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The Courtship of Peregrin Took  by PIppinfan1988 6 Review(s)
Grey WondererReviewed Chapter: 17 on 8/14/2005
Looks like everyone is on to Pippin's feelings except Pippin. He may just be getting more help with this than he needs. I think he and Diamond are out-numbered at the moment. Merry was so sweet in this chapter. I loved his surprise that Diamond knew so much about Pippin and about the quest. This is such a hobbity story!

Author Reply: Someone else said the same thing--seems we all think alike! You'll see more "natural" magic take place in an upcoming chapter. She had to pass the "best friend" test--and she passed with flying colors. Wow...you're the first person to say the tale is hobbity--thank you! :-) Thanks again for reading!

Pippinfan

Pearl TookReviewed Chapter: 17 on 7/28/2005
"The problem lies in that some who think they are worthy of his heart, really are not. And those who are,” said Pim, taking the tween’s chin in her hand, “do not realize it.” She stood up, “I must look in on my lads for a few minutes, but please think about what I’ve said.”

Bravo!!! How elegantly worded!! I love how she impressed "Mr. Merry" with her interest, knowledge of and concern for his cousin.

Ah, this is wonderful :) :) :)


Author Reply: Thank you, Mentor! That is a compliment indeed. :-) Merry was the "pivotal point" in this chapter; he gleaned from Diamond her personality and if she were capable of such a love for his dearest friend, and then with that in mind, he helped Pippin to realize how much this lass meant to him.

Thanks for reading! :-) :-) :-)

Pippinfan

Hai TookReviewed Chapter: 17 on 7/28/2005
Well Diamond is avoiding the answer to her problems because she thinks herself unworthy of Pippin. Very sweet! She still seem comfortable enough around Pippin and indeed knows exactly where to find him. She was a bit surprise though it seems to find Merry taking her usual place. She did a good job of answering and asking the right questions though for Merry. I'm glad he likes her! Seems she is very popular with the whole family! All the conspiring they did to get them just sitting togeter! Then that turned into a bit of a mess. It seems however that Pimpernel is looking after Diamond well, helping her to find out her own feelings. Well done! Looking forward to more and reading about the fair inparticular!

Author Reply: Well, Pippin has of yet to tell her *everything* about the Quest--including the nightmares he and Merry endure, so yes, she that is why she was surprised to see Merry in her place at the draughts game. However, she learned a lot by just taking a peek at his sketch. Pimpernel, I think, misses having her younger sister Pervinca around the smials, so she's chosen Diamond to sort of fill-in.

Yes! We're at the Fair now--and I am having so much fun writing about it. Fate, indeed, is taking over.

Thanks for reading!

Pippinfan

LarnerReviewed Chapter: 17 on 7/28/2005
He who has earned his own scars in greatest honor will not worry about those a certain lass might bear, I'm thinking. Love to see the scheming continue.

Author Reply: I totally agree! I don't think there will be too much more scheming; I think the lasses learned their lesson, but also--Fate will be taking over a tad. Wait and see. :-)

Thank you so much for reading Courtship!

Pippinfan

Connie B.Reviewed Chapter: 17 on 7/28/2005
What a pleasant surprise to wake up to this morning.

I felt just awful when Diamond was silently putting herself down at the beginning of this chapter. I hate to see someone like her feeling so bad about their worth. She's a special person, she just hasn't seen it yet.

I also held my breath when she found the sketch that Merry had done. I was worried that he would over-react and say something hurtful to her. I think sometimes he tries too hard to protect others from knowing about the things he and Pippin have seen and experienced. Yes, I know that they want to protect their people from the knowledge of the wide world, but at what cost to themselves. The people who could best help them are those they love the most, but it is hard to help someone when you don't know what is at the root of their problems. Hope this is making sense.

I actually said "Owww" when Pippin accidently hit Diamond in her injured eye. I felt so bad for both of them. I've been on both sides of simular situations, and I think that Pippin had to have felt terrible. At least Diamond understood tht it was an accident, and that she had actually caused it, in a small way, by spilling the milk.

If nothing else, Diamond can rest assured that she will have one dance at the fair. Pippin won't be put off by garlic.

I really like the final scene. People are starting to realize that Diamond really is different than the other lasses who have been after Pippin. I think she would have loved him just as much if he had been a servant as she does knowing that he is the future Thain.

This was a fantastic chapter.

Thanks.

Connie B.

Author Reply: "I think sometimes he tries too hard to protect others from knowing about the things he and Pippin have seen and experienced. Yes, I know that they want to protect their people from the knowledge of the wide world, but at what cost to themselves. The people who could best help them are those they love the most, but it is hard to help someone when you don't know what is at the root of their problems. Hope this is making sense." - Connie B.

*Excellent* point, Connie--and one that, unfortunately, I cannot go into at this point, but I will explain everything very soon. There *is* a reason for Merry's and Pippin's reaction. Remember how self-concious they were when Diamond shamelessly gaped at the scars on their wrists? Hold that thought because I will be explaining things very soon.

As I said to another reader, spilt milk will be something that these two will be laughing about for a long time after they're married. It was definitely an accident--however, Pippin indeed was sitting on her "blind-side"...and yes, she ought to have been more careful with grasping things.

The final scene seems to be a favorite. I liked the exchange between Merry and Diamond the most, and then Merry and Pippin. I guess it's because as an author, through Merry, I am explaining *why* Pippin feels differently about Diamond...why he is falling for her. And its nothing superficial; its something deep and lasting.

Thank you for the compliment--and thank you for reading Courtship!

Pippinfan
p.s. Glad to have made your morning! :-)

DreamflowerReviewed Chapter: 17 on 7/28/2005
"I can’t do that, Mr. Merry, it isn’t--”

“Proper?” Merry blew out a plume of smoke, “Tell me, lass, are you by any means related to Sam Gamgee?”

Diamond frowned, “No…I don’t think so, though I’ve heard of him--and he would be right. Besides, I was going to say ‘appropriate’.”

“Same thing,” Merry said flatly.


I nearly fell out laughing when I saw that bit! How perfect!

I love this chapter, particularly Diamond's forthright and artless curiousity over the sketch of the Orc, her mixture of honesty and reticence as she talks to Merry, and incidentally reveals much of her heart to him; I love her description of Pippin's music, as well. And the little exchange over wagering was cute, too.

And of course, the next day--we see Merry and Pippin's sisters and other female relatives plotting to help things along. Of course it ended in a minor disaster, but the truth is I was glad, for it could have gone a different way, if they had thought she might hurt Pippin like her sister did. I'm so glad they are on Diamond's "side". Although I'm sure the young couple could do with a bit less in the way of "help".

This is moving along smartly, and I am so enjoying it.


Author Reply: I am so glad you enjoyed that humorous bit between Merry and Diamond! I nearly took it out. I had written it the night before I read Frodo's challenge to Sam in Reckoning, and I thought, no! I couldn't--she'll think I'm "picking up" things. But in the end, I left it in. We've both said at different times that there are bound to be "run-ins" or "run-overs", or something along that nature. So I left it in. And Rolo! Trust me--lol...I was only thinking of chocolate when I named him!

I am also happy that you've picked up on Diamond's character--her virtues. Others have picked up on it as well, but it pleases me everytime someone does. LOL...sometimes you pick up a bit *too* much! I'm having a jest with you. :-)

Seems you and I both have a love of music. :-) Unfortunately, I am more like Diamond in that I don't have a musical bone in my body, so I live vicariously through Pippin's talents!

Yes...breakfast. Spilt milk is going to be something these two will laugh about long after they're married. I believe now that the Fair is here and fragmenting the family, we may see some "natural" magic develop between them. ;-)

Yes, I *am* picking up the pace a bit--they're only just realizing what they mean to each other and I'm only on chapter 17! Yikes. But I won't compromise the "quality" of the tale, knowing that there is quality out there that far surpasses my own.

Thank you so much for reading Courtship!

Pippinfan

Author Reply: This "reply to your reply" is a tad late and I do apologize, but after reading *my* reply over a couple times, I kind of felt I used the word "pick up" a bit carelessly. In the first paragraph, I meant it in the context of 'being influenced'(me being influenced by your lovely work). Whereas, in the second paragraph, I meant it as distinguishing a character's personality or occasionally readers foreseeing the plot ahead of me *writing* it--even though the assessments were/are correct. LOL...and *that* is my fault for not being a better author and concealing certain events--hehehe--properly. :-) I am very sorry if I came across insinuating something else.

PF

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