985
The kings Captain, Henderch, sailed into Bay of Belfalas. He was trying to find a way through the delta of the great river. The delta was large with many streams. The current was slow, but the water dangerous as many of the streams had hidden stones under the water. The Captains ship hit these stones and was caught between them. It was on the way to low tide, and the ship was in danger of capsizing.
Some men came from the southern shores of the river and offered their help, but they demanded the ships goods and lembas bread in return.
"I will make no deal with you!" Henderch said, "We saved you from the Wizard in the uncertain days. You should be thankful for our help, and make no objection."
An older man said; "When we first saw the Numenoreans, they were welcomed. They brought much good with them, and relieved us from the Wizard and his men from the south. But when I hear you speak now, there is little difference between your words and the ones that came from the Wizard."
Henderch drew his sword; "Be careful old man. I have already killed five enemies of Numenor and I will gladly kill more if needed. You will get bread after work, at my will!"
The men disliked Henderch's words, and a fight that never should have begun broke out. However Henderch for some reason welcomed the challenge, and he was first to slay an enemy, the sixth and last from his hand.
Two years after a messenger arrived in Armenelos. He entered the Throne Room. He was exhausted properly from the ride from Romenna.
He bowed to the king and said, "It is with deep sadness I have to inform you that your faithful captain has died in Middle Earth!"
The King asked what has happened, and the messenger stated that Henderch and some of the ventures had fought some Middle Earth bandits, and most were killed on each side, including Henderch. The ships was lost, but the survivors had made a small boat and had been able to reach Vinyalonde.
Aldarion was uncertain of how to react. His face was furious as he wanted to dictate some form of revenge immediately, but the messenger continued before the king reacted.
"I was there, sire! It is easy to blame the Middle Earth Men of this blood sharing, but your captain draw his weapon first and shared the first blood, even if this was not necessary. I will never set foot on Middle Earth again.
Aldarion sat in silence. He anger was gone, and replaced by despair.
Shortly after Ibal came to the Throne Room. He bowed in front of the king.
Aldarion said; "I trust you have heard the rumour of the passing of my Captain Henderch?"
"I have"; Ibal answered.
Aldarion nodded; "So Ibal, son of Ulbar, I offer your this great title, I myself once bore with pride!"
Ibal was not surprised; "I suspected that, sire. It is true that I have been working in Romenna and that my father was part of the Guild of Ventures. I surely at some point in my life I would have sailed to Middle Earth, but I was advice not to, and this advice I will follow. I will have to decline the King's offer!"
The next council meeting was very short. The king had no issues to lay forward to the council, and the council members had only a few themselves. Valandil of Andustar had send his son Isildil to the meeting instead of himself.
One of those who spoke was Hadorian.
He said; "It has come to my knowledge that the princess being in Armenelos or elsewhere has no interest in marriage. I find it problematic should our king pass the scepter to someone who will produce no heir. Then who should rule us after that?"
Aldarion said; "The princess may still marry, and if not she can always pass the scepter to whom she find suitable."
Orchaldor of Hyarrostar said; "-and should a time come when it is clear there will be no heir to the house of Aldarion, will the king then reconsider who from the line of Elros will rule Numenor?"
Aldarion waited a long time before answering; "In this case I will seek advice at the council!"
Both Orchaldor, Hadorian and Mardur of Orrostar was satisfied with the answer.
When the council left, Aldarion asked Isildil to stay. He said; "I see your father send you to this meeting?"
Isildil answered; "Yes! He believed it was time that I did this. After all he will eventually give me his seat."
The king continued; "I know you have been loyal to both Numenor and your father when he was captain. As you know my captain recently passed away, and I have been looking for someone suitable to replace him. I believe you are the person to fill this place. Will you be my captain, Isildil?"
Isildil answered; "No sire. I will have to decline your offer. I favour life in Andustar and want to stay there with my father and the rest of my family."
The King looked depressed over yet another refusal!
Isildil said; "Our king should visit Andunie again. It is a blessed place. Even the princess mother has found peace here in her late life."
Aldarion was alerted by these words; "Do you tell me that Erendis lives in Andunie?"
Isildil answered; "No but not far from it. She moved to Almaida to live in solitude several years ago. This is the birthplace of her late father Beregar. I though this news had come to the king."
Aldarion was surprised; "She finally moved to the sea!" he stated with no address.
Isildil was looking for something to say, but Aldarion spoke again; "It is a sign, Isildil, she has made peace with Uinen. She lives by the sea. She will welcome me there! We will go there!"
Isildil said; "Fine sire! I would return to Andunie after this meeting anyway!"
"No!" said the King; "we will travel by sea! Too long, have Eambar laid idle in the Bay of Romenna!"
"-and we both know it has sailed to Andunie before;" the king continued with a smile, referring to a time where he was still the Heir. "
Thus, the two friend travelled to Romenna and gathered as many seamen as they could. As Eambar should not sail far, the ship was ready within a few days. They sailed out of the bay and passed the Orrostar cape.
Next, the Forostar cape appeared in the horizon. As they approached, they could see the eagles flying in the air over Sorontil.
"Look!" Said Aldarion. "The tower of my father. Not many Numenoreans have seen it, almost solely seafarers"
Aldarion continued with a smile "-and occasionally a maid!"
Finally, Eambar entered the Bay of Andunie. The arrival seemed to start a lot of activity in the city; people running back and forward between the harbour and the house of Valandil.
When Eambar docked at the pier, Valandil came.
Aldarion shouted; "Greetings to you, Earl of Andunie!"
Valandil and all his companions said nothing. They looked confused.
Aldarion left the ship followed by Isildil.
The king said; "I have heard rumours that the mother of princess Ancalime has moved to you land. I wish to see her!"
Valandil looked shocked and had difficulties in finding words.
"When did you leave Armenelos?" He said.
Aldarion was surprised by the question, but answered quickly; "two weeks ago, why?"
Valandil said; "Then I have sad news for my King! Erendis passed away a week ago. We send a messenger to Armenelos, but obviously, he arrived too late"
Valandil took the King to the hillside where the beorings buried their dead. At the top, was the grave of Silmarien, and just below was a new grave.
Valandil said; "We do not know what happened. She had gone into the water, maybe to wash! We found her the day after."
Aldarion stood in silence. Finally he said; "She was right to fear the ocean. After so many years in Emerie, she moved here, and Uinen got her."
The king broke down crying.
As the sun set on Andunie that night, a giant fire filled the sky. The King had ignited his own home and the smoke from the fire could be seen in the furthest capes of Numenor.
Also on Taniquetil in Valinor, the fire was noticed.
Varda said; "the people of Numenor burn their own creations in disbelieve!"
Aldarion looked at his burning home, with all the records of his journeys. To himself he said; "You were right in naming Uinen your foe!"
Manwe said; "when the fire is gone, I trust they remember the west and the love we have shown them"
Aldarion stayed the night with his sailors in the house of Valandil, but there were no song and dance and no feast. The king noticed the sword that stood by Valandils chair.
Valandil said; "this is a present from Middle Earth to the house of Valandil!"
Aldarion looked at Valandil; "it seems similar to the heirdom of the house of Meneldur! I wonder what destiny lay ahead for us?"
The next day the king rode for Armenelos. He entered the Throne Room and sat at his throne – al alone.
He looked at Aranruth standing next to the throne. Then he looked down to the floor as a broken mad.
The house was silence, save for the footsteps approaching the throne.
"Hello father!" a voice said.
The king looked up; "Ancalime!" he said.
We walked to his daughter and hugged her.
"Your mother .."; he could not speak further.
"I know father. We received a messenger from Andunie!" Ancalime said.
"I have come to stay with you;" she continued.
"I feel alone!" her father said, "Most of my friends from the Guild of Ventures had met their destiny in Middle Earth, and my captain is dead, and there is no one to replace him.
Ancalime looked at him as a mother looks at her child; "Those were never you fiends, and you do not need a captain. You need me, and I am here for you!"
Aldarions face lightened up. He put his arms around his daughter again. She did not return the gesture.