Title: Thingol and Melian
Author: Celebrian Helyanwë
E-Mail: elf-friend@truthmail.com
Rating: G
Summary: This is just a brief picture of Thingol and Melian's relationship. Features Luthien as a baby with her older brother, Dairon.
Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me. I didn't create any of the characters or places. I didn't invent any of the relationships. All that belongs to Tolkien. I didn't even write any of the poetry. It's Shakespeare's.
Note: This is before Aragorn. It's even before Elrond. I thought that Thingol and Melian have been pretty much neglected. If you haven't read the Silmarillion, chances are nothing will be familiar. Sorry. So, for those of you who are ignorant of ancient elven history, Thingol the elf married Melian the Maia and they became the king and queen of Doriath in Middle-Earth. They lived in their capital, Menegroth, with their children, Dairon and Luthien.

Thingol and Melian

The sound of a crying baby filled the air. Thingol ran down the hallway to find his wife nursing his baby daughter. He started to hum a tune that matched his feelings. Melian knew the words.

Shall I compare thee to a summers day?
Thou are more lovely and more temperate.

The king of Doriath reached out to take his daughter into his arms as she stopped nursing. Melian handed her to him. Little Luthien started cooing as she reached for her father's silver-blond tresses. Melian laughed and sang the next lines back to her husband.

Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summers lease hath all too short a date.
Sometimes too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often his gold complexion dimmed;
And every fair from fair sometimes declines
By chance, or natures changing course untrimmed;

She knew it would be so with him, long in the future, somehow. But now was not the time to think about it. She loved him so. Se would enjoy the time with him and her children now, and leave that for later. Just then there was a cry of "Nana, Nana, can you hold me?"
Little Dairon came running into the room and climbed onto his mother's lap. Just then, Luthien shrieked with laughter as she finally latched onto her father's hair and gave a hard yank. Thingol yelped. Melian set her son down and ran over to her husband and daughter. "Luthien," she said softly as she detached Thingol's hair from his daughter's hand. "Don't pull Ada's hair. It hurts." Luthien promptly grabbed Melian's hair and gave a mild pull, as she looked at her mother questioningly. "No, not Nana's, either," her mother told her. The baby turned back to Thingol's hair and stuffed it in her mouth and proceeded to attempt to chew it. The happy father rolled his eyes and finished the song they had been singing as Melian picked Dairon and sat back down.

But thy eternal summer shall not fade,
Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st
Nor shall Death brag thou wandrest in his shade,
When in eternal lines to time though grow'st.
So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see,
So long live this and this gives life to thee.

Dairon looked up at his mother. "Nana, can I hold Luthien?" he asked. Melian looked over to Thingol. "You may, if your ada can bare to relinquish her for a moment," Melian smiled knowingly. Thingol sighed and rolled his eyes. "Melian," he began. Melian laughed lightly. Thingol knew she was teasing him. Walking over to his son, he handed the tiny elfling to her older brother. He stooped and kissed his wife. Yes it was worth giving up Valinor for this.

*************************************************
Later that day, Thingol and Melian watched from a distance as Dairon played with his baby sister. Dairon was playing on the pipes his father made for him and Luthien cooed sweetly as she enjoyed the music.
Melian leaned her head on Thingol's shoulder. Thingol whispered part of a new poem in her ear.

How do I love thee, let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach when feeling out of sight.
For the ends of being and ideal grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.

Melian smiled. "Oh, Thingol. Don't you think that's an exaggeration?" she asked. He shook his head and smiled.

I love thee freely as men strive for right.
I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use in my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith...
I love thee with the breath, smiles, tears, of all my life.

Melian smiled. "As I love you, meldonya," she whispered. "And shall to the end of Arda."

The End