and as he lay in bed with his family , yenka and himself half-hanging over the edge of the mattress to make room for their childrens restless sleep yern kobold sent his silent thanks to the spirits ; for even though there were many who claimed that these celestial rulers of life had abandoned feerien even before the outbreak of the shy death , perhaps as early as the disaster that had struck the ancient world , yern knew that his day , which had begun in grave discontent , was now ending in something akin to happiness .