As Year 2946 of the Third Age of Middle-earth passed and Year 2947 officially began, Rhovanion entered another busy year.
Malherb and Deshavi stayed in Lake-town together. Whatever happened, Allen had entrusted this directly governed territory to the two of them, along with the management of his plan to alter the waterfall.
As for how their relationship would develop, Allen had no intention of getting involved. He was not the sort of king who considered everything his property. He would neither interfere in his retainers' romantic lives nor personally decide whom they would spend the rest of their lives with.
Once Malherb took over the day-to-day work in Lake-town, Firentis returned to Fisslet with Allen and began preparing to take possession of his fief. Most of the knights moving to East Rhovanion this time were his former subordinates, so there would be no problems with command.
With the Cabinet's help, their preparations went quickly. Dozens of knights were already traveling together with their subjects and prisoners of war. The rest would leave Dale over the next half month and settle north of the Running River.
Around ten thousand people left Dale in this wave of resettlement, and once the knights departed, the long, narrow plain seemed to grow much quieter overnight.
After returning to Winterhold, Allen began writing letters to his friends scattered across the land, inviting them to attend his wedding in the summer. Such a sudden decision needed to be announced early, or many people might not hear the news until after he was married, which would be rather embarrassing.
As numerous messengers left Rhovanion, the people of the land were swept up in delighted excitement. Their great king was getting married, and his queen would be their respected prime minister.
To them, no union could have been