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Good Enough by The Karenator	10 Review(s)
perelleth	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 4/8/2005
Uh,uh, I'm sorry I'm so late for this...(mostly sorry for myself, this wonderful chapter was awaiting me while I... just..real-lived around in and off delayed planes...-arghhh) I'm afraid the water must have cooled down by now, and the wine -if it was ever served- must be awfully warm.. sigh! next time boys! I promise I'll join in... I missed Thranduil at the bathing chamber scene (and Groucho Marx, too! it was priceless!;-)) It was good to see Erelas joining in the family traditions, and reporting to a commander-in-tub. Surely they're used to see each other bathing when in patrol, but back at home, a little privacy would be appreciated, it'd seem, hoho, bad luck! Well, this week, when I tired of reading boring reports I took to thiking about Aldamir and Elenna's situation as if they were friends of mine (I'm starting to resemble Seregon, I'm frightening myself!) I was right that next chapter would be Aldamir's pov. And that was my only hit! See, I've settled for "love is blind". Now that Aldamir finds himself being bad guy in the neighbourhood, is he summoning home the whole western patrol to have them swear publicly that the commander has NEVER been seen in the company of maiden? Now, that would be fun indeeed ;-) The whole discussion was so tense, I really liked it. Love is blind. Loved how the king and queen my lady showed their support, they're being more than understanding with the situation!(If this thing is going on, may I suggest the girl should serve a training period in Lorien under Galadriel's personal tuition just to learn how a princess must behave?) ;-) Go on! please? Author Reply: LOL! The guys will keep the water warm and the wine cool just for you. Nilmandra is the official royal towel holder, Dot is serving the wine, so...you can be the royal...back washer? Aldamir was glad to hear that you were thinking about him. Have any suggestions? Other than shipping Elenna off to be tutored by Galadriel...which I might add, slightly offends Queen My Lady. He is considering recalling the western patrol and having them testify that they do not discuss his personal life. The never having been seen in the company of a maiden might be harder to squeeze out them. Love might be blind, but the queen ain't. She's got a good understanding of Elenna, but unfortunately, the two disenchanted love birds will have to work this out. I'm glad that you liked the discussion. Like most arguments, it morphed into something no where near what the real issue was. Elenna's made a mistake in her estimation of Calith and isn't quite ready to admit it to herself or anyone else. She's not dense; she'll see the writing on the wall soon enough. The king and queen were understanding. I suppose when you've lived as long as they have, you've seen it all. They knew the two love birds were young and making their own mistakes. All they could do was offer some advice and support and stand back. It might take a while for this to work out. Distance is a problem. Thanks, Perelleth. I truly appreciate you hanging in there with me. I always enjoy your reviews. Karen

meckinock	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 4/7/2005
Sorry this is late; I'm actually so fried I forgot I hadn't reviewed. I was thinking, "Gosh, Karen usually answers her reviews faster than this," and then it occurred to me to go double-check and make sure I'd left you one. Uh. OK, this was the chapter where Aldamir can't even get a bath in peace. I loved that part. Reminds me of my job. I ran off and hid today so I could get a project done without being bothered and they found me anyway. Thank goodness I wasn't naked, though. On the other hand there was no Dorwinion, either. Actually on second thought I think I'd better review some other time when I'll make more sense. Like maybe August. Author Reply: Poor ranger. You've already put in your time reading this...with red pen in hand. I've always thought that having to review this was above and beyond the call of duty anyway. I appreciate your help no matter what! Tell the rangers at work that if they don't lay off bugging you, Halbarad has been practicing decent beheadings and he needs the practice. Aragorn and the sons of Elrond will be holding up cards with scores on them. Halbarad is going for a complete set of '10s'. Take care and I'll have the Dorwinion breathing. Come August...and we shall gather on the porch! Thanks! Karen

Dot	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 4/6/2005
Any room for one more at the gathering in the bathroom? I’ll volunteer to serve the wine. There were so many great things in this chapter. I loved the entire scene in the Aldamir’s bathing chamber. I skimmed through this at work and hours later I’m still chuckling at Seregon’s line “I have seen you bathe before. Carry on.” So funny. You know, I’ve never understood how elves get their hair so clean when they rinse it in soapy water, but far be it from me to question it… Anyway, it was very clever of Seregon to corner Aldamir when he couldn’t escape. I love Seregon’s concern for Aldamir. He obviously realised that now matter how joyous this feast, it would be quite an ordeal for his cousin. Aldamir, of course, was showing remarkable (and frustrating) restraint. Seregon was right, though, in his assertion that the only way Aldamir could put it behind him was by talking to Elenna and finding out the truth of her feelings. It’s great to see Erelas and Aldamir together at home. LOL at the thought of him reporting to a naked commander. I felt so bad for Aldamir going into that sitting room. He knew something was up because of the suspicion behaviour of the other two, yet he had no idea that this was about him. And then to hear what Calith had been saying… Aldamir’s hurt and outrage were so painfully obvious. I thought it was an interesting moment when the depth of his anger and desire to act on it surprised even himself. I like Thranduil’s attempt to calmly remind Aldamir that the greatest problem is the fact that there are lies being spread that could affect how people view their king and his family, but poor Aldamir seemed to be barely struggling to see past his personal anger. Thank heavens for mothers. I forgot that Erelas wouldn’t have known as much about Aldamir and Elenna. At least being able to tease his younger brother brought Aldamir out of his dark mood for a little while. And Amariel! She’s so adorable! Elenna is a fool if the sight of Aldamir dancing with this elfling in his arms didn’t make her melt. I was quite surprised by Aldamir’s sudden courage in speaking to Elenna. But so glad that he finally did what Seregon has been urging him to do ever since it happened! It turns out he’s quite forceful too when he wants to be. I love the way he practically dragged her off for that walk. Nice move to take her back there too. Hmm. Elenna. I actually quite liked her until this chapter. Are you going to tell me to be more sympathetic towards her? Well, I understand that she’s known Calith all her life and I can see how it’s difficult to believe that a life-long friend has been lying to you and I know she has to learn to use and trust her ‘gift’… But I’m stunned by how willing she is to believe Calith and stand up for him and I’m shocked by how angry she is here and unprepared to even listen to Aldamir, let alone believe him. I’m beginning to think we’d get to the bottom of all this a bit quicker if the king did speak to Calith. I don’t know… something’s not right. Earlier in the story Elenna seemed to be quite comfortable with her ability to read people. She certainly managed to see Aldamir’s true personality, behind that of the commander, very quickly. And it sounded like she was going to sort things out so that she and Aldamir could be together. Whatever else she may be, she definitely didn’t come across as the simple, trusting maiden from a sheltered village that Calith sees her as, and that she seems to be now. And surely her parents would want something more than “silent consent.” Oh well, maybe I’m too suspicious. She probably does just need to see Calith’s true colours and take some time to establish trust and forgiveness between herself and Aldamir. Although, if she means everything she says, then really, he deserves better! Aldamir probably could have handled it a bit better too but I thought he did fairly well, really. The poor guy clearly made the mistake of expecting a maiden to be rational about matters of the heart! He did much better with Calith. All credit is due to him for not smacking the pretty elf. I don’t think I’d have been as restrained. He was wonderfully intimidating, though. And surely he’s managed to at least show Elenna how certain he is that Calith’s words about him were all lies. I particularly loved the ending, with Aldamir’s parents comforting and supporting him. The one thing that made me feel a little bit sorry for Elenna was Lalaith’s explanation about how Elenna does have strong feelings for Aldamir but is afraid of having the world she knows turned upside-down. Naneth is very wise about everything, and I love that her very presence seems to comfort Aldamir. Together with the strength and love that Thranduil provides, Aldamir should at least find some peace and healing this night. Oops, I’ve talked too much. I’ll go to bed now, even though you’ve got me far too worked up to sleep! Maybe I’ll wake up with loads of sympathy for Elenna and hoping for wedding bells and elflings for her and Aldamir. You never know… ;-) Author Reply: As it turns out, the position to serve wine in the bath chamber is open. Nilmandra is going to be the royal towel holder. You can serve the wine. :>) Seregon is concerned about Aldamir having to attend this feast, knowing that he's going to see Elenna and the weasel. Seregon is supportive, but Aldamir is probably right that Seregon wants some revenge too. It's tough to see someone you care about hurt. Seregon wants to knock some heads himself. Once again, Aldamir was caught off guard. He was NOT pleasantly surprised by the king's news. He shocked himself with how angry he got. He's usually fairly calm, but this was the icing on the cake. The lying worm! Calith's days were numbered as far as he was concerned. Yes, naneths are a good check and balance for angry sons. She knew Aldamir was on the verge of a kinslaying. Erelas hasn't been around much, but it was nice to have him home for once. He didn't know about Elenna and all that had happened. He was simply picking up on his brother's foul mood. But he was there at the right time; he helped Aldamir release some of the tension that was eating him alive. Amariel was the stimulus that prompted Aldamir to take the risk of talking to Elenna. He wanted what his guard has: family, little ones, the whole nine yards. In an instant, Aldamir had his answer about how to deal with Calith. Poor Elenna. Got your dander up, did she? Well, she did make some huge mistakes in this conversation. But then, so did Aldamir. Elenna is gifted and she is pretty good with using it...when she's relaxed and focused. And she was focused on Aldamir when she 'read' him so well. Calith was the furthest thing from her mind when she met Aldamir. She didn't feel any real commitment to him. Calith caught her in a vulnerable moment and she actually was considering his proposition. Aldamir killed that thought. The argument went the way most fights go...south! They started out talking about what mattered and then ended up fighting over details that did not. Elenna wasn't so much defending Calith as she was herself. She was absolutely floored that she had fallen for Calith's lies. How could that happen? I mean, she's gifted, you know. But..there was too much emotion involved for her to see straight. So...she was defensive that she had allowed Calith to smooze her for so many years. She couldn't admit that to herself. If the conversation had not gotten so heated and she had not felt so threatened, then it would have turned out entirely different. But as she got defensive, so did Aldamir, and things went to pot. They came so close....both of them actually all but said the words that they loved the other, sort of buried in other context, but it's there. Her parents are not in favor of her marrying Calith, but she's an adult and this was something so new that it would have to be dealt with when the villagers returned home. I'm not sure that Sordien even knew about it until the trip was underway and Elenna told him about the conversation that she and Calith had the night before they left. He knew he did not want Elenna to be involved with the worm, but the betrothal could have been a shock to him as well. Elenna not only had to see Calith's true colors, but come to grips with the fact that she had allowed this situation in one form or another. Unwittingly, but she didn't stop Calith in his tracks years ago. She felt sorry for him and since they were friends, she heard his deepest thoughts and thought that people simply didn't know who he really was. Well...Calith was manipulating her all along. When she realized this, she was mortified...with herself. She reacted. Aldamir handled things fairly well. He goofed up the conversation with Elenna, but in the end, he let Calith know where he stood on the matter. And Elenna saw which of the two 'really' loved her. Aldamir was willing to let her go if that was what she wanted. Calith was not. Naneth was wise. She could see that Elenna was battling her own demons at the moment and she felt certain that Elenna would master her pride and youth. The queen also has the advantage of being able to read the emotions of others. She sensed Elenna's love for Aldamir, her confusion and her defensiveness. She had a good understanding of what's going on. Hopefully, Aldamir gained some comfort from his parents' love and support. You never talk too much! I enjoy your reviews so much. Reading them is such a pleasure. You're an astute reader! Thanks so much for reading and reviewing. Not much more to come. Karen

Leaward	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 4/6/2005
Darn yahoo email! I never got the notification that 'you'd got naked' and put up the latest chapter ;) I found it completely by accident. What another powerful chapter -- filled with emotion that came through so clearly. Or maybe I'm just extra sensitive in picking up on vibes of anger and hurt today. sigh I could just picture Aldamir when he heard the news of Calith's lies, and picture the hurt and anger that he felt. Same as when he talked with Elenna finally. And I liked that he didn't go into that conversation 'all prepared' but spoke with his heart -- and that it didn't go as well as he'd hoped. The tension you created just makes me want to read the next chapter right now. Another great chapter, Karen. Two thumbs up. As always. Author Reply: Perhaps it might be best if no one knew when I posted, but I certainly do appreciate you dropping by and staying with me. I'm so pleased that you saw the emotional impact this had on Aldamir. I hate that you were extra sensitive by way of real life. I hope that this is better for you. Aldamir was so angry that he was confused as well. He knew he wanted to send Calith to Mandos, but well...he couldn't do that. He was on an emotional roller coaster. When he asked Elenna to walk with him, he was acting on impulse and desire to smooth things over. He did start off speaking from his heart, but unfortunately, things went to pot. I'm so pleased that you're enjoying this. It means a lot to me! Thanks. Karen

Bodkin	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 4/6/2005
I have had SUCH a tedious day - and this is the best way to end it. Poor Aldamir. No-one is prepared to let him play ostrich and pretend he doesn't care. First there's the bathroom party - what a good way to make sure he can't walk away. Clever Seregon. (A simple towel/clothes removal and he's a captive audience.) He can only put his head underwater to pretend deafness for so long unless he's prepared to drown. I like the image of Erelas reporting to the troop commander while he's in the buff, too. Although I don't think it's likely to become a tradition. And even the baby brothers join the party. I love Aldamir's dry 'I'm entertaining' - followed by Daeron's enquiry about whether wine will be served. That would be rather fun for them all. I don't think Aldamir would have spoken to Elenna without Adar's revelations, though. He would have gone for the stiff upper lip, I-don't-really-care, I'm-a-tough-warrior image that would probably have reinforced the pretty elf's poisonous words. And silence in Daeron is, by definition, suspicious. Like wide-eyed innocence from Legolas? Enough to divide and attempt to rule, anyway. I'm glad Naneth tried to push for reflection rather than dashing out to strangle the pretty elf - I don't think Elenna would have been in favour of that. But I'm SURE that Elenna went all mushy when she saw the gorgeous Aldamir dancing so sweetly with the elfling. And she was probably pleased to see him with Queen My Lady, too. (You can tell a lot about an elf, Elenna, by the way he treats his naneth. And elflings.) Aldamir did quite well with Calith. Not quite so well with Elenna, but then she was very defensive of the pretty elf - which would be enough to drive anyone mad. But surely she noticed how confident Aldamir is that no-one would be spreading those stories about him, because they are just not true. (Speak to Tree, girl. He comes from your village, so you know him. And he knows Aldamir. QED.) I hope the pretty elf gets mashed shortly. But Elenna and Aldamir had better take a few steps backwards and allow their relationship to develop slowly JUST AS NANETH AND ADAR SAID IN THE FIRST PLACE. Parents might know more than you might think - but they are also good comforters. I loved seeing Aldamir with them both at the end. Excellent chapter. Author Reply: You're absolutely right that Aldamir would not have said anything if the king hadn't told him about what Legolas and Daeron overheard. He was too hurt to go back into the water just yet. After he did hear about Calith's lies, then he had to get himself under control to prevent a kinslaying! Sweet little Amariel gave him the clue and the push to do what he should do. Too bad he let anger take him again when he was talking to Elenna. She wasn't calm either. I imagine Elenna did see Aldamir dancing with the little girl and then with his mother. Yep, that's a clincher. I don't think she's ever seen Calith do such a thing. Calith is too self-centered. This was just confirmation to her of something I think she knows deep down, but had somewhat ignored until now. She knows that she doesn't love Calith and she hasn't really considered him as a bond mate. He caught her at a vulnerable moment when she had given up on ever finding anyone who fit her needs. She had a moment of actually considering what Calith proposed. What a mistake! Who would you want to be your life's partner and the father of your children? I know which one I'd pick and I think Elenna knows that too. :>) Unfortunately, she was so shocked--at herself--by what Aldamir told her Calith was doing, that she got defensive. Everything went out the window. The queen tried to tell Aldamir that this was really about Elenna's lack of confidence in her own gifts and that Elenna hasn't been listening to what she knows deep down. In truth, Elenna wasn't defending Calith; she was defending herself...to herself and Aldamir. How embarrassing to find out that you've been mislead when you should know better. And in front of the guy you've fallen in love with...and he's the king's son, no less. Time to slow up a little, indeed. The parents were right! I'll let you in on a little secret...Calith does get smashed, but not in this story. I'm feeling kind of bad that everyone is going to be disappointed that the worm doesn't get his due this time around, but when it comes, it's gonna hurt. But I have to write another in between this story and that one, I think. I might can get both events into one story, but I'm not sure yet. I've got to finish this one before I can move on to putting the ones outlined into action. Thanks for staying with me. I appreciate your wonderful reviews more than you'll ever know. Karen

French Pony	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 4/6/2005
Well, that could have been worse. True, it could have been better, but it could have been worse. They're still speaking, after all, and Elenna hasn't yet firmly made up her mind against Aldamir. Things are still up in the air. And as long as things are still up in the air, they haven't yet come crashing down. I take it that the royal bathrooms have no locks on the doors? It's a very good thing that both branches of the royal family tend towards boys. Clearly, not a single one of them cares one jot or tittle about Aldamir's privacy while bathing, despite his ever-growing annoyance. And that's just what makes screwball comedy scenes so much more fun. Aldamir is lucky. He has Ada, a force to be reckoned with, at his back, so he'll come out relatively okay from all of this. Though it will probably hurt. And if he and Elenna are both as smart as they seem, this story won't end with their betrothal. Both of them clearly have issues they need to work out with each other. She's right, after all; they don't know each other very well at all, and they will need to spend lots of time together rebuilding their trust before they can even begin to think about possibly getting engaged. I liked the dance, especially the little girl. The only thing I missed was a scene of her dancing standing on Daddy's feet, the classic little-girl-learning-to-dance pose. Yoicks! Look at the time! Gotta go to class! Catch you later! Author Reply: You're right; this relationship is not resolved. Elenna did believe Aldamir that he had not trifled with her affections, but she was so shocked about Calith that she went immediately into defensive mode. She wasn't really defending him, even though that's the way it looked, but was defending her own judgment. She knows that she has insight into people and then to find out that she's fallen victim to someone's lies was more than she could absorb at that moment. But like the queen said, she's young and not fully in control of her gift. Especially in an emotionally charged situation. LOL! About the bathroom locks. Guess not. And who would have thought that Aldamir needed to lock his door? He most likely assumed that people would have the manners to stay out! How wrong he was. The respect of being commander obviously doesn't extend to family when they want to barge in. Adar is slightly miffed, to say the least. He struggling with being offended on behalf of his son and on behalf of the crown. The king is constantly looking at his own motives where his sons are concerned. It's a fine line sometimes. I was so glad to read what you said about Elenna and Aldamir. The whole relationship went way too fast. Both of them jumped in with both feet. No caution at all. Meeting one another came at a vulnerable point in both their lives and they were not thinking beyond the moment. They need time to sort all this out and then to back up and start again. Some time might be needed for everyone to get over their hurt, but they do love one another; they just screwed it up in their haste. Amariel was the turning point for Aldamir. He wanted what his guard had. To have this kind of joy and contentment in his life was worth the risk to him. Things went wrong, but some important things came out of the confrontation. Both of them admitted to the other the love they have...not in so many words, but it's there. The two squabbling lovers have a lot to think about. Priorities to set and lessons to learn. We'll give them some time and see if things can't work out. Thanks so much for reading. Your reviews are often very insightful. I'll say no more! :>) Karen

Nilmandra	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 4/6/2005
So many good things in this chaper, Karen. Poor Aldamir can't even get any peace in the bath. I would offer to hold his towel, but I appear to be too late. What I liked especially well is how you showed Aldamir's anger. He got it under control, but then found himself out of his league in talking to Elenna. I enjoyed their argument though - she failed to see that if A is true, and person 1 says A is true and person 1 says A is not true, they cannot both be right. A little logic breakdown. Then Aldamir has his own logic breakdown, by trying to use logic when emotions are clearly confused! I do like that his parents came to comfort him, and their bond was still strong enough to absorb his pain and strengthen his heart. Very nicely shown...and first person POV made it very emotionally impactful. Author Reply: Aldamir said that he bathes daily and would welcome you to hold his towel anytime you'd like. :>) You're absolutely right that logic went south in their argument. Elenna was offended on behalf of her friend (and on her own behalf and her judgment) and Aldamir was offended on behalf of his warriors. They ended up arguing over who was honorable instead of what the issue was. Funny, but that's the way most arguments turn out. They disintegrate into something that doesn't even resemble what the true issue is. I think the parent child bond is strong. Even with adult children. And Aldamir was at such a low point that he was open and willing to receive their comfort. Oh, the pain of heartbreak. He and Elenna learned some hard lessons here. Some time might be needed before they can start again, but lessons learned will not become an issue next time. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing and for the kind words about the POV. I'm so pleased that you felt it worked! Karen

Manderly	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 4/6/2005
Well, Elenna appears to be a bigger ninny than I thought possible. My respect for Aldamir's self-control has tripled,no, quadrupled. Not only has he refrained from crushing Calith beneath his soles like the slug that he is, but he showed remarkable restraint with Elenna as well. If I were him, I would have grabbed her by the neck and shaken her like a rag doll. I really thinks he deserves someone better, but love can be so blind. As for Calith, maybe Aldamir's threat has scared that pompous worm so much that he'll squirm away on his own but I would love to see Aldamir use him as a punching bag. Will you be giving us that satisfaction? I loved that impromptu family meeting held in Aldamir's bath chamber. I was actually waiting for the king and queen to crash the meeting as well, but I suppose somebody has to maintain the royal dignity in the family. The last bit in the chapter was very sweet and tender. If nothing else, Aldamir can take comfort from the fact that he has very loving and understanding parents and they will always be there to support him. Another excellent chapter! Author Reply: LOL! Poor maligned Elenna. She is a bit of a ninny here. This 'discussion' went the way most arguments go...off the rails. They started off talking about what was important and ended up fighting about something entirely different. And sure, Aldamir didn't kick any butt, and we can give him brownie points for self restraint, but he let anger take him in the 'discussion' too. Elenna can't admit that she was wrong about Calith and defends him and Aldamir is defending his warriors. So the discussion went off the deep end. One day perhaps they'll both look back on this argument and see how poorly they both handled it. I admit it. I tried to find a place for Aldamir to rearrange Calith's pretty face, but it just wasn't there. If he and Elenna had worked things out, then he would have had more ground to stand on in giving Calith a much deserved whipping, but that's not what happened. So he issued the dire warning instead. Calith knows that he's bitten off more than he can chew. Aldamir could pound him like a stake with one hand tied behind him. And despite Aldamir's poor arguing skills with a elleth, he is mature enough to not let that happen. And Elenna gets to see who really does 'love' her. She has a little growing up to do. I think she grew up a lot at that very moment. Thank goodness no one else showed up to join the bath party. The room wasn't big enough to hold much more family. And all Aldamir wanted was one quiet moment. Being supportive of an adult child is a fine line. The king and queen are good and loving parents. They recognize that it's not easy to find the right balance, but in this instance, they did well. Their support was what Aldamir needed. The queen's insight did help Aldamir understand what was going on. He still feels unsure, but I think he felt a little better about himself. And this discussion with his parents and what had just happened, made him realize that he and Elenna had indeed moved a little too fast in this relationship. He and Elenna need a little space. Thanks for hanging in there with me. I'm so glad that you're enjoying the story. Karen

elliska	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 4/6/2005
Oh goody, a distraction! :) Hmm a nice bath...maybe I'll use that as my next distraction. Seems to be working for Aldamir. Perhaps Seregon had been right, and Calith bore watching, but I doubted there would be much I would find out in one evening. Why do I believe that this is false foreshadowing? :) “I have seen you bathe before. Carry on,” This absolutely cracked me up! Brat! So glad I was an only child and all my cousins lived on the other side of the country. “Entertaining,” I said dryly, “Do come on in and join.” “Certainly,” Daeron intoned as he entered and took a seat next to Seregon on the low bench against the wall. “Will there be wine served?” Yes, VERY glad! :) And the bath conversation with Seregon was well done. It is so true that people will just refuse to talk to one another when everyone else can see it would be the best thing to so. They just refuse to do it. I love Aldamir's immediate suspicious attitude when he sees the two conspirators waiting outside their parents' door. And he sits between them! Too clever. And whew boy do you do a good job of showing Aldamir's anger. I could see him getting ready to just explode. Poor Legolas! “Do not forget that you will be judged by how you deal with this. If Calith can cast aspersions upon you and the throne, you can seal them by responding inappropriately.” Precisely! Very good advice, nana. Easier said than minded, I'm sure. But very, very good. This pleased me; she was not happy. Good description here of Aldmir trying to read her and great line there--it really shows how peaved he is and how much he really loves her to be pleased, grimly so, no doubt, to come to such a conclusion. Erelas did a good job of breaking the tension there. I think if he hadn't Aldamir would have been on Calith like an arrow as soon as he could politely escape the table. I like to see all the family dancing with pretty maidens. :) It makes for such a nice image in my head. And Aldamir and Thranduil dancing with the elfling was just adorable. Calith grabbed my shoulder from behind. I turned slowly, my body suddenly alert with a feral instinct that was only seconds away from escaping my control. He snatched his hand away quickly. “I must object,” he said, but I thought his voice had lost its earlier sureness. “I did not ask your permission,” I said steadily. Hah! Yes! Loved that! I am giggling with mad satisfaction. That was sooo perfect. But poor Aldamir--that conversation with Elenna was rough. It is very hard to believe that someone that you think of as a long term friend has told you such a hurtful lie. And he approached it kind of aggressively so most people would as a knee jerk reaction defend their friend. But from his perspective, her attitude has to be the most painful part of this whole experience for him. He did obviously plant a seed in her head. I think more with his last words to Calith than anything else he said or did. I think she probably will go ask some questions. Nana's comforting of her son was so well done. She is a great character. And I loved Thranduil in that scene as well. The older your kids get, the harder parenting becomes. They do such a great job of it. I think it will take a while for Elenna and Aldamir to get back to what they initially thought they could share, but please tell me that she will at least figure out what a little snake that Calith is. And let Thranduil go a round with him too. Oh he so deserves that. Update soon. This is really getting intense. Author Reply: Aldamir's bath did become a public gathering. No one seemed too concerned with his privacy. Seregon had an agenda and he was going to carry it out no matter what Aldamir was doing. I'm sure Aldamir would agree with you that you're lucky that you didn't have a wad of siblings and cousins to disrupt your only quiet minute of the day. Aldamir was still feeling pretty hopeless about the whole thing at that time. And he was so hurt that it was hard to risk that again. But yes, he needed to talk to her. Separating the two younger guys seemed prudent to him. I'm sure he remembers when he and Seregon 'got their stories straight'. :>) Aldamir's anger wasn't lost on anyone. Naneth wanted to avoid bloodshed if possible. Adar was trying to stay calm too. Of course, they had time to talk about what Legolas and Daeron overheard and time to reach a conclusion as to how to handle it. Aldamir was blind sided...again. He had to think on his feet. There wasn't much time to act. Anger tends to take away reason sometimes. Now, everybody just stay calm! :>) Aldamir was pleased to see that Elenna was not happy. If she had appeared to be hunky dory, then he wouldn't have done anything. You can't fight for her if she's in love with someone else. Of course, Calith doesn't know that...yet. I don't know much about Erelas yet. The elleth he's interested in was a surprise. He just sort of plopped down and started looking moon-eyed at her. Aldamir didn't miss that little tidbit either. I'm glad he was a welcome addition to the table. I'm afraid that the conversation with Elenna went the way of many emotionally charged discussions. It went straight to pot! They ended up arguing about something that was completely different than where they started. Both parties are defensive and both are stubborn. She ends up defending Calith and Aldamir end up defending his warriors. At one or another during the conversation, they both confessed how they felt about one another...but not in so many words...and it went right over the other's head. Elenna almost reacted when Aldamir told her that 'she clouded his vision', but she let her anger and pride get the best of her. That's why people shouldn't argue without a referee. No one is really paying attention to anything other than their own anger. You're right that he did plant a seed. The first time during the argument and then the final time when he made it plain to Calith that she was important enough to him to hunt Calith down like a dog and use him for target practice if he hurt her. That told Elenna a lot about the depth of Aldamir's feelings. He was also letting her go because he loved her and wanted her to make her own decisions. Hard, but the mature thing to do. Just think how hard it would be to live with our parents. Fortunately, Lalaith and Thranduil do try to respect Aldamir's private life, but this was an instance where Lalaith couldn't bear to see her son so hurt. And she had some insight into what was going on in Elenna's head. She had to offer what comfort she could. Thranduil let her deal with the emotional part and he was just the rock of support. He didn't need to say much. All he needed to do was reassure his son that he was proud of how he handled a difficult situation and reassure Aldamir of his love. Calith's can't keep the wool over Elenna's eyes. In my mind, she's finished with him. She's just got to figure out exactly how she's going to get this through to him. She does indeed love Aldamir and I think she regrets the little scene already. Thanks, Elliska. Update this weekend. Karen

daw the minstrel	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 4/6/2005
How clever of Seregon to catch Aldamir when he can't escape a conversation! And the more the merrier, I always say. If only I could join them! I had to laugh at Aldamir sitting between Legolas and Daeron because it seemed "prudent" to separate them. He's wise beyond his years. But he learns something about his own capacity for anger too, which is interesting. His dance with Amariel was absolutely adorable. Who could resist that? Calith is luck that Aldamir didn't take him to pieces. And Eru knows I wanted to do it! Lalaith is very wise about love among Elves, and I hope she's right. Author Reply: I suppose Aldamir could have ordered Seregon out, but the fine line that separated commander and cousin was apparently decided by Seregon. He had things to say! And I'm sure they would have been happy for you to join them. You make a good elf. At first, Aldamir thought that the two younger ones had been in trouble, but boy, was he surprised! From his own childhood with Seregon, he most likely knew all about 'getting their stories straight'. Separating them indeed seem 'prudent'. Aldamir is a fairly calm elf. He can get miffed, but over all, he's pretty even keeled. He surprised himself with how angry he was. I don't think he's ever had such an emotional investment in anyone before like he had in Elenna. At least not in a girl. Amariel set him on the path to confront the mess with Elenna. He looked at what Tabor had and realized that the risk was worth taking. His elven biological clock is ticking and he's ready to settle down and have a family. Amariel even had the queen looking wistful. If Elenna had listened to Aldamir and everything had worked out the way he wanted, Calith would have stood a better chance of a beating. As things worked out, he really didn't have a leg to stand on where Elenna was concerned. But he got his point across. Lalaith is wise and you can bet your booties that she used her 'gift' to see what Elenna was feeling. That would be too hard to pass up. Thanks, daw. Karen

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