The word's going to have already gotten out, so if Garland writes a response, like "Yeah, cool, I'm coming back with a force" and it gets shot down, it's not a problem. INTO is not a problem, not massively, when you think about it. The scouts will see Garland's movements, but he'll have known. Rumors never keep pace as they want. Oh, he'll want to be as bright as ever, because he's bringing a guest with him...and shall we say, there's a way that Alerie will already have made perfect advantage, she isn't dumb to the fact that Garland's only taking a small force.