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An Unexpected Meeting  by Bodkin 5 Review(s)
lwarrenReviewed Chapter: 3 on 11/27/2004
My goodness, but Nimrodel was a self-absorbed elleth! Poor Amroth, blinded indeed by a pretty smile,(etc.) and hormones!

Mithrellas and her thoughts about the trees and the Silvan Elves' relationship to them was exceptionally elf-y *g*. I love the way the elves relate to the trees, and her description of traveling across a flat land with no trees was almost painful. Even being able to feel the trees not familiar with elves had to be better than being cut off completely.

The ambush at the pass was well done - creepy, what with the fog that "felt wrong" and that sound of metal striking stone *shiver*, like the sound of doom, I would imagine. When Mithrellas fell from her horse, I assume the Lorien cloak concealed her from "unfriendly eyes".

This was another great chapter, Bodkin - had to laugh at the age conversation when one of Imrahil's sons realizes how much older than Imrazor Mithrellas was. And good for her - never reveal the age of a lady (neither her own nor Arwen's). :-)

linda
(Thanksgiving - first declared a national holiday by A. Lincoln and he decided, I guess,or maybe it was Congress later, that it would always be observed on the fourth Thursday of November...therefore, it's not a set date at all.)




Author Reply: 'More dangerous and less wise' - in more ways than one. I thought that Nimloth had to be selfish, really, to run off at a time like this. You would NEVER get Galadriel abandoning her duty in times of danger. I suppose Melian left Doriath on Elu's death . . . but I think maybe her existence on the 'mortal' plain was probably tied up in his existence and, on his death, she could not remain. And Amroth - well, Nimloth just made it impossible for him to use his brain to do his thinking.

Trees not familiar with elves might be quite exciting, in a way, because the elves could build a new relationship (like Legolas in Ithilien) and heal and develop a new forest.

The ambush worked? Good - action is hard and fighting even harder. Thank goodness for Lorien cloak's, I say! She probably landed somewhere out of obvious sight among other grey rocks and it was able to affect the vision of those looking for her.

The age gap thing is quite weird if you let yourself think about it. Mithrellas returns after a thousand years to see her descendants - and twenty odd generations have passed, yet she was around for over two thousand years before she became their ancestress - which would be forty generations. It's not surprising that elves and men didn't get wed too often.

I hope you had a good Thanksgiving - being on a Thursday must mean that lots of people have to take Wednesday and Friday off to make the journeys home possible.

SharonBReviewed Chapter: 3 on 10/29/2004
Such sad memories for Mithrellas.

I do give more credit to the way your portray Amroth, at least he thought long enough to get other rulers for Lorien before he went after Nimrodel. And he was good to come up with a plan as they were being attacked.

Mithrellas was right, " ‘History is selective,’ she informed him. ‘It remembers that which makes a good story – and it is told by those who survive.’ " It's always smart to remember, even today, that history is written by the winners. We rememebr what we want and forget what we want.

I hope the sojourn in the halls of Mandos does good for both of that fated couple. It seems they both need some contemplation on how to treat themselves and others. ;-)

This has been quite good so far.


Author Reply: Thank you. It's hard to imagine a ruler SO obsessed with his beloved that he would walk off and leave them - especially at a point when all sorts of dangers were emerging. And Amroth was a warrior. He just also appeared to be a doormat.

Yes, history is written by the winners - but if you look at the different points of view among the victors, you might think you were learning about completely different incidents.

Maybe a prolonged sojourn in the care of Namo will instil some consideration in Nimrodel and some backbone in Amroth.

(In a rather more attractive and elven way, Amroth and Nimrodel make me think of Edward VIII and Mrs Simpson. He couldn't continue with his responsibilities without the 'support of the woman he loved' either. And he was facing the upsurge of Nazism in continental Europe, much like a Balrog in Moria. It's pretty much impossible to feel any respect either of them, too.)

ImrahoilReviewed Chapter: 3 on 10/28/2004
My oh my, a spoilt Elven brat and a lovesick Elven fool, something I generally don't allow into "my" Tolkien universe, but, sigh, when there is one exception to the rule it is the story of Nimrodel and Amroth. Very well done, telling it from Mithrellas POV is rather appealing, but you/Mithrellas are to kind towards them, hihi, I would like them to be reborn with their memories complete and loathing each other heartily.

Author Reply: Amroth and Nimrodel - it all sounds very romantic until you think about what they were actually doing and how Amroth was abandoning his responsibilities at a very dangerous time to carry the brat off to eternal safety. Mithrellas was Nimrodel's attendant and (presumably) one of her closest friends (although I think Nimrodel wanted admirers rather than real friends) and so she was probably rather more tolerant of her brattishness. I'm sure if you asked others (Galadriel?) you would get a rather less tolerant description of her!

Luthien also seems to me to be rather tarred with the Juliet brush!

elliskaReviewed Chapter: 3 on 10/28/2004
Wow, that was sad. I mean you know exactly what is going to happen and it is still sad.

It was highly unlikely that she would ever realise how much she had asked of Amroth, or how much he had paid for her love. That is certainly true.

I liked the description of how they got separated. Very believable. And Mithrellas' search for the others was very sad.

I particularly liked this thought though: ‘History is selective,’ she informed him. ‘It remembers that which makes a good story – and it is told by those who survive.’

How true that is and I never thought until I read that how history must seem to an elf who lived it. Of course, they still see history from their own point of view, but they actually lived it and didn't read someone else's account. Interesting to think about.

Along those lines, how interesting it must be for her many times over grandchildren to be hearing this first hand account of hazy legends. This is really well done. I am truly enjoying it.



Author Reply: Yes, I don't think 'sensitive' was Nimrodel's middle name. She strikes me as the kind of girl who thinks she has all the delicate virtues, but is actually as tough as an old boot when it comes to getting her own way.

I couldn't imagine what, other than an attack, would separate a group of elves and leave them wandering in the woods.

History is written by the winners - and you only have to think back to things you lived through (and it doesn't have to be that far back) to see how the experience twists as it is recorded. The Amroth / Nimrodel story leaves out so much - such as the attendants - and would they really have been wandering off without guards - and what happened to the Joe Bloggses of the elf world? And, like Beren and Luthien, it's superficially very romantic until you think -Hey, this bloke was the Thranduil of Lorien - he just upped sticks and followed this bimbo regardless of all those who trusted him and relied on him to lead them. (Guess what, I don't think very highly of Amroth and Nimrodel!)

I should think that Imrahil's family didn't really believe the legends at all - elves were pretty rare in Gondor, I think, until The Wedding - and after that it probably all seemed a bit distant.

Thank you - I'm glad you are enjoying it.

daw the minstrelReviewed Chapter: 3 on 10/28/2004
This is just beautiful, Bodkin. Even the images of mist are lovely, dangerous but lovely. You've done just a wonderful job in bringing this piece of canon to life.

Author Reply: Thank you. It's actually very interesting to work with because there is just enough information to lead it (contradictory, some of it, but that opens it up a bit) and not too much in the way of developed character. The difficult thing for me is turning out to be passage of time over journeys - nobody really wants to know every meal, or day on horseback.

More soon!

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