A SONG TO FIT THE OCCASION
~Quietly at Work~
Eregiel stood in the corner near the entry of the study silently observing her sister Thibinoriel working at her desk. This went on for several minutes before Calentauriel casually entered the room. Eregiel caught her younger sister by the elbow, and silenced her with a look.
'What is Thibinoriel doing?' whispered Calentauriel.
'Do you not hear her humming?' whispered Eregiel in reply.
'Yes,' answered Calentauriel, 'but she often hums.'
'This is true,' said Eregiel, 'but when she is composing a new song the tune she whistles is an unfamiliar one.'
'I suppose you are right,' Calentauriel admitted. 'We ought to let her work in peace.'
'Agreed,' said Eregiel with a slight nod of her head. The two younger sisters turned and, arm in arm, left the study as silently as they could.
~History of the Bride and Groom~
Thibinoriel laughed softly to her self. 'I love my sisters!' she thought. Naturally, she had heard the entire conversation. As Eregiel had surmised, Thibinoriel was composing a song. But this was not just any song. This was about pre-wedding apprehension, a condition that some may know as 'wedding jitters' or 'cold feet'. The song was inspired, of course, by the impending wedding between Arwen Undómiel and Aragorn Elessar, Gondor's newly crowned king, on Midsummer Day in the city of Minas Tirith.
Thibinoriel and her sisters were well-acquainted with the bride-to-be. They had known her practically since her birth nearly twenty-eight hundred years ago. Undómiel had intermittently dwelt in Lothlórien with her grandparents, Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel, and in Imladris with her father Lord Elrond Half-elven in the five hundred years since Celebrían, Arwen's mother, had sailed West.
Thibinoriel was less well-acquainted, however, with Arwen's betrothed, Aragorn Elessar, despite his having visited Caras Galadhon now and again during his many travels. Thibinoriel knew that he was descended from Elendil the Tall through his son Isildur, and that he and Undómiel had first met in Imladris when he was but twenty years of age. Elessar had now been crowned the king of both Arnor and Gondor, thus meeting the requirement that had been set by his foster father, Lord Elrond, before Elessar would be permitted to marry Undómiel.
It had been forty years since Elessar and Undómiel had pledged their troth at Cerin Amroth. Surely both bride and groom were excited that the long-awaited day of their union had finally come. There must certainly be some apprehension, too. Elessar, the proverbial rolling stone that gathers no moss, would now desire to settle in Minas Tirith with his bride and the children that would undoubtedly follow. Undómiel's sacrifice would be far greater.
Undómiel would be as Lúthien, who forsook her immortality to be with Beren, a Man. Arwen would be living among strangers in a strange land. Moreover, she would be forever parted from her father, and would never again see her beloved mother. The Eldar live in the blessed realm of Aman when their lives in Middle-earth are over. Men, on the other hand, do not. Undómiel might also be parted from her heroic brothers, Elrohir and Elladan, whose choice still lay before them.
Thibinoriel wondered, 'Did Undómiel suffer from fear and doubt as others might in these circumstances?' Inspired by these thoughts, the minstrel sat at her desk putting words to music.
~Calentauriel Intrudes~
Calentauriel, making certain she was not being observed by Eregiel, surreptitiously crept back to the study. The ever-curious Calentauriel greatly desired to know what Thibinoriel was writing.
'Good day, nésa,' Thibinoriel greeted her sister. Thibinoriel's hearing was particularly acute, even for one of the Eldar.
'Good day, nésa,' Calentauriel hesitantly replied. Calentauriel, who can be very stealthy when she wished, was caught off guard by her sister's sudden greeting. 'Does she have eyes in the back of her head?' Calentauriel wondered.
'Were you looking for me?' Thibinoriel asked knowingly.
'No, I knew where you were, nésa,' Calentauriel replied. 'I was merely curious about what you were writing.'
'Did you not hear me humming?' Thibinoriel replied with a laugh.
'Oh,' said a blushing Calentauriel, 'you must have heard my earlier conversation with Eregiel.'
'Every word,' said Thibinoriel with mock seriousness before laughing out loud. Calentauriel laughed, too.
'May I hear what you have written so far?' Calentauriel cheerfully asked.
'I have composed the tune in my head,' replied Thibinoriel, 'but I have not finished the rhyme.'
'The tune, is that what you were humming?' asked Calentauriel.
'Yes, the music always comes first for me. Invariably, it is the poem that proves to be more difficult,' confessed Thibinoriel.
Calentauriel thought for a moment then asked, 'Can you at least share with me the subject of the song?'
'That I can do,' answered a smiling Thibinoriel. 'The song is about a bride-to-be and the apprehension she feels before her wedding. It is inspired by the impending nuptials between Undómiel and Elessar, although the song is not about Arwen per se. Does that make sense to you?'
'Yes,' replied Calentauriel, 'I believe so. I was once a bride myself after all.' Both sisters laughed.
'The first stanza serves as the introduction,' Thibinoriel explained. 'The stanzas that follow express the bride's fears and doubts. In the last line of each stanza the bride declares how happy she is, as if attempting to convince herself of something that may not be true.'
'That sounds a little sad,' remarked a frowning Calentauriel. 'Should not a wedding be a happy occasion?'
'It should be, yes,' answered Thibinoriel, 'but very few things are completely happy. With nearly every celebration there is at least a small portion of sadness and loss.'
'I suppose,' answered Calentauriel glumly. 'Still, I prefer to focus on the positive outcomes,' she added cheerfully.
'And that,' replied Thibinoriel, 'is one reason why I love you so much!' The sisters embraced.
'Nésa, when the song is completed did you have anyone particular in mind to sing it?' Calentauriel asked. Her motive for asking this question was very clear.
'As a matter of fact, I did,' Thibinoriel responded.
'Oh? Who?' Calentauriel inquired hopefully.
'Your daughter Lothmeluiel. She is not yet a bride, but may be one some day,' replied Thibinoriel. 'She has a lovely voice and, I think, will be able to express the pathos that the song requires.'
'She indeed has a lovely voice, nésa,' Calentauriel agreed, if somewhat disappointed.
'I hope that you and Thalinras your husband will join me in playing the accompaniment,' Thibinoriel added. 'I have arranged the song for flute, harp, and violin.'
'Yes, of course!' Calentauriel happily answered. 'We will be delighted.'
~The End~
