House of the Golden Flower

As of 1:48PM, October 18th, I have finished Part Two of HotGF! To celebrate, after only three days since the last update, I give you another!

Amredith woke me with a summons from the King's House and a nearly ungodly hour, dawn. When I had only been asleep since just past midnight, waking was difficult, and only a cold bath roused me fully.
I dressed again, and went to Turgon's house.

Hurin was in counsel with the King, and Meaglin, who obvoiusly begrudged Hurin and Huor Turgon's favor was openly kind and fair to them, but I could see that he loathed them. When I was let in, I bowed before my mate, and looked up to recieve a sneer from Meaglin. I ignored him, for in my expierence he was harmless.

"Glorfindel, will you keep Huor company this day? I fear he is too young to be troubled with our counsels." Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Huor bristle. He'd been told he was too young many times before, but as evidenced in the fact that he'd gone to war with his brother at thirteen, he wasn't one to be held back by it. I swallowed a smile. "I would be honored." More bowing and posturing later, and I towed Huor out of the council chamber.

I needed to find Idril, she'd like to be informed of events and I had a feeling that Huor could tell us plenty.

She was in her gardens with her maidens, tending them in the rising summer heat. I introduced her and Huor to one another, and she bade us sit, and dismissed her maids. "Will you tell us Huor, of the recent events outside the walls of Gondolin? For I fear I have not yet heard them, and if Glorfindel has he has not heard them in full; and news comes rarely here."

Huor did as she said, and Idril sat beside me to listen to the tale in full.

"High King Fingolfin of the elves began it all. He decided that his forces of Men and Elves were stong enough to assail Morgoth, because he feared what Morgoth might do there in Angband in possible preparation of destroying all of Beleriand. His sons agreed with him, being that they live in Dorthonion and therefore under the shadow of Thandogrodrim, but still Fingolfin's desire came to naught."

I yawned, politely covering my mouth with my hand, and nodded for him to continue. Huor went on.

"Without warning, liquid fire issued forth from Thangorodrim in violent eruption, and destroyed Ard-Galen and all in it's path, until nothing left lived. Ard-Galen is now called Angfauglith, or the Gasping Dust, as I'm sure you two know, for you have spoken the launguage of elves longer than I."

At this Idril laughed, and said in brief my past, even as I lay my head on her shoulder and laughed. When she had finished, I added "So you see Huor, I hardly know more than you, although I have had longer to study."

"How much longer?"

"Nearly a hundred years, now."

"And your name, it means golden hair?"

"Yes."

"I had wondered about that. My grandfather was called Hador Lorindol, and often known for his golden hair. Hurin's and mine is gold too, but not the rich color of the elves." "Turgon named me, when he found me. I'd had no name before that."

"How long did you live alone? Idril did not say."

His boyish enthusiasim was fascinating. "I do not know. It was a very long time."

"Do you remember anything before it?"

"My memories before that time are vauge and blurred with sorrow; the vision of dead silver eyes assaults me everytime I try to think of it."

Huor looked as if he were about to apologize. I interrupted him "It is alright, though the memories cause me pain; I try not to think of them." I lay down with my head in Idril's lap, and she unwove the crown of office from my hair. He tilted his head to one side to look at me. "I was up late and early, and the past few days have been hard." I said by way of apology and explanation.

"Are you the Lady's lover?" he asked, wondering at my familiarity with her. We both laughed at that, and Idril undertook to make him understand. "No, we are like a brother and sister. Sometimes he is my child," She stroked my hair back from my cheek "And sometimes he is my friend. I think I am always his sister, and sometimes his daughter." I smiled up at her; Idril was even lovely upside down.

"Then you are the King's." He concluded. Idril looked up at him at that. "You are wise and see clearly in a way usually unknown to Men, young Huor. What you have seen is true, for niether hide it from eyes that wish to see. What is your opinion of it; how are such relationships viewed among you and your people?" She said gaurdedly.

"Those involved retain thier honor, and are not looked down upon or respected more. It is the same, more or less, as when a man takes a woman for his own, only said nothing of, for there be no issue of children." Idril nodded, and I saw that she was pleased. "If you will continue your tale, Huor, I would be honored."

"Would you two mind if I slept? I will listen." I asked. Huor grinned. "Sleep if you like, Master elf, and I will speak to your companion in your stead." I nodded, and turned my face against Idril's belly, the embroidery of her dress pressing me. I rearranged it as Huor continued, and laid my body full length along the stone garden bench.

"Where was I? Ah, Angfauglith. After the plain was kindled and destroyed, dragons and balrogs and orcs came forth; assaulting Hithlum and Dorthonion and Lothlann, and those not destroyed in that first attack fled to the fortresses Ossiriand or Doraith or Nagothrond, and in battle on the walls of Eithel Sirion Hador my grandfather fell, and Gundor my uncle; leaving Galdor my father lordship of our house. I and my brother were fostered with my aunt Gloredhel's husband Haldir in Brethil, and we only heard of it after."

Idril's stroking of my hair lulled me to near-sleep, and Huor paused to comment "He sleeps with his eyes open, doesn't he?"

Idril nodded, and wondering, Huor went on. I smiled and drifted into sleep, still listening.

"When the smoke of Dagor Bragollach, the battle of sudden fire, had faded, Fingolfin heard news of the events and belived that all was lost and that the Noldor had brought Beleriand to ruin. He was mad with rage, and rode off alone, and word is that he could not or would not be stopped. He went to Angband's gates and challenged Morgoth forth, calling him master of slaves and all manner of foul things, and since Morgoth could not decline when his enemy was at his very gates; lest he lose face before his hosts, he came forth, and they fought, and the battle was great."

Idril paused and I felt her take a deep breath, so I wrapped an arm around her thigh in encouragement, and she lay her slender hand over my face, fingertips brushing my lips and brows. Huor dared continue at an unseen signal from Idril, remembering that Fingolfin had been her grandfather, and that she had known him long and well, softening his words accordingly.

"Fingolfin was brave, and Thorondor marred the face of the enemy after he was dead, and carried away the corpse lest it be defiled."

Huor fell silent. Idril's tears dropped on me like rain. "He brought him here." I said, and took Idril's hands.

"I thought that it was so. Fingon in Hithlum is now High King of the Elves."

I nodded. "And so came you here how?"

"I fought to be brought along into battle. I'm not a child, and I can hold my own in a fight." There was fire in his voice, and Idril chuckled softly. "It's true." He insisted. I waved him on.

"We were in a group that got seperated from the main body of my uncle's force and were pursued to the Ford of Brithiach, but for a mist that came off the river we would have been found and slain by our enemies, and Hurin says that it was by the grace of Ulmo, but I saw no Valar anywhere I looked, and I should think Ulmo would be hard to miss." Idril muffled a laugh, and I hid my grin in her skirts.

"Ulmo can work in the most subtle of ways, Huor, for he sends Turgon dreams." I informed him.

"Well, I think it would have been more noticible, perhaps it was just the river, after all." He stubbornly resisted. I quit arguing with the strong-headed lad.

"Anyway, we crossed the river, and got lost in the hills; but Hurin refused to admit being lost, of course, and so we wandered on until he gave up at last and threatened to bind and gag me if I didn't stop straining his judgment, and blamed me for getting us lost! In the afternoon, two eagles came to our aid and asked us to alight, and when we did so, they brought us here. And you would know the rest."

He stopped, and leaned back against the trunk of the tree that grew alongside of the bench.

"Very well told, brother." Hurin said from the gate of the garden. Huor and Idril started, I woke fully and sat up to look at him. Turgon was not with him. "The King would see you in his study, Lord Glorfindel, and as for my brother, we have an opportunity to be measured for clothing before the evening meal."

I rose and nodded to him, and bowed to Idril before I departed.