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Hmmmm! I'm sure that Melian has good reasons for withholding information (some kind of Noninterference Directive?), but like Galadriel, I'm sure she can control her gift a lot better than she lets on - although to be fair I'm willing to believe her that it's intuitive and impossible to teach (let alone to an outsider...). The reference to By The Light Of The Roses made me smile!

Loved the observations about parents - having such high hopes for their children, and (hopefully) ultimately accepting that their children may take a different road.

A very thought-provoking story!

I'm a little ashamed of myself for treating so lightly with both Luthien and Melian in this story! If I had started early or tried harder, I would have painted them a little deeper! But I really was determined to stop my endless procrastination and punish myself by posting on time. I will do better next time around.

I think what I had in mind is with this close third-person POV is to show Galadriel doesn't know or understand either Luthien or Melian very well. I do think Melian might enjoy teasing Galadriel a little--so young and so opinionated and sure of herself.

I am still trying to accept that children cannot be more easily groomed to do the best thing! Experience cannot be gained secondhand. Parents will only beat their heads against a stone wall until they are battered and bloody if they think they can transmit wisdom by wishing it to be so.

Well, it's fair to assume that Galadriel is taking a Noldorin, straight-forward, end-product-oriented approach, so she doesn't really grasp Melian's the-journey-is-the-end, a-bit-here-a-bit-there approach. Two completely different styles of craft, I suppose! But since this is written close to Galadriel's view, it's easy to fall into the trap of adopting her view. ^^

I like how the two are feeling each other out here, trying to get information without giving away too much. It makes sense for their characters. I thought Maitimo's attempt at rose breeding was funny. I didn't know that was from Dawn. But I did recognize Pande's Withren Pool. Nicely borrowed. 

 

The description of Luthien is fun too. No one ever wants to follow mom's advice, do they? a86;

 

This was an enjoyable read. Im happy I got the alert for it.

I love this idea for how she crafted the mirror! I suppose I had always thought it came later, when she moved to Lothlorien, but I just adore this conception of it as a work in progress - new headcanon accepted! (Also, as someone who's currently moving, now I'm just imagining Galadriel making Celeborn schlep that thing around while they moved across Beleriand and Middle Earth for three ages...)

Wow! Thanks so much for reading. I wasn't actually insisting that was where/when/how she made her mirror, but when she started thinking about it. Perhaps she didn't make it until much later. I think she got a lot of ideas about trees and climate control from Melian, however!

I do like the idea of Celeborn dragging that heavy bird bath around Middle-earth for her. I love the idea of Celeborn not being crazy about the concept in general, but one has to choose their battles. I figure they had a few.

Sometimes Lúthien transmitted an aura of being not quite human, reminiscent of one of the Ainur in Eldarin form. At other times, she reminded Galadriel of a beautiful and privileged, spoiled only daughter of a wealthy noble of Tirion. But she could be humorous and surprisingly kind at times. Beleg had once voiced within Galadriel’s hearing that Lúthien was easier to love than to like.

Oh, what terrific characterisation!  A few lines and I feel I know her - perfect.

I really like the idea of Maedhros breeding roses, and the symbolism that he only creates ones with smaller thorns :/ I must read Dawn's fic - and Pandemonium's!  

What a lovely one-shot, Oshun.  I like your Galadriel enormously.

It's an interesting idea that Galadriel had been developing the idea of the Mirror so early on!

One can see that in Doriath that might be viewed as a rather Noldorin approach, also that Melian and Galadriel might not be on the same page immediately, about what Melian is willing to teach and what Galadriel is willing to learn.

Thanks for reading and commenting, Himring! I don't think this is the most serious story I have ever written, but I did have fun contrasting Melian and Galadriel's attitude about their methods, but there is a similarity between perservation and guardianship between Doriath and Lothlorien.