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Valandil was with his mother in Andunie.

"The king has called us to Romenna! We will have to sail to Middle Earth and possible engage in war there." He said.

"I do not know evil and I have no weapons, how can I fight then?" he added.

Silmarien said; "You will learn son, rely on the blessed people, and follow your heart. Your father would have been proud of you! Our son and all from our household that follow you think likewise of you."

Silmarien smiled; "The house of Valandil is known for love. We make friends not enemies. However should you meet true evil, the enemy will learn to fear the house of Valandil, maybe even more than the house of Aldarion."

Valandil rode against Armenelos with more than two hundred men. When the company passed the road to Ondosto, only a single rider was there. It was Vandilme.

"What are you doing here?" Valandil asked; "A war is no place for a woman!"

Vandilme answered; "There were those who though the same about the seats of the council;"

Valandil knew his cousin well enough to know she would not change her mind. She rode together with the Andustar regiment to Armenelos.

In Romenna, the Numenoreans started to board the ships. The Numenoreans has twenty ships, but another ten had arrived from Lindon.

Valandil and Vandilme boarded the ship steered by Cirdan.

He said; "this is the third time I come to this Island. It will be the last. I see a changed people filled with pride."

When Cirdans ship was full, it sailed into the Bay and they watched the other ships being filled with Numenoreans. The people had no weapons, but banners and horns and used them extensively.

Cirdan said to Valandil and Vandilme; "Banners and horns but no weapons. They seem to have no idea of what wight awaits them in Middle Earth"

The last ship to be boarded was Hirilonde. Aldarion had over three hundred men on his ship. I total three thousand Numenoreans left their home for Middle Earth, but only one of these were a woman. She stood with Cirdan on his ship.

The Numenoreans reached Vinyalonde and most of them including Aldarion travelled further on to Tharbad. There no enemies in sight.

In Tharbad, they met with Gil-Galad and Elrond, who came from from Lindon with a few hundred elves. The rumor of their presence spread and Celebrimbor, Galadriel and Celeborn also came to the Numenorean camp.

Celebrimbor presented the Numenoreans with swords made by his smiths, the Gwaith-i-Mirdain. Aldarion declined receiving a sword, but showed Aranruth to the elves.

"I recognize this sword!" said Elrond; "He showed his own sword to Aldarion."

Everybody could see the similarity in the swords handle, scattered with gems.

Galadriel interrupted; "A sword is a useful weapon if the enemy is close, but the bow remains the elves favorite weapon!"

Aldarion said; "There must be more honor in killing with a sword, than by an arrow at a distance."

"There is no honor in killing;" Galadriel said and all the elves seemed to agree with her.

Gil-Galad outlined the plan for the crusade.

He said; "Our enemy and his allied are located to the south of here, and all the way until the White Mountains. However, there are also many friend and people that has no stake in this conflict. We will travel south and follow the slopes of the Mountain. We will require that all people we meet will denounce the friendship with the Wizard of the south and become and allied of Numenor."

Valandil asked; "will the mountains prevent him from escaping?"

Gil-Galad answered; "No they will not, but I suggest, the ships of Cirdan will be manned and sail around Ras Morthil. They should land where the great river runs into the Bay of Belfalas.

Valandil said to Aldarion; "I suggest you let Vandilme take charge of this!"

Vandilme said; "Are you trying to keep me away from the war, cousin?"

However, Aldarion said; "It is an excellent suggestion; the house of Aldarion has already seen this place, and the house of Valandil will arrive there in the future, I hope. Please return to Henderch in Vinyalonde with enough men to man the ten ships, and sail with the shipwright."

Vandilme had to accept and returned to Vinyalonde.

Celeborn said; "there are no roads to the south and the first part of the journey is through swampland. It is not easy to lead an army though there. It will take months, but it will also give time for weapon training.

Thus, the army left Tharbad for the south. Celebrimbor, Galadriel and Celeborn, together with the population of Tharbad, stayed behind and watched the Numenoreans leave.

Aldarion pulled Aranruth from the scabbard; and pointed it into the air. Elrond and Valandil looked at each other. All the horns of the army sounded, and the noise made the black birds of the swamp take of in an uncountable number. The army started moving south.

Celebrimbor stated; "I see a great future for the Numenoreans in Middle Earth!"

Galadriel said with a low voice; "But at what cost?"

In the White Mountains the wizard stood surrounded by orcs. A black bird landed at his shoulder. More black birds followed and landed around him.

"The Seapeople are coming;" he said.

"Find my orcs and tell them to head west and cross the great river!" He shouted.

All the black birds took off to the sky and headed east.