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The Acceptable Sacrifice  by Larner 16 Review(s)
Szepilona10Reviewed Chapter: 46 on 11/11/2008
I still can't belive that you managed to get Hardorn to help do the canning! I can alredy hear Hildigor laughing about it!

Author Reply: I'm certain Hildigor would find it wonderfully amusing, thinking of the King's best warrior wearing a towel about him and helping at putting up jam! Heh!

Am so glad you're enjoying this!

Baggins BabeReviewed Chapter: 46 on 12/14/2005
I intended to review this when you first posted it but I was sidetracked by the seasonal demands. :-))

The conversation between Faramir and Frodo was lovely - mutual trust between them, and such a shame they were interrupted.

Oh Pip! Filling the bath with fruit - how typical of our beloved Took, and how wonderful that it made Frodo laugh. Nice to see the King and Hardorn both involved in sorting and bottling fruit. Sweet that some of the jars were taken to the new mother too. With hobbits around there is always good food to eat!

Author Reply: Yes, there is mutual trust between Hobbit and Steward, and I think they each would have deeply honored the other.

As for the fruit--had to expand on some of the scenes I wrote in "The Ties of Family," after all. And of course much of the bounty is going to be shared around with those the Hobbits have come to know. I bet it tickled Aragorn to get Hardorn to hang up his bow and be useful for once! Heh!

grumpyReviewed Chapter: 46 on 12/13/2005
Ymmmy, strawberry jam. What a god idea of Pippen to fill the bathtub with fruit, Frodo got a good laugh. Gimli was right to get out while he could. Imagine trying to get jam out of his bread. Poor Hardon, escaped from Aragorn's gardening, and now making jam, like a good ranger he is.

Author Reply: Yes, Pippin's been able to get a good laugh out of his cousin as well as his King, and has managed to even rope in Hardorn. I bet Hardorn wonders to this day how it happened, too! Thanks for the feedback.

Linda HoylandReviewed Chapter: 46 on 12/12/2005
Just like Pippin to fill the bath with fruit ! I just love cherries !
I was amused at the image of Haldorn bottling fruit.It was thought of Aragorn to vist the mother and child.I also enjoyed the scene with Faramir and Frodo.

Author Reply: Yes, Faramir and Frodo make a warm pair to imagine talking together. And Pippin is beginning to come up with more positive practical jokes now, jokes that evoke laughter but have a postitive outcomes that delight and surprise.

And of course Linduriel would be one of the first recipients of the bounty from the bathtub full of cherries and strawberries!

So glad it delighted so many.

RadbooksReviewed Chapter: 46 on 12/12/2005
Strawberries and cream! It's supposed to be good for the skin I think. :) Ah, Pippin and the joy he brings to others - most of the time. I loved that Hardorn had to go and help... and Aragorn's comment to leave off the 'pretence' of guarding him.

Faramir's comment to Frodo about Aragorn was insightful, but then Faramir always could see into the hearts of others. I've always assumed that Elrond felt so close to Aragorn because he had him in his home from such a young age whereas the others that he fostered were quite a bit older and, I think, had their fathers alive back at home - except possible Valandil and even he would have been older. But helping to raise a child from 2 years of age, especially one that would naturally see you as a father would tend to make you closer to that child.

Author Reply: You're the only one to comment on the use of "pretence." But at times it must have seemed that way. Bet Aragorn enjoyed seeing Hardorn doing something with his hands other than sharpening blades and polishing his bow. Heh!

Milk baths HAVE been popular for thousands of years, and fruit has been found to aid skin and hair (wish I could find a new lemon shampoo, as I love how it makes my hair feel clean and smooth--but they went out of style years ago; melon essences don't do anything like the lemon or lime ones did).

Yes, the fact Aragorn came to Imladris so young and without an openly remembered father would have increased the bond between Elrond and Aragorn immensely; but I suspect that there would also have been the awareness this one was closest in nature to Elros and possibly Earendil that would have worked to Aragorn's benefit. This child would be in many ways Elrond's tribute to brother and father, I think, more than those who went before, renewing all that Elros had given up his promise for immortality to know.

AndreaReviewed Chapter: 46 on 12/12/2005
I loved the conversation between Frodo and Faramir! Interactions between those two after the coronation are rarely found. Maybe, because Faramir is considered as far too busy as Lord Steward.

It's obvious that the two of them trust each other, so that it is no problem to be honest. I think there are few people, who Faramir would have told about Eowyn's feelings for Aragorn, and even fewer, who Frodo would have told about his first love and what the ring took away from him, only his best friends.
Well, Arargon's appearance put a sudden end to this conversation. I wished there were more to come!

The bath tub filled with strawberries and cherries was great! Pippin always succeeds in cheering Frodo up. That Took is remarkable :)

Author Reply: After Henneth Annun I suspect that Frodo and Faramir would have held a great deal of mutual liking and respect. And I agree--Faramir would be one of the few with whom he'd easily speak of this matter, much less Faramir acknowledging Eowyn's former fascination with Aragorn. There may be more such conversations to come, but that will show in time.

And so glad you appreciated the tub full of fruit--it was a wonderful idea, and Pippin undoubtedly got a good deal out of enjoyment planning and executing the joke, as much perhaps as seeing the laughter it evoked. You are right--Pippin is remarkable!

KittyReviewed Chapter: 46 on 12/12/2005
Ah yes, the strawberry bath! *smiles* I’d have loved to see Frodo’s face when he discovered his ‚prepared’ bath! Truly, your Pippin comes up with so wonderful pranks! That was so much fun! Only a pity Aragorn wasn’t there to witness it, too. He would’ve been pleased to see Frodo laugh so much. But it was fun to have him and Hardorn there to help making jam – and of course it was fun to see Gimli run away!

Hm, so Faramir obviously knows why Aragorn is so moody? Well, he is quite perceptive, and he knows how it is to long for his beloved. And I think Frodo was quite trusting with him – he did never talk easily about this matter, didn’t he?

Author Reply: Yes, Pippin's jokes are becoming more inventive as well as positive in result. And certainly Frodo needs a good laugh now and then. Glad you appreciate it. Plus it gave Aragorn a good laugh as well as an afternoon's diversion making preserves and involving Hardorn in it as well. As for Gimli--he's not getting caught in Hobbit business, thank you very much!

And I think Frodo and Faramir would appreciate the chance from time to time to speak frankly. They had a good deal in common, and Frodo, I think, would feel safer confiding in him than many others, feeling Faramir would not judge him, merely accept what he had to say.

Thanks for the review.

BodkinReviewed Chapter: 46 on 12/12/2005
Very Pippin. And it made Frodo laugh.

But what a waste of cherries. And strawberries. Although probably most of them were saved and turned into preserves. And I'm sure Aragorn enjoyed the - rather different demands on his time!

Glad the baby and his mother are doing well.

Author Reply: I suspect the vast majority of the fruit was saved. And glad you appreciated that this is the type of practical joke Pippin is now given to--jokes that evoke laughter and appreciation rather than ire, and that lead to a good resolution. And Frodo needs to laugh.

As for Aragorn, I think he got a lot of satisfaction out of the memory over the years, particularly of working alongside the Hobbits at a task they excelled at as well as the memory of Hardorn putting down sword and bow to sort fruit and carry out the moldy stuff to the compost pile.

Glad you enjoyed it!

AmyReviewed Chapter: 46 on 12/12/2005
Fellow-sufferer Faramir is so perceptive!

Author Reply: And after responding to the last comment, to see you used just those words! Heh!

Yes, Faramir recognizes the pining in Aragorn, and sees that there is some pain involved in Frodo for what he is NOT experiencing that he had once so strongly desired.

So glad you appear to appreciate it.

Raksha The DemonReviewed Chapter: 46 on 12/12/2005
Loved the conversation between Faramir and Frodo. A shame they don't have more time to talk. Faramir was perceptive to notice that Aragorn was pining for a lady...

Good chapter, as always.

Author Reply: Yes, fellow sufferers appreciate the symptoms in others. And Frodo's been able to open up in a more private situation about a situation which must have given him a great deal of pain over the years. I think that Faramir would have found himself drawn deeply to Frodo as they had much in common for interests and similar positive natures.

Thanks for the compliments.

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