The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

From the Book of Lost Tales 2: The Fall of Gondolin

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Then drawing him within their halls she said to him how her heart misgave her for fear concerning {Eärendel} [Eärendil] her son, and for boding that some great evil was nigh, and that {Melko} [Morgoth] would be at the bottom of it. Then Tuor would comfort her, but might not, and she questioned him concerning the secret delving, and he said how it now led a league into the plain, and at that was her heart somewhat lightened. But still she counselled that the delving be pressed on, and that henceforth should speed weigh more than secrecy, "because now is the time very near".

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Yet to Turgon she spoke not openly, nor suffered Tuor to do so, as he desired, despite their love and reverence for him -- a great and a noble and a glorious king he was -- seeing that he trusted in {Meglin} [Maeglin] and held with blind obstinacy his belief in the impregnable might of the city and that {Melko} [Morgoth] sought no more against it, perceiving no hope therein.

Yet, when the attack was taking place and the Halls of the King were destroyed:

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By her stood Voronwë and none other, but Idril saw not even Tuor, for her gaze was set back upon the Place of the King that now lay somewhat below them. Then all that host halted and looked back whither her eyes gazed and their hearts stood still; for now they saw why the foe pressed them so little and the reason of their salvation. Lo! a {drake} [dragon or wyrm] was coiled even on the very steps of the palace and defiled their whiteness; but swarms of the Orcs ransacked within and dragged forth forgotten women and children or slew men that fought alone. {Glingol} [Glingal] was withered to the stock and {Bansil} [Belthil] was blackened utterly, and the king's tower was beset.

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Then said Idril: "Woe is me whose father awaiteth doom even upon his topmost pinnacle; but seven times woe whose lord hath gone down before {Melko} [Morgoth] and will stride home no more!" -- for she was distraught with the agony of that night.

I wonder if Idril could again be in the same situation, if she had found a way to do things differently to try and save her father whom she loved, or just let him perish.