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Tangled Web by daw the minstrel	22 Review(s)
Duchess	Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 6/20/2004
Very good! Loved it and look forward to "seeing" how the Dwarves' escape sets the kingdom on it's collective ear. giggle Bilbo is getting lax in his sneaking about, isn't he? vbg Poor Legolas, thinking his mind or nerves are playing tricks on him. snicker More please?!? I know, I'm greedy but I can't help it! LOL Author Reply: The elves must think they're going crazy. I think we need a party to celebrate Ithilden's news, don't you? There could be wine at it!

SasseyJ	Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 6/20/2004
Another wonderful story, which I expect every time I see your name as author. You handle Legolas growing to adulthood very well, and I just love his brother and their relationships with one another and their father. I keep expecting Legolas or his nephew to find Bilbo out and help him. I have found it quite amusing that Legolas and the other elves are still searching for that poor lost child, Hobbit. I can't wait for the Battle of Five Armies and only hope that Legolas's brothers and nephew all survive it. Sassey Author Reply: Thank you, SasseyJ. Legolas is close to being Legolas of the Fellowship now. I think I'll have to go back and write some youngling tales though. I miss young Legolas. The Dwarves think it's amusing that Legolas is still searching for Hobbit too. From Legolas's point of view, of course, they're just unbelievably callous. But from everyone else's point of view, it's funny.

Bodkin	Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 6/20/2004
What an enjoyable chapter. I just loved the romantic touch with Sinnarn and Emmelin - (you couldn't be so cruel as to prevent True Love!)- with sweet Annael becoming the enraged adar. Probably not a good tactic to run, Sinnarn -makes you look guilty. Those Great Doors must have been a pain - it sounds a good plan until you realise that enraged Thranduil has to be found and placated to open them. I'm not surprised Sinnarn popped round to Amdir's house. But really - thinking that Alfirin wouldn't miss him - what an incurable optimist. The keepers - their protectees must become really close to them over the years - they have probably spent more hours together than they do with their wives and families. I do like Celuwen - (you couldn't be that cruel!) - she and Eilian definitely need an elfling. Good for her, making it plain that she was not Thranduil's pawn - and managing it without upsetting him. Interesting reactions to the Dol Guldur news - they have lost their focus and they are all unravelled. (I am worried about your excursion into mass elf murder. There are elves here I just don't want to lose.) Author Reply: Those doors are real pain to me too. I had to keep trying to figure out how they could even conduct normal business. But in The Hobbit, Tolkien plainly says they were closed most of the time and by magic. I suppose Sinnarn comforted himself with the idea that his mother would know he was reasonably intact through her bond with him. But I'm sure she worried anyway. I've thought that about the keepers too. They must act almost paternally at first when the young Thranduilion is just starting and they're always there to guide and protect. Thranduil did a good job of choosing them too because they also seem to be discreet. They don't carry tales home. It seemed to me that if you had spent your whole life struggling against Sauron in the south and he went away, you might actually feel a little bereft. Odd but true. Don't worry too much, Bodkin. There are elves I don't want to lose either and my beta has laid down the law about a couple more.

White Wolf	Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 6/20/2004
Poor Sinnarn was really frustrated with the assignment he thought he was going to enjoy and learn from. That feeling that made Legolas jump sounds like a foreshadowing of something that may not be pleasant. Author Reply: I do feel sorry for Sinnarn. He's being badly rewarded for his open-mindedness. Legolas feels something he can't see, a vase gets knocked off a table, Sinnarn's breakfast disappears. It's almost as if the palace has a ghost. :-)

nessie	Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 6/20/2004
Oh yay! I'm so glad Ithilden's home! So Sinnarn and Emmelin are falling in looove! How sweet! I think Annael thought about something else with those leaves...And Bilbo/Hobbit is haunting the palace! And eating Sinnarn's food too! So Celuwen noticed something...Hmmm...Well, I loved this chapter so update asap! ~nessie~ Author Reply: I'm glad Ithilden is home too. His family needs him. And they needed to hear the news he brought too. What a shock that must have been! Sinnarn and Emmelin are kind of sweet. They're less complicated lovers that Eilian and Celuwen were. I'm not sure Annael is softening up much, though. Bilbo is floating around the palace making a nuisance of himself. How odd that must have been. They must have all thought they were losing their grip a little.

	Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 6/20/2004
Another great chapter. Yes, I agree with what you've said in your answers to the reviews that Legolas and his brothers are all going to feel a little lost if the forest does become safer. Legolas more than the others because he's never know anything else. Not that he would not want to see the forest healthy and safe--he would of course. It just would make him do a little searching for himself. After all, he goes on the Quest and then when Sauron really is destroyed he searches for purpose all the way to Ithilien so we know he has a strong need to be accomplishing something. I think it is very interesting to plant that seed all the way back at the time of The Hobbit. I will chime in with everyone that I loved the younger generation elves in interaction with their elders (Thranduil with his kids, Annael with his etc). It must be a very strange thing to have your parents live forever--especially when you throw in to the mix that your father is a king. I fear for Todith's future. Love this so far--it made me get out The Hobbit and reread it. You are doing a fantastic job with this! Author Reply: That's a very interesting observation about Legolas seeking purpose. I suppose in a way he was brought up to be trying to accomplish something rather than to be content singing and dancing in the woods. If that were the case, it would be hard to just kick back and relax. I've been thinking about the parents/child thing because the time of the quest is fast approaching, and Legolas does go off to help Frodo rather than go home to help the Woodland Realm (which took some real hits during the war). Rereading The Hobbit is a good thing. ;-)

French Pony	Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 6/20/2004
I hear that you are planning on bumping off some of your characters. Do you think it's very wicked of me to have been thinking about which ones are expendable and would make interesting drama if they bought it? And to have made some choices already? I wouldn't tell you which ones, of course, but I can definitely tell which ones in whose general direction I'd point the Fickle Finger of Fate. So Celuwen has tried to be a dutiful wife to Eilian? Uh-huh. Perhaps Thranduil is interested in purchasing a nice bridge in Khazad-dum that I just happen to have for sale. . . . The Dwarves have a secret, and the Elves have a poltergeist. It's wonderful to see them so earnestly barking up this particular tree, and I'm sure it's amusing the Dwarves no end. It's true. All mothers have the same script. I've seen it. There's a book called "Momilies" that gives some of the classic lines. I'm sure that both Beliniel and Alfirin have used them all. "Do you want your face to freeze that way?" "The things I do for you." "I'm cold; put on a cloak." "There are starving children in Lake Town who would just love that food." And, of course, the ever-classic "I hope you have Elflings just like you." The message of the trees has been revealed, and everyone is running around in shock. This is a big change for the Elves, and it'll take a lot of getting used to, especially for the Southern Patrol. I can imagine that in days to come, they'll find themselves bleeding off a lot of pent-up stress. Elves with PTSD is a sight to behold. They'll need to take extra-special care of themselves. From the human side of things, I'm amazed that Elf families can stand living with each other as long as they do. You'd think that, after the first few centuries, nanas and adas might get fed up enough with their offspring to kick them out of the nest, assuming the offspring hadn't already felt desperately confined and fled the nest much earlier. Maybe that's why the British royal family is so messed up. Chuck is in his fifties and is still essentially living with his mother. Author Reply: When I was planning this story, I actually made a list of OCs who could die. It was pretty long. Then I read the last chaper of "The Hobbit" carefully and my beta fainted dead away at one or two suggestions, and I had to modify the list a little. :-) I don't think the Eilian and Celuwen will ever have a calm relationship, particularly in their current circumstances. He'll be home on leave soon, so we can watch them a little then. With Sauron gone, I wondered if Legolas might feel as if his reason for existing was gone. I mean, I'm sure he's glad that there might be peace (although it turns out there's less peace than they hope) but it must feel that his usefulness is diminished. Living with my parents as an adult would not have been a good thing. All I can say is, Elves must be different.

Dot	Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 6/20/2004
Excellent, excellent, excellent! You know, you update so frequently that I really couldn’t ask for any more from you but I’m just so engrossed in this that it’s actually painful not to be able to keep reading… sigh I’m really very fond of Sinnarn. He and Emmelin are so sweet together. No gloves so that they can hold hands, eh? Who knew you were such a romantic?! It’s lovely watching them, though. I mean, Eilian and Celuwen were always so passionate, even when they were having problems, it turned out that Ithilden was a bit of a dork when he was in love and poor Legolas always seemed to end up in a bother with the maidens but these two are just adorable together! I love their playfulness, throwing leaves and laughing with each other, everything else around them forgotten. It’s such a pity that they were late enough to worry Annael so much. I’m sure he knows that Emmelin wouldn’t really have been doing anything she shouldn’t have been but he’s hardly likely to think much of someone who had his daughter out in a potentially dangerous forest so late at night. It sounds like Sinnarn is getting a bit fed-up with the Dwarves. I kind of feel sorry for him because he’s always been so very eager to talk to them. “I heard one of them talking to himself again this morning.” Oh, that’d be the invisible hobbit, I imagine! You’re right, it is a pain having the Great Doors sealed. For Sinnarn, it must be like going out for the night and then having to ring the doorbell when you get home because you’ve forgotten your key. Luckily Amdir’s parents sound as if they haven’t changed one iota! Poor Alfirin. It does seem that she needs Ithilden back. At least she didn’t go and rouse Thranduil when Sinnarn didn’t come home. “Ithilden would not put up with any behavior that upset Sinnarn’s mother.” That was always the worst thing we could do as well in my father’s eyes – upset my mother. Come to think of it, it still is. I really liked the bit with Sinnarn thinking about his family. I think it’s wonderful that Elves are so close in that way and that their family is so important to them, and so much a part of their identity. When you look at it through his eyes it almost seems wrong to do as Men do and leave parents and family behind! But then, Sinnarn is very lucky in the family that he has. I feel so bad for Legolas. He’s really at his wits end about the lost child. At least he’s keeping the Dwarves amused, I suppose. And probably Bilbo as well. You’re doing a brilliant job showing Bilbo’s presence. “If you want more, you only need to ask.” LOL! Poor Sinnarn. He’s becoming thoroughly disgruntled and I certainly don’t blame him. I think maybe he needs a little drink…;-) Celuwen doesn’t seem to be faring much better than Alfirin. In fact, it must be more difficult for her because of the fact that she’s still not entirely at ease in this family, and especially if Legolas isn’t around much either. Plus, Alfirin can visit her family as often as she wants and has just had plenty of time with them planning the wedding. I had to laugh at Celuwen thinking that Eilian must be asleep if he’s serene! I thought it was quite touching that Thranduil noticed her mood and asks after her, even when he is still so clearly troubled by the changes in the forest. He really cares about her and must feel awful if he thinks she’s unhappy. I love that she isn’t afraid of him and he doesn’t seem to mind at all. They have a fairly easy relationship that even he and his sons can’t quite manage. Ah yay, Ithilden is back! I was quite surprised that they’d spread the news so quickly. I would have thought that the king would have been the first to know. I guess they were just too excited. Everyone seems completely astonished. It must indeed be strange for people like Legolas who have never known peace, and peace is something that at this particular moment in time must seem possible to them again. Without Sauron, Orcs and spiders would be easier to handle. Don’t you sometimes wish you didn’t know what the future holds… “I cannot tell you how happy I am to have you home, my lord.” That’s hysterical. Poor Todith. Stubborn Dwarves, scary spiders and an elusive Dwarf-child obviously seem to him to be much more attractive to deal with than Thranduil. I’m sure Ithilden understands. Bilbo is apparently causing havoc with stolen food, broken vases and accidentally bumping into Elves. Still, it’s kind of fun watching them all get a little freaked-out;-) Oh, that was such a great chapter. How’ll I wait? I think I should take up yoga or something to help me relax between chapters… Author Reply: I'm glad you liked both the Sinnarn and Celuwen sections. I got interested in them as I wrote. I haven't written much about either one, especially Sinnarn, and he's been kind of taking shape in my head in this story. In both of those sections, I was interested in the relationship of adult elves to their parents, who are not about to hand control over to the next generation. So I was playing a little with the idea of Elven families and houses. Sinnarn is lucky though, you're right. Ithilden and Alfirin were very good parents. You are wicked to suggest that Sinnarn needs a little drink!!! I don't think that Eilian would be easy to be married to in some ways. So I imagine they have to keep working things out, especially since they can't really settle down into normal life together. I did wonder if Ithilden would try to hold his news to give it to his father, but I thought that with a group the size of his escort, someone was going to blab and then it would be all over. And I couldn't think of any real reason for withholding the information. I wondered if Legolas might feel a little as if he'd lost his reason for being. The thing he's spent his life fighting against seems gone -- although as we know, it isn't really. It just moved. Todith amused me. No one was happier to see Ithilden than he was.

Dragon-of-the-North	Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 6/20/2004
A lovely chapter once again (yes, I am still reading, even though my reviews are infrequent)! The elves' reactions to Bilbo's presence and their interpretations of its signs are too precious (I chuckled very much over the servant assuming that Sinnarn was very greedy with his breakfast and not admitting it). And small wonder the dwarves are somewhat amused as well... Do not hit me now, but I think I am beginning to understand why Gimli must have considered Legolas as quite a ridiculous figure later... The elven prince who thought it takes two male dwarves to make a hobbit! ;-) Again, I enjoyed Thranduil very much in this. His interaction with Celuwen was especially well-written (I believe he does not only like to be king of the Woodland Realm, but also king in his house ;-)), but I also liked his and Legolas' reaction in the ending - the sheer astonishment that the Enemy is gone from where he has been for such a long time, joy not really setting in yet (in spite of the "celebratory cups of wine") because coming to terms with the new situation and understanding it fully will take time... Very good. The Sinnarn part of the chapter was great fun - it seems it is the Curse of the House of Oropher to have to deal with suspicious prospective fathers-in-law! And it adds to the fun that it is Annael who takes the role of a member of the "older" generation now! Oh, but I was very disappointed that the "sealed doors" problem was simply solved by staying with Amdir and walking in in the morning - for a split second, I had dared hope for a hilarious grand plan along the lines of trying an "attack" by swimming to the trapdoor in the cellars and trying to break it open... If only because a dripping wet Sinnarn walking into his grandfather's bedchamber, announcing: "I have found a weak point - the orcs could be upon us at any time! We should post guards... or repair that trapdoor, at least..." would have been very hilarious... (Ignore me! ;-) You know I tend to develop very silly stories now and then). So, brilliant chapter once again! :-) I am looking forward to the next one! Author Reply: You really can see why the Dwarves thought the elves were bizarre and why Legolas might not have been fond of dwarves when the Fellowship was formed. He meant so well, and came out looking so stupid. I am interested in the relationship of adult elves and their parents, particularly in Thranduil's children, whose father has authority over them as king. I thought Sinnarn and Celuwen would deal with those things differently, given their histories. And don't you think it would have taken time to get used to the absence of Sauron? At first, it might have felt to Legolas as if he had lost his reason for being. Of course, as things turned out, there was still a lot of defense to be done. Your scenario for Sinnarn's return was hilarious! By the way, have you read Jodancingtree's story "Following the Other Wizard"? It has good Orcs, DOTN.

Estel_Mi_Olor	Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 6/20/2004
I really liked that chapter, Daw. It was very funny to read about the Dwarves conversing with themselves, the vase tipping over, and Sinnarn's breakfast disappearing, and knowing that it was all Bilbo wearing the Ring. Very well done. I am so glad Ithilden is home! Well, no more than Todith. He will restore some semblance of calm. Perhaps since Legolas has proved to be so competent serving in his position as unofficial leader of the Home Guard, somebody might take it into their heads to promote him? I was just wondering of course... Poor Celuwen, I knew she would be lonely. She knew it too. I can see how she would feel closest to Legolas. It is good that they are friends. But now that the Shadow has sort of left the South, Eilian might come home more often? That would be good for everyone. Sinnarn and Emmelin are so cute! Reminds me of Ithilden and Alifrin when they were courting. Poor Annael, they must have given him a heart attack, coming home so late. Well, no more than Sinnarn did to Alifrin, so that's fair. I can't wait to see what will happen next. Ithilden will be told about everything, and vice versa, so that will be interesting. And the Dwarves' escape will be great! Oh, but poor Sinnarn, he'll be blamed, won't he? Well, I'll wait and see. Cheers and keep writing! Author Reply: Things do make more sense when you know it's Bilbo, don't they? ;-) Ithilden is going to have some information to give and some to take in in the next chapter. I can just see him trying to sort out what happened while he was gone. After all his efforts to get his father to buy weapons from the Dwarves, etc., chaos broke loose when he was away. It was fun in this chapter to develop Sinnarn a little and try to guess what Celuwen and Eilian's marriage has been like so far. In the next chapter, we'll get back to more eventful action.

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