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Maegisil walked quickly out of the palace, keeping his eyes straight ahead, moving his eyes only to look down at the steps he was taking down two at a time. His teeth were gritted and he repeatedly clenched and unclenched is fists, trying to release his anger while keeping his composure. It took all of his strength to just keep walking; he wanted to punch something and scream aloud like a child. He could not remember ever feeling this way, and he was unsure what to do, except to hold it all in and continue the disgusting feeling in his stomach.
Sooner than he expected, he found himself in the palace courtyard. He stopped for a moment, realizing that he was unsure of what exactly to do. Should he be the herald of Celebrimbor? Or should that job be passed to someone else? Should he even remain a counselor of the lord, or should he break all ties with the elf? Perhaps he should not even bother to get it announced to the city that the Lord of Eregion was going to speak…perhaps it was time to wash his hands of it all…
He looked around him, taking in the view of the courtyard, and seeing bits and pieces of the rest of the city. Renewed grief grew in his heart and he suddenly felt as if he could cry. He cursed himself for ever thinking that he would abandon his city to destruction, that he would save his own life and the life of his wife with no thought to his people. Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, he began walking again quickly across the courtyard. Soon he had reached the palace’s gate. It was not huge, but still quite large, and was beautifully crafted with mithril silver through the generosity and help of the Dwarves of Khazad-dûm. The guards rushed to open the gate for him, observing his haste.
It was just past midday, the busiest time of day in the city. It was practically bustling with a speed greater than you would expect a city of immortals to ever move. The city had never been more alive. Maegisil felt a swell of pride in his chest as he thought about his people, and beheld the lively city, knowing that innumerable masterpieces had been created within its walls besides being a masterpiece itself. A few people turned to glanced as the palace gate opened. For a moment, Maegisil thought he saw hopeful faces be shot down, looking for the great Lord Celebrimbor, and receiving yet again only his counselor.
Maegisil could only remember shouting perhaps twice in his life. He had never liked shouting, he had never liked showing anger, and he certainly had never liked bringing attention to himself. Now he would do all three. He stood just outside the palace gate and took several more breaths as he closed his eyes, preparing for his heart to speak. Though it was not the composer of the words, it had composed the music.
“People of Eregion,” he called out to the elves in the streets. He paused for a moment, and not just for affect; he had shocked himself at the intensity and volume of his voice. He had gained the people’s attention. “The Lord Celebrimbor will speak to his people. Tell your friends and loved ones to gather in the palace courtyard to hear him.” He turned around to talk to the guards at the gate, still speaking loudly. “Leave the gates open for the people.”
It took several moments for the guards to respond, as they stood looking at Maegisil with some confusion. The palace gates had been opened for very few people over the years, and everyone had gotten used to the idea that the palace was off limits to most, and that their once visibly kind and benevolent and wise ruler was now a mysterious, invisible presence that represented the doom of the city rather than prosperity. But after the palace guards saw that Maegisil was in no mood to wait, they rushed to reopen the gate. All those who still watched the counselor were seemingly waiting for him to return to the palace, but he did not.
Maegisil now thought of his wife, and all the wrong that he knew that he had done to her over the years came rushing into his mind… He had let go of his anger that day, and it was time for him to let go of others. It had been too long; he had kept his heart away from his true love for too long, though it only should have belonged to her. He would be there when Celebrimbor, but so would she. He had kept his own wife in the dark for so long. He finally saw it was time to change this, when it was too late. He was no better than the feeble Lord of Eregion…
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