A Sense of History: Straight Road
The next in a series of articles about ships passing to and from the West, Simon uses "The Fall of Númenor" to attempt to arrive at Tolkien's reading of the exordium to "Beowulf."
Now King Finrod Felagund had no wife, and Galadriel asked him why this should be; but foresight came upon Felagund as she spoke, and he said: "An oath I too shall swear, and must be free to fulfil it, and go into darkness. Nor shall anything of my realm endure that a son should inherit."But it is said that not until that hour had such cold thoughts ruled him; for indeed she whom he had loved was Amarië of the Vanyar, and she went not with him into exile.
["Of the Noldor in Beleriand"]
He could hardly have any reason to keep faith. Words blurted unbidden had proven that his peace was forever disrupted. Leaning against the wall, he looked down at his hand. The warmth of his sister's touch lingered, waning fast and he clenched his fingers, as if trying desperately to stop it from vanishing -- having done that before, in vain. Eyes closed, breathing deeply, he realized that she had perceived what he knew very well. Yet, the previously avoided question had cropped out, like a depraved ornament on a decorated vaulting.
"The sky is over," Finrod whispered. "Shadows lie ahead."