The year following the awakening of the Golden Tree,remained a year of peace, and under Kaen's rule the realm of Eowenríel grew apace until, by the year's end, its western holdings had more than doubled. From the wastes beyond the Ettenmoors in the north to the Swanmere in the south, from beneath the Windpeak to the foot of the Misty Mountains in the east, Eowenríel's domain now stretched to some three million square kilometres.
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Scores of lords, some petty and some great, had sworn fealty in that span. They renounced their ancient absolutes and chose instead to become subjects of Kaen. To assist their peoples in the change, Kaen forged hundreds of gems, each one bearing a measure of his radiance. These he gave to the new vassals so that their folk might be transformed.
Thus the kingdom's population leapt from eight hundred thousand to almost two million. To secure so vast a realm, Kaen strengthened the central authority and reformed his administration. Young commanders and newly risen officials, those who had won honor in former wars, were posted as garrison commanders. Fifty new regiments were raised, and the standing army grew by fifty thousand.
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Under King Elrond's counsel, the realm of Rivendell entered into a Compact of Symbiosis with Eowenría. The two realms would share land, resources, and crafts, while retaining internal and military autonomy. With such broad tracts and so sparse a populace, Kaen ceased further expansion and turned inward to build the kingdom he now governed. Eowenría prospered as never before.
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The first year of the Age of the Sacred Trees saw the fruits of transformation. Of the souls who had embraced Kaen's light, nearly all completed their change. They took on the tall stature, the black hair and dark eyes akin to the Dúnedain, and the sun-warmed wheat-colour of skin that came to mark the people of Eowenríel. Those who refused the faith received no boon; their forms remained unchanged. A purge followed, stern and ruthless: those who would not belong were given leave to depart with their goods. The realm was thus refined and cleansed
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In the second year of the new Age, the Caladhîn Elves flourished. Under the tree's blessing they bore their first newly born in many generations, though only some thousand at first. Reinforcements arrived from other elven kin, and by then the Caladhîn of western Eowenría, numbered forty thousand, those in the east ten thousand.
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By the third year, Eowenríel's military might rivalled that of the southern powers, Rohan and Gondor. Kaen expanded the host until it numbered two hundred thousand men under arms. Eowenría stood as the great northern power. Five of the ten thousand strong legions were set to garrison the borderlands, five more were spread across the realm, and one hundred thousand remained as the central reserve at the capital. Roads of rapid march were cut and paved so that forces could move at speed to any threatened frontier.
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In the fourth year of the Age ,Kaen reclaimed three thousand Dúnedain folk of the north, clans who had long survived apart. Under the guidance of the Minister of Justice, Araphor, they swore fealty and moved to dwell within Elarothiel. Their numbers rose to fifty thousand within the kingdom.
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These pure-blood Dúnedain, having sworn to Kaen, received the blessing of the system, and their lineage was strengthened anew. Kaen gave them a new name, a new house, calling them the Tarbêlûn. He wove his own blood's blessing into them and set them apart as a noble line of Eowenría. From that house the King's Guard would thereafter prefer recruits, and the elite force swelled to ten thousand.
These Guards surpassed even the best of high men in strength; many measured two metres in height, and their loyalty to Kaen was absolute. In combat they were dreadful, ten Guards could take on many times their number of elite foes. When Kaen next visited Lothlórien, Queen Galadriel herself remarked that the King's Guard's prowess rivalled that of the shining Elves of ancient days.
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Beyond the ten thousand Guards, Kaen fashioned a thousand five hundred Caladhîn shadow-wardens, elves sworn to quiet watch and secret service. Their nearness to the Golden Tree raised their life-nature to the standard of the light-elves, and their prowess in stealth and battle rivalled that of the Guard.
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In the fifth year of the Age the peace of Eowenríel was shattered by a single grim report. Kaen called the high council and laid a single scrap of news upon the table. He spoke plainly.
"A horse-village upon the Ettenmoors has been attacked. Wolf-riders of the Orcs rode it down. Five hundred souls were slain. None survived."
The council fell silent as men read the message. It told of the Ettenmoors filling with Orckin, of more than fifty thousand gathered, ferocious and well-armed, bloodier than the common breed. A border detachment of sixty horsemen had fought a guerrilla war and sent the report by desperate runners. The plea was simple: send aid, defend the northern frontier, protect the people at the border.
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Caden, slammed his hand upon the table and leapt up, fury and steel in his eyes. "My lord, allow me to lead the Heavy Composite Legion north at once!"
The Heavy Composite Legion was a new arm: each legion contained two thousand heavy cavalry and three thousand heavy infantry. Two such legions were fully formed; elsewhere heavy units existed only at regiment or battalion strength.
"Lord," Old Jack, speaking for the civil administrators, said with a grave face, "this is a stain upon the realm. The scourge in the Ettenmoors must be driven out. If we do not act it will weaken our northern bulwarks."
Kaen lifted a hand and Caden fell back into his seat. After a moment Kaen's voice cut calm and measured. "This attack is not so simple. We will not plunge into war without knowing how this came to be."
He set his commands with the authority of a king who weighed both blade and counsel. "Gather two thousand mounted archers at the Ettenmoors' edge. Reyzeth, you will take command on the field. If the foe advances, hold them and delay the main host."
"Also," Kaen added, "we must capture some Orcs alive. Bring them to me so that I may see with my own eyes what manner of enemy we face."
Reyzeth rose, his bearing grave; once a Dúnedain and now of the royal house, he answered with a single word: "At once, my king."
"Caden, place your Heavy Composite Legion on alert. If the foe breaks our border, march without waiting for my order."
Caden answered with a roar of assent, "At once, my king."
"Mundar, at Azure Spring, be ready to send reinforcements with the herald's call. Supply lines must be kept full; make provisions for rapid campaigning."
Voices rose in the hall as men fell to their duties, and outside the capital the drums of war—so long silent—began to beat once more.