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