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

Consequences of a Fall  by Dreamflower 10 Review(s)
Indigo BuntingReviewed Chapter: 5 on 7/13/2006
I like your characterization of Frodo. His desire to spend time with two younger cousins who likely idolize him is very touching. Touching, too, is the way his relatives strive to include him, especially when he begins to feel out of place among them. What a nice family.

Author Reply: I'm so glad you like it. For Frodo, Merry and Pippin are like the little brothers he never had. I think *something* has to explain the canon fact that his two best friends--Merry and Pippin--were cousins who were respectively fourteen and twenty-two years younger than he. And it seems to me, that his willingness to spend time with them when they were young, guiding and protecting them, would account for the fact that when they become older, they are willing to leave all they know, and follow him into deadly danger.

In my Shire, Saradoc and Esmeralda were Frodo's foster parents for nine years, and they loved him like another son; and Paladin and Eglantine thought of him as more of a nephew than a cousin.

I like my hobbits nice. Plot considerations have caused me to make a few of them "bad guys". But I like to make it clear that those few are not your normal hobbits. After all, it was their racial characteristic of compassion that made Gandalf decide to befriend the hobbits of the Shire.

Grey WondererReviewed Chapter: 5 on 4/2/2006
I am behind! Not one, but two chapters behind. I always feel so very sorry for poor Pearl when I read anything about Lilia and her death. Such a dreadful circumstance to be in when innocent! Thinking of that, I have never actually read a fiction about this in which Pearl was actually guilty. That would be a complete twist wouldn't it?

Author Reply: Yes, poor Pearl and her family.

And, you know, that *would* be an interesting fic...maybe one *you* could tackle...

Baggins BabeReviewed Chapter: 5 on 3/31/2006
Oh dear,poor Pip. This is not going to be good at all. Hope Frodo goes out to find him soon.

It must have been dreadful for Pearl and her family to have to endure these tales, and I'm glad she has a supportive family around her. That Hyacinth!

Author Reply: Yes, this was a very traumatic experience for Pearl and her family. It is one of the reasons, that, in my Shire Paladin and Eglantine send the children away from them for the first year Paladin is Thain: they do not wish to have their children to put up with that sort of thing until Paladin is firmly in charge, and can squash such gossip when it rears its ugly head.

Hyacinth is pretty dreadful.

PIppinfan1988Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 3/30/2006
"She had even outfaced Lalia herself from time to time and lived to tell about it."

ROTFL!! That is too comical! I loved it. ;-)

I absolutely adored the bit between Eglantine and Pearl--and the sweet moment between Paladin and his Tina. Just lovely!

“Reggie needs to put a curb on the tongue of that wife of his,” said Paladin. “Hyacinth hasn’t the sense of a goose, and the stupid--” Paladin bit his tongue and looked at his younger daughters, who had been watching and listening in horrified fascination, “--*creature*will repeat anything. And of course the more lurid the version, the better, so far as she’s concerned.”

Go, Paladin!!!


As always, I so enjoy the interactions between family members. Really liked the account of Bilbo's mischief with his cousins...a sort of prelude of things to come, if you will. ;-)

This story just keeps getting better and better with every read!

Pippinfan


Author Reply: Yes, Primrose is pretty formidable, isn't she?

And I'm happy you liked the bit with Paladin and Tina; that was one of the things that Lin encouraged me to expand on.

I do like showing the families *being* families, visiting and chatting and remembering old stories--it just seems very hobbity to me.

And I am glad you are still enjoying the story!

AndreaReviewed Chapter: 5 on 3/30/2006
Well, I really can't blame anyone of them for not being alarmed about Pippin's absence. They have already enough to worry about with the state Pearl currently is in!

Frodo, however has his suspicions, more than Paladin in fact. And I'm counting on him to be the first one to search for his little cousin - for Merry is not available.

So, this is a PippinHealers story? Oh my god... What will happen to the little rascal?

Author Reply: No, they're not alarmed; they think he's just romping around with his other cousins, and you are right--Pearl is a priority right now.

Frodo does wonder a bit--but he's got nothing to go by right now. And, let's say you're not far off the mark, as you will see in Ch. 6.

Yes, it's was originally a PippinHealers fic. And...

That would be telling, LOL!

BodkinReviewed Chapter: 5 on 3/30/2006
EXCUSE ME, YOU LOT!!! Have you forgotten there is a Pippin out there getting sunburnt?

Although having Pippin elsewhere is definitely a plus when you're trying to deal with this level of family upset. I doubt a playing child is top of their priorities just now - and with Frodo numbered among the grown ups, the only one who would have been looking after Pippin would have been Merry - currently in solitary.

They still haven't grasped quite the horribleness to which horrible Hyacinth will stoop, have they? Even if they're not fond of her.

Author Reply: Well, of course, they don't *know* that yet, do they? They think he's just out playing with his cousins.

Now, of course, you understand *why* it was necessary to give Merry such a punishment--he'd never have allowed it to happen, would he? And you are right--Frodo has his adult responsibilities now, and a family in turmoil is simply going to be relieved that a child is finding something else to keep his mind off things. I speak from personal experience on that one.

No, it's another 16 years or so before they realize that Hyacinth is not only horribly snooty and stupid, but also horribly wicked. And I'm not certain they *ever* realize that she was cunning as well...

And you've not yet begun to see just *how* wicked she can be...

TiggerReviewed Chapter: 5 on 3/30/2006
Poor Merry. I feel his pain, but (And I speak from experience here.) we lasses do have certain advantages at times. Although I never did anything as bad as Amethyst, there was the odd time...

I think all girls have been able to use that particular advantage since Time began. All part of being a girl. ;o)

Glad to see the Family coming around Pearl to support her. I also see Paladin did not hit far from the mark on who the suspect of the poison was. How do they stop it though? I'm sure we're about to find out soon and looking forward to it.

This is a great story. Can't wait for more.

Author Reply: It's an advantage that is entirely due to the fact that there are those who believe in being gentlemen (or gentlehobbits) in the world. To a young lad brought up to be respectful of females and to never take advantage of being physically stronger and bigger, the advantage goes to the lass, because she can do as she wishes without fear of retaliation. If, however, she tries such a trick on a male who was *not* brought up to believe in protecting the "gentler sex", she will soon find that it is no advantage at all. It is a sad commentary on the world that such chivalry is becoming rarer and rarer in a search for equality.

But, yes, the advantage does exist.

The Family has a good idea of who is helping *spread* the poison--they just don't think that Hyacinth is smart enough to have *started* it. She lasted as long as she did because of being constantly underestimated...

PeriantariReviewed Chapter: 5 on 3/29/2006
I'm really enjoying this so far. i can't wait to hear where is Pippin and see what else happens (since this *is* a PippinHealers story... :-0)
... it's all so intriguing with the plot and everything...
I love especially how you have Merry so protective of Pippin and then likening to when Frodo protected Merry by striking Lotho. Caring cousins --best characterisations.
And poor Pearl being blamed for the death. ...i want to actually meet Hyacinth soon... the boldened parts in the beginning is interesting, i must say.

I look forward to more. :)

Author Reply: Well, I hope to have the next parts up soon. It's taking me a little longer to incorporate the beta changes, as I am working on my husband's laptop still. It may be the weekend before I have my own put back together and running. 8-( I'm glad you find the plot intriguing--I think that the Great Smials must have had a good deal of intrigue during and immediately after, Lalia's reign there.

The cousins are very protective of one another. I like that: "caring cousins". I think in many ways they are actually closer than brothers, as there is no sibling rivalry to enter in.

Yes, poor Pearl. This is one of the worst experiences of her life so far. Hyacinth will make her first appearance in the story soon, but first we have to get Pippin off the roof...

LarnerReviewed Chapter: 5 on 3/29/2006
I certainly can't fault either Frodo or Merry for offering the protection they did, and it does appear Hyacinth is quite the baggage in this case. Having to wait on her husband's relatives is perhaps too good for her! It's quite the situation, worrying about Pearl. Now, hope young Pippin isn't so nastily toasted he needs a healer....

Author Reply: "Quite the baggage", yes. She certainly does get off lightly for the amount of trouble she causes. The problem is, everyone thinks she is so shallow that no one actually thinks to plumb the depths of her selfishness and greed. They take her at face value, and think she is too stupid to come up with anything very complex. Hyacinth would have been a fair match for Lotho when it comes to greedy machinations, actually.

Well, we will have to see--Lin's working away on Chapter 6!

Queen GaladrielReviewed Chapter: 5 on 3/29/2006
Ah, you're leaving us in dreadful suspense here! Somehow I know all is not well with Pippin.

Oh, poor Pearl! If she could just get away from it all!

So nice to see the aunties again-I love them.
God bless,
Galadriel

Author Reply: Trust your instincts, my dear, they won't lead you astray...

But, really, we needed to see what was going on with Pearl. And I'm so glad you like the Aunties; Primrose and Peridot are a couple of my favorite OCs (well, sort of OCs--Paladin *did* have older sisters, we just aren't told their names...)

I'm glad you are enjoying this.

Return to Chapter List