return

1366 the return of the king
‘When the kingdom ended the Dúnedain passed into the
shadows and became a secret and wandering people, and their
deeds and labours were seldom sung or recorded. Little now is
remembered of them since Elrond departed. Although even
before the Watchful Peace ended evil things again began to
attack Eriador or to invade it secretly, the Chieftains for the most
part lived out their long lives. Aragorn I, it is said, was slain by
wolves, which ever after remained a peril in Eriador, and are not
yet ended. In the days of Arahad I the Orcs, who had, as later
appeared, long been secretly occupying strongholds in the Misty
Mountains, so as to bar all the passes into Eriador, suddenly
revealed themselves. In 2509 Celebrían wife of Elrond was journeying
to Lórien when she was waylaid in the Redhorn Pass,
and her escort being scattered by the sudden assault of the Orcs,
she was seized and carried off. She was pursued and rescued by
Elladan and Elrohir, but not before she had suffered torment
and had received a poisoned wound. 1 She was brought back to
Imladris, and though healed in body by Elrond, lost all delight
in Middle-earth, and the next year went to the Havens and
passed over Sea. And later in the days of Arassuil, Orcs, multiplying
again in the Misty Mountains, began to ravage the lands,
and the Dúnedain and the sons of Elrond fought with them. It
was at this time that a large band came so far west as to enter
the Shire, and were driven off by Bandobras Took.’ 2
There were fifteen Chieftains, before the sixteenth and last
was born, Aragorn II, who became again King of both Gondor
and Arnor. ‘Our King, we call him; and when he comes north
to his house in Annúminas restored and stays for a while by
Lake Evendim, then everyone in the Shire is glad. But he does
not enter this land and binds himself by the law that he has
made, that none of the Big People shall pass its borders. But he
was indeed a plain helm; and it is said to have been the one that Isildur
wore in the Battle of Dagorlad (for the helm of Anárion was crushed by
the stone-cast from Barad-dûr that slew him). But in the days of Atanatar
Alcarin this was replaced by the jewelled helm that was used in the
crowning of Aragorn.
1 p. 295.
2 p. 7; p.1329.