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An Unexpected Meeting  by Bodkin 5 Review(s)
lwarrenReviewed Chapter: 4 on 11/27/2004
Whew! I'm with Lothiriel...that was some first sight of Imrazor for Mithrellas. Her explanation of the elven ability to remain hidden, or to remain unnoticed was fascinating. You can really tell in this chapter that Imrahil is very much torn about losing his daughter to Eomer...and Lothiriel is absolutely enchanted with the "love story" part of Mithrellas' tale. Even as she tells the story, she is the elder in the family imparting wisdom, both to Imrahil and Lothiriel. Being as she's part of the family, immortal, experienced, and wise, I expect her words had much impact, even if Imrahil didn't like what he was hearing. LOL (Fathers - pretty predictable where their baby girls are concerned!) Another winner of a chapter (I am trying to not repeat myself over and over by saying "gee, Bodkin, that was great! DUH!) :-)

linda
(You know, in thinking more about the origin of Thanksgiving, the original Pilgrims based their celebration on the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles. It's possible the day is set in the Bible and the Pilgrims and later Lincoln carried on the tradition. Just a thought...)

Author Reply: It's not easy to have your children leave - and Rohan is a long way from Dol Amroth. Lothiriel and Eomer is a good marriage in social / political terms - but as a widowed father with one daughter who is also his youngest, I wouldn't be surprised if Imrahil would have liked her to marry a local boy. But he does know that his daughter and Eomer are well suited - and having a queen in the family isn't a bad move for the House, so . . .

Lothiriel is in the perfect mental state for stories of undying romance!

I'm glad you like the explanation of how elves remain unnoticed! I can imagine inhabitants of Minas Tirith trying to tell the stories of the great days of victory and almost doubting their own descriptions of what happened. Myth becomes legend - (was that the way round they said it? Legend becomes myth sounds better to me. No matter.)

(Some of these traditional dates are really odd - who, for example, decided to set the date for Easter the way it is? And more importantly, why? They've released a new version of 'Do they know it's Christmas' to raise money for the Sudan here, and somebody last night said, 'Actually they don't. The Christians in the Sudan celebrate Christmas in January.')

Jay of LasgalenReviewed Chapter: 4 on 10/30/2004
Those handy Lórien cloaks - I take it that was why Mithrellas escaped being seen by the orcs?

I liked the description of her solitary journey, living off the land and trees - she's a true wood-elf. The sudden, surprising arrival of Imrazor was nicely done.


Jay

Author Reply: Well, if they can protect Frodo and Sam from Sauron's forces, they should manage to hide Mithrellas from a bunch of amateurs.

Her solitary journey must have been very lonely and frightening - although the trees would have sustained her. Imrazor's sudden arrival - well, he had to find her, didn't he? It says so in the Book!

daw the minstrelReviewed Chapter: 4 on 10/30/2004
I can just imagine her loneliness and terror. But I liked the idea that she's a wood elf so of course she can live in the woods. She doesn't need a supermarket or whatever.

I also liked the tension at the end. Imrahil is not ready to lose his daughter. Sigh. Too bad.

Author Reply: I think she might have found it hard to survive winter - she wasn't equipped for it - but a Wood Elf ought to be able to survive in the summer. The attack would have made her frightened to ask anyone for help though.

Poor Imrahil - it's not as if Rohan is just round the corner. And it's hard being left behind.

SharonBReviewed Chapter: 4 on 10/30/2004
That must of been a very harrowing experience for Mithrellas to be on her own for that time. She is lucky that she was found by Imrazor and not someone else since she was not paying attention. LOL, it is hard when we are used to certain standards such as clean clothes at hand and ending up in her circumstances. But she appears to have done well coping for herself. I'm sure the trees were obliging to her for a lot of things in those times.

This story is coming along wonderfully and I can't wait to hear more. Thnaks for the updates.

Author Reply: I think a Wood Elf must be at a certain advantage when she is hiding in the woods - although it is just as well it was summer.

I see her as looking rather like Copenhagen's Little Mermaid as she sat next to the pool brushing her hair.

Her clothes did quite well to last throughout the summer - she must have been pretty ragged by the time Imrazor found her. It is just as well he was a rather dishy and well-meaning descendant of Numenor!

More soon. Thank you for reading.

elliskaReviewed Chapter: 4 on 10/30/2004
Wow, that was a scary and sad chapter. For some reason I had never thought about Mithrellas surviving alone for a period in the wilderness. Of course she would have had to. How horrible that would be. That image of the horse was very realistic but also just gruesome. And seeing little Mannish children but being afraid, for obvious reasons, to been seen by anyone. How sad. I love the image of her finally happening upon Imrazor and recognizing him for being of elvish ancestory. She would indeed.

Good line, this one: ‘It is difficult to doubt the reality of an elven blade singing through the air,’ she said. ‘It has an immediacy about it that removes all shadows.

Great chapter.

Author Reply: I found this quite difficult because she was on her own - which meant there was no possibility of conversation. At least as a Wood Elf she would be able to hide in the woods and they would help her find food and shelter. The first part needed to be scary enough to prevent her from seeking aid - and to keep her isolated until she came within range of Imrazor.

Yes, an elven blade must concentrate the mind wonderfully.

Thank you.

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