Category: Tolkien-Universe
Rating: M
Couples: Egalmoth/Rog, Maeglin/Salgant
Warnings: AU, canon-levels of Everything
Chapter: Prologue
Copyright: Characters & places © By Tolkien Estate and/or mynameisjessejk, Plot & OC´s © by me
Authors note: Set in the Otter(less) Mayhem Universe of abovementioned mynameisjessejk on AO3. Unofficial sequel to 'The House of the Mole'
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It had been years at this point since Tinnuion-once-named-Maeglin had returned to New Gondolin and everything had settled in a comfortable, peaceful equilibrium. Egalmoth and Rog had almost been officially accepted as his adoptive-and-or-replacement fathers, down to the point where he had asked Egalmoth to stand in when he would officially marry Salgant. There was a betting-pool about when exactly that would finally happen, a pool that had gone into overdrive when there were actual silver rings on their fingers one Midsummer's Feast.
In fact, Valinor was so comfortable that a King could look at his Lords and say 'let's do a camping-trip' when said King's sister descended upon the city and teamed up with the Queen and Princess to drive him insane - his own words - and have his Lords agree easily. Two days later, Turgon and most of the Lords of New Gondolin left for a week of camping near the coast on the other side of the Pelori. They did not take any guards, because why would they? This was Valinor, aside from one or two poorly re-embodied elves, there was no one who would wish another ill. Even the enclaves of re-embodied Avari who wished to keep seperate from the rest of the elves were not dangerous, giving plenty of chances to leave them alone before resorting anything resembling violence.
The only Lord who had not joined was Tuor, who quite literally had drawn the short straw as to being the ranked Lord to be left behind in the city in case of some kind of emergency. Several of the others had not let him live it down by the time they left, and probably would keep it up for the next few months after their return at the very least.
Valinor was secure and it was a calm land. The most drama ought to have been a price-hike on oranges at the local market-place...
Not Turgon riding his horse to exhaustion at the end of the camping-week, galloping through his city at full speed covered in stone dust and cradling his curled-up nephew in his arms.
Not Turgon calling for his sister and law-son so loudly his voice broke the moment he came somewhat near his palace and thought his cries could reach them there.
Not Turgon returning with only his nephew and none of the other nine Lords that had left New Gondolin with them.
Not Turgon weeping when his lathered horse stumbled to a stop in front of the palace-gates, trembling with the strain of having been ridden hard and looking one step away from collapsing completely.
Aredhel had already been halfway outside when she heard him, but she flew the last bit when seeing him. The rest of the family was with her at first, but fell behind when she noticed her son.
"Turgon..." The White Lady of the Noldor curled around her whimpering child, looking at her brother in horror. "What...?"
"No time to explain..." The king of the Gondolindrim was trembling almost as much as his steed, seemingly folding through his legs to cradle Tinnuion's head briefly. "It was not your fault, nephew-mine. It was not." With that omnious statement, he pushed himself to his feet again, rising from the ground with great weariness and gesturing Tuor to fall in beside him. "I need a patrol now. The fastest horses we have, I do not care if we need to get them from other houses."
"Whatever for?"
"To ride down the river." Turgon's jaw worked as they marched to the guard-house. "Rog and Egalmoth have fallen. They are to be found. I want them to be found, no matter if you and your kin need to swim through it a hundred times to locate them."
"Fallen!?" Idril had followed her father and husband, wanting to know what had reduced both him and her cousin to such a state. "How? Where?"
"In Cirith Oron." The King's pace faltered a bit, eyes briefly turning haunted at the memory. "See to it that they are found."
"I will." Tuor inclined his head before continuing on as his law-father slowed to a stop, swaying lightly.
The Princess of Gondolin rushed forward, steadying him. "Papa, what happened!?"
