For several days prior to the wedding, Amandil tried to speak to Pharazon to warn him against the council's plan, but Pharazon was too busy to speak with him. Pharazon raced back and forth between Armenelos and Romenna, talking to the masters of the shipyards and the masters of the timber yards. Even on those few occasions when Amandil caught up to him, Pharazon always had an excuse for not talking to him. Amandil finally determined that Pharazon knew what Amandil had to say, but didn't want to hear it. His mind was made up.
Less than a month after Tar-Palantir's funeral, Miriel was given the scepter and took the name Ar-Zimraphel and was wed to Pharazon. Despite the scandal of marrying her cousin, or perhaps even because of it, Ar-Zimraphel rose in the eyes of her people who had previously seen her as distant, uncaring and even a little self-righteous. Now, having married the hero of the people, she became a queen of the people and ruled Numenor well for several months, until one day when Ar-Pharazon called the councilors to court.
"Now that the lord of Andustar has joined us, perhaps we can continue," Pharazon said from the king's chair at the octagonal council table, his words echoing in the large stone council room.
Amandil hurried breathlessly into the chamber. "My apologies, Pharazon-"
"That's Ar-Pharazon," Nalnaru, lord of Armenelos corrected from his seat on Ar-Pharazon's left.
"Apologies, my lord," Armandil said. "I only just received the summons. It seems the messenger was in no particular haste to call me forth."
Ar-Pharazon smiled. "No apologies are needed. The traffic to Romenna has grown great, and I fear I am most at fault for that."
The other counselors joined in with their comments about the traffic and the increased business of the shipyards as Amandil sat in his customary seat at the king's right hand. He leaned over to Nadroth, the lord of Laurinque and his greatest ally on the counsel. "What have I missed?"
"I only got the summons myself," Nadroth whispered. "But I noticed all the king's men had been here for some time before us." Nadroth gave Amandil a knowing look.
"If we may begin, gentlemen, we have some important matters to discuss," Ar-Pharazon placed the scepter of the kings on the table.
Amandil wondered why Ar-Pharazon held the scepter and not his wife. "And does it have to do with the scepter?"
"Indirectly, it does." Ar-Pharazon paused to look each of his councilors in the eye. "A matter has arisen that the queen has asked me to handle and so has passed the scepter to me for the moment."
Amandil scanned the faces of those he thought to be of the king's men, fearing some sort of collusion. They looked surprised, but pleased at Ar-Pharazon's announcement.
"Gentlemen, we are at war." Ar-Pharazon's words shocked the council. "Sauron has begun attacking our colonies in middle earth. He now calls himself Lord of the Earth and King of Men. He's threatened to not only drive us out of middle earth, but to plunder this island and enslave our women and children."
Even the king's men were shocked. Nalnaru blurted out, "My lord! When did this happen?"
"The messenger arrived seven days ago."
"The colonies?" Amandil asked. "How fair they?"
"I confess I already had some wind of this, and so over the last year, I've taken measures to strengthen the colonies. I believe they will last while we prepare for war, but prepare for war we must, and soon!"
Nadroth shook his head unbelievingly. "Sauron! But he always feared the coasts."
"Because he feared us," Ar-Pharazon snapped. "But he now thinks us weak and fears us no longer. Unfortunately for him, he has tipped his hand too soon. Our spies overhead his boasting as he tried to rally the tribes of the Haradrim to his side."
Ar-Pharazon turned to Amandil. "You were chief advisor to the last king. I would ask that you remain in that position."
Amandil bowed his head. "Gladly."
"I'm placing you in charge of the shipyards and the building up of the fleet. I would ask for Elendil and his sons' aid as well. I know they have connections in Pelargir. I would have them cut down every tree we can reach in middle earth, mill them and bring the lumber here. I want those shipyards working night and day until we attack."
Amandil was stunned, but before he could say anything Ar-Pharazon turned to Tamar, the lord of Ondosto. "I need you to see to it that we have the steel and arms and armor to equip a million men."
"A million?" several voices cried out at once.
"Where will we get so many men?" Nalnaru asked.
"We will certainly recruit every Numenorean who can fight or sail, but I am sending you, Lord of Armenelos, to Umbar to see to its defenses and to conscript men. Fill my armies and my navies, lord. Send me the sailors for training and train the warriors there. With any luck, we'll have three or four years before Sauron presses us. Do your job well, and we may have yet more time."
Ar-Pharazon swept them with a hard gaze. "I will have many other tasks for you, but this is where we begin."
Amandil's mind reeled. Working night and day, their shipyards could produce thousands of ships. "And how many ships will you require to transport these men?"
Ar-Pharazon gave him a crooked smile which looked more like the snarl of a wolf. "I intend to build so many ships that I can ride my horse from here to middle earth across their decks."