Stories of Arda Home Page
About Us News Resources Login Become a member Help Search

Yuletime Wishes - In Brandy Hall  by Gryffinjack 1 Review(s)
DreamflowerReviewed Chapter: Prologue on 1/31/2006
Oh, Jackie dear! It's lovely! I do so like the way you show the traditions of Yule--the Tooks all playing music, and the "Tookland Air"--and I love the title for the song about the Brandybucks--that was so clever!

Eglantine and Esmeralda are wonderful together, as they try to comfort one another and take care of one another. I love the way they come to the conclusions about Merry and Pippin taking care of Frodo, and I love their thought for Sam's family, as well.

This is just wonderful--I knew that you would do a good job with that bunny!!
Thank you so much!!!

Author Reply: *grins*

The Yule traditions just seemed right for Brandy Hall, with as much history as it has behind it. I really enjoyed having the Brandybucks with Took blood acknowledge and embrace their Took ancestry this one night a year. With all the connections we see on the family trees, I could easily envision the Tooks and the Brandybucks having marriages between the two families many times during the history of the Shire. After all, these two families live a long way from one another, yet they obviously feel closely enough related for Merry and Pippin to be the best of friends and for Merry's mother to have married his father. I really had a difficult time coming up with the name of that Brandybuck song! I knew I wanted the "Oldbuck" and the "New Thain" in there for a joke, but had trouble coming up with the part that ties it together.

While I was writing, Eglantine and Esmeralda decided on their own that they were going to figure out how important it was for Merry and Pippin to go on the journey with Frodo. They have reached the conclusion that for Merry and Pippin, it was not only the right thing to do, but the only option they had. This will give them some of peace of mind while their sons are away, although they will of course continue to be worried sick about their sons. But at least they have the comfort of knowing that it was not some foolish decision to go on a jaunt that in actuality is extremely dangerous. Their husbands have yet to figure this out.

As for Sam's family - that was *your* idea to include them in the discussion! lol! You mentioned it in an e-mail that you would like to see that, so I cannot take credit for it, although it makes a lot of sense and helps tie in how the troubles in the Shire have begun.

Thank you for your vote of confidence! You are quite welcome and I'm so glad you enjoyed your bunny!

Return to Chapter List