another event, another fic I didn't finish...oh well, here's an excerpt from the second chapter of A Compromise of Children, in which Maglor adopts LĂşthien!
LĂşthien was surprised to find that she actually liked these Noldor.
Makalaurë, her new “father,” was at first overexuberant in his welcome, but his wife Ezellë was mellow and practical enough to balance out his frenetic energy. It was certainly awkward, integrating into their home, but they were delighted to have her there and eager to please her.
She had no intention of being rude to them, even if she did not at all want to be here in the land of Valinor—she was a princess, after all, and no matter what her actual father said, she did have manners. But the first time she saw Makalaurë sweep up his wife and carry her, laughing, to her art studio, Lúthien watched with a strange fondness, and found her heart moved.
Her parents were wondrous, mystical creatures. They were not, however...domestic.
Yes, Makalaurë was a Prince of the Noldor. But he seemed utterly content to leave most of the politics to those of his family who were interested in such things, and spent his energies in creativity.
And he was good. He was excellent, in fact: LĂşthien was astonished by his skills. It was not in exaggeration that the Noldor claimed he was the best minstrel in the world! He even made her miss Daeron, for she was certain the two of them making music together would bring all of Arda to tears.
“Daeron is the best minstrel in Doriath, and before I would have named him the best of all the Edhil,” Lúthien murmured after one of her foster-father’s more heartfelt performances. “But you, Makalaurë, are something else!”
“So I am the best musician of all the Eldar?” he said, smirking.
She clucked her tongue. “He is the better piper,” she corrected. “But his voice cannot compare to yours!”