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A New Reckoning by Dreamflower	9 Review(s)
Larner	Reviewed Chapter: 68 on 10/4/2006
And so Elanor's coming is foretold by the cake! First time for everything, Lily! Author Reply: grin I just could not resist letting Sam find the penny, LOL! And after all, Frodo had been invoking blessings on them...

PIppinfan1988	Reviewed Chapter: 68 on 8/16/2005
Squeeee! I knew Sam would find the silver penny! "It‘s not done very often--in fact it‘s usually reserved for when a couple of tweenagers put the dessert before the main course--” This was the usual hobbit euphemism for a hobbit lass and lad who anticipated the delights of matrimony without the formality of it. “but not always.” (Merry to Pippin) Now it was my turn to almost fall out of my chair laughing! LOL...I don't think I have ever heard it put quite that way before, but I loved it! And it certainly was a delightful surprise to see Pippin sign the marriage lines. The fact that an underaged hobbit's signature has no legal value without his parent/guardian's signature is something I've practiced, too--the same as it is today. But I think Pippin felt "of value" when he was allowed to do so. I thought your hobbit-wedding was absolutely beautiful. Almost makes me want to write Pippin and Diamond's wedding...maybe. Thanks for a wonderful chapter! :-) Pippinfan Author Reply: I rather telegraphed that one, didn't I? LOL! Well, we have a lot of euphemisms for it--put the cart before the horse, etc. but I wanted something hobbity, and there's nothing more hobbity than food! I just felt Pip deserved a chance, and I knew that if Merry could possibly figure something out to help Pippin, he would. It meant a lot to Pippin to be able to participate, and it meant a good deal to Sam and Rosie that he get a chance to do so. And you are absolutely right. I'm glad you liked the wedding. I wanted a very hobbity ceremony. JRRT says specifically that hobbits are not religious, so it would of course be a rather civil ceremony (Frodo's invocation of the Valar was very Frodo and not something you would usually hear.) So I decided on a simple presentation of the potential bride and groom by the ones who "stood for" them, a signing of the contract, and a little speech by the officiator. Very short and simple. And I hope that you do write their wedding. I know such an occasion is very far off in your fic. (Even though I fudged Diamond's age in my P&D story, they still had to wait darn near six years.)

Grey Wonderer	Reviewed Chapter: 68 on 8/31/2004
Merry really is perfect in every way. I am so glad there was a way that Pippin could sign along with the others. And Frodo's speach for the bride and the groom was beautiful! This is the very best wedding that I have been to in some time. I also enjoyed Rosie turning the kiss into a bit more than Sam had planned. Just one of the many reasons that she is so good for him. Marigold's reflections on everything were also nice. I can't wait for Bergil to get his chance to play with the band! Author Reply: Merry tries to look out for Pip; you know he would have done everything he could once he found out it was bothering his younger cousin. Frodo spoke from the heart; he's not going to miss a single chance to boost Sam. Rosie likes a good kiss, have you noticed? I thought I'd put in some of Mari's POV. She is in a position to observe a lot. Bergil, flute...coming up.

Hai Took	Reviewed Chapter: 68 on 8/31/2004
I do love a good wedding and the ceremony for this was beautiful! I had a good picture in my mind but I wish I could have seen it! I had kind of hoped there would be a bit more detail on it in the movie, oh well! I was crying along with everyone else when Frodo gave his speech about Sam and Rose, very beautiful! Pippin getting to sign the marriage lines was wonderful! Good ol' Merry found away to get Pippin in on it as well. Merry saying Pippin loved him because he was "perfect in everyway, of course," was great! I liked Marigold's thoughts on Sam. That she believed that Sam was worthy of any King's respect and praise was very sweet! She is doing a good job in making sure everything is taken care of! I like the silver penny tradition! If I ever write a wedding story I may have to ask you for permission to use it! That was a grand idea and one of the best hobbit traditions I have seen written up! I'm glad that Sam found it, of course we know what that means but will you be writing up to that point? Maybe not in this story but sometime? It was a great chapter and I loved to see such a nice wedding! I'm looking forward to finding out about Bergil's song! Thank you! Author Reply: Well, my wedding was a bit different than the movie one! I'm kind of glad they didn't show more, it might have influenced my ideas. I just figured that Merry would think of something; and then tease Pip. But I would think that at that moment in time, Pippin probably agreed with Merry! Marigold, I think, is a somewhat neglected person. I like to get the thoughts of someone who is outside the fellowship sometimes. I'm glad you like the silver penny idea. Please, feel free to use it if you wish; I would not mind seeing that little tradition spread.

SharonB	Reviewed Chapter: 68 on 8/31/2004
Wow, the wedding at last. So very nice the way they did it. Hmm and Frodo even invoked the Valar. (Must be that Elvish influence on him!!) And you found a way for Pip to sign the marraige document. Great! Interesting, the bride and groom get the last pieces of the cake, while we have it the reverse. I'll bet they don't smear ir smash it either. (LOL, food is too precious to waste that way for hobbits!) Well, it's coming to a close. I look forward to the wrap up here and a new story soon. Author Reply: Thank you. I'm glad you liked the way I did it; I wanted it to be a Shire wedding, and not an imitation of a modern one. I daresay no other hobbit conducting the ceremony would have invoked the Valar; I thought it would be a very "Frodo" thing to do though. I would love to have had him do it in Sindarin, but I'm not an Elvish scholar myself, and I didn't want to wait until I could find someone to translate for me. Well, when there's any way to manage it, Merry's going to come through for his Pip. Again, I wanted Shire tradition to be different. And you're right, no cake smearing allowed. Why that would be in almost as bad a taste as bringing a gift to the wedding! We are nearing the end; it's been a long road.

GamgeeFest	Reviewed Chapter: 68 on 8/31/2004
What a lovely wedding! Good ole Merry, getting the ceremony going. Frodo probably could have stood there for awhile just watching the happy couple. And Pippin got to sign the marriage lines! I'm so happy for him, that was just as wonderful as the ceremony itself. â€œWhy because Iâ€™m perfect in every way, of course, cousin!â€ - LOL. Loved Frodo's speech. Sam is just a "simple gardener" at heart, despite everything that's happened. And LOL at Rosie's kiss. That's the second time she's planted a big one on him unexpectedly. She's got her spunky side, doesn't she? No unpleasant surprises... so far? Oh boy, that's doesn't sound good. I hope nothing's going to happen to ruin their day. glares at Clovis That's a lot of rules for one little penny! I figured Sam would find it, but then why would he think his first child would be a son, unless he doesn't put much weight in such things. Liked Marigold's POV about Pippin. I'm with her, I wouldn't have believed Pippin capable of standing still more than five minutes either unless I'd seen it for myself! Author Reply: Thank you. Yes, it's probably a good thing Sam decided to have Frodo officiate and Merry stand with him. I'm not sure Frodo's nerves would have been up to the responsibilities of a "best man, errmm, hobbit". And he probably would have just stood there watching for a good while longer, LOL! I hoped everyone would be as pleasantly surprised by Pippin's getting to sign as he was! Yes, Frodo knows Sam, and he wants the Shire to know Sam as well. Rose is spunky, and she knows what she wants! Well, there's quite a bit more of the day to go, and we may look in on Clovis before it's over. But don't forget he has those shirriffs watching him. I don't imagine anyone takes it any more seriously than we do the throwing of the bride's bouquet. I'm sure Sam had mostly forgotten the implications of the penny by the time they were expecting Elanor. But Frodo had been invoking blessing on him, LOL! Every now and then I like to take a look at one of the Travellers through different eyes. She knew Pip from the time he was a faunt; she'd know how hyper he was. But of course, we know that he has also learned about duty and responsibility as a Knight of Gondor and a Guard of the Citadel. And now she's begun to see it too.

Connie B	Reviewed Chapter: 68 on 8/31/2004
I knew it! As soon as I read that tradition, I knew Sam was going to find that penny. How cute. The part about Pippin getting to sign the marrage document was nice. It just seemed so unfair that he's too young for adult things after all he's been through. It's not like he tried to grow up too soon, events just forced it upon him. I'm glad Merry found a way for him to be included. Thanks. Connie B. Author Reply: I thought everyone would get the part with the silver penny. I thought it would be a fun tradition, and "hobbity", not modern like throwing a bouquet. It's also a tribute to "Smith of Wooton Major", one of JRRT's non-M-e stories. I thought this would be a nice surprise for him, and the thoughtful kind of thing his cousins and friends would do for him if possible. He is still underage, and he is still going to have to live with the unfairness of that, but at least this was a small victory for him. And of course, Merry would think of way--that's just Merry!

Bodkin	Reviewed Chapter: 68 on 8/31/2004
What a lovely wedding. I'm glad Pippin got to sign - he's adult now in all ways except age. He can even stand still (when he has to). I suspected Sam would get the silver penny - after all Elanor will be there soon enough. Frodo's speech was very well thought out - stressing again, just in case anyone missed it, just how important everyone outside the Shire sees Sam to be. Author Reply: I'm so glad you liked the ceremony! I thought this would be a nice surprise. Trust Merry to find an answer to his cousin's problem. And yes, he can stand still--but only when he has to! LOL! Yes, the silver penny was a giveaway; I knew everybody would get that, and have a chuckle out of it. Frodo spoke from his heart; but he still has an eye to making Sam look as good as he can at home. He has his own idea of what Sam's proper place is going to be--future Master of Bag End!

RogerGamgee	Reviewed Chapter: 68 on 8/31/2004
Only one word for this: BEAUTIFUL. This was one of those chapters that can make a grown man cry (LOL). I loved the honest rmotion with which this was written. I was a bit surprised to see Pippin allowed to sign the marriage document, but with an adult attesting it makes good sense. When the silver penny came up, I had a suspicion that either Sam or Rose would wind up with it, given the large family they're supposed to have (13 children, if memory serves - I can't recall offhand). Leave it to Sam to be the lucky one. One question, though...what happened to chapter 68? Was this a numbering error, or am I missing something somewhere? At any rate, another job very well done...eagerly awaiting the next one! Roger Author Reply: Thank you for spotting the numbering problem. All fixed now, thanks to you! I guess I went down too far before I clicked on the number. I wanted very much to make this ceremony a "hobbity" one. In other words, I did not want to fill it up with the types of vows one finds in modern weddings, and as JRRT specifically states in Letters that hobbits are not religious, I did not want that either. (Frodo's mention of the Valar is very Frodo, and probably would not have been mentioned by any other officiating hobbit. I toyed with seeing if I could find someone to cast it into Elvish for me, but did not want to wait.) So I felt that hobbits would have a very civil type ceremony. Frodo's speech came from his heart; this is a very emotional event for all of the Travellers, and I wanted their love, and their pride in Sam to shine through. I wanted the Pippin part to be a surprise. But I knew that once Merry was aware of Pippin's feelings, he would at least try to do something about it, if possible. I am sure that using that loophole to witness a marriage document is stretching it just a bit, but good old Grubb would not have come up with it if it were not legal. And of course, there must be some mechanism for the rare need for an underage hobbit to sign a document. Yes, I got in several little hints to Sam's and Rosie's future, with the different comments about "blessings". And the silver penny was two-fold--it was a little hint about Elanor, and it was a tribute to JRRT's "Smith of Wooton Major", a lovely, if somewhat neglected story. If all goes well, and the muses cooperate, I may very well wind "Reckoning" up this week or next.

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