Erendis
NOTE: This is not a complete account of the life of Erendis; this is only a bare statement of the main events in her life. I have left out much of what concerned Aldarion and most of Ancalimë's life. In order to truly understand Erendis, one must read “The Mariner's Wife” in Unfinished Tales. Everything is quotes is taken directly from “The Mariner's Wife”.
Beregar dwelt on the western side of the island of Númenor. He was descended from the House of Bëor through Bereth who was a kinswoman of Beren One-handed. Beregar was married to Núneth and they had a daughter named Erendis. Erendis was beautiful, proud and strong. She was “dark-haired and of slender grace, with the clear grey eyes of her kin.” She had a great love of trees, but little love for the Sea and the bustle of the harbor.
Aldarion was the only son of Tar-Meneldur, the King of Númenor, and thus the heir to the throne. Aldarion had a great love of the Sea, and voyaged to Middle-earth as much as his father would allow. Meneldur was displeased by Aldarion’s voyages; he believed that the son of the King should dwell in the kingdom that he would one day rule. But Aldarion was willful and did as he pleased despite--or perhaps because of--the protests of other.
When Aldarion reached the age of one hundred, he was proclaimed King’s Heir, as was the custom. There was much feasting in Armenelos, the capital of Númenor, and to this feast came Beregar and his daughter Erendis. It was there that Erendis first saw Aldarion “and for his beauty and splendor of bearing she had eyes for little else.” Soon after, she entered the household of the Queen and found favor with the King.
Six years after he had been proclaimed King’s Heir, Aldarion determined to sail to Middle-earth again. He came to say farewell to his mother and saw Erendis among the Queen’s company. He perceived Erendis’s beauty, but also her strength. He told his mother that “there are fairer things in Armenelos than a man could find elsewhere, even in the lands of the Eldar. But mariners are men of two minds, at war with themselves; and the desire of the Sea still holds me.” Erendis heard these words and believed them to be meant also for herself. From then on, Erendis dismissed every other man who sought her hand. She loved only Aldarion but did not hope of becoming his wife one day, for she believed him to be too high for her.
After seven years, Aldarion returned from Middle-earth. His father counseled him to remain on Númenor for a time, to seek a wife and to learn of the people he would one day rule. But Aldarion loved the Sea, and would not yet consent to being tied down. At this time, by the contrivance of the Queen, Aldarion often met Erendis. During this period also, Aldarion had a great ship built, greater than any that had yet been built. When it was finished, he made ready to set sail to Middle-earth. The King was angry at this and refused his blessing. He even forbade the Queen and Aldarion’s sisters from bringing the customary Green Bough of Return. Erendis asked the Queen’s permission to bring to Bough herself, saying that the King had not forbidden her to do so. So, Erendis journeyed to the harbor, even though she loved it not. When Aldarion saw her, he at last looked upon her with love.
Because of his new love for Erendis, Aldarion returned to Númenor more quickly than he had planned. When he returned, he gave her a diamond as a gift. The King rebuked Aldarion for this, saying that something so rich ought to only be given as a betrothal gift. He again urged Aldarion to seek a wife, although he did not name Erendis specifically. But Aldarion would not listen to his father, for he was always opposed to a course of action suggested by another person. Not long after this conversation, Aldarion set sail again for Middle-earth, this time against the express command of the King. When Aldarion had been gone for fifteen years, Erendis at last despaired. She believed that he had either been killed, or had decided to dwell in Middle-earth. She left Armenelos and returned to her father’s house. Four years after this, Aldarion finally returned to Númenor. He was grieved to find Erendis gone from the Queen’s household, but he was too proud to seek her. But it was not only his pride that kept him from her; for he could only seek her in order to seek for her hand in marriage, but he was still unwilling to be tied down.
One day Aldarion saw Erendis riding in the forest, and he realized how he loved her. He at last asked for her hand in marriage, but Erendis held back. She loved him still, but she feared the Sea; “she determined that she must utterly defeat the Sea and the ships, or else be herself defeated utterly.” (190) For nearly twelve years Erendis refused to become betrothed to Aldarion. Indeed, for a time there was a breach between the two. Núneth, Erendis’s mother, told this to the Queen. The Queen then invited Erendis to visit Armenelos, and there Aldarion and Erendis were reconciled. Erendis consented to plight her troth with Aldarion during this visit.
At last, after a betrothal that lasted nearly ten years, Aldarion and Erendis were wed. The people of Númenor rejoiced, and even some of the Eldar sailed from Tol Eressëa to attend the feasting. They Eldar gave gifts to the newly wedded pair; to Aldarion they gave a white tree and to Erendis they gave a pair of birds. Two years after they were married, Erendis conceived and the following spring a baby girl was born. She was given the name Ancalimë, and she daily grew more beautiful.
When Ancalimë reached the age of four, Aldarion again set sail; he promised to be gone for only two years.. Erendis did not forbid his going, but she did not send the Green Bough of Return; neither would the King give his blessing to the voyage. After he sailed away “Erendis sat in her chamber alone, grieving; but deeper in her heart she felt a new pain of cold anger, and her love of Aldarion was wounded to the quick.” She left Armenelos and went to Emerië, where she had a house that had been given to her by the King as a betrothal gift. There she lived with Ancalimë, in whom she sought to foster a bitterness and hatred toward men. Erendis kept no male servants, and Ancalimë only rarely saw a man. Two years passed, but Aldarion did not return, and “Erendis grew hard and silent.” He did finally return after six years, but he received a cold reception at home. Erendis spoke to him but little and Ancalimë did not remember him. Aldarion was wrathful and bitter at this; Erendis looked for repentance but he showed none. After he left Emerië, he returned to the house he and Erendis had shared in Armenelos and had it burned to the ground.
Shortly after his return, Tar-Meneldur surrendered the Scepter and his son became Tar-Aldarion. Erendis was distressed when she heard of this, for she rightly believed that Meneldur did this to rebuke her for her ill treatment of Aldarion. Indeed, Meneldur commanded Erendis to bring Ancalimë to Armenelos at least until Aldarion was crowned. Erendis sent Ancalimë to the capital, but she asked to be excused for herself. Aldarion believed this to be below her. “She should have demanded that a great house be prepared for her, called for a Queen’s escort, and come back to Armenelos with her beauty adorned, royally, with the star on her brow; then well nigh all the Isle of Númenor she might have bewitched to her part, and made me seem madman and churl. The Valar be my witness, I would rather have had it so: rather a beautiful Queen to thwart me and flout me, than freedom to rule while the Lady Elestirnë falls down dim into her own twilight.”
After this, little is clear about Erendis. Ancalimë was proclaimed the King’s Heir, and she grew to dislike her mother. When old age at last came over Erendis, all but abandoned by even her daughter, she made an attempt to reconcile with Aldarion. He was at that time away on a voyage, but was expected to return soon. She when to the haven of Rómenna in secret to await his return. She apparently died there for the only record of her fate is this: “Erendis perished in water in the year 985.”
