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"I will."
Idril's fury was as cold and harsh as the sea, as she turned from Maeglin's side to face the gathered. The crowd was quiet in her presence, taken aback as she stalked towards the gathered lords.
"What," she snapped, jabbing her finger at them. "Do you think you are doing? Do you think this is acceptable?"
It was as though he was back in Angband, albeit somehow worse. This time it was not Morgoth, his lieutenant or the grotesque hands of orcs causing agony to blossom across his body but those he had once called friends, or hoped to call friends one day. The jeer of the crowds had been deafening, and he'd tried to ignore them, eyes closed tight against the waves of hate.
After the battle he had been discovered in the ruins and immediately put in chains. Days of languishing (forgotten, he'd thought) in a makeshift cell only to be dragged out into the square. Rubble lay strewn about the once pristine streets, the destruction of Morgoth's army plain to see. The city still stank of fire and blood and they wanted his to make amends for it.
His tongue was still held by Morgoth's spell, yet he knew that even if he could speak the truth- none would wish to hear it. So he had not tried to beg as he was hauled into the street, had not tried to fight as he was stripped bare and chained to a post. All he could do was scream and wail in agony as he was whipped within an inch of his life- the scars of Angband joined with those dealt by Gondolin's furious survivors.
When Idril had emerged and the whip had stilled, Maeglin had been floating somewhere between consciousness and the void. He had barely been aware of his own words to the Princess, and could not hear her as she spoke.
All he knew was he was in agony, he was shamed and he was sobbing.
"He betrayed us, My Lady- he sentenced us all to death- this is the least he deserves. Surely, our King would want his execution-"
He did not know which of the Lords was speaking, but it hardly mattered. They all loathed him now. It was just as well. He may not have meant to give up the city's location, but it had been his wilful childish impetuousness that had brought him to Angband. Had he but listened, had he but obeyed his Uncle's command...