For Pharazôn son of Gimilkhâd had become a man yet more restless and eager for wealth and power than his father. He had fared often abroad, as a leader in the wars that the Númenóreans made then in the coastlands of Middle-earth, seeking to extend their dominion over Men; and thus he had won great renown as a captain both by land and by sea.
In the days of their youth together Amandil had been dear to Pharazôn ...
Amandil could hardly contain his excitement when the havens of Mithlond came into clear view. He'd only ever met elves once before and then only a small group. This time he was going to their capital city and would probably be there for over a month with the delegation from Tar Palantir.
The idea was to reopen and restart the friendship that it once been so strong between the two peoples and prevent them from becoming totally estranged. It was a goal Amandil believed in with all his heart and to see it so close to becoming real filled him with wonder.
Across the ship, a parrot screeched. Amandil looked over to the other side of the vessel, where the parrot clung to her perch in a golden cage. Pharazon was hovering around her and she was hissing at him. He poked the bars again, saying something Amandil couldn't hear. The bird responded by yelling at him. "You foul beast, go kiss an orc! Orc balls! Cuttlefish tentacles!" Amandil stared in shock, before walk again over to his friend.
"Pharazon, what have you been teaching this parrot? We can't give it to the High King like this."
"It's not my fault," he said. "With the sailors all yelling obscenities, why are you surprised that the parrot picks them up? I've been teaching it the elvish phrases you taught me like Lord Niluadun told me to, not Adunaic obscenities. Fortunately it doesn't matter. I doubt Gil-galad speaks Adunaic."
"You're probably right, but even so... I'm not sure about this whole gift idea in the first place. I have a nasty feeling something will go wrong."
"You know I don't like it either," said Pharazon, turning his back on the parrot. "It looks too much like we're giving tribute and we shouldn't be getting tribute to anybody. It was us that saved them when they were in trouble, not the other way around."
Amandil shrugged. "Whether we like it or not, the gifts are going to be given. Older and presumably wiser heads than our own have decreed that it will take place."
Pharazon laughed. "Presumably wiser indeed. Since we are both off-duty until the ship nears shore, what do you say to going up in the rigging and getting a better look at this city?"
Amandil's smile broadened. "Absolutely," he said and up they went.
