Day 24: Something about the time before the story begins

But the Silmarillion begins before the beginning of time? I think I'll go with before the elves start really doing anything, because I can't think of anything to write for the Song or before.

When Thingol meets Melian.

People always see this as non-con, like Melian saw Thingol and captivated him and refused to let him go. But that's definitely not the impression I got when reading it.

Firstly, my headcanon is that I think Melian knew something of what was going to happen. I think she foresaw this part of her fate, being in Middle-earth for quite some time, and that's why she went in the first place. I don't think she knew the specifics of where, or that she'd become Queen by marrying a King or that they'd have a daughter or anything much of plans for Doriath, just generally, she knew something would tie her to Middle-earth. So when she went to Middle-earth, that was why.

So Thingol's wandering through the woods and hears this beautiful song and is drawn to it, and he is "filled with wonder and desire." And so far Melian has no idea he has heard her. So he wanders around and when he finally finds her, he sees this unimaginable creature in her spirit form, singing, birds and nature growing all around her. He sees "the light of Aman in her face" and in that, he loses his strong desire to see the light of the Two Trees again as he had before, now more he desires to stay with her.

"Greatly though he had desired to see again the light of the Trees, in the face of Melian he beheld the light of Aman as in an unclouded mirror, and in that light he was content"

"…being filled with love, Elwe came to her and took her hand, and straightaway a spell was laid on him, so that long years…."

It does say "Spell was laid on him," not, "she laid a spell on him.

It could be that their meeting set that spell into motion, not that Melian set it on him. Besides, we already know that their union was foreseen:

"Melian alone of all those spirits assumed a bodily form, not only as a raiment but as a permanent habitation in form and powers like to the bodies of the Elves. This she did for love of Elwe; and it was permitted, no doubt because this union had already been foreseen in the beginning of things"

With their meeting, I don't see anything sinister in Melian entrapping him at all. Where else in the story is she ever like that? Besides, later, she knew what Thingol needed to do, told him not to do things, and watched him do them anyway. If she had or exercised some power like that over him, wouldn't she have used them where he and Lúthien were both concerned?

I imagine Maiar have to know enough vague things about elves to understand that elves aren't going to be pleased with just being randomly put under spells without their consent, I think that was part of the few things Eru would have told them before even descending into Arda. She was in love with him too, I think, (I think she took an elven form there, can you "take the hand" of a Maia in a spirit form? And I think she took the elven form because he was there) and I don't see that as any kind of sinister wanting to enchant him, she didn't have to enchant him, he had already been "filled with love for her" at that point, and she could surely tell. So if she already loves him and he already loves her before the 300 year spell even starts, I just don't see her planning to or wanting to explain to her love that "oh yeah I put a spell on you, so all your people fear you are gone now" as their first conversation.

Either way, afterwards, when he learned of his people being forsaken by him I'm sure he was upset and she was sorry, but if that was truly the reason then there was little he could say against it and he wouldn't have blamed her for it.

(If you must believe the spell was laid by Melian, my alternate theory is just that three hundred years may be a lot to an elf at this point in time, but I think the Ainur see time differently; it wouldn't have seemed like so much to her. I think she knows he was planning to go to Valinor and has people waiting for him and all, but that isn't her concern because she knows, has foreseen, that his fate is to stay. She isn't getting in the way of his fate; she's shaping it, helping him into who he is supposed to be for the events of the First Age that she knows of from Ilúvatar's mind to take shape.)

Their meeting is a lot like Lúthien and Beren. Lesser-being stumbling upon a heavenly woman in the woods, and falling in love, and being under a spell? (And it says all over Lúthien and Beren's meeting that he was under a spell, but it never says exactly that Lúthien cast it, at least not on purpose.) That sounds more like Thingol and Melian are parallels of Beren and Lúthien than they would be Aredhel and Eöl.

Side note, when she is in her elven form through him her power was increased because they were tied to Arda, through her love for Elu Thingol. And he was greater too, through his union with her, because he leant her power and she lent him power.

"Great power Melian leant to Thingol, who was himself great among the Eldar…"
"His people gathered about him in joy, and they were amazed, for fair and noble as he had been, now he appeared as if it were a lord of the Maiar, his hair as grey silver, tallest of the Children of Illúvatar…."

"For Melian was of the divine race of the Valar, and she was a Maia of great power and wisdom, but for the love of Elwë Singollo she took upon herself the form of the Elder Children of Illúvatar, and in that form she became bound by chain and trammels of the flesh of Arda…

and in that form she gained a power over the substance of Arda…"

So basically they were powerful on their own, but together ridiculously powerful, especially Melian.

Because then there is:

"Soon afterwards Ungoliant fled from the north and came into the realm of King Thingol, and a terror of darkness was about her; but by the power of Melian she was stayed."

MELKOR himself could not contain Ungoliant. He wouldn't give her the Silmarils and she attacked him so badly he had to call for multiple Balrogs to help him out, and he was terrified of her when she was consuming the light of the trees in Valinor. And he's the most powerful of the Valar, most powerful being besides Eru! He can't control her, but Melian comes along and does. That is not just normal Maiar power, not for the Maia who serves the healer and the ever-young.

Under the shadows of the forests he so loved Elwë noticed that something felt different than usual. Were the trees greener? More alive?

He realized that there were definitely more birds, and they were making strange and beautiful sounds he had never heard before.

He grinned, watching them, and followed a flock of nightingales drifting through the trees.

And then he heard something else.

A hauntingly beautiful, divine song that spread a warmth and peace through his very core, making him feel more alive and awake than ever before.

All Elwë knew was that he must follow it and find the source. A nearly consuming longing and desire filled him, though his heart sang ever more with the music as he drew closer.

There were no words to describe the sight that met his eyes. A beautiful entity that he recognized must be a Maia, based on what the elves knew of the Ainur, drifted before him in a meadow. All around her were flowers of bright colors and scents he had never seen before, and birds flew in small flocks around her, listening to or joining in with her song.

Everywhere else there was the dark of all of Middle-earth, but her face shone bright and more beautiful to him than even the light of Laurelin and Telperion had been.

Elwë felt he could stand there and watch her for the rest of eternity and never wish to leave.

When she finally noticed him and turned her attention to Elwë he felt her draw a quick breath, though her song never faltered. She stayed motionless for a long time, watching him, perceiving his mind, before either of them moved. Then, though her song still stayed steady, she began to change form before his eyes, now appearing as an elf.

Elwë had no words to describe her in her spirit form, but he found he had not many more in her ethereally beautiful elven form, either. Hair as dark as the shadows of twilight swept around her pale, hauntingly fair face, and her dark eyes were fixed on him, her mouth open in her song, and her dark lips curved ever so slightly towards a smile of wonder.

His breath caught, watching her. It felt like a dream, though too perfect to be anything his mind might have conjured.

She opened her mind, just slightly, to him, and Elwë wondered at everything he saw and felt. She was wonderful, not just because she was a Maia of such beauty, but because of all he sensed in her being, her kindness and gentleness, her caring, all she was.

He stepped towards her, though he felt so clumsy in her presence, and stretched out a hand towards her. She mirrored his movement and her face curved into a smile full of joy and delight, a smile so beautiful it could have taken his breath, had he any.

She never stopped singing as he moved forward. Flowers bloomed brightly all around her, vividly green grasses grew taller under her feet, trees grew greener and thicker, and birds wove in and out of her tune, swirling around her as they flew through the foliage springing into existence.

The moment his hand touched hers the feeling that it was a dream passed. There was no way a dream could ever be this real.

Words did not seem needed, which was good because Elwë was certain his mind and lips were unable to form any. She interlaced her fingers with his, still continuing her song in her clear, unimaginably beautiful voice, her grey eyes never leaving his.

When she stopped they paused in the silence for a few long moments, and then he carefully reached out to touch her face. When his palm brushed her cheek, his thumb caressing her gently, she closed her eyes and sighed blissfully, shivering slightly, leaning into his touch.

He could not imagine how such a creature as she could be so affected by his touch, but she appeared to be. When he trailed his thumb across her lips next she ran her free hand through his hair, gently pulling his face to hers, pressing her lips against his. She kissed him gently at first, hesitant in case he were to want to stop or pull away, but then more deeply as he did not and his hand moved to her back and she moved closer against him, the warmth of her body curving into his.

While they kissed they opened their minds farther to each other, and Elwë was nearly overwhelmed with amazement at what he saw, even just this brief glimpse into a Maia's mind.

As they connected he could feel the immense power resonating inside her and felt a shiver run down his spine, but he was not in the least bit afraid of her; he knew he did not need to be.

When they looked at each other again Elwë felt he had seen enough to know thoroughly who she was, and he knew that he loved her entirely, but he realized he knew nothing of her, really. Not even what to call her.

"My name is Melyanna." She answered his unasked question in a clear and mesmeric voice.

"I am Elwë." He responded, his own voice rough and unimpressive by comparison.

He wanted to say more, but he did not know what to say when they had exchanged no more words than just names. What could he say to a Maia? He parted his lips to speak, but faltered. He wanted to tell her of his love, to ask her to be his Queen. But could he?

"Yes." She again answered his unasked question. "I will be, I would love to be." Another of those breathtaking smiles crossed her face, and Elwê was lost in it, hoping he would never surface.