Exile's End: Day 30

Word Count: 180,018

Summary of Events:
Chapter 59:
Æliyäu went off separate from the people — but not without Äbihæl. Thårijn, after having waited for Æliyäu for a bit, took the leadership post and led the people onward, while worrying a bit about why Æliyäu wasn't there. In riding ahead Æliyäu found the forest had been burned by a fire some time ago, and also found the ruins of a burned town, but kept onward.
Chapter 60:
Thårijn and the people came upon the burned forest and the town, and Thårijn found Æliyäu's tracks and followed them, catching up to Æliyäu. Thårijn talked with Æliyäu some and then headed back to the people while Æliyäu rode on to find a camping place.

Excerpt of the Day:
""And who is it required of me — because I am a leader — to be like all of the rest of the leaders?" Thårijn asked.
"It isn't required of you," Æliyäu replied. "No one is expecting it of you."
"Or so you say," Thårijn said, snapping his gaze to lock on Æliyäu's, his icy eyes ablaze. "But I know it is the contrary. You've gone and done this because you want me to take the helm of leading these people because every other leader is at the helm of those whom they lead. People bend the knee to me even when I tell them not to because they would do it to any other leader, and they seem affronted when I try to tell them I don't want such regard; and they talk to me differently from everyone else, they regard me with awe and approach me as if I'm some kind of magnificent person! And they all look at me as if I am a lunatic to not desire them to do so or get upset when they do."
Æliyäu looked down at Græshädå's shoulder. "It is a natural inclination," he said. "All people regard their leader as an important person, even as someone sacred; they will all often regard him with reverence and respect because he is in charge, he is someone who has been chosen — in some manner or another — to do something that some even doubt is capable of the average man. I am sorry that people are giving you funny looks, but I believe that it is solely because you are behaving in an odd manner for a leader, as most leaders relish in regard."
"I almost wish everyone hated me," Thårijn muttered. "I can handle people hating me, I don't want anything to do with all of this importance."
Æliyäu looked up at Thårijn. "That may be why you have been called to lead our people," he said.
"Because I can't do it?" Thårijn asked.
"Because you don't want them to regard you, exalt you, or in any way consider you more special than anyone else," Æliyäu replied. "It was because our leader lusted after the regard of his people — and even went so far as to abuse his regard and position — that we were sent into this exile. By your unwillingness to be so regarded as he was, you are doing what you can keep our people from falling into the same folly as got them out of our homeland.""