Bloody silmarils, book I by Dilly

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Chapter 14: Prison break

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"So if I understand you correctly, Ecthelion is still in prison!"

"For a fortnight," replied the king as he continued to examine the fabric samples shown to him by Egalmoth.

"Now that I think about it..." said the merchant. "On my way here I passed his squire, the little blond lad there, who was wandering about the square like a soul in pain... a basket in his hands."

"Well, he'd better stop bringing him food," replied Turgon, "because Ecthelion uses it to season the guards ! Just yesterday one of them complained of a bruise to his carotid artery, from a throw of sausage. As a result, Ecthelion was given another week's extension."

"The youth of today!" sighed Egalmoth. "They're not 100 years old, they never saw Telperion, and they want to play in the big league!"

"I told Glorfindel that Ecthelion was a good-for-nothing," grumbled the king. "The day he will be useful to this city... snakes will fly in the air."

 

 

 

The king jumped with a loud cry. There was a large dark shape protruding from the large windows opening onto the balcony of his room, and it seemed to move.

"Don't be afraid, King Turgon, son of Fingolfin," said the shadow. "It is only me, Thorondor."

Turgon breathed a sigh of relief. He approached the shadow, only to realise that it was the eagle's gigantic head, which he had passed through the window.

"You scared me! So, any news of the lookout?"

"Nothing to report," Thorondor replied in his majestic, deep voice. "We continue our watch and patrols."

"Good... Praise Manwë for having addressed you to me."

"He has not forgotten you."

"Have you had dinner yet?"

"Yes, I have."

"That's a pity. I would have offered you something before you left... Oh, but I know!"

Turgon went to search in the chest where were stored all his scepters with one hand on top of them. He took the one whose hand had the hooked index and the raised middle finger, and then began to scratch the top of the eagle's head with this royal tool. Thorondor uttered a long grunt of contentment.

"Ho-ho-ho, now that's a good boy," Turgon whispered, brushing the feathers against the direction of their growth.

"Hum... Thank you, I never manage to reach that part myself."
 

 

 

 

One day, as he was about to bring a cake to his master, dressed in his red hooded coat because winter had fallen, Belin overheard a conversation between two elves and one of the jailers. He didn't know it, but the two elves were the brother and uncle of Barandîr, the captain whom Ecthelion had sheared.

"Find a way!" exclaimed the uncle. "We pay you enough for that ! Insult his mother, or his horse, I don't know what else!"

"My imagination is starting to dry up..."

"This should help it get back on its feet."

The elf slipped a golden fingolfin into the guard's large hand.

Furious, Belin turned around and walked towards the house of Glorfindel. It was located in the south-western part of town, not far from the Arch of Ingwë. It had just been finished and the paint was still fresh on the white walls and the green ironwork.

"This is a beautiful villa," thought the human.

He knocked three times.

 

 

 

"The bastards!" exclaimed Ecthelion when Belin told him about the plot against him.

"Hush, my lord! Somebody may hear you..."

"You're right," he replied in a low voice. "I should have killed that dog when I had the chance. Or worse, emasculated him."

Belin frowned. He didn't understand he logic of his master's words.

"Don't be afraid, my lord !" he said then. "I've warned Glorfindel Lauredindil... You will be released shortly."

"But the king would have to give his consent! He doesn't like me."

"The King likes you not? But if he likes Glorfindel, and if Glorfindel likes you..."

"It's true," Ecthelion murmured. "You're here, fortunately. Once again, you saved my life. I am in your debt."

"Take this, milord", Belin replied simply, removing the tea towel that covered his basket. "I brought you a butter galette, that I made accordin' to my mother Jehanne's recipe, who made them all the same. But you must not throw it at the guards."

"Thank you, my good man. I will eat it right away. You'll get a raise as soon as I get out of here."

And he bit into the cake to the teeth, because he was young and ate like four.

Ecthelion was released the next day, with help from Glorfindel. However, the king's opinion of him had not changed. Since his arrival in Gondolin, the young elf had been a source of all kinds of trouble.
 

 

"Tell me, Thorondor, while I have you at hand..." the king asked the giant eagle, for he had not seen him since his departure for Vinyamar.

"Yes?" replied the majestic creature.

"When you brought my brother Fingon and Maedhros back from Thangorodrim... Didn't they kiss each other, or something like that?"

"No... Why?"

"Oh, for nothing... We sometimes have those crazy ideas that go through our heads."

He mechanically lowered the tip of the sceptre into the eagle's neck.

"Right there... Oh, yes yes yes yes..." growled the bird.