WW XXXIX - Do Werebalrogs have wings? - Page 4 - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Thinlómien · 11-10-2007, 08:04 PM

I am on the three-peaked mountain. I have a feeling I've been here before. When I look back I see the lights of the city of Gondolin. But something pulls me forward, some unknown force. I can't resist. I want to stop but my feet don't obey me. I'm going deeper to the dark. I'm afraid. They are waiting for me, as if summoned by my fear. They feel me approaching, they hear the blood pounding in my ears, they smell my sweat. I'm trying to turn back, but even if I could, it would be too late. There's one behind me, there's one beside me, there's one before me. I stop. They come closer. Flame and shadow, shadow and flame, merging into one, parting into three. I scream.

”Mother! I had the dream again.”
”It's alright, darling, it's alright.”
”It was the cave dream again.”
”I know, my darling, I know.”
”It was the third time.”
”Let's go to tell Grandpa Turgon, darling, let's go.”

~*~

”What be it, my dears, that ails you?” High King Turgon asked.
”The little one has had the dream again. Something must be done. I fear... the worst”, Idril said, glancing at her son.
The King looked at his grandson. ”The three-peaked mountain again?”
The boy nodded. ”They were there”, he said in a small voice.
”I must send someone to investigate”, the King said, ”there might be something to this. After all, you, Eärendil, are the son of Tuor the Messenger of Ulmo and my daughter Idril, who sees far.”
”Lord, I will go, if it pleases you!” a clear voice came from behind the King's throne.
”Glorfindel of the Golden Flower, I did not know you have the evil habit of eavesdropping! More would it please me if you used your gift for good.”
”Then, my lord, let me go to the mines!”
”Your wish is granted. Glorfindel of the Golden Flower, you shall go to the mines at the three-peaked mountain and find out what is happening there. And don't forget to take your sword with you.”

~*~

Every step takes me closer to the three peaks. A dark cloud lingers above the mountains. There's something wrong. Glorfindel shook his head. He had a bad feeling about this.

~*~

The old miner Thinlómion frowned. ”Anything special? Well, we found a new lode of iron ore this morning. That was a good find, even though I'd rather have found a silverlode. They are rare these days. Maeglin's miners found last year, but it was a thin one...”
”Excuse me, master Thinlómion. Anything else?” Glorfindel asked impatiently.
”Oh, nothing special, I guess. Three new workers came here yesterday, but that's hardly anything special, it happens all the time: the workers come and go. No one stays for long, except Maeglin's folk, they are the only ones who like it here.”
”Speaking of workers... where am I going to work?”
”Hmmm... I think you can work under my old friend Aganwë. I'll show you to his place, he'll assign you your duties.”

~*~

”I can’t understand why there’s no word of him!” Tuor bellowed.
“Hush”, said his wife, “you’re waking the little one. He should sleep.”
“How could I be silent, my fair lady? My friend, one of the finest and most valiant men there ever was in this city, is in trouble, possibly already dead.”
“I’m sure nothing’s wrong with him. There might have just been... snow in the mountains, so no messenger has been able to pass. Or maybe he just doesn’t have anything to report.”
“Or maybe your father hasn’t sen fit to tell me anything”, Tuor said, an edge of bitterness to his voice, “or maybe Glorfindel is dead.”
“You know my father isn’t like that! He took you here, treated you like his own son and let you marry his daughter. How could you accuse him of such thing? Tuor, that kind of hot-headedness is not like you. What is wrong with you?”
“Idril, Idril, don’t you see? Glorfindel, my friend, has walked to an unknown danger and probably died. But it should have been me, not him. It was my son’s dream, not his, wasn’t it? I should have gone, not him.”
“He was willing to go.”
“I would have been too, but no one saw it fit to tell me.”
“My love, you were away and the matter was urgent.”
“Nevertheless, it should have been me, not him, to go to investigate this thing. It is more than my duty to go after him and see nothing has happened to him.”
“Tuor, don’t leave me, don’t leave our son. I fear... I fear the Enemy knows. You should be here to protect Eärendil if...”
Tuor kissed his wife lightly on the top of her head. “I promise no such thing will happen. Don’t be afraid. I’m sorry, but I must go.” He let go of his wife, turned and walked away.
“Tuor! Don’t leave me!”
He glanced one last time to his wife, but said nothing and hurried to find his weapons and traveling gear.

~*~

Idril could not sleep. She knew everything was not well. There had been no word of Glorfindel or of her husband. My love, to think that you’re there in the mines and that there might be a deadly threat there... She had demanded and pleaded that her father should send a party of soldiers to see if everything was alright in the mines. He had declined it. He had said: “It would ruin everything. The soldiers couldn’t know if Tuor and Glorfindel were safe and sound unless they forced them to reveal. That would ruin the whole operation. They’re both there, spying, in a miner’s disguise. If they were to reveal themselves to my soldiers or leave a word, everybody in the mines would learn their true identities and their mission would fail. No, we must just wait patiently.” But Idril, she couldn’t wait any longer.

One morning Turgon found a note from his rooms.
“Dear father,
I see you can’t send soldiers to check if my beloved is alive and well. Thus I must go myself. I can’t stand this any longer. I have gone to the mines, in a miner’s disguise and I wish to find my dearest (and also Lord Glorfindel). Take care of my little son and see he is safe.
With love,
Idril Celebrindal”

High King Turgon was grieved and strangled with worry, but he couldn’t send soldiers after his daughter. He knew that if there truly were Morgoth’s servants in the mines, the last thing they should find out was that the High King’s only daughter was there.

He might have sent the soldiers anyway, if he had known that his grandson Eärendil had run off and left to the mines as well.

11-10-2007, 08:04 PM	#1
Thinlómien Shady She-Penguin Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: In a far land beyond the Sea Posts: 8,093	WW XXXIX - Do Werebalrogs have wings? I am on the three-peaked mountain. I have a feeling I've been here before. When I look back I see the lights of the city of Gondolin. But something pulls me forward, some unknown force. I can't resist. I want to stop but my feet don't obey me. I'm going deeper to the dark. I'm afraid. They are waiting for me, as if summoned by my fear. They feel me approaching, they hear the blood pounding in my ears, they smell my sweat. I'm trying to turn back, but even if I could, it would be too late. There's one behind me, there's one beside me, there's one before me. I stop. They come closer. Flame and shadow, shadow and flame, merging into one, parting into three. I scream. ”Mother! I had the dream again.” ”It's alright, darling, it's alright.” ”It was the cave dream again.” ”I know, my darling, I know.” ”It was the third time.” ”Let's go to tell Grandpa Turgon, darling, let's go.” ~~ ”What be it, my dears, that ails you?” High King Turgon asked. ”The little one has had the dream again. Something must be done. I fear... the worst”, Idril said, glancing at her son. The King looked at his grandson. ”The three-peaked mountain again?” The boy nodded. ”They were there”, he said in a small voice. ”I must send someone to investigate”, the King said, ”there might be something to this. After all, you, Eärendil, are the son of Tuor the Messenger of Ulmo and my daughter Idril, who sees far.” ”Lord, I will go, if it pleases you!” a clear voice came from behind the King's throne. ”Glorfindel of the Golden Flower, I did not know you have the evil habit of eavesdropping! More would it please me if you used your gift for good.” ”Then, my lord, let me go to the mines!” ”Your wish is granted. Glorfindel of the Golden Flower, you shall go to the mines at the three-peaked mountain and find out what is happening there. And don't forget to take your sword with you.” ~~ Every step takes me closer to the three peaks. A dark cloud lingers above the mountains. There's something wrong. Glorfindel shook his head. He had a bad feeling about this. ~~ The old miner Thinlómion frowned. ”Anything special? Well, we found a new lode of iron ore this morning. That was a good find, even though I'd rather have found a silverlode. They are rare these days. Maeglin's miners found last year, but it was a thin one...” ”Excuse me, master Thinlómion. Anything else?” Glorfindel asked impatiently. ”Oh, nothing special, I guess. Three new workers came here yesterday, but that's hardly anything special, it happens all the time: the workers come and go. No one stays for long, except Maeglin's folk, they are the only ones who like it here.” ”Speaking of workers... where am I going to work?” ”Hmmm... I think you can work under my old friend Aganwë. I'll show you to his place, he'll assign you your duties.” ~~ ”I can’t understand why there’s no word of him!” Tuor bellowed. “Hush”, said his wife, “you’re waking the little one. He should sleep.” “How could I be silent, my fair lady? My friend, one of the finest and most valiant men there ever was in this city, is in trouble, possibly already dead.” “I’m sure nothing’s wrong with him. There might have just been... snow in the mountains, so no messenger has been able to pass. Or maybe he just doesn’t have anything to report.” “Or maybe your father hasn’t sen fit to tell me anything”, Tuor said, an edge of bitterness to his voice, “or maybe Glorfindel is dead.” “You know my father isn’t like that! He took you here, treated you like his own son and let you marry his daughter. How could you accuse him of such thing? Tuor, that kind of hot-headedness is not like you. What is wrong with you?” “Idril, Idril, don’t you see? Glorfindel, my friend, has walked to an unknown danger and probably died. But it should have been me, not him. It was my son’s dream, not his, wasn’t it? I should have gone, not him.” “He was willing to go.” “I would have been too, but no one saw it fit to tell me.” “My love, you were away and the matter was urgent.” “Nevertheless, it should have been me, not him, to go to investigate this thing. It is more than my duty to go after him and see nothing has happened to him.” “Tuor, don’t leave me, don’t leave our son. I fear... I fear the Enemy knows. You should be here to protect Eärendil if...” Tuor kissed his wife lightly on the top of her head. “I promise no such thing will happen. Don’t be afraid. I’m sorry, but I must go.” He let go of his wife, turned and walked away. “Tuor! Don’t leave me!” He glanced one last time to his wife, but said nothing and hurried to find his weapons and traveling gear. ~*~ Idril could not sleep. She knew everything was not well. There had been no word of Glorfindel or of her husband. My love, to think that you’re there in the mines and that there might be a deadly threat there... She had demanded and pleaded that her father should send a party of soldiers to see if everything was alright in the mines. He had declined it. He had said: “It would ruin everything. The soldiers couldn’t know if Tuor and Glorfindel were safe and sound unless they forced them to reveal. That would ruin the whole operation. They’re both there, spying, in a miner’s disguise. If they were to reveal themselves to my soldiers or leave a word, everybody in the mines would learn their true identities and their mission would fail. No, we must just wait patiently.” But Idril, she couldn’t wait any longer. One morning Turgon found a note from his rooms. “Dear father, I see you can’t send soldiers to check if my beloved is alive and well. Thus I must go myself. I can’t stand this any longer. I have gone to the mines, in a miner’s disguise and I wish to find my dearest (and also Lord Glorfindel). Take care of my little son and see he is safe. With love, Idril Celebrindal” High King Turgon was grieved and strangled with worry, but he couldn’t send soldiers after his daughter. He knew that if there truly were Morgoth’s servants in the mines, the last thing they should find out was that the High King’s only daughter was there. He might have sent the soldiers anyway, if he had known that his grandson Eärendil had run off and left to the mines as well.