15. Luthien before Mandos

Above a bell announced the noon
With a laughing, liquid tune that tolled
From the topmost tower, rolled, rebounded
Cave to cave, confounded returned:
A million magic bells
- whose chimings cast -
- harmonic spells. -

Nèhaléni lifted up her head: not he.
She turned and taking well-aged wine
Poured out, placed a fine-stemmed glass.
'Daeron, drink: wine lessens heartache,'
'Lulls despair,'
- 'For in the tale I tell -
- 'is grief enough to spare.' -

He nodded numbly, drank it dry,
Then waited, watched in silence sitting,
The glass held in his hand
- as if around an hourglass, -
- concealing drifted sand. -

Her hand upheld, with eyes intent,
She gazed through glass where ruby-red
Her face refracted as she turned and tossed
Her head.
- `You know, of course,' -
- `That they were wed.' -

She took a taste, then grasped the glass
Cupped close as if it held her heart.
`In times of grief,'
- `of course,' -
- `such bliss is brief.' -

She licked her lips, then downed her drink,
And spoke in swift staccato tones.
`Beren died with Huan the Hound
`Killing Carcharoth. Lúthien lived
`But her spirit Westward fled,
- to bow in supplication to -
- the ruler of the dead. -

`They say she sang at Mandos' door
`Of life and love with soaring voice.'
`That calm, collected, poised she passed
`Alone,'
- `to stand revealed -
- `before his throne.' -

`They say she sang as none have sung
`Since song first shaped the circles of the world,'
`As if the air unfurled and framed
`The love her lyrics named anew.'
`I hear that Mandos' will is hard
As stone.'
- `Yet pity clothed his face,' -
- `who'd never pity shown.' -

`Beren reborn, with Lúthien alive
`Walked through the winter of Thingol's thought,'
`Which turned at her touch into sudden spring.'
`But her mother, Melian, saw on her soul
`The mark of Mandos, his grievous gift:'
`For mortal man must have mortal bride
- `who shall die forever -
- `to live at his side.' -