'Our army, as you call it, is but a militia.They are ready at a horn's call to defend their homes, but they return to their homes after each call to arms. They are bold and well-trained, but they are no knights errant, to pack up and troop off to war. Who would defend our homes, our families?'
'I do not ask you to leave your homes unguarded,' replied Isildur. 'But many of us have already lost our homes, are some are still losing them, as at the Ethir Lefnui. There is no longer safety in remaining behind in your mountain fastnesses, Romach. If Gondor falls and Sauron prevails, there will be no safe haven in any land.'
'But Sire,' said Romach. 'We guard the western approaches to Gondor. We cannot leave the fords unguarded. We could protect Gondor better by remaining here.'
Isildur's eyes blazed. 'Of course the fords must be guarded, and your lands and villages. But you are a numerous people and your men are renowned fighters. Gondor has need of your help.' The king bent his eyes upon Romach's. 'Are you saying you would refuse the summons?' he growled, and Romach's face blanched.
'No, my king,' he exclaimed quickly. 'I am only explaining that it will take some time to call all the valleys together, to make known what is required, to establish suitable defenses for those that remain. Provisions must be gathered, transportation arranged, compensation provided. Such things cannot be done quickly.'
'And yet I say unto you,' said Isildur, 'that haste is vital at this critical hour. We are all but a small piece of a much greater whole. Even as we speak, great forces are moving, gathering, throughout all of Middle-earth. All are to be drawn together this Midsummer's Day, now but three weeks away. Then much that is hidden will be revealed. There will plans be made and all our efforts bent to a final deciding conflict.
'According to the schedule arranged, I was to have been at Erech weeks ago. But at Angrenost and again at Anglond I was delayed by the designs of the Enemy. Now time is short indeed. You must move with all haste.'
'I will send messengers to all the valleys tomorrow,' said Romach. 'Within three days, I will have the Elders of every tribe of the Eredrim before you.'
'We do not need your Elders,' said Isildur. 'We need your warriors.'
'I am not a king,' exclaimed Romach. 'I am the lord only of Erech. The Eredrim are a confederation of tribes. The Elders must be consulted on any decision so momentous.'
Isildur stared, struggling to control his frustration. Romach was frightened, but surely he didn't dare break the oath. Perhaps he was just speaking the truth.
'Summon your Elders, then,' he growled. 'But let the messengers carry word also to the valleys that the Eredrim are summoned. Let the weapontake begin at once.'
'So it shall be done,' said Romach.
They slept that night in their tents beside the hill of Erech, but Ohtar woke during the night to find Isildur gone from his bed. Scrambling quickly out of the tent, he saw a tall figure standing beside the stone at the top of the hill. Ohtar wrapped his cloak about him and climbed shivering up to join him. Isildur turned at his approach.
'This great stone once stood in the court of the palace at Romenna in Numenor,' he said, stroking it with his hand. 'It had been uncovered deep in the mountain not long after the founding of Numenor, when the foundations of the palace were hewn. No one knew whence it had come; whether it had been left there by the Valar who created the island, or whether some other still more ancient race had lived in that land before them. Elros at first would have his stonemasons cut it for use in the palace then building, but they felt some power in the strange black stone and would not. The people of the court, and especially those of the royal blood, felt drawn to it and it became an heirloom of our family. In the end it was set up in the midst of the palace with fountains playing round about and flowering trees leaning above. Yet even in that lovely setting, it seemed strange and mysterious.
'In my youth I felt myself strangely drawn to it and I spent many hours sitting near it. Father sometimes said that some of the strange powers I later discovered in myself were due to my affinity for the Black Stone. Whether that is true or not, I still feel a bond with it, as if my own powers are stronger in its proximity.
'When the Downfall of Numenor approached, father bade us leave the stone, but I would not have it lost and with great effort of many men we bore it to the havens and secured it deep in my ship, next the keel. When at length we landed at Pelargir we set it up there, but later removed it here as a token of the power and friendship of Gondor here in the western provinces. It has long been revered by the Eredrim, so they must sense its power as well.'
He was silent a while, his hand yet resting on the smooth black stone.
'I am uneasy, Ohtar. I fear Romach is up to something.'
'You think he means to break the Oath?'
'Surely not. I cannot think he would dare to openly defy us. It seemed rather that he was stalling, purposely playing for time.'
'Why would he do that?'
'I don't know.' They stood together, watching the gibbous moon sinking behind the western cliffs.
'Some of our people were drinking with the locals tonight,' said Ohtar. 'They told me they thought the Eredrim were not eager to join our cause.'
'Clear it is that Romach is not.'
'They also said the Eredrim, or at least Romach, seemed to be expecting someone else when we appeared this morning.'
Isildur was silent and said no more. They stood there together in the darkness for some time. Eventually Ohtar grew cold and returned to the tent, but it was much later before he heard Isildur come in.
Chapter Two
Ambassador from the South
They rose early to a fine morning. The Eredrim women brought them olives and mutton and white goat cheese with which to break their fast. Isildur sent Ohtar to seek out Romach, and he found him in his hall, in council with several of his lieutenants.
'But surely he will turn back when he sees that the Gondorrim are here?' asked one.
'I would hope so, but you know how arrogant he…' began Romach, then his eye fell on Ohtar at the door. 'Yes?' he called loudly, clearly a sign to the others to break off the discussion.
'My lord Isildur sends to know if any word has been received from the other tribes.'
'No, not yet. The first are expected this afternoon. We will send word when they arrive.'
Ohtar bowed and departed, feeling their eyes on his back. He paused just outside the door, but the door warden stepped towards him and he hurried back to Isildur.
'So they do expect other visitors,' said Isildur when Ohtar reported what he had overheard.
'Yes, someone who would not want to appear while we're here.'
'Some mischief is afoot here, but I cannot guess what it might be. We must remain alert. Pass the word to your friends among the men to see if they can learn anything.'
The men were employed repairing their gear and sharpening their weapons. Isildur met with his lieutenants, informing them they would likely remain in Erech several more days. In midmorning Ohtar heard shouting and looked up from his grindstone. The watchman that Romach kept posted at the Stone was running as fast as he could toward Romach's hall. Others of the Eredrim were gathering nearby. Ohtar joined them and found Isildur already there.
Romach and his lieutenants were whispering excitedly among themselves. Isildur strode up to them.
'What is it, Romach?' he demanded. Romach's face blanched white. Ohtar noticed he was trembling.
'R-riders are approaching, Sire,' he stammered.
'The Elders from the other tribes?'
'No, Sire. An embassy from another land.'
'An embassy? You did not mention yesterday that you were expecting an embassy.'
'No.' He wiped his sweating face. Hoof beats could now be heard from the direction of the ford. 'We did not expect them to…' he gulped. 'We did not expect them today, Sire,' he finished.
'And whom do they represent? If they are from Anfalas, it would save me a long ride to Ringlond to meet
