House of the Golden Flower

A two chapter update, to apologize for the delay. Am so sorry, folks!
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It had just passed noon one day in early summer, and I was keeping scribe duty for Turgon and Meaglin once more, my hair tied back and my fingers smudged with ink, while I listened to them argue and describe plans for the renovation of the market center, which was needing to be replaced once more.
A tumult rose up from the city, and a messenger entered the chamber swiftly. "My King, the guards of the Gate come, and the trumpets are blown, and they bring to you prisoners who found entry by the Hidden Way."

Turgon stood, and Maeglin also rose, and they departed swiftly. I also made haste, ink besmudged and scruffy or no, after them.

At the top of the steps down into the gardens Turgon paused, Maeglin beside him, for the throng of gaurdsmen and people were already gathered hence. I stepped up beside Turgon and gazed in wonder at the tall Man dressed all in skins, wearing a cloak whose majesty we had never seen, and beneath it, elvish armor - indeed Turgon's own, that he informed me previously that he had left in Nevrast at Ulmo's bidding - rough, bearded, and his guide: an elf who might have once been of our kin, but had long taken on the looks of a wanderer and thrall.

Turgon seemed to know this Man, and even I felt the sight of him familiar, even though I had not but met Huor and Hurin in all my time. Indeed, he bore resemblence to them both, but moreso Huor, in that he was tall.

The Man was gazing up quietly at the King's tower above us, squinting against the glare of the sun. I followed his stare, and beheld Idril standing at the window of her room, her handmaids beside her, looking below. Idril leant gently against the sill as I watched, her eyes on the Man.

Turgon spoke, and said, regaining the Man's attention; "Welcome, Tuor of the Land of Shadows. Thy coming was set in our books of wisdom, and it has been written that there would come to pass many great things in the homes of the Gondothlim when thou came hither."

Then Tuor replied, and I recognized his name as that the son of Huor, and Turgon's words as reference to the notes he had penned after returning home from the battle. "Behold, o father of the City of Stone, I am bidden by him who maketh deep music in the sea, and who knoweth the minds of Elves and Men, to say unto thee that the days of Release draw nigh. There have come to the ears of Ulmo whispers of your dwelling and your hill of vigilance against the evil of Melkor, and he is glad: but his heart is wroth and the hearts of the Valar are angered who sit in the mountains of Taniquetil, seeing the sorrow of the thraldom of the Nodoli and the wanderings of Men; for Melkor ringeth them in the Land of Shadows beyond hills of iron. Therefore have I been brought by a secret way to bid you number your hosts and prepare for battle, for the time is ripe."

Turgon's shoulders squared stubbornly, and he replied; "That I will not do, though it be The words of Ulmo and all the Valar. I will not adventure this my people against the terror of the Orcs, nor emperil my city against the fire of Melkor."

"Nay, if thou dost not nare are greatly then will the Orcs dwell for ever and posess in the end most of the mountains of the Earth, and cease not to trouble both Elves and Men, even though by other means the Valar contrive hereafter to release the Nodoli; but if thou trust now to the Valar, though terrible the encounter, then shall the Orcs fall, and Melkor's power be minished to a little thing. " Tuor answered him.

Turgon took one step down, and drew himself up passionately. "I am King of Gondolin, and no will should force me against my counsel to emperil the dear labor of long ages gone."

"Then I am bidden to say that men of the Gondothlim," Tuor looked about him at the crowd, "repair swiftly and secretly down the river Sirion to the sea, and there build them boats and go seek back to Vor: or: lo! the paths thereto are forgotten and the highways faded from the world, and the seas and mountains are about it, yet still dwell there the Elves on the hill of Kor and the Gods sit in Valinor, though their mirth is minished for sorrow and fear of Melkor, and they hide their land and weave about it inacessible magic that no evil come to its shores. Yet still might thy messengers win there and turn their hearts that they rise in wrath and smite Melkor, and destroy the Hells of Iron that he has wrought beneath the Mountains of Darkness."

Angry that Tuor might turn to his people rather than he, Turgon spoke loudly, with irriation and mockery in his tone. "Every year at the lifting of winter have messengers repaired swiftly and by stealth down the river that is called Sirion to the coasts of the Great Sea, and there builded them boats whereto have swans and gulls been harnessed or the strong wings of the wind, and these have sought back beyond the moon and sun to Valinor; but the paths thereto are forgotten, and the highways faded from the world, and the seas and mountains are about it, and they that sithin hin in mirth reck little of the dread of Melkor, or the sorrow of the world, but hide their land and weave about it inacessible magic, that no tidings of evil come ever to their ears. Nay, enough of my people have for years untold gone out to the wide waters never to return, but have perished in the deep places or wander now lost in the shadows that have no paths; and at the coming of next year no more shall fare to the sea, but rather will we trust to ourselves and our city for the warding off of Melkor; and thereto have the Valar been of scant help aforetime."

With that, he made a sweeping gesture to dismiss all but the head gaurdsmen, and seated himself on the top step as if weary, putting his face in his hands and rubbing his brow. I looked warily at Maeglin, this was the first I had ever heard of Turgon sending out men of our people beyond the twice I had known of - the seven recently and those I had been told of years after.

Maeglin met my eyes for but a moment, then shifted his away.

No doubt, he was the reason I had heard very little of anything.

Tuor also sat, on the edge of the fountain, and turned his eyes to the ground and said nothing more. His guide sat gracefully at his feet, back to the stone of the fountain, and pulled his knees up to hide his face. I stood beside my lover for a great length of time, and at last he brought up his head, and looked to where Tuor sat, and Voronwe his guide.

Heaving a great heavy sigh, Turgon rose and gracefully went down the steps. When his shadow fell upon Voronwe, Tuor raised up his head, and Turgon said to him, "Stay with me, and be of my favor, dwell even in my halls with me, if you would."

To this Tuor answered, "I would."

And it was so.