Exile's End: Day 27

Word Count: 162,006

Summary of Events:
Chapter 53:
Thårijn and Æliyäu had a lengthy conversation — although Æliyäu did most of the talking — at the fireside, going late into the night. Bæjern was surprised at how Thårijn came to bed and prayed to alleviate his fear before going to sleep.
Chapter 54:
Thårijn went out of the camp by the horses and prayed to Göd for help and felt he got some — especially after reading a passage from the Book he'd borrowed from Æliyäu. Thårijn then had breakfast and everyone set out, all of them feeling a lot better now that Thårijn didn't seem so depressed.

Excerpt of the Day:
"Thårijn nodded, letting his half-smile flash onto his face again, causing the uncertainty to return to Sönnä's face. Thårijn took up the fork and lanced one of the sausages. Biting into it, Thårijn let the flavour fill his mouth, and even swallowed a little bit which instantly awoke the ravaging hunger within his stomach; hunger that he'd seemed to have not felt until now.
After that one savouring bite, Thårijn ate the rest of the meat a bit faster, although not wanting to rush himself, as he might make himself sick by doing that. His timing managed to be very nearly perfect, as a few minutes after he finished Sönnä drew the oven out of the coals and carefully brought fresh, piping hot bread out and onto a plate.
With delicate moves and a skill akin to that of his mother, Sönnä sliced the bread into seventeen portions: one for each of her nine children, herself, Löke, Thårijn, Bæjern, the two half-orphans that Thårijn had met and whom Helänä was still caring for, their grandmother, and their father Äsæ.
Carefully Sönnä pulled one of the pieces out and laid it on Thårijn's plate. She then spread it thickly with quick-melting butter and gave him a serious glance to which Thårijn responded with his half-smile making her uncertain again.
Slowly and with many savouring bites, Thårijn ate the buttery bread, enjoying the feel of its warmth flowing throughout his body and wishing there was more when he came to the end of it.
"Do you have more?" Thårijn asked.
Sönnä startled and looked at Thårijn with wide, astounded eyes; Thårijn thought that maybe Sönnä was wondering if she hadn't mistaken Äbräåm as him or something. Sönnä didn't move for a long time, but at last she moved and offered him some cheese.
Thårijn ate it — mainly because he was pretty sure there wasn't much of anything else, as he wasn't really one for raw cheese too much — and wished there was more food to be eaten, but he was pretty sure there wasn't anything more.
"What has come over you Thårijn?" Sönnä asked. "I thought I would have to force food down your throat sooner than later."
"This journey is too great for me," Thårijn replied. "It is too great for all of us. But I am going to go as far as I can anyway."
Sönnä slowly slid her hand over her mouth, tears coming to her eyes. She sat still for a few moments before she lunged forward slightly and wrapped her arms tightly around Thårijn, a lot like the night she'd found him in their mother's hearse-wagon."

Äsæ: ah-sayee

Exile's End: Day 26

Word Count: 156,010

Summary of Events:
Chapter 51:
Thårijn went out and talked to Göd, although he felt quite nervous about the whole thing. Æliyäu and Bæjern talked to each other about Thårijn and why exactly Æliyäu thought that Thårijn was having the struggles he was having.
Chapter 52:
Bæjern talked to Sönnä and Löke about Thårijn and Sönnä then went and found Thårijn and she, Löke and Bæjern prayed for Thårijn for a long while before going to bed. The next morning Thårijn asked Æliyäu some questions and got into some serious thought.

Excerpt of the Day:
"A sigh escaped Bæjern as he took a seat around the fire. He glanced up and saw Sönnä looking at him with her head cocked slightly in curiosity. Bæjern gave his sister a weak smile.
"Thårijn" he said.
Sönnä sighed, sympathy coming over her face. "I don't know what's gone on with him, he could hide behind a blade of grass how thin he's getting."
"I would say he needs some serious prayer," Löke said.
Bæjern nodded. "That's about all we can do for him."
"What do you mean?" Sönnä asked. "Surely we can do more than that."
"I wish," Bæjern said. "But Æliyäu advises against us doing anything more than prayer."
"And why?" Sönnä asked.
"Because otherwise it might make things go worse," Bæjern replied.
"What do you mean?" Sönnä asked, concern growing greater with every question.
"Thårijn is on the verge of losing his hope," Bæjern said. "He woke me with weeping the night after the other party joined us, he was convinced our journey would end in complete and utter failure and doom, even that our people might be completely annihilated."
Sönnä gasped and daintily put her fingers over her mouth.
"Æliyäu isn't convinced that Thårijn ever had faith," Bæjern continued. "And now he's either got to get some, or, well, pretty much waste away."
Sönnä slid her hand over her mouth and Löke brought his arm around her shoulders to embrace her.
"And it's not going to be easy for Thårijn," Bæjern said, and sighed. "And it's all Father's fault."
Sönnä nodded, letting her hand drop. "He hated Thårijn."
"He still does," Bæjern replied. "He was, really, completely contrary to the title of father in every sense to Thårijn, and now Thårijn is going to have an incredible difficulty in trusting in Göd because Göd is often explained as a father."
"Thårijn is going to be afraid Göd is our father magnified," Sönnä said.
"Yes," Bæjern replied.
"It'll be difficult for anyone to do anything for him," Löke said. "He could well think that we're trying to sell Göd to him just to see his ruin."
"Oh," Sönnä moaned and turned her face against her husband's chest, Löke massaged her shoulder gently.
"It is not hopeless though, Sönnä," Bæjern said. "It's just somewhat maddening."
"Especially for a man, to see something broken, and not be able to do anything to fix it," Löke said.
Bæjern nodded. "Very much so," he agreed.
Sönnä got to her feet, dabbing her eyes on her cloak and headed away from the fire without a word. Bæjern and Löke looked at each other curiously and decided to get up and follow her. Bæjern couldn't imagine what she was doing, but he had a feeling that she might be going to find Thårijn."

Exile's End: Day 25

Word Count: 150,002

Summary of Events:
Chapter 49:
As Thårijn's group journeyed they came upon another, smaller, group of people who they found out were also Iøsenräl and had set out earlier, suffering much more ill in their journeys than Thårijn's group had suffered so far. What they had suffered disheartened and even terrified Thårijn.
Chapter 50:
Æliyäu — having noticed Thårijn to be quite down — asked Thårijn about it and found out that Thårijn was on the verge of losing hope that they would be free, so he gave encouragement to Thårijn which Thårijn contemplated as they journeyed.

Excerpt of the Day:
"Thårijn turned in among the people before he reached his position and looked at the damaged wagons. Their occupants looked to be relieved, almost as if they'd been on the cusp of hopelessness and had been given hope beyond their wildest imaginations.
In some of the wagons he saw activity in the back, which he guessed was a doctor tending to wounds. Thårijn hoped that the entire group wouldn't take on the bedraggled, decimated state of these people, but he had a fear within himself that such might well be the case.
Thårijn halted when he came upon a wagon which had two children sitting on the driver's seat, both of whom were likely to be younger than twenty with their ages combined; their clothing was dirty and torn and they looked like they ought to be beggars.
"Where be your mother?" Thårijn asked.
The girl cowered fearfully.
"She be dead," the boy replied.
"Have you no grandparents?" Thårijn asked.
"Our grandmother is weak, our grandfather is dead," the boy replied.
"What ails your grandmother?" Thårijn asked.
"Age," the boy replied.
Thårijn wanted to cry. These children were both half his age at the oldest, and they had suffered the surely brutal loss of their mother. Thårijn swallowed and took a deep breath to hold his composure together.
Turning Græshädå, Thårijn rode over to Sönnä's wagon. Sönnä looked at him with curiosity and sympathy, as if it were highly obvious that he'd just spoken to a pair of haunted half-orphans — as he was sure that their father still lived.
"Helänä," Thårijn said.
His niece's head came out of the wagon. Thårijn pulled his foot out of his stirrup and sidled Græshädå closer.
"I need you to come drive," Thårijn said. "Feel free to bring the wagon up alongside your mother's."
Helänä took Thårijn's arm and climbed onto Græshädå with a touch of hesitation and managed to seat herself sideways and ladylike, her arms wrapped tightly around his midsection.
Thårijn turned Græshädå around and went back to the wagon where the children sat, drawing Græshädå closely alongside to let Helänä climb onto the seat. The children both looked at her warily.
"My niece Helänä will help you," Thårijn said. "As will her mother, and her mother's family."
Quickly the boy handed the reins to Helänä and the girl scrambled into the back of the wagon. Helänä caught the boy in an embrace before he could scramble away with his sister and looked up sadly at Thårijn.
Thårijn gave a nod and swallowed his sobs back down within himself again. He then turned Græshädå and rode back to his position. Æliyäu was already in place and Thårijn gave him a nod.
Æliyäu started forward and their group — now a fair bit larger than it had been before, started off again, heading for the border of this forsaken, wretched country in which far too many Iøsenräl had been laid to rest in Thårijn's opinion."

Helänä: hel-anna

Exile's End: Day 24

Word Count: 144,003

Summary of Events:
Chapter 47:
Æliyäu discussed possibly stopping at whatever town they encountered next to get information as to their distance from the border, but Thårijn refused to stop and got into a bit of an argument with Æliyäu and then rode off. As he was riding around Thårijn saw a village, but there was space for them to get around the village in the daylight so he gave instructions and then came across a party of Förstenräl children playing and had to convince them to leave without telling their parents. He got all of them but one little boy to leave before Ubäl charged with intent to kill the child who Thårijn got safely away before stopping Ubäl.
Chapter 48:
Æliyäu consulted his poorly-detailed map and estimated they were about halfway between Møkbæsted and the Kænjförst border and discussed with Gerhäardt the best place to get the most detailed, up-to-date map — the soldiers — although he didn't want to steal it from them. Thårijn was then told by some men from toward the back of the group that a party of Förstenräl men who weren't soldiers were pursuing them and so they got everyone to start going faster. Bæjern, as he rode, thought about how his relationship with Thårijn had changed in the past year, and how he thought Thårijn was the perfect Eikenenshåldjgråvenwød.

Excerpt of the Day:
"Fear caused Thårijn's insides to feel a chill as the men approached. He was sure they wouldn't be coming unless there was something was amiss or awry. The two riders slowed as they approached. Neither of them were familiar to Thårijn.
"What be it that brings you here in such haste?" Thårijn asked.
"In the night prior, as we were guarding, we could hear the sound of people, they sounded nigh — but were not of our people — and they were making merry," the younger man of the two said while the elder caught his breath.
Thårijn nodded. No one of their people had made merry the entire journey. There was no point, reason, or sense to merrymaking. Things were still too serious, too dangerous, hanging too far in the balance.
"When it was that my guard ended I remained on and told he, my replacement, to go seek out and see what he could find," the elder said, his breath caught.
"Only just I've managed to catch up," the younger said.
"And what did you find?" Thårijn asked, although the fear within him didn't really want to know.
"A party of Förstenräl — they had arms and armour, but it was not as we made for the soldiers, I almost am of the mind that they forged it for themselves, I would not say that they are military men," the younger replied. "They are following our trail, they were camping right on top of it, and they were rollicking and merrymaking with such a din I could have stood in their presence and only if their eyes would have seen me would they have known my presence."
The child. Surely it was the child. The child, the boy who had wanted his necklace, he had told his parents and they had rallied a party of men to go after them because of Ubäl threatening his life.
"Did they state their intent?" Thårijn asked.
"From all that I could understand of their inebriated language it sounds as though they pursue us to slaughter us because of our threat to them, I do not understand what they mean," the younger replied.
"Ubäl," Thårijn replied. "Son of Mæchäl, descendant of Øbjen of the house of Kæs. I had encountered children playing in the woods and I was telling them to get out of the woods, but not to tell their parents, and I had convinced all of the children but one. He wanted a token from me to guarantee his promise to remain silent, but I had nothing to give him, and I could not give him what he wanted. Ubäl came after him with his sword drawn and finally convinced the child to flee for his life. Ubäl would've continued to pursue the child had I not halted him.""

Mæchäl: may-call

Exile's End: Day 23

Word Count: 138,004

Summary of Events:
Chapter 45:
The first snow fell and got Äbihæl thinking about Christmas, concerned that it would not happen, but Æliyäu promised her that Christmas would still happen, even if they didn't do all the traditions usually associated with it. As the people journeyed Thårijn noticed the river was moving more eastward and beginning to pinch them between it and the mountain, and they had to go back to cross the river to the other side to have more space.
Chapter 46:
Bæjern, in celebration of Thårijn's birthday, gave Thårijn Nättrinne's incumbent foal — or would once it was born — being as it was the first foal that Græshädå had ever sired. Thårijn then got thinking about being twenty one and was so distracted by it that he kept going when everyone else stopped for lunch and arrived just as they'd finished, but Sönnä made sure he got lunch anyways.

Excerpt of the Day:
"An idea struck Thårijn at that moment and he wheeled Græshädå around to face the rather puzzled people.
"About face!" Thårijn cried.
All of the men turned to face the opposite direction, slowly the wagons turned to follow suit. Moving Græshädå forward, Thårijn rode along the length of the people, repeating the call until everyone had turned around.
Thårijn examined the bank at the rear of the group, it was much more suitable for crossing. Going up to the former rear of the group, Thårijn survey and made sure that more people were turned around to face him than facing in the other direction.
"We must cross the river!" Thårijn called.
Æliyäu rode up to him without a word and the two of them led the way across the river. The people followed. Thårijn led them far to the right — west — side of the valley, so that he could turn the people around again and get them back going in the same direction — as the people who had even in the front had a bit more pace to them, and the people at the back were a bit slower, and to turn them around would surely slow progress.
Thårijn glanced over his shoulder at Æliyäu still at the bank. He watched as a wagon drove down into the water and keeled over on its side.
"Keep the people going!" Thårijn called. "Keep them to the west side!"
Thårijn then turned Græshädå and charged back to the water.
"The wheel broke," Æliyäu said simply.
Other men had gotten the people in the wagon out of the water hand had managed to loose the one horse from the wagon. The other horse was still thrashing in the water, terror overtaking it.
Thårijn guided Græshädå into the water and dismounted. He felt down the wagon and found the traces. Bringing out his dagger, Thårijn cut the traces and went over to the horse's head and held it up.
After a few moments the horse got to its feet. Thårijn held it from charging out of the water in terror, keeping its head low to make sure that it was well. Once he was sure it would be alright and was settled he let it go and got into the saddle again.
"I need men with ropes!" Thårijn commanded. "We need to right the wagon!"
"But the wheel is broken!" Æliyäu protested.
Thårijn got ropes from three of the men who'd volunteered and tied them to the wagon, then he got two of the men with ropes into the water and commanded the men to right the wagon and hold it there. Getting a fourth man to bring a rope, Thårijn tied it to the other side of the front and got the four men to pull the wagon on two wheels — both on the same side — out of the water, and Thårijn got some other men to bring rocks and things to pile under the wagon to hold it up while they repaired the wheels."

Äbihæl: ab-ih-hail

Exile's End: Day 22

Word Count: 132,012

Summary of Events:
Chapter 43:
Thårijn woke up to a frostier morning than usual and began making things ready to leave, wishing that he could visit with his mother again. Then they encountered a party of Förstenäl loggers who tried to keep them from traveling, but they got past, although Äböl and Ubäl killed the loggers.
Chapter 44:
Thårijn was woken up by someone trying to kill him — which he eventually discovered to be Jöden — and managed to defend his life. Æliyäu then offered comfort to Thårijn over his turmoil about his brothers and their division, and Bæjern also offered Thårijn comfort.

Excerpt of the Day:
"Shouts and cries caused Æliyäu to startle. He halted Cælebrin and listened, then he turned his gelding and headed towards the commotion. He heard — and saw out the corners of his eyes — several men followed after him.
Farther back on the procession Æliyäu found the source of the outcry. A party of five Förstenräl men in simple, but warm, garments — a typical Förstenräl man — armed with woodcutting axes had charged at them and one of the Iøsenräl was holding his leg and trying to fight off the pain.
"Go and be tended for," Æliyäu said.
The man grimaced, yet gratefully, and rode away. Two other Iøsenräl had their swords drawn and were looking fiercely at the Förstenräl who were returning the fierce gazes with ones of their own.
"Who be you that attack us? And for what reason?" Æliyäu asked.
"We are loggers exploring a future logging area, and we are attacking you for it is clear that you are not a party of our people," the Förstenräl whose axe was bloodied replied. "Being as this is our land it is certainly that you are an attacking party, an invading army, and therefore must be brought to a stop."
"We are no such thing!" Thårijn declared, riding Græshädå forward. "We are a party of peacekeeping workmen who have been in service to your land for many years, and with our service now being ended we depart from your land to make a return to our own! Do you not take care to notice that we are heading in the direction of your border?"
"Then why do you not take one of the main roads?" the logger asked.
"With a party of our size we would inconvenience you and prohibit your travel by occupying the main roads," Thårijn replied. "We do not want to cause you any inconvenience in that regard and therefore we have chosen to use other routes that we might allow your country to maintain its usual commerce and activities. You should be grateful to us for such a thing and leave us go on our way."
"Why are your men armed?" the logger asked.
"They are armed for the sake of less baggage to be carried, and also to be always at the ready to defend us from wild animals and robbers who might be inclined to prey upon us, for we do not want the women and children of our party to come to harm," Thårijn replied.
The loggers were silent, gazing suspiciously at the Iøsenräl.
"We do not believe your story," the logger said.
"Would an invading army have women and children among their number?" Thårijn asked. "Such would be foolhardy!"
"But I see no women or children," the logger said. "These could well be wagons of supplies for your invading force.""

Ubäl: oo-bahl

Exile's End: Day 21

Word Count: 126,011

Summary of Events:
Chapter 41:
The Iøsenräl came upon a clearing in the woods in which a town was located. Searching around the town, they could find no way to get around it without being seen. Æliyäu sent an investigative party into the town to glean information — without Thårijn's approval, garnering his wrath — and found out they'd run into towns every ten miles if they kept on, so Thårijn gave orders for the route to be changed.
Chapter 42:
Due to scouting reports on their options they decided to move slightly westward by taking a tributary of the river they were following between the mountains. Thårijn gave orders to go as soon as it was dark — even though the townspeople wouldn't be in bed — and got into an argument with two of his brothers in law before going off angry. After his brothers in law talked with Æliyäu they went and apologized to Thårijn and followed his plan anyways.

Excerpt of the Day:
"Carefully and quietly Thårijn led the way through the trees up the western slope. He followed closely to the edge of the clearing, but doing what he could to keep out of sight of anyone who may well be out in the clearing — although he couldn't see anyone out there.
As they moved up Thårijn noticed that the treeline was coming closer on the opposite side. They were getting high up the mountains now, to the point where the trees stopped growing on these tall peaks, and honestly, Thårijn didn't like how narrow it was getting.
"Stop!" Jönäs called — sounding slightly hoarse — probably because he was trying to call loudly and quietly at the same time. Thårijn reined Græshädå in and rode back to the other two men.
"What?" Thårijn asked.
"It's even now too narrow for us to get through at any speed without being seen," Jönäs said. "If you go much further you'll be seen."
"Do you think the townspeople could really see that far, though?" Bæjern asked.
"Well, if we're going for long enough, and we don't even know what's on the other side," Jönäs said. "There could well be a logging camp on that side, they are the Förstenräl after all."
Thårijn sighed, how could they find out what was on the other side? But surely the townspeople wouldn't notice one man, and nothing said the loggers would either. So long as it was one man.
"Should we go back and meet up with the others?" Bæjern asked. "Have some discussion?"
"Yes," Thårijn said. "Let's go back and see what they found."
They headed back at a faster speed than they'd gone up and found the other scouting party was also just returning when they got to Æliyäu. The two groups gathered off to the side.
"We cannot get through up on our side, the treeline of the clearing and the treeline of the mountains get too close together," Thårijn said.
"Same," Löke replied. "And we pass even closer to the town."
"We can't go in any direction without being seen," Bæjern said.
"Did you spy any road out of this town?" Thårijn asked.
"No," Löke replied. "I think the road goes southward."
"I wonder why," Villäm said.
Thårijn nodded.
"Did you see any loggers?" Jönäs asked.
"No," Villäm replied.
"Let's all go up to the higher end," Thårijn said.
All of the men followed him and went up to where his party had stopped when they'd been looking before.
"Two of you go across, keep separate, and search out around the other perimeter," Thårijn said. "We need to see what we'd be encountering on the other side.""

Löke: luckh

Exile's End: Day 20

Word Count: 120,005

Summary of Events:
Chapter 39:
Thårijn got frustrated by the people's relaxed approach to the journey and discovered signs of wolves being in the area. He wondered what kind of precautions the people were taking in regards to keeping the camp safe from wildlife looking for easy food. Thårijn then went to Æliyäu and told him that the people weren't taking adequate precaution and blamed it on Æliyäu before getting quite upset at Æliyäu.
Chapter 40:
Bæjern was woken up by wolves howling and found that wolves were in the camp. All of the men woke up and drove the wolves out before they could do much damage and Thårijn then scolded the men for their foolishness which allowed for the attack to happen. Thårijn and Æliyäu then discussed Thårijn's reluctance to lead the people, but even Thårijn couldn't find a reason why he was unwilling.

Excerpt of the Day:
""I was investigating," Thårijn replied. "And as much as you think it not wise that the people should hurry and make haste to get out of this foul country, they have become too much at ease, one would think that we had a barricade of stone around us at all times so as to make us indomitable."
"Thårijn," Æliyäu said. "It is not my task to lead the people."
Thårijn grasped Æliyäu's collar tightly and wrapped it around his fingers, his icy eyes ablaze with ferocious anger. "Now you throw excuses at me!"
Æliyäu winced at the saliva which came out of Thårijn's mouth. He said nothing. But he felt he had an understanding now. Thårijn thought that he ought to be doing Thårijn's love.
"If it is not your task then why do you do it?" Thårijn demanded.
"You know well," Æliyäu said, giving Thårijn a cool gaze. "I do it because you refuse to do it. I do what you wish to be done being as you refuse to do it — lest you become a leader of these people as has been foretold to be your calling by the word of Göd."
Æliyäu staggered backwards at Thårijn's thrust and stumbled over the hem of his cloak, landing on his back hard. He went to get up, but Thårijn placed his foot onto Æliyäu's abdomen, digging his heel in sharply — making it difficult to breathe.
"You know 'tis true Thårijn," Æliyäu said. "It is your job, and no other's, but you do not–"
Thårijn dug his heel deeper into Æliyäu's insides, cutting him off. Thårijn's eyes blazed a frigid flame in their icy depths, he took deep, sharp breaths. Æliyäu was sure that Thårijn was in wont to kill him.
"How many times must I tell you that you are wrong?" Thårijn hissed, resting his weight onto the foot which dug into Æliyäu's abdomen with excruciating pain of such ferocity that it brought tears to his eyes and bending himself down closer.
"Until you realized that the contrary is true," Æliyäu gasped.
Thårijn's eyes blazed, his left hand seized the handle of his sword and drew it out, turning it around, he wrapped his right hand underneath his left and drew the blade back over his shoulder.
"Thårijn," Æliyäu gasped. "Helännä!"
Thårijn froze, the ferocity of his gaze tempered suddenly.
"You promised to your mother," Æliyäu said — each word a desperate breath. "You would not take a life except in defence of yourself, or others dear to you."
Thårijn's sword slid back into its sheath quickly, but he moved down closer to Æliyäu's face, adjusting to rest his weight on his toes — which sent an excruciating, tearing pain throughout Æliyäu's abdomen that would've made him shriek like a hawk if he had possessed the air with which to do so.
"But I said nothing about beating them," Thårijn said lowly."

Exile's End: Day 19

Word Count: 114,003

Summary of Events:
Chapter 37:
Thårijn got into a debate with Æliyäu over whether or not they should journey faster, and why or why not, and additionally Æliyäu told Thårijn that in his estimation it was going to take them several years to reach Kænjiøs — which was a disheartening revelation to Thårijn.
Chapter 38:
The Iøsenräl continued to journey, making good progress and not having run into any danger, but then a ground tremor was felt and things were unsettled a little. Bæjern and Villäm then really had the realization that they were really, truly, wholly, ultimately free, and it moved them to such joy they sang.

Excerpt of the Day:
"Sunlight was shining down on them now as they rode, having just started off again after their quick, light, cold lunch — as Thårijn refused to let them dwell on the meal, as it was wasting precious time in his mind — the forest was aglow with yellow mostly, but also some oranges and reds, a few greens —mostly the conifers — brown of old dead leaves on the ground, and even the various shades of the berries which the children were running around gathering — as they were going slow enough the children wouldn't really be left behind.
Suddenly Cælebrin stopped dead: and so did every other animal. Æliyäu stood stiff in his stirrups. Cælebrin's ears were pointing back — as if he were listening to Æliyäu — with an alertness unlike Æliyäu had ever seen. Then a tremor rippled through that Æliyäu felt too strong to be just Cælebrin shaking.
It didn't take long for the tremor to pass, but behind him Æliyäu heard much chaos and turned Cælebrin around. Some horses had bolted and were bucking, a small group of cattle had stampeded, and many of the horses were unsettled. He wasn't the only one who'd felt the tremor.
"What was that?" young Ätheröd — a friend of Thårijn's  — asked.
"The ground quaked," Æliyäu replied.
"Was it an earthquake?" Äthelröd asked. "Like Nättenbägen?"
The image of the destruction of Nätthulegråttä from his dream flashed into Æliyäu's mind. Could a mountain really be destroyed? He knew a mountain could be hewn by picks and hammers, for that was how metals were mined out of the rocks. But could an entire mountain be rent asunder? He knew not. But he had dreamt it. Unless Göd had done it.
"I know not," Æliyäu finally replied.
Some men had rounded up the bolted livestock and others were steadying and settling horses — if not catching them — some mothers had fled out to collect their children from where they'd stopped as they'd been berry picking, other children ran crying in terror to their parents, the whole group was shaken by the, well, shaking of the ground.
"How did the animals know it was coming?" Äthelröd asked.
"Göd has gifted animals with some greater abilities in perception than we possess," Æliyäu replied. "And I think they heard it coming."
"Heard it?" Äthelröd asked.
"Yes," Æliyäu replied.
"But there was no sound," Äthelröd said. "I just felt the tremor, I heard nothing."
"The ground oft shakes following explosions," Æliyäu replied.
"Explosions?"Äthelröd asked.
"Yes," Æliyäu replied. "You know that mixtures of some substances can create explosions."
"Yes, but no explosion shakes the ground like that," Äthelröd said.
"If you make it big enough it will," Æliyäu said.
"Why do you talk of explosions?" Äthelröd asked. "It could only have been the quaking of the earth in those tremors like we cannot understand."
"I think Nätthulegråttä was sundered," Æliyäu replied."

Nättenbägen: naht-ehn-bag-ehn

Exile's End: Day 18

Word Count: 108,005

Summary of Events:
Chapter 35:
Æliyäu was on his way to visit Thårijn, but found some Iøsenräl who didn't intend to journey to Kænjiøs robbing from a family who was going and helped get the robbers to stop. King Ågöst of the Förstenräl was brought the bodies and wagons of a party of nearly 9,000 Iøsenräl who had departed earlier and been slaughtered and began to fear rebellion. Æliyäu then made it to visit Thårijn to talk of the route with him, but Thårijn didn't really enjoy the conversation.
Chapter 36:
Æliyäu had a nightmare the Förstenräl army came and destroyed the people and the mountain Nätthulegråttä, terrified by the dream, Æliyäu decided it was time to leave promptly. Thårijn helped rouse the people and get them organized for departure, and he — and most everyone else except Jägen most notably — left Møkbæsted behind, most of it going up in flames as they'd torched their homes. They rode throughout all of the night and stopped for a quick, cold breakfast at sunrise and then continued on, starting to move into forested area a little bit, as they were heading out of the mountains.

Excerpt of the Day:
"Fire glowed in the distance, the sound of feet and hooves was like a thunder, Æliyäu looked with terror at the force. He watched, helpless, as the force swept down into Møkbæsted.
The whole city burned, the people were overwhelmed, the whole of the mountain Nätthulegråttä was destroyed. Panic seized Æliyäu. His eyes shot open and he leapt out of the bed, going over to his window.
Nothing. Nothing other than the thunder of his heartbeat in his ears, the terror still fresh. A force was coming. The Förstenräl were on their way. They had to leave. They had to leave now.
Æliyäu dressed and rolled his bedclothes into a role. Without a second thought he strode out of his room and shut the door. Striding down to his father's door, he pounded on it. He'd not announced a day, but he'd not thought quite yet — until now.
"What is it?" his father asked.
"Make ready, we must leave," Æliyäu said.
"Why?" Pætter asked, opening the door.
"I've dreamt of a great destruction that is coming to Møkbæsted," Æliyäu replied. "We need to leave now or we shall all be slaughtered and the whole of Nätthulegråttä will be destroyed. Wake the others, I must go wake others."
Æliyäu strode out to the stables and put Cælebrin's tack on, tying the bedroll behind the saddle. Swinging up, he rode to the house next door and pounded on the front door until he got an answer.
"Make ready, we must leave now, the Förstenräl are coming, once you are ready go tell all who've not been told," Æliyäu said.
The man nodded and Æliyäu rode on, skipping several houses before knocking on another door, giving the men people to tell. Slowly as he progressed he began to hear a commotion building up behind him, doors pounding, people talking, and horses hooves clattering.
"Where do we meet?" one man asked when Æliyäu told him.
"We shall meet at the pasture and rally, lead the way there," Æliyäu replied.
The man nodded and Æliyäu began to tell people to meet at the pasture as he told them to flee.
"Shall we burn all we wish them not to have now?" a woman asked.
"Yes," Æliyäu replied.
Æliyäu rode throughout Møkbæsted, knocking on doors, soon he spied other men doing the same thing, crossing paths with him, riding around. All of Møkbæsted was being roused. Then a man hired up to him.
"Is Thårijn making this journey?" Jägen asked.
"I should hope he is," Æliyäu replied.
At that thought Æliyäu whirled Cælebrin around and made his way towards the houses of Øbjen. He ought to have gone and woken Thårijn first — he was the Eikenenshåldjgråvenwød after all."

Exile's End: Day 17

Word Count: 102,055

Summary of Events:
Chapter 33:
Thårijn woke up from a nightmare and went to Helännä's bedside and spoke with her. Bæjern then ended up waking up and summoned the rest of Helännä's children to her bedside — along with her grandchildren. Æliyäu also woke up and came to Helännä's bedside. Later on Thårijn made it known to Bæjern — and by his vocal volume the remainder of his siblings — that he intended to bury Helännä in Sönniväbæsted.
Chapter 34:
Æliyäu started packing things, but found himself feeling nervous, likening the idea of finally achieving freedom to getting onto a horse for the first time, a rather nerve-wracking thing in all due honesty. Thårijn also, rather reluctantly, began packing, also feeling fear, and creating an analogy likening freedom to clean water, and captivity to dirty water, and feeling almost as if Göd had let too much time pass between their being taken away, and their return.

Excerpt of the Day:
""Mother!" Thårijn said — louder than he'd intended to.
Helännä's eyebrows raised, and then slowly her eyes opened, they looked tired, dim, unlike he'd ever seen them before. The thudding of his heart in terror he was sure was being heard by Bæjern even.
"My son," Helännä said, in a voice so fait Thårijn nearly had to lie on top of her mouth to hear it. She looked so weak.
Thårijn looked at her desperately, he didn't know what to say, he wanted to cry and get angry at the same time, he wanted to do something, but there was nothing that could be done. Absolutely nothing.
"It has come," Helännä continued, talking slowly.
Terror anew exploded within Thårijn. This was not good. It was not good at all. Why did it have to be this way? Why could it not be contrary?
"Time for me," Helännä said.
No. No. No! Thårijn wanted to shake sense into her, but it would be like shaking a blanket, she would just flap around limply, and he could well even kill her by doing it. And there was no sense to be shaken into her.
"To depart," Helännä finished. . . .
. . . "Mother, I am not yet ready to go on without you," Thårijn said. "I cannot do it. You must stay, please Mother, please."
"I can do naught," Helännä replied. "Against the will of Göd."
"But Göd can work miracles!" Thårijn protested.
"He wills not," Helännä replied.
"Why not? Why can't He will it now?" Thårijn demanded.
"He chooses no to," Helännä replied.
"Why does He have to?" Thårijn cried.
"My time is full," Helännä said. "It is now time . . . "
"Mother! No!" Thårijn cried.
"To leave these dark halls," Helännä said. "For glorious places."
"But Mother!" Thårijn fired.
"We shall meet again," Helännä said.
"I don't want to part now!" Thårijn cried.
"It is time," Helännä said. "You must go."
"No!" Thårijn protested. "I will not leave!"
"Fulfill what Göd," Helännä said. "Has called you to be."
"I do not want to be alone!" Thårijn cried.
"Rule over our people," Helännä said. "Be king."
"No! I can't do it Mother! It's impossible!" Thårijn protested.
"You have been chosen," Helännä said. "You will do it."
"I don't want to," Thårijn said.
"Göd will help you," Helännä said.
Thårijn took shaky breaths, staring desperately at his mother, willing her to keep her eyes open.
"Thårijn," Helännä said, even softer than before. Her eyelids slid closed.
"Mother!" Thårijn cried aloud. He felt her wrist. Nothing. Her neck. Nothing. Beneath her nose. Nothing.
Thårijn put his head against her bosom — where he'd put it many times as a child — and wept, his hand still wrapped tightly around hers. He wept loudly and more agonized than ever he had wept before.
Helännä, daughter of Äbrääm, descendant of Bejøn of the house of Kæs, was dead."

Exile's End: Day 16

Word Count: 96,007

Summary of Events:
Chapter 31:
The Iøsenräl held another practise battle after having done some training and the battle was far and away more successful than their prior battle, and it also featured another duel between Thårijn and Jägen because Thårijn was taking charge of the troops Jägen had assumed for his control.
Chapter 32:
A party of Iøsenräl decided that they were going to leave now that their men were ready to fight, even though Æliyäu tried desperately to stop them from leaving. Thårijn — among others — heard the mourning wail Æliyäu raised up in mourning for the departing group and found out about their departure, which Thårijn was initially happy about, until he realized that if those who had left were found it could spell danger — if not death — for all of the rest of them.

Excerpt of the Day:
"Thårijn looked at the other men in rank and file around him. Most of them were rather rested, it seemed. They weren't working hard. Thårijn didn't feel terribly pleased with this, these men weren't trying — sure they were only practising, but that didn't mean they shouldn't be testing themselves, they should leave the battle exhausted, they should really be putting effort into this.
Backing out of his rank, Thårijn rode around in front of all of the men, they all turned and looked at him, most of them with a surprised expression on their faces.
"What I see here is abominable!" Thårijn cried.
Many men startled and took on looks of shame. Other men just looked ashamed, and others took on looks of indignation.
"Yea, I know that we are only practising," Thårijn said. "I know we battle our own people! Our brothers! Our sons! Our fathers! But we must fight! We must test ourselves! We must test the others! We must fight as if we really are defending our very lives! If we do not test ourselves here we will be exhausted when the real battles come! And we will be fighting real, professional soldiers! They will slaughter us and leave our carcasses to be eaten by the birds who fly above us, and the beasts who dwell in the mountains around us if we do not test ourselves! We must make every effort to be ready! If we do not then it will be our death!"
The majority of the men looked either afraid or determined.
"Who will fight with me?" Thårijn asked. "Who will be ready for to make our way home at longest last?" Thårijn drew out Helännäri and held her high. "Who will be ready?"
"I!" several men called, drawing out their swords. More men joined them and raised up their swords, joining in the shout. It didn't take very long before all of the men had their swords raised and had shouted.
"Who will be ready?" Thårijn asked again.
"I!" cried all of the men in unison, a loud roar that filled Thårijn with a rush of exhilaration.
"Then let us fight!" Thårijn said.
"Fight!" all of the men shouted.
Thårijn swung Græshädå around to face the battlefield. Their comrades were mostly across the road.
"Fight!" Thårijn shouted, and all of the men followed suit. He did it three times before getting Græshädå to rear up, thrashing his grey forelegs in the air. As soon as Græshädå hit the ground Thårijn urged him into action and they charged down the slope, he could hear the men following behind him, many of them were just shouting and roaring indistinctly now, completely fired up and ready to battle.
When they met up with Bæjern's forces they fought ferociously, Thårijn glanced at the men alongside him and saw them fighting fiercely, driving them up the other side of the valley, back to their rally point."

Exile's End: Day 15

Word Count: 90,004

Summary of Events:
Chapter 29:
All of the Iøsenräl men gathered to practise battling and . . . things didn't exactly go too well. Many of the horses were unprepared and quite afraid of the combat, and not all of the men were even too terribly good either. Thårijn ended up sustaining an injury at the hand of his oldest brother Jägen, and Æliyäu then set the men to doing other work while he helped Thårijn get to a doctor.
Chapter 30:
Æliyäu, Villäm and Vånnä gathered together and discussed the outcome of the practise battle and some better strategies to accomplish what they needed to do, among other things. Thårijn and Bæjern went out to the pasture and practised battling with just their horses, but Græshädå and Nättrinne — Bæjern's mare — also decided to do some other things. Æliyäu then went to visit Helännä and found out her ability to speak was weakening and he wondered if she might die before the men would be ready to leave.

Excerpt of the Day:
"Thårijn crossed over the road and charged headlong into the line before him, Helännäri making contact with one of the shields. He and the man whose shield he'd hit stopped and battered at each other's shields. Thårijn swung his sword over the man's head and then made a move to ride away, but the other rider kept on with trying to battle him, so he had to stay and keep fighting.
"The stroke over your head," Thårijn said. "Was my pretending to sever your head."
"Oh," the other rider said, and turned and rode back to his rally point.
Thårijn swung Græshädå around and saw that all had dissolved into chaos before either side could reach the road. Men were off their horses and trying to catch them, horses were bucking and running, and two stallions were even fighting with each other, having cast their masters aside — masters who were now hesitantly attempting to get a hold of their horses.
It appeared that only Græshädå was well trained enough to succeed, either that or Thårijn had been the only one keeping his horse's head where it ought to be. But did all of them know where their horse's head ought to be? What it ought to be focused on?
As Thårijn watched from above, the men down near the road for the side that were technically his opponents had managed to get gathered into file again and looked like they were going to try and get across the road.
That meant another charge would be coming from up behind him. Thårijn rode Græshädå down the sloe and around the line of mares and geldings. Thårijn managed to break up the stallion fight by charging at the two horses and spooking them into separation, then he called all of the men on his side down in the valley to form up into file, and they all followed quite neatly.
Thårijn then manoeuvred Græshädå around to lead the charge, but Jägen charged up to him, sword drawn and eyes blazing. Thårijn swung Græshädå around more and blocked Jägen with his shield.
Jägen swung at Thårijn ferociously, but Thårijn managed to block the blows with his shield and swing back, blocking things with his blade as well. After awhile Jägen brought his sword down like an axe on Thårijn's shield.
Thårijn tried to get a blow in on Jägen's shield, but Jägen was fighting with his sword arm to Thårijn, so his shield arm was across his horse from Thårijn, and much further to reach — especially being as he was on his off side.
After a few more blows Thårijn saw Jägen swing back his sword and didn't get his shield up to block fast enough; the blow collided with his helmet and then pain tore across his right cheek and most of his upper lip."

Jägen: jah-genn
Nättrinne: naht-reen-ay

Exile's End: Day 14

Word Count: 84,003

Summary of Events:
Chapter 27:
Æliyäu was spending some quiet time looking at the Iøsenräl horses and thought about how they were accepting their armour and wondered if it might not be a bad thing to hold mock battles so as to train the horses and men in how to fight so that they could actually have a fighting chance of escaping. Thårijn, having finished his armour, went and visited Helännä and promised her he would not go killing anyone out of hate or instigating any wars, then he went and rode Græshädå with his armour on to get his stallion used to the weight.
Chapter 28:
Æliyäu visited Jönäs, half-brother-in-law of Thårijn and found out that most of the men had nearly finished forging all of their arms and armour and told Jönäs of his idea that the men should engage in mock combat which Jönäs agreed was a good idea. Thårijn was then visited by Æliyäu and asked when he planned on leaving, and told of the mock battle upcoming. Thårijn then rode Græshädå again and contemplated how the battle should be organized. Æliyäu then was told by Villimænnä and Gerhäardt that they were going to wait for whenever Thårijn wanted to leave.

Exceprt of the Day:
"Thårijn reached his hand up and gently stroked Græshädå's face, then he reached down and stroked hi stallion's neck while Græshädå felt his armour over with his lips. After some time Thårijn opened the stall door and came inside to let Græshädå see him fully.
Græshädå took Thårijn in with much curiosity, looking at, sniffing, and feeling most everything with his lips. Thårijn brought up his shield for Græshädå to examine. Thårijn also brought out his daggers and axe for Græshädå to examine, and then Helännäri.
Once he was sure Græshädå was comfortable he put Græshädå's halter on and led him around. Græshädå was rather curious about Thårijn, so he led his stallion around several times until Græshädå was comfortable with the noise of Thårijn's armour.
Thårijn then took Græshädå to the tack room and brought out his tack. Græshädå stood willingly, flicking his ears at the sounds of Thårijn's armour as he moved. Once Græshädå was tacked up Thårijn led him out of the barn and swung into the saddle.
Græshädå stood still, his ears flicking around. Thårijn didn't ask anything of him, just letting him adjust to the weight of the armour, on top of the usual weight of his own body on Græshädå's back.
After awhile Thårijn finally asked Græshädå to walk, and they walked through the streets of Møkbæsted to the pasture. There he asked Græshädå to trot, and then canter, and then gallop.
Gradually Thårijn both increased and decreased Græshädå's speed, getting him acquainted with the weight of the armour, and its much quieter noise when they moved than Græshädå's mail.
After awhile — a while that was noticeably shorter than Thårijn usually rode — Thårijn noticed that Græshäå was quite tired. He slowed Græshädå down to a walk and let him walk a couple of circuits before making his way back to the barn.
Græshädå's normally rather light grey coat was darkened to charcoal and black hues by the sweat that soaked it from the effort of carrying Thårijn with his armour. Foamy sweat was clustered around Græshädå's tack, and he eve had a bit of froth around his bit.
Thårijn cleaned up Græshädå's tack and then washed the sweat of of his stallion and walked him around the barn, partially to dry his coat, and partially just to make sure that he wasn't going to get cramps or go lame or something else.
Once he was done Thårijn gave Græshädå some more water and a little bit more feed, and put him into his stall. Græshädå's breathing was no longer as laboured as it had been when he'd been carrying Thårijn. Thårijn would have to make sure he rode Græshädå every night so that he strengthened his stallion to the armour's weight — and hopefully also accustom himself to the weight. Thårijn then headed out of the barn, the other horses still looking at him with some curiosity."

Jönäs: junn-ahs

Exile's End: Day 13

Word Count: 78,005

Summary of Events:
Chapter 25:
The Förstenräl king heard that the Iøsenräl were working harder, but no surplus was being seen. Thårijn brought Græshädå to his house and tried the leather and mail armour onto him to let him get used to it — which took awhile with the mail because of its jingling. Æliyäu then went to visit with Helännä and told Sönnä that Thårijn was the Låstbøn and was unwilling to accept it.
Chapter 26:
Thårijn and Äthelröd worked to acclimatize Äthelröd's mare to the leather and mail armour, which was a bit more difficult of an endeavour, but ended up eventually being successful. The Förstenräl then gathered into a council and discussed what they thought the Iøsenräl were doing with the excess weaponry and what to do about it.

Excerpt of the Day:
"Once Thårijn was sure she was at ease with the mail he went and took it up. She was more alert and curious about the mail, nosing it to make it jingle and rattle, reaching under it with her nose and raising it up.
Thårijn then slowly brought it to touch against her and rubbed it around her, slowly and gently, around and around until she was at ease with it, and then he laid it over the leather on her rump and followed the same procedures as putting the leather on.
She was quite at ease with the putting on of the mail, but as soon as Thårijn asked her to walk out and she heard it jingle of the mail with her motions she stilled. Thårijn slacked the line and waited for her to calm down. She examined the mail and then settled.
Thårijn asked her for another step. Again she froze at the sound of the mail. Thårijn asked her for another step before he let her examine it, and managed to get it. He then asked her for three steps before she examined it again, and on and on until she would walk at ease with it around the barn.
Then Thårijn handed the line off to Äthelröd and led the way to the pasture where Græshädå had bucked and gotten used to his mail. Before he left Thårijn grabbed a long line and a long whip, feeling that it might be safer to try things a little differently with her due to her younger age.
Arriving at the pasture, Thårijn switched out the mare's usual line with the long line and then walked away from her until the bulk of the line was hanging loosely between them, then he used the whip and signalled her to walk.
Comfortably and easily she followed his command. He let her walk around several times before asking her to trot. Instantly she froze at the sound of the mail again. Thårijn waited until she was settled and asked again. Slowly and steadily he finally got her to trot, and he let her go while she was comfortable there awhile, then he asked her to canter.
Again there was much stop and start until at least she settled in with the noise of the mail. Thårijn then asked her to gallop. Instead of galloping she proceeded to buck, travelling a lot more in her bucking than Græshädå had. Thårijn slowly made his way to Äthelröd and handed him the whip so that he could manage the rope with both hands so neither he nor the horse tripped on the rope or otherwise injured themselves.
As she bucked Thårijn would slowly take in or let out line and move himself around so as not to tie her up and trip her. She bucked for quite awhile before deciding that she wanted to gallop — but not in a circle."

Exile's End: Day 12

Word Count: 72,014

Summary of Events:
Chapter 23:
Æliyäu's sister Villimænnä and her husband Gerhäardt were planning to leave with a group of people organized by Thårijn's brother Svän, which Æliyäu advised against strongly, and eventually he succeeded in at least convincing them to take some time and think it over. Thårijn then found out from Bæjern about the council and what had happened amongst his siblings, and he wasn't really too terribly surprised about most of the news.
Chapter 24:
Æliyäu went to visit Helännä, but because of hearing an outcry went and saw Øbjen and told him that Thårijn the Eikenenshåldjgråvenwød, then once he'd done that he was met by Thårijn's sister Vånnä's husband Villäm and given a sword — being as he doesn't really have the ability to go into the forges and make his own — and was told about Bæjern's sword. So Æliyäu went and was shown Bæjern's sword, finally he then visited Helännä. Thårijn had been building his shield and then he stained it the colours he wanted and lent Bæjern the brush and watched Bæjern stain his shield.

Excerpt of the Day:
"Thårijn nodded. "Do you think they would try and take my life even now?"
"They may very well, who knows?" Bæjern replied.
"Is it because of what they believe me to be that they all seek to kill me — aside from Øsälä?" Thårijn asked.
"Are you not the Eikenenshåldjgråvenwød?" Bæjern asked.
"What do you think?" Thårijn asked.
"Yes, I think you are," Bæjern replied. "Æliyäu has been a frequent visitor, and not just to our mother. He has been called by Göd, he is the one who told us that the time is in full, so I would be quite certain that he has told you that your are the Eikenenshåldjgråvenwød."
Thårijn emptied his plate and said nothing, rising to wash his dishes.
"Many of them want to kill you so that they will become the Eikenenshåldjgråvenwød, even though it is that they are not even the last born of their mothers — regardless of the royal tradition," Bæjern said.
"They are jealous," Thårijn said.
"Very much so," Bæjern replied.
"I will need to be on by guard even now yet," Thårijn said.
"I would advise you to be, yes," Bæjern replied.
Thårijn nodded. "Then I shall be."
"I advise you not to travel on your own," Bæjern said.
"I shall be well armed," Thårijn replied. "I have much ready. I only need to finish my set of armour and I will be ready to depart."
"But what about your food?" Bæjern asked.
"I shall have Sönnä and my other sisters who will come in peace," Thårijn replied. "For I will not have Mother."
"And Græshädå?" Bæjern asked.
"There shall be plenty of grass," Thårijn replied. "And he has legs to paw under the snow. He shall be well."
"What sort of arms do you have?" Bæjern asked.
Thårijn stepped into his room and pulled out the suit of armour he had fashioned, the mail and leather he had gotten for himself and Græshädå, the daggers, axes, and other weaponry he'd fashioned — except his sword.
"You have no shield, just a shield-boss," Bæjern said.
"I've had no time to fashion a shield yet, but I hope that I shall yet," Thårijn replied.
"And you have no sword," Bæjern said.
"I do," Thårijn replied. He went over to his bed and reached under, seizing the sheath that had been fashioned for him by Äthelröd's sister. Drawing it out, he took the handle of his sword and drew it out, holding it squarely before himself, casting the sheath aside and taking the handle with both hands.
Bæjern's eyes went wide with amazement.
"This is Helännäri, my sword," Thårijn said."

Villimænnä: villih-mane-ah
Gerhäardt: gerr-hart
Villäm: vill-am
Helännäri: hel-anna-ree

Exile's End: Day 11

Word Count: 66,025

Summary of Events:
Chapter 21:
Thårijn and Äthelröd worked at forging armour, discussing how long it would take them to finish it all. Bæjern was told by his half brother Jöden that there would be a council of Øbjen's children in three days. Æliyäu came and visited Helännä and showed her and Bæjern the map. After Æliyäu left Thårijn went in and spoke with Helännä about the map and whether or not she would participate in the journey and pledged that he would not allow her to be buried anywhere but with the kings of Kænjiøs in Sönniväbæsted.
Chapter 22:
Thirty of Øbjen's children —not including Thårijn or any of the others under the age of twelve — gathered for the council in Old Møkbæsted and it was rather riotous affair with much shouting and anger and in the end they divided off into about four unequal factions. Thårijn queried Bæjern as to his activities and had Bæjern burst into tears before him — something that had never happened before — and being as he couldn't get any answers he went back to what he'd been doing a bit before going to bed.

Excerpt of the Day:
""Be at peace my brothers!" Bæjern said. "Hear me! I reside with Thårijn, and I have made an observation."
Everyone quieted, looking at Bæjern with rather upset and yet suspicious looks.
"In these two months Æliyäu has been a frequent visitor at my mother's house, and he has not always come to visit my mother," Bæjern replied. "I have even heard raised voices exchanged between Thårijn and Æliyäu. I am under the inclination that it is Thårijn, that he is the Eikenenshåldjgråvenwød."
Honestly — with the high emotions of this meeting thus far — Bæjern had expected an incredible, deafening outburst of rage at his statement, but he was greeted with dead silence, tense though it was.
"It is an injustice!" Øbenn cried. "He is not of king's blood! He is the son of some coward who has still yet to come forward and confess how he led Helännä astray!"
"His being the Låstbøn proves the contrary!" Vånnä said. "Thårijn is Øbjen's son, as Helännä has long claimed! He cannot be the Låstbøn unless such is the case!"
"It should be I!" Øvin cried.
"You!? It should be I!" Jöden protested.
"Naught should it be either of you!" Sæmöän said. "I should be the Låstbøn."
"It shouldn't be any of you! It is Thårijn!" Bæjern snapped.
"So you say!" Jöden said. "I shall not rest until I have killed him! I shall kill him and take his place, the rightful Eikenenshåldjgråvenwød!"
"Not if I kill him first!" Sæmöän snapped.
"Ha!" Øsälä scoffed. "I shall kill him first, for I declared that I would do so before either of you were inspired to do so!"
"Oh, and says who?" Gæil asked. "Surely I will succeed in bringing about his end before you!"
"Not if I outdo you!" Wilmæd snapped.
Bæjern was just about tempted to let his jaw drop to the floor, but he restrained himself, no matter how disbelieving he was. His siblings in full and half blood were arguing about who would kill Thårijn first.
"Why can we not go along with him in peace?" Bæjern asked.
"Go with him?" Svän asked. "I shall not go anywhere led by that wretch! I am staying right here! My family and I shall leave whenever it is that we see fit, but we will not go with him, we will find our own way, and we may well reach Kænjiøs before they do and claim it for ourselves!"
"I shall go with you!" Æsä said. "I will not be led by some charlatan like he!"
"Nor I!" Steffön declared.
Øblgän, Øbenn, and Øvin also joined the group who would be departing separately with Svän — as did Mærä, Greschän, and Jägen.
"Who will go along with him in peace?" Bæjern asked. "Who of us will accept that we are not the chosen one? Who of us will accept the one that Göd has chosen and will go with him without protest, and with all due desire to bring assistance to him in whatever way we can?""

Jöden: juh-den
Sæmöän: say-muh-ann
Gæil: gail
Svän: svann
Æsä: ay-sah
Steffön: steffun
Greschän: gresh-ann

Exile's End: Day 10

Word Count: 60,002

Summary of Events:
Chapter 19:
Thårijn was working on forming armour and talking with Äthelröd about how exactly he'd gotten injured. Æliyäu then, after visiting Helännä, went to visit Thårijn and they got into a rather heated argument, with Thårijn even threatening Æliyäu with his sword.
Chapter 20:
Thårijn came upon his half brother Geøg on his way home from working and found out about Øbjen being concussed, and found out that everyone believed it to be Thårijn's fault, but it had happened on the day of Thårijn's falling off of Græshädå, and Thårijn had no memory of it, but then Æliyau told them he had been involved in the altercation in which Øbjen had been concussed. After getting home Æliyäu went to his dad's library and was looking at a scroll of art and discovered it was a map of Kænjiøs as it had been at its peak.

Excerpt of the Day:
""Brothers, what is this argument?" Bæjern's voice, sounding as if he were a father coming upon sons arguing, asked.
Both Thårijn and Øvin looked at Bæjern.
"Have you gone mad!?" Øvin exclaimed. "We are not brothers!"
"That is not what I meant," Bæjern replied. "You are both my brothers, whether it be in full or half blood."
Øvin exhaled angrily, but said nothing. Thårijn was tempted to smile at his half brother's mistake, but he restrained himself.
"Øvin, Geøg, Götrude, and our father Øbjen — among others I'm sure — claim that I accosted our father and rendered him nigh bedridden for many weeks," Thårijn replied to Bæjern's question. "And they say I did it with this armour I forged and just finished this day on the day that I fell from Græshädå — before I'd begun to construct this."
"It was not Thårijn," Bæjern said. "He was unconscious, weakened by his injuries. I sat at his side and watched the doctor treat his wounds. Father injured himself in an argument with Æliyäu, son of Pætter."
"And why did you provoke my father?" Øvin asked.
Thårijn turned and saw Æliyäu — in white as usual — standing in the doorway looking at them.
"I tried to show Øbjen that he and Thårijn have a great likeness," Æliyäu replied. "But Øbjen got into a state of agitation, and he attacked me, even throwing me down onto Thårijn's legs as the doctor worked on him, but I got myself to my feet and Øbjen in his rage threw back his head and his forehead made contact with my collarbone."
Æliyäu raised up his hand and pulled back the collar of his tunic to reveal a still-fading bruise on his right collarbone.
"I believe he underestimated the difference in our eight," Æliyäu said.
"Yes," Bæjern said. "Our father was in a fit of rage, and like many times before he injured himself whilst in it. However, because of his age and the nature of his injury it has become a more severe injury than many of those he has incurred in other rages."
Thårijn looked at Æliyäu and suddenly recalled the bruises he'd seen on Æliyäu's face on the day that Æliyäu had come to visit him while he had been recovering, those had been from the hands of his father. His father must have been quite enraged.
Suddenly Thårijn was off balance and completely without ability to right himself, a hand caught him and Thårijn got back to his feet, nodding his appreciation to Bæjern — who had helped him up.
Øvin was gone, Thårijn heard the sound of a door slamming."

Geøg: gay-erg

Exile's End: Day 9

Word Count: 54,008

Summary of Events:
Chapter 17:
Thårijn got up the day after his injury and intended to go to work, but he was quite sore, and also tore one of his stitched wounds open, but insisted he was fine, his sister Sönnä got the doctor anyways, but Thårijn remained obstinate until Helännä got into a coughing fit, then he finally settled down and let the doctor restitch the wound. Æliyäu then came to visit Thårijn and tried to discuss route plans with him, but Thårijn refused to be willing to talk.
Chapter 18:
Thårijn — feeling much better — got up and practised his sword fighting in his room before being found by one of Sönnä's children and discussing the Låstbøn with them. At the child's request he went out and talked with Sönnä about the Låstbøn, and Thårijn was unsure, but he succeeded in convincing Sönnä of his argument. Æliyäu looked over a map trying to maybe preplan the route, but the logistics of the amount of people that were embarking on the journey overwhelmed him and he wondered if preplanning the route was even possible.

Excerpt of the Day:
"Thårijn slipped out of Wilmæd's former room and back into his current room, reaching under his bed, be brought out his sword. Its fine handle of woven leather had been completed before he'd been injured and looked rightly elegant on his sword.
Grasping the handle firmly in both hands, he swung it as one would swing a hammer and felt only the slightest twinge of pain. He would go back to work in the fogs on the morrow, but for now . . . Thårijn smiled.
He swung the blade, he thrust, he parried, he blocked, and otherwise worked on his sword fighting skills. Thårijn relived his duel with the Förstenräl soldier and did the same moves over again — except that this time he swung with his full force and rent the soldier's head from his shoulders.
A genuine thud sound accompanied his swing — but a little late — and then when he went to move his sword again he found he couldn't. Coming back to his bedchamber, Thårijn discovered he had lodged his unsharpened sword into the wall above the head of his bed, and he must have lodged it into one of the studding timbers, as he could not dislodge it.
Terrible horror rolled through Thårijn's insides. No. No! He couldn't have gotten it irreversibly stick. He had to get it out! But how? How did he get it out? And especially without damaging — if not ruining — his blade?
Carefully Thårijn pressed the handle closer to the wall, slowly and gently, he wiggled it back and forth, coaxing and easing at the metal and hoping desperately that no violent snap would take place.
After awhile Thårijn saw blade peeking out of the wall where no blade had been. He continued wriggling the blade back and forth, slowly easing the metal out of the wood he was sure that it had lodged in, and hoping that no damage had been done to his yet-unsharpened blade.
Finally the blade came free, beautiful, sleek, and undamaged. Thårijn brushed the little bits and slivers off of the tip of the blade and swung it around some more, although making sure he kept himself focused on where he was as well as what he was doing so that he did not go mincing his bedclothes or damaging his tick — lest he make Sönnä have to pluck him a new one.
Whirling around toward the door, Thårijn froze when he realized the door was open, and that there was someone standing in the doorway."

Sönnä: sun-ah
Wilmæd: will-maid

Exile's End: Day 8

Word Count: 48,004

Summary of Events:
Chapter 15:
Thårijn woke up early and was feeling distressed by the news that he was the Låstbøn and so he went and visited his stallion Græshädå, and then he went to work early. Æliyäu read through Gråvenwød and wondered about who exactly would become king of the Iøsenräl once their journey was over. Thårijn then went for a ride on Græshädå after work and ended up being chased by some Förstenräl and falling off of Græshädå.
Chapter 16:
Æliyäu watched the Förstenräl bring Thårijn back to Møkbæsted and prepare to kill him for fleeing from them, but Thårijn revived and stole a sword from one of the Förstenräl and duelled another. Thårijn then went back and put Græshädå away and got a ride home from Æliyäu due to his exhaustion from his injuries in falling from Græshädå. Æliyäu then got a doctor to care for Thårijn and ended up getting into a fight with Øbjen when he came along and wanted the doctor to leave Thårijn to die.

Excerpt of the Day:
"Reaching out, Thårijn tore the sword — a work of his people he could tell— from the soldier's hand and swung it around at the man nearest to him on the other side, striking it against the soldier's forearm.
The sword thudded against the armour and the soldier turned and looked at Thårijn, again with an expression of terror upon his face. Thårijn drew back the sword again, fixing his gaze on the neck of the soldier.
Before he could strike, the soldier drew out his sword and the two of them duelled on their offsides, reaching across their horses to strike blows at each other. Thårijn struck fiercely at the blade of his adversary, hoping that enough blows would succeed in breaking it, but his would remain in one piece — even though they were of the same quality, poorest.
Thårijn slashed his stolen blade, relishing in the sound of the metallic contact. He was sure that it would be a grand thing to fight in a real battle, but for now focused his attention on the duel he was currently engaged in.
The Förstenräl's fear seemed to have faded now, and his face was twisted with anger as he fiercely swung his blade at Thårijn, but Thårijn met his every blow as if he, too, had been trained as a soldier.
Then came the ringing sound and a clatter signifying a blade had broken, and Thårijn found to his pleasure that it was the blade of his opponent. Rearing his blade back, Thårijn readied to strike the head off of his opponent.
"Stay your hand!" a fierce, authoritative, and yet familiar voice shouted. Thårijn — even though he didn't want to — couldn't help but stop at the command. "We do not want our adversaries to sweep down upon us and rend us asunder before at last we can depart for our homeland!"
Thårijn turned and looked in front of Græshädå, the first person he picked out of the crowd was Æliyäu, mounted on horseback, his green eyes fixed determinedly on Thårijn with a ferocity he had never seen in them before.
"We want to have a hope of departure!" Æliyäu said. "Do not slay that man or we shall face a reprisal that we — grossly unarmed at this time — will not survive!"
Thårijn turned to look at the Förstenräl soldier. The soldier stared at him with twisted anger, holding out his broken blade as if it were whole. Seizing the back armour of the soldier at the neck, Thårijn thrust the sword down between the man and his armour.
"Consider yourself fortunate," Thårijn growled. He flashed a glare at Æliyäu and then nudged Græshädå away from the Förstenräl, manoeuvring him around the square and off towards the stables."

Græshädå: grey-shadow

Exile's End: Day 7

Word Count: 42,008

Summary of Events:
Chapter 13:
Thårijn went to work in the forges and helped Äthelröd to finish forging his sword with some smith work that amazed Äthelröd. Æliyäu and Äbihæl went to visit Helännä and talked about Helännä's children and grandchildren, then Æliyäu told Helännä that Thårijn was the Låstbøn. Shortly after that Thårijn arrived and Æliyäu told Thårijn the news.
Chapter 14:
Thårijn couldn't bring himself to believe that he was the Låstbøn, and he argued about it with Æliyäu until Æliyäu and Äbihæl left for home. Then Thårijn discussed it with his mother, still doubting the fact that it was himself. Æliyäu stayed up a little later than usual wondering why Thårijn wasn't convinced and even seemed unwilling, but at last decided it wasn't really worth worrying about.

Excerpt of the Day:
""Göd has spoken with me," Æliyäu said.
"Of course He has," Thårijn said, with a touch of ire in his voice.
"And He has made it known to me — confirmed by the passages of Gråvenwød I had you read — that you, Thårijn, son of Helännä, descendant of Øbjen of the house of Kæs, are the Låstbøn, the Eikenenshåldjgråvenwød, who shall lead our people to freedom, out of the land of the Förstenräl, through all the trials, travails, and dangers of the journey, through many lands until it is that we reach at longest last the lands that had been those of our people in times beyond memory and establish once again Kænjiøs, and become a free people again."
Thårijn gazed at Æliyäu with a face devoid of emotion — so devoid not even his eyes revealed the thoughts of his mind — for a long time. Æliyäu couldn't help but wonder what in the world Thårijn was thinking, what his reaction was going to be. Part of him feared with the longer the time drew on that Thårijn had no reaction that it was going to be a violent one. . . .
. . . "Sure," Thårijn said.
Disbelief and absolute surprise exploded across Æliyäu's face, causing his jaw to go slack for a moment before he caught it back up, closing his mouth again. "How can you not believe it?"
"I am only the last born son of my mother," Thårijn replied. "My father has many more sons born after me. And I should hope you are not neglecting the line — which was in one of the stanzas you had me read I might add — third of the twenty second stanza, which says, 'Last born son of king's blood'."
"Which you are," Æliyäu said, having recovered himself.
"Are you without knowledge?" Thårijn asked. "Surely you know that my father is married to seven women aside from my mother, and that every single one of their last born children is younger than I?"
"But none of them are of king's blood as it means," Æliyäu replied.
"Their father is of the house of Kæs!" Thårijn exclaimed. "You yourself even said so! Øbjen of the house of Kæs!"
"Yes, he is," Æliyäu said. "However, your mother is Helännä, Äbrääm's daughter, descendant of Bejøn of the house of Kæs."
"So?" Thårijn asked. What was Æliyäu even getting at?
"Both of your parents are descended from the house of Kæs," Æliyäu replied. "None of your siblings in half-blod have a mother descended from the house of Kæs. You are the last born of the tradition of kings in marriage. And that is what the third line in the twenty second stanza of Gråvenwød means."
Being as Thårijn knew full well what the tradition of kings was in regards to marriage he could not call anything into question. Æliyäu was right. According to that line he was the last born, and it wasn't too hard to find out that he was the last born of his mother."

Äbrääm: abe-rah-am
Bejøn: beh-urn

Exile's End: Day 6

Word Count: 36,017

Summary of Events:
Chapter 11:
Æliyäu, his parents, and his sister celebrated his niece Äbihæl's birthday before going to Helännä's house and catching Thårijn and getting him to read four stanzas of Gråvenwød. He and Thårijn then got into quite a bit of discussion about the journey homeward.
Chapter 12:
Thårijn engaged in an early morning visit with Helännä before heading to work. Æliyäu read through Gråvenwød and found solid evidence on the identity of the Låstbøn and how it could only be him, then he told Äbihæl about it and she wanted to know if Pætter knew the Låstbøn, and so they went for a ride and visited him.

Excerpt of the Day:
"With a sigh Thårijn rose from his seat and turned to leave. Æliyäu caught his sleeve before he could get far.
"Wait," Æliyäu said. "I would like you to do something for me."
Thårijn gave Æliyäu an unimpressed, and yet curious expression. Æliyäu pulled Gråvenwød out from under his arm and carefully unrolled it to the twenty second and twenty third stanzas.
"These two stanzas," Æliyäu said, handing the scroll to Thårijn.
Thårijn surveyed the words for a moment that seemed like it was nigh an eternity to Æliyäu, anticipation eating away at him as he waited for Thårijn to ready the words.
"But when the time has been filled, As I have it afore willed, The last born son of king's blood Will rise up, high up above, His brothers he preempts. Last born of his mother fair, Last born of the mountain air, Strong in sinew and flesh, he, the freer of his people be, He and he alone," it was as if Æliyäu was in his dream again. It was the same voice.
Æliyäu took the scroll back and rolled it to the fifty third and fifty fourth stanzas and handed it back to Thårijn. "These two as well."
Another pause ate at Æliyäu as Thårijn surveyed the words, although Æliyäu felt it was somewhat briefer than the previous one.
"Göd of mercy, Göd of might, Yea, I am, and in spite Of all the wrong that you have done, I give you hope as light of the sun, As fire deep inside. Keep it deep within your heart, That which I didst impart, One day saved, you will be, From this pain and agony, Free to roam wide," again. It was the same voice again, completely identical, it conjured up imagery of his dream as he heard the words.
Æliyäu took the scroll back from Thårijn, who had been handing it to him, and rolled it closed again. He wasn't entirely sure what to do now.
"Is that all you would have of me?" Thårijn asked, a note of irritation tainting his voice now that he was not reading Gråvenwød.
"Yes," Æliyäu replied, Thårijn moved to leave. "That is all I would have of you, but I do not inter to force departure upon you. Can your mother not have two visitors at once?"
Thårijn stopped near the door. Æliyäu couldn't hardly make out his form in the shadows, but he knew it did not move. Finally Thårijn moved again and headed out of the door, shutting the door softly.
Æliyäu was disappointed, but he took up the chair Thårijn had vacated and looked at Helännä. She smiled sympathetically at him."

Äbihæl: ab-ih-hail

Exile's End: Day 5

Word Count: 30,015

Summary of Events:
Chapter 9:
Thårijn and his brother Bæjern had a rather pleasant discussion and Bæjern admitted that he actually felt that Thårijn was his brother, they even compared their faces in a mirror and Thårijn noticed the resemblance for himself. Æliyäu dreamed of a different voice and was told by the voice that had called him that the different voice was the voice of the one who was to be the Låstbøn.
Chapter 10:
Thårijn finished the construction of his sword in the forges and helped Äthelröd to begin constructing his, and also looked forward to making more weapons for himself. Æliyäu went to visit Helännä in the evening and encountered Thårijn, and talked with Helännä about him and the upcoming journey of their people home. Thårijn then put Bæjern to bed after Æliyäu left, as Bæjern had fallen asleep in the main room, and Thårijn wondered about something he'd seen earlier in Æliyäu's face.

Excerpt of the Day:
"Softly Æliyäu opened the door and stepped inside. A lamp was glowing beside Helännä, and a figure was already sitting at her side, broad, masculine shoulders silhouetted by the lamp between him and Helännä.
Helännä moved her head and made eye contact with Æliyäu. A smile crossed her face and the man moved slightly.
"Æliyäu, come," Helännä said.
Feeling slightly hesitant, Æliyäu strode forward and moved around the foot of Helännä's bed. The man looked up at Æliyäu and recognition hit him so hard he nearly collapsed. The young man with the ice-blue eyes who had headed off nigh instantly to get metal for his sword and left his young, bemused assistant to be told the good news by Æliyäu.
A young man, noble of face, one who indeed looked to be a son of Øbjen, save for the paleness of his eyes and the darkness of his hair. He also bore a strong resemblance to Helänä. Was this Thårijn?
"Is something the matter Æliyäu?" Helännä asked.
"No," Æliyäu replied. "I, I just feel as if I'm interrupting."
"No," the young man replied, sounding as if he felt out of place. "I was just leaving."
"Good night Thårijn," Helänä said.
"Good night mother," Thårijn replied. He then rose quickly and strode out of the room swiftly, almost as if he were stealing out into the night. There was something about his voice too. Æliyäu hadn't heard enough of it to be sure, but he wanted to investigate it.
"Sit down Æliyäu, you seem odd tonight," Helännä said.
Æliyäu startled slightly and then took up the seat that Thårijn had recently vacated.
"Does something bother you this night?" Helännä asked.
"No," Æliyäu replied. "I, well, I did not realize that was your son Thårijn."
"Yes, he looks quite dissimilar to Øbjen," Helännä said.
"Dissimilar?" Æliyäu asked, surprised. "I felt he looked quite like Øbjen."
Helännä looked at Æliyäu with an incredulous expression. "How so?" she asked.
"I, I can't say for sure," Æliyäu replied. "But, he looked a nobler version of Øbjen, almost what I would perceive Øbjen looking if it was he were a kinder man, and a king. I would almost say that he is what Øbjen could have been, in a way."
"Yes, Øbjen could have been kinder," Helännä said. "But he was not, and still ceases to be, unfortunately.""

Exile's End: Day 4

Word Count: 24,079

Summary of Events:
Chapter 7:
Æliyäu entered into the mountain Nätthulegråttä, in which the men do their forging work, and started to tell the men to make ready, prompting much excitement and heightened productivity, right under the noses of the Förstenräl. Thårijn quickly set about making his dream sword that was nigh three times the length of the swords he'd been making for the Förstenräl. In his telling of the time being full, though, Æliyäu did get one disappointing surprise.
Chapter 8:
Thårijn continued at forging his sword with the help of his partner Äthelröd, and they contemplated what name Thårijn's sword should have. Æliyäu then went and visited Helännä and told her the time was in full. Helännä was happy, but certain that she wouldn't be taking part in the journey, due to her illness and the higher likelihood now that she would die than live. They also talked of Æliyäu's disappointing surprise.

Excerpt of the Day:
"Approaching another man, Æliyäu watched as sparks flew with each blow of the hammer shaping the metal. The man worked with a diligence, and even a care, that Æliyäu had not seen in any other man working on swords for the Förstenräl.
"Have you heard?" Æliyäu asked.
"I have heard nothing of significance in this day," the man replied.
"Now the time has come in full, Now at last I will pull The fetters off your hands and feet, Restore to you your home and seed, Now the debt is paid," Æliyäu said.
"Why speak you in rhymes and poetry?" the man asked. "Such flowery language is foolishness."
Æliyäu startled and looked at the man, puzzled. He had no recognition of the words of Gråvenwød? Every other man that Æliyäu had met with had known, and had taken hope and joy from the words which he'd spoken, why not this man?
"Know you not the poem of Gråvenwød?" Æliyäu asked.
"I care not for poetry," the man replied. "And that poem in particular is foolishness, silliness. We have always been here. We are no different from the Förstenräl, we are just peasants, they are soldiers. We have always done this work, we are not a people of our own, and we should not rebel and strike out from here, there is no ill with this life."
Æliyäu had never been more stunned in his life. Not even Göd's calling him had so floored him in all his life. This man actually believed that they had always been here? Were there others like him? How could they not believe? How could they not know?
"But we are," Æliyäu finally said. "We, we are different. Do you not think that it is odd of them to treat us with such violence and harshness?"
"That is how all peasants are treated," the man replied.
"If we were of their people we would not be under the guard of their military," Æliyäu said.
"That is how all peasants are treated," the man replied.
"Surely there would be a diversity among the people in Møkbæsted, with both rich and poor if we were their people, we would not be kept separate," Æliyäu said.
"That is how all peasants are," the man said. "You are delusional, fooled by the talk of old men, and all the reading that you do, for you are not one of us smiths, you are a learned man, and your learning has polluted you, it has ruined you to the point that you do not believe that reality is true. You aren't even certain of your arguments. That, I say, shows how much good learning does you."
"But, no," Æliyäu protested. "We are different! This is not normal! We are a different people!"
"You are crazy, and so is everyone else that thinks going with you is a good idea," the man said. "I hope you all die.""

Nätthulegråttä: gnat-hool-grow-tah
Äthelröd: ahth-ell-rude

Exile's End: Day 3

Word Count: 18,008

Summary of Events:
Chapter 5:
Æliyäu went and visited Helännä and talked with her. He learned that of all Øbjen's marriages only hers to him was in the kingly tradition of the Iøsenräl, and also that the time might be very close to full. Thårijn was attacked by Øbenn and his full brothers, but succeeded in getting away with only minor wounds and was tended to by his half-sister Vånnä.
Chapter 6:
Æliyäu was going through more histories and found a clue, narrowing his field of five who could be Låstbøn down to one, and that was that they were born in the last year that the Iøsenräl had lived in Old Møkbæsted, which was higher up on the mountains, but Æliyäu still wasn't sure. Thårijn worked in the forges in spite of his minor wounds and began to dream about the sword he would make for himself, whenever it was that he would get such an opportunity. Æliyäu then had a dream in which the Iøsenräl were making many weapons of great variety and he heard the voice that had called to him command the people to make ready. Æliyäu then became certain that the time was in full and he told his sister, her  husband, their children, and his parents — even though it was the dead of night.

Excerpt of the Day:
""I have suffered great agonies and guilts at what I have done," Thårijn replied. "I regret having done what I did. I do not know what I could've possibly done differently, but every day I wish that I would have not done as I did."
"And so the remorse pours forth from your slanderous lips," Øbglän spat. "Now that we have you caught. Now that we are ready to give you what you deserve for your deeds you spout forth remorse, as if it would make us more merciful. Your words have come too late, it is now time for you to suffer for your wretchedness."
"How could I have said anything sooner?" Thårijn protested. "I've not been able to speak with my brother in half blood since–"
"Cease with that slanderous speech!" Øbenn's voice cried out. "We be not brother to any fool as you in any measure of blood!"
Thårijn licked the snow off his lips and swallowed what had landed and melted within his mouth.
"Now come," Øbglän said. He got up off of Thårijn and wrapped a hand firmly around Thårijn's left arm, jerking him to his feet. Quickly Ødäm came and took up Thårijn's other arm in just as fierce of a grip.
Götrude's sons started down the side street down which they had surely been lying in wait, dragging Thårijn along with their brisk stride. Following a back route they came to the fence around his father's houses, far from the entryway, and entered into a derelict structure.
Ølef stood by the fire built up inside, his face devoid of emotion, yet almost looking as if he were somewhat of an unwilling participant in this. Øvin's eyes were alight with anticipation. Leaping forward he undid Thårijn's cloak-clasp, the cloak slid down Thårijn's back and landed on the floor.
Øbenn went to a shadowed place and brought out a four-tailed whip with an evil smile on his face. Øbglän released Thårijn's arm and Ødäm pulled Thårijn's shirt off his left side. Øbglän went to grab Thårijn's arm again, but Thårijn wound up with it and hit Øbglän in the eye.
Thårijn then jerked his other arm out of Ødäm's loosened grip, leaving himself shirtless, but free. Whipping around, he grabbed the door handle and darted off into the bitter cold night, making for the wall.
A few moments later shouts called after him, Thårijn heard the whip cracking in the air as they pursued him. Finding the tree, Thårijn scrambled up, its bare branches nipped at him as he scrambled through the tree and grabbed the brick.
The voices of Götride's sons called after him clearer now, suddenly a wretched pain tore across his back. Øbenn had gotten a strike in with the whip. Thårijn climbed faster, the whip catching at the back of his leg, but not wrapping, before he threw himself over the wall and landed heavily on the snow-covered roof of the home of Ærnä's children. The snow kept him from getting a grip and he slid off the roof onto the ground."

Vånnä: voh-nah
Øbglän: urb-glahn
Ødäm: ur-dam
Ølef: ur-leff
Øvin: ur-vinh
Ærnä: air-nah

Exile's End: Day 2

Word Count: 12,006

Summary of Events:
Chapter 3:
Thårijn was working in the forges with a friend of his and they discussed whether or not their people were really hopeless as Thårijn was certain they were, and Thårijn began to wonder if these people who looked so depressed around him were actually as hopeless as he thought they were. Æliyäu went through Gråvenwød and found a couple of multiplication questions in regards to years; one's answer was 500 — which matched the amount of years from the Ædinthenråd's destruction to their being carted away to Kænjförst — and the other being 1600 — which matched the amount of time they had been in Kænjförst — but because he found 1600 mentioned another time — without specifying what the measure of time was that it was referring to — so Æliyäu was confused.
Chapter 4:
Thårijn returned to his mother's house later than usual due to a snowstorm and was greeted by Bæjern his older, unmarried brother, and his father who got upset at him for his causing Øbenn to be flogged earlier. Æliyäu read through the lineage of those who would've been kings of the Iøsenräl had there been a throne to sit on and a kingdom to rule over, and he started thinking about the kingly marriage tradition of the Iøsenräl law and wondering if all of Øbjen's wives were in accordance with the tradition, something he didn't know.

Excerpt of the Day:
""My son Øbenn, of my most beloved Götrude, was flogged a fortnight past," Øbjen began, his eyes turning light as they gazed at his half-full plate when he spoke of his second wife, but darkening as he continued. "I have spoken with him and found that it was your forked serpentine tongue which has caused such injury to befall him." He raised his head to gaze at Thårijn intently.
Thårijn said nothing, waiting for his father to continue.
"My son Øbenn tells me that you were at wrong, having over-struck the metal so as to cause it to be strengthened and give it a greater quality than all of the work which we waste upon our most evilly vile captors," Øbjen continued.
"Now I object," Thårijn said.
"You will let me finish," Øbjen said.
"I will state my objection before such comes to pass,"Thårijn snapped.
"What be your objection?" Øbjen growled.
"My strikes would not have been over-striking had Øbenn, my brother in half blood, been mindful and assured that my strikes did not land in such a way was to over-strike the weapon," Thårijn replied. "He moved not the sword upon the anvil beneath my hammer, and therefore the over-striking was done."
"My son Øbenn says that you would not cease to strike the metal," Øbjen said.
"That did not prevent him from moving the blade so that I would cease to be striking it and would have instead been striking only the anvil," Thårijn replied. "There was action and initiative that could have been taken by my brother in half blood, action which he did not take."
"Additionally it is said by my son Øbenn that you were calling him a fool and threatened to pulverize him with your hammer," Øbjen said. "However it was said that a soldier of our enemy came to end the quarrel which would've ended in favour to Øbenn had you spoken the truth and taken your proper punishment."
"If I would have spoken the truth then all would have suffered!" Thårijn shouted, shooting to his feet and slamming his palms down upon the table, flanking his untouched food. "If I would have said that I had over-struck the metal, causing it to be layered, and increasing its strength then they would have known our deliberation! Our enemies would have know that we are giving them weapons of lesser quality in hopes of causing them calamity at war and providing their downfall and our release would then have demanded of us that we layer the metal for added strength — or have faced far more severe punishments than that torture chamber would ever bring about! Should I have spoken the truth there could well have been slaughter! Slaughter likely of expendable individuals like yourself, old men who have no more use in the forges and smithies!""

Bæjern: bay-urn
Götrude: gut-rude

Exile's End: Day 1

Word Count: 6,008

Summary of Events:
Chapter 1:
Æliyäu was wakened in the middle of the night by a strange voice calling his name, but belonged to no one, and ended up going back to bed. Thårijn headed to work in the forges of Møkbæsted, upset by the hopelessness of his people and ended up over flattening the sword he was working on, requiring it to be layered — which strengthens the metal — which was something they weren't in the habit of doing — to deliberately give their captors lesser-quality weapons than they could make — and got in an argument with his half-brother Øbenn and was confronted by Förstenräl soldiers, eventually sending Øbenn to be flogged even though he hadn't really done anything wrong. Æliyäu then dreamt that the voice came to him again and told him he had a task to do, which he pledged to do, and to not fail — lest his descendants be cursed because of it — he then awoke curious as to what his task would be.
Chapter 2:
Æliyäu then dreamt that he saw the ruins of Sönniväbæsted and began to wonder if the time had come for the Iøsenräl's exile to end and they would finally return to their homeland. Thårijn went to visit his mother and bemoaned how he felt his life was much more unfair than anyone else's. Helännä tried to console Thårijn, but he would take no consolation and also continued to feel guilt in regards to what had happened to Øbenn. Æliyäu, having acquired the original copy of Gråvenwød — copied from the floor of Ædinthenråd — began to read it, seeking information as to whether the time actually was in full.

Excerpt of the Day:
"To the south, closest to the river's course as it turned southeastwards, was the largest pile of rubble, rubble that was distinct because of its differing colour — being not the dark colour of the other rubble which had likely been hewn out of the mountain stone he himself stood on — white.
The white rubble formed an immense circle, Æliyäu knew the diameter was a substantial distance, it was almost greater in diameter than the width of the palace rubble. Unlike all of the other ruins, the walls were not randomly collapsed. They seemed — as impossible as it was — to be neatly collapsed, all of the rubble collected either to the centre of the circle, or to the outside, gathered close against the base of walls that encircled the floor, which had surely once been taller.
As the sun rose, Æliyäu could make out that there was odd markings on the floor of the white building and suddenly it occurred to him: he knew this place. He had never seen this place before, but its description had been handed down from generation to generation.
Five hundred and fifty two feet in radius — one thousand one hundred and four feet in diameter — the now-sundered walls had once been two hundred and forty four feet in height. The most immense and imposing structure that Æliyäu could've ever imagined to be made by man. Only mountains were of such immensity or greater. The white ruins were the remains of Ædinthenråd, the great temple built by Kæ Ædinthen VIII, the structure which had caused the ages of woe Æliyäu and his fellow people were currently suffering under.
Ædinthenråd had been built at the height of the peace and prosperity of his people — the most skilled metalworkers in the known world — it had been built to showcase the glory of the iron kingdom, Kænjiøs, and had become a place where Kæ Ædinthen VIII had been worshipped — for what Æliyäu, and most everyone else for that matter, knew not — until that night, that darkest night, the night that was the beginning of the dark, night-like times which Kænjiøs has entered into, and been sundered, dark times in which the Iøsenräl — now a nation without a kingdom, or a king — still dwelt.
That night the earth had shaken with the tremors of what was now called Nättenbägen, the earthquake which had ushered in the night that had yet to leave. When the citizens of this place, these ruins — then known as Sönniväbæsted — had awoken the next morning, they discovered the white ruins Æliyäu was now beholding, and they'd seen in clarity what now looked to have faded with the passing of an age: the words of Gråvenwød, the announcement of their punishment, engraved in Ædinthenråd's floor by the hand of Göd Himself."

Øbenn: ur-ben
Kæ: kay