Dust Clouds by The Wavesinger

[the-wavesinger.livejournal.com]

B2MeM Challenge: This must be F/M day for me. For all it is the biggest romance story in Tolkien's work (way bigger than even Feanor/Nerdanel or Aragorn/Arwen or Hurin/Morwen, etc.) and his favorite, it is not the biggest in fandom. I would like to something more about Beren/Luthien. Any genre, any rating, any angle--heartofoshun

Format: Ficlet

Genre: Romance

Rating: PG

Warnings: None

Characters: Lúthien, Beren, Huan

Pairings: Beren/Lúthien

Creators' Notes (optional): Unbeta'd and disjointed, so read at your own risk

Summary: Lúthien rides in pursuit of Beren

—

I am Lúthien Tinúviel.

I am Lúthien Tinuviel, daughter of Melian and Thingol, and I thought I would never be betrothed to any man.

I am Lúthien Tinuviel, daughter of Melian and Thingol, and I love Beren son of Barahir. He, too, loves me.

The love I bear him is not the only reason I ride madly towards the Pass of Sirion, for this command of my father’s is madness and cruelty. I do not understand what he hopes to achieve, for he is not normally harsh, but whatever wrongs have been done to my beloved must be redressed.

Besides, it is folly for him, a mere mortal, to even think of walking into Angband and stealing a Silmaril. Only he who has lost all hope would allow himself to contemplate that, and so I fear for Beren. So, indeed, I fear for myself, but I cannot begin to think of that.

The dust billows around me, and my faithful friend carries me into the jaws of death.

—

“Do not ever do that again,” I say to him.

“I cannot allow you to put yourself in danger.” He is stubborn, as mortal men are; his pride and chivalry are frustrating even my patience.

“You are in more danger than I am, my love,” I tell him.

He shakes his hair out of his face. Oh how I long to touch that hair, that skin, that face, though some part of me still entrenched in the customs of Doriath screams against it. Beren has no such constraints, but I do not think such gestures are part of his nature, for he has dwelt alone for many years. His face is not beautiful, but the thoughts that are so clearly painted on it are.

I know that he will not give in today. The truth, though, is one which he must have realized—if this quest is to be attempted, I must go with him.

I do not speak my thoughts aloud, and neither does he. Instead, we eat in silence, watching the twinkle of the small fire we dared strike up.

Soon, I drift into half-wakefulness, my lids dropping heavily.

It is only as I fall asleep that I register that his hand has crept to my hair.

Comments

[starbrow.livejournal.com]

Oh, how very lovely! Such an intimate look at them. I love that Beren's not beautiful, that makes total sense to me that he wouldn't be.

[the-wavesinger.livejournal.com]

I actually have a vague memory of Tolkien calling Beren handsome at some point, but I couldn't find the reference, and my headcanon has always been an unhandsome Beren. Like you said, it makes more sense. (Also, years of wandering in the wild don't do any favours for anyone)

Thank you!

[starbrow.livejournal.com]

Absolutely! What mortal beauty is going to impress Luthien, anyway?

(I use the same reasoning for Andreth, in an as-yet-unposted story - that Elves in general would value 'interesting' over 'pretty', because they're nearly all pretty.)

[the-wavesinger.livejournal.com]

Exactly. Luthien being the fairest woman on earth and everything, I don't think that Beren would have matched up if she was looking for a partner based on looks (or powers and abilities, for that matter, companionate marriage be damned).

As for Andreth, her intellect is astounding (I'm the type of person who reads the Athrabeth over and over again because it's absolutely fascinating), so shame on Aegnor if 'pretty' was all he thought (obviously not, I hope, because a man like that wouldn't be worthy of Andreth, but...).

EDIT--I rant a lot. Sorry. *blushes*

[starbrow.livejournal.com]

Ranting about Andreth is awesome ranting in my book, and gives me hope that the fic about her and Finrod currently in progress on my hard drive might have an actual audience.

[I haven't got it all quite fleshed out yet, but I desperately ship Finrod/Andreth in a nonromantic - yet sexual - way, and this story has them, just after/within the Athrabeth, having somewhat awkward and unromantic yet quite satisfying and loving sex, and Finrod specifically tells her that she's more beautiful to him now than she was when she was younger because he knows more of her now. Genuinely the hardest thing I have ever tried to write, for all kinds of reasons, not the least of which is trying to mesh the Athrabeth's style with a sex scene! Finrod does at least get to say 'thou' to her at some point, though. :-) ]

[the-wavesinger.livejournal.com]

*makes grabby hands* I would love to read that (sex scene squick barrier stands in the way, but I will overcome it). And I never thought of it, but now that you mentioned it, Finrod/Andreth sounds amazing. Really, really want to read that! Not the least because your Finrod sounds amazing :D. (I am not putting quotation marks around 'your'. I never could understand the point. Don't you make a character yours the moment you read/write about them?)

[*giggly sounds*Athrabeth and sex scenes are somewhat incompatible, though writong a sex scene is a feat beyond my comprehension (see below). Although 'thou'...*runs away choking*]