Isildur

spells, his creatures and poisons, and all those who aided him, shall be thrown down.'

'You do not th…' began Malithor, but then they both turned as a horn rang clear and true in the distance. Isildur hurried to Fleetfoot. 'It is the horns of Erech,' he called as he mounted, 'the Elders are come at last.' But Malithor was already racing for his horse. Isildur gave Fleetfoot his head, and the horse flew through the long grass like a ship plowing the sea. Malithor was soon left far behind.

Isildur galloped into camp and hurried to his tent. Ohtar was already there.

'Is it another Elder?' Isildur asked.

'Two. They arrived nearly together less than half an hour ago. They have been closeted with Romach since then.' Ohtar looked at the king's face. 'Did you see the Caverns, Sire?'

'No. I reached them, but found another already there. The ambassador was there as well.'

'You met him? I knew I should have gone with you.'

'He is not fool enough to raise his hand against me. We had a most interesting talk. I'll tell you later what he said. Now, I must dress for the meeting with the Elders. I shall wear my mithril armor and the blue cloak. I want them to see with whom they are dealing. Now help me with this thong. Where's the other end of it?'

* * *

Isildur shifted uneasily in his chair. The meeting had been going on now for several hours, and still the Elders had not reached a decision. Isildur pleaded his case and they seemed to favor him for a while. But then Malithor addressed them and he was both eloquent and threatening, and the Elders wavered again.

To Isildur the choice was clear. At last he could stand it no longer. He jumped to his feet, interrupting a seemingly endless speech about the impact on local trade of an alliance with Umbar.

'Only one argument need be considered,' he suddenly cried.

Urmach, the Elder who had been speaking, looked at Isildur in surprise. He was not used to being interrupted. He blinked in annoyance. 'I beg your pardon, Sire?'

'The Oath of Karmach. Your lord Karmach gave his solemn oath that our two peoples would be allies for all time — that if either were assailed, the other would come to its aid if called. Well, Gondor has been attacked and is in a struggle to the death with Mordor. I am the King of Gondor, and I am asking for the help of the Eredrim. There is but one response for honorable men. You are foresworn.'

There was an awkward silence. No one would meet his eyes, though there were many quick sidelong glances among the Eredrim.

'Karmach?' said Malithor in an innocent tone. 'I have not met this lord. Why is he not here today?'

There was a nervous chuckle. 'Karmach was the great-great-grandfather of Lord Romach,' whispered Urmach to Malithor.

'Oh, so he is dead?'

'Of course. His barrow has been green since before my father was born.'

'Are the living then to be ruled by the dead?'

'Yes!' roared Isildur, his voice echoing back down from the rafters. 'Karmach swore his oath to me personally, and he bound his heirs to it forever.'

But Malithor was not fazed.

'But none of you Revered Elders was alive at the time of this oath?'

'No, of course not,' said the Elder. 'This is all ancient history.'

'But the world changes, nations and leaders rise and fall. Who knows that if Karmach yet lived he would not repudiate his vow?'

'Karmach was a man of honor!' said Isildur angrily. 'His oath was without conditions or time limits of any kind. Karmach would never have countenanced any suggestion of breaking the vow.'

'So you say,' said the ambassador. 'But he is not here to speak for himself. None of these Revered Elders heard his oath, nor can they ask him to clarify his thoughts and intentions at the time he made the oath.'

'His thoughts were to protect his people and their land, and Gondor offered that protection. He mentioned to me often in later years, how for the first time he had no fear of war upon his borders.'

'That may have been so at that time, when Gondor was the only nation strong enough to protect the Eredrim. But now Umbar too offers its protection. Gondor is pledged to protect you, but it is embroiled in a hopeless war against Sauron. Have they sent their legions here to protect you in these dangerous times? Did they protect the people of Ethir Lefnui? No. They are too busy fighting in Gorgoroth. Instead they ask you to leave your families unprotected and ride away to die in their war in some strange land far away.

'But Umbar offers its protection freely, without asking anything in return: no oaths, no sending your young men away to someone else's war. Umbar is not at war, with Sauron or anyone else. And his Imperial Majesty Herumor is on close terms with Sauron. He can protect you from Sauron's wrath. Or from Gondor's, for that matter.'

Isildur's rage burst forth at that. 'You do not need protection from Gondor, lords, whether or not you honor your oath. It is not our way to attack our neighbors. But you may well need protection from Umbar. They have a long-standing policy of destroying those who do not bow to them. Herumor is only seeking to add your lands to his empire. His very kind offer of protection is but a thinly veiled threat. He is extorting you at the point of a sword!'

Malithor smiled. 'Thank you, Isildur, I could not have put it better myself. Umbar offers you the open hand of friendship if you join with us. But if you refuse that open hand, you may find it mailed when next you see it. The Empire will not tolerate disobedience. I say unto you, Revered Elders, that if you ride now with Isildur, his Imperial Majesty will have no choice but to view you as a threat to the Empire.'

'We are enemies of neither Gondor nor Umbar,' said Romach pleadingly. 'Neither of you has aught to fear from us, and well you know it. We are but simple herdsmen who desire only to be left alone.'

'That is true today, yes,' replied Malithor. 'But if you were to acknowledge Isildur's claim on you, you would be forced to take up arms against Sauron. And know you that the friendship between Mordor and Umbar is very close, very close indeed. Herumor would certainly judge that an enemy of our ally is but another enemy of ours. Because of my esteem for you, I would of course plead for you at the court, but Herumor is given to sudden passions against those by whom he feels betrayed. I am afraid I could not answer for your safety.'

The Elders stared glumly from one to the other. For a time no one spoke. Then Romach broke the tense silence.

'We Eredrim are a people of peaceful commerce. We know little of the wars of the great. But when the diplomatic niceties are put aside, your messages come down to this: if we ally ourselves with either of you, the other will destroy us.'

'No,' said Isildur. 'That is not my message. Gondor would never attack you, unless you were to take up arms against her.'

'That we would never do, Sire. We have no quarrel at all with Gondor, I assure you. Our only wish is to remain neutral.'

'Then the matter is settled,' said Malithor with obvious gloating on his face. 'The Eredrim shall remain neutral, and safely at home.' The Elders brightened visibly. One moved to rise.

'No,' said Isildur, and his voice was hard and cold. 'It is not settled. The Oath of Karmach still remains, and I shall not release you from it. Do not dishonor the noble Lord Karmach by becoming oathbreakers. If you fear the threats of this Mouth of Sauron, you must keep a strong well-armed force in reserve to protect your land from the Corsairs. But those you can spare, let them ride with me.'

The Elder who had risen collapsed back into his chair. 'Then you are leaving us no option, Sire?'

'Yes. I leave you one option. The option to do what is right and honorable, to ally yourselves with the people of good will and to strive against the forces of evil. Honor your oath and stand with Gondor and Arnor and Lindon and all the other free lands of the west. Help us to defeat Sauron and free the world of his evil. Then together we can begin to make the seas safe for travel. When the war with Sauron is over, I promise you Gondor will deal with these blustering, threatening Umbardrim and drive them from our shores forever.'

Malithor's face grew even darker. He opened his mouth to reply, but Isildur cut him off by rising to his feet. He threw back his sky-blue cloak and his mithril armor glowed red in the firelight. He seemed to grow taller, filling the hall, and he looked fell and grim.

'This I say unto you, Men of the Mountains,' his voice boomed out. 'I am leaving now to break my camp and make ready to depart at first light tomorrow.'