The Chief and the Princess

2019-04-05T01:08:57Z

B2MeM Prompt, Card and Number: Alternative Rock Lyrics: B12 - "You're just like an angel / Your skin makes me cry", Women of the Silmarillion: B12 - Women of Different Cultures
Format: Ficlet
Genre: Vignette
Rating: General
Warnings: Referenced canonical character death
Characters: Luthien, Haleth, Beren
Pairings: background Luthien/Beren
Summary: Luthien and Beren meet Haleth beyond the circles of the world

Men go beyond the world when they die, to a place Mandos knows not. It is a real place, though, where there can be reunions with those loved and introductions to those never met. Many choose to explore even further, but some stay near where they first arrive, and welcome the newly dead.
Luthien and Beren died on the same day. They asked whether there was anywhere nearby to settle, and were directed to the Chief of the local people.

The Chief was a short woman with an iron stare. Her first greeting when she saw them was “I thought we’d finally found a place where we didn’t have to deal with elves.”
Luthien was taken aback. “I’m not an elf.”
“Every move you make looks like you’re dancing, and your skin is so smooth it makes me want to cry. Even your wrinkles look perfect. If you’re not an elf, what are you?”
“I am called Luthien Tinuviel. I was born of an elf and a maia, but chose to be mortal so I could stay with Beren.”
Beren spoke up then. “We want to build a house, and were told to ask the Chief where it was good to build. Are we at the right house?”
“Yes. I am Haleth, Chief of the Haladin.”
“What of my kin, the Beorians? Who is their chief?”
“The Beorians and the Hadorians mostly keep traveling; we’re the only permanent village. They claim Baran as their leader, but I don’t think they’ve caught up to him yet.”
Luthien said, “Is there land nearby it would be good to live on?”
“Sure. There’s no orcs here and little need for village walls. The forest south of here has good hunting, but we ask that no one live within a day’s journey in it to keep from scaring off the animals. Most people have farms up and down the river; there’s a bridge two miles upstream from here. Most who journey on go west, so if you want privacy I suggest not building in that direction.”
“Everyone builds their own house?”
“Some people live with relatives. People sometimes pitch in to build houses for close friend or great heros, but you two are probably on your own.”
“Why?”
“You’re Thingol’s daughter. Quite a few people here died walking through Nan Dungortheb, or ran form orcs until the forest halted them and were cut down. You’re not our princess.”
“But I defeated Sauron, and stole from Morgoth himself!”
“Maybe I’m wrong, and those you freed from Tol-in-Guarhoth will help you. But you could have done that any point in the age, and didn’t. You, the daughter of an angel, sat happily behind your fence as we died all around you.”
“It’s not like you fought Morgoth!”
“I did not because I could not have gotten within leagues of him if I went alone, and it would have an irresponsible risk to ask my people to come with me. You cared nothing for the suffering of Men until you wanted to marry one. And even then your concern was only for him - Doriath still forbids Men from entering except for Beren’s kin.”
“I don’t have to defend myself to you!”
A man who greatly resembled Haleth came out from another room then. “Is everything all right? I heard shouting.”
Haleth responded, “Yes Halmir, I was just telling Luthien here that I am in charge of the village and it may be different then she’s used to.”
“Oh, so the rumors were right about her and Beren after all.” Halmir turned to the two at the door. “My great-aunt remembers that elves were useless when my grandfather and great-grandfather died. Your cousin Turin lives across the river, and is probably the only Man who actually likes Thingol. We won’t hold your father’s behavior against you though.”
Beren was surprised. “No one else approves of elves?”
“Oh, the Hadorians like Fingolfin, and the Beorians have plenty of kind things to say about Aegnor and Angrod, and Finrod of course. My father has a much nicer opinion of Caranthir than the Chief does. It’s specific to Thingol the hermit king.”

comments

tehhumi

The Chief and the Princess