Disclaimer: I do now own anything.
Rivendell – December 3019 of the Third Age
"I'll see you when I return Elrond," Gandalf said to him after breakfast that morning.
"Where are you going Gandalf?" Elrond asked.
"I'm going to visit some people," he answered.
xxx
"Find your brother Shadowfax," Gandalf said when he rode out of Rivendell.
Gandalf rode North until Shadowfax turned East through a gap in the Misty Mountains. On his way East Gandalf encountered many families who offered him a meal and a place to stay for the night. One family gave him a fur cloak, gloves and hat before he left the next morning. He didn't understand their language, but kindness is a language everyone understands.
xxx
Weeks later Adair was told a rider was approaching their village. He put on his cloak, hat and gloves and went outside and was surprised to see who'd arrived.
"Gandalf," he said surprised when he saw him. "What are you doing here?"
"I thought I'd come and visit," he answered smiling at Adair and dismounted his horse.
Adair said something to a young boy nearby who then took Gandalf's horse and lead him into the stable that housed Wind.
"This village is where my great grandmother's people live," Adair told him. "You can stay with me and my wife until you leave."
"You're married?" Gandalf asked with smile while they walking to Adair's home.
"Yes," he answered.
When Gandalf entered Adair's log home he found it warm and inviting. It was small, but nice. There was a fire in the fireplace, the furniture was simple and furs covered the walls. There was a kitchen and sitting room and Adair introduced him to his wife, Amie
"We have an extra bedroom," Adair told him and showed him to his room and where the washroom is.
Adair poured Gandalf a cup of tea when he returned to the kitchen and Gandalf asked how the two of them met and they told him their story.
"Amie is what you found in the South," Gandalf said with a twinkle in his eyes.
"Yes, we met a few hours after me and my friends arrived," Adair replied.
"How did you meet Gandalf?" Amie turned and asked her husband.
He told her.
"I'm sure Wind had something to do with that," Amie said laughing.
"Why do you say that Amie?" Gandalf asked putting his tea cup on the table.
Amie excused herself. When she returned she had a map in her hand. "While we were traveling North I told Adair and his friends we should go this way," she answered showing him the route on the map she wanted to take. "But for some reason Wind led us this way."
Gandalf looked at the route Wind chose, which was West of the Shire and the Ring. "I'm sure he had his reasons," he said.
During dinner Adair told Gandalf about their war against the foul things.
Amie told Gandalf about her life since she arrived in the North.
"The North is very different from Belfalas," Gandalf said smiling at the young woman.
Amie laughed and agreed.
The next morning Adair introduced Gandalf to the village elders. He asked about their laws and customs and what they were told about where their ancestors came from, and Adair translated. A few nights later a feast was held in Gandalf's honor.
Their clothes, food, music and musical instruments are very different," Gandalf thought.
xxx
"Riders riders are coming," a guard shouted riding through the village three days later.
Adair, Amie and Gandalf put on their cloaks and went outside and saw many other villager's waiting outside.
"Do you know who they are Adair?" Amie asked.
"No," he answered.
After the riders came to a halt the lead rider got off his horse and walked up to Adair. Adair and Amie recognized him as one of the men who rode with them East.
"I'm Lord Balar," he said when he stood in front of Adair.
"My Lord," Adair said with a deep nod and Amie did the same.
Lord Balar opened the small box he had in his hand and handed the ring inside to Adair. "Put this ring on your finger Adair," he said and told him which finger to put it on.
Adair put the ring on his left ring finger and then Lord Balar and the other riders bowed to him. A rider then rode up to Lord Balar and handed him a parchment.
Lord Balar opened the parchment and read aloud what was inside: "The Lords of the North have agreed who our new King should be. The majority of the Lords have chosen His Majesty Adair, from the East, as King of the North, and his wife, Her Grace Amie from the South, as Queen of the North," he said and handed the Proclamation to Adair.
Adair read the Proclamation and saw the Lord's signatures below with their Seals affixed next to their names. "Thank you Lord Balar," King Adair said.
"You're welcome your Majesty," he replied with a nod.
Another rider rode up to Lord Balar and handed him a larger box. After he opened the box Lord Balar showed King Adair what was inside.
"This is your crown your Majesty," Lord Balar said and took the crown out of the box and handed the empty box to the rider.
Everyone saw the crown is a circlet with a large round diamond in the center and large round rubies inlaid around the rest of the circlet.
Adair got on one knee.
"By the powers invested in me by the majority of the Lord's of North, I known crown Adair from the East, King of the North," he said and placed the crown on Adair's head. Lord Balar then got on one knee after King Adair stood up and said: Long live the King.
"Long live the King," a loud chorus shouted.
"Thank you Lord Balar," Adair said. Who turned and hugged his wife.
Amie had tears running down her cheeks.
Lord Balar nodded to his liege.
Gandalf also nodded to Adair when he turned and looked at him. At that moment Gandalf saw a white light appear around the King of the North.
Another rider rode up with another box and handed it to Lord Balar.
Lord Balar opened the box and showed Amie what was inside. "This is for you, your Grace," he told her and took her circlet out of the box and handed the empty box back to the rider.
Amie got on one knee. Her circlet has a emerald at the center with emerald cut diamonds inlaid around the rest of her circlet. The circlet and stones are smaller than her Kings.
"By the power invested in me from the majority of the Lord's of North, I known pronounce you Amie from the South, Queen of the North," Lord Balar said and place the circlet around her head.
"Thank you Lord Balar," she said when she rose and turned to her husband, who gave her a passionate kiss.
Everyone bowed to the Royal Couple and then clapped and cheered.
Only Gandalf knew the King and Queen's circlets are made of Mithril and so is the ring the ruby is set in on the King's finger.
"When do you wish to leave your Majesty?" Lord Balar asked.
"In a week," he answered.
"Yes your Majesty," Lord Balar said and bowed.
"Who are these men with you Lord Balar?" King Adair asked.
"We're the King's Guard," he answered.
Adair nodded his head.
A feast was held for the Royal Couple that evening and Lord Balar also attended and sat on one side of his liege.
Adair conferred with Gandalf and the village elders for the rest of the week. The village elders agreed Adair will be their King because he's related to them. King Adair told them who he wanted to take with him from their village to the West and the reasons why.
They agreed.
A week later the Royal Couple rode out of the village with their entourage. The King and Queen rode side-by-side and Gandalf rode behind them next to Lord Balar. When they reached Khan's village an hour later, Khan's father, Kabul, greeted them and a feast was held in their honor that evening.
Khan was glad to Gandalf again when he arrived and introduced him to his wife Ming and some of his people
Gandalf asked about their laws and customers while King Adair conferred with Khan's father and the village elders.
They showed Gandalf a crude map leading all the way to the Far East Sea and told him about the trade routes their ancestors set-up while they were traveling westward. They also told him they're many other trade routes in the Far East that go in all directions. Khan interpreted everything for Gandalf.
A feast was held a few nights later in honor of the pact King Adair, Kabul and village elders agreed to. The Royal Couple departed for the West two days later with Khan and his wife Ming.
While riding westward King Adair stopped at all the Lord's homes in the East. After they read the Proclamation he handed them, they did obedience to their new King. When they stopped at the King's former home, the King got off his horse and handed the Proclamation to Lord Huron, who was waiting outside when he was told a large party was headed his way. Gandalf was amused at the look on Lord Huron's face when he saw the crown on Adair's head, and he too did his obedience to his son after reading the Proclamation. Gandalf didn't like the man.
Adair stopped at Anton, Boris, Vlad and Ivan's village and they joined their King, along with Uri and a few others from his village.
By the time they reached the West it was springtime and Lord Balar had the King's Banner unfurled. They rode through every village and town – the same as they did in the East – and the crowds were large and enthusiastic and the people cheered their new King and his Queen. Gandalf noticed how different the West is from the East and how different these lands are from Middle-Earth.
xxx
Elan's Home
Elan was waiting outside her home when her King rode onto her estate. "Welcome your Majesty," she said curtsying when Adair rode up to the front door and watched as her King helped his Queen off her horse.
"Thank you Elan," he replied smiling gave his cousin a hug.
"Right this way your Majesty and your friend is also welcome to stay in my home," Elan said looking at Gandalf with a smile.
"Thank you," he replied returning the smile. Gandalf dismounted Shadowfax and followed them inside.
Their horses were taken to the stables and the King's Guard rode off after their liege was safely inside. Many other King's Guard surrounded the entire estate.
Adair introduced Gandalf to Elan while a servant took their cloaks. They were escorted to their rooms where a hot bath was waiting for them.
xxx
Gandalf told Queen Amie how lovely she looked when she walked down the stairs on her King's arm to dinner. That was the first time he'd seen her in a dress and she had a radiant glow about her.
"Thank you Gandalf," she said.
"Where's my mother Elan?" Adair asked during dinner. "I expected to see her here."
"Your mother is currently at your castle and supervising your staff. She's been there for quite sometime making sure everything is ready for your arrival," she answered.
"Where's my castle Elain?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.
"West of here your Majesty," she answered with a twinkle in her eyes.
Gandalf smiled.
Adair and Amie told Elan she could call them by their first names in private.
"Who's Lord Balar?" Adair asked Elan.
"He's one of our cousins," she answered.
"Why don't you have a title Elan?" Amie asked.
"I don't need a title Amie," she answered. "Our family holds the titles to all the Lord's lands in the West."
Adair, Amie and Gandalf laughed.
"How did that come to be?" Gandalf asked.
"Ana foresaw disputes among our Lords and bought all the property in the West, but she didn't foresee that a few Lords would move eastward with their people in search of new lands. Nor that our new King will come from the East."
"One can't foresee all things," Gandalf said to the seer-witch with a smile on his lips.
"No they can't," she replied. "But I'll tell you this Adair, the Lords in the West are not happy that their new King is from the East, and that's the last thing they expected."
"They expected one of there own sons to become King," Adair said.
"They knew that was never possible and they were content with the way things were. However, it was the people who forced their hand in this matter," Elan replied.
"How?" Adair asked with a raised eyebrow.
"It was you Adair who rallied our people to war in the East and West and they followed you. When the men returned home your deeds were spread far and wide. The people knew they'd finally found their King and they began to call you King Adair – much to their Lord's displeasure. I sent a dinner invitation to each Lord and after the feast, I told them they could no longer ignore the people's will in this matter," Elan answered.
"What were the Lord' and their sons doing during the war?" Gandalf asked Elan.
"They were hiding on their estates and not one them nor their sons volunteered to join the fight," she answered.
Gandalf wasn't surprised to hear that.
"I've invited all the Lords and Ladies and their families here for a feast to meet their new King and Queen and they'll arrive in a few days," she told the Royal Couple.
xxx
While the Royal Couple was being escorted through town the next afternoon they were mobbed by the people.
Gandalf noticed King Adair has the common touch and felt right at home with his people and knew that's because he grew up as one of them. Aragon also has the common touch, but he grew up in an Elvish household with Elvish Nobility and married a Lady of a Lord. Gandalf also knew no titled Lady in the North, or the South for that matter, would marry Adair because of his status and he had to marry someone outside the Nobility, and Eru Ilúvatar chose Amie A lady in her own right, but not a titled Lady. He knew Amie never expected her husband to become a King by the stunned look on her face, nor did she ever expect she'll become a Queen. Gandalf smiled at the two of them.
xxx
"What does the ring symbolize Elan?" Adair asked later that afternoon while he and Amie were having tea and scones in her study.
She told him.
Adair finally understood why Lord Balar and his men bowed to him when he put the ring on his finger.
"Amie you also have another circlet which will be worn only on formal occasions," she told her and opened the box that was sitting on the table and gave it to Amie
Amie gasped when she saw what was inside the box. "This is beautiful," she said wide-eyed.
"And it will look beautiful woven throughout your lovely hair," her husband replied and kissed his wife on the forehead.
"You're going to need Councilors Adair," Elan told him.
"I don't know who to choose?" he said.
"I can be your Councilor of Trade," Amie told him. "As you know, I was taught everything about business growing up."
"That's a good idea Amie," Elan replied with a smile on her face.
Gandalf told them about the roles of Prince Imrahil and Prince Faramir in Gondor.
"Gondor has a King?" Amie asked, but didn't let on that she knew Prince Imrahil and his family.
"Yes. King Elessar was excepted by the people of Gondor because of his role in the war and he was crowed shortly thereafter," Gandalf answered.
"Was it the same war we were fighting Gandalf?" Lord Balar asked.
"Yes," he answered.
"Lord Balar is a very good soldier and he can take care of the home defenses in the West, but you're going to need someone for the East," Elan turned and said to Adair.
"I made an agreement with Kabul, Khan's father, before I left and he and his people will defend the East," Adair replied. "I'm also going to have an army in the East."
It was at that moment Gandalf knew Adair will become a great King.
"I have someone in mind for the position of Royal Administrator," Elan said. "When Lord Elric's youngest son, Lord Erik, took over running his father's estate, he got him out of a great deal of debt and now Lord Elric's lands are the most profitable of all the Lords in the West. Lord Erik also knows our laws very well."
"I'm also going to need a Royal Administrator for the East because Lord Erik doesn't know anything about those lands or the people," Adair replied. "Lord Balar tomorrow morning after breakfast I want you to..."
xxx
"Uri, Boris, Vlad, Anton, Khan, Ivan and Raj nodded to Adair when they walked into Elan's study the next morning.
Adair told them they can call him by his name in private.
"What do you want to talk to us about Adair?" Ivan asked after the sat down.
"I'm going to appoint Lord Erik as my Royal Administrator for the West and I need someone for the East," he answered and explained to them what a Royal Administrator does. "I'm appointing Uri to that position because he can read and write and speak Westron. He's also a Nobleman's bastard like I am, and he'll be part of my Court and he'll speak for me on all matters in the East. Uri you're now Lord Uri, Lord of the East."
"Thank you Adair," he said with a grin on his face.
"We bastards have to stick together," Boris said and they laughed.
"While I was having discussions with your father and the other village elders Khan, we agreed that you're represent your people as their Ambassador to my Court and you'll be part of my Court. You're now Lord Khan and your wife is Lady Ming," Adair told him.
Khan stood up and bowed to the King and thanked him. He knows this is a great honor and why his father sent him.
"Raj, you're now Lord Raj and your wife is Lady Amara and her sister is Lady Jaya. You're also part of my Court," Adair told him.
"Thank you Adair," he said with a nod of his head.
"Boris, Anton, Ivan and Vlad, the four of you are now part of the King's Guard and when I send Uri to the East you're going with him," Adair told them.
They thanked their King.
"After we get settled in I want to talk to all of you about recruitment for my Eastern Army," he told them.
"It seems we're going to be spending a lot of time in the East," Uri said.
Adair nodded his head. "We have a lot of work to do in the East," Adair replied.