Walking into Darkness by Aiwen

The Price of Peace

It was Gwindor who brought me the news, in the person of three very ragged elves who had been apprehended at the northern border. They insisted that they had been prisoners in the Tol-in-Guarhoth until recently.

"And you are free? How did this happen?" I asked. Surely Luthien and Huan and could not have managed to free them? Could they? And Finrod... Perhaps he is free too!

"It was Luthien and the Hound of Valinor who freed us. The tower of Minas Tirith is destroyed, and the dungeons of the tol-in-Gaurhoth broken open. All the prisoners who were there are now free, and Gorthaur the Cruel has been put to flight - we think he went to Tar-nu-Fuin. His werewolves too have fled to the four winds."

"What of King Finrod Felagund?" I asked, afraid to hope.

"He is dead," the refugee answered. "Luthien came too late, by little more than an hour. He fell fighting a werewolf that was intended to kill Beren. He slew the wolf with his bare hands, after breaking chains that all had thought to be unbreakable. I don't know how he did it; he had been in the dungeon for months. He should have been too weak to break cord, let alone chains infused with dark sorcery. But his wounds were mortal, and he died. I know this for truth, for I helped bury him."

He is dead. And Luthien came too late by an hour. One hour! If I had aided her, my uncle would still live. I bowed my head. I am a coward; we are all cowards here. The price we have paid for our peace is too high.

I set the refugees free to go whither they would in Nargothrond, and told them to tell the tale. They told it far and wide, they and the others who followed them. I also passed Curufin and Celegorm's letter around. People began to murmer, and then to cry out in anger against Celegorm and Curufin.

Eventually, I called a meeting in the great hall where they had defied Finrod and turned against him. Curufin and Celegorm were summoned, and arrived escorted by guards. The people jeered at them, and many cried out for their deaths. I could feel the tension in the hall, for though even their own people were angry they would be unlikely to accept the the death of their lords peacefully. And so, for the sake of peace I made yet another decision that burned my heart. "King Finrod Felagund's blood lies upon your hands, and you are also guilty of the unlawful confinement of Luthien the princess of Doriath." Cheers and angry shouts greeted my words. "However, I will not greet the slaying of kin by becoming a kinslayer in my turn for I have no wish to bind the doom of Mandos closer upon us. You are no longer welcome in Nargothrond, and you shall have neither bread nor rest in this realm. Between the house of Finarfin and the house of Feanor there lies a life and little friendship will any of them find from me or my kin."

Thus it came to pass that the Feanorions were banished from the realm and I took up my rule in truth. But my heart was bitter within me, and the silver crown and Nauglamir seemed to burn my hands, although the only marks were in my mind.