. Tosses Tarinda a little bag of dried fruit. 

Munch munch.

Twenty minutes later, Yfandes excitedly tosses her mane. :Good news! Savil's been through the Comb and can Gate to us! Though she wants the next trail-marker, apparently there's a cabin down there with a door she can use. She can do it in a candlemark, which should be plenty for us to get down there:  

"Oh good!" Down they go. Tarinda skips a little.

Vanyel also seems to be in a much better mood. (He is not a fan of travel.) 

Dara is maaaaybe a little disappointed that they don't get to travel through southern Valdemar again, since she actively likes travelling and remembers all the inns and which ones were good, but overall this is much better because it means less total time until they get FLOATING CASTLES (and also nobody dying anymore.) 

Ten minutes after they've reached the cabin in question, which is really more of a shed that seems to mostly store hay for horses traveling, the doorframe starts to glow. (Fortunately it's a nice wide door.) 

That's neat!!!

And then there is a Gate! The inside of the doorway flashes white and clears to show an entirely different place - a muddy lawn, new spring grass just sprouting, and a path and some trees and ancient-looking stone buildings further away, and a woman dressed in white like Vanyel and Dara, standing next to a white stallion.

She rises on her toes and waves to them, smiling. "Come on across!" 

Tarinda trots over the threshold with the others. "Nice to meet you! I'm Tarinda."