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Thread: Triumph of the South-Victor, Aragost, FA 1140

  1. #21
    Mary The Quene's Avatar Praeses
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    Default Re: Triumph of the South-Victor, Aragost, FA 1140

    "Come...., sing me the song of Beren and Luthien again"

    The king commanded one of the squires who was with the king in the Rath Dinen. The tale of Luthien and Beren had been always the favorite of his queen and he remembered how she sang it to their son when he was but a child.

    ".....Oh my Queen, how i long to see you again! How i long to see our proud prince again! The king silently sat on his knees before the tomb of his wife, in prayer. Every day he spend hours and hours praying for them, at least then he could find some comfort still.

    "Too soon you were taken from me both! And now they celebrate while you lay here in a cold tomb! The king could not understand why they wanted to hold celebrations, there was no reason for that, his line had ended and his wife was long dead.

    "If only i were the one to have died....." He would have gladly sacrificed his own very life for that of his wife and son. The halls were dark and somber indeed...
    Veritas Temporis Filia

  2. #22

    Default Re: Triumph of the South-Victor, Aragost, FA 1140

    Quote Originally Posted by Lucius Malfoy View Post
    At least the heir to the Princedom of Ithilien, Cirion, seemed in a good mood, though Cunamir. However, one couldn't blame the mood of the Lord Steward. There were daily problems to address and the High King's mood as of these past decades wasn't helping elate those problems in the slightest. Cunamir understood only a fraction of what was going on as his duties were concerned with the borders of the Reunited Kingdom's Gondorian territories. The Haradrim and Easterlings, as of late, were becoming more and more bold with their raids and lightning strikes. It was forcing people to move more into the interior of Gondor's territories. It did have its effects on trade as well and the money being put towards strengthening defenses was certainly a drain on manpower and revenue. The troubles of the Kingdom continued to mount, most important of them was the heir to the throne.

    Cunamir took notice that the King was absent as to be expected. The Dunedain sighs inwardly, suspecting that the ruler was either isolated in his private chambers or mourning over the graves of his late wife and son within the Houses of the Dead. He was rarely anywhere else but those two areas. Quietly, the Lord of Lamedon approaches Ecthelion, his gaze also upon the empty throne of the High King.

    Shall I go fetch him or do you want to do the honors, Lord Steward? We can't wait for him to come out on his own after all...
    "I will go fetch him myself, I'm his servant, after all"

    Said the steward, clunching a piece of his mantle on his hand, knuckles getting white from the lack of blood, so angry was he.

    "Continue with the proceedings, tell the Prince of Dol Amroth to preside over the start of the feast"

    Quote Originally Posted by Mary The Quene View Post
    "Come...., sing me the song of Beren and Luthien again"

    The king commanded one of the squires who was with the king in the Rath Dinen. The tale of Luthien and Beren had been always the favorite of his queen and he remembered how she sang it to their son when he was but a child.

    ".....Oh my Queen, how i long to see you again! How i long to see our proud prince again! The king silently sat on his knees before the tomb of his wife, in prayer. Every day he spend hours and hours praying for them, at least then he could find some comfort still.

    "Too soon you were taken from me both! And now they celebrate while you lay here in a cold tomb! The king could not understand why they wanted to hold celebrations, there was no reason for that, his line had ended and his wife was long dead.

    "If only i were the one to have died....." He would have gladly sacrificed his own very life for that of his wife and son. The halls were dark and somber indeed...
    There was a sound of firm steps coming over, echoing in the marble floor, walls and vaulted ceilings. Ecthelion had to ride over to the sixt level and then cross the gate in all haste to reach the Rath Dinen. He wasn't on the mood for any folly. So when he reached the Kings' mausoleum he wasn't precisely happy...

    A sudden, uninvited voice joined the chant of the servant, interrupting him. The said voice kept singing until the man the voice belonged to crossed the threshold to the vault. It was a deep, surprisingly multi-layered voice, it was the voice of a fairly decent singer, most surprisingly, considering who the voice belonged to:

    "Such lissom limbs no more shall run
    on the green earth beneath the sun;
    so fair a maid no more shall be
    from dawn to dusk, from sun to sea"

    On the door stood the steward, with a sour look on his face, tall and clad in black robes, for he had removed the mithril shirt and every pretense of martial atire.

    "This won't improve your mood, Eldacar"

    He said, bitterly.

    "There's none in this kingdom who has a greater penchant of poetry and singing than me, but... this... is... not... the... right... moment!"

    The last words were punctuated with kicks to the marble floor.

    "The anniversary of your I-don't-remember-how-many-times grandfather is being held, have the decency of joining us!"
    Last edited by Oznerol; June 17, 2019 at 04:16 PM.

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  3. #23
    Mary The Quene's Avatar Praeses
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    Default Re: Triumph of the South-Victor, Aragost, FA 1140

    "Echtelion, my good steward!"

    Called the king. He had entirely forgotten about the steward in his prayers, thus the interruption came as a surprise. The king then stood up again and turned to the Steward. The king was clad in his usual black robes

    "I can not celebrate, i just can't do it, how could i ever leave my tombs of my innocent wife and son behind? He just couldn't, their pure and innocent looking effigies touched him so much that he never wanted to part him. Certainly not in today's mood at least.

    "I am sorry...." The king knew he failed in his duties and sometimes he regretted that, but truly he did not found the heart anymore to care about these wordly matters. Not after he lost that mattered to him most in his life
    Veritas Temporis Filia

  4. #24

    Default Re: Triumph of the South-Victor, Aragost, FA 1140

    The king's behavior sickened the steward beyond measure, he had to look for a pillar with his hand to support his weight, shaky. While his free hand rubbid his forehead. That had gone for far too long, decades. Fifty years of dealing with that. An empty throne and foolishness.

    "Leaving them for two hours is not going to break Arda in half, neither means you betray their memory"

    He looked exasperated.

    "This was agreed, I'm doing this so vultures don't end picking up meat from your bones"


    The steward looked at the tombs for a moment. They were just lifeless. As dead as the rotted bodies inside. There were probably only scattered bones and dust with fragments of clothing left.

    "You have to come... now. This is not what she would want..."

    Even if Eldacar was the king and Ecthelion the servant the roles were almost reversed. The steward was barely holding his anger back, but he was seething. He had to rein the impulse of whipping the king or vomiting all over the marble mosaics covering the floor, for he felt digusted.

    This is sickening. My sister's corpse worshiped and tended for like she was alive. More than she was breathing even. He's idolizing a tomb.


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  5. #25
    Lucius Malfoy's Avatar Pure-Blood
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    Default Re: Triumph of the South-Victor, Aragost, FA 1140

    Quote Originally Posted by Oznerol View Post
    "I will go fetch him myself, I'm his servant, after all"

    Said the steward, clunching a piece of his mantle on his hand, knuckles getting white from the lack of blood, so angry was he.

    "Continue with the proceedings, tell the Prince of Dol Amroth to preside over the start of the feast"
    Cunamir nods, watching as the Lord Steward left the audience hall where all had gathered. By the tone of his voice, he knew that Ecthelion was absolutely livid. It was doubtful that the Steward would need aid in this though, so Cunamir walked away and proceeds over to Minastir. He walks up beside the Dunedain and nods to the gathered crowd of nobles and persons. He leans in to speak quietly.

    Ecthelion has gone to fetch the King. He has advised that you preside over the start of the feast in his absence.


    Cunamir glances at the doorway where the Steward had vanished through. After giving the word to the Prince of Dol-Amroth, Cunamir moves away to walk over to his brother.

    Keep an ear out in case the Steward calls for us. I doubt the King will give him trouble, but who knows what could happen.

    Caramir nods and walks closer to the door
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  6. #26
    Mary The Quene's Avatar Praeses
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    Default Re: Triumph of the South-Victor, Aragost, FA 1140

    Quote Originally Posted by Oznerol View Post
    The king's behavior sickened the steward beyond measure, he had to look for a pillar with his hand to support his weight, shaky. While his free hand rubbid his forehead. That had gone for far too long, decades. Fifty years of dealing with that. An empty throne and foolishness.

    "Leaving them for two hours is not going to break Arda in half, neither means you betray their memory"

    He looked exasperated.

    "This was agreed, I'm doing this so vultures don't end picking up meat from your bones"


    The steward looked at the tombs for a moment. They were just lifeless. As dead as the rotted bodies inside. There were probably only scattered bones and dust with fragments of clothing left.

    "You have to come... now. This is not what she would want..."

    Even if Eldacar was the king and Ecthelion the servant the roles were almost reversed. The steward was barely holding his anger back, but he was seething. He had to rein the impulse of whipping the king or vomiting all over the marble mosaics covering the floor, for he felt digusted.

    This is sickening. My sister's corpse worshiped and tended for like she was alive. More than she was breathing even. He's idolizing a tomb.

    "Even if i wanted to......"

    The king looked back to the effigies, a servant gave a him a candle for a better look....

    "I will be an emberassment, look at me.." The king had grown very pale over the years. And he had lost every muscle he once had when he was in his prime years. He had grown so fragile and weak that even young women were considered to be stronger than the king in this shape.

    "I am not the man i once was and people might know me as..." Once he was a strong king, he even sailed down the Anduin himseld or even horse raced with friends to the Northern lands within weeks. Or how he partook in masked balls and conquered the hearts and minds of everyone around him. Such times were long past now.
    Veritas Temporis Filia

  7. #27

    Default Re: Triumph of the South-Victor, Aragost, FA 1140

    "Doesn't matter, you're almost one century and a half"

    Replied the steward. He was twenty years the king's junior, but he was twice as heavy and he still looked robust, no matter the weight on his shoulders was a burden beyond measure and had aged him.

    "They want to see a king: from your throne and with a proper clothing they'll believe you're Elessar brought back from the dead. People see what they want to see!"

    Said Ecthelion with a finger pointing at the king's face.

    "You will come, willingly or not.... Now you care about what other people might thing? Should have considered not isolating yourself for years in a row while I ruled this frigging realm! Too late to care about your appareance and whatnot!"

    Ecthelion's fist clutched his ermine-lined black mantle.

    "The notion that you even could care about... Gods help me. Come, pick up yourself, sit on the throne and pretend you have still some dignity in you, Eldacar"

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  8. #28
    Mary The Quene's Avatar Praeses
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    Default Re: Triumph of the South-Victor, Aragost, FA 1140

    "...I am far from being Elessar...."

    At least Elessar did not lose his wife or children when he was alive still, something that was not spared the king. And he supposed he had not much choice here other than to go if the steward even threatened him for it. What could he do?, he was weak and he was not going to throw his guards in a fight.

    "Tell me, is my sister there?" Perhaps she was the only one the king still had an affective bond with, often she was the only one who could raise the spirits of the king for a little.

    The king seemed as if he was about to consent to the request, but still he hesistated.
    Last edited by Mary The Quene; June 18, 2019 at 03:08 PM.
    Veritas Temporis Filia

  9. #29

    Default Re: Triumph of the South-Victor, Aragost, FA 1140

    "Don't you remember, Eldacar? She went north to Imladris decades past. Last we knew she was still living there, in Peredhel's abode"

    Said the steward, in a hushed tone, soothing. Like very slightly how a man would talk a child.

    "She married, very long ago, to a man of whom we know little and fathered a son, whom we have never met"

    That all happened like a century ago. Even Ecthelion was a child back then, it all was what his father recalled from those days.

    "I barely know his name, Caladir... but your sister-son isn't here either"

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  10. #30
    Mary The Quene's Avatar Praeses
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    Default Re: Triumph of the South-Victor, Aragost, FA 1140

    "Yes....., i remember it again, a sorrowful day that was when she suddenly left"

    That had been a painful affair for the king, he had not expected for his sister, whom he loved, to run away and marry some nobody.

    "Well, i suppose you leave me no choice but to go...." It seemed he was forced to go outside of these halls for once, it had been many many years ago...
    Veritas Temporis Filia

  11. #31

    Default Re: Triumph of the South-Victor, Aragost, FA 1140

    "Yes, you have no choice, hurry. Your horse is waiting, unless you want to ride on a little"

    Like a ing cripple. The steward had no patience left, he stepped aside to let the king pass and head towards Rath Dinen's gate into the sixt level.

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  12. #32
    Mary The Quene's Avatar Praeses
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    Default Re: Triumph of the South-Victor, Aragost, FA 1140

    The king mounted his horse and proceded to ride to the gate of the audience hall where he dismounted. Two guards of the tower would open the gates and the king entered the large hall.

    "His Majesty, the High King"

    The king was then announced upon which Eldacar walked to his throne.
    Veritas Temporis Filia

  13. #33
    Barry Goldwater's Avatar Mr. Conservative
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    Default Re: Triumph of the South-Victor, Aragost, FA 1140

    "Hail to thee, Great Majesty." Father and son from the western reaches genuflected before the High King of the Reunited Kingdom as he passed, making his way to the throne. Both averted their gaze, and not purely for the sake of customary respects. Though Hirluin rarely left Pinnath Gelin himself, even he regularly ventured from his home to mingle with and aid his subjects, and as isolated as he was at times even he couldn't remember the last time he even heard of Eldacar making a public appearance; while for Hirgon, even for one of the naturally imposing Dúnedain, Eldacar seemed all that a High King should not be. Where he should have led the Kingdom's forces southward on a great and terrible war of vengeance against the Haradric filth who thought they could get away with murdering a Prince of the Dúnedain, the man had instead withdrawn into a shell of self-imposed isolation and self-pity like some youngling after his first heartbreak, leaving the beleaguered Steward to run his kingdom for him.

    Quote Originally Posted by Lucius Malfoy View Post
    Kaidu, though a Captain of Minas Tirith's port of Harlond, was still not a rather known face or name. They had relatively kept to themselves as a mercenary family until, surprisingly, the High King Eldacar II called for the Easterling to be named a Captain and assigned him to Harlond. Then again, Dunedain never really liked to converse nor associate with those descended from the Men of Shadow.

    Kaidu Uzbursan and this is my sister, Oyna. Myself, my brother Araslan, and Oyna are descended from the Easterling, Gizik, who in turn was descended from Uzbur, an Easterling captured by your High King Aranuir. His clan was settled north of the river Anduin and opposite of Cair Andros. We presently live towards the South now, just beyond Osgiliath.

    Kaidu turns to look at the gatehouse, hearing the approaching marching, horns and drums.

    My father always said the Dunedain enjoyed their pomp and colors. More cheerful than the rather... dark traditions my people practiced during the Third Age. Violent is a better word for it.
    "That we do and that they were," Ornendil replied cheerfully. He had enough tact to not bluntly tell it to the faces of these Easterling descendants, of course, but the Dúnedan was firmly of the opinion that the less-advanced cultures of the barbarians around the Reunited Kingdom were not only savage and wrong, but inherently inferior to Dúnedanic civilization; an opinion which he was sure most other Dúnedain held. As far as he was concerned, the destruction of the Balchoth and Jangovar tribes was no great loss to history. "Bloodsports pitting beasts against men, or men against other men, were among the least that I've seen them get up to in my eastern travels. Parades such as this, and feasts with wine and meat and freshly-baked bread in abundance, are far more to my taste. Though, from the stories that I have heard, things could be - and once were - significantly worse. The defeat of the Enemy a thousand years ago also reduced the...negative proclivities among the Men of the East, or so say our histories and loremasters."

    "I don't suppose you two have ever been out east, as well?" Ornendil glanced from Kaidu to Oyna and back, folding his arms. For all their barbarous ways and tendency to harass the Kingdom's eastern borders, he had to admit there was a sort of wild beauty in the eastern lands, and in their savage but free-spirited people. And he was of the opinion that a man who has died without first having tasted all the wines of the world, Easterling firewine included, is a man who died having failed to live a full life.

  14. #34
    Jokern's Avatar Mowbray of Nottingham
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    Default Re: Triumph of the South-Victor, Aragost, FA 1140

    Prince Hellenar took a bow like all the other lords when King Eldacar entered the great hall. The prince felt both pity and anger for his distant royal cousin. A man can certainly mourn his dead wife and son, but Eldacar had taken it too far into self-pity. Fifty years had already passed, vengeance against the foul Haradrim should have been sought long ago. Instead, when Hellenar gazed at the man upon the throne of their ancestors he saw but an apathetic ghost, unable to even help himself.

    "Long live the High King."

    Words of loyalty spoken out of necessity instead of true devotion. Just end this farce already, Hellenar thought to himself. If Eldacar so wished to stay in his crypt, wallowing in his own grief, then leave him be and let someone else wear the crown. The prince promised to right all wrongs of the previous generations.

    ---------------------------

    "Hail the High King, noble and fair!"

    Lord Aerion's voice boomed in the great hall. As he knelt, a few tears ran down his face. He had served Eldacar for ages and loved his lord dearly. His current state of perpetual grief wounded the Lord of Anfalas deeply. Despite his official title of Master of the Royal Stables, Aerion spent most of his time in Lond Galen, overseeing his fief and guarding it against corsair raiders. How he wished he could be of more use to his lord. Yet no force in Middle-Earth could mend the heart of the mourning monarch, he who had lost his beloved queen and prince. Lord Aerion subtly wiped away his tears and stayed silent.

  15. #35
    Mary The Quene's Avatar Praeses
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    Default Re: Triumph of the South-Victor, Aragost, FA 1140

    Quote Originally Posted by Jokern View Post
    "Hail the High King, noble and fair!"

    Lord Aerion's voice boomed in the great hall. As he knelt, a few tears ran down his face. He had served Eldacar for ages and loved his lord dearly. His current state of perpetual grief wounded the Lord of Anfalas deeply. Despite his official title of Master of the Royal Stables, Aerion spent most of his time in Lond Galen, overseeing his fief and guarding it against corsair raiders. How he wished he could be of more use to his lord. Yet no force in Middle-Earth could mend the heart of the mourning monarch, he who had lost his beloved queen and prince. Lord Aerion subtly wiped away his tears and stayed silent.
    "I remember you again..., come here..." He was one of the men whom the king had appointed to the government years ago. Though he stayed mostly in his ancestral lands.

    "How fares Anfalas?, i know my wife loved it there, back in better times.." The king and his queen had visited many parts of the realm when they were young still. It was so peaceful and green there
    Veritas Temporis Filia

  16. #36
    Mary The Quene's Avatar Praeses
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    Default Re: Triumph of the South-Victor, Aragost, FA 1140

    Quote Originally Posted by Barry Goldwater View Post
    "Hail to thee, Great Majesty." Father and son from the western reaches genuflected before the High King of the Reunited Kingdom as he passed, making his way to the throne. Both averted their gaze, and not purely for the sake of customary respects. Though Hirluin rarely left Pinnath Gelin himself, even he regularly ventured from his home to mingle with and aid his subjects, and as isolated as he was at times even he couldn't remember the last time he even heard of Eldacar making a public appearance; while for Hirgon, even for one of the naturally imposing Dúnedain, Eldacar seemed all that a High King should not be. Where he should have led the Kingdom's forces southward on a great and terrible war of vengeance against the Haradric filth who thought they could get away with murdering a Prince of the Dúnedain, the man had instead withdrawn into a shell of self-imposed isolation and self-pity like some youngling after his first heartbreak, leaving the beleaguered Steward to run his kingdom for him.
    The king recognized Hirluin still, for the mind of the king was a sharp one, even at this old age. The king and Hirluin had been good friends once even, but that was long time ago now, when both were in the prime of their years.

    "My old friend, come closer..., it's been a long time ago..." The king asked from his old friend, in a friendly but although fragile voice that reflected the weak state of the king.
    Veritas Temporis Filia

  17. #37
    Jokern's Avatar Mowbray of Nottingham
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    Default Re: Triumph of the South-Victor, Aragost, FA 1140

    Quote Originally Posted by Mary The Quene View Post
    "I remember you again..., come here..." He was one of the men whom the king had appointed to the government years ago. Though he stayed mostly in his ancestral lands.

    "How fares Anfalas?, i know my wife loved it there, back in better times.." The king and his queen had visited many parts of the realm when they were young still. It was so peaceful and green there
    Aerion slowly rose and stepped forth before the High King. He immediately knelt again before the throne. He grit his teeth before meeting Eldacar's gaze. The man looked much older and frailer than his age would suggest. How grief tears at the soul, the Lord of Anfalas thought.

    "Your Majesty... thank you, Anfalas fares well. The people can enjoy safety and prosperity thanks to your eternal vigilance and benevolence. Her Majesty the Queen was greatly beloved, and we greatly miss her kindness. If... if I may be so bold, your Majesty is always welcome to visit Lond Galen, should your royal obligations allow it."

    Perhaps he was being too gracious, for it was an open secret that most of the workings of the kingdom fell upon the strained shoulders of the Lord Steward. Yet etiquette demanded subservience, and Aerion had no intention to humiliate his lord. The offer was sincere, too. The kin of Eldacar would always find a home in Lond Galen.

  18. #38

    Default Re: Triumph of the South-Victor, Aragost, FA 1140

    At the announcement of the king's entry, Ciryatur would turn from the discussion he was having with the lord of Gilros to glance at the king, this being the first time the lord has seen his monarch. When he swore fealty several years ago following his father's death in a storm, it was to the steward acting on behalf of the king. The king looked to be a strong contrast to the tales and stories he had read or been told by his father as a child. "Long live his majesty!" Ciryatur would then bow and turn to look slightly to the left.


    ----

    "I wonder how much longer until the feast begins..: Nissiel quietly says, before leaning back against the pillar she was standing in front of. The Black Numenorean had come to the festival to see Minas Tirith, and to have a few of her servants sell some exotic items from the south to the assembled Gondorians. She had watched the parade from a garden on the sixth layer of the city, with her guards catching some occasional stares from the crowd due to their armor being similar to that of what the enemies of Aragost likely wore.


    "Hail the Ar-Adûnakhôr." she would say as she bows, along with her two guards.
    Last edited by Xion; June 20, 2019 at 08:49 PM.

  19. #39
    Lucius Malfoy's Avatar Pure-Blood
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    Default Re: Triumph of the South-Victor, Aragost, FA 1140

    Quote Originally Posted by Mary The Quene View Post
    The king mounted his horse and proceded to ride to the gate of the audience hall where he dismounted. Two guards of the tower would open the gates and the king entered the large hall.

    "His Majesty, the High King"

    The king was then announced upon which Eldacar walked to his throne.
    The Lord of Lamedon, rejoined by his brother, Caramir, turn to see Eldacar emerge from his isolation. It seemed the Steward had done a job well, albeit without some threatening and harsh words. It was hard these days to spur the King into doing anything, even making himself come to Council meetings or make decisions for the future of Elessar's legacy and the Dunedain people. Such a lax rule had resulted in the stress of the Steward and the problems of the realm growing. Nonetheless, Cunamir and his brother bow to their liege with all the respect that a vassal could give the High King.

    Long Life to You, Your Majesty.

    Long Life to You, Your Majesty.

    The brothers say in unison to King Eldacar.

    Quote Originally Posted by Barry Goldwater View Post
    "That we do and that they were," Ornendil replied cheerfully. He had enough tact to not bluntly tell it to the faces of these Easterling descendants, of course, but the Dúnedan was firmly of the opinion that the less-advanced cultures of the barbarians around the Reunited Kingdom were not only savage and wrong, but inherently inferior to Dúnedanic civilization; an opinion which he was sure most other Dúnedain held. As far as he was concerned, the destruction of the Balchoth and Jangovar tribes was no great loss to history. "Bloodsports pitting beasts against men, or men against other men, were among the least that I've seen them get up to in my eastern travels. Parades such as this, and feasts with wine and meat and freshly-baked bread in abundance, are far more to my taste. Though, from the stories that I have heard, things could be - and once were - significantly worse. The defeat of the Enemy a thousand years ago also reduced the...negative proclivities among the Men of the East, or so say our histories and loremasters."

    "I don't suppose you two have ever been out east, as well?" Ornendil glanced from Kaidu to Oyna and back, folding his arms. For all their barbarous ways and tendency to harass the Kingdom's eastern borders, he had to admit there was a sort of wild beauty in the eastern lands, and in their savage but free-spirited people. And he was of the opinion that a man who has died without first having tasted all the wines of the world, Easterling firewine included, is a man who died having failed to live a full life.
    What the Dunedain called barbaric was called tradition by the Easterlings. Gizik had taught his children to understand that their overlords would not truly accept nor understand their culture. It was viewed as tainted by the machinations of Morgoth and Sauron, barbaric as the Dunlendings to the East, and primitive in comparison to their rich Edain culture and heritage. Yet, just like the Dunedain, the Easterlings were fierce warriors, born to wield sword, spear, and bow, and becoming masters of the horse and chariot. Quite so, the Enemy had made the Easterlings, with their golden armor and long pikes, as his shock troops in various battles. Most notably where they all stood, the fierce siege of Minas Tirith that nearly broke the Kingdom of Gondor. Then came the years of peace and then war. Even now, his kin were still licking their wounds and trying to accept the overlordship of the Dunedain.

    It is tradition to go East. Our ancestor ensured that, when becoming adults, we must tame a horse of our homeland and make the journey alone. It is a trial that all men and women of my family have endured. Those who fail are never heard from again. Another tradition is burying our fathers in the homeland to the East. Our father, Gizik, was taken there after his death and buried upon the lands of our ancestors, of those before Uzbur.

    Kaidu speaks calmly of his family's traditions before looking at Ornendil.

    My brother, in fact, is venturing in the lands of Rhun as we speak. His horse has unfortunately fallen ill and will likely not recover. He seeks a worthy steed to replace his dying mount... for an Easterling without a horse lives a lonely life. We were born to move and ride after all. The Wainriders being the greatest and most prominent example of our culture, Lord Ornendil.

    =================================

    Quote Originally Posted by Mary The Quene View Post
    The king mounted his horse and proceded to ride to the gate of the audience hall where he dismounted. Two guards of the tower would open the gates and the king entered the large hall.

    "His Majesty, the High King"

    The king was then announced upon which Eldacar walked to his throne.
    Kaidu, separated from his sister, who had decided not to join in this moment of celebration, was present in the audience hall when the High King came forth. The Easterling had only met the High King once before when he was named Captain of Harlond. He glances around, noticing the glares and gazes of other Dunedain. Just like his father had said, the Dunedain would always view his people as inferior and barbaric. No matter how many times his ancestors had served the Reunited Kingdom in the past. Whatever the case, Kaidu did not let that get to him as he bowed quietly to the High King.
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  20. #40
    Barry Goldwater's Avatar Mr. Conservative
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    Default Re: Triumph of the South-Victor, Aragost, FA 1140

    Quote Originally Posted by Mary The Quene View Post
    The king recognized Hirluin still, for the mind of the king was a sharp one, even at this old age. The king and Hirluin had been good friends once even, but that was long time ago now, when both were in the prime of their years.

    "My old friend, come closer..., it's been a long time ago..." The king asked from his old friend, in a friendly but although fragile voice that reflected the weak state of the king.
    "So it has, my king." Hirluin replied gently. He approached Eldacar as the latter sat on his throne per the request, kneeling again upon stopping.

    -----

    Ornendil had previously acclaimed the High King upon his entry, alongside all of the other lords and princelings of the realm. "Long live the High King!" He had hailed with practiced formality, even if the words were empty. In truth the sight of old, grief-stricken Eldacar did not fill his heart with inspiration and wonder as he imagined that of past High Kings (his own ancestor, Aranuir included) would have, just dismay and discontent. As far as he knew, if this King was no longer interested in anything but the tombs of his family - as unfortunate as their passing was - then why did he not abdicate already?
    Quote Originally Posted by Lucius Malfoy View Post
    What the Dunedain called barbaric was called tradition by the Easterlings. Gizik had taught his children to understand that their overlords would not truly accept nor understand their culture. It was viewed as tainted by the machinations of Morgoth and Sauron, barbaric as the Dunlendings to the East, and primitive in comparison to their rich Edain culture and heritage. Yet, just like the Dunedain, the Easterlings were fierce warriors, born to wield sword, spear, and bow, and becoming masters of the horse and chariot. Quite so, the Enemy had made the Easterlings, with their golden armor and long pikes, as his shock troops in various battles. Most notably where they all stood, the fierce siege of Minas Tirith that nearly broke the Kingdom of Gondor. Then came the years of peace and then war. Even now, his kin were still licking their wounds and trying to accept the overlordship of the Dunedain.

    It is tradition to go East. Our ancestor ensured that, when becoming adults, we must tame a horse of our homeland and make the journey alone. It is a trial that all men and women of my family have endured. Those who fail are never heard from again. Another tradition is burying our fathers in the homeland to the East. Our father, Gizik, was taken there after his death and buried upon the lands of our ancestors, of those before Uzbur.

    Kaidu speaks calmly of his family's traditions before looking at Ornendil.

    My brother, in fact, is venturing in the lands of Rhun as we speak. His horse has unfortunately fallen ill and will likely not recover. He seeks a worthy steed to replace his dying mount... for an Easterling without a horse lives a lonely life. We were born to move and ride after all. The Wainriders being the greatest and most prominent example of our culture, Lord Ornendil.
    "Well I'm sorry to hear that. That's truly unfortunate." Ornendil replied, nodding along as Kaidu spoke. It was well-known that the Easterlings were proud equestrians, almost as capable and as horse-loving as the Rohirrim who had bested them from time to time throughout history. No doubt the loss of a fine steed would hit this family hard, even if it had been many years since they were first brought within the Reunited Kingdom's borders. "I wish him all the best in finding a new steed, then." Idly, he wondered where the Steward's procession was. Assuming they started from the ground level of Minas Anor, they should be at the 4th or 5th level by now, per his estimations, and so he would have to execute his great and fateful duty of opening the gates fairly soon.

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