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Healing the Long Cleeve  by TopazTook 7 Review(s)
LarnerReviewed Chapter: 4 on 8/4/2005
She'll need gentle teaching to truly lead her to her proper place at Pippin's side and in his heart, if he can fully open himself to it.

Author Reply: Mmm-hmm. I’d suggest you keep reading, else what’s a story for?

DreamflowerReviewed Chapter: 4 on 8/15/2004
Uh-oh! Diamond's brother is named Ganelon. Is that deliberate that he has the same name as Roland's betrayer?
I'm so glad to see protective Merry back; and I think that Diamond's over-submissiveness is going to cause some problems. Pip's not one to care for someone fawning over him.

Author Reply: Protective Merry is really hard to keep away from his Pippin.:)

Hmm...Diamond's brother being named Ganelon...Roland's betrayer...her father named Gerin...Pippin's pony named Sorrel...Diamond thinking Pippin's tall and strong and possesses more noble virtues than she'd ever be able to describe...hmm, nope, don't know what you're talking about, la-la-la-la...(cough. evil grin).


Alayna the Tallest HobbitReviewed Chapter: 4 on 8/9/2004
Just one more thing...I loved the way you protrayed Sam and Rosie in the last two chapters. I can just see Sam being hesitant to sign the yellowskin...well let's just say I think you've got his charater down. Sam happens to be one of my favorites and I just wanted you to know how much I enjoyed him. I hope he shows up in the story again. Alayna

Author Reply: Thank you so much. I'm quite fond of Sam as well. Of course, as this is a Pippin story, it will focus mostly on his character, but Sam will show up at least a couple more times. (And, as a treat for your comment on Sam and Rosie, here's what she said to him in the Thain's office -- she told me after the chapter was already written;) -- "Samwise Gamgee, a hobbit who's to be Mayor of the Shire oughtn't to stand there gapin' like that, especially when his lass is wantin' feedin', as you know right well.")

Alayna the Tallest HobbitReviewed Chapter: 4 on 7/25/2004
I feel sorry for Diamond, more than Pippin I think. I'm sure she feels out of place...maybe she's not quite sure what she's supposed to do. I don't know, but if I was in her place it wouldn't take very long for me to get into an arguement. I hope she works up her courage. I have one question for you, Topaz Took. What is the game of draughts? I've never heard of it before.

Thanks for the invitation to wax on your chapters. I don't usually have time to leave reviews, but I'm going to try. I won't allow myself to read the next chapter until I do, because I know what reader's comments mean to an author. :0)

Alayna

Author Reply: "Draughts" is the British (or Shire) term for the game of checkers. The game moves in Chapter Five might make that a little more clear.
Diamond is still learning what she's supposed to do, and it's good that you feel sorry for her--she had even less of a choice about this marriage than Pippin, even though she does think he's all handsome and heroic and all.
Aw, don't think you have to hold back on "flipping ahead" through the chapters until you have time to review, even though it's sweet of you to offer.:) That's what I meant by "come back": A lot of my reviews occur after I read a story, then come back and review it later, because I just didn't know what to say at first, so I need to think about it a while.
Of course, you are right about what reader's comments mean to an author...that is why we do sick things like check back on the site three hours after posting the latest chapter to see if there are any hit counts/reviews on it yet.;)

KrisztaReviewed Chapter: 4 on 7/23/2004
I absolutely understand why Pippin didn't consummate their marriage. If he had consummated, it would have been just an act, and eventually it could have frozen their relationship in THIS state. Brrr! It was very thoughtful of him to wait till they would be a little more comfortable in each other company, otherwise it would have been only for lust, a phisycal thing, without heart and love, wich does NOT strenghten and deepen any relationship, or make it more intimate, as the lovemaking is meant to be. I feel there is a long way ahead of them.

Author Reply: Bingo! You are right on target...can I send Pippin over to you if he ever needs to be psychoanalyzed? And as for Pippin and Diamond, there is at least a long story ahead of them. (Chapter Five -- whew. Took me 2 hours to type the thing, and I'm a fast typer.)

FnatasyFanReviewed Chapter: 4 on 7/22/2004
Diamond is much of an innocent here. I wonder with all the emphasis that her parents placed on Diamond being a proper wife to Peregrin, that they neglected to instruct her in all her duties. Obviously Pippin had no intention of consummating the marriage that first night, or he wouldn't have staged the trick with the blooding to stave off gossip. Had he decided this on his own as a protest, or did he have some idea that the ruse would be required? From the worried faces the next morning, I wonder if he had walked in and declared her unsatisfactory would the marriage be dissolved? Somehow I think that would be more worrisome to the parents on both sides who seem to be feeling guilty about selling their children, than thoughts about whether the wedding night proceeded without undue difficulty.

I hope Pippin decides it's worth it to try to bring Diamond out of her shell. She's got to get some backbone and a sense of her own worth, or it's going to be a very unhappy life for them both. And that would be a real shame, since I think Pippin would be one of the most interesting, fun and exasperating people to be married to.

Author Reply: Actually, Diamond's father thought everything had been taken care of; it's her mother that's fallen down on the job. And the mothers aren't feeling exactly guilty -- as, in this patriarchal society, none of this was their decision -- they're both just worried about their kids.
Pippin's "trick" was because he knew that the importance of this marriage was such that someone would be assigned to check the sheets. If they had found nothing -- if he said Diamond had refused him or that the evidence showed she was "damaged goods" (I wish I could think of a better way to phrase that, but I'm trying to keep this story at PG-13), then the marriage probably would have been dissolved. But that, of course, would go contrary to his whole motivation of going along with the idea to promote unity in the Shire.
I, too, think Pippin is an interesting and fun character, but alas, he is married...and, come to think of it, so am I.;)

Lyta PadfootReviewed Chapter: 4 on 7/22/2004
Merry was pretty rude to Diamond, I suppose on some level he blames her for Pippin being in an arranged marriage instead of a love match. Pippin is trying to get to know Diamond, but she's not showing much of herself yet. Poor Diamond will have a lot to learn and unlearn.

Author Reply: Merry's still angry about the whole thing, but now he's taking it out on Diamond instead of Pippin. Don't discount the possibility that other hobbits might learn something from Diamond as well, before this story is through.

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