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
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