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All for Her   by SoundofHorns 5 Review(s)
Fionnabhair Nic AillilReviewed Chapter: 56 on 8/2/2004
I probably should explain that sea comment. It's the result of spending too much time being told all about literary explorations of sexuality, and how in particular the sea symbolises the feminine other and mystery of female sexuality. Since Faramir is the person who is awakening Éowyn's latent sexuality it seemed like a very fitting choice of image to me.

Author Reply: Well, when you put it like that, yeah, I see the connection. He's leading her into it, showing her her sexuality and that it's something that's good.
Hehe, plus, at the end of the dream Eowyn was a little sad it didn't keep going. :D Isn't Faramir just dreamy?

Elendiari22Reviewed Chapter: 56 on 8/2/2004
Blast and dang! A cliffie!
Hee, hee, Eowyn as a little orc! That's great!
Poor Faramir, he's so confused. I like how Gaer just met him, and started teasing him. I hope that Faramir gets his own soon. And I can't wait to hear what Arwen has to say. :)

Author Reply: LOL! I loved that little orc line too! Eomer just kind of spoke up in my head. I liked how he thought it and would never say it while Aragorn shot right out with it. Hehe, Eowyn did say he had an oversized neck, though.
I love Gaer, he's really a good guy with a sense of humor. He's going to help Faramir a lot.
Faramir will get his own. :D About time, isn't it?

Raksha The DemonReviewed Chapter: 56 on 8/1/2004
I really like the dialogue between Aragorn and Faramir in this chapter - Aragorn is finally showing the keen perception of which he is capable, as well as some concern for his beleaguered Steward. Interesting that Faramir's ability to read minds is a genetic fixture of the Stewards' line - did Denethor have it? Did Denethor resent Faramir for having the gift when Boromir (presumably) did not?

What I do not like is the behavior of the Rohirrim who mocked and challenged Faramir; while the latter did not know that the proper response would be to abandon his restraint and fight. Faramir is Eomer's guest and guests should be extended some courtesy. Those particular Rohirrim seem to have crossed a line; their behavior seems far from good-natured challenge; it verges towards bullying. Loyalty to and love of Eowyn doesn't excuse their surrounding and mocking her betrothed, even if they suspect his behavior isn't proper - that's a matter for Faramir, Eowyn and Eomer to deal with, not them. I hope Faramir will take on one of them and leave him on the ground with a bloody nose. And where were these bravos when Grima Wormtongue was terrorizing Eowyn?

The relationship between Eomer and Eowyn is well-written, as always. And I can't wait to see more girl talk between Eowyn and Arwen!

Author Reply: Gandalf described (i think) Denethor to Pippin. He mentioned that Denethor had 'long-sight' and the ability to perceive things in the minds of men, even far off. I've taken that to be Faramir's telepathy, empathy and astral projection. :D

Anyway, yeah the Rohirrim were bullying him. These are the more or less assholes of the bunch; they're a different group from the Rohirrim earlier--the water bucket, the "spoil of war" remark. The earlier ones were more amused than anything with picking on Faramir.
And he's a good target so far because Faramir's not fighting back. That's going to change very soon, after all, Gaer indicated that that was the proper response--to taunt back or fight and Faramir is a proper kind of guy, lol.

I can't wait to write more between Eowyn and Arwen. :D Hehe, I've been laughing hysterically every time I think of the "real" story of how Arwen and Aragorn met. You have to remember, he was just 18 and probably silly as they come. :)

Lady of the WoodReviewed Chapter: 56 on 8/1/2004
Interesting interlude. I think you handled the meeting between Eomer and Faramir well and I quite enjoyed reading about Faramir teaching the young Rohirrim. Perhaps he can be a guest teacher when he and Eowyn come back for visits? I also liked Eowyn's dream about Faramir showing her the sea. That was lovely.

I'm glad to see Faramir beginning to spend his time with the Rohirrim. How frustrating for him not to be able to understand them, although it looks like his guide (G...? I can't remember his name) may turn out to be a friend after all. I certainly hope so. I suspect that Faramir's command of Rohirric will improve rather quickly when he's spending all his time speaking it.

Your bit about Anduril sounding shocked when it was dropped was fabulous.

As always, hoping for more soon.
LOTW

Author Reply: I think there are definite possibilities to Faramir teaching. He's going to be out with a company and he's an experienced warrior and Rohan is full of young soldiers now, so he might get to teach more, I don't know, Ranger skills? Tracking, that sort of thing? It felt like something he enjoyed.
Yeah, he's going to pick up a lot more Rohirric once he's "immersed" in it.
Gaer is his guide and friend, I suppose. Faramir sorely needs a friend.
LOL! That was a fav of mine--Anduril just felt shocked. Heh, the swords have personalities, too. :D I thought Guthwine was more resigned to losing, it's lost before to Eowyn. But, Anduril? Dropped to the dirt? *Gasp!* For shame, Aragorn! :)

Fionnabhair Nic AillilReviewed Chapter: 56 on 8/1/2004
Interesting, interesting!

Did you intentionally use the sexual metaphor of the sea, or did it just come about by accident? It's good to sea that progress is being made on most fronts - though sadly Éomer's reaction to Faramir's gift is as bad as I feared. And Arwen telling the story of her meeting with Aragorn is going to be very entertaining - I'm anticipating it already.

Maybe I'm being obtuse but there is one thing I don't understand. If all the men respect Éowyn so much, why do they assume that Faramir is her tame lap-dog. I mean, if she was generally made fun of it would make a little more sense to me, but they all seem to have a healthy affection and respect for her so?

Anyway, good, tantalising, chapter.

Author Reply: The sea was sexual? LOL, um, all right, I guess I didn't see it that way...well, Faramir's hands were all over her, but they were on their honeymoon, so... (lol spoiler ;))(like its a movie or something, I swear)
I'll go and reread the dream part and see if I see it. Long as you liked it... ;)

Yeah, Eomer's not very comfortable with this. It will get worse, of course, in the next chapter when he and Faramir meet again. *grimace* Poor guy. AND all of this makes Faramir feel guilty because
1. He was trying to help
2. Eowyn's upset
When he shouldn't feel guilty because he was rightfully asserting himself and trying to do something good. He was throwing a rope across that vast canyon that seperates him and Eomer. Unfortunately, to Eomer, it looked like he was throwing a snake. It's all bad stuff, folks.

Anyway, the Rohirrim's remarks are more or less just taunts. But, if you consider Eowyn is supposed to be like Morwen Steelsheen (and how did she get that name, I wonder?) then she's pretty much seen as a extremely strong woman, likened to the mental, whatever strength of a man. Faramir is slighter in stature than the Rohirrim, though he's not shorter. He's also quieter, more reserved and he hasn't responded to any of their taunts yet, etc, as a man of Rohan would--taunting back, light violence, SOMETHING. He's an enigma to them and they see him as weaker because he's not acting as he should. He's acting "womanish".
They're bullying him a little to see where he would fit in the social hierarchy and he's not playing along. If he'd taunted that guy back or hit him, that would have cleared it up--automatically Faramir's not the lowest man on the totem pole. But, he didn't. Gaer met him in Gondor, so he formed a unbiased opinion-he likes him.
Gaer was standing by, ready to cheer him on, or help him if he could--when Faramir didn't respond he was confused. He eventually realized Faramir was NEVER going to respond and rescued him. Also, Gaer implied that Eowyn controlled the relationship and that's how it is seen. Remember, the Rohirrim saw her leading Faramir through the crowd, saw her holding the bridle of his horse for him so that he could learn...,etc.
Actually, Gaer is going to be Faramir's best friend in all of this because Halorl doesn't come in for a bit and Gaer can speak the Common Tongue fluently. (Heh, I like Gaer better. He's fun. :D)



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