The Embalmer's Apprentice by Lyra

Thank you for letting me know! Sorry about the lost sleep, though. ;)

Yes, they have completely opposed ideas about leadership and how to treat subordinates. And since it "comes naturally" to both of them, neither would've dreamt of forewarning the other. At this point, everybody is perplexed...

Somewhat ironically, if Azruhâr were in his apprentices' position, he'd probably assume the same. He just doesn't see himself as that sort of person and expects others to see him in the same way!

Eeee, thanks for telling me! That's amazing. Made my day. <3

I'm sorry the Umbar storyline isn't your cuppa - it will continue a while longer, I'm afraid! But for what it's worth, it'll help Azruhâr to acquire the skills he needs to make it back home. I miss his family and friends on Númenor, too!

Welcome back! :D Maybe the settings got mixed up when the site migrated? Either way, lovely to hear from you again.

It'll probably take some external nudging, from people who are less caught up in the situation, before he really understands. It probably doesn't help that he hasn't exactly been encouraged to reflect on his feelings in his younger days, and he doesn't much like to think back on them now. But he's trying.

We will see! *ominous background music*

Despite what he thinks, it will be good for him. Confusing at first, but quite useful. It'll be enlightening for him to be treated as someone who belongs! And of course some networking can't hurt.

Thank you for your comment, as always!

Darîm definitely is only showing a façade. I'm not sure he could be an ally to Azruhâr; from his perspective at least, perhaps Azruhâr could be an ally to him. Not that he's going to ask! He'd need to get a feel for him first, and currently, Darîm is just as puzzled (possibly even annoyed) by Azruhâr's decisions as the other Umbari.

I hope so too! Thank you for your comment!

Much like Azruhâr himself, they're used to hard work, bad pay and few rights. Unlike him, they may not have met the occasional friendly employer - certainly not among the Númenóreans in Umbar, if they've worked for them at all - and they're still at the very beginning of the learning curve that started for him when he became an embalmer himself. They're very much suspecting a trap.

He is, isn't he? :D

Me too! Unfortunately, it's too early yet for nasty battle stories. We won't hear them until the council does and/or Herucalmo comes back, I'm afraid!

Life is messy and some growing pains are unavoidable. :/

Some of them are probably relieved to know what to expect if they make a mistake, yes. Though they probably don't feel like they can figure him out. Yorzim, for instance, probably operated under the assumption that "making excuses" would make things worse. And they're all wondering for what purpose Yorzim was kept, rather than sent back with no second chances, as he and the others probably expected. I hope the next chapter will clear things up further. If the planned events will finally fit in that chapter, anyway...

Yes, it had to happen at some point, right? And in the long run, it'll probably help Azruhâr to redefine his work, but right now, it's just confusing. (Especially with everything else going on!)

The Giver of Gifts may have visited more people than just Adanel's. :/

Yes, it'll take him a while to come to terms with that side of him.

As always, thank you!
 

This chapter (and the next) were a pain to write, so it's a serious relief that you still enjoyed reading them.

The ancient tales might not be true, but there's probably some grain of truth in there. Both Melkor and Sauron probably had their dealings with the people who came to settle in Umbar in the long-ago (or not that long-ago).

It'll take a while until anything like trust develops, although the events of these chapters probably help the apprentices to become a little more confident as they see what happens (and what doesn't happen) when they offend.

It's a long journey! (She says, staring at her outline in growing despair) Thank you for your comment!

Glad it's getting more interesting! I hope there will be some happier events soon. (Not quite yet, though.)

Darîm certainly has his own agenda. But to be fair to him, the prisoners being selected was Azruhâr's idea from the start; Darîm simply jumped at the chance of having them released, especially as it would free him of the obligation to ensure the upkeep of their families. But Azruhâr certainly should not trust him, and he's starting to realise it.

Again, thank you for your comment!

Thank you!

As you say, Laurilyo and the companions will have to piece things together - only part of the secret is out. And they might not draw the conclusions from it that Azruhâr expects.

Well, here on the outside we know he'll survive to do further mischief, so we can laugh at the idea! :D He's on his way back, actually, so I hope we'll find out what he's been doing soon (ish).

I think the apprentices share that concern.

Darîm's distant ancestors were almost certainly involved, but that must have been centuries ago, before the Númenóreans began colonising (but after they began interacting with the people of Middle-earth again). It's not something he'd look back to with pride, though. Which makes the subject even more touchy!

I'm currently working on the first (of several) conversations about the state of the Azruhâr and what led to it... so we will learn more about what Laurilyo and his friends think! They have some very interesting theories. Azruhâr will be horrified. >:D

He's on his way back, actually! But some things have to happen first before he can have his triumphant return. As usual, this story keeps taking turns that I haven't planned for...

Thank you for reading and commenting!

Yes, I fear we'll never actually get anywhere because of all the unpacking. :/

Azruhâr really is alien to all of them, poor guy - he feels too much like his apprentices, and is expected to be too much like Laurilyo's friends. He has yet to come to terms with it.

Oh, I'm sure he's interested - he's just confused. I don't have any particular inspiration for the Umbarian style, TBH, but his feelings about this are inspired by my first encounter with butoh dance theatre as a teen - I tried so hard to enjoy it and was mainly confused and overwhelmed instead! I don't imagine the Umbarian theatre exactly like butoh (or other Japanese genres of theatre), though - it's probably far less abstract than modern dance theatre, but still very ritualistic, requiring familiarity with the symbols and meanings in order to be understandable. In a few years' time, when he has come to understand how it works, Azruhâr might enjoy himself! :D

Thank you!

He has a lot of experience in Bad Things, not so much in things turning out alright. I guess it's nice for him to be surprised sometimes. ;)

Yes, you might! Not a whole lot, but it's going to be addressed...

Roitaheru has no idea about the details. Atanacalmo has kept it deliberately vague because it's much more convenient when the matter is forgotten, or at least, obscured by rumour - and among the Númenórean community in Umbar, which perceives itself as a single class of honourable people, the truth would be even less acceptable than it was even on Númenor itself, where ressentiments towards the "low-born" and Azruhâr's "criminal past" are working in the King's favour. Since Azruhâr neither wants to explain himself at detail nor knows for certain what he can share without being accused of fomenting rebellion, it will remain a mystery that Laurilyo and his friends will have to try to solve on their own.

Herucalmo (like his father and, ultimately, even Atanacalmo) certainly thinks he's a decent person! But their decency is limited to people and causes who are "worth it". And of course, it mustn't get in the way of ambition...

Darîm was absolutely giving Elâl a hard time. He was very disappointed by the outcome, although he'll probably get over the disappointment fairly soon; like Laurilyo, he didn't put all his eggs in the same basket. And he has a lot of other things to take care of.

It will take some time, I think, until Azruhâr will allow himself to be at least a little proud of what he has achieved. He's been taught for sixty years that he's worthless. And of course he'd prefer not to be involved in any matters of national security!

Thank you for your enthusiastic comment! It would be fun to have a Netflix adaptation (although they'd probably have to cut down on the endless dialogues!). I'd be very picky about the cast, though. XD

He really is trying to do better.

The possible ramifications will become clearer in the next chapter. I know that some readers prefer to steer away from stories focused on childbirth, so that gets its own chapter that people can skip at will. Not sure how deeply the explanation of Yorzim's attitude and the birthing process will be intertwined, yet, but it felt safer to cut this chapter off now. Also more dramatic to end on the reveal! ;)

Thank you for your comment!

Probably not, but perhaps he'll grow more comfortable about being himself. In the meantime, it's an ambitious new goal. Perhaps even, deep down, a realisation that he *could* be like Eärendur - that there is no fundamental difference between them. Not that he'd dare to think such things consciously!

Yorzim's reasons will be explained. :) Thanks for your encouragement!

Welcome aboard! I'm so glad you're enjoying this story. Thanks for letting me know!

Let's just say that there are reasons why Yorzim became the way that he is.

It isn't yet clear (to me, the writer) how much of the fear is based on experience and how much is born from threat, hearsay and conjecture, but either way, fear is instrumental in the government of Umbar, both from the line of the Darîm and from the Númenórean governors. Azruhâr has begun to uncover things that will cost him a lot of sleep again...

Thank you for making it through this chapter!

I know! I wrote myself into a corner, really - it would have been too good to be true if Azruhâr's intervention just miraculously made everything better, but I feel bad about writing it all the same.

The visit to the village going to give Azruhâr a lot to think about (even more than his previous interactions with the Umbari). He is used to injustice, of course, but he isn't used to profiting from it or being expected to implement it, and it's going to be interesting (I hope) to see how he deals with it. He may not be able to stay out of politics.

Thank you for your comment!

That's Herucalmo for you! ;)

Yes, things don't always arrive in an orderly fashion. The line between "not enough work" and "too much work" is fine and can never be walked for long...
 

Thank you for the encouragement, as always!

Getting Sidi to explain (part of) the situation and the reasoning behind Yorzim's refusal was probably a step forward, even though it's uncomfortable and confusing. Baby steps...

There are lots of problems Azruhâr will need to solve in the upcoming chapters, but discipline probably won't one of them. The apprentices are convinced that he must be a close friend of the governor's son, so that makes him more intimidating than before!

Thank you for your comment!

He can't control what he feels, but he can control how he deals with it, and he has botched that. I suppose we have to give him credit for being honest now.

Yes, Azruhâr is still very much feeling uprooted and out of his depth. He manages to do what he sees as his duty, but he isn't happy.

Thank you so much!