Seeds of the White Tree

Chapter 36 - Strangers

If there was one thing that Aragorn and Eldarion were most alike in, it was their mutual resignation to politics. Father and son were entirely too much the sons of Dúnedain rangers to ever find the relentless back-and-forth over paper and power satisfying. Still, here they were, convened once again inside the Dome of the Sun for the summer meeting of Gondor's Great Council. 

A groan threatened to escape Eldarion, and he had to bite his tongue to keep it hidden. The topic at hand wasn't necessarily idle concerns, far from it in fact. Still, the two lords of Gondor currently standing at their seats had been at this for some time now. 

"-eroding the riverbanks of the Erui considerably, resulting in damage to both east and west riverbanks, as well as adversely affecting the fishing grounds further downstream at Tolfolas." 

Lord Findegil of Lossarnach was quick on the rebuttal. "Your complaints are noted, Lord Faltharan. However, they carry a good deal less weight when one considers that your city makes use of our sand extracts in all of your many glass windows."

"Windows that were installed ere my grandfather's generation! The current sand mining practices of Lossarnach threaten to ruin the entire southern leg of the Anduin!" Faltharan turned to Éowyn for support. "Surely you have seen that the river is running higher through Ithilien this year?"

"I have," admitted Éowyn. "The elves commented to Faramir and I only this past spring that the Anduin seemed unbalanced and ill at ease." 

Findegil blinked. "...Indeed. Feelings of the river aside, good lords and ladies of the council, surely we can agree that Lord Faltharan's motion to suspend Lossarnach's sand mining operations are ridiculous. A great many of our folk find their daily living from such economies!"

Another argument - the third that hour - broke out, leaving Eldarion somewhat free to meet his sister's eye. Túrien sat across the table next to Sufyan, be-decked from head to toe in full Haradrim finery. Sufyan of course forewent the head scarf today, out of respect for Gondorian customs when indoors. Túrien however wore not one but two colorful shawls, as well as a beaded corset, fire-orange vest, and heavy jewelry. Eldarion noticed that Túrien had also had her ears pierced since her last visit; matched rubies on tiny golden chains glittered above her shoulders. 

Túrien wrinkled her nose ever-so-slightly at Eldarion, and he understood her meaning. The lords of Gondor could carry on like this for hours without ever having accomplished anything in the end. Such meetings of the Great Council inevitably ran straight through the dinner hour and into the night, to the general detriment of everyone's temper (and negotiation skills). This could be a very long day indeed. 

"-personally see no alternative, save Lord Faltharan's preposterous assertion that we halt all mining, putting hundreds of Gondorians out of work and depriving Osgiliath's final reconstruction phase of its glass orders." 

"Actually, Lord Findegil, I may have an alternative suggestion." 

All heads turned as Túrien rose from her seat. Aragorn, in his customary place at the head of the table, smothered a smile. The lords of Gondor were still unaccustomed to Túrien and her Haradrim husband, even though it had been three years since that marriage. Harmindon and the tutelage its ramyah had only made the young princess more assertive and authoritative over the years. Many frowned as Túrien let the silence hang, bringing everyone's attention to rest upon her. 

"It seems to me," Túrien began unhurriedly "that the chief concern is one of over-harvesting, rather than the actual nature of the harvest in the first place. It is fact, after all, that Lossarnach has been reaping sand from Gondor's riverbanks for generations. What has changed, Lord Findegil?"