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L?hien

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In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, L?hien Tin?iel is an Elf of Middle-earth, the fairest of all the Children of Iluvatar. She was the daughter of Elu Thingol, king of the Sindar and his queen, Melian. Her romance with Beren was one of the great stories of the Elder Days, and was mirrored by the later romance between Aragorn and Arwen. "L?hien" means "Enchantress", while "Tin?iel" means "Nightingale". Tin?iel was a name given to her by Beren.

L?hien is remembered in the Lay of Leithian (Escape From Bondage). She fell in love with the Man Beren, of the House of B?r. Their relationship was doomed from the beginning: L?hien was not only the cherished only daughter of the most powerful king in Beleriand, she was also an immortal elf. Beren, meanwhile was a mortal man on the run from Morgoth, the Dark Lord.

Thingol was desperate not to let Beren marry his daughter, and set an impossible task as the bride-price: Beren had to bring to Thingol one of the Silmarils from Morgoth's iron crown. Against monstrous odds, including kidnap by the sons of Fëanor and the death of Finrod Felagund, as well as a confrontation with Sauron, the couple achieve the task, but Beren dies as soon as it is completed.

L?hien gives up her immortality to let Beren live again, and they dwell in Ossiriand until after the sack of Menegroth. They have a son, Dior, who is called Elúchil - the Heir of Thingol. Her line will never be broken.

The Line of L?hien

L?hien = Beren

       | 
     Dior = Nimloth
          |
Eluréd Elurín Elwing = Eärendil
                      |
           Elrond        Elros 
           = Celebrían    |
           |             (Royal House of Númenor)
Elladan Elrohir Arwen |
                      =  Aragorn
                      |
             Eldarion  (numerous daughters)