The King's Gift by françawën  

Prologue

The Music takes the loudest and strongest disharmonies from the enemy's cacophony and weaves them into its own melodies. This is so they become repeated reminders that power will not only destroy but also impress, create awe, bestow action and drive hopes and bold dreams. And actions. Amongst the Children of Men for sure. 

The Halls of Rath Dînen are the place where Gondor honours and remembers the Great of its past. Statues, effigies and plaques to the Kings of old, the great Stewards and glorified warriors line the vaults and niches. So do those in memory of famous poets, seafarers, medics. Those who enter and care to look closely will notice countless details; little frescoes on the pedestal that show scenes of diplomatic life, for example. There are seen in the carvings great ambassadorial meetings with emissaries of Elves, Dwarves and Men from far-off kingdoms, fleets encountering exotic maritime life such as the whales of Belaegir or the giant kraken, caravans from the Harad , Khand and beyond laden with spices, silk and precious metal. But there are also details of the life in Gondor as seem mundane, both happy and sad ones. There is the procession of mourners carrying a coffin to the final rest, yet also the family of a deceased shown on a wedding feast. On some of the statues, the stonemasons set their signature or even their own little image into the frescoes. Thus, a memory of the makers of Rath Dînen stays with us, even though few of them ever reached a status high enough to afford them a resting place among "the Great".

Any visitors to the Halls of course have to and will pass along the Central Axis, the line of the statues of the Kings of old; Elendil and Isildur by the Entrance, majestic and imposing just as their much larger statues on the banks of Anduin by Rauros, yet much finer detailed. The Elendilmir on his brow, Elendil appears to gaze longingly into the Sunset, staring out past the huge bronze doors into the Sunset and towards Atalante that he so loved and that is lost. Isildur stands there opposite him with the sword raised for the Great Blow that struck down the Enemy, life-like in his fighting pose with his hair in swing and his shield-arm blocking the strike of Sauron's mace. There also you find Hyarmendacil on his great horse arrayed in the triumph garb of the victor and wearing the winged crown, with banners, shields and tokens of all his conquests to the feet of his steed. You see Umbarcadil, whose pedestal is shaped to look as if he stood at the bow of a ship of war, wearing the Umbarian brocade robes of his grand return voyage. Romendacil's statue has him blow a Great Horn of an Ox of Araw, and Eldacar stands there, in full Gondorian royal ornate yet lovingy embracing the statue of his elderly mother from the North, though she died 150 years ere him. Eärnur is seen to hand the rod of office to his steward kneeling before him, beginning the line of Mardil.

So all the Kings are found there, each with their attributes, finely worked of Ithilien Marble or Granite from the White Mountains, inlaid with silver or mithril or adorned with pearls from the Southern Coasts. Solemn, victorious, sad, or joyful are their expressions, and some say studying the craftsmanship of the statues reveals more about the Kings than studying the scrolls in the archives of the Tower of Guard. All the long line of Anarion is found there, till the last King - and then starting again with the figure of King Elessar.

King Elessar's statue stands out. This is not just because he was the tallest King in the line bar Elendil, nor because of the Green Light of the Elfstone on his breast, and the banner of the White Tree and the seven Stars by his feet, worked in mithril. Nor is it because of all the scenes from the wedding of Aragorn&Arwen, showing the Ringbearers, the Istar, the Wise and conveying the joy of that day so vividly that a visitor may be inclined to clink glasses with them and give a toast. No, it is also because of what rests on the pedestal next to the Great King. The right hand of the King holds the sceptre of Annuminás high. Yet his left is raised to rest, gracefully, and even, as some say, maybe caressing, on the giant skull of a beast of war, beast of terror - an Oliphaunt. That skull is real, not carved of stone, and though the lower jaw is missing, it still reaches near shoulder-height to the King. The tusks of the beast almost circle the statue, one foot of the King a little raised to step onto one of the tusks of the beast.

To this day, Embassies from the Southern Lands, as they arrive in Minas Anor, never fail to visit the Halls and show their reverence, to King and mighty Beast alike.

None of the records of the Halls explain why the King rests together with the Oliphaunt. Some in Gondor say it is a gesture of victory, having vanquished the host of the Harad and their mighty cavalry of Oliphaunts, a triumphal pose of subjugation over the raw forces arrayed against Gondor in the War of the Ring.

Others though point out that symbols of the restoration of the Glory of Gondor, and monuments to the victories of the restored realms of the Dunedain are found across Minas Anor - and elsewhere - aplenty, many of them of Elessar arrayed in the armor of the citadel, bearing weapons, striking down foes, knighting mighty warriors, rising thriumphant; they ask why his statue in Rath Dinen appears to look at the Oliphaunt with a glad face as that of a friend, touch the skull caressingly as one would a favourite companion. 

And neither faction, nor any records of Elessar's reign and beyond, report a name for the beast. It only is known, and that in several parts of the realm, as "The King's Gift". Historians aren't the only ones who argue about the term. Not even in all of Gondor do they agree who was the King, what was the Gift, and who received it. 

Amongst the many legends of King Elessars long life and reign, there are those that tell us about the Great Oliphaunt. Minas Anor, Pelargir and Umbar remember the beast, and all of them know their respective story as "The King's Gift". And all three of them strongly believe that their meaning of the term is the only one that is true.

Chapter End Notes

I've always wondered what stories the Dunedain have about their "Great", and just won't believe that their memorials are all sad and angry about "the Gift of Men". Proud, yes, and I can so totally believe that for "King's Men", even vengeful or expressive of supremacy. But I do truly believe that most Dunedain want to remember in ways that show joy and legacy. And there must be stories to that, right?