In Sweet Music is Such Art by reindeer_pizza

Chapter One

The piping melody of a flute came dancing into Luthien’s room, the tune curling around her delicate pointed ear. She roused from the twilight between waking and sleeping and following the music. Like a little shadow, the child crept through her parents’ halls and out into the forest of Doriath. Still the music called her on, deeper and deeper into the woods, away from the safe paths her mother had shown her. She did not know how long she followed the sound. It pulled her, compelling her to find the source, forcing all other thoughts from her mind.

At last, she found him.

In a large clearing, in a ring of tiny white mushrooms, an elf with long white hair danced as he played his pipe. He moved with a grace that seemed unnatural even for one of the Eldar, and though his eyes were closed, he never missed a step, and never left the mushroom ring.

And oh, his music!

Luthien was born into the court of Doriath and her mother was a maia, so her father ensured only the best musicians were allowed to play, so as not to offend his lady wife. It would not do to let one of those who had performed in the Great Song be surrounded by lesser performers.

This elf outplayed them all.

The stars twinkled in time to his tune, and as Luthien watched, it seemed to her that some of the stars pulled themselves from the heavens to dance at the flutist’s feet. His music went faster and faster, the stars twirling and leaping in their dance. They twisted and turned, swirling in time with the achingly sweet melody that poured from the flute.

Luthien’s toes began to tap and she raced into the clearing, eager to join the fun. She turned and laughed as she began to dance.

At the first peal of her bell-like laughter, a terrible silence crashed over the woods. The stars went dark, then flared back to life, returned to their proper place.

The strange elf was gone.

She looked and looked, but could find him. With a sigh, she headed for home. The return journey was longer and far less pleasant than her trip out to the clearing. After what felt like hours to the child, she finally made it back to Menegroth.

“Luthien!” her mother called. She swept up her daughter into her arms. “Where have you been?”

“There was an elf with a flute,” Luthien said. “He made the stars dance. But he vanished.”

Melian cocked her head in confusion. Then, a look of recognition crossed her face. “You must have seen Tinfang Warble. It’s been some time since he passed through here last. But he is no elf.”

“Then what is he?” Luthien asked.

“A remnant of an earlier story. There are still a handful like him out in the world,” Melian said.

“We should ask him to play at court,” Luthien said.

Melian laughed. “First we would have to find him, which would be quite the challenge itself. Even if we could, he wouldn’t agree. He only plays for the stars and himself.”