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The Tide of Times  by daw the minstrel 20 Review(s)
pipinheartReviewed Chapter: 10 on 10/11/2005
Legolaa is a good friend to Annael and stood by him at the funeral, even being carried outside. But going for a ride with his foot still in a splint, his father coming in at that moment, he wasn't happy...

Author Reply: Legolas was good for as long as he could stand to be good. :-)

Camp6311Reviewed Chapter: 10 on 11/19/2003
It was a relief to have the pressure valve backed down a little on this chapter. The funeral scene was very touching, I liked seeing Maldor speak so tenderly. He reminds me of french bread, hard and crusty on the outside, and soft and warm on the in. I'm glad he has a wife who can see through his crustiness. I'm curious though, do they have any children?

I had to feel for Thanduil at the end of this chapter. He's been so worried about Legolas that he's driven his men hard to get home, and then the first thing he has to do is reprimand his son, and he hadn't even made it home yet! Parenting is never an easy job.

I see the next chapter is posted, cool!

Author Reply: In my opinion (which I guess is the one that counts), Maldor and his wife have no children. I think that Maldor would hesitate to have children while the world looked so dangerous. Of course, I have said that he trained Eilian, who was born during the Watchful Peace, so that suggests that they could have had children then. Hm. I conclude that they must not have married until after the Watchful Peace ended. How's that?

Thranduil's kids sometimes drive him as crazy as he drives them. And *that's* parenting.

Brenda G.Reviewed Chapter: 10 on 11/17/2003
Still grieving over Siondel, but I'm glad Thranduil is home to handle things and give Ithilden a break from kingly duties.

Author Reply: Thranduil is happy to be home too. And Ithilden is extremely relieved to see him even if the White Council did dither around and decide to do nothing.

I'm glad Siondel is real for you, but you know, I made him up!

tigerlily713Reviewed Chapter: 10 on 11/17/2003
Ohhh! I had tears in my eyes when Maldor and Legolas spoke at Siondel's funeral. That was very well written, with lots of seemingly spontaneous emotion. Lovely chapter! ~Lily


Author Reply: I have to admit that I cried when I proofread the funeral scene. How's that for pathetic? Maldor was, as always, full of surprises for me, as well as for the novices. And Siondel had been keeping an eye on Legolas from the time he was small. Wah! I need a happier story to write.

caz - bazReviewed Chapter: 10 on 11/17/2003
ok so i recover from being ill all this last week. i get on the internet and you've killed of siondel. that is evil! you are Morgoth re-encarnated.
well that's all i've got time to say. i have so much catching up to do. so i better go. bye bye.
until next chapter - that wasn't the end was it?

Author Reply: You have my apologies! I felt extremely bad about Siondel, but it's right there in my outline for this story: "Battle with Orcs; Siondel dies." :-(

I hope you are feeling better. Getting sick and then falling behind is horrible.

Antigone_QReviewed Chapter: 10 on 11/16/2003
Good for Legolas for putting his pride aside to go to Siondel's funeral. I liked his funeral speech - it really put into words his relationship with Siondel, and touched on all the strengths that you made the rest of us appriciate as you wrote about Annael's father.

Of course Thranduil would show up just as Legolas was doing something he wasn't supposed to! Poor Legolas. Thranduil has an uncanny sense of timing, doesn't he? But Thranduil was absolutely and charmingly sweet when he tried so hard not to hurt Legolas' pride.

Beautiful the way you have Ithilden thinking that Legolas is growing up...then changing his mind. I'm sure the cycle will repeat often for a while.

Author Reply: It was funny. When I wrote Legolas's speech, all I had to do was search his (my) memories of how he had interacted with Siondel from the time he was small. I didn't think I had written much about Siondel, but there were certainly good memories there for Legolas.

And Thranduil has what his sons must think of as an unfortunate sense of timing. I doubt if any of them got away with much!

nanethReviewed Chapter: 10 on 11/16/2003
While I read this chapter last night, I found that I needed to wait until today to review. I needed time to absorb all that I had read. You did such a great job with such a tough subject.

I am amazed at your ability to "invent" the elven ceremonies and traditions that you have in your stories. They are so completely appropriate for the world that Mr. Tolkien invented. You have an incredibly inventive and creative mind!

I loved the fact that you had Legolas wait until last to speak at the funeral. That placed him squarely with the family, a place most appropriate for someone that "grew up" in the household. His words were very touching, they brought tears to my eyes.

I also loved the joy that Thranduil felt at seeing Legolas, and assuring himself that he was, indeed, safe as he had believed him to be. It really is ironic how we parents always manage to "find" our children at just those moments they don't want us to. I tell my children that it's God's way of leveling the playing field for parents!

Great job as always!

Author Reply: I hesitated about inventing the funeral because I had already done the coming of age and we will see that again with Legolas. But I decided I couldn't omit the funeral. It was too important.

I would imagine that none of Thranduil's sons got away with very much. He's scary.

I'm glad you liked the chapter.

tapetum lucidumReviewed Chapter: 10 on 11/16/2003
Ithilden is very sweet to stay with his injured little brother. His neglet of his other duties shows where his priorities lie. Legolas wants to be tough and get things over with but that would be quite unwise. Sounds like he did quite a number on his foot. I am surprised Eilian left without telling him goodbye. He must be more distraught over Celuwen than you were letting on. I hope he doesn't lose his focus in the South. I am glad Legolas insisted on going to the funeral. You are right. He had to be there.

The funeral was very touching. I liked the way you started with his outer circle of friends and moved inward. Maldor does have another side to him that his novices rarely see. Legolas was sweet to allude Siondel as a second father to him. He certainly had to help keep the wild elfling in line. The service gave me goosebumps.

Legolas stayed inside almost a week?! Cassia would never let that happen. It would be his rotten luck to run right into his Ada. At least Thranduil gave him enough dignity to send the guard away before pulling him onto his mount. Pilin may continue to make trouble. Perhaps I could make him a gelding for you. He is exceedingly unlikely to fall from his horse. He is now aware that he might - but it is unlikel - that phrase cracked me up! I think everyone is glad Thranduil is home.

Recommendation - go see the movie Master and Commander - there is a GREAT ROTK preview which includes Legolas hanging from one of the winged Nazgul mounts while it is flying through the air. I about needed a cigarette after the preview and I am not a smoker. There is also a good preview for Viggio's new movie Hidalgo.

Tapetum

Author Reply: I think that Ithilden saw himself standing if for his father where Legolas was concerned as well as in governing the realm. And he loves his troublesome brother in his own right too.

I'm very glad you reacted strongly to the funeral. I was intimidated at the idea of writing it, but felt I had to.

Do you really know how to geld a horse? For some reason, that makes me cringe a little. :-)

I am drooling just reading about the previews you describe.

daw

LeraReviewed Chapter: 10 on 11/16/2003
That is so sad. Siondel was such a wonderful father. And your know, so is Thranduil. The more I read of your stories the more I think of how lucky Ithildien, Eilien and Legolas are. I thought it was very funny that he recognized that he doesn't always appear at the most opportune moments. Goodness, Legolas really earns Eilien's nickname of "brat!" What is he doing riding? Silly boy. I'd wup him! lol.

Author Reply: I'm not sure that Thranduil's sons always count themselves lucky but they do so when the chips are down and they really need him.

Thoughts about 'wupping' Legolas are more common than you might think. ;-)

daw

Jay of LasgalenReviewed Chapter: 10 on 11/16/2003
There were a lot of things I liked about this chapter - particularly Ithilden. I liked the way he stayed with Legolas, even though there were other things to do, and the way he agreed to let Legolas attend Siondel's funeral. But poor Legolas, to have to be carried!

The funeral itself was lovely. Very sad, but lovely. You know what I mean. I like the way the elves speak of their memories of Siondel.

And Thranduil's back home! Hooray!


Jay

Author Reply: I liked seeing Ithilden in charge, making decisions about his family as well as the realm. I saw him as standing in his father's place with Legolas. But I am glad that Thranduil is home too, and I imagine it's a burden lifted from Ithilden. He has enough troubles with the troops and his own wild child.

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