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 ...
Next morning Gil-galad met with Niluadun. "As diplomacy," Gil-galad said, "your mission is a failure. Even without last night, it was already doing more harm than good. I have the distinct impression that many of those under you do not wish it to succeed and I would rather you left before any more damage is done."
"I fear you may be right. Perhaps the time has not yet come for rapprochement between our peoples. The next generation may do better - Tar Palantir is raising his daughter as one of the Faithful and Gimilkhad will not live forever. The young heir to Andunie, Amandil, is fluent in Sindarin and has been a great help to me here, while Gimilkhad's son has mostly behaved himself and I have some hopes that he will prove better than his father."
"Since we have come to no new alliance, will you take the gifts back?"
"No. The fault was solely ours and I see no reason to pretend otherwise. I would also like to apologize about the sword. It appears I was misinformed as to its origins. I recently discovered that it in fact belonged to Lord Celebrimbor, and should have been returned to the Eldar after the War of the Elves and Sauron, in which it was taken."
Gil-galad smiled. "It eases my heart to know that you did not know quite what you are doing there. I feared it might be deliberate insult on the part of Tar Palantir and the Numenorean delegation as a whole."
"It most definitely was not. Tar Palantir truly desires alliance and friendship renewed."
"In that case, I have prepared to a letter for him," said Gil-galad reaching down to the table beside him and passing the letter across to Niluadun. "I would also like him to have this." He held up a small sphere swirled in green, white, and blue that shifted in the light. "It contains images of Tirion under the light of the Two Trees, and it was made in that time. One of my ancestors took it with him when he left Valinor. I would like Tar Palantir to have something from us to remind him that while his efforts may sometimes seem fruitless they are not forgotten or unnoticed."
Niluadun nodded. "May the day come that our peoples can truly meet in friendship again."
"May it come again indeed. Until that time, may the stars shine on your path."
"And on yours also. Namarie."
"Namarie."
Amandil stared behind the ship at the receding shoreline. He could no longer see Mithlond, for it was shrouded in clouds through which the mountains of the Ered Luin loomed. What an appalling mess. They would have done better not to go at all.
A/N: with reference to the chapter titles, I must apologize to the unknown student who misquoted Julius Caesar as 'I came, I saw, I left.' The correct translation is 'I came, I saw, I conquered'.
