Ecthelion

Ecthelion saw Kiera walk away without a glance back at any of them. He silently promised himself that he wouldn't let them take her life. Glorfindel agreed with him, but the ultimate decision rested in the hands of the lords.

As soon as the doors closed after them, Maeglin spoke to the king without hesitation, "we should kill them."

All of the lords broke out in loud disagreements, but the king simply held up his hand and said, "we need to discuss this. Ecthelion, tell me what you found out on the way to the city."

All eyes were on him as he paused to collect his thoughts. He relayed to them every detail of the series of events that had taken place since their initial encounter, including the few pieces of information Elemmakil had disclosed when they parted. His tale to the king echoed the same one they had just heard moments ago. When he concluded, the king looked concerned and asked more questions.

"Did the woman speak a lot about her home and world to you? Did her words seem forced or untrue? Did you notice any lies that she may have told?"

Ecthelion's body stiffened, the muscles of his jaw and neck increasingly tense as the king's questions continued. He thought back to his conversation with Kiera and the way her eyes widened when she spoke of Lord Ulmo and her home. She had been slightly embarrassed, her voice faltering and her gaze softening. "No, my king. Kiera was forthcoming with information about her home, life, and family. She seemed embarrassed and very shy when we spoke about Eru and Lord Ulmo."

The king narrowed his eyes in confusion and fixed his gaze on him and asked, "embarrassed in what way?"

"She did not like the attention," he answered firmly. "Tuor boasted about having Lord Ulmo's blessing but not her. When Voronwë spoke about it and that she was brought to the world by the one, she was embarrassed. I admit that I stared at her a lot when I first heard it, as the words shocked me. Kiera did not like the attention we gave her, and she was adamant that she wanted to be treated as a normal, ordinary human."

Maeglin scoffed loudly next to the king, "this proves nothing. Except that she is skilled at manipulation. The woman wants you to focus on the man so she may go unnoticed."

Salgant, the portly, inebriated lord and Maeglin's right-hand man, piped in. "I agree, my king. That woman is strange, and I find it hard to accept what she's saying. Look at the state of her dress and her beauty. No one wished to marry her in her world? She looks like she has never done a hard day's work in her life."

Rog rolled his eyes and cut Salgant off, "and you believe yourself to be the best judge of hard work?" A silence fell over the group, and Rog knew he had made his point. He continued though, and added, "that part of her tale is strange and that she was alone in the wilderness. Perhaps, she has more skills than she has let on, and she is playing the part of an innocent woman."

"Or," Ecthelion growled in frustration, "she is an innocent woman. She spoke to me about her world. It is a peaceful place, and there are no elves, orcs, or nasty creatures. There is no magic at all or any Valar. It is entirely possible that her world is not ravaged by war or dark creatures."

He noticed a few other lord's stares of disbelief, and he stiffened. Thankfully, Glorfindel spoke up for him. "I believe what Ecthelion says. Kiera has spoken to her companions and Ecthelion about her world. Who are we to say what her world is like? She has been forthcoming with the information, and I think she would tell us more if we asked. I see no reason not to let her stay."

Salgant slammed his cup down on the armrest of his chair, his face reddening in disbelief. "Yes, but what about her lack of a husband and child?" He gestured wildly as he spoke. "It is unnatural for a woman of her age to not have children. Human lives are too fleeting to not reproduce quickly!"

Ecthelion wrinkled his nose in disgust as Salgant went on a lengthy tirade about humans and their short lifespans. Maeglin had finally had enough of Salgant's speech as he cut him off, "thank you, Salgant, for that excellent speech. I believe we are all in agreement that the women having no husband or child is a cause for concern."

Idril stood stoically beside her father, her chin held high. "It is none of your business, cousin, why the woman is not wed." Ecthelion heard several sharp intakes of breath around the room as she spoke. Undeterred, she continued. "Perhaps she may not be able to beget children, or maybe she has lost her husband. Just because most humans in this world marry young does not mean that every woman does." Her courage seemed to spark a fire in those near her, and the room filled with an unspoken understanding.

Maeglin's face remained impassive as he looked over at the princess. "Or it is possible that the woman is a whore. How are we to know that this is not the work of Melkor? That he did not send this woman here to entrap one of us or to gain information about this city to share with the enemy."

The king looked as if he considered Maeglin's words, but then he said, "I do not believe any of the elves in the city would bed a mortal."

Maeglin's sneer slowly transformed into a sinister crackle as his eyes glinted with mirth. Every inch of his body carried a certain air of arrogance as he spoke. "Are you sure, uncle? I'm certain there are those among us who wouldn't mind taking a human to their bed. The reputation of some of my fellow lords precedes them."

Glorfindel's knuckles whitened as he held onto the arms of his chair, digging in deeper as Ecthelion placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. Maeglin's words had been barbed, intended to enrage Glorfindel, yet his friend remained composed. Rog was not so reserved, bristling at Maeglin's accusations. "Who I take to my bed is none of your concern. If the mortal wishes to spend an evening with me, that still would not be enough for me to betray this city. Your words are nothing more than baseless speculations."

Rog rose from his seat and stomped to the center of the room. His voice reverberated off the stone walls as he bellowed, "why are we discussing the woman's beauty? She is pretty, but we should be focusing on Ulmo's warning and not her appearance. I demand to know why this is not your priority." Rog's gaze was directed solely at the king as he spoke, his eyes cold and hard.

Only a few lords could get away with yelling at the king. All eyes turned toward Turgon, but the king merely relaxed on his throne unbothered. "What is there to discuss?" He questioned. "We are not leaving the city."

Rog raised his voice, spitting his words with rage. "Why not!? Lord Ulmo himself sent the man to us with a warning. He said to flee to the havens, so why are we not obeying his orders?"

Ecthelion watched in horror as the king's face turned a sickly shade of gray. His anger seemed to boil over as he shouted, "Who are you to defy your liege lord?" He pounded his fist against his throne, emphasizing each word. "We are safe in Gondolin, and no harm can befall us as long as our location remains a secret. You would have to be a fool to believe Morgoth can find us. Unless…" His eyes narrowed, and he cast a suspicious look around the room. "Unless someone here has plans to betray us."

Idril stepped forward, her voice trembling with conviction. "Please, father. Ulmo led us here, and now his messenger has warned us away. Valinor is lost to us—we have to worry about our safety in Middle Earth. I believe we must heed his counsel and go to the havens." Her gaze was steady as she held her father's eyes.

All of the lords waited with bated breath as they stared at the king. Eventually, he said, "no. We are not leaving. This city is safe, and I will not risk people on the open plains."

The entire room erupted in chaos as lords shouted and talked over one another. The king was pulled aside by Idril, but Ecthelion just sighed as he sunk back into his chair. They would get nowhere for a while as each lord would be too busy screaming at one another to have a conversation. Glorfindel leaned toward him and asked quietly, "why are you speaking up for the women? Not that I don't believe her words, but what caused you to feel this way?"

Ecthelion didn't really know. As the lords continued to squabble like children, he pondered Glorfindel's question. It was hard to pinpoint exactly why, but he managed to say, "I admire her."

Glorfindel's eyes shot up into his hairline as he looked at Ecthelion with a deep surprise. Ecthelion shrugged, "how can you not? If you believe her story, then she has been ripped from her world and family forever. She will never see her family or friends again, and yet, instead of spiraling down into deep despair, she pushed forward. She met a Valar, and all she asked of him was to return home. Not gold, magic, power, or immortality, just home. What she wanted most in the world was her home. Can you not feel a connection to her in that regard? How many mortals would stand before a Valar and not beg for power or greed? She is different, as is the man, Tuor. Perhaps, that is why they were chosen and why they were brought here. I trust the Valar, and I do not believe they would leave us to ruin. Their presence alone confirms this."

Glorfindel was quiet for a moment before he said, "I still do not understand. If the Valar wanted to help us, why send two mortals? A man with a message from Ulmo and a woman who cannot help us in this world."

"How do you know?" Ecthelion questioned. "How do you know that the Valar did not send Tuor and Kiera for a reason?"

Glorfindel opened his mouth but then closed it quickly. He was stuck finding a reason, but Ecthelion offered him this. "I think they are both here for other reasons. Whether they know it themselves or not. The Valar do not intervene, and now that they have, it makes me wonder why, but also gives me hope. Ulmo's presence is comforting to know that the Valar still care, and perhaps, we will be given forgiveness."

Glorfindel hummed in agreement as he admitted softly, "I hoped that they would bring word that we could go home."

It was his turn to look at his friend. His voice waved with disbelief as he asked, "is that what you truly wish to do? Return home and leave this world to Morgoth's ruin? Do you not care what happens to this world?"

Glorfindel answered, "I am unsure. We lost the last battle, and Morgoth's forces are growing stronger by the minute. We are safe here, but how long will that last? Would it not be better to return home and let the Valar handle Morgoth? Our numbers are dwindling, and we are one of the last elven strongholds. We cannot fight him alone, and the elves of Doriath will never leave their home." Glorfindel looked sadly at him as he said, "I would like to return home."

"As would I, but I am duty-bound to help this world. We both swore an oath to protect this city and the people. I am hopeful that the arrival of the humans is a good thing. Only time will tell."

The two old friends had nothing more to say as they both turned to listen to the conversations. Rog and Egalmoth were discussing the logistics of moving the city to the havens. The king, Idril, and Maeglin were speaking in circles about Tuor and Ulmo's blessings. Galdor and Duilin were content to discuss quietly, and Ecthelion strained his ears to hear them. Penlod was entertaining Salgant as he continued his rant about humans and marrying young. Ecthelion shared a look with Glorfindel, which prompted his friend to speak.

"My king," Glorfindel started. "The hour is growing late, and we should make a decision about the newcomers."

The room quieted down as they all settled in to make the decision. The king rose and then addressed them all. "We need more time to discuss what we are going to do about Ulmo's warning. The man, Tuor, has Ulmo's blessing and is wearing the armor, shield, and sword that I left at Ulmo's request. Huor was an honorable man and a good friend, and he spoke about a new star that will rise from both of us. I see no reason not to accept Tuor into Gondolin. All those in favor?"

All hands raised around the room, as Tuor's fate was decided. Ecthelion sighed with relief as he assumed the matter of Kiera staying would be the same. However, the king spoke now with suspicion.

"As for the matter of the woman," Turgon started. "I believe we have much to discuss. I do not trust her, and my vote would be to imprison her or kill her."

Ecthelion snapped his head around to focus his gaze on the king. "What," he cried out in disbelief.

Maeglin sent a nasty grin in his direction as he answered, "the women should be kept prisoner. I agree with my uncle, and I volunteer to interrogate the women myself."

Upon hearing the statement, Ecthelion rose from his seat with his hands clenched tight. He spoke in a shaky voice as he asked, "explain your reasoning?"

The king gave him a furrowed look as if he didn't understand the question. Maeglin was thrilled to answer as he laughed darkly. "The woman is a witch and cannot be trusted. It is the best decision to keep her prisoner and extract the information about Morgoth's plans. Or, if the lords are all in agreement, I say we kill her."

"No," he replied as a deep rumble of disgust rolled in his stomach.

Maeglin slowly rose from his chair and fixed his gaze firmly on Ecthelion. His voice was calm, but his words were heavy with challenge. "No," he said innocently. "I believe this council has not made a decision. Who are you to define the word of the king?"

Maeglin's words made his skin prickle as he fought down the feelings of being less than. "I am no different than you," he declared boldly, "but I will not slaughter an innocent woman no matter what my liege demands. The only blood that will ever be spilled by my hands is that of the enemy. If this council decides to execute her, I shall renounce my status as a lord and leave this city with them, as Ulmo has advised."

A nasty sneer formed on Maeglin's face while his eyes glinted darkly. "That is treason," he stated calmly.

The two elves locked eyes with one another. Black met blue in a heated battle, with neither willing to look away. Ecthelion would not be belittled or looked down upon by the council, the king, or the prince. It had been long enough, and he would not back down from this. He would not allow the women to be killed.

Turgon stood, and the standoff between them ended as they both turned to look at the king. "Explain yourself, Ecthelion. Why does the women matter to you? This is out of character for you."

"Is it?" Ecthelion drawled. "I think not. Is not my house the final refuge of elves that were cast from their homes or considered unworthy to join other houses? Do I not teach every capable elf to wield a sword or bow regardless of their house or rank? Do I not challenge the way elves in this city who are not of noble birth are treated?" His voice was sharp and commanding as he strode back to his place. He spun around, his eyes flickering with fiery determination, and declared, "this is well within my character."

"I agree with Ecthelion," a voice called from across the room. While he had been expecting Glorfindel to agree with him right away, Ecthelion was pleased that the usually quiet and humble lord had spoken up. Duilin strode to the center of the room and looked upon the king with contentment. His eyes fixed on the king as he stated, "if you believe the man was sent by Ulmo and that he is telling the truth about receiving his blessing, the same must be said for the women. To think overwise is hypocritical and downright evil. I will not allow a woman to be killed or tortured while a man who claims the same is free to live in the city. The three all claim to have met Ulmo. To deny that the women did as well is unjust, and I will not stand for it."

The king balked at Duilin and was going to argue when Rog cut him off. "I agree as well. If the man is allowed to stay, then the woman should as well. I see no reason to keep her prisoner, and I will not kill her, even if you order me to." The fiery red-headed lord looked around the room with stubbornness and pride. With a deep growl, he spat, "I will not sully my hands by killing innocents. I will not be counted among my kin in that regard, and if that is the council's decision, then I will no longer be part of this council."

Whatever color was left in the king's face was gone in an instant. He scrambled to stop all of his lords from leaving, and he cried out, "I would never command you to kill an innocent. We will never be like the Feanorians. Maeglin would be happy to carry out the order himself."

The room turned to the prince, who had a blank and flat look on his face. Rog roared with anger and slammed his fists down on his chair. "I will not have her blood on my hands. I will not be like my family, and if you order her to be killed, then you will have one less lord at this council. Agreeing to have an innocent killed is the same as doing the killing." Rog looked vicious as he murmured softly at the king, "or perhaps standing by as others are murdered is something you are accustomed to."

"How dare you….."

"Father," Idril cried as she stepped in front of her father. "Stop this. The council has agreed to let Tuor stay. The same should be extended to the women. She has done nothing wrong, and I will not let you kill her. End this madness now."

Turgon looked upon his daughter, and his anger seemed to drain from his body. With Idril's pleading eyes, the king never left her gaze as he called, "all those in favor of allowing the women to stay?"

Ecthelion raised his hand quickly and was surprised by how many hands were up. Only Maeglin kept his hand down, while Salgant had his half raised, almost as if he wasn't quite sure. Finally, the king relented and said, "the women may stay. However, for the safety of this city, she will not be allowed to leave beyond the walls. I will not allow her to escape or pass messages to the enemy in the mountains."

None of the lords argued about this, but Ecthelion thought silently that it wasn't fair. As much as he wanted to speak up, he had been on the council a long time, and he knew when to pick his battles.

All of the lords took their seats again as the king slumped onto his throne. "We will need to speak more with Tuor about Ulmo's warning. For now, they may stay." The king turned to the prince and heaved a heavy sigh, "as for you, my nephew, you have much to learn. You may not insult my guests, and I will not let you go unpunished."

The prince shrugged and picked at his fingers as if they were the most fascinating thing he had ever seen. His face scrunched up, shoulders slumped, and he sat back in his chair, staring blankly at his hands, ignoring that the king had even spoken to him.

The king just sighed but then called the guard to let them back in. The three newcomers huddled together as they walked to the center of the room. Kiera met his eyes, and he smiled warmly at her in the hopes that it would ease her fears.

Once they were in the center, Voronwë took Kiera's hand while Tuor did the same. Together, they stood and waited for the king to speak.

"We have decided that all of you will be allowed to stay. I accept that Lord Ulmo sent Tuor, but we will not leave this city. We will shut the gates, and no one will be permitted to leave or enter. This city has stood for centuries, and we will remain strong. We are well protected here and hidden. The roads to the mouths of Sirion are covered with orcs and goblins. I will not risk my people across the open plains. As such, none will be permitted to leave the valley."

Ecthelion and a few other lords raised their brows at the king. They had not come to an agreement about the warning, but it seemed the king had already decided. There wasn't any time to argue as the king continued. "I have a hard time believing lady Kiera's tale, but I will not go against Lord Ulmo or Eru Ilúvatar's wishes. I will not kill an innocent woman, however strange the tale may be."

"However," he stated as the king looked solely at her, "Kiera will be confined to the city. Should she wish to leave the city walls and go out into the city's grasslands, she must have an escort. If she is a servant to the enemy, I cannot take the risk of letting her leave the city to pass on information. Many spies roam the mountaintops. If she disobeys this order, we will kill her. If Kiera accepts these conditions, I will welcome her into the city."

Kiera bit her lip but then bowed slightly, "I understand and accept, your majesty," she answered.

The king nodded and addressed all of them, "we arranged housing for you all here in the palace. My nephew, prince Maeglin has agreed to pay for your expenses in an apology for his harsh words and accusations. Anything you need will be provided within reason. It has been decided. My daughter Idril will lead you to your new chambers. You may bathe and will be given new clothes. You will join us at my table for dinner so that we can introduce you to all the lords."

The three of them all bowed, and then Idril swept them away down the hall. The lords started to filter out after to get ready for the dinner. Ecthelion sighed as Glorfindel stood to leave. The two friends didn't speak as they made their way out of the palace and towards their homes. They parted without a word, and Ecthelion let his mind wander as he walked home. The council meeting had been one of the worse in a long while. He was still in a state of slight disbelief that the king would kill an innocent woman while allowing the man to stay. He was determined now to protect her, even if she heard the rumors about him and avoided him.

As he walked into his home, a small part of him hoped that the rumors would not reach her ears. The afternoon of learning about her world and answering her questions had been the highlight of his day. For far too long, he only had Glorfindel and a select few others for company. Kiera offered him a glimpse into an entirely new world, and he was intrigued and curious to know more.

After asking Inthel for some hot water, the bath was ready, and he soaked in the warm water. His muscles relaxed in the hot water, but he didn't stay long. Wrapping a towel around himself, he returned to his room to pick out clothes for the evening. He chose his favorite colors and dressed quickly. He slipped on a handful of jewelry but left a few diamonds in his hair. The elf standing in the mirror was him, but sometimes he would catch a glimpse of the insecure little boy staring back at him. He brushed aside the feelings and thoughts and left the house.

Glorfindel was waiting for him at the edge of the road towards the palace. His friend chose a white and brown outfit that made his golden hair stand out. Ecthelion mused at him and then asked, "trying to make a good first impression?"

Glorfindel nodded and then smiled, "I have always longed to meet a human woman."

"You and the rest of the male population of the city," he quipped. "Some wish to bed the mortals to see if there is any difference. I heard a few conversations already in passing when we first arrived. Are you of like mind?"

He watched as his friend's face slowly filled with color, and he knew he must have guessed correctly. "That's not the only reason," Glorfindel added quickly. "It's too soon to decide anything. I just want to get to know a human woman and see what they're like—all the stories I've heard about them, and I still haven't actually met one in all my long years." He let out a small sigh as he added, "besides, she might not be interested in me at all."

Rolling his eyes, he replied, "of course, she will be interested in you."

Glorfindel scoffed, "you don't know that. What if she hates me?"

Ecthelion sighed but asked his friend nonetheless, "why would she hate you? She's never met you."

His friend shrugged softly and ignored his question. Instead, he replied, "she's pretty… unique even. What do you think of her?"

Ecthelion's thought about the question. He had never met a human woman before Kiera. The men he met during the war were strong and courageous until the end. There was hesitation on his part that once she heard some of the rumors about him, she would avoid him after. The thought crept up on him, and he worked hard to push it away. He would just be kind and friendly to them both and hoped that they wanted to get to know him more.

"She's beautiful," Ecthelion commented. "I hope to get to know her better."

Glorfindel looked at him with a questioning gaze, but he had nothing more to say. Kiera was a beautiful woman, and he did want to know more about her world and about her. His thoughts came to a halt when they approached the palace and saw a large crowd forming around the courtyard. The elves saw them and swarmed them both, begging for news and if the humans were staying. Glorfindel took charge and told them enough to satisfy their curiosity. They made their way through the crowd of elves until they reached the doors of the palace. The guards opened up the doors for them but shut them quickly after.