As Idril prepared to leave with her followers she looked out once more one her burning city. But one image kept returning to her mind: the sight of a small black and white bird changing into a small woman, no longer young and clad in rags, weeping bitterly over the body of an Eldar.
She shook her head, wondering what path the Children of Man had followed down through the ages. By all appearances, the race had diminished, and yet somehow she knew that Piosenniel had given her friendship to this strange creature. It gave her hope that the promise of the race that she saw in her own, beloved Tuor had survived, and would be able to uphold the place that the Song of Eru had prepared for them.
The room where the body of Piosenniel lay was strangely quiet, as if the very sounds of the city's fall were forbidden to enter here. The body of the Elf that Idril had know and loved through the ages lay before her, while in the corridor the same maiden, barely beyond babyhood, waited for the adults to take her away from the chaos and pain that had suddenly taken over her world.
Holly appeared behind Idril, calling to her urgently, "My lady! Your husband and your household await you. Why do you tarry?"
Idril blocked the view of the room with her body. Holly would never know the fate of her only child. "I come. Join my husband and look to your daughter, I have one other task to do."
As Holly retreated down the corridor, Idril took a torch from the wall. Gazing one last time on the face of Piosenniel, she cast the torch upon the bed, and shut the door.
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Bird flew toward the Secret Way, to her rendevous with Mithadan. The fall of Gondolin had no more effect on her. It had done the worst. No other sights or sounds could touch her. She saw the silver and black clad figure of Mithadan in the gloom before her, and hovered in front of him, like a hummingbird. She did not even wonder how she could do this.
"Bird! Come! We can only hope that the entrance to the tunnel has not been found and guarded by the enemy. Once through, we can join Angara and make it back to the ship."
"No Mith. You know I can't do that. I have to stay with Child and the others. Once I know where they are, and how they will fare, I'll come to the ship. Say hulloa to Kali and Levanto, please."
"Bird! No!" But she was gone. Mith was cursing through his tears. They had started out as six. Two would return.
[ August 09, 2002: Message edited by: Birdland ]
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