Peacekeeping

The girls woke early and prepared for the day. Mayra baked, and Finn bustled about, helping with the housecleaning and checking Victoria's arithmetic for her. It was the routine they had come to enjoy every morning, but it made Finn increasingly serious over time.

This was not permanent. She couldn't live here with the Shermans into her advanced age, as an old maid with Mayra helping run a baking business. She wanted to go home... except there was no home to go to. And no one to go home to. Each day she struggled harder to scrape together enough hope to carry on.

If Mayra noticed the change, and she almost certainly did, she said nothing about it. Today they would speak with Ashley, if things went well, and then decide on a plan of action. Doing things always helped Finn cope. Waiting and stagnation was difficult and crippling.

A knock on the door sounded, and Mrs. Sherman answered. A young man in a Peacekeeper uniform stood at the door.

"How can I help you?" The older woman asked.

"I'm here looking for two young women?" The phrase came out as a question. Mrs. Sherman glanced over her shoulder at Mayra and Finn, who came closer in response to the silent summons.

They stared silently at the young man.

"Yes, are you the two young women who were selling baked goods at the Provider's house yesterday?" He asked.

Finn narrowed her eyes. "What happens if we were?"

"Then I am directed to inform you that a complaint against you has been filed for trespassing under false pretense and harassment of an invalid. I am to deliver a formal warning against approaching within 100 meters of The Providers house or contacting ANY member of the Provider's family. Violation of these conditions would result in arrest and trial for the offenses, in addition to confiscation of the business."

Finn's eyes almost popped out of her head.

"This warning is leniency on the part of the complainant; normally you would be cited immediately. However, as the business appears to be newly formed, perhaps you are not familiar with the laws concerning solicitation. I advise you to consult the Book of Laws in the public library next to the City Hall. Good Day, ladies." He bowed slightly and left.

"What in the wide world was that all about?" Mrs. Sherman shut the door and turned on the two young women.

Their shocked faces melted into looks of chagrin.

"We went to visit Ashley's mother." Finn began.

"The Provider's wife?" The older woman's eyebrows shot to her hairline. "I heard she was suffering from some mental ailment."

"Not at all!" Mayra protested. "The Provider is holding her captive and convincing everyone else she's crazy so no one will believe her story that he's a spy and traitor helping the enemy!"

"Lower your voice, child," Mrs. Sherman glanced at the closed door. "The peacekeeping officer could still be nearby, but you don't want anyone overhearing that kind of talk. Goodness! If that's her story, no wonder everyone believes she's crazy!"

"It's true though... at least, we believe her, don't we, Finn?" Mayra asked.

"I... I think so, yes. We were going to talk to Ashley about it today, but now... I guess we can't go near her either or the Provider will have us arrested." Finn's brow knit in concentration.

"I wish you girls would have discussed this with me first. The Provider already has a grudge against the doctor, and off you two go gallivanting into things far over your heads. Spying! Traitor! Enemy! Those are very serious matters and not for the likes of you to be investigating." The two young women shrank under the lecture.

"Then who does, Mrs. Sherman?" Victoria asked from the table.

"I'm sorry, dear, what?" The older woman blinked, distracted.

"Who investigates traitors?" The little girl asked again. "I think the new kids are traitors and I want them investigated."

Mrs. Sherman sighed, and gave a pointed look at Mayra and Finn that told them they were not off the hook yet. However, this discussion might be better had without a little audience. The matron walked over and sat down next to the child, and took her hand comfortingly.

"What makes you say so, Victoria?" She asked gently.

"They're mean. And they don't actually like Klain at all." She began.

"They probably miss their home," Mrs. Sherman explained gently.

"They don't. They hate everyone and only pretend to be nice in front of grown ups. They talk about destroying things."

Finn's eyebrows rose. "Could it have been a game? Boys like to play games like 'war' or 'soldiers' sometimes and they'll say things that can sound scary."

"It's not a game!! They're BAD!!" Victoria's eyes welled up and Mrs. Sherman put an arm around her.

"It's ok, dear. Listen, it's almost time for school. You don't have to be around those mean boys any more. You're safe with us. Why don't you finish getting ready?"

The little girl tearfully nodded and went obediently off to gather her things. The three women stared at each other.

"You know," Mayra said, "when we listened to Dierdre's story, it seemed to mean a lot to her that we believed her. I think the same is probably true for Victoria."

"She's a child," grimaced Mrs. Sherman, "Even if what she says is strictly true, her perception of those things could have been far off of how they were said or meant. Traumatized boys being mean to a little girl and hating everyone would be very sad, but very understandable."

"Those children unnerve me fiercely," admitted Finn. "The more time I spent around them... They are unusual, but their behavior is disconcertingly somber. None of them laugh. Not one. When they attempt to smile, it's disquieting. If I were a small child around them, I would be terrified. It's not normal."

"That's not their fault," Mrs. Sherman chided.

"Maybe not, but it's not Victoria's either." Mayra put in. "And Dierdre's not at fault for her husband's schemes. We have to help her."

"How, precisely, do you propose to do that? And why should we even believe her?" Mrs. Sherman was growing irritated. She had thought the girls were adjusting well after losing their homes and families, but this mischief of theirs was dangerous.

"I would doubt it too, but if she were harmless, The Provider wouldn't be working so hard to keep us away from her, or browbeating Ashley to get her under his will. Maybe he let the emergency stores be stolen by the enemy, or destroyed them! There are too many pieces that fit with the story Dierdre told to dismiss it as insanity without investigation." Finn felt strongly that she was on the verge of something large, and could not abandon things now.

"Girls. I do not want this to continue, but I understand how determined you are. I will ask Dr. Sherman to take you both to see the General. He's a great leader with far more knowledge of military and traitors and intrigue than either of you. Perhaps he will be willing to hear out your stories, and then I want that to be the end of you getting in the crosshairs of The Provider. Even if he's not a traitor, he can be a vindictive man. I don't want that coming down on our heads for no reason."

"Yes Ma'am," Mayra and Finn answered in unison.

Finn paused, then asked tentatively, "What if there is a reason?"

Mrs. Sherman's eyes darkened, "Pray there is not."

Victoria reentered the room ready for school, effectively ending the conversation there.

Finn decided that since their plans to see Ashley were ruined, she might as well go back to the Treasurer and politely plead with him to let her research more about Klain's enemies. Now that Jimmy had given her some leads on various rare herbs to research, as well as the concept of 'non-humans' being involved in these things, she felt sure there would be at least a little more information to be found in Klain's vast historical archives.

She might need to search under 'mythology', but at this point she was desperate to be any kind of useful that kept her out of trouble... at least for now. Surely nobody could get too angry over a woman spending time in a library.

She took a moment, and a piece of paper, to list out a few of her main research topics. She now knew how easily one could get sidetracked while digging through old literature, and was determined to be as efficient as she possibly could.

On her way to the door, she saw Mrs. Sherman working on sewing more bandages for Dr. Sherman's work.

"I'm sorry about earlier," Finn said. "You've been absolutely welcoming, generous, and kind to us, and we've been causing trouble for you. We really didn't mean for that to happen at all."

Mrs. Sherman turned toward her with a red, tear-streaked face, and stood to take the younger woman in her arms.

"I'm sorry for my harshness," She whispered. "I just... I've lost my son, and to see you girls put yourselves into danger... it--" she broke off into a sob. "What if it's all true? If the Provider is a spy and a traitor, uncovering that will get you killed. I don't want to lose anyone else."

Finn held the older woman and cried with her. She couldn't promise that wouldn't happen.