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The First Journey  by Manderly 5 Review(s)
lwarrenReviewed Chapter: 8 on 8/5/2004
I LOVE IT!! The elfling was so busy saying "Look what I did!" to Tavaro, while Tavaro was calmly having a breakdown. "Now I know how Adar feels" indeed! This chapter was too funny, Manderly! Kids can be so oblivious...having raised three and currently watching my daughter (who would have thunk it?) with four little hellions (well, make that 3 hellions and a little priss), I can sympathize with Tavaro...they have no clue how they scare their elders, they can only see the fun or excitement of the moment. Poor Tavaro - give the elf a tranquilizer, or some wine, at least! :-) The whole hunt scene was terrific - Legolas quite the great elven hunter, but I especially like the way he still relates to Roitar, who is so quiet and un-adventurous. Legolas is just a GOOD, all around kid! Great chapter, on to the next! YAY!

linda

p.s. I forgot - one of the best parts was the ride through the forest before they ever encountered the boars. You painted some lovely word pictures there, and Legolas' reaction was so typically a "Legolas" moment! Nicely done!

Author Reply: You are right, kids have tunnel vision when they are having fun. The world can come to an end, but as long as they are having fun, they don't care. Meanwhile the adults are having panic attacks left and right. I have two of my own and I am constantly telling my 21 year old that I hope that some day she has a daughter just like herself. She's wisely decided that she will just be an aunt instead of a mother. When my younger daughter heard that, she had a panic attack. Kids, don't you just love them?

As for the forest at night scene, I am a city girl all the way, but I did spend a summer in the Canadian Rockies and the memory lingers still after all these years.

FirnsarnienReviewed Chapter: 8 on 7/27/2004
Ah, why does Leggy have that wonderful quality about him that always makes me love him even more. His concern for Roitar is so touching and the way he edges closer to him to offer comfort is something only Legolas can accomplish so beautifully. I love it! *sigh*

LOL I can just imagine what Tavaro's look to the guards said. Probably something along the lines of, 'Legolas is your first charge, protect him or I will skin you alive!' LOL Am I right? Am I? ;) Heh, heh! Poor Baragallon and Aradun, I'll bet they have no wish to fail Tavaro whatsoever lest they lose their hides!! LOL

Ai! I thought Leggy was going to get an owie for sure! He's pretty fast with that bow, good thing too! I think Tavaro was more scared than that boar! LOL Probably turned a few hairs on his head gray and knocked a couple of centuries off his immortal life! LOL The way Leggy embraced Tavaro completely and effectively halted any further admonishments Tavaro was going to give his little brother! See what that beautiful little Elfling can do? ;) And while I'm glad neither Leggy nor Roitar were hurt, I wouldn't have minded too much if they had been. Always makes for some wonderful H/C between the brothers. *sigh*

I must say though, I really thought another boar would attack them while they were retrieving the arrows. I wasn't quite sure what you would do there. LOL

And I truly laughed out loud when Roitar's father put him on the back of the horse and Tavaro looked at Leggy, about to do the same only to be stopped by Legolas refusal. So typical of Legolas to refuse and so typical of Tavaro to worry! LOL I don't know who is worse at worrying now, Aldeon or Tavaro although Feren gives them some serious competition too! Hmmmm, maybe Thranduil has them all beat! LOLOLOL

All right, on to the next chappy! :)

Author Reply: I am sorry that I didn't reply sooner but I've been away enjoying the Deep South hospitality and dodging thunder storms. Just got back late last night and am catching up on all the e-mails and stories galore.

Writing about the hunt was quite an experience for me as well as I've never hunted before nor would I ever want to. I figured that I had better keep it short and simple so people might not realize that I know nothing about hunting, though I did do a bit research on the ways of wild boars before attempting this.

I think Legolas is revelling in the fact that he is at last older than somebody and will play the big brother part for all it's worth.

Rose SaredReviewed Chapter: 8 on 7/23/2004
I do like the two points of view, Legolas and his brother's, and I am sure neither of them will ever forget such a vivid night. Wonderful tension as the hunt was set up. Most enjoyable ch.
Rose

Author Reply: I am certain Legolas will not soon forget the excitement of the hunt. Tavaro, on the other hand, may well wish that he can forget such excitement. Thank you for reviewing.

Hisie LomeReviewed Chapter: 8 on 7/22/2004
Oh what fun...his first "exciting" hunt and several kills (one for sure and several he helped). His adar will not be pleased. Between breakfast (no honey, indeed!) and all this freedom, his adar is likely to believe this elfling has gone wild once the bratling returns to his home. Tavaro may get an earfull from the king as well.

I thought it was quite amusing to think of the King's personal guards gardening. Such much fun...LOL!
I just don't see these fine warriors of Mirkwood going home and showing "battle" scars with their peers. (See this blister, well it took two hands to uproot that stuborn plant. And my back, by the Valar, I was sore for nearly a week.) Nor, do I see these two cherishing the amount of dirt that spring cleaning a plot can leave on one's person...Oh well, such is a warriors life.

Great job so far and I DO look forward to more.

As always, thank you for all of the hard work.

Mina Sedh,
Hisie Lome

Author Reply: Your description of the guards and their aches and pains after gardening is hilarious, something I can identify with after weeding my garden. No, somehow, I don't think these guards will be too eager to share their experience with the other warriors.

Now that Legolas knows what freedom is like, Thranduil will have a hard time (not that he had it easy before) keeping his elfling behind the palace walls. Legolas will have some serious post-vacation blues once he returns home after all this excitement.

daw the minstrelReviewed Chapter: 8 on 7/21/2004
My favorite line in this was when Legolas thought that this was another experience he couldn't wait to tell his father about. Tavaro is going to be in so much trouble!!!

Legolas did really well though. He was cool and his training showed.

Author Reply: Even as I write these chapters, I keep wondering how Tavaro will handle Thranduil (and vice versa) once the elfling is done telling his ada all about his adventures. Perhaps Tavaro might be wise to come to some understanding with Legolas before they go home as to how much to tell. But then we all know Thranduil will find out every last detail anyway.

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