Beren and Luthien

He sought her ever, wandering far
Where leaves of years were thickly strewn,
By light of moon and ray of star
In frosty heavens shivering
Her mantle glinted in the moon,
As on a hill-top high and far
She danced, and at her feet was strewn
A mist of silver quivering.
When winter passed, she came again,
And her song released the sudden spring,
Like rising lark, and falling rain,
And melting water bubbling.
He saw the elven-flowers spring
About her feet, and healed again
He longed by her to dance and sing
Upon the grass untroubling.

Again she fled, but swift he came.
Tinuviel! Tinuviel!
He called her by her elvish name;
And there she halted listening.
One moment stood she, and a spell
His voice laid on her: Beren came,
And doom fell on Tinuviel
That in his arms lay glistening.

As Beren looked into her eyes
Within the shadows of her hair,
The trembling starlight of the skies
He saw there mirrored shimmering.
Tinuviel the elven-fair,
Immortal maiden elven-wise,
About him cast her shadowy hair
And arms like silver glimmering.

Long was the way that fate them bore,
O'er stony mountains cold and grey,
Through halls of ireon and darkling door,
And woods of nightshade morrowless.
The Sundering Seas between them lay,
And yet at last they met once more,
And long ago they passed away
In the forest singing sorrowless.
Part of "Lay of Leithian" by J.R.R Tolkien

After three months of trying and not being able to create anything I would be remotely happy, I managed to surprise me today - with very few hours I managed to come up with the basics of this image.. Sometimes I have been working on image for days and still not be happy and with this.. it just came.. I have tried to figure out why and maybe I did. I will try to explain it.

But before, I most thank Lindowyn-stock for that amazing serie. When I saw that serie back in spring, I knew I have to use it and the question was just how. I have been huge Tolkien fan for years.. I think reading "Hobbit" back in early years in school what lead me to "Lord of the Rings" and from there on to other books.. it had huge impact on my life. It influenced where I am now.. I think it took me to fantasy, it took me to LARP.. it took me to the path I am standing now.

And one of most powerful stories of the Middle-Earth setting, for sure, is story of Beren and Luthien.. It is something so big and something I would not dare to "touch" unless I am sure I can work it out. And somehow that was the reason it took me so long from seeing the stock to finally make something with it.

I tried to portray the magic of the moment their first meeting.. Meeting what will change their life.. meeting what was fated.. Meeting, for the first time, the one who is your true love.

I think even if it was sad story and tragic, there is something I really liked about it.. I liked the tragical, the destiny.. the commitment and willingness to follow the loved one where ever it takes.. The strength of the connection those two had in the story.. the dangers they were ready to face to earn the peace. The quest they took - to get Silmarillions. It was something so huge.. something anyone else dared but for love - they did. The way love was able to overcome everything.. fare, doubt.. they could have ran, they could have hide, never to return and be together in exile but they chose by honor - to earn their love.. And I admire the strength, the courage..

I can only imagine.. when reading the story and that poem.. The magic of their first meeting.. The moonlight coming between the trees, the happiness... but also the darker tones, doom falling upon them.. even from that moment.. Mystical forest in the midnight around them.. I wish that oneday I would stand in a place like that with my true love look into his eye and see all that what Luthien saw - deep commitment, will to overcome every obstacle..

Or maybe I already have.. I mean.. been on the place like that.. as I remember one very beautiful nigh in a forest in full moonlight...

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