Seeds of the White Tree

Chapter 19 - How Giants Dance

OoOoO

Time seemed to pass by both languidly slow and entirely too fast in the City of Many Waters. Eldarion arose each morning to the soft trilling of birds in the gardens beneath his windows and whiled away the heated afternoons either reclined on soft rugs beneath a canopy of scarlet linen or taking long walks through the streets of Harmindon (never without at least a pair of Haradrim guards by his side). On the days when he stayed in the citadel, he spent much time getting to know more of Harad's customs and history. Bakr taught him how to read the simplest of Haradrim calligraphy, Na'Man taught him the strings on their lute-like instrument known as a tanbūr, and Zamira taught him that pointing the bottom of one's shoe at another person was considered extremely rude. After one such unfortunate lesson over lunch, Eldarion took enormous care to be aware of the positioning of his feet at all times. Túrien was still teasing him whenever the ramyah of Abrakhân happened to pass by, which was not often given how many hours the women spent in Harmindon's council chambers with Aragorn, Elphir and Éomer each day.

As for Túrien, she grew brown as a berry and as forthright as any ramyah the longer they stayed in Harmindon. Eldarion had always known his middle sister to be unafraid of speaking her mind, but now Túrien became downright bold. She came and went from the citadel with impunity, earning her a scolding from their father one evening after she was not to be found for dinner. Túrien seemed completely unafraid of the Haradrim though, despite all the years of scarcely forgotten blood and emnity that lay between their two peoples. Every day she went out, clad in borrowed silks and woven sandals, and mingled with the people. Sawda reassured Aragorn and Eldarion that Túrien was being accompanied, and every evening she eventually reappeared unscathed, her pockets filled with bone carvings and little knives which she had bartered for. Sometimes she would come to Eldarion's rooms after dinner and regale him with tales of her adventures.

"...and then the old woman told us that blue eyes were the mark of a seer. She said that there was once a Bone Mother in Bozisha-Dar who had blue eyes, and could read when the rains would come every time without fail."

Eldarion had never heard of Bone Mothers or Bozisha-Dar, but Túrien spoke with such animation that he could hardly wish to interrupt her. He did however pick up on something that made him quirk an eyebrow.

"Us?"

Túrien batted the question away as though it were an irritating fly. "Never you mind. Tomorrow I must show you the old marketplace though! You wouldn't believe the things which..."

OoOoO

Even adventures must come to an end, and soon enough they found themselves measuring the time until their return to Minas Tirith in days rather than weeks. Aragorn told Eldarion and Túrien that negotiations for peace were making good progress, but that one matter remained to be settled; that of South Gondor. The ramyahs had made it clear that they expected an answer regarding the question of that vast land, an answer which Aragorn did not feel he was in a position to freely give, even as king. Éomer could hardly help him in that arena, although he had capitulated that Rohan would back Gondor no matter their final answer.

The decision could be delayed at least for one more day at least. Over a dinner of roast lamb and spicy soup the night before, Na'Man had informed them that Sawda had something special planned for them on the morn. When Túrien tried to press him for more information, the chieftain had simply chuckled and tugged the hem of Túrien's shawl.

"You are as eager as a meerkat, daughter of queens. I promise you, what you will see tomorrow is something no child of the West has even witnessed before."