Thereafter, Frodo visited the city library daily, but now he was searching for answers to specific questions. He was primarily interested Aiglemerth's son, Aigande, and Ullathor provided whatever information he could find.
As Faramir had said, Aigande had had no position in the court at the time of the murders, but he would become Ciryaher's captain of the citadel guard in 1022 and led the first campaigns against the Harad when the armies of Gondor were ready to fight. He was killed in battle in Umbar in 1048, unmarried, childless, and the last of his family line.
The King had been grief-stricken at the loss, and redoubled his assaults on the Harad until they were completely defeated and he had gained a reputation for ferocity in war that was remembered even today. Ciryaher--or Hyarmendacil, as he was thereafter called in all historical records--refused to marry for many years after Aigande's death, and only did so when his council insisted that he produce an heir, or else name one from among his nearest kinsmen. Hyarmendacil evidently preferred to have a son of his own blood succeed to his throne, and married a lady whom his advisors recommended; according to all accounts, the King and Queen were indifferent to each other and lived apart after they had produced the necessary heir.
Ullathor had also lent Frodo a copy of the famous poem about the death of Aigande. Frodo read it aloud to Merry one evening before dinner; he was moved nearly to tears at the description of how Captain Aigande had been fatally wounded, sacrificing himself to defend his king, and had died in Ciryaher's arms. What struck Frodo most was the account of the death itself, particularly Aigande's and Ciryaher's last words.
According to the poem, Aigande had said:
"I am happy, beloved King, to have stayed at your side, That I might rest one last time in your arms ere I died."
Ciryaher had replied:
"Sleep well then, my love, before this life's end. Take this with thee in membrance, o dearest friend."
Then he had kissed Aigande farewell. After the battle, Aigande's body had been taken back to Minas Anor to be placed in his family's tomb in the Silent Street. The poem ended there, with Ciryaher vowing to have the blood of all Harad in recompense for the spilt blood of his friend.
"Perhaps I'm seeing too much in their professions of love," Frodo admitted as he closed the thin little poetry book. "It's like Men, even today, to make a great scene and give speeches at a friend's death." He remembered how Aragorn had described Boromir's death; they'd spoken to each other in similar fashion, and Aragorn had even kissed Boromir on the brow in farewell--and yet as far as Frodo knew, there'd never been anything lover-like between those two.
"Maybe it's just the way the poem's written," said Merry. "The poet would want to fancy up their words a bit. Even if it's close to what King Ciryaher and Aigande actually said, I'm sure they didn't say it in rhyme like that."
"But this poem was commissioned by the King, in his memory of his friend. It mightn't be the exact truth, but he approved of how Aigande's death was described. It's how he wanted his own feelings for Aigande to be known. Perhaps it's what he wished they'd said to each other at the end. Do you think I'm right, Merry? Two Men, close friends from boyhood, neither married, and calling each other 'beloved'. Were they like you and me--or, more to the point, like the two Elves?"
"You're probably right," said Merry. "But if it was true, what of it? It's a bit of gossip from two thousand years ago. It doesn't tell you who killed that Elf, does it?"
"On the contrary, my dear Merry," Frodo responded. "It answers a great deal. I think I know what happened to the Elves, or at least the one we've found."
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