As promised, the five left for home as soon as the meeting with the King was over. However, Bardulf was very nervous about going home since they'd have to travel through the mountains instead of the original way. The mountains were cold, dangerous, and took a long time getting through. He was worried about Philippa's wellbeing while traveling, unsure if she would survive the trip.
Because it was the longer way, they had to take an extra sleigh for provisions. Bardulf was very adamant about making sure they would have enough to last two months since food was scarce. Shelter was worse, so they continued to use the original sleigh for Philippa, making the walls higher, adding blankets and pillows, and adding a top lined with pillows so that Philippa was well protected in case there were storms. Bardulf didn't want her dying two days in or at all.