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A Matter of Heart by daw the minstrel	167 Review(s)
Brazgirl	Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 12/29/2004
I loved your last chapter! I caught myself saying "this is so cute" several times. Your OCs are so interesting, so well developed that thay catch my interest and I love to read about them. Ithilden was so handsome in this fic! So gallant! I loved him. And Legolas fought his demons. Good for him. I loved him when he asked Thranduil about his mother's skills with the knife and made Thranduil laugh! By the way, I read "See the stars" and "In Mirkwood". I had the two last days off so... I loved both stories, but you surprised me in both. The scene Legolas kills that elf lady was very well written. Congratulations. But it was quite odd to read Thranduil having an affair with another woman... for a moment I thought that his 'affair' was the traitor! And I missed Eilian here, but I could read much of him in the other fics. And you killed Legolas' friend... that was so sad and so unexpected! You caught me there! Poor Legolas! That was hard. Ithilden was so brave and menacing when he met the men on the campsite! I loved when he asked the men who had brused his little brother's face. And when Eilian arrived there I cheered! It will take some time, but I will have to read all your stories!!! Happy New Year, Daw!!! Author Reply: I'm glad you like the OCs. I know I have a lot of them and not everyone is willing to put up with them, but I'm so fond of them myself that I can't resist writing about them. I like giving Legolas chances to ask about his mother. He needs to know about her, and Thranduil enjoys the chance to talk about her. I imagine she was good for him. Her wood-elfiness would have helped him loosen up and enjoy life a little more. Her death was a tragedy for all of them. If I had "See the Stars" to write over again, I probably would not write about Thranduil being drawn to another woman because it seems uncanonical to me now. It was my first story, so I have to use that as an excuse. "In Mirkwood" was a very early story too or I couldn't have killed Turgon. I hadn't written about him much at that point and hadn't come to be so fond of him. Sigh. He makes me sad. Happy New Year to you too, Brazgirl.

Jay of Lasgalen	Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 12/29/2004
Thank you for a very satisfactory ending. While I didn't want Legolas to be hurt - he's been through enough - I knew that if he was, Ithilden would be very gentle and caring in tending him. It couldn't fail to convince Alfirin of his innate kindness when she saw the love between the brothers. It was another good sign when Legolas drew his knife against the boar, and was able to tell Alfirin about the spy. Him seeing her with a knife may also have helped convince him that the woman he killed was no poor defenceless elleth, but capable of handling weapons herself. Finally, I loved seeing Thranduil and Legolas sparring, especially Ithilden's comments and encouragement - “He is old and will eventually need to sit down if you keep him on his feet long enough.” Wonderful! Jay Author Reply: I think Alfirin was lost from the moment she saw Ithilden caring for a brother who is still really a child. Most women are suckers for that. :-) I thought it was good for Legolas to see Alfirin with a weapon and then to have her accept his story with sympathy and gratitude. I think that would help him see his own actions with more acceptance. And who knew that Ithilden could have such a smart mouth??? LOL

Rede	Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 12/29/2004
I really cannot tell you how much of an inspiration you are to all of us. Thereare simply not enough words to explain it. You're writing is magnificent, and the most touching pieces I have ever read. By far, you are my favorite author. I have missed many a night's sleep due to your stories. You are one of the very few who has constantly caused me tears and laughter. Thank you for showing us your awesome imagination, and talents. How did you learn to write like this? I really do hope you consider doing it professionally. Thanks again Daw, especially for showing me the rest of your work here at Stories of Arda. Keep writing, and I'll most defineately keep reading! Author Reply: Wow. I'm blushing. I can't thank you enough for these very kind words. I don't even know how to respond to them. I'm kind of glad you lost sleep over these stories because I tend to do that too when I'm in the middle of writing one. I lie awake trying to puzzle out how something is going to happen or what someone will say. I tell myself to write in the daytime, not in my sleep, but I kind of get obsessed. As for learning to write fiction, that's what I'm trying to do. :-) I'm a teacher of technical writing, so I've always had good control over the mechanics of language, but I'd never written fiction until almost exactly two years ago, and it was the stuff on ff.net that inspired me. I looked at the stories that the brave 12-year-olds were posting and said I could do better than that. And then my beta has helped me a lot by encouraging me to show, not tell, and slow down because I tend to hurry. So, I'm learning, I hope. Enjoy Stories of Arda. I really like the review system here, because it mails me your review and then enables me to respond to you directly and thank you for your generous review.

Bodkin	Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 12/29/2004
I just loved Ithilden and Legolas ganging up on Thranduil! So . . . brotherly. The joke about Legolas's hair! Teasing Thranduil about his age! And the sheer sneakiness of telling that story at that point. And Legolas knowing it, when Thranduil did not! I bet Thranduil is left wondering how many other tales about his sons have been successfully kept from him. (Not a thought to encourage an adar who likes to be kept informed of everything!) Is that one of the occasions when Lorellin acted as a protective buffer, I wonder. And Ithilden is exactly the kind of brother who can be annoyingly bossy under normal circumstances, but really comes into his own when there is trouble. It doesn't do Alfirin any harm to see the obvious trust between them here, either! Despite the 'little one', I think Legolas enjoyed the approval - which probably made it a bit easier for him to open out to Alfirin. I enjoyed watching Alfirin admire Ithilden, too. And so did Legolas! She will be good for him as well as for his big brother. Although she seems better able to look after herself than he first thought, it will mean there is someone in the family - female, soft, caring - to whom Legolas can offer care and consideration. For the first time! He'll still be the baby, but Alfirin will remove some of the attention from him. I would like more stories of Naneth, I am afraid. Even though she was there for so little of Legolas's childhood. I would rather enjoy watching her train Thranduil in husbandly respect - she sounds as if she would have been a great squasher of pretension. I imagine her skills with a knife might have come as somewhat of a surprise to him. Maybe there were other things, too? (Perhaps there's some room for flashback in Ithilden/Alfirin interaction - or perhaps, more suitably, in Celuwen attempting to get Eilian under control.) Great ending to a lovely story. But TOO SHORT. Still, at least I can hope for another story to come along soon. Please. Author Reply: I too liked the brotherly moment when Ithilden was helping Legolas by teasing Thranduil. And it struck me as funny too that Legolas would know about Eilian's escapade when Thranduil didn't. I don't know the details of the water trick myself, but I suppose I can think them up sometime. :-) Legolas trusted Ithilden completely. I think his oldest brother has always made him feel safe. So while he was certainly annoyed at Ithilden for dragging him home from the fishing trip, he was grateful for him here. And it was good for Alfirin to see that. I imagine her family's dynamic is a bit different than the all male one of Thranduil's household. She'll make some changes there, I think, but she'll also see things to value. I'd love to write more about Naneth. I just need to think of a way to do it well. You made me laugh with that comment about Celuwen and Eilian. In some quite unexpected ways, Eilian is a lot like his father.

emjo	Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 12/29/2004
I'm not sure where to begin, there is so much I loved about this chapter. First I love Ithilden being so gentle with his little brother. And the moment Alfrin forgets all her doubts--thank you for showing that! I am so glad Legolas started opening up about what he is going through, first to Alfirin then with is adar. I can not even tell you how much I loved the sparing! Ithilden teasing first Legolas about his gorgeous hair and then Thranduil about being so old! I love it! And then the proposal, again thank you for showing this beautiful moment. Fantastic story Daw. I know your going out of town next week but please don't keep everyone waiting to long. Your stories are excellent. I love every one of them. Author Reply: I think that Ithilden is enough older than Legolas that he sometimes feels fatherly toward him, and he cares for him very gently. But he's also his brother, so in that sparring scene he teases and laughs. It's hard to know just how elves would react with such long gaps between the ages of the children. Alfirin is just in love. She's gone! And that will be very good for Ithilden, who needs that I think. I thought Legolas might find it easier to speak to a sympathetic outsider who wasn't hovering over him. And Alfirin is maternal, which I think he needs I'm glad you liked this, emjo. I'll be thinking about my next story while I'm on vacation. Last year, I wrote the first couple of chapters of "Fire and Shadow" during this vacation. :-)

Firnsarnien	Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 12/29/2004
sigh Such wonderful Leggy angst, comfort and mothering from his brother, Alfirin and his father. sigh Loved every minute of it. Hmmmm, I also see that Leggy is finally well on his way to recovery, not just physically, but mentally. I'm glad for him. Killing another living being is indeed a hard thing to do, and killing another Elf must have been torturous for him. I've hunted deer in the past and I must say, that each time I actually killed one, I cried. Even though we used every bit of the meat, it was still hard to do. I have finally decided that I just can't do it anymore and I'll not go hunting again. Killing another living creature is the hardest thing in the world to do so I can kind of relate to the feeling. As for Ithilden and Alfirin, what a gratifying ending to their courting. It was really nice to see Alfirin appreciate Ithilden for what he truly is deep inside. Someone who deeply loves and cares for his family. another sigh Great story as usual. I wonder what you're going to write about next? Little Leggy stories? Taking place during a particular time? Right after his mother's death? Hmmmm? I'm sure you know what I'm talking about, no? Heh, heh! Well, whatever you do write about, I'll be here as always. :) Hurry though! LOL Author Reply: I've never hunted or even seen a farm animal slaughtered. I eat meat, so I ought to be able to accept the knowledge of where it comes from, but I guess I'm kind of hypocritical. Legolas is recovering gradually, with the support of those who love him and believe in him. And I thought it was important for Alfirin to love Ithilden for the person that he is. She'd love him if he were just an ordinary elf in the forest, but she also respects the strength he brings to his role as Thranduil's son. They'll do well together. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I don't know yet what I'll do next. I'm thinking maybe young warrior Legolas, but I'm not sure.

Lera	Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 12/28/2004
That was a wonderful story. My favorite part was Thranduil sparring with Legolas. I haven't seen that before and just the whole thing and what it meant to all of them was perfect. I have enjoyed this story immensely. Each of your stories dig deeper into the characters and help us understand them more. Thank you for creating this world in Mirkwood. Author Reply: I'm so glad you liked the sparring. It was fun to write, and what's more, it was easy to write! And now that you mention it, I hadn't shown Thranduil training like that before, or even shown Ithilden teasing him and Legolas laughing at the jokes. Maybe that's why it was fun to do. I can't thank you enough for being a faithful reader and for taking the time to let me know you enjoy the stories. This is so much fun to do.

Brenda G.	Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 12/28/2004
Ahhhh! Now that was so satisfying! All's well that ends well, and this tale has ended so well that I am still smiling long after I have finished reading the last chapter. Alfirin and Ithilden are definitely made for one another, and now Legolas is on the mend both body and soul. So many little "moments" in this last chapter sparkled like scattered jewels: the mock duel, the devilish distraction, the rowdy gear-slapping play between father and son, and the sweetness of the embrace. Sauce for the goose, that. I've so enjoyed "A Matter of Heart" and am looking forward, as always, to your next tale. Happy New Year, Daw! Author Reply: I'm glad you liked it, Brenda. Alfirin and Ithilden are well matched, I think. She's what he needs personally as well as in his role as Thranduil's oldest son. There's a moment in this story when she thinks that what Legolas needs is to be accepted for himself, and really, I think that's what Ithilden needs too, and he hasn't gotten it so much before. The sparring was fun to write. I love seeing the brothers be brotherly and tease their father. Happy New Year to you too!

Frodo3791	Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 12/28/2004
What a great ending to the story! I love the way you used Legolas' injury to show us how Legolas is getting better as well as to show us a strength we do not regularly get to see with Alfirin. Alfirin was also able to see how her words impacted Ithilden, and so everything fit together well. Whenever I think I know where you're going with a story, I'm always surprised, and that's awesome. I would also like to comment on something that you had Thranduil think about in an earlier chapter about if Legolas chose not to be a warrior. I hadn't really ever thought about it, but I can see why Thranduil set each of his sons on the path to become warriors. The king asks for elves to risk their lives for the kingdom. How can his own sons not do the same? It's a sad dilemma because Mirkwood needs warriors badly, so if any one of his sons chose not to be warriors, well, it wouldn't have been good, I don't think. Anyway, it was an interesting thing to think about, and I'm glad you brought it up. I can't wait for the next story. ... and I hope we have quite a bit of Eilian to make up for what we didn't have in this story, though I must say that I enjoyed having quite a bit of Ithilden around. He may not be as fun as Eilian, but I love his character all the same. -Frodo Author Reply: If I'm still surprising you, Frodo, I am a very happy writer! Alfirin was interesting to write about. I'm continually learning that, when I write from a character's point of view, that character comes alive for me, and she was the one who I got to understand better in this story. I've always been more sympthetic to Celuwen, but Alfirin has many strengths of her own and was undoubtedly good for the royal family. I don't think Celuwen would have been as good with Legolas as Alfirin was, for instance. I really do think that king's sons were expected to be warriors. That was part of their obligation. And yet Thranduil took the plunge here to try to let Legolas do something else if he had to. Good for him! We do need some Eilian. I agree. I had to keep him away. He tends to steal the show if I let him come around.

Alice	Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 12/28/2004
Oh, that was so sweet!(is filled with warm fuzzy fillings) Yay! They're so in love and so cute and darn it, I was glad you showed the proposal.(sighs happily) There was the proposal and the exact moment when Alfirin knew that she was in love and oh just all the moments of them falling in love. It was wonderful! I loved the sparring Legolas did with his father. That was just so funny how Ithilden helped him win! I love seeing the brothers team up against Thranduil, especially when it's Ithilden because he's well, Ithilden upright and upstanding citizen, responsible son. I loved the bit about Eilian plotting against Maldor. That bucket trick is just so Eilian. And so without good sense, no wonder Thranduil was pleased that Celuwen wound up with Eilian(excepting the manner of their marriage of course). That was just an awesome scene, especialy because we don't really see much of Thranduil in warrior mode and his sons almost never do(well Legolas anyway). So what else did I love about this chapter? Oh yeah, scenes with Alfirin and Legolas. I knew he was going to wind up telling her and she'd say the right thing! I just knew it! Also that she'd wind up showing Legolas that she was not so helpless as she appears. Silly ellon. I loved the bit about his mother being able to hit an acorn at twenty paces. Hee. I would love to see the moment when Thranduil discovered that about her. Hee. Bet he learned that bit about woodelf maidens the hard way. Actually, I'd love to see more of Lorellin period.(cough:hint:cough)Oh and the part where Legolas announces that he approves of Ithilden's choice in a spouse. So, excellent chapter and excellent story! I still have warm fuzzies from it. I can't wait for your next story. Yes, I am never satisfied. You're stories are addictive, did you know that? So write more and write soon. Author Reply: I almost didn't include the proposal but then I thought I really it had to. It's the culmination of the Ithilden/Alfirin part of this story. They really do love one another. :-) Ithilden was teasing his father, which someone else pointed out I had never shown before, and I have to admit that was fun to write. And yes, the bucket trick was very Eilian and you just know he got into a ton of trouble that no one told Thranduil about. LOL. He hates that! And even Legolas knows! Alfirin was the perfect person for Legolas to talk to. She's not hovering over him like his family does, but she is maternal (we do need more of Lorellin -- how am I going to do that?). So it was good for him to know that she accepted what he had done and was even grateful to him. I thought about trying to work in the fact that she'd been a hostage in the palace in "Growing Under Shadow" so she'd be particularly understanding about rescuing someone with a knife at their throat, but it was hard to do because she didn't know the details of what happened with the spy. Thank you so much for your continued enthusiasm, Alice. These reviews mean a tremendous amount to me.

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