Rand and the Ring: Chapter 6: Annexation
Essenia, Tear:
Exiting the Skimming portal, in the room set aside specifically for this purpose, Rand left the chamber. Nodding to the Defenders guarding the door to the room, he began making his way to his personal chambers. Perhaps he could sneak some reading in before meeting the High Lords and Ladies of Tear.
Irritated, Rand put the book down since he;d been staring at the same page for at least an hour now.
Thoughts of Illian and current situation in the land of Umbar were constantly dragging his mood down.
*I've basically conquered and annexed an entire nation, ultimately because i didn't like one particular aspect of their's...*
*Then there's that old man Gandalf and the issues he added...*
'Knock' 'Knock'
"Yes?"
(muffled)
"My lord, the High Lords and Ladies are waiting for you..."
"Understood, i'll be there shortly"
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"So, how then shall this...Umbar province be governed?" -High Lord Tolmeran asked, clearly eager for the chance of governing it himself.
"While there is nothing set in stone yet and the likely animosity of Illianers towards the people of Umbar, I was thinking that a few of you could work together in joint-effort to manage Umbar. This would include the administration, a re-working of it's laws, and the rebuilding efforts...mostly in regard to it's 2 main port-cities."-Rand explained to the gathered noble's.
"So who of us do you have in mind lord Dragon?"-Darlin Sisnera asked, curious. After all, selecting a few of them that didn't get along with each other could be counter-productive after all.
"Off the top of my head i think that: you yourself since i can trust your judgement to rule in my stead, lord Torean here since i believe he would be of great help in the administration and rebuilding efforts, and then lady Fionnda for her inquisitive nature."-Rand expounded his thoughts on the matter.
"Though, to be honest, i'm unaware of how well you three would work together, so i want all of you to discuss amungst yourselves on which three should be the ones to venture out on this endeavor."-Rand finished.
"How long do we have before we must decide?"-lord Hearne asked.
"I'll be heading back to 'City of Corsairs' sometime tomorrow after visiting Minus Tirith in Gondor. So sometime tomorrow evening"-Rand said in answer to Hearne's question.
"The two main cities and ports of Umbar: the 'Havens of Umbar' and the 'City of Corsairs'...i'd like to rename them too..."-Rand began, eliciting some eyebrow raising from the high lords and ladies around him.
"...Havens of Umbar-i was thinking it could simply be called "Havens" and City of Corsairs- "Umbra" as it acts as the capital city of Umbar. Though Umbar in and of itself, as a nation, will soon become a memory as it is absorbed into our nation of Essenia."-Rand said, giving renaming suggestions. There were mixed reactions but no one seemed to find any of those names particularly bad.
"Though, to be completely honest here, the interior of the Umbar lands are largely unknown. Consisting of wastelands and vast deserts. So we will have to expand into them and discover what lies within those regions as well. One of my biggest fears is that it may be like the 'Aeil Waste' but with inhabitants that are even more...violent"-Rand said, then remembered something from a reporting scouting party some time back.
"Oh, i just remembered something. It seems there is a large city of some kind that the Border-road leads to travelling southward on it, but may be directly east of...Umbra"-Rand announced with a smile as he said 'Umbra'.
"Has there been any contact made?"-lady Rosana and lord Astoril said in unison, causing them to look at each other in surprise for a moment.
"Not that i'm aware of, but that should be rectified as soon as possible since they will be a neighbor...or potentially, another city of Umbar. Though, from what i can remember from the report, the architecture was different than the two port cities...though that isn't necessarily definitive of the city's ties to any land in any case."-Rand said, now wondering about their new south-eastern borders and just how clueless they were about that region.
(sigh's loudly)
"We should probably increase our recruitment for the military of Essenia or just start a draft."-Darlin Sisnera suddenly suggested, causing gasps and the starts of others to begin arguing against it.
"I realize the problems of doing such would cause, however, do you all not realize that our borders have also just doubled? And that we have no idea where all those borders are, nor what lies beyond them?"-Darlin continued after others started to get into heated debate on the matter.
"Sisnera is right i believe. We now have a vast, unsecured border, that an unknown enemy army could cross at any time. In reality, the only border we actually have guarded, is along the road to the north and the mountain range beyond that contains forces akin to that of the Shadow from our world."-Rand said, which had a calming affect on the assembled high noble's in the room.
They didn't like the truth of Rand's statement, nor Sisnera's, but they did know it was the truth and they recognized the problem in it. Another invasion could happen at any time and they would not be prepared for it. They were also unaware of what lies outside their nations borders. They were, in fact, ignorant of this world and it's peoples'.
Rubbing his temples with his hands at a growing headache, he said-"I haven't gotten any sleep in a couple days so i'm going to leave the discussions up to you all. We'll reconvene tomorrow eve after Supper."
Rand stood and promptly left, nursing his headache as he returned to his bedchambers...
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Gondor, Minus Tirith:
Ballin Elamri had grown considerably more worried over the past couple of weeks without contact from his King and his homeland.
If Rand Al'Thor didn't have time to come himself, couldn't he have simply sent someone here in his stead?
But no one had come...
The one thing that was good in all of this was his business ventures that he'd started, now expanding after nearly a month of being 'open for business'.
Elamri had made a lucrative business in trade and manufacture of goods, specifically in the area of furs and leathers as his people could make better and in less time than those in these lands could.
Though not the only lucrative avenue he'd found, it was certainly the largest so far, though that would likely change in the future as more trade-shops opened for business.
Everyday for weeks he sat near the assigned location near the city without reason it likely seemed to those that saw him sitting there. What was this rich foreigner doing, sitting in the same spot, outside the city, at the same time and days each week?
He sat there, deep in thought, occasionally glancing at the random passerby that looked to him in a curious manner from time to time. Currently, several people nearby had surprised looks on their faces and pointed at him, saying things he couldn't make out. What was so 'gawk-worthy' of him sitting here by himself anyway?
"Hey there Ballin Elamri! Long-time no see eh?"-Rand said from behind him, causing the poor man to jump up and fall on his face as a result...
"Me, My Lord!"-Elamri said in surprised excitement as he got back up off the ground, looking embarrassed.
"Why have you no appeared for so long?"-Elamri asked, worried. To which a dark look passed across his king's features.
"Illian was invaded and then we launched a counter-attack after the siege."-Rand said, in a voice that gave Elamri shivers down his spine.
"We conquered the nation of Umbar as a result and Essenia's borders are now nearly doubled after it's annexation...there is much to do and my time here is relatively short."-Rand informed him.
"I, i see...understood my king."-Elamri said as he bowed.
"I would like you to gather all your reports and anything else of note while i meet with Denethor concerning this recent development"-Rand said to the man as he began walking towards the city.
"I will do so at once sire! Should i then meet with you again at the top of the city in the Citadel then?"-Elamri asked.
"Yes, that would be fine."-Rand said.
At this point, Elamri finally noticed his king's escort of Defenders making a ring-formation around them. He guessed there were a mere 2 dozen or so soldiers present. Hardly a true escort that his king deserved, but then again, his king could very well destroy an army all by himself if it came to that.
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Rand was growing increasingly certain that Denethor was indeed insane. The 'Steward of Gondor' was even more hostile than the last time he met him and he'd just finished telling him that he'd essentially stopped the greatest source of raids and attacks on Denethor's southern borders!
"Are we next then! Are you so hungry for power or-"-Denethor was saying when Rand interrupted him...
"I'm done here, i just thought you should know why ~Your~ border's are now more secure."-Rand said before turning on his heel to walk out. But, as he did so, he felt a sudden surge of...evil emanate from above the throne that he assumed was the top of the tower. The 'flare of evil' gave him pause as he stared in it's direction.
Denethor, for his part, noticed his reaction and realized he must have sensed the Palantiri, as he himself looked upwards in its direction.
"Denethor the second, you hold something or someone of great evil close at hand, beware of it or whoever is the source of evil for i believe this is corrupting your mind."-Rand said before walking out, ignoring whatever ravings the Steward uttered in response.
Outside the Citadel, Rand found Elamri waiting with an armful of scrolls and papers, to which he smiled wryly.
"Hopefully i can find the time to read so much!"-Rand half-joked to his experienced merchant turned diplomat.
From the side, a man came walking up, putting everyone except Elamri on edge...
"Hello there, i presume that you must be Sir Ballin Elamri's king that he talks about so much."
Raising his eyebrow towards the paper-burdened man before turning back to the approaching man Rand replied-"i suppose at that i am, and who are you by the way?"-he asked.
"Please excuse me, i am Denethor II youngest son, Faramir and Captain of the Rangers of Ithilien, pleasure to meet you."-Faramir said, giving a small bow as he did so.
"Hmmm, greetings Faramir. This may be sudden and rather rude, but, has your father become...lets say, 'darker' recently?"-Rand suddenly asked.
Faramir's eyes narrowed and his outward mood obviously took a down-turn.
"What causes you to ask such a thing?"-Faramir asked, growing somewhat aprehensive.
"Because your father seems to be...well, to be honest, mad. More so than the last time i was here. Also, just before i walked out here, i sensed a flare-up of great evil coming from the top of the tower."-Rand said.
"Well, mother did die not too long ago...though you are right, it does seem to be that he grows more agitated by the day. As for this 'evil' you...'sensed', i assume you might mean...a Palantir...?"-Faramir said, though the Palantir bit he was unsure of, it was only a hunch of his after all.
"Palantir?"-Rand asked confused.
"Yes, although i can only speculate as that being the cause...for i really can't say. Though i can say that the Palantir are extremely rare and can allow someone to see things from great, far-away, distances. They look like black, spherical, smooth balls if i remember the description correctly..."-Faramir said, now wondering himself with growing concern for his father.
Needless to say, Rand was intrigued...
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Essenia, Tear:
Gandalf was growing more and more agitated at the response he got from Rand Al'Thor; "i'll think about it".
His meeting with him had encompassed all but an hour's worth of time and he'd been roughly dismissed.
He started re-thinking the reasons why he came here instead of returning to Bree and began to find them lacking...
If he switched places with Al'Thor, would he give himself the time for an audience that the boy did? Considering what recently happened to these people...no, he would have simply ignored the old man that wished to speak with him completely. In that light, he gave the boy credit.
Still, he could feel that time was slipping by as he sat and waited, thinking of what all else he could be doing. Though, it was likely only because he was sitting around doing nothing that he was probably thinking such in the first place.
Sighing his frustrations away, he picked up a book out of a nearby stack and began reading...
*What an interesting and tragic history these people have...*-Gandalf thought to himself as he began thumbing through a book about the war known as 'Tarmon Gaidon'.
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Essenia, Umbra:
Rand was still going over Elamri's reports while, in the great palace of Umbra, when the disgruntled High Lords and Lady entered. Likely to complain some more about all the problems he'd caused.
As if he lived only to cause them problems!
Sighing, again, he put the current report down and said-"What is it this time? We've been here for only two days and this is the third time today that you have all come here together...I'm starting to think none of you are capable of your current task..."
"Lord Dragon, members of the Council of Nine are interfering with our work. They are making demands that are rather oppressive towards the people here..."-Sisnera began.
"Of course they are! That's the whole point of giving you three the authority on matters in regards to this region!"-Rand said, louder than he intended, annoyed that they once again came to him with complaints about their counter-parts. True, they were ancient rivals and enemies...more so, they were even more ancient allies. Things would be so much easier if they would just 'get along'!
"What is it this time?"-Rand asked in annoyance.
"They are...requesting that the citizens here relinquish their homes to those in Illian whom have lost theirs in the 'Fires of Illian' as they are starting to call it."-Sisnera answered, unsure of what Rand would do, given his agitated state.
"I'd like to say; 'quit being so lazy and rebuild', but i don't think that'd turn out so well..."-Rand said, frustrated.
"Probably not"-Sisnera and the other's agreed, nodding their heads.
"Let's all gather in the Hall of Councilor's again and discuss this..."-Rand announced, striding out of the room.
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Bree:
Frodo-"Sam, he'll be here, he will come"
...
"What's that?"-Merry said in wonder as Pippin sat down at the table.
"This my friend, is a pint"-Pippin said
"It comes in pints!?"-Merry exclaimed
...
"I'm getting one!"-Merry said as he stood and left the table.
"You've got a whole half already!"-Sam exclaimed.
...
"That fellow has done nothin' but stare at us since we arrived"-Sam points out to Frodo.
...
"Excuse me"-Frodo said as he stopped a server as he walked by.
"That man in the corner, who is he?"-Frodo asked.
"He's one of them Ranger's, dangerous folk...around here, he's known as Strider"-the server said before walking away.
...
"Strider..."-Frodo mumbles to himself.
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Gondor, Losarnach, Pelargir:
Captain Faenoryes didn't know what had happened but he'd definately noticed a change in the Tairens' across the river.
Until recently, a group would occasionally make their way over the river and have a friendly chat...more often than not, looking for good drink. Other than that they would discuss things that were relevant militarily wise.
They'd share information on the Uruks that were spotted or movements of ships seen from the shore and what they looked like in architectural terms and the lands they may be from or going to.
Then, about 2 or 3 weeks ago, everything had changed.
The occasional group of visiting soldiers stopped. The numbers of troops across the river dropped down to the occasional scout, or their equivalent at least.
The Tairen presence had dropped down to negligible levels.
*Something serious must have happened*-Faenoryes thought to himself, though he was sure many of the men under his command were thinking much the same.
With no contact from their new ally across the river, Faenoryes decided to take a detachment over to Tear to find out what had caused the recent decrease in activity...