“You lost her.”

Ecthelion took a deep breath and nodded affirmatively. “Yes, sir.”

“You.. lost her,” the king repeated, rising from his throne.

“Yes.” Ecthelion did not shy away from the gaze of the king as Glorfindel did. The third elf of the party stepped up before Ecthelion.

“I take full responsibility, m’lord.” Egalmoth glanced to his right, where Salgant and Duilin stood looking on at the host that had returned without the white lady of the realm. “It was my turn for watch. She said she wished a private moment by the river, and I fell asleep without regard-“

“You lost her?!” Turgon’s rage was full-blown, and he shook with fury as he stomped down the trio of steps before the throne. His hand was at Egalmoth’s throat in an instant. “I should have you killed for an act so traitorous!”

“Mercy, m’lord, we are all at fault,” spoke Ecthelion, drawing a short blade from his arsenal. Positioning it to point at his heart, he removed the king’s hand from the other lord’s throat and placed it upon the blade. “If you kill him, it is only deserving I die as well. I was the leader of the party; it was my responsibility to see her safely to Doriath and back.”

"Doriath? For what reason was she there?!" demanded the king. "Why did you take her there?" The blade pressed only slightly forward, close enough for discomfort but not close enough to pierce cloth or draw blood.

"It was her will and her want," explained Ecthelion. "She would not be disuaded, and we could not simply leave her to wander."

"And yet wander she does; if she is not yet dead." Turgon withdrew the blade, holding it with the hilt facing Ecthelion. “I have no time to kill anyone. We must make haste to find my sister. I am going to make myself abundantly clear- this is not to leave this room. You will say nothing of this to anyone. Those present will be sent to search for her in small groups. You will not return until all leads have been exhausted!”

Upon hearing the decree that no word was to leave the chamber, Erestor set down his quill and stopped recording what was being said. The scribe took up a brush of ink and blurred the words on the page before setting it aside to be destroyed later.

“M’lord,” spoke Salgant from the edge of the room where he stood, “what of your decree that no one who enters is given leave to go?”

Contemplating this for only a moment, Turgon said, “I have no time to worry about that. I will not have Aredhel in the wilds alone!”

“Your highness,” spoke one of the two elves in the room who was not a lord nor a scribe, “I know I am an outsider, but I am willing to do whatever I may to aid you at this time.”

“As am I.” Laiqalasse stood up, having been seated behind Galdor, who had taken him into his house some years earlier when he had arrived. “You have my aid as well.”

“Gildor Inglorion, Laiqalasse Thranduilion, I thank you both for your offers. Salgant, you and Duilin will need to find suitable gear for Laiqalasse, and quickly, so that he can go with you to search the south. Egalmoth, you, Ecthelion, and Galdor will go east. Glorfindel, you and Erestor will travel with Gildor to the west.”

Although Glorfindel had feared facing the king, his shiver now was due to something entirely different.