Aldarion focused solely on wooing and pursuing her forsaking all other responsibilities. She finally accompanied him to a feast honoring the 100th anniversary of the Guild of Venturers, which Aldarion founded, and she toured on ship with him. Yet her heart was still mistrusting as he began to focus once again on the ship havens. Before giving her answer she wished that he would travel with her, "'...will you not journey with me ashore, to the places I love? You know too little of this land, for one who shall be its King" (p. 182, Unfinished Tales). That's the second time someone has said that to Aldarion.
Together they went to Emerië where pastures and sheep-herding was the norm. Erendis made it clear this is where she felt most comfortable with little coincidence that it lay far from the Sea. There they had a tense conversation where she made it clear she had no intention of sharing him with the Sea and it ended silence and they parted company for a while. Her mother was grieved at this interaction noting Erendis was "all or nothing" (p. 183, Unfinished Tale). She went on with a very interesting piece of advice: "'A woman must share her husband's love with his work and the fire of his spirit, or make him a thing not loveable" (p. 183, Unfinished Tales).
I found this to be very profound. I think since the fall of Man in the Garden of Eden part of the curse was that women would want to control the men in their lives. Before the fallout of that statement is too great I do think there are legitimate desires (security, love, etc) that have been twisted in to something ungodly (manipulation, control) by sin. Here is Erendis' mother, Núneth, warning her daughter against trying to control the man she loves. I don't think this is advice to be a doormat type but a knowledge that to intentionally change a man will ultimately make him into something you do not love. In essence to take away, as John Eldridge would say, his wildness at heart is to take away his masculinity. And I would venture to say most women, if they choose to love a man, do not dream of loving one who is passive, timid, and weak.
Queen Almarion learned of what happened and together with Nuneth persuaded Erendis to once again join the Queen's court. And during the festival of Erukyermë together the couple lingered on Meneltarma looking over the land and not speaking (as was custom on the holy mountain). On the way down though they began to speak about the land and its gifts. Aldarion believed gifts should not be hoarded and yet looked out for because of the future. Erendis responded, "'Such gifts as come from the Valar, and through them from the One, are to be loved for themselves now, and in all nows" (p. 184, Unfinished Tales). Again, profound words. I love her perspective of enjoying gifts in the present and knowing where they come from. I want to be thankful to God for the gifts He has given and enjoy them in the present. For example, enjoy my children right now present tense and not with half a mind on chores that need to be done, taxes that need to be done, or blogging about J.R.R. Tolkien.
To drive home her point she asked if Aldarion thought she should simply trade the diamond he gave her for more goods with an eye to the future. He gave a resounding no and acknowledged that by her wearing it she wasn't hoarding it and he kissed her forehead "...and in that moment she put aside fear, and accepted him; and their troth was plighted upon the steep path of Meneltarma" (p. 184, Unfinished Tales). And only the diamond, now fitted upon her brow (and she now known as the Lady of the Star-brow), was her desired betrothal gift.
Middle-earth timeline: Second Age, 843-858
Today's reading comes from: Unfinished Tales, pages 181-185
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