Word Count: 204,016
Summary of Events:
Chapter 67:
Thårijn was shown Sålömen's cartography skills and then had a much more civil conversation with Sålömen, much to his surprise. While riding ahead, Æliyäu discovered a military outpost guarded by a palisade and rode back to warn Thårijn that they may well have reached the border.
Chapter 68:
After hearing the news from Æliyäu, Thårijn thought about how they should go and decided that they should all go in one force, and so they did, but the Förstenräl noticed them and started to fight. Thårijn led the men in battle until he fell out of his saddle.
Excerpt of the Day:
"The stallion screamed and rose up onto his hind legs, flailing his forelegs in the air, screaming again, and then he came down. The Förstenräl swung at Thårijn who lost his balance as he evaded the blow.
Thårijn was hanging sideways and could straighten up. What was worse, both his feet were caught in their stirrups. A blow struck Thårijn's leg at the knee — one of the lesser armoured places.
He could do nothing to defend himself. Thårijn worked to kick his left foot free of the stirrup. He could feel the saddle shifting underneath him — not that it could go far because of Græshädå's armour.
Another blow landed on his leg. Thårijn turned Helännäri around and drove her into the ground. Pushing on her, Thårijn got the height he needed to get his left foot out of the stirrup.
Græshädå moved forward and Thårijn lost his balance again, falling to the ground — freeing Helännäri — but his right foot was still caught in the stirrup. Thårijn could only see a swirling mass of hooves all around him, his stallion sidestepped, and then something spooked his stallions who lunged forward.
Thårijn was going to be dragged to death — and if not that he was going to be stomped to death by the hooves swirling all around him. His shilled was sliding over the snow like a toboggan, but the strain on his ankle was still excruciating.
Swinging Helännäri, Thårijn struck his stirrup leather, he had to get it off, and losing his stirrup wouldn't be so bad, they could skin and tan a deer hide and make a new one. Again and again Thårijn swung, his arm getting tired, his ankle screaming in pain. Hooves swirling all around him.
Something glanced off of his shoulder, a falling body nearly hit him, a flurry of hooves almost struck him. Thårijn swung fiercely, giving no thought to the melee around him, but only to severing his stirrup leather from his saddle that he might be saved.
Græshädå stopped and reared. Thårijn hacked some more as Græshädå screamed and thrashed his forelegs. He could tell that it was almost free. He just needed a little bit more and then he'd be good.
His stallion started off again and Thårijn swung. He cried out when he realized he'd hit his shin — thankfully armoured — and tried again, trying to aim better, fiercely swinging, trying to cut the final but of leather off.
Finally Thårijn stopped moving, Græshädå disappeared among the tangle of legs, hooves, and goodness knew what else lay on the battlefield. Thårijn gasped for breath, working to recover himself before he dared get to his feet and try to find his way out of this place. Hooves danced all around his head, then a horse rose up in a rear, its hooves flailing above his head."
Monday, February 09, 2015
Saturday, February 07, 2015
Exiel's End: Day 33
Word Count: 198,012
Summary of Events:
Chapter 65:
Thårijn got into a rather heated conversation with Sålömen, the man who had led the party of Iøsenräl they most recently met up with, and caused Thårijn great frustration. Their discussion also concerned Bæjern who was unsure why Sålömen was being so adversarial.
Chapter 66:
Æliyäu was summoned to see Øbjen because of his telling Frædröch that he had no legitimate claim to the Iøsenräl throne and got into a discussion that was about as effective as hitting one's head against a brick wall. He and Bæjern then went and visited with Sålömen.
Excerpt of the Day:
""I am of the house of Kæs! Therefore all of my children have a right to the throne! It matters naught the heritage of their mothers! All of them have a right to the throne!" Øbjen cried.
"The Law Concerning the Qualifications of Kingship — one of the oldest laws of Kænjiøs — written in the two hundred and fiftieth year of the First Age of Kænjiøs — some five thousand sixty four years ago — clearly states that only those descended from dual blood of the house of Kæs — meaning both their mother and father can trace their ancestry to any one single Kæ no closer than the eighth before themselves — and who marry a cousin descended from a single Kæ no closer than the eighth before themselves may claim the throne," Æliyäu replied. "Anyone who marries a cousin who descends from a single Kæ closer than the eighth before themselves is incestuous, anyone who marries someone who is not at all descended from the house of Kæs is diluting the blood of Kæs. According to the technicalities of the Law Concering the Qualifications of Kingship you — even though you married your seventh cousin Helännä so as to conform with the ordinances of the aforementioned law — do not eve have a legitimate claim on the throne. Since your father Ädöm died fourteen years ago your son Bæjern has been the next one who can rightfully claim the throne of Kænjiøs because Jägen did not marry in the tradition of the Kæs, and Sönnä is a woman."
"You are a liar! You are a fool! I know those laws! I could recite them from memory and I tell you! They say nothing of the kind that you put forth! All that you speak is lies! You ought to be cursed!" Øbjen cried.
Æliyäu was quite glad that this time Øbjen didn't seem to be of the inclination to rise up and attack him, in fact, all Øbjen was doing was screaming and flailing his arms, although his face was quite red with rage.
"Cursed be you! You fool! May you and all your generations be cursed for the length of my days! May pestilence come upon you! May you be shunned! May none of your word be believed as truth! By the order of I! The first Kæ Øbjen of the Iøsenräl I decree you shall be cursed!" Øbjen cried.
"No man can be cursed but by Göd alone," Æliyäu said.
"I am the Kæ!" Øbjen screamed. "Even Göd's word is not more powerful than mine!"
Æliyäu shot to his feet. "Göd above is Göd alone! Göd is only on the throne! And men in graves are laid!" he snapped. "May Göd curse you for considering yourself of higher rank that He! I shall not heed you any longer for my allegiance is to the Göd above! The Göd who make you from naught — and wastefully so in my mind! May Göd put you in fear!""
Sålömen: saul-a-men
Ädöm: ah-dum
Summary of Events:
Chapter 65:
Thårijn got into a rather heated conversation with Sålömen, the man who had led the party of Iøsenräl they most recently met up with, and caused Thårijn great frustration. Their discussion also concerned Bæjern who was unsure why Sålömen was being so adversarial.
Chapter 66:
Æliyäu was summoned to see Øbjen because of his telling Frædröch that he had no legitimate claim to the Iøsenräl throne and got into a discussion that was about as effective as hitting one's head against a brick wall. He and Bæjern then went and visited with Sålömen.
Excerpt of the Day:
""I am of the house of Kæs! Therefore all of my children have a right to the throne! It matters naught the heritage of their mothers! All of them have a right to the throne!" Øbjen cried.
"The Law Concerning the Qualifications of Kingship — one of the oldest laws of Kænjiøs — written in the two hundred and fiftieth year of the First Age of Kænjiøs — some five thousand sixty four years ago — clearly states that only those descended from dual blood of the house of Kæs — meaning both their mother and father can trace their ancestry to any one single Kæ no closer than the eighth before themselves — and who marry a cousin descended from a single Kæ no closer than the eighth before themselves may claim the throne," Æliyäu replied. "Anyone who marries a cousin who descends from a single Kæ closer than the eighth before themselves is incestuous, anyone who marries someone who is not at all descended from the house of Kæs is diluting the blood of Kæs. According to the technicalities of the Law Concering the Qualifications of Kingship you — even though you married your seventh cousin Helännä so as to conform with the ordinances of the aforementioned law — do not eve have a legitimate claim on the throne. Since your father Ädöm died fourteen years ago your son Bæjern has been the next one who can rightfully claim the throne of Kænjiøs because Jägen did not marry in the tradition of the Kæs, and Sönnä is a woman."
"You are a liar! You are a fool! I know those laws! I could recite them from memory and I tell you! They say nothing of the kind that you put forth! All that you speak is lies! You ought to be cursed!" Øbjen cried.
Æliyäu was quite glad that this time Øbjen didn't seem to be of the inclination to rise up and attack him, in fact, all Øbjen was doing was screaming and flailing his arms, although his face was quite red with rage.
"Cursed be you! You fool! May you and all your generations be cursed for the length of my days! May pestilence come upon you! May you be shunned! May none of your word be believed as truth! By the order of I! The first Kæ Øbjen of the Iøsenräl I decree you shall be cursed!" Øbjen cried.
"No man can be cursed but by Göd alone," Æliyäu said.
"I am the Kæ!" Øbjen screamed. "Even Göd's word is not more powerful than mine!"
Æliyäu shot to his feet. "Göd above is Göd alone! Göd is only on the throne! And men in graves are laid!" he snapped. "May Göd curse you for considering yourself of higher rank that He! I shall not heed you any longer for my allegiance is to the Göd above! The Göd who make you from naught — and wastefully so in my mind! May Göd put you in fear!""
Sålömen: saul-a-men
Ädöm: ah-dum
Friday, February 06, 2015
Exile's End: Day 32
Word Count: 192,005
Summary of Events:
Chapter 63:
Æliyäu stopped at a place he thought was suitable for camping for the night and ended up having a conversation with Frædröch, one of Thårijn's half brothers, that got Frædröch a little upset. Thårijn came in before Frædröch could hurt Æliyäu and just about got killed himself.
Chapter 64:
Thårijn, Bæjern, and Löke contemplated what Æliyäu had said was the reason why Frædröch got mad at him and Thårijn and Bæjern found out that Löke was their twelfth cousin. Æliyäu then came upon another group of Iøsenräl who were already settled into their camp for the night and the two parties joined.
Excerpt of the Day:
"Frædröch then reached up with his freed hand and jerked Thårijn's helmet off of his head. Thårijn tried to regain his hold on Frædröch's arm, but Frædröch reached up and started grabbing at Thårijn's eye.
Thårijn tried to find Frædröch's eyes to do the same, but he found Frædröch's nose, and so he seized it tightly and wrenched his wrist, snapping the cartilage un Frædröch's nose and eliciting an incredibly high pitched scream.
Frædröch's hand instantly recoiled from Thårijn's eye to hang onto his nose, and Thårijn released Frædröch's other arm to let it go to his nose as well. Thårijn backed up and put his hand over his eye, it hurt, but he could still see out of it — which was a good thing he was pretty sure.
Thårijn got up, took up and put on his helmet, and got his shield —switching which hand was covering his eye — and then walked over to the tree where Frædröch's sword was lodged. Carefully Thårijn wriggled the blade free — much like he'd done for Helännäri in the wall — and took up Frædröch's shield to take them back to Frædröch.
When he turned around, he found his brother in half blood to be on his feet, and looking like he wanted to have another go at trying to gouge Thårijn's eye out, his nose crooked on his face and blood covering down over his mouth, and his hands.
Thårijn set Frædröch's sword and shield against the tree and set his own shield against another tree. Frædröch charged at Thårijn, but Thårijn was braced and managed to keep from being toppled.
Frædröch's hands were everywhere, grabbing and tearing at everything, trying desperately to pry Thårijn's armour off of his body. He succeeded in removing Thårijn's helmet again, but otherwise his efforts were fruitless, so he started tearing at Thårijn's hair, his face, his neck, and his eyes.
Thårijn worked fiercely to defend himself from Frædröch's tearing fingers, and even his teeth, trying to back Frædröch up against a tree at the same time. Frædröch it was, however, who succeeded in backing Thårijn up against a tree, and instead of going for Thårijn's eyes, or his jaw, Frædröch dug his thumbs up between Thårijn's jaw and his throat on both sides, setting Thårijn to gasping.
It felt to Thårijn like his skin was starting to tear or something, a fierce agony was burning through him, his eyes were feeling almost like they were going to pop out of his head, his breath was coming in the tiniest bursts — not near enough, and seeming to get lesser all the time.
Thårijn had to do something, and he had to do something fast or he was likely to die; already he was starting to feel blackness clawing at him, fighting on Frædröch's side to take him down.
A loud, but juvenile cry sounded in Thårijn's eyes before suddenly the blackness overtook him and he collapsed to the snow."
Frædröch: fray-druck
Summary of Events:
Chapter 63:
Æliyäu stopped at a place he thought was suitable for camping for the night and ended up having a conversation with Frædröch, one of Thårijn's half brothers, that got Frædröch a little upset. Thårijn came in before Frædröch could hurt Æliyäu and just about got killed himself.
Chapter 64:
Thårijn, Bæjern, and Löke contemplated what Æliyäu had said was the reason why Frædröch got mad at him and Thårijn and Bæjern found out that Löke was their twelfth cousin. Æliyäu then came upon another group of Iøsenräl who were already settled into their camp for the night and the two parties joined.
Excerpt of the Day:
"Frædröch then reached up with his freed hand and jerked Thårijn's helmet off of his head. Thårijn tried to regain his hold on Frædröch's arm, but Frædröch reached up and started grabbing at Thårijn's eye.
Thårijn tried to find Frædröch's eyes to do the same, but he found Frædröch's nose, and so he seized it tightly and wrenched his wrist, snapping the cartilage un Frædröch's nose and eliciting an incredibly high pitched scream.
Frædröch's hand instantly recoiled from Thårijn's eye to hang onto his nose, and Thårijn released Frædröch's other arm to let it go to his nose as well. Thårijn backed up and put his hand over his eye, it hurt, but he could still see out of it — which was a good thing he was pretty sure.
Thårijn got up, took up and put on his helmet, and got his shield —switching which hand was covering his eye — and then walked over to the tree where Frædröch's sword was lodged. Carefully Thårijn wriggled the blade free — much like he'd done for Helännäri in the wall — and took up Frædröch's shield to take them back to Frædröch.
When he turned around, he found his brother in half blood to be on his feet, and looking like he wanted to have another go at trying to gouge Thårijn's eye out, his nose crooked on his face and blood covering down over his mouth, and his hands.
Thårijn set Frædröch's sword and shield against the tree and set his own shield against another tree. Frædröch charged at Thårijn, but Thårijn was braced and managed to keep from being toppled.
Frædröch's hands were everywhere, grabbing and tearing at everything, trying desperately to pry Thårijn's armour off of his body. He succeeded in removing Thårijn's helmet again, but otherwise his efforts were fruitless, so he started tearing at Thårijn's hair, his face, his neck, and his eyes.
Thårijn worked fiercely to defend himself from Frædröch's tearing fingers, and even his teeth, trying to back Frædröch up against a tree at the same time. Frædröch it was, however, who succeeded in backing Thårijn up against a tree, and instead of going for Thårijn's eyes, or his jaw, Frædröch dug his thumbs up between Thårijn's jaw and his throat on both sides, setting Thårijn to gasping.
It felt to Thårijn like his skin was starting to tear or something, a fierce agony was burning through him, his eyes were feeling almost like they were going to pop out of his head, his breath was coming in the tiniest bursts — not near enough, and seeming to get lesser all the time.
Thårijn had to do something, and he had to do something fast or he was likely to die; already he was starting to feel blackness clawing at him, fighting on Frædröch's side to take him down.
A loud, but juvenile cry sounded in Thårijn's eyes before suddenly the blackness overtook him and he collapsed to the snow."
Frædröch: fray-druck
Thursday, February 05, 2015
Exile's End: Day 31
Word Count: 186,005
Summary of Events:
Chapter 61:
After they finished journeying for the day all of the Iøsenräl gathered and all dined together to have a Christmas dinner, although Thårijn didn't really feel that it was Christmas — not that he minded, as if it had felt Christmassy he was sure he would've missed Helännä even more.
Chapter 62:
Æliyäu in his riding ahead saw a logging camp and sent Äbihæl back to warn Thårijn before he was spotted and hid. Thårijn went out to find Æliyäu and get more information from him and accidentally injured Æliyäu who he sent back to get tended to. The Iøsenräl walked through the logging camp in broad daylight and plain sight, but the loggers didn't even see them.
Excerpt of the Day:
"They came into a bit of a clear spot, although there were charred trees stacked up before him and a few sets of tracks around a hump of snow in the clearing. Thårijn decided to ride Græshädå over to the wall of logs to look over it and see what he could see.
An agonized cry rang out so nearby Thårijn could've almost sworn that the snow itself had cried out. Græshädå sidestepped and Thårijn heard shouts. Oh no. What had he done?
Looking down at the snow, Thårijn suddenly saw a cloak on the surface. Æliyäu. Oh no, had he really? Oh this was just great. Thårijn got out of his saddle and seized Æliyäu's shoulder.
Æliyäu's face was twisted in pain, Thårijn looked down along Æliyäu, but he couldn't see where Æliyäu would've been injured, but then he looked at where Græshädå was positioned. His stallion had stepped on Æliyäu's legs.
"Your cloak is took good of camouflage," Thårijn said.
Æliyäu opened his eyes. "Thårijn?"
"Your niece is safely with the people, I came to see what you'd learned," Thårijn replied.
"I think it's a logging camp," Æliyäu said.
Thårijn nodded. "They are seeking through the forest for something."
"Me I believe," Æliyäu replied. "One of the men spied me. I am surprised they haven't found me."
"I didn't see you until you cried out," Thårijn said. "And I had one of them come out of the trees and pass me by as if I didn't even exist. And also Græshädå is making no tracks, it is almost as if he his not putting his hooves into the snow, when he is, for an absolute fact."
"Göd is going to guide us through, their eyes blinded and their ears deafened," Æliyäu said.
"Come, rise to your feet," Thårijn said.
"No, I cannot," Æliyäu replied. "My leg."
"You are going to have to get up," Thårijn replied. "I think they heard your cry, although none of them seem to have come this way. Come."
Thårijn got Æliyäu to sit up, then he stood over Æliyäu's legs and wrapped his arm around Æliyäu's back. Æliyäu wrapped his arm around Thårijn's shoulder and Thårijn carefully levered Æliyäu to his feet.
Standing, Æliyäu kept all of his weight off of his right leg, putting it all on his left and Thårijn's shoulders.
"Now you need to get onto Græshädå," Thårijn said.
"No, I can't stand on it, I can't," Æliyäu protested, breathing as if he'd been running a long ways.
"I'll lift you," Thårijn said.
"You can't possibly," Æliyäu said.
Thårijn shifted his position and took Æliyäu up as one would take up a sleeping child. He carried Æliyäu over to Græshädå's side. Æliyäu slid his right leg over the saddle with a high pitched groan and slid his left foot into the stirrup.
"We'll be too much weight together for Græshädå," Thårijn said. "I'll wait here, you go back and get help from a doctor, and tell Bæjern to keep the people going.""
Summary of Events:
Chapter 61:
After they finished journeying for the day all of the Iøsenräl gathered and all dined together to have a Christmas dinner, although Thårijn didn't really feel that it was Christmas — not that he minded, as if it had felt Christmassy he was sure he would've missed Helännä even more.
Chapter 62:
Æliyäu in his riding ahead saw a logging camp and sent Äbihæl back to warn Thårijn before he was spotted and hid. Thårijn went out to find Æliyäu and get more information from him and accidentally injured Æliyäu who he sent back to get tended to. The Iøsenräl walked through the logging camp in broad daylight and plain sight, but the loggers didn't even see them.
Excerpt of the Day:
"They came into a bit of a clear spot, although there were charred trees stacked up before him and a few sets of tracks around a hump of snow in the clearing. Thårijn decided to ride Græshädå over to the wall of logs to look over it and see what he could see.
An agonized cry rang out so nearby Thårijn could've almost sworn that the snow itself had cried out. Græshädå sidestepped and Thårijn heard shouts. Oh no. What had he done?
Looking down at the snow, Thårijn suddenly saw a cloak on the surface. Æliyäu. Oh no, had he really? Oh this was just great. Thårijn got out of his saddle and seized Æliyäu's shoulder.
Æliyäu's face was twisted in pain, Thårijn looked down along Æliyäu, but he couldn't see where Æliyäu would've been injured, but then he looked at where Græshädå was positioned. His stallion had stepped on Æliyäu's legs.
"Your cloak is took good of camouflage," Thårijn said.
Æliyäu opened his eyes. "Thårijn?"
"Your niece is safely with the people, I came to see what you'd learned," Thårijn replied.
"I think it's a logging camp," Æliyäu said.
Thårijn nodded. "They are seeking through the forest for something."
"Me I believe," Æliyäu replied. "One of the men spied me. I am surprised they haven't found me."
"I didn't see you until you cried out," Thårijn said. "And I had one of them come out of the trees and pass me by as if I didn't even exist. And also Græshädå is making no tracks, it is almost as if he his not putting his hooves into the snow, when he is, for an absolute fact."
"Göd is going to guide us through, their eyes blinded and their ears deafened," Æliyäu said.
"Come, rise to your feet," Thårijn said.
"No, I cannot," Æliyäu replied. "My leg."
"You are going to have to get up," Thårijn replied. "I think they heard your cry, although none of them seem to have come this way. Come."
Thårijn got Æliyäu to sit up, then he stood over Æliyäu's legs and wrapped his arm around Æliyäu's back. Æliyäu wrapped his arm around Thårijn's shoulder and Thårijn carefully levered Æliyäu to his feet.
Standing, Æliyäu kept all of his weight off of his right leg, putting it all on his left and Thårijn's shoulders.
"Now you need to get onto Græshädå," Thårijn said.
"No, I can't stand on it, I can't," Æliyäu protested, breathing as if he'd been running a long ways.
"I'll lift you," Thårijn said.
"You can't possibly," Æliyäu said.
Thårijn shifted his position and took Æliyäu up as one would take up a sleeping child. He carried Æliyäu over to Græshädå's side. Æliyäu slid his right leg over the saddle with a high pitched groan and slid his left foot into the stirrup.
"We'll be too much weight together for Græshädå," Thårijn said. "I'll wait here, you go back and get help from a doctor, and tell Bæjern to keep the people going.""
Wednesday, February 04, 2015
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.""
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.""
Tuesday, February 03, 2015
Exile's End: Day 29
Word Count: 174,011
Summary of Events:
Chapter 57:
The Iøsenräl came across a large amount of deer and stopped during the daytime to hunt and butcher some meat for themselves before moving on. Thårijn performed an act of particular strength by lifting an entire barrel full of meat onto a wagon for an elderly lady.
Chapter 58:
Thårijn was woken in the night by the sound of wagons and discovered that the 14,000 Iøsenräl they'd been told were missing — who were now just shy of 10,000 — were trying to pass them. He welcomed them into the group to journey. The next night Thårijn chatted with Bærnärd, the son of Äsæ.
Excerpt of the Day:
""Was she ill?" Bænärd asked.
"Very ill," Thårijn replied. "She could not even rise on her own, nor even move her own arms, she was limp as a blanket."
"Why?" Bænärd asked.
"I know not," Thårijn replied. "She passed before we departed."
"You won't be able to visit her grave either?" Bænärd asked. "Like papa?"
"I will," Thårijn replied.
"How?" Bænärd asked.
"I pledged to her that I would lay her among the Kæs at Sönniväbæsted, so she journeys with us in her casket, in the black wagon, drawn by the black horses with no driver," Thårijn replied. "And whence it is that we shall arrive in our homeland either I, or a descendant of mine, or Bæjern even, shall lay her in her resting place as per my pledge to her."
"Why would she lay among the Kæs?" Bænärd asked.
"Because, if it were that we lived in Kænjiøs now she would have been a queen, and she would have been buried there anyways," Thårijn replied. "And to me she always was a queen, she deserves no lesser resting place than among the Kæs where she ought to have bee, she does not deserve to be laid in this land, her grave unknown, and even forgotten as the ages pass."
"Do you miss your mother?" Bænärd asked.
"Daily," Thårijn replied. "She was a magnificent woman. I wish she would have recovered and would have been able to see Kænjiøs and Sönniväbæsted with her own waking eyes."
Bænärd nodded, but said nothing for awhile. "Does your papa miss her?"
"No," Thårijn replied. "To him it is good riddance that she is gone, their marriage was only a marriage of convenience, it was not a marriage of love — although she did grow to love him as the years passed."
"What's a marriage of convenience?" Bærnärd asked.
"They married solely so that, should my father return to Kænjiøs and take the throne it would not be forfeit," Thårijn replied. "According to the laws of Kænjiøs the king or heir to the throne must marry a woman related to him no closer than seven generations, otherwise the throne will be forfeit him."
"What do you mean?" Bærnärd asked.
"My father and mother are seventh cousins," Thårijn replied. "Because of the fact that my mother was the only woman of marriageable age who was as yet unwed who was either seventh cousins or further — eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh cousins or so on — they had to marry so that my father would have a legitimate claim to the throne of Kænjiøs should he ever be able to claim it — and so would their children — and also if he had not married her than the proper house of Kæs would have been ended. They did not love each other, but they married because they wanted the house of Kæs to continue."
"So you could become king?" Bærnärd asked.
"I could," Thårijn replied, although he hoped such wouldn't be the case."
Bærnärd: bear-nahrd
Summary of Events:
Chapter 57:
The Iøsenräl came across a large amount of deer and stopped during the daytime to hunt and butcher some meat for themselves before moving on. Thårijn performed an act of particular strength by lifting an entire barrel full of meat onto a wagon for an elderly lady.
Chapter 58:
Thårijn was woken in the night by the sound of wagons and discovered that the 14,000 Iøsenräl they'd been told were missing — who were now just shy of 10,000 — were trying to pass them. He welcomed them into the group to journey. The next night Thårijn chatted with Bærnärd, the son of Äsæ.
Excerpt of the Day:
""Was she ill?" Bænärd asked.
"Very ill," Thårijn replied. "She could not even rise on her own, nor even move her own arms, she was limp as a blanket."
"Why?" Bænärd asked.
"I know not," Thårijn replied. "She passed before we departed."
"You won't be able to visit her grave either?" Bænärd asked. "Like papa?"
"I will," Thårijn replied.
"How?" Bænärd asked.
"I pledged to her that I would lay her among the Kæs at Sönniväbæsted, so she journeys with us in her casket, in the black wagon, drawn by the black horses with no driver," Thårijn replied. "And whence it is that we shall arrive in our homeland either I, or a descendant of mine, or Bæjern even, shall lay her in her resting place as per my pledge to her."
"Why would she lay among the Kæs?" Bænärd asked.
"Because, if it were that we lived in Kænjiøs now she would have been a queen, and she would have been buried there anyways," Thårijn replied. "And to me she always was a queen, she deserves no lesser resting place than among the Kæs where she ought to have bee, she does not deserve to be laid in this land, her grave unknown, and even forgotten as the ages pass."
"Do you miss your mother?" Bænärd asked.
"Daily," Thårijn replied. "She was a magnificent woman. I wish she would have recovered and would have been able to see Kænjiøs and Sönniväbæsted with her own waking eyes."
Bænärd nodded, but said nothing for awhile. "Does your papa miss her?"
"No," Thårijn replied. "To him it is good riddance that she is gone, their marriage was only a marriage of convenience, it was not a marriage of love — although she did grow to love him as the years passed."
"What's a marriage of convenience?" Bærnärd asked.
"They married solely so that, should my father return to Kænjiøs and take the throne it would not be forfeit," Thårijn replied. "According to the laws of Kænjiøs the king or heir to the throne must marry a woman related to him no closer than seven generations, otherwise the throne will be forfeit him."
"What do you mean?" Bærnärd asked.
"My father and mother are seventh cousins," Thårijn replied. "Because of the fact that my mother was the only woman of marriageable age who was as yet unwed who was either seventh cousins or further — eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh cousins or so on — they had to marry so that my father would have a legitimate claim to the throne of Kænjiøs should he ever be able to claim it — and so would their children — and also if he had not married her than the proper house of Kæs would have been ended. They did not love each other, but they married because they wanted the house of Kæs to continue."
"So you could become king?" Bærnärd asked.
"I could," Thårijn replied, although he hoped such wouldn't be the case."
Bærnärd: bear-nahrd
Monday, February 02, 2015
Exile's End: Day 28
Word Count: 168,073
Summary of Events:
Chapter 55:
As the Iøsenräl journeyed Thårijn noticed a clearing and went to investigate it. He found it was a Förstenräl military outpost and ended up duelling with one of the Förstenräl soldiers before leading the people around it and cantering beyond it for a long ways.
Chapter 56:
The next day Thårijn decided the people should walk in the river so as to not leave any tracks, which Æliyäu was slightly concerned with due to the coldness of the water and prayed about. At lunchtime it was discovered that the water was warm, and it was only warm around where they were in the water. Once they stopped for the night everyone took advantage of the warm water and bathed in it.
Excerpt of the Day:
"The soldier returned with a horse, it was a fairly tall horse — a good match for against Græshädå — that was brightly chestnut coloured. The challenging soldier swung up into the saddle with ease and aligned his horse so that he would be fighting on his on side, and Thårijn's off.
Græshädå bent his nose to the other horse in greeting and Thårijn watched his stallion carefully. Græshädå stretched out his neck, his nostrils flaring, and went to make a step forward, but Thårijn gave a short jerk on the reins and Græshädå stopped. It was a mare, and exactly the kind of mare Græshädå wanted to see right about now. Fool.
A blow stunned Thårijn's shield-arm, but Thårijn turned and focused on the soldier and blocking the blows that the soldier threw at him — which wasn't too hard, being as his shield was longer than the full length of the Förstenräl's sword.
After a few blows were landed on his shield Thårijn swung his blade around and met the Förstenräl's blade in loud clashes. Thårijn made sure he never instigated a blow, he only defended against the blows brought against him — this he did because his challenger bore no shield, and his armour Thårijn was sure was quite light.
The soldier parried a thrust against Græshädå, but Thårijn blocked it with his shield and then shoved against the soldier with his shield, seeing if maybe he couldn't unseat his opponent from his saddle.
It seemed that the Förstenräl soldier realized what Thårijn had attempted to do and took it as an insult, as he swung his sword with great ferocity against Thårijn's shield until Thårijn heard a metallic sound he'd only heard once before: in his duel with the Förstenräl soldier in the Møkbæsted square after having fallen from Græshädå. The sword had broken.
"Bring me another sword!" the soldier screamed. "I shall send this fool to his grave before the night is through!"
Græshädå swung his hindquarters around so that Thårijn and the soldier were abreast, both now technically on their on sides, then Græshädå took a couple of steps back, Thårijn reached forward and jerked on Græshädå's chain, and then startled as his stallion reared.
Flailing his forelegs, Græshädå landed a blow against the Förstenräl's head causing him to topple and hang in a position that was surely not in the least comfortable. Græshädå came back down and took a step back again.
Thårijn gave another jerk on the chain, which elicited a buck from his stallion, and from the sounds of things Græshädå had hit some more soldiers. This wasn't exactly a good thing going on here.
Græshädå turned and went to do as he so pleased with the mare, but Thårijn drove his heals into his stallion's sides, bringing another rear. When Græshädå came down again Thårijn repeated the action, pulling on the right rein and turning Græshädå away from the mare and his stallion charged forward."
Summary of Events:
Chapter 55:
As the Iøsenräl journeyed Thårijn noticed a clearing and went to investigate it. He found it was a Förstenräl military outpost and ended up duelling with one of the Förstenräl soldiers before leading the people around it and cantering beyond it for a long ways.
Chapter 56:
The next day Thårijn decided the people should walk in the river so as to not leave any tracks, which Æliyäu was slightly concerned with due to the coldness of the water and prayed about. At lunchtime it was discovered that the water was warm, and it was only warm around where they were in the water. Once they stopped for the night everyone took advantage of the warm water and bathed in it.
Excerpt of the Day:
"The soldier returned with a horse, it was a fairly tall horse — a good match for against Græshädå — that was brightly chestnut coloured. The challenging soldier swung up into the saddle with ease and aligned his horse so that he would be fighting on his on side, and Thårijn's off.
Græshädå bent his nose to the other horse in greeting and Thårijn watched his stallion carefully. Græshädå stretched out his neck, his nostrils flaring, and went to make a step forward, but Thårijn gave a short jerk on the reins and Græshädå stopped. It was a mare, and exactly the kind of mare Græshädå wanted to see right about now. Fool.
A blow stunned Thårijn's shield-arm, but Thårijn turned and focused on the soldier and blocking the blows that the soldier threw at him — which wasn't too hard, being as his shield was longer than the full length of the Förstenräl's sword.
After a few blows were landed on his shield Thårijn swung his blade around and met the Förstenräl's blade in loud clashes. Thårijn made sure he never instigated a blow, he only defended against the blows brought against him — this he did because his challenger bore no shield, and his armour Thårijn was sure was quite light.
The soldier parried a thrust against Græshädå, but Thårijn blocked it with his shield and then shoved against the soldier with his shield, seeing if maybe he couldn't unseat his opponent from his saddle.
It seemed that the Förstenräl soldier realized what Thårijn had attempted to do and took it as an insult, as he swung his sword with great ferocity against Thårijn's shield until Thårijn heard a metallic sound he'd only heard once before: in his duel with the Förstenräl soldier in the Møkbæsted square after having fallen from Græshädå. The sword had broken.
"Bring me another sword!" the soldier screamed. "I shall send this fool to his grave before the night is through!"
Græshädå swung his hindquarters around so that Thårijn and the soldier were abreast, both now technically on their on sides, then Græshädå took a couple of steps back, Thårijn reached forward and jerked on Græshädå's chain, and then startled as his stallion reared.
Flailing his forelegs, Græshädå landed a blow against the Förstenräl's head causing him to topple and hang in a position that was surely not in the least comfortable. Græshädå came back down and took a step back again.
Thårijn gave another jerk on the chain, which elicited a buck from his stallion, and from the sounds of things Græshädå had hit some more soldiers. This wasn't exactly a good thing going on here.
Græshädå turned and went to do as he so pleased with the mare, but Thårijn drove his heals into his stallion's sides, bringing another rear. When Græshädå came down again Thårijn repeated the action, pulling on the right rein and turning Græshädå away from the mare and his stallion charged forward."
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