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Vanimelde entered the Throne Room. The King was there with his Telemmaite.
Telemmaite said, "I have called you here to ask you a simple question. A question that have been asked to children of a King many time before, the first being Silmarien, daughter of Tar-Elendil."
Vanimelde said; "You want to ask me if I would accept the scepter, should it be offered me. The answer is yes!"
Tar-Ancalimon said; "Not so hasty, grandchild. Remember that Silmarien never became queen of Numenor."
Vanimelde stated with confidence, "However my father has three daughters and no sons."
The king answered, "Being oldest does not make it mandatory to give you the scepter. Your father decide this. These are dark times and enemies are at our doorsteps, so be careful with your answer, as you will have to deal with this as ruler."
"The enemies are in Middle Earth, not here," Vanimelde said.
The King said, "As ruler you will be Queen of all Numenoreans, here or in Middle Earth."
Telemmaite intervened and said; "we can always hope for peace in Middle Earth."
The King looked at his son with disbelief. It was as if the honour he had gained the last years, by understanding the enemies' moves, now was lost again.
He said;
I Middle Earth peace was not coming. The easternmost realm of the Numenoreans at this time was at the crossing of the river Harnen. The Numenoreans had built small wooden fortresses on both side of the river, where it narrowed and became less deep. The fortresses guardedthe entrance to the bridge. Harnen was deeper than the three rivers of Eriador, and even larger seagoing ships could sail up to the bridge against the slow current.
One night the Numenoreans there was awaken by the sound of war horns coming from the south. They quickly manned the southern fortress.
It was nightfall and difficult to see far south. In older days the road to the south and Umbar, was often used by the Numenoreans, but now it was rarely used. They preferred travelling by sea to avoid confrontation with the people in the south.
After a while large animals appeared in the dark. At first, the Numenoreans thought they were large horses, but it quickly became clear that the animals was much bigger and further away.
The Numenoreans fired arrows against the animals as they came closer, but at little effect. Then arrows started to fly from the back of the animals against the fortress. Each animals had about ten warriors on its back.
The Numenoreans realized the danger they faced too late. The Animals crashed through the wooden stockade, and the defense quickly collapsed.
"Mumakil, Mumakil!" The attackers shouted.
Some of the seapeeople ran across the river and mounted their horses on the other side; others boarded the sole ship anchored at the eastern bank.
One of the animal stepped onto the bridge, and it immediately collapsed under it weight. The warriors on it back was thrown into the water. Another one raised its food and put it down on the ships at the bank. The ship turned in the water and its hull gave after to the animal's weight. Most of the sealors ended in the water. The attackers started to target the sailors swimming in the water. They could not defend themselves and many of them were hit by arrows, fired from the back of the animals.
Less than half of the Numenoreans made it to the northern bank. They took care of their wounded and started the long journey to the sea.
One the southern bank, Ji Indur smiled from his Mumakil.
The news of the defeat and loss at the crossing of Harnen came to Tar-Ancalimon in Numenor. The loss meant that Numenor has lost control of the road to the south and Umbar.