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