In the more prosperous kingdoms of the South and East, eunuchs played a vital role in the households of the nobility and in the innerworkings of government administration. As the chamberlain of a prominent merchant in Nurn, Nobo had been entrusted with many responsibilities and matters of great import. He enjoyed the privilege and influence that his rank brought him, taking delight in a life of comfort spent on one of the most beautiful villas in that part of the country.

His life had not always been pleasant, however.

In the days of Nobo's childhood, a terrible famine ravished northern Far Harad. Drought caused the crops to fail and streams to become dry, and the cattle perished in the unrelenting heat. In addition to the suffering that they shared with their neighbors, even more misfortune fell upon Nobo's family when his father died from an infected wound incurred from stepping on a rusty nail. With her husband dead, Nobo's mother became desperate. The family's meager sustenance garden languished in the cracked and barren fields, and she barely had enough food to feed her three children, the youngest of which was an infant of only a few months old. She went to her husband's brothers for help, but they refused to take her and her children because they barely had enough to provide for their own families. She received the same rejection from her own family, who threatened to drive her from the door when she had come pleading to them. It seemed that no one wanted her and her children.

One day, a caravan bound for the Gulf of Harad passed through the village. The caravan bore a variety of goods, such as fine hardwoods, precious ores, mûmakil ivory, and spices from distant lands. There was also a small contingent of slaves – criminals who had been condemned to this ignoble fate for their crimes, captives who had been taken from rival nations and tribes, and poor unfortunates who had fallen upon bad times and were forced to sell themselves as slaves to pay their debts. In desperation, Nobo's mother sought out the caravan leader, falling upon her knees before him and begging him to take her and her children. To her, condemning herself and her children to a life of slavery seemed the only chance they had of survival. What use was freedom if she had to watch her baby starve to death and her two older children slowly waste away to skeletons?

As the caravan departed for the northeast, Nobo took one last tear-filled look back at his village through the dusty haze stirred up by the many feet and hooves. Memories of childhood did not always come easy to him after so much time had passed, but that one last glance was seared forever into his brain. The caravan journeyed to a port city which lay along the gulf, and then continued onward by ferry to the Northern Haradric kingdom of Harûnak before at last reaching its destination at the capitol city. The slaves were taken to the city's market and sold, and that was the last that Nobo ever saw his mother or siblings.

Nobo and several other young boys were purchased by an agent of the provincial governor, who desired eunuchs for his extensive harem. After recovering from that gruesome procedure, Nobo was enrolled in the palace school, where he was taught how to read and write. His education continued throughout his adolescence, and he was extensively schooled in mathematics, history, philosophy, and the management of a large household. With his polite ways and courteous manner, he charmed almost everyone who met him, and he was well on his way to rising up through the harem hierarchy to a position of great rank and status.

Fortunately for him, this did not come to pass.

Corruption and treachery ran deep in Harûnak, and it was discovered that the provincial governor was involved in a nefarious plot to overthrow the king. The ensuing scandal rocked the realm, and the purges which followed were brutal and bloody. The governor, the immediate members of his family, and his highest-ranking servants were executed, while servants who held a lower status were exiled from the kingdom and sent north as slaves with a caravan of tribute destined for Mordor. Because of his rank, Nobo was spared the executioner's blade, but the progress he had made climbing up the ladder of hierarchy was all for naught as he found himself crashing back to the ground.

After traveling north for many long days, at first by water and then by land, the caravan crossed over the Mountains of Shadow into Nurn. At last the caravan halted in the city of Turkûrzgoi, where the tribute slaves were turned over to the House of Huzziya for distribution throughout the realm. Esarhaddon's father, who managed the trading house at that time, was so impressed by Nobo's credentials that he purchased him for his own household. It did not take Nobo long to prove his worth to his new master, and soon the eunuch was promoted to the position of head butler, a higher rank than he had ever held in the governor's harem.

Nobo faithfully served the Elder Huzziya for many years until the old man passed away peacefully in his sleep. Although the merchant lord had given instructions in his will that his servant was to be granted freedom upon his death, Nobo wished to continue working for the family. This desire was somewhat complicated by the fact that the Elder Huzziya's wife had little love for Mordor and longed to return to Harad, while Nobo had grown fond of the culture and climate of Nurn. Although it grieved his heart, he bade farewell to that esteemed lady and sought out employment with her two sons. It would be the younger brother who would ultimately give Nobo a position in his household. Now that Esarhaddon had more responsibilities, he needed a chamberlain to ensure that his estate would continue to operate in a smooth and efficient manner.

During the time that Nobo had worked for Esarhaddon, he had become well acquainted with the merchant and his family. His thoughts went to the latest addition to the household, the Northern woman whom Esarhaddon had decided to take as his concubine. The chamberlain's intuition told him that Goldwyn was trouble, and his intuition seldom failed him. She seemed ungrateful for the high honor which had been bestowed upon her, and had a spirit of anger and resentment. Why Esarhaddon had ever made such a woman his concubine, Nobo did not know; usually the merchant lord was not so impulsive. Nobo wondered how Esarhaddon's two wives would accept the newcomer. Anúrnissa would be kind to her, but he feared that Shumeeren would resent her and see her as a rival. He hoped that their quarrels would not interfere with his duties.

In the midst of luxury, Goldwyn moped, wallowing in self-pity and cursing her lot in life. An ominous sense of dread had settled over her, and she felt the clutch of worry gnawing at the pit of her stomach. The chamberlain had told her that Esarhaddon was spending the night in Turkûrzgoi, but he would be arriving at the villa the next morning. Each hour that passed brought her closer to the man she hated most. What would happen when he returned and found her in his lair, completely at his mercy? She feared that he would spring upon her like a ravening wolf, forcing her to submit to him through violence.

A knock coming from the door to her quarters startled Goldwyn from her fretful ruminations, and she cautiously got off the bed to investigate. When she opened the door, she was met by the sight of two women bedecked in finery. The shorter of the pair was a glamorous seductress with a figure like an hourglass, a golden tan complexion, and sable brown hair which hung in loose waves about her shoulders. She appeared to be in her mid-thirties, and carried herself with an air of confidence. Her smoldering green eyes regarded Goldwyn with haughtiness, and there was a hint of disdain in the way her crimson lips turned up in what was meant to be a smile of welcome. The lady was bedecked in a gown of scarlet and yellow paisley with gold metallic trim adorning the hems of the sleeves and skirt; sinching her slender waist was a belt of golden medallions linked together by rings. About her neck was a glittering bib necklace constructed of solid gold and studded with glittering rubies; below it was a simple gold chain bearing a pendant of carnelian and onyx which formed the shape of the Great Eye.

The second woman was a charming beauty with an aura of sweet innocence about her that stood out in sharp contrast to the dark allure of her companion. She was in her early twenties, and seemed like one who is full of hope and wonder. Her skin was a very deep, cool-toned brown, and her dark eyes sparkled with warmth and friendliness as she smiled at Goldwyn. Her raven hair was braided into many long plaits with pearls woven throughout her tresses, and a magenta silk rose was tucked behind her left ear for a touch of whimsy. The gown which she wore – powder pink patterned with dainty sky-blue florals – hung loosely over her stomach, which was full and round from the child that rested within. Around her neck she wore an ornately beaded silver and pearl necklace from which hung an enameled pendant designed to look like a dove in flight; matching earrings dangled from her ears.

"I am Shumeeren, Chief Wife of Esarhaddon uHuzziya," the woman in scarlet proclaimed magnanimously, her voice high and haughty. "Upon behalf of this household, I bid you a most cordial welcome." As she smiled, her eyes narrowed slightly, and Goldwyn sensed that the woman was sizing her up as a potential rival. "Beside me is Anúrnissa, who holds the title of Second Wife." She gestured to the woman in pink, who smiled graciously before inclining her head in greeting. "We would have been among the welcoming party in the courtyard when you first arrived, but I was away in Blûgund, and Anúrnissa was indisposed."

"It is an honor to meet you at last," Anúrnissa exclaimed, pressing her hand to her heart. "Our lord spoke fondly of you in the missives he sent whilst on the trail." A troubled expression passed over the Second Wife's face. "I understand that many misfortunes befell the caravan on the journey to Nurn. You are very fortunate to have arrived at your destination unharmed."

"Very fortunate indeed," Shumeeren agreed. "To celebrate your much awaited arrival, we come bearing gifts." Turning upon her heel, she clapped her hands sharply, and a pair of handmaidens carrying bundles and boxes stepped forward.

Goldwyn had not been expecting guests to what she considered was her lavish prison cell, and she found herself momentarily at a loss for words as Shumeeren pushed past her into the parlor. Anúrnissa followed behind, and the handmaidens made up the rear of the train. Raen emerged from her chamber to welcome the newcomers and place the gifts in a prominent place on a nearby table. Goldwyn soon found herself seated across from Esarhaddon's two wives, awkwardly attempting to make conversation with strangers. While she had always prided herself in being a good hostess, it had been quite a while since she had entertained guests. The last time that company had visited her house had been back in the spring, and during the journey she had spent most of her time consigned to the healer's wain. After spending months in uncertainty and near isolation, she found it somewhat difficult to recall the social skills that she once had.

"Thank you both for your hospitality," Goldwyn remarked stiffly. Dealing with the women of the enemy was always a tricky matter. Their gender gave them a commonality, and if they were also slaves they might sympathize with her plight, but they still were foes who could not be trusted.

"I imagine that you must find your new home quite different from your old one," Shumeeren began, glancing around the brightly lit parlor. "To be honest, I know very little about the people of Rohan, other than that they suffer under a terrible oath sworn in ancient days by an ill-advised king."

"The Oath of Eorl and Cirion you mean," Goldwyn spoke up. "I would hardly call it terrible, nor Eorl the Young ill-advised."

"The Oath forces the Rohirrim to fight in the wars of the bloodthirsty, imperialistic Gondorians when peace is the far wiser choice." Shumeeren's shapely bosom rose and fell in a great sigh, and she shook her head sadly. "It is a pity that your country is caught between the great Powers of the world. But that conflict is far from Nurn, and you are safe here."

Goldwyn's eyes were drawn to the amulet of the Great Eye which dangled betwixt Shumeeren's breasts, and she felt her body tense in preparation for a verbal battle with this servant of Sauron. She was cut off from saying anything by Anúrnissa, however, who seemed to sense the unspoken tension and was attempting to relieve it by introducing a change of subject.

"This suite of rooms once belonged to Tiranna, Esarhaddon's late wife," Anúrnissa stated, gesturing around at their surroundings. "They have remained unoccupied since her passing, sealed off from the rest of the house. Several weeks ago, our husband sent orders that the rooms be aired out and cleaned. The laborers here at the villa have been quite busy preparing for your arrival, making necessary repairs and adding new furnishings. The paint on the walls had faded in places, and a team of artists from the school retouched the paint where the colors were drab."

"The rooms are lovely," Goldwyn conceded, still fuming from Shumeeren's comments about the alliance that Rohan shared with Gondor. How dare she insinuate that the Rohirrim were pawns of the Gondorians, and that Gondor was the one who sought out conflict with the Nameless Land!

"You are pleased with your quarters, then? Wonderful!" Beaming, Anúrnissa clapped her hands together. "We both want you to feel welcome here. I know how it is to be the outsider from a foreign land. I hail from the kingdom of Kha'savay, which lies southwest of the realm of Umbar. Perhaps you have heard tales of the famed cities of Kha'savay, renowned for their schools of learning, enormous libraries, and sprawling bazaars; or of the vast deposits of precious ores and minerals which are the source of the kingdom's prosperity. While the cities of Kha'savay are known for their scholars and their wealth, the land itself is a place of majestic beauty, with beaches, mountains, and grasslands. To the west lie the glistening waters of the Great Sea, and then the snow-capped Silver Mountains rise up to meet the heavens. East of the mountains lie the savanna lands where mûmakil roam, and the Long River of Far Harad which flows from the western mountains to the Eastern Sea." Anúrnissa's voice was filled with longing as she spoke, and from the faraway look in her eyes it was obvious that she walked once again in the land of her birth.

"Your Westron is remarkable for one who does not hail from the West," Goldwyn admitted, impressed with the fluency that the Second Wife exhibited. While Anúrnissa spoke with a heavy accent, her grammar and punctuation were impeccable.

"You pay me a great compliment." Anúrnissa bowed her head in humility. "Since my land trades with Mordor, the children of the merchant class are taught Westron and Black Speech."

"I must confess that I know little of the vast regions of Middle-earth which lay beyond Rohan, but is not Far Harad a great distance from the Dark Land? How did you come to live in Nurn?" Although Goldwyn wished to remain cold and aloof, she found herself becoming curious about Anúrnissa's life, which seemed so different from her own. While the three ladies were conversing, Raen had busied herself with making tea, and now she offered refreshments to her mistress and her guests.

"My father is the chieftain of a league of merchants," Anúrnissa explained, accepting a cup of tea from the elderly handmaiden. "While traveling north with a caravan of gold destined for Mordor, he made the acquaintance of my future husband. Seeking an alliance with the merchants of Nurn, my father made arrangements for me to wed Esarhaddon. I was sent north with the next caravan to meet my new husband for the first time. I must confess that it was quite frightening at first to be so far away from my homeland, but everyone here has made me feel at home."

Since the Second Wife had told her so much about herself, Goldwyn felt obligated to ask the First Wife to tell her story. "Did you, too, hail from a distant land?"

"Nay, I was born here in Nurn," Shumeeren replied, a tone of smug superiority in her voice as she sipped her tea. "I spent the days of my youth by the shores of the Sea of Núrnen, or upon the waters themselves when I went on excursions upon my father's magnificent dhow. It is a sublime joy to sail upon the sea with the cool breeze upon one's face, breathing in the salt air and listening to the cries of the gulls! I feel great pity, truly I do, for all those who are denied such splendor." She pressed her hand against her heart in an exaggerated display of feigned compassion. "My family are among some of the most influential salt merchants in the entire land, with operations along the northern coast of the Sea of Núrnen. Salt is of vital importance to Mordor, for it allows food to be preserved and sent to distant outposts or with the armies on campaign. The Giver of Gifts has bestowed great riches upon my family for the inestimable services that we provide to the realm."

Goldwyn felt her body tense at the reverent language used to refer to the Dark Lord, but Anúrnissa spoke up before she had a chance to say something which might have been a mistake.

"We have told you much about ourselves. Now tell us about yourself, Goldwyn." A friendly smile of encouragement upon her face, Anúrnissa looked to the new concubine with expectation.

Hesitant to discuss her history with strangers, Goldwyn drew in a deep breath before speaking. "I hail from a village on the eastern border of Rohan and Gondor. While the Riddermark is known for its vast green fields where the famed horses of the Mearas graze, my village was located closer to the foothills of the White Mountains. I say was, because the cruel uruks set fire to the village after they sacked it. Before the war, my husband was a woodworker of some renown, and we lived a comfortable life on a farm that had been in his family for several generations. We had three sons who were our pride and joy. When war stirred in the east, my husband answered the summons of his king, and the boys were a great comfort to me in his absence. They were captured with me, but they managed to escape before the slave caravan crossed over the Anduin."

As Goldwyn fell into silence, Anúrnissa's brows knitted together in an expression of sympathy. "I cannot imagine how you must feel to be separated from your sons." Her hand instinctively cradled her rounded stomach, as though to ensure that her unborn child was safe and protected.

"At least they will grow up free of the corruption of this land," Goldwyn replied quietly.

Shumeeren's neatly plucked and sculpted eyebrows shot up towards her hairline. "Corruption?" she demanded, her voice beginning to rise as high as her brows. "It is the lands of the West that are corrupt, not Mordor. The Great Eye will purge that corruption with the fire of His gaze and bring freedom from lies and deception."

"Freedom?" Goldwyn scoffed. "Do you not mean slavery?"

"Oh, you poor dear." Shumeeren clucked her tongue. "You have been deluded by the falsehoods of the wicked Gondorians. You speak in ignorance now, but soon you shall learn the truth. The Eye will reveal all."

"Goldwyn did not come to this land by choice, Shumeeren, and it is understandable that she still sees us as enemies." There was an unexpected firmness to Anúrnissa's mellifluous voice, and her dark eyes flashed with subtle warning. "Let us show her that we are friends, not foes."

The tension in the room seemed as though it were about to build into a terrible crescendo, but disaster was averted by a series of rather polite sounding raps upon the door. Raen swiftly left her station to determine the caller's purpose, and soon a bowing maid was ushered into the room.

"My ladies, would you prefer to take supper in the dining hall, or in Lady Goldwyn's quarters?" The maid looked between her three superiors, uncertain what orders they might give her.

"We would not wish to impose upon Lady Goldwyn any more than we already have," Shumeeren proclaimed with feigned beneficence as she rose to her feet. "She must be exhausted from the long journey, and might not feel like entertaining guests. Anúrnissa and I will take our meal in the dining hall. You are more than welcome to join us if you feel up to it, Lady Goldwyn." A slight narrowing of her green eyes and a sardonic twist to her smile indicated that Goldwyn was not welcome at all, either at supper or at the villa itself.

As she followed Shumeeren, Anúrnissa lingered for a moment in the doorway. "I do hope that you enjoy our gifts." She gave Goldwyn a gentle smile, an unspoken apology for the First Wife's behavior. "I look forward to becoming better acquainted with you in the days that come."

After the two wives and their handmaidens had departed from the chamber, Goldwyn sank back down onto the couch, once again cursing the day she had been born. Not only would she be subjugated to the unwanted advances of Esarhaddon, but she would have to endure to the presence of his two heathen wives. O, what had she ever done to deserve such a miserable fate!

Nobo had just finished compiling a report about the various happenings at the villa which had occurred during Esarhaddon's absence when he was joined by an unannounced – although not entirely unexpected – visitor. He felt himself groan internally, for his visitor was one of those people who seldom realized when it was the proper time for a conversation to end, thus pushing the limits of the listener's patience. It could be difficult at times to extract one's self from such a conversation while maintaining the utmost of decorum and causing as little offense as possible, but Nobo prided himself upon his skills of diplomacy.

"Honorable Treasurer Guli, what brings you to the Master's house this evening?"

"Oh, most honorable Chamberlain Nobo, I simply must know all about the Master's new concubine, the esteemed Lady Goldwyn of the Far Lands of the North." The speaker, a tall, pudgy man of middle years, was fairly brimming over with excitement as he sat down across from the chamberlain. It was obvious that he had rushed there in quite a hurry, for he was slightly out of breath. Always fastidious about his appearance, Guli smoothed the wrinkles from his chartreuse caftan as he made himself comfortable upon the couch.

While servants of the House of Huzziya wore green and yellow livery, the chamberlain of the household and the staff of the School of Industry were permitted to wear variations on this theme. While Nobo preferred to dress in more conservative shades of emerald and forest green, he thought that Guli had made an excellent choice with the color he had chosen for his robes. The brilliant chartreuse was quite flattering against his cool-toned ebony skin, and the bright, spring-like color reflected the warmth of his effervescent personality. A lover of variety and change, Guli had recently had his hair styled in twisted rope braids which sat flat against his scalp and culminated in a series of short tails which were bound together with golden cord at the nape of his neck. His dark, kohl-lined eyes were accentuated by purple eyeshadow; a bold choice, Nobo thought, but it somehow suited Guli.

"I fear that the Lady Goldwyn seems as cold and distant as the land from whence she hails." Nobo punctuated his reply to Guli's question with a heavy sigh and a dismal shake of the head. "She is still fighting a war of which she is no longer a part, and sees us all as enemies. It is reasonable that she would harbor such sentiments, but for her own safety, she should attempt to overcome her grievances."

"It was only three months ago that the lady dwelt in Rohan, as wild and free as the famed horses of that land," Guli remarked sympathetically. "Perhaps one day she shall come to call Nurn her home, and embrace her new family."

"It is possible that I have judged Goldwyn too harshly." Nobo looked thoughtful. "However, it is my humble opinion that Shakh Esarhaddon should have waited ere making her a concubine, deliberating long and hard upon the matter."

The topic of the conversation changed to the new students who had arrived that afternoon. After Mistress Juna had concluded interviews with the newcomers, she sought out Guli to give him a report of her findings. While it was too early to make any judgments, the headmistress believed that several of the students showed great promise, while others would prove to be adequate. After relaying Juna's initial impressions to Nobo, Guli began discussing Esarhaddon's arrival in the morning. The lord of the manor was finally returning after months of being away, and the entire villa was abuzz with excitement. Plans called for a lavish feast in the evening, with entertainment provided by the students from the music and dancing classes.

With serious matters out of the way, the conversation took on a more casual tone. Guli had recently purchased a new book from the Grand Bazaar in Turkûrzgoi, and he was eager to discuss his latest acquisition with his friend. The book, which was titled One Hundred and One Tales of the South and East, featured a collection of stories from the lands of Near and Far Harad, Khand, and Rhûn. It was said that the earliest tales were told by a maiden of the Avari who had been taken captive by an evil king. Decadent and cruel, the king had a penchant for brutality and took great relish in murdering his brides after the wedding night. In a desperate attempt to ward off the king's advances and her impending execution, the maiden told the king a wonderous story, imbuing her words with elvish magic that made the scenes she described seem to come alive before his eyes as though he were a character in the tale. As the night drew to a close, the maiden left the hero of the story in a perilous place; if the king wished to know what happened next, he would have to spare her life and wait patiently for the next night. Of course, when the next night came, the maiden once again left the story in a place of suspense. These stories continued, night after night, until at last the king died of old age and the elven maiden made her escape back to her forest home.

"There are so many fabulous and fantastical tales contained within this book!" Guli exclaimed, waving his arms about excitedly. "I cannot wait to start reading the first chapter to the ladies after supper this evening. There is a tale in here about a great and powerful magician who enchanted a carpet so it could fly through the air!" Guli spread his arms out in a wide arc as he looked towards the heavens in wonder. Whenever he talked about one of his favorite topics, he would become so thrilled that his entire body seemed to be set in motion. "I wish I had my own flying carpet. I would be like one of the Nine Lords, except I would travel the world on a nice, comfortable rug instead of one of those fearsome, foul-tempered lizard birds that reek of death and defecate everywhere!"

"A flying carpet?" Nobo shook his head in bemused incredulity. "Surely you are not so gullible that you would believe such an outlandish story!"

"While a flying carpet does indeed sound outlandish, who is to say that the story is not true?" A mischievous grin upon his face, Guli shrugged his shoulders up to his ears. "There is even a tale in the book about a mechanical horse that can fly!"

"Now that is just absurd! Mere men could never build a device that flies, whether it be a carpet crafted upon a loom or a horse forged out of metal!"

"Ah, but that is where you are wrong, my friend!" The grin on his face growing even larger, Guli clapped his hands together and then waved his finger conspiratorially at Nobo. "It is said that the ancient Númenóreans possessed the skill to design ships that flew through the air as easily as they sailed through the water."

Scoffing, Nobo leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest. "Did you read that in that ridiculous book as well?"

"Nay, I learned this in an ancient tome which was kept by the Brotherhood of Scholars," Guli replied, his voice taking on a reverent tone. "After Númenor sank beneath the waves, these sailors of the air explored the vastness of Arda, seeking to find the way to the Straight Road that leads to the Land of the Gods. They were never able to find the path which they sought, but they did discover in their wanderings that the shape of Arda had been changed, and that which was once flat was now spherical in shape."

His thick brows furrowed in contemplation, Nobo stroked his beardless chin as he considered all that his fellow eunuch had related. "If that story were true, why do the Gondorians not assail us from the sky and send barbs of fire raining down from the heavens? After all, their ancestors supposedly had ships that could fly."

"Much has changed since the latter years of the Second Age, and much has been forgotten," Guli remarked sagely. "It is believed that Isildur and Anárion banned the use of flying craft because it had been used to seek the Straight Road, which was forbidden for Men to travel. Though the art of crafting flying ships has been lost over time, it is said that there are those who seek to regain the long forgotten knowledge, sorcerers and alchemists and artificers of secret technologies."

Although Nobo enjoyed an occasional round of friendly jesting at his fellow's expense, he deeply admired Guli and was in awe of the great wealth of knowledge that he possessed. The education that Nobo received at the palace of the provincial governor was not lacking by any means, but the chamberlain often felt like a country bumpkin when he listened to Guli talk about the more obscure lore of Middle-earth. As Guli continued to discuss the stories he had read from One Hundred and One Tales of the South and East, Nobo reflected upon all that he had learned about the other eunuch over the years since they had been in the service of the House of Huzziya.

Guli knew very little about his origins, other than the fact that he was born in the kingdom of Kha'savay. Shortly after he was weaned at the age of three, his mother turned him over to a dealer of slaves. What prompted her decision, Guli knew not. Perhaps she had become destitute and was no longer able to care for her child, or perhaps her family had been in debt and she felt she had no other recourse but to sell her child for coin, or perhaps she perceived in Guli some fault or shortcoming which made him undesirable in her eyes.

It was not long after Guli's mother had surrendered him that he was purchased by the Brotherhood of Scholars, an elite order of loremasters who dedicated themselves to the study of Arda's rich and complex history. The origin of the Brotherhood was shrouded in mystery, but many believed that the order had been established long before the first King of Kha'savay ever took the throne. As the kingdom grew in power and influence, so too did the Brotherhood of Scholars, although those who saw conspiracies around every corner said that the Brotherhood was responsible for the kingdom's ascent to greatness. While few Scholars openly claimed to be sorcerers, the order did possess a great wealth of information, including many arcane texts and grimoires, and rulers always came to them for advice in matters of historical importance. Admission to the order was granted to very few, and those chosen ones had to pay a terrible sacrifice for that privilege. Because the desires of the flesh were considered to be a distraction from the pursuit of knowledge, every member of the order was a eunuch. As an apprentice of the Brotherhood, it was Guli's fate to become a eunuch as well, and he suffered the loss of both his staff and balls at a young age.

While the children of the poor labored alongside their parents and the children of the wealthy enjoyed any number of leisurely pastimes, Guli's childhood was spent studying books and scrolls, and listening to long lectures about history. Apprentices in the Brotherhood of Scholars studied under the tutelage of a Master Scholar, and Guli's mentor was the Curator of the Hall of Knowledge, the library which housed the enormous collection of volumes which the Brotherhood had accumulated over the years. Over the course of apprenticeship to the Curator, Guli became an adept at many subjects, and achieved fluency in numerous languages, both modern and ancient.

After earning the Three Sacred Degrees of Scholarship, Guli was granted his freedom in a solemn ceremony which commemorated his many years of service to the Brotherhood. He decided to leave Kha'savae and travel the far reaches of Middle-earth, where he might obtain first-hand knowledge of the lands which he had read about in his studies. His travels eventually took him north to the Western Province of Nurn and the great city of Turkûrzgoi with its expansive library and famed university. Running low on coin, he learned that the School of Industry had an administrative position which was open, and so he presented his numerous credentials to the House of Huzziya. For the past five years, Guli had served as the school's treasurer, as well as the unofficial storyteller for the household of Esarhaddon uHuzziya.

When Guli finally tired of discussing his new book, he departed to tend to his own affairs, and Nobo was alone again at last. His thoughts returned to the morrow, and Esarhaddon's long-awaited arrival. While this was indeed a joyous and greatly anticipated occasion, a sense of melancholy still hung over the villa like a dark cloud. It had been only three days since the sudden death of the Teacher of the Novices, and everyone was still mourning her loss. Perhaps Esarhaddon's return would bring a sense of comfort to the villa, or the addition of the new arrivals from Rohan would distract the household from its collective sorrow. Nobo certainly hoped so.