Disclaimer: All characters mentioned in this fic belong to JRR Tolkien. No intentional copyright infringement is intended through their use.
A/N: I don't know why I wrote this short ficlet, and I'm not sure what I'm writing about. Please forgive me.
Acknowledgement: My heartfelt thanks to Nimbrethil Thinduial for proofreading the fic for me, and for correcting me on the use of certain words and sentence structure. Frankly, I've learnt quite some things from her in improving my fics. Thanks, Nimbrethil. ^^
Beren and LúthienThen the king was filled with anger, for Lúthien he loved above all things, setting her above all the princes of the Elves. ~On Thingol; Of Beren and Lúthien; The Silmarillion
"…I sell not to Elves or Men those whom I love and cherish above all treasure." ~Elu Thingol; Of Beren and Lúthien; The Silmarillion
When the Silmaril that Beren and Lúthien possessed had been taken by Elu Thingol, father of Lúthien, king of Doriath, Beren's spirit left his body; but at the bidding of Lúthien, his spirit tarried in the Halls of Mandos, awaiting her.
And Lúthien bade Thingol her father and Melian the Maia her mother farewell, and though they attempted to dissuade her, she would not hearken to their pleas, nor to those of Daeron the minstrel, and she laid down upon the grass and her spirit left her body as well.
She came before Mandos, and sang a song of deep sorrow, for it was filled with the grief of Elvenkind and Men, and she wept, and Mandos was moved to pity, such as he had never before, nor will be.
Yet, he had not the power to take away the gift of Ilúvatar to Men, and he went to Manwë, the Lord of the Valar.
And two choices the Lord of Wind granted Lúthien: because of her labors and her sorrow, she should be released from Mandos, and go to Valimar, there to dwell until the world's end among the Valar, forgetting all griefs that her life had known. Thither Beren could not come. For it was not permitted to the Valar to withhold Death from him, which is the gift of Ilúvatar to Men.
But the other choice was this: that she might return to Middle earth, and take with her Beren, there to dwell again, but without certitude of life or joy. Then, she would become mortal, and subject to a second death, even as he; and ere long she would leave the world for ever, and her beauty become a memory only in song.
Yet ere she could answer, Beren spake, pleasing for counsel with Lúthien, and his plea was granted. And there they departed from Taniquetil to the Gardens of Lórien, which was the fairest save for that of Yavanna's; and there they rested for a whiles, and spake.
***
Beren and Lúthien walked in silence under the trees of Lórien, and it was long ere Lúthien spake: "Why did you not let me speak my choice, Beren?"
And Beren halted his steps and spake slowly, as if in thought. "You are of the child of Elu Thingol and Meilian. Your fate and doom are for things greater than mine."
And to that, Lúthien answered: "Nay. Our fates are woven together, and I will not turn from that choice which seemeth like Doom, for have you not named me Tinúviel, and I wondered and hearkened to that name?"
"Aye, and I curse the enchantment on you as your beauty hath cast upon me, for you were not born to perish as men do."
"Nay, curse not aught, for 'tis our Doom that hath led us together, and joy shared amidst sorrow."
"Yet would you have heart to depart from your people for ever beyond their reach, and your memory hinted of only in songs? I wish not to have your memory diminished."
And Lúthien smiled. "Aye, Beren, but my memory shall not be diminished, for it will be passed down from our children, and the bonding of Maia, Elf and Man will not fade."
"But what of your father and mother?" Beren spake again, fearing the Doom that Lúthien had chosen.
Lúthien's smile faded and her face darkened, and she spake with caution. "My father and mother, you say? Aye, my love for them runs deep, and 'tis the love of a child to her parents. I cannot abide for ever in the shadow and rule of my father. And he," the pain was clear on her face, "loves me not as his child, for did he not say that he will not sell to Elves or Men those whom he loves and cherishes above all treasure? I will not be something he sells, but shall order my own fate." Seeing Beren about to speak, she went on swiftly. "Aye, I know that my father loves me, for few love can compare to that of a parent to his child. Yet, he had hurt me deeply with his words that I can be something he sells."
Beren was grieved that she should harbor bitterness towards her father. "Would I had never seen you, or you me!" He lamented.
"Do not say it so! For Ilúvatar hath set the fate of all according to his wish. If we had met, then now it is our Doom to remain together, and I would not part with thee."
"Ai!" Beren cried, and he embraced her, and no other words were spoken.
***
Thus it came to pass that Beren and Lúthien returned to Taniquetil, and there, Lúthien spake her choice that had led her beyond the confines of Arda, and so became the only one of the Firstborn to die, and her memory preserved only in lore and in songs.