Ten Thousand Years
Will Not Suffice
Chapter 1: Third Age 2936
Stories
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Prologue
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He was sure the city had been built just for him as he raced along the
curving road. By the time he reached the fourth level, he was
again grateful, for the hundredth time, that there were no steps
leading to the Citadel. His little legs were already tired; steps
would be much worse, he decided. Perhaps, if he asked plainly,
his father would give him a pony? It would make his life so much
simpler. He wanted to explore everything in and out of the City,
but he had decided a long time ago, at least a week ago, that his legs
were too short!
He held his treasure tightly in both hands, holding it against his
chest for fear of losing it. It squirmed and squiggled in his
hands and he was forever stopping to make sure he was not hurting it in
his headlong rush. Wouldn't his father be pleased to see what he
had captured! He had pretended, in his mind's eye, that he had
surprised a band of Orc by the stream. They had fled when they
saw his terrible face.
He had tried to look just like his father - the time when he had
'accidentally' run away. He had missed nuncheon, the first time
ever; he was in the midst of a game with some of the soldiers' children
and forgotten the time. His nurse had gone to his father in
fear. He could hear his father's roar from the seventh
circle. He knew he was in trouble; he had run and hid in one of
the empty horse's stalls. After a few moments, he knew he had
been wrong. He didn't want to leave the quiet refuge, but he knew
he must face his father, after all - wasn't he a soldier in the
Steward's Army? Is not that what his father called him - his
little soldier? In the depths of his heart, he knew soldiers did
not hide.
He stood up brushing the straw from his clothes and strode purposefully
towards the stable doors. He shrank back as a great shadow
blocked the door, the sunlight, the world. It was his father; he
could tell it in the stance. Ecthelion strode forward, grabbed
him by the collar, and marched him out the door. Denethor took a
sideways glance up at him, but the look on his father's face was
terrible to behold. He didn't quite understand. But he
would never forget that look.
And today, he had tried to look the same way at the imagined hoard of
Orc. One of the Orc had slipped and fallen and Denethor quickly
seized him and marched him off to his father.
"No!" he screamed. The treasure, his Orc, had escaped and was
hopping wildly away. A cart passed by him on its way to one of
the lower levels. The driver did not see, could not see, the
little creature that ran in his path. It died quickly.
Denethor stood as still as a statue. He had failed to protect his
prisoner. He had lost his wondrous treasure. The cart had
passed; the driver unaware of the tragedy he had caused.
Denethor's eyes filled with tears. His shoulders shook
uncontrollably as he sobbed his sorrow. Before he knew it, he was
standing before the door of the Great Hall - not sure how or when he
had arrived there. One of the guards bent low, put his hand on
Denethor's shoulder, and gently asked him what the matter was.
The lad could not speak - by now he was near hysterics, so the soldier
picked him up and entered the Hall. He could not leave the little
one in such despair, though he knew that he should not abandon his
post. 'One duty must sometimes be put aside for another.'
He also knew Ecthelion was meeting with Turgon on matters of
state. 'Well,' he thought, 'it cannot be helped. This
little one is the image of his mother.' And the guard, like all of
Gondor, had worshipped the ground the Lady Rían had walked
upon. This little one rarely cried and the guard, concerned,
could not leave the boy in pain unhelped.
"What has happened?" Ecthelion ran forward as soon as he saw the guard
approaching with his son in the man's arms.
"I am not sure, my Lord," the guard said, "but he does not appear to be
hurt."
Ecthelion took his son from the guard, excused himself to Turgon,
walked quickly to a side chamber, and sat on one of the chairs, hauling
Denethor into his lap. He kissed the child on his forehead and
wiped the tears from the chubby little cheeks. Denethor would not
calm and the racking sobs tore at Ecthelion's heart. The guard
brought water, said he would fetch Denethor's nurse, and left
them. Ecthelion urged his son to drink and finally Denethor
did. Suddenly, he threw his arms around his father's neck and
sobbed again. Ecthelion gently detached the child's arms from
around his neck and lifted his chin.
"My son, what has happened?"
"I found this...this... " Sobs stopped his words. He tried
again, "I found this wonderful thing. It was almost the size of a
mûmak, I am sure!" He paused for another moment to catch
his breath and Ecthelion laughed to himself. The lad had never
seen a mûmak and the thought of him carrying one in his little
hands almost made him laugh out loud, but he checked the impulse as he
looked at the tear-stained face. The child was too serious to
even try to lighten the moment.
Denethor continued on with his tale while Ecthelion listened
intently. When Denethor reached the part about the cart, the
tears and sobs increased and he could no longer speak. Ecthelion
hugged him tightly, concern and relief fighting for dominance. He
offered him a little more water, at a loss for words to help ease his
son's grief. The face of Rían flashed before him and, for
the thousandth time, he wished that she were here beside him. He
missed her terribly; not a day went by that he did not think of
her. Suddenly, he knew what to say.
"Denethor, listen to me. That was such a special and wondrous
bullfrog, Orc that you found. I would have dearly loved to have
seen it. I am so very proud that you were able to capture it on
your own, being as big as you described it. Your mother must have
been proud, too. But my son, she probably knew it could not live
inside the city, and so she took it to be with her. It is a
special present for her from you. I am sure she is enjoying it
thoroughly." As he spoke, Ecthelion felt that what he said was
most obtuse and wondered why on Middle-earth he thought this would
comfort the lad, but to his surprise, Denethor's eyes widened. He
wiped his nose on his sleeve and a small smile crept into his eyes.
"Father, do you really think Mother has it? But, father, are not
I special enough for Mother to take, too?" The question almost
broke Ecthelion's heart. Denethor had only lain in Rían's
arms for a short time. Did he have some memory of her?
"Yes, my son," he said, "I am sure your treasure is with your
mother. And yes, you are very special, my son, so special that
your mother wants you to stay with me for a while. She knows I
need you, my son, that Gondor needs you."
'Take those words back!' his heart screamed. Why had he said that
last part? It was not necessary; the boy did not need to hear
that. Mayhap it was Ecthelion himself who needed to hear
it. He shook his head in dismay and saw that Denethor
misinterpreted the gesture. He smiled, hugged the lad and kissed
his small forehead again. The nurse had arrived some moments
before and stood by patiently. Now, Ecthelion lifted his son off
his lap and placed the little hand in her hand.
"Please take my son to his room, wash him and give him some light
food. I will be up shortly to bed him."
"Denethor, go with your nurse. I will come shortly and perhaps
you can draw me a picture of this great beast. We can hang it on
your bedroom wall and we will remember the day you captured an animal
bigger than a mûmak."
Denethor hugged him around the neck till his breath was almost stopped,
and then quickly left in his nurse's care.
Ecthelion sat back with a sigh. The boy was almost six and he had
planned a special ceremony on his sixth birthday. But now, he
wondered. He thought again of the concern that had chilled his
heart during Denethor's story. The child was not maturing fast
enough for Gondor's weal. He had hoped to begin his training this
year, but perhaps six was too young. Now, the chill came back, even
stronger as he thought of the weakness of Gondor. Something was
wrong. He felt it in the deepest part of his being. His
father did not seem to sense it. Turgon did not seem to see any
need for furthering the defenses of Gondor. All had been quiet
for many years. Yet, there was a nagging feeling that Ecthelion
could not put words to. No matter what his father thought, he
knew he must now prepare for this evil that weighed so heavily upon his
heart. He must keep Gondor safe until the return of the king. And
he would begin with his own son. And there was the crux of the matter,
the cause for his concern. For Denethor was weak; the tears today
showed it. He would have to do something.
Prologue
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