Chapter 80
When I had been told that I was to be presented to the Prince, I had half fancied that he would be another youth, of a similar age to me just as Prince Eldir had been. But Argeleb was a man in his prime, tall and powerfully built, and it was evident that the blood of Numenor ran strong and true in his veins. His eyes were sea grey, set in a face with strong features, and I thought I detected a little of the air of elvish otherness about him too. I knew myself immediately to be in the presence of a great man, and felt at once foolish and unworthy to deal with him on an equal footing. Despite this I was nonetheless determined to try and fulfil the task I had been set with as much dignity as I could muster. I thought how ordinary and unremarkable our own Prince had been in comparison, for the true line of Isildur had died out long ago in Rhudaur and our present royal family were little more than upstart nobles.
He appraised me for a moment and then spoke in a deep rich voice. "Welcome to the watchtower and fortress of Amon Sul. We respect the rights and traditions of the flag of parley you have travelled under and hope that we have received you with all due courtesies. I would know with whom I am expected to treat and with what authority they act, for it was customary in the old days to send men of high rank and standing to carry out the task you undertake, and yet you are of tender years and came here with but half a dozen men". I handed him the scroll, and he broke the seal and unrolled it. "I am named Esteldir, son of Galdirion of the house of Rushwater Vale, sent here by King Elion of Rhudaur as his vassal and given authority to speak for him. You do not mistake my tender years, or my lack of standing, for I am no more than a Captain of good family. I was sent hither in stead of one more worthy of the office as it was feared that our embassy might be taken prisoner or slain. I apologise for this great discourtesy, and will appraise those who sent me forth on my return that the old traditions of honourable conduct are still valued in Arthedain".
"Indeed they are" the Prince replied after a pause. "Your credentials confirm that you speak for your King despite your age and lack of rank. It must have taken a deal of courage for you and your men to ride here believing that you might be slain, so I am minded to listen to what you have to say. Let us be seated, but remember that you speak for a defeated foe who attacked us without provocation or warning". He gestured towards the table, and the three of us sat down on the fine carved chairs that were arranged around it. I was briefly distracted, for my eye was drawn to the map that lay unrolled on it that the Prince had been inspecting when we entered. It was a thing of great beauty, showing the whole of the old North Kingdom and beyond, but then I realised that they were waiting for me to begin and cleared my throat. "I am tasked with two things" I began, a little awkwardly to begin with and then warming to my task "firstly, to learn if I can what befell Prince Eldir of Rhudaur in the battle, and if indeed he was slain as we fear to ask for the mercy of returning his body to his father the King. Secondly, we believe that you may have taken prisoners in the battle and wish to know what became of them. If you still hold any of rank we would know what your terms would be for their ransom?"
The Prince paused again, folded his hands on the table and spoke firmly in reply. "We rode down your few mounted men in the first charge, and he was among them and was slain. We buried him with all due respect and ceremony with his men, and that is where he will remain. Let the dead be at peace, for there is nothing to be gained by disturbing their rest for such an unseemly purpose. As to prisoners, we encircled your right wing and captured five hundred or more men. They were brought to the camp below after the battle and that is where they remain. Your wounded have been tended to just as our own have and they have food and shelter. I believe we hold men of rank both high and low, and if you wish to ransom any then I say you will ransom all or none, and these are our terms. We have no need of your coin, but you will sign a solemn and binding undertaking between our realms to relinquish in perpetuity any sole claim to sovereignty over the Watchtower of Amon Sul. Furthermore you will also undertake never to come again in force of arms into the lands west of the Mitheithel, and to cede all former settlements and holdings along the Great East Road to the Kingdom of Cardolan. What say you? Have you need to return to Iant Methen to allow your King to consider these terms?" I thought for a moment about the gravity of the bargain that had been offered, and I knew at once that I could not possibly give a reply myself.
But then I thought of those who had sent me there to Amon Sul in full expectation of my being taken prisoner or killed and my heart was filled with anger and resentment towards them and I became a little reckless. I had read my histories and knew how this particular game was generally played. "Nay" I replied "the King sent me here to speak for him, and I shall do as I was bid. We will accept your terms, but we must offer a counter condition of our own. We have long disputed the possession of Amon Sul, because the seeing stone would give us knowledge and insight into the activities of our foes, and more importantly foreknowledge of any attack on us. If you will undertake to maintain a watch on our enemies and send word whenever we are in peril, then you shall have our agreement to your terms". The merest flicker of a smile crossed the Prince's face. "So Rhudaur attacks us without warning, finds herself soundly beaten and then demands not only the return of her prisoners but requests that those who defeated her should mount a watch on her behalf. This seems a steep bargain to me. Why should I accept it?" I was aware that both of them were watching me closely, but I managed to maintain my composure and replied . "Though estranged we are of one kin, with ties of blood and shared heritage, and it grieved me to see Dunedain fighting Dunedain in the battle when the same foe threatens us both. Though it may not be meet to do so I will now speak freely. Our land is in great peril, for the king is dying and his heir lies dead below these walls. We have been driven out the north of our land by long years of fighting, and the crossings of the Mitheithel are now held by Hillmen whose loyalty is at best questionable. Many fear that they are secretly in league with Angmar, and if that is indeed the case then our fate is already sealed. Our only hope lies with those who we have wronged and called our foes, so my Lord, I ask you to look upon our cause with mercy and lend us what aid you may before it is too late".
The Prince smiled and looked thoughtful. "If I were King of Rhudaur and you were speaking for me I would part your head from your neck for what you have just said, but it was done with honesty and with a lack of false pride. I will accept your bargain and do what I can to aid the Dunedain of Rhudaur, though it be little at present. My father, Malevegil will most likely take a dim view of the bargain we have struck here today, but so be it. I will speak to him on this matter when I return to Fornost, for as you do I believe that the time is now ripe for all the Kingdoms of Arnor to set aside their differences and make common cause. We stand together once again with the Cardolan, but I fear that the ancient enmity between Arthedain and Rhudaur will be too much for my father to bear, for he is now of great age even by our reckoning, and the old do not bend or amend their opinions so easily as the young. However for now we must set matters in motion for the signing of an agreement and the return of your prisoners. Please have something drawn up Norgalad, and I will send word down to the camp to prepare for the departure of the prisoners, perhaps dawn of the day after tomorrow will be soon enough? Tomorrow we will descend to the plain and you will be able to speak to your men and satisfy yourself as to their number and condition, and confirm that they have been well treated".
Norgalad rose from the table, bowed and left the room to attend to the Prince's wishes. After he had left, the Prince turned to me, his demeanor noticeably more friendly. "You wish to see the Kingdoms of Arnor set aside their differences, and that is something that I too have long desired and hoped for. One day soon I will be king, and if there are others of like mind to you in Rhudaur perhaps there is some hope that what was sundered so long ago might still be mended". I nodded, encouraged by his sudden candour, and replied. "There are some I think, but not many among those who wield power, and we have lost many of the old traditions. I have to admit to you that was purely a stroke of good fortune that I learnt Sindarin as a child and am able to speak to you in that tongue as custom and good manners dictate, for it is little used any more even amongst those of high birth in Lastbridge. The Dunedain of Rhudaur are few and our blood is dilute. I myself come from a line that can be traced back to one of the faithful who came from Numenor on my father's side, but my mother was of the Hill Folk". Argeleb looked surprised at this. "You take after your father's kin in appearance and manner nonetheless" he said, "and you would not be out of place amongst my own men". I took this as a compliment indeed, and thought to myself that this was a Lord worthy of admiration that I could gladly follow and fight for. Those that I had left behind in Lastbridge were base and petty in comparison, and I began to realise just how deep our decline had truly become. In that moment the first seeds of my future treachery were sown.