Chapter 38: Cometh the Enemy

"It's a fine day for killing."

-Stonewall Jackson

"Mom, can I stay up all night this year?" asked Earendil eagerly.

"If it's all right with your father," I said absently, running a brush through my hair.

"Dad, can I stay up all night this year?" Earendil asked Tuor.

"If it's all right with your mother," Tuor called from the other room.

"Tuor!" I cried.

"Sorry, sorry, couldn't resist. Yes, Earendil, it's all right with me."

It was the night before the big festival we had every year right before summer began—aptly named the Gates of Summer—and I was looking forward to it. It was the tradition to stay up all the night beforehand, and no one spoke from midnight until the sun rose. We'd done this back in Vinyamar, too, and once when I was a kid I'd had the nerve to ask my dad at two o'clock in the morning why we couldn't talk until the sun came up. That resulted in my getting grounded for a week (Dad took tradition very seriously).

"This is gonna be so cool," said Earendil. "I've never gotten to stay up all night before."

"Well, you're seven now, and that's about how old I was when Dad let me stay up all night," I told him. "But I won't ground you if you accidentally talk before sunrise, I promise."

"Why, did your dad do that to you?"

"Yes, and I thought it was pretty stupid."

"Wow, Idril, you're such a rebel," Tuor teased. "You must have been a total bad girl back when you were young."

"That's true, but let's not discuss it in front of Earendil. I don't want him getting ideas."

"Aw, come on," Earendil whined. "How come you never tell me any interesting stories about when you guys were younger? It's not like I'd automatically try to copy you or anything."

"We're just trying to protect you," I said. "And we want you to be able to come up with your own ways to rebel." I adjusted my skirt one last time and smoothed Earendil's hair. "Are you ready, Tuor?"

"Ready as I'm ever gonna be," said Tuor. "I'm having kind of a bad hair day, it seems."

"You're always having a bad hair day. I think that in all fourteen years I've known you, your hair has been neat about three times. Get over it."

He laughed and put an arm around my shoulders, and the three of us walked down to the town square.

It was a beautiful evening—warm but not too hot, with a nice breeze in the air. Absolutely perfect weather for Gates of Summer's Eve (that wasn't technically what it was called, but whatever). The square was really crowded, since pretty much everybody in the city stood around there until sunrise. Actually, I think the only people who weren't there were the really claustrophobic ones.

"This is one of my favorite days of the year," commented Dad when we went up to him. "I've always loved summer. Gods, I remember some of the things my siblings and cousins and I used to get up to when we spent our summers in Alqualonde…"

"Oh, do tell," said Tuor. "Somehow I have trouble picturing you as a wild young teenager, though."

"Hush, boy," said Dad, smiling.

"It's only nine o' clock. Technically, I don't have to shut up for a whole three hours yet."

"Actually, you do have to," I said, "because he's the king and he wants you to shut, and if you don't we'll lock you in the dungeons."

"You certainly threaten me with that a lot. In fact, I believe you threatened me with the dungeons about five minutes after we first met."

"And that's why you fell in love with me. Admit it."

"Mom. Dad," said Earendil. "I'm with Grandpa on this one. Please shut up."

I gave a fake-haughty sniff and shut up. Tuor shut up as well, though you could tell he wasn't pleased about having to do so. And so we waited in silence for the sun to rise.

I love my family, I thought contentedly. Even if they may be slightly crazy and can't stop insulting each other.

Well, you all know what happens whenever I'm content.

The sun rose at about five o' clock in the morning, by which time Earendil was half-asleep and resting his head on my lap. Usually I was pretty tired at this point too, but at the moment I was oddly alert. Tuor looked pretty wide awake too.

"Is the sun up?" asked Earendil groggily, lifting up his head.

"Yes, honey," I said. "And none too soon, either. I was getting sick of sitting around and not talking."

"You sure like to talk," commented Tuor.

"Hey, Mom, another question," said Earendil. "If the sun rises in the east, what's that in the north?"

I looked to the north.

And freaked out.

Because Earendil was right. There was a glow in the north, and it wasn't the sun, either. It actually looked like a bunch of torches, and it was getting closer…

"Ah," I said, in a creepily calm tone of voice that didn't sound like me at all. "Right on time."

"What?" said Dad. "Who's right on time?"

I stopped being creepy and quickly stood up. "Dad, the city's under attack. Look to the north if you don't believe me. Morgoth's armies are coming, and we need to hurry and get ourselves ready for battle or we're screwed!"

"See what happens when you don't listen to Idril's weird prophetic dreams?" said Tuor. I glared at him. "Right, right, not funny. Idril, you take Earendil back to the house and grab some supplies in case we need to leave in a hurry. Turgon, you and me need to go get some of the lords and figure out a battle plan."

"Right," said Dad. "Let's go."

I grabbed Earendil's hand and ran like heck to our house. By then most of the people had figured out what was going on, and they were pretty much panicking, apparently not realizing that when your home's being destroyed panicking is the worst thing to do since you need a clear head. But it's not like I could blame them. I was scared myself.

"Mom, what's happening?" Earendil said.

"The city's falling," I said. "It was a historical inevitability."

"What's that mean?"

"It means it was bound to happen eventually. I just wish it didn't have to happen now! Everyone's in the square, no one's safe in their houses, and no one's prepared for battle at all!"

"So what are we gonna do?"

"We're going to go home and prepare ourselves for battle. Now less talking and more running!"

Finally we got to our house, where I proceeded to pack up a small amount of food and water and throw on one of Tuor's mail shirts (which was very very heavy. Seriously, if you can avoid wearing anything made of chain mail in your life, I recommend it) and some normal clothes instead of my fancy green dress. I even bothered to put on a pair of boots.

"Why are you dressed like that?" asked Earendil when he saw me.

"Because it's more sensible. Now please, honey, stop asking me questions and let's get going! I don't want to be trapped in this house when it gets burned down."

I grabbed his hand once again and we ran out onto the walls, where we crashed straight into Maeglin.

"Maeglin! What are you doing here?" I said. "I think there's some meeting going on. Shouldn't you be there?"

He took hold of my wrist. "I doubt I'd be welcome. Now come on, we have to go."

Looking over his shoulder, I could see that Gondolin, as in every dream I'd ever had of this day, was burning. Majorly burning. Well, I could see why he wanted to get out of there, but why did I have to come with?

"What about Tuor?" I asked. "Where's he?"

"Idril, he's probably dead. You need to come with me. I'll keep you safe."

"Tuor's dead?" I cried. "Do you know that for sure?"

"Not exactly, no, but it's only a matter of time. Please come with me."

"Maeglin, what is wrong with you? Why are you acting so weird?"

He paused for a moment, then shook his head. "Idril, I betrayed the city to Morgoth. I did it for you. He said that I would have you if I told him where Gondolin was…"

And that was when I got mad.

"You betrayed Gondolin to Morgoth?" I said. "You betrayed Gondolin to Morgoth? Oh, yeah, real smart, Maeglin. Great idea. You love me, so you betray my dad, cause a huge war that could potentially kill everyone I love, and destroy my home! Yeah, I'm really gonna love you now!" I slapped him with my free hand, hard. "You arsehole! I can't believe I was ever nice to you!"

"May I remind you, sweetheart, that I've got the sword here," hissed Maeglin. He let go of my wrist and grabbed my hair instead. "And I'd advise you not to get snippy with me."

"Hey, let go of my mom!" yelled Earendil, kicking him in the leg.

Maeglin turned to glare at him. "Don't get involved, kid, or you're going to be in big trouble."

"Don't you dare threaten my son!" I screamed.

The next few things happened all at once. Maeglin, with his free hand, pulled out a knife and looked like he was about to stab Earendil with it. Earendil bit him on the hand, making him drop the knife. I stomped on Maeglin's foot, just for good measure. And in the same moment that I stomped on his foot, I heard Tuor yell "Idril!"

"Tuor?"

I looked around and there he was, running towards us holding his axe and looking pretty dang ticked-off. Maeglin, having a brain, let go of my hair.

"Get your hands of my family, you son of a dog," hissed Tuor to Maeglin, in the most threatening tone of voice I'd ever heard him use. Before my cousin could do anything, he gave him a good, hard blow to the face (it looked like he'd broken Maeglin's nose) and shoved him off the wall.

It all happened so quickly. I couldn't believe it. Maeglin had lusted after me, irritated me, and just generally been a jerk to me for so long, and now he was gone. Over the wall. Dead, probably. If only all problems could be solved so easily.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that for," said Tuor.

"I think I might have an idea," I said.