SA 1689

Ereinion Gilgalad son of Orodreth to Tar Minastir of the line of Earendil, greetings on this occasion of your coronation. May the Valar keep you and your people safe over the days of your reign, and may no shadow fall on the Isle of Kings.

I hope that you and your aunt are well, and that you find ruling agrees with you. Becoming king can be fairly daunting at first, no matter how thoroughly you have prepared. I am sure you will make a fine king, though I regret that you are unlikely to be visiting Lindon again. I hope your fondness for ships and high towers does not cause your advisors too much consternation now that you are king rather than heir.

Things here are not much different since your visit. Sauron has confined himself to his land of Mordor, and thwarts all attempts to determine what he is doing there, while we train and improve the fortifications of Ost-in-edhil and Lindon. In addition, we continue to improve alliances with the dwarves of Hadhodrond, the silvan elves, and such men of Eriador as are not opposed to us.

I will keep your Ambassador current with developments, such that contingency plans can be made for if Sauron makes a move on Eregion.

Manwe keep you under the One, and send fair wind to your sails.


Tar Minastir of the Line of Earendil to Ereinion Gilgalad, High King of the Noldor and King of Lindon, greetings. The Valar keep you and Middle-earth safe from the shadow.

I receive your well-wishes and greetings as a fellow monarch with appreciation. I am well, although I regret to say my aunt is increasingly affected by arthritis and weariness of the world. I suspect it will not be more than a handful of years before she accepts the gift of men.

My advisors have already had a few words for me on that issue! Fortunately, I can point to Ciryatan's existence and status as an adult, so they truly have no hold over me. How do you manage, oh unmarried and childless one? Your advisors have far more cause to worry about you leaving a dangerous power vacuum if you do ever break your neck someday.

Thank you for updating me on the situation with regard to Sauron. As we discussed in Lindon before I became King, I have a mind to increase the garrison at Lond Daer by half, and to enlarge the shipyards to start building warships there, and to make the anchorage of a large fleet possible.

I have no certainty that Sauron will in fact move, given how long it has been since his duplicity was discovered. I would have expected action to be taken decades earlier, but then the amount of time you immortals have at your disposal often leads to decisions that seem odd to mortal men.

I have instructed Ambassador Hurin of Andunie to share any intelligence reports on Sauron he receives with you before sending them on to Numenor. It makes no sense to waste time sending them here and bringing them back again when you are the one who has to act on them.

As you know, I do hold to our alliance against the menace of Sauron. If he should take action against your people, Numenor will not stand aside deedless.

Manwe keep you under the One, and may you and yours have what peace Middle-earth allows.