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Black Eyes  by Lialathuveril 4 Review(s)
whitewaveReviewed Chapter: Epilogue 2 on 6/24/2008
Enjoyed this story immensely, I liked it the best, and believe me you make it so difficult to choose which one is the best!

Author Reply: Hello Whitewave,
once again, many thanks for your reviews! It's really nice to hear about this story again after all this time - it brought back all the fun I had writing it.

Lia

ImhirielReviewed Chapter: Epilogue 2 on 5/15/2007
I very much enjoyed this story, especially that you chose to cast it in terms of battle. Lothíriel's characterisation was very good and complex; she was both intelligent and naive, accomplished and innocent. I liked her sparring matches with Éomer.

The plan to provide Rohan with stores was very well-thought out, and it showed very clearly just how resourceful and intelligent Lothíriel is. I liked that she said that this was the woman's job anyway in Gondor - it provided a good and poignant reminder just how important this task was, and that women had to be more than ornaments to be helpmeet to their families and husbands.

I couldn't believe the outrageousness and rudeness of Ivriniel. Actually, the Lady-in-waiting was pretty rude, as well ("the so called King of Rohan", good gracious!).

I do have a question about a passage in ch. 9: Lothíriel says, "I’m sure we’ve had salt from Rohan in the past..." Why would Dol Amroth need salt from Rohan, and where does Rohan get its salt in its turn? It seems to me that vice versa would be rather more usual.

In the epilogue, when they kiss and Éomer says, "You have not learnt this from your books...", I have to confess I half-expected her to say, "Actually, I did." *eg*

Author Reply: I have to admit I had great fun with all these martial quotes and turning the encounter between them into a major battle. And I agree that women would have had more than just an ornamental role in this kind of society, so it seemed logical that they would take care of the daily logistics of running a castle or any home indeed.

The salt - it's true that Dol Amroth would have had salt from the sea, but this kind of salt is of the lowest quality. I happen to know because I'm from Switzerland and salt from salt mines in the mountains is actually the only natural resource we have (apart from banks). It used to be traded far and wide in the Middle Ages, and people then needed lots of salt, because it was the main way of preserving food. Anyway, that's why I thought that Rohan could have traded in salt with Gondor, but of course you cannot include all that detail in a short story.

And the come-back at the end, that you suggested for Lothiriel would have been a good line. Maybe she's read not only the 'Art of War', but also 'Ars Amatoria' ;-)

So thanks for reviewing and I'm pleased you enjoyed the story!

Lia

BodkinReviewed Chapter: Epilogue 2 on 8/2/2006
Very wise not to wear green. Stand out against the meadow of maidens, that's the best way. Love Eomer on tenterhooks, waiting to pounce on Imrahil's daughter. Not that she was at all unwilling to be pounced on.

I think he's won her over.

Hardly surprising, really!

A delightful ending to a most enjoyable tale. I look forward to discovering what you will put them through next!

Author Reply: Hello Bodkin,
sorry for the late reply, but I've been offline as I was away on holiday the last three weeks. On the plus side, this means I've had lots of time to think about the plot of my next scenario and should start writing soon.

Glad to hear you enjoyed the ending to this story. I thought it would be nice to get one chapter from Eomer's point-of-view. And I agree he's won her over, even though he did not stick to his initial plan to take it slowly!

Lia

vampfan30Reviewed Chapter: Epilogue 2 on 7/21/2006
* CLAP, CLAP, CLAP * lovely ending........

Author Reply: Thank you very much! *bows*

Lia

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