The city of stone was buzzing with excitement and activity.  The previous day, even as Mirumor was being ‘rescued,’ Prince Eldarion and his companions had returned from their long journey east.  They had brought home with them a grave threat to the safety of all the free peoples, but for the moment Thorongil and Elerína had the situation under control.  The tale of that encounter is told elsewhere.

Anders led his company up to the throne room.  As they passed by the White Tree Eddil beckoned his comrades to go ahead without him and for Caranel to stay.  Under the light of the stars he knelt before her with a ring in his hand.

“Caranel, will you...” was as far as he got.  Caranel lifted him to his feet by his shoulders and kissed him beside the White Tree.  Timothy and Aldamir, who had guessed what was afoot and thus gone on only a few yards, clapped and cheered.

“Truly an ending worthy of the bards,” laughed Anders looking back.

The company proceeded to meet the King.  Beside the throne stood Elerína and Thorongil.  The King greeted them gladly.

“You have done the crown a great service, and should be rewarded accordingly.  What would you ask from your King?”

Caranel spoke first.  “I am a Ranger, and have done only her duty.”

Eddil put his arm around Caranel’s shoulders.  “I would ask you to perform our marriage, here under the White Tree.”

“I think that is an excellent idea,” smiled the King.

Aldamir’s turn came next but he couldn't decide what to ask for.  He thought asking for coin from the King was a waste of an opportunity to get closer to a royal title.  “I do not know what I would ask of you, Your Majesty. Perhaps you know better than I. Would the crown consider this the first step towards a royal title?”

The King nodded.  “I shall. In addition, for the next month you may conduct your trade free of taxes.”

“Thank you Your Majesty!” he exclaimed, much too excitedly for such a formal occasion.

“No pot of gold?  How uncharacteristically wise of you!” cackled Eddil under his breath.

The King turned then to Astra.

“As I have done in Erebor and Dale, I ask for the title of “The Huntress” within your lands,” she replied.

“As you wish,” nodded the King.  “I do not promise you exclusivity, but within the lands I rule you may use that title.”

Last of all came Timothy.  He knew exactly what he wanted.  “Your Majesty, I am a scholar. I would ask for access to the royal library and vault.”

“The wise know well the value in such privileges,” replied Aragorn.  “I grant you both.”

Aragorn thanked them again for their service and dismissed the company.  He beckoned Anders to stay.

“Well done, Captain,” said the King.  “There is one other matter. You are to be commended, both for your success and for the idea of using glass bottles of ink to defeat the armored trolls.  For the former, you have my congratulations; for the latter, you shall receive Arathorn’s Gem for Unconventional Thinking.”

This award, named for the King’s father and a great ranger in his own right, was rarely given.  Anders knew it was a great honor to receive it.

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” said Anders.

“You have Trevadîr to thank for the formal commendation,” added the King.  “It was he that recommended it. He said many more in his army would have perished had it not been for that tactic.”

“I can't take all the credit, sir,” replied Anders.  “Thorongil mentioned something similar being used in a battle in the First Age.”

“I dare say there might be some value in learning history,” laughed Aragorn.  “Dismissed.”

Captain Anders nodded and left.  He went to Faramir Hall, hoping to find that most of second company had survived the battle at Cirith Ungol.  As he left the Citadel he noted that Caranel and her friends were still meandering about; no one had told them to leave, and they knew it was rare to get the chance to see the seventh level of their grand city.

While his friends crept around the citadel hoping not to be noticed and asked to depart, Timothy sat on a stone bench beside the Fountain Court staring at the White Tree.  As the excitement of the past few days wore off he wept for the loss of the carven stone his father had given him at his birth. He felt he had lost his last connection to his parents, and perhaps to his mysterious divine protector as well.

As Elerína looked down at him from her window in the palace, her heart sank.  She knew he had paid a heavy price to defeat the spider. She tried to figure an argument that might convince her husband as to why she should reveal to him her identity.  So lost in thought was Elerína that she did not notice him join her in their room until he stood just behind her and put his hands on her shoulders.

“You should go tell him,” he whispered.

“Thank you dear,” she answered with a kiss.  She went quickly down to the door of the Palace and out to Timothy’s side.  Sitting down beside him with a pat on his back she tried to console him.

“I’ll make you a new sigil,” she said.

Timothy tried to appear composed but could not.  “It wouldn't be the same,” he sobbed.

Elerína leaned close to him and whispered in his ear.  “No, it will not ... but I would like to think that when your father made that for you he knew you would someday meet me.”

It took Timothy a moment to understand her meaning.  Suddenly he looked up, shocked and amazed. He would have exclaimed her name but she held a finger to his lips.

“Not here,” she said.  “I will answer your questions elsewhere.”

“Yes, Your Grace,” he whispered, his sorrow turned entirely to joy.

That evening Elerína dined with Timothy in the Palace of the King.  She answered his many questions about her purpose in Middle Earth and her history.  As night fell he asked his most important question.

“Why me?  Why have you protected me all these years?”

Ilmarë did not give a very satisfying answer.  “I do not know. I must admit I do not have any memory of you prior to our meeting in this city.  That said, I do not think Varda could easily remember all those to whom her name has brought aid. Perhaps it was my power without my memory - a thing that may sound strange to you but is not to me.  Perhaps Manwe, or Varda, or some other power aided you either for your own sake or knowing I would have need of you. Or perhaps it was your own courage and wit that got you through those adventures. You may choose to believe any combination of those - I myself choose to believe the first.”

“Hard to believe you don't know...” said Timothy.

“I’m not omniscient,” she sighed.

“Just smarter than everyone else?” he laughed.

“I think we're going to get along very well.”

That evening Mirumor was brought before the King and his councilors who asked innumerable questions.  She answered honestly, though she avoided the questions of her motives, choosing to portray herself as having been interested only in treasure hunting and having been forced to work with the orcs towards such an end.  As to her treasure, Aragorn ordered everything she carried with her confiscated and placed in the vault of Minas Tirith. He had promised her a pardon, not a profit. The only thing she managed to keep from her time in Mordor was a ring on her right hand - glittering gold inlaid with a singular red gem.  No one suspected that it had come from Barad-dûr.

Though Mirumor acted disappointed by the loss of her treasure she had expected as much.  The ring was all she had wanted. Had Aragorn known what lay on her finger he certainly would not have let her keep it, even if it was for the moment powerless.

It had belonged to a Prince of Numenor long ago, denied the throne he felt should have been his.  In his pride and jealousy he had taken from Sauron an offer of incredible power and eternal life. With its power he had conquered many thrones and slain many kings, but the dominion over men which Sauron had promised was never his.  The ring sat upon his master's finger when he, the one they said no living man could kill, met his fabled end upon the fields of Pelennor.

Three weeks after their return from Cirith Ungol Caranel and Eddil were wed in the shadow of the White Tree of Gondor by Aragorn their king.  It was well attended - all of their friends were there including Gram, who came down from Rohan for the occasion. Aragorn’s family attended in full - a great honor for the young couple.  Elerína and Thorongil were present as well.

After their wonderful wedding Caranel and Eddil took a honeymoon in Ithilien at a small cottage owned by the King.  They thanked him profusely before setting off. Astra and Aldamir decided to go with Gram back to Rohan; Astra wished to hunt game in Dunland.

Thorongil remained in Minas Tirith with Anders, plotting their next move against the orcs of Mordor.  Elerína and Amdirien travelled to Pelargir to attend a feast. Timothy went alone to the little village in Belfalas where he grew up to visit his parents’ grave, and tell them that he had lost his stone but found a star.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

From the Desk of heraldofmanwe

Thank you for reading “The Eagle and the Star” and making it all the way to the end!  I had a lot of fun writing it; I'm not a writer by trade (I'm a Computer Scientist) so the fact that even one person made it this far is still something I am coming to grips with :)

I'd like to thank Silmarilz1701 for editing and posting this, and encouraging me to try my hand at writing.  If you haven't read her work, you should take a look at it! This story originally was just an introduction for the characters of Thorongil and Elerína to her 4th age timeline.  Of course, most of you are probably thinking “of course I have read her stories, how do you think I found yours?”

If you are hoping for more stories about these characters, fear not!  There will be a sequel. It is titled “The Knight and the Huntress” and it has already been written (though if you have feedback on this story, I'm sure I will have time to incorporate it before release).  It will release once Flight to the East has progressed far enough that nothing will be spoiled. In the meantime, I may write a short prequel, the start of which will be in the next, final chapter.

(I, Silz, will post some final notes next chapter)