Stories of Arda Home Page
About Us News Resources Login Become a member Help Search
swiss replica watches replica watches uk Replica Rolex DateJust Watches

It Takes a Took  by Dreamflower 9 Review(s)
PIppinfan1988Reviewed Chapter: 17 on 11/5/2005
"He gave a start to hear her calling him by his Outland title. He peered at her to see if she was being sarcastic. But her eyes twinkled a bit, and she was suppressing a smile.

“I’ve been hearing stories about you.”

“Oh.” Probably Estella. That was hopeful.

Just then there came a knock at the sitting room door, and one of the servants stuck her head in. “Miss Diamond? Mistress Appleblossom’s asked me to find you. Moss Heathertoes is all broke out in spots.”


Yeay!! Diamond seems to have made a decision--and a very good one, at that! I'm looking forward to everything blossoming between these two...but it looks as though there might be a wee problem first. Diamond will have to attend to the youngster(s) breaking out with spotted-fever, which Diamond hasn't been exposed to yet. This leads me to wonder at who's healing the healer?? I do love that Estella is befriending Diamond--she *does* need a good friend right now. Beautiful chapter!

Pippinfan

Author Reply: Yes, Diamond began by taking Estella's advice to heart. But, yes, that pesky spotted fever will hold things up just a little bit. I had to slow things down just a tad, as my penultimate scene takes place at Yule. I couldn't let the romance progress *too* fast.

good_one_pipReviewed Chapter: 17 on 12/6/2004
A very sad, dramatic, retelling of the death of Frodo's parents. Yes, unfortunately Frodo was sadder than most hobbits from his early childhood. Poor Diamond! It looks like she has her work cut out for her. I do hope this epidemic isn't too serious!

Author Reply: I had wanted to do a whole story about Pippin's aunts and Frodo's mother, but I couldn't get it quite right, so I just put it in anecdote form.
Frodo's early bereavement affected him deeply. I think that his sorrow and grief were what made it hard for the Ring to get hold of him.

She's going to be a busy lass for a few days, that's for sure!

KittyReviewed Chapter: 17 on 11/29/2004
I am glad Diamond has talked with Estella. She needed someone to help her sort out her feelings. And it is a good thing if they become friends - as future wifes of Merry and Pippin they should be able to go along with each other quite well. Maybe it will liften Diamond's heart a little bit - it seems she will have much more to do than expected with the fever spreading through the Smials, too. Then it doesn't help if she is so troubled about Pippin!

And Estella is right - Merry should tell her everything. She needs to know it if she has to put up with his nightmares and memories, and I think she is strong enough to bear this. It is nice of Merry to try and protect her from the bad part of his experiences, but this will not help her to understand him and his problems.

The bit about Primrose and Primula is quite sad, but I loved it nonetheless. It explains something about Frodo's sadness. Maybe it is one of the reasons he was not able to recover from the Quest totally and had to sail West.

Now I look forward to the talk between Lavender and Diamond - I am curious what Lavender has to say about the whole problem.

Author Reply: Well, I can't see their future husbands letting them be anything but friends, after all. 8-D
Diamond is just about to have her hands a *lot* fuller than she expected!

Estella is just as determined to get it out of him as he is to protect her. I think he is beginning to understand, and sooner or later will tell her what she needs to know.

I think it had a lot to do with it, that he was melancholy long before the Ring got hold of him. In some ways, it helped him to deal with the way the Ring tried to get at him. But it hampered him later, when he needed to put it all behind him and couldn't.

It's going to be a while before she's going to get a chance to have that talk, but it will be coming.

BodkinReviewed Chapter: 17 on 11/29/2004
Oh no - the spotted fever's reached the Smials. All we need now is to have Pippin, Diamond, Merry and Estella isolated with cases of spotted fever!

Auntie Prim's story was sad and will mean much more to Pippin now he has so much more experience of the world.

GamgeeFestReviewed Chapter: 17 on 11/28/2004
An update! Yay! I'm glad Diamond has a friend now, but what a taxing experience for her, to be so confused over her feelings for Pippin and then being left in charge at the Smials, and now this outbreak. She's getting a good taste of her chosen occupation. Lovely talk between Primrose and Pippin.

Author Reply: Oh my yes! The trials and travails of a medical student!

I am enjoying the chance to let Pippin interact with some of the minor canon characters and OCs in his family while he convalesces. There is such a long gap in age between his father's older sisters and his younger one, that I'm thinking Primrose and Peridot fill almost a grandmotherly role for Pippin.

Hai TookReviewed Chapter: 17 on 11/28/2004
Estella certainly seemed to know just what to say to Diamond! I'm glad they were able to have such a good chat and that Diamond gets to speak to Lavender soon!

It was very interesting to hear about Frodo's parents' death from one who knew and loved them. It must be terrible for Primrose to remember that day and very sad indeed for her to see Frodo so sad now.

Oh my, it sounds like Diamond may be a little busier than expected, if someone has already broken out with the spotted fever, I'm guessing this is something like chicken pox? Anyway, hope that goes well for her!

Looking forward to more! I hope it is soon!

Author Reply: Estella's just enough older than Diamond to have more perspective on romance; at Diamond's age, it's an "all or nothing" mindset. But Diamond's talk with her mistress is going to be sidetracked just a little bit.

For some time, I wanted to write a story about the friendship of Frodo's mom and Pippin's aunts, but I just could not whip it into shape, so here it is as a little anecdote. I picture the friendship as having been a very strong one, much like Frodo/Merry/Pippin,and Primula's death would have been a terrible blow.

I'm thinking "spotted fever" is more like measles, and yes, poor Diamond is going to have a lot more on her plate than she anticipated.

Now that I have gotten some shorter fics out of the way, I'm hoping to get back to updating fairly quickly.

Pearl TookReviewed Chapter: 17 on 11/28/2004
wonderful!! I loved the talk with Estella, and Estella wanting more information from Merry. I enjoyed Diamond jesting a bit with Pippin by calling him "Sir Peregrin" Wonderful!!

Author Reply: Merry just wants to protect Estella (big surprise there 8-D) from the harrowing details. He seems to think that just telling her the bare facts is enough--but of course that won't account for the nightmares, or his annual bout with the Shadow. She knows that he's got to open up a bit more, and is being remarkably patient with him.

I'm sure that woke Pippin up a bit, and maybe gave him some hope.

Lavender TookReviewed Chapter: 17 on 11/28/2004
Wow, this is a great story, and very well written. I have really enjoyed reading it. I can't wait to read the next chapter and find out what happens! Very good job, and I'm looking forward to the continuation. :)

Author Reply: I'm glad that you have enjoyed it so far! Hope that the rest will live up to your expectations!

AuntiemeeshReviewed Chapter: 17 on 11/28/2004
I'm looking forward to seeing Diamond's conversation with Lavender. Estella is very wise in her advice and I hope it helps the situation. I love that Pippin is getting to know more, not only about Frodo, but the rest of his family as well, while he is laid up.

I always hate to come to the end of one of these chapters, and this one was no exception. Good work!

Author Reply: Poor Diamond's going to have to wait just a little to talk to her mistress, unfortunately.
Estella's a pretty sharp cookie! She knows very well that the usual "games" will not go over with Pippin, and that he would like to know just exactly what Diamond is really thinking.

Pippin is having lots of time to talk to family. Hobbits don't leave family members by themselves when they are convalescing, unless the healer orders it, so he's having time to talk to lots of people. I'd had the bunny about his aunts and Frodo's mother for a while, but had no luck in shaping it into a stand alone story, so it just came out as an anecdote here.

Now that I've gotten past Thanksgiving, and also have gotten a flurry of short fics out of the way, I'm hoping to get back to my usual updates.

Thanks for reading and reviewing.

Return to Chapter List