Several people turned and saw Anna's entourage trotting through the streets. They waved to the princess in particular as she and Olaf happily waved back, always glad to be out and about. "Just before we reach the mountains, there's one thing I've got to do first." Kristoff told Anna. "Sure, Kristoff. What is it?" Anna curiously asked as Sven pulled the wagon through the main gateway of the town. "We've got some new guys joining the ice harvesting business. I'm just going to pick them up along the way." Kristoff explained, the journey taking them down the winding roadways. "Sure, Kristoff." Anna agreed, sitting back to take in the lush greenery of Arendelle countryside. "So who are these new guys?" "They're the Andersen brothers." Kristoff told her. "They live in the village of Ethelsred. That's right along the way to the mountains. It shouldn't take long." "That's all right. I'm looking forward to meeting these guys." Anna cheerfully replied. "Well, I don't know what to tell you, they may be a little bit of a handful." Kristoff cautioned light-heartedly. "Really? How much of a handful?" Olaf asked, emerging between Kristoff and Anna in sudden interest. "Well, you remember that day with Marshmallow?" "Oh…Anna responded when she remembered. Somehow Elsa's snow monster who still resided in the palace she had made on the North Mountain had made it to Ethelsred. Marshmallow had caused quite a lot of havoc, nearly demolishing a few houses before Elsa eventually arrived and soothed him. "Apparently the brothers went on a trip together, found their way to the North Mountain and somehow landed themselves into trouble with him." Kristoff went on explaining. "It'll be alright this time. I'm going to be trying to keep tabs on them during this trip." he promised Anna. "Great idea." Anna smiled at her boyfriend before sitting back and folding her hands behind her head, letting the summer breeze flutter in her face. She just relaxed as Sven just cruised on gently, taking the wagon past more beautiful countryside. After never venturing out of the castle for thirteen years, journeying around the kingdom in good company was such a relief for Anna.
Forested hills rolled across the horizon and the sunlight shone like finely-polished gold. After a few seconds of relaxing in silence while the wagon trick-trocked at its steady pace, Anna started to hum cheerfully. Kristoff glanced at her even as he held onto Sven's reins when he heard whatever it was she was humming. "...down from the door where it began," Anna was softly singing, no cares nor worries in her voice, just looking out at the woodlands and hills, then humming. "And I must follow, if I can…" Kristoff grew interested in this little tune, Olaf popping up behind him for a listen with his eyes round in curiosity. "The road goes ever on and on, down from the door where it began, Now far ahead the road has gone…" Anna sang on, her eyes still on the landscape. "And I must follow if I can…" "What's that?" Kristoff asked with a smile of amusement. Anna snapped out of her spellbound state in an instant. "Wha - huh? Oh, sorry, Kristoff. What's what?" She had zoned out so much she had only just remembered she was sitting by Kristoff. "The song you were singing." Olaf reminded her, smiling widely. "It sounded like such a lovely song, I could've gone to sleep to it. I don't think I even wanted you to stop." "Oh, the song?" Anna replied, taking her thoughts back to childhood, before her and Elsa's thirteen years of isolation. "Papa would sing it sometimes when taking me and Elsa around the kingdom." she explained gladly, before remembering something. "Actually he mentioned something…" Something about this memory caused Anna to ponder and look away from Kristoff, deep in thought. "Mentioned what?" Kristoff asked, hoping he wasn't pressing her on the subject. "Apparently there's meant to be this old man dressed in grey who wanders places…" the princess answered distantly, not even turning to Kristoff or Olaf. "What sort of places does he wander?" the ever-curious Olaf piped up like a child during a bedtime story. "Places…" Anna responded rather simply. "So yeah, papa would tell us about this man in grey, who goes through woods and over hills and can produce fire from his stick." she elaborated on this rather strange tale. "So...a wizard?" Kristoff guessed. Anna thought for a second. "Yeah, let's call him that. Anyway, one day when Elsa and I were having a picnic with mama and papa, papa told us he'd once spotted this guy walking through Arendelle when he was really young. Grey robes, pointy hat. And he heard him singing that song you'd just heard now." "Did he actually meet him?" Kristoff enquired, dividing his attention between driving Sven forward and taking in the story of this mysterious stranger. But Anna was trying to work something out. "I think…" she started, thinking hard and Olaf leaned even closer in his desperation to hear more. Some of Anna's childhood memories were a bit sketchy, as she had treasured those of herself and Elsa playing with ice magic above all else. "I think papa spoke to the guy for a bit." she explained as best as she could. "How did your dad know he was a friendly wizard?" Kristoff asked with faint suspicion. Anna gave him a look. "Sister with ice powers, remember?" "Oh, right." Kristoff immediately got the point. "Papa told me and Elsa something the man had said to him…" Anna continued. "What was it?" Olaf squeaked excitedly. What her father had quoted from the stranger back then had always echoed in her mind, but however hard she thought, she never seemed able to figure it out. "He said, 'those who wander are not lost…'" the princess recited. Kristoff and Olaf glanced at one another even as Sven took them further along the road. "He also told papa, when home is behind you, the world is ahead." she finished, her eyes on the rolling hills. "That's funny, 'cause when we tried to get Elsa back home and bring back summer, we were sort of wandering a little then." Olaf blurted in amusement. "But you found her and saved her and she found out how to unfreeze Arendelle! Guess we never were lost even when it seemed we were lost." "I guess we weren't." Anna chuckled a little, but there was still something she couldn't figure out. "Kristoff, when the wizard said 'the world is ahead, what do you think he was getting at?'" she questioned the blond who at the moment had his eyes on the road. "I mean, do you think one day, something may lead us…somewhere far?" Saying this made Anna slightly uneasy. "If, well, you know, something happens here?" Kristoff considered what she was trying to tell him, the only sound being Sven and the guards' horses' hooves. "Well I hope we don't lose all this," he replied, choosing his words as carefully as possible. "But Anna, after everything we've been through, I have faith that you and Elsa have all it takes to see it through to the end, no matter how bitter. And trust me, if this old man of yours says 'you're not lost when we wander,' I think he meant it." "Really?" Anna asked, her face brightening with a hopeful smile. "I mean, I've seen them all, but I should have guessed it back at the trading post, but when we first set off to the mountain," Kristoff continued, smiling back, "Something told me you were the one who was going to change it all, you know, turn things around. And you got the castle gates open in the end." Sombrely, the blond ice harvester breathed in before finishing with, "So even if we do lose everything, I know, and I think this wizard knows, you will never be lost." Anna grinned a little, taking great comfort in this. Quick as thinking, she threw her arms around Kristoff's broad torso. "Woah, woah, woah - driving here." the blond exclaimed a little, though the amusement on his big-chinned face was hard to miss. "Ooh! Sorry…" Anna went sheepishly, withdrawing and inching back across the seat. "Hey, don't be…" Kristoff grinned goofily at her and the wagon rolled on through the hills headed for the mountains.
Back where the guards were riding, Sigurd, who hardly smiled very much, was looking moodier than ever. "Hey, Sigurd." Erik called over to him. "Are you alright?" "I'm fine…" Sigurd grunted, not even glancing back but keeping his eyes on the path the princess and the ice harvester were heading down. "Are you sure?" Erik asked carefully. "You've always been pretty stony-faced." Karl commented offhandedly. "But today you're looking even, how shall we say, stonier than usual." Ivar explained. "I just…" Sigurd got his words out awkwardly even as they directed their horses onward. "I think we should be tracking down whoever it was that destroyed that farm, and yet here we are babysitting the princess while whoever was responsible runs around looking for some other home to destroy or pilla - " "Sorry, Sigurd." Kari called back to him while she rode on ahead. The female lieutenant stayed professional and dutiful as she spoke back to the burly guard. "The princess needs protection and we cannot let her stray anywhere near…whatever it is that destroyed that farm. So let's stick to the assignment, please." Sigurd's frown didn't even drop, but he didn't argue back at this. "And if whoever it was comes after the princess? Any contingency plans then?" Ivar demanded, for he had a sinking feeling as to just where this trip might take them. "Well if the worst comes to the worst," Erik suggested, "We might just see what the queen of Arendelle herself can do." "Yes, I would rather we didn't drag her majesty into it." Kari pointed out. The guards just steered their horses to keep up with Kristoff's wagon that headed further up roadways leading into the wilds of Arendelle.