Outsiders of Gondolin Mutual Defence League by Himring

Clear Notes in Harmony that Ran from Tower to Tower

Maeglin works on the Gate of Steel.

Maeglin had not understood his uncle’s desire to lock Gondolin away from the world. His first experience of battle and defeat changed that. He drew on all he had learned from Eol, from Turgon and Rog, and began designing the Gate of Steel. This gate no enemy would get through.

‘Formidable,’ commented Salgant, shown the plans and the measurements. ‘But it’s the innermost gate. We hope Morgoth will never see it! It’s the guards who will. Can you make it more... appealing for them?’

That is how the gate, when struck, came to sound like a harp of many strings.

Chapter End Notes

The title is from the description of the Gate in the Unfinished Tales (Of Tuor and his Coming to Gondolin).
Salgant was chief of the House of the Harp; if he inspired Maeglin's work on the Gate of Steel in any way, it would most likely be in this.

This drabble was written for a Tolkien weekly prompt "measure".

100 words in MS Word.