The Return of the Queen

(TA 1599)
Copyright Eric Dubourg 2001
Edited by Joe Mandala and Cory Rushton for The Guild Companion
For years rumors had occasionally surfaced in Bellakar concerning Belkli and her five children,
but Sakalthr had always managed to suppress them. While no one had any regular contact with
Gondor, she had secretly informed some of her female relatives in Bellakar. Sakalthr, when he
found out, was once again enraged. However, he made a pretense of concern for Belkli and
advised her to stay in Gondor until her children were grown. With the unexpected death of Arzagar
II, desperate to complete the unification of the realms, he publicly announced the continued exile
of Belkli and her children. As they were of direct descent from the great heroes of the Tumakveh
line, they gained popular support as possible leaders of a renewed kingdom. It also helped that
they had been out of the country all their lives and had no local enemies in a political system now
rife with corruption and hatred.
The situation was desperate, as Northern Bellakar under the rule of King Narakhn was slipping
under Umbarean domination to an even greater degree. The Regent Sakalthr sent his own son
Izinduzr, who assisted his father in his task of controlling Southern Bellakar and who shared his
opinions of the Dnedain of Gondor and Umbar, to Gondor (Najam 1599) in order to prepare the
return of Queen Belkli to her own land. He was received in Osgiliath by Prince Anardil (Ishat
1599), who learned of the disastrous situation in Bellakar and the desperate need for Belkli to
return to the land of her childhood.
After thirty years of marriage to Anardil, Belkli was noticeably aging while he was not. This was
not unusual in the royal court of Gondor, but Belkli became depressed and reclusive. Anardil,
who still loved her deeply, could do little to ease the burden of the Gift of Men. Seeing no way to
make her final decades of life happy ones apart from returning with her in Bellakar, he took
counsel with his father Vinyarion. Anardil then proposed to the amazed Bellakaran princess to
return with her to Bellakar, and also to establish a permanent alliance between the two realms.
Several months of preparation were needed for the departure to Bellakar. In 22 Mizir 1599,
Anardil, Belkli, her family, a chest of Gondorian gold, and a company of Gondorian guardsmen
arrived in rzyan despite desperate Umbarean and North Bellakaran attempts to intercept
them. Welcomed by the Southern Bellakaran, the Queen was escorted by great crowds to
Nllond. There the Regent, who had organized an official coronation for the Queen, received her.
Three days later, Belkli was crowned Queen of Gondor (12 Kuralid 1599). The Regent now
confirmed publicly the marriage of Belkli to Anardil, prince of Gondor, and agreed to the alliance
treaty between Gondor and Bellakar. The Southern population was astonished by this declaration,
but there was no formal opposition as Gondor had come to be popularly seen as a trustworthy ally.
Anardil, after signing the Treaty of Perpetual Grace and Counsel, renounced to his rights as a
Prince of Gondor and took an Adunic name, Khruzr: "Today I renounce forever every claim for
me and all my descendants to the realm of Gondor, whatever might be decreed for Gondor.

Minardil my brother and all his descendants will be kings of Gondor, while my descendants are
destined to become Kings of Bellakar, and there will be a true and lasting peace forever between
these two realms. I do not renounce to my Adni heritage, as Bellakar is forever the ally of
Gondor."
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