Wolf of Númenor

Chapter 69: The Art of Ruling

6 months later

It was a balmy night in Gondor; an autumn wind was beginning to blow, shrouding the city in a thick mist. At that moment, Jon was quietly smoking in a cool bath, enjoying the reprieve from ruling.

Isildur, Anárion and Elendur had departed for their respective Cities on the twenty-fifth of Narvinyë once they were confident the affairs of the City were in order. He was grateful for the trust they both placed in him by entrusting him with the capital of their Kingdom though Jon wished they would both stay a little longer... But they were Kings in their own right, and a King's duty is always to his people more than to his friends... or family.

Taking up the mantle of a ruler was a rather queer business, but after some time, he had taken to it like a dwarf to the forge, yet it wasn't without its perils nor hardship.

After his Lords departed Osgiliath, Jon had endeavoured to venture out into the City and its surrounding lands to better acquaint himself with the Southern Kingdom and his own lands.

In this way, he had come to know the fields of Lord Calcamacil, the ports of Lord Earendur, the meadows of Lord Cemender.

Some days after his coronation, he had set about. Forging things of great beauty thrice forged spears and valiant swords and suits of plate that shone like silver in the firelight, much to the delight of the Lords of Gondor, especially Lord Calmacil whom he gave a fine shirt of gilded mail and great broad-headed mace.

He then endeavoured to make the City fairer than it had ever been, filling it with many trees and fountains indeed, the houses were filled with men and women and the laughter of children, and no window was blind nor any courtyard empty.

Indeed many whispered that under his Rulership, Osgiliath would become a city of such splendour that it would rival fair Andúnië, though this was a mere fairy tale if one would bother to ask his opinion of the subject and they wouldn't, though he was mighty in the arts of smithing Jon doubted he could rival the beauty of the fairest City in Númenor.

And then there were the treasures Jon kept held in reverence by the Lords of Osgiliath, such as Ghal-maraz, his cloak of dragonhide and the dragon horn.

Yet it was the ancient treasures of Beleriand that filled the Lords of Osgiliath with wonder and desire.

His sword Ringil, The Helm of Hador and Fingolfin's shield.

Such treasures mystified the Gondorians

Dramborleg remained in possession of Rhaenys, which aroused the envy of some soldiers as well as many nobles as they did not believe that such a weapon should be in the hands of a woman, although his beloved sister would not be parted from the Axe as many foolhardy soldiers soon found out.

However, he had taken great pains to conceal Narya, Anguirel and Lord Ulmo's conch as he did wish for his subjects to know he possessed an object that could summon one of the Ainur.

And lastly, the corslet of Khazad-silver that Jon received from King Durin himself was likewise the fascination and envy of many, even more so after he revealed to them that the King of Khazad-dûm himself forged it.

However, he felt that something was missing... Something that was truly his as many of the fantastical objects he had collected were merely gifts, perhaps a suit of armour.

Yes, armour, that was a splendid idea... Although considering his new duties, it will take time to forge it; besides that, Jon had not forgotten his oath to learn Ósowë and had spent many a long night pouring over Enerdhil's notes, yet he had made little progress it was indeed a complex skill that couldn't be grasped in a few short months.