This family of three, from grandfather to grandson, represented the final three ruling Stewards. As time passed, the pressure on the Stewards only grew greater.
In the garden, Levi shook his head, unsure what to say. The teenage boy Denethor before him did not yet know the immense pressure he would face in the future, the regrets and partings he would experience, or how he would ultimately reach his breaking point.
But then Levi patted the youth's head and smiled.
"This is a good child."
"Sigh..."
Staring blankly at his old father's retreating figure, Ecthelion sighed deeply, but quickly recovered his spirits to continue conversing with Levi.
"I'm glad to hear you say that."
At this moment, Denethor suddenly spoke: "Lord Levi."
"I wish to ask you for instruction."
"Oh?"
Swoosh.
The youth drew his sword, proudly raising his head: "I challenge you!"
Moments later, Denethor sheathed his sword, his eyes moist with unfallen tears.
"Child, when you have time, come visit Roadside Keep. Anyone in the barracks, even the new recruits, knows swordplay better than you."
Levi delivered this rather crushing assessment with surprising gentleness. He hoped that the future final Steward, who would one day face Sauron head-on for decades, wasn't quite so fragile.
"My lord, he's still just a child."
Ecthelion approached and whispered.
"Ahem."
"You did quite well too."
Levi offered slight encouragement. However, seeds of defiance had taken root in his heart. From this day forward, Denethor worked exceptionally hard at everything, with such desperate determination that his teachers and family were astounded.
The day passed peacefully.
That evening, Turgon couldn't fall asleep for a long time. Even past midnight, his eyes remained open. In the deep of night, Ecthelion knocked on his door, bringing a plate of fruit and hot soup prepared by the chef.
"Father, perhaps we need to have a proper talk."
"What do you want to say?" Turgon's tone wasn't pleasant.
"I must contradict something you said. Perhaps it's not me whose eyes and ears are clouded, but you. You're too preoccupied with distant affairs to pay attention to current rumors."
"Ha, then tell me, what's so noteworthy about these so-called 'current rumors'?"
At this mention, Ecthelion perked up.
"This story isn't short. First, we must mention those refugees from the Anduin Vale, then Erebor..."
"I've heard all this. I know he's a very powerful lord, miraculous swordplay and magic flow from his hands as naturally as breathing."
"Tell me something I haven't heard. Perhaps your tale will help me sleep well." Turgon seemed rather disinterested.
"Then you probably haven't heard rumors from the Far East and South. You should remember Cain, the Ithilien strike team captain you sent south. In the hall, he only answered your questions but didn't mention rumors from the south and far eastern lands..."
"Also about Levi."
The sun gradually rose. The next day, Levi visited the palace again, meeting with Turgon before the throne.
Accompanying Turgon were his son Ecthelion and his grandson Denethor, three generations gathered together. But aside from Denethor, the other two looked somewhat haggard, as if they hadn't slept well.
In the great hall, after a brief silence, Turgon sighed: "Gondor wishes to be on good terms with you."
Then he fell silent.
"I don't need to bow anymore?"
Turgon said nothing, only glancing at Ecthelion, then at Denethor. Finally shaking his head.
"The future doesn't belong to me."
"Lord of the North, Levi, Gondor has received your aid. This is an indisputable fact."
"What do you seek?"
"What I wanted is already here."
Levi pulled out a bunch of flower seeds the guard captain had personally delivered yesterday and shook them.
Turgon looked questioningly at Ecthelion beside him.
"Those are flower seeds, Father."
"This can hardly be considered adequate compensation."
Despite great reluctance, Turgon awkwardly spoke these words.
"If you truly can't think of anything, consider this a reserved promise, the Steward's promise."
"Gondor will not mistreat anyone who has helped it."
"Actually, there is something I'd like to do."
Levi suddenly spoke: "I heard Gondor possesses a palantír?"
Turgon frowned. Where did he hear this news?
"Indeed, we have one."
"I'd like to borrow it."
"Impossible!"
Turgon refused quite sternly. This time, even Ecthelion, who had been consistently friendly throughout their meeting, grew serious.
"No."
"I hope you can understand."
Turgon spoke slowly: "Only the King holds authority to use the palantír. We merely safeguard it."
"As you said, I am the Steward, Gondor's Steward. I have no right to touch that stone, nor to give it to others."
After saying this, Turgon's mood inexplicably improved considerably. Levi's barb had ultimately become a boomerang that struck himself.
"Moreover, setting aside these considerations, the palantír is an extremely dangerous artifact. Those without sufficient willpower can easily be controlled by the great enemy on the other end."
"I've used other palantíri before."
Levi countered: "But Sauron couldn't do anything to me. You really should have seen how furious he got."
"How dare you speak that name openly..."
Turgon said somewhat anxiously but only realized after speaking. What? Though the great enemy's name was spoken, no evil presence seemed to descend upon this place.
"What's wrong?"
"I underestimated you."
Turgon's breathing slowed slightly: "Perhaps your strength allows you to ignore such influences, but I must warn you, this name contains magic. Those who speak it can easily attract evil attention and be corrupted if careless."
"You don't mind, of course, nor do I, nor does my son, but this name must never be heard by residents. If someone grows curious and recites it casually, corruption would likely await them."
"You wouldn't want evil to flourish in your own domain, would you?"
"Corruption?"
Levi frowned slightly: "Indeed worth noting."
If such things happened, it would indeed be quite troublesome. For troubles that befell him, Levi habitually went straight to the source and eliminated it.
However, if the source was Sauron, that wasn't very feasible right now. Though Sauron was currently in a weakened state, he had the Dark Tower of Barad-dûr.
Levi never forgot that Sauron wasn't just the Dark Lord people spoke of, or the powerful warrior who could defeat two High Kings with one blow, he was also a sorcerer, and sorcerers had home field advantage in their own towers.
Just like Levi in his own domain, they had environmental assistance. He hadn't defeated Sauron when they met at Dol Guldur before. Even though his strength had increased since then, making him able to resist magical attacks and crush Nazgûl, charging into Mordor to face Sauron on his home turf would still risk disaster.
This matter required careful planning.