House of the Golden Flower

Two new chapters this time, yay!

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The next murder was a week later, and it was Idril who informed me, having found the girl left at her door like a cat's offering. I had not been back to the palace since then, still angry and upset with Turgon, who had yet to summon me or attempt to make it right.
I went and saw how the girl was laid, and like before, her throat was slit and she was thoroughly debauched. I arranged for the grisly present to be taken care of. This girl, unlike the other, had an identity. She was of the house of the Fountain, because Idril had known her briefly before. Maeglin was hitting closer and closer to home, home being Idril. I went to talk with Ecthelion, not only to make burial arrangements, but for counsel.

He greeted me at his door and ushered me into his study, where I told him all that had happened, both between Turgon and I, and of the murders. He told me that Turgon had already asked for silence on the matter, intending to keep it hushed. I clenched my jaw at that, not liking secrecy, but it served its purpose.

"Glorfindel, I think it would be best if you just stayed out of this." He told me.

I looked him in the eye. "Why? What good does it do to do nothing?"

"More good than possibly incriminating yourself by trying to prove that Maeglin is the one doing it."

"But I know he is, and if I set myself up as bait and outthink him, I believe I can trick him into exposure."

"Glorfindel," He said gently, "I do not doubt your ability to outthink and outmaneuver him, but do you honestly think that Turgon will believe him guilty, deceived as he is?"

"No." I had to agree.

"Wait until you are in his favor again, you know he loves you and his anger cannot last long. I advise you be ready to forgive him when he is ready, and not to press him further than he will go. When he sees that, he will trust you enough to listen."

"Does he not trust me now?" The thought was heart wrenching.

"Turgon has never trusted well, and usually only one person at a time. He is wary by nature, and has never had so many to trust before. He does often make mistakes, but he cannot be forced to admit or correct them unless it is his idea to. You understand, don't you?" He said quickly, to reassure me.

"Yes." I agreed, knowing firsthand how he was. "But why does he trust so wrongly? If it were any other situation I would not be so keen to save him, but this misplaced trust may even cost him his life!"

"Valar help us all if Maeglin takes the throne." He said softly. "Do you think Maeglin would do so?"

"Why do you ask me? It is Idril who sees his heart."

"But you think as he does, and you are a man, so that will make your guess a little more accurate than her vision alone."

I thought for a moment. "I cannot say he thinks like I, or that I know what he thinks, but if I desired direct power instead of the indirect I joyfully hold; then yes, I would slay him. But Maeglin would rule with an iron fist after, to prevent the good people of Gondolin from protesting too much, or taking him from the throne, whereas I would appoint another into power so I could manipulate without being in full control."

"And that is the difference between you two, for although you are self-serving as he is, it is for the good of what you love, and with him it is for the good of himself." Ecthelion mused.

"Glorfindel, promise me this: If Turgon's throne does come to ruin, you will do what you can to save us." He asked earnestly.

I leaned forward and took his hand in a man's promise. "I have devoted myself to Gondolin as of now, be it doom or failure, and as I say, I will do, to the extent of my ability."

He smiled then, and I returned it.

"Now, go away Glorfindel, and leave me to my thoughts. When I decide what we shall do about the murders in the palace, I will come to you." He dismissed me cheerfully.

I left his house in high spirits; a burden shared was less heavy, indeed. At my house, there were a few small matters to be settled that kept me occupied for the duration of the day, including an audience with the ladies of the house, who desired tt met me for armor. Amused, I told them to make their preparations, and that I would allow them to fit me for it the next week, as I was hoping to settle the events in the palace before seeing to my own house, which was rather improper priorities, but my house was capable of leading itself, and if Turgon was going to be blind to his house, someone else would hav dea deal with it and I would not leave that burden to Idril alone.

That night I lay awake in bed, thinking of those two dead women. Suddenly, with clarity that surprised and angered me that I hadn't seen it before, I realized: They all looked like Idril.

Each of them had been a maiden, each had a little Vanyar blood so that she would look golden-haired in the dark, and each were close to Idril's dimensions. The most recent one had even been one of Idril's friends! I rose from my bed and paced. I could not run to Idril and save her, I 'had no proof'. No one else would listen, and perhaps if Idril knew, Maeglin would do it to her. No, I could not risk Idril. Turgon was also not an option. Ecthelion!

I was dressed and down the street before a quarter of an hour had passed, and at Ecthelion's door. As it was nine at night, still early yet for me but not the city, the steward of his house looked at me oddly, and told me that Lord Ecthelion had gone to bed. I pushed past him and went upstairs. He let me, knowing I meant no harm. I pounded on Ecthelion's bedroom door before entering, to give him fair warning, and found him nearly to the door when I stepped in. I was a little out of breath, and noted he looked startled and had not yet gone to bed.

"Glorfindel, what is it?" He asked.

"Idril, Ecthelion, Idril!" I said foolishly.

"What?" he asked.

I took a deep breath and composed myself as best I could. "The victims, they all looked like Idril. And this last was an acquaintance of hers."

He looked as alarmed as I felt. "We need to remove her from the palace as soon as it can be done. She must not stay under the same roof as he, if he is truly acting thus."

"Do you think Turgon will believe us, or will we have to act in secret?"

He looked at me long and hard. "Could you defy your king and lover, Glorfindel?"

"If I must."

"It may yet be required of you." He replied, and fellent.ent.

At last he spoke. "Go there, and tell her in secret what we have found, then come back here with her, if you can." I nodded, and left.

Idril, unsurprisingly, was still awake when I arrived. She seemed surprised to see me, but was more distressed tonight than I'd seen her ever be. I asked her of it, and she sent her maidens out before turning to me to speak. "Glorfindel, ever since you left the palace, he has been a terror to me."

Maeglin. "What has he said and done?" I asked.

"He corners me in the halls, and just looks at me and breathes on me...but at night, he assaults me."

"Assaults you?" I asked in alarm.

"He comes into my room, I don't know he gets there, but he lays on me - at first it was just beside me - and looks at me. I always pretend to be asleep. He has been getting braver...last night he actually rutted on me, and then this morning..." "We found the girl." I finished her sentence and took her in my arms. She was shaking like a leaf in a windstorm.

"Please, Glorfindel, I need a witness, someone to prove that this isn't just a nightmare, and you're the only one who looks so much like me...please?" She begged.

I kissed her brow. "Yes, alright. I'm so sorry Idril; I shouldn't have left, even if I was angry with Turgon. I'll find a way to get you out of here, I promise. Now, go and sleep in with your maidens, and I'll take your bed for the night." She nodded tearfully.

I darkened the room so that he wouldn't see my face by chance, and lay down. Her bed smelled sweet, like she did, and I fell asleep rather quickly. I woke, as promised, to the weight of a man laying on me. It was Maeglin; I could feel by the lines of his body. He touched my hair and face lightly, whispering. "Idril, sweet, lovely Idril..." He leaned forward and kissed me. I did not wince or kiss him back. His lips crept to mine, and dove inside. Taken unaware, I hadn't closed my jaw in time, and his tongue was inside my mouth. He pulled away. "Beautiful Idril, you taste so nice." He murmured, stroking my hair.

My hair wasn't as wavy as Idril's but I don't think he noticed. He adjusted himself atop me, and I could feel his erection on my hip. "I'd like to put it in you, cousin, but I think your father would notice your screams of bliss, and see how stiffly you walked in the morning, lovely." Urgh. This was his idea of bed talk? I'd been better seduced by a warg, and would rather have bedded the warg, too, fleas or no. "How about...instead..." He said, and I was aware of his hands creeping under the blanket. Well, one touch would find no breasts and a little extra in the package department, so I knocked his hands away.

He laughed softly. "So you're awake after all then, cousin. Why don't you open your eyes and kiss me back? I don't like it when you lay there like a loathsome slug." I made no reply. "Ah well. Your loss." He said at last, and began humping me, breathing heavily, face tucked into my neck. I endured it, and it did not take long. I felt sorry for Idril, this being one of the horrors she had endured. His scent, when he came, was heavy and metallic, deeply masculine and dark. "Mmmm." He noted, and kissed me again. This time my mouth was closed and st clo closed to him.

I didn't expect for him to go for my crotch again, but his hand was already there when he said, "Are you wet, dear cousin? Didn't you like it just a little bit?" And then his palm closed over me and I knew I was found out because he stiffened and went very still. I couldn't move for a moment, waiting to see what he'd do. "Why Idril!" He said and leaned on me, but found no breasts. With the speed of a striking snake, he pulled a knife and held it to my neck, and I returned the favor. "Drop the knife." He said, threatening with a little press of the blade. I pressed him back. He reached out with the other hand, and turned on a light.

Dazzled by it, he and I blinked stupidly at one another a moment. I focused on his dark eyes, dilated with recent passion, the sweat dampening his brow. He smirked. "Glorfindel. I had thought Idril more slight. No matter, you'll do just as well." He leaned forward, and would have kissed me again, but my second hand pressed a knife to his belly. "Get. Off." I commanded.

He did so, and sat on his heels next to me, putting away his knife. I glared at him.

"Do you honestly think anyone will believe you over me, Fin?" He asked.

My name isn't Fin, you bastard, I wanted to snap. Instead I said, "If you ever touch her again, I'll geld you."

He chuckled. "Maybe I won't touch her, then. Maybe I'll just fuck Turgon's bitch instead."

"Get out." I said evenly, voice dark with anger.

"Oh now Glorfindel, don't pretend you don't like laying with men like a girl. Spread 'em wide, let him at your man-pussy. I could show you a better time than he ever could."

I got out of the bed, incensed. Maeglin was simply obscene.

He walked nonchalantly to the door, laughing. "Some other time, then?" Came his sickly sweet, dark voice as he slid around the corner and slid down the hall. I resisted acting in anger, and considered my options.

I couldn't leave the palace. I couldn't go to Idril. Biting my lip, I fought with the idea of going and crawling in with Turgon, casting aside my pride and apologizing. No, I couldn't do that, too much was at stake, this was not just a lover's disagreement.

I lay back down, but didn't turn off the light. I didn't sleep again, either.

In the morning, I was dressed and sitting in the chair by the window when Idril came in. She looked worried. "Did he come in again?"

I nodded. There wasn't any more to be said, besides: "Get ready to take leave of here for a time. We're going to see Ecthelion, and then you may stay in my house. I'll arrange some kind of cover for you." She beamed brightly at me and I managed a smile, still upset by the events of the night. How had she stood it? Poor brave, sweet Idril.

After she packed up what she would need, we set out, not saying anything to anyone. I didn't even speak with Turgon. Once we got out in the hall, Idril clung to my side because of the dark. I stepped in something damp, and had a feeling I knew what it was. "Idril, fetch the lamp." I said. She went back, and returned with it. She gasped at the sight, and I sighed, having guessed. It was one of Idril's maidens, murdered and left in the hall. Most disturbing about her was, though she had been both raped and sodomized, her skin was still warm to the touch. Once for her and once for me, I thought darkly. "Maeglin, you bastard!" I said loudly, but there was no sound or motion in the hall. I held Idril tightly to me and half-drug her out. Turgon could keep his fucking secrecy and dispose of the corpse himself.

We went straight to Ecthelion's house. It was Ecthelion who answered the door when I knocked. "I expected you back last night!" He said.

"I'm sorr I a I apologized "but I'll explain everything once you let us in without further display, as we haven't permission to be here." He let us in without another word, greeting Idril once we were inside.

"Ecthelion, we have much to tell you, and I think Idril should say her piece first."

Idril stepped over to one of the couches, and seated herself.

"Ecthelion, my father is deceived, and his house in ruins. It is no longer safe for me to remain, and by the grace of the Valar, Glorfindel has seen to my safety. Another of my maidens has died in my stead tonight, and I will have no more do the same. I beg you and Glorfindel to shelter me, even if I must wed one of you to escape my father's house and its terrors."

"Lady Idril, I would not wed thee." Ecthelion said quietly.

"Nor I, for you are like my sister, and I am bound to your father." I refused.

"Then find me an honorable way to live outside the palace, I beg you."

Ecthelion and I were silent a moment, thinking.

"Perhaps you could remain in Ecthelion's house under the guise of weaving tapestries with his maidens?" I suggested.

"It would not be believed, and my father would know it makes more sense for them to come to me in the palace, rather than I go to them." She replied.

"Lady Idril, are you skilled in the fitting and making of armor?" Ecthelion asked, sitting beside her. She nodded and he went on, "My armor does not need to be replaced, but as far as I know, Glorfindel has no proper suit of it."

"Aye, you do not, Glorfindel." She agreed, smiling at the solution. "But that will only buy us a week or two, while it is made."

"I might have come up with a solution by then, and if I have not, we could always stall until I can think of another way to spare you." I said.

"Glorfindel, Ecthelion, I am grateful to your generosity - without you I fear I should be lost."

Ecthelion rose, putting his hands together at his waist. "Well, I do not know how you two slept, but I slept not well. I have spare beds you are welcome to, and my hospitality will see you through until you feel ready to put our plan into motion." He bowed to us, and ca for for his steward.