The children would have to ride in the corner of the cart among the merchant's cargo and be patient, but there would be inns to stay in along the way. Once they arrived in the town, it would only be a few more hours by public coach to reach their final destination.
Once they got into Gustglen Town someone could show them the way using the map. They would be able to find the old woman's home.
Finnick gently pressed the coach fare and a little emergency money that he carefully saved into Bao Bei's hand.
"Study hard, and do your best. What you learn will help you survive in the world. Stay healthy, alright? Be careful not to get sick or hurt."
Finnick repeated himself again and again, tears streaming down his face and soaking his cheeks.
He gave Bao Bei's hair a rough but loving rub. It felt like just yesterday when he was chasing the boy around with a pair of spare pants in his hands.
Bao Bei had been so small then, but now he was starting to look like a proper young man.
Their tearful goodbyes felt like they would never end, but eventually the merchant, Boris, lost patience and said it was time to leave. If they didn't set off soon, they wouldn't reach the next village before sunset.
Judy and Bao Bei climbed into the wagon pulled by a donkey that rattled and bumped down the dirt road.
From their place in the back, they kept waving to the priests and children who had come to see them off.
The other kids waved both hands high in the air, shouting words of encouragement at the top of their lungs.
Bao Bei wanted to keep their faces burned into his memory, but the tears wouldn't stop. Everything looked blurry through his wet eyes.
Even after the church faded in the distance, even when the people could no longer be seen, Bao Bei and Judy kept looking back, sniffling and crying softly as the wagon carried them farther and farther away.
The clear blue sky showed that autumn was now in full swing. With many sunny days, it was the perfect season for traveling.
A small group of birds flew past, high above in the sky. Below them, the church's bell tower shone for a moment in the sunlight before disappearing behind the hill.
...
From the side of the wagon—loaded with burlap sacks stuffed with wheat and buckwheat, bags filled with dried herbs that smelled of grass, and bundles of tree bark tied with vine for making dyes—two sets of furry ears popped up. Right after, two faces appeared side by side.
Judy and Bao Bei had cried themselves to sleep. At some point, they must have dozed off. Now awake at last, they peeked their heads over the wooden edge of the cart, their eyes blinking and moving curiously, taking in the world around them.
"Hey, you two finally woke up?" came a voice from the driver's seat.