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| A Matter of Heart by daw the minstrel | 167 Review(s) |
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| esamen | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 12/28/2004 |
| “That is the way to do it, Legolas,” encouraged Ithilden. “He is old and will eventually need to sit down if you keep him on his feet long enough.” Hmmm! I can't remember ever hearing Ithilden tease Thranduil before. Is this a new facet of our gorgeous oldest son coming to the light? I just love the stories of this family, and every one gets better and better. I feel like they are my own set of cousins, now . . . a fabulous other-worldly set, to be sure, but just as living and real as they can be. Thank you so much for all your work! And thanks for a lovely Legolas-Thranduil scene in this chapter. I'll be watching down the road for the next adventure . . . Esamen Author Reply: I was trying to think if I've ever had Ithilden tease Thranduil before. The closest I can come is him telling Thranduil in "Tide of Times" that overconfidence gets an elf in trouble (Thranduil has just said he can deal with Alfirin or something like that), and that's pretty feeble. I think of Thranduil having the most equal relationship with Ithilden that he has with anyone, but there's still the king and adar factor there. Still, I imagine they all teased sometimes. They're wood elves! I'll be away all next week, but I'll be thinking about the next story. I just don't know what it will be yet. During this vacation last year, I started "Fire and Shadow," and two years ago, I wrote my first fanfic during it. :-) Good memories. | |
| Karri | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 12/28/2004 |
| I am glad to see Legolas opening up finally. That is at least progress. A wonderful story! Author Reply: Thank you, Karri. I thought it was progress. He told Alfirin what he had done and she didn't get all horrified and that was comforting for him. I think she's a maternal person who will be great for him to have around. | |
| Nilmandra | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 12/28/2004 |
| I really like how this story resolved, how you took the time to explore the feelings and emotions, and really told a great story with very little external conflict. Thranduil's talk with Legoals was great, and Alfirin really came alive to all of us. Nice job! Author Reply: Thank you for all your help on this, Nilmandra. I really, really need to slow down in these stories. It's very hard for me to work patiently at them. | |
| meckinock | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 12/28/2004 |
| “That is the way to do it, Legolas,” encouraged Ithilden. “He is old and will eventually need to sit down if you keep him on his feet long enough.” That one needed a beverage alert. I did love that scene with the boys. The image of Thranduil breaking a sweat... Well. Even though the tree did NOT fall on Ithilden, it was wonderful to see him pass the Future Ada Field Test. And the Grizzly Adams Mountain Man field test. Nothing is more irresistable to a woman than a guy holding a child...And Celebrian passed the Mother Grizzly Bear test as well. Those wild boars are nothing to fool around with! When I lived in Germany they were all over the forest and they would tree you if you weren't quick enough. It seems Legalas has finally found someone close enough but not too close that he can open up to. And he's talking to his dad now, too, which is even better. And the lovebirds have eternity. What a nice, warm feeling to end the story with. Author Reply: I had fun writing that sparring scene too. I may have said before that I like writing the moments when the brothers are clearly brothers, and here they were, ganging up on their father. I laughed when I read your line about women can't resist a man holding a child. It made me think of Nilmandra meeting Celebrian with a sleeping toddler in his arms. In this case, Legolas is about 16 in human terms, but he is certainly still a child to his family, and Ithilden thinks of him that way, I think. You probably won't be surprised to learn that I looked up a bunch of stuff about wild boars, but my knowledge is all virtual. I'd probably have an easier time writing some of this stuff if I'd actually experienced it, but that might involve doing something icky. Sweaty Thranduil is a nice thought. ;-) | |
| Manderly | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 12/28/2004 |
| SIGH! SIGH! SIGH! That ending really deserves a triple sigh, you know. I am really amazed at how you have developed Alfirin in this story. I've always just seen her as somebody in the background, running the palace and those stubborn males, but now I know why she can run the palace AND those stubborn males. Her nurturing and maternal instincts are exactly what Thranduil and his sons need after having gone for so long without. She really was wonderful with Legolas and probably did more to advance his healing than even her own mother the healer. No wonder she meets with Legolas' approval. I loved the sparring scene between Thranduil and Legolas, with Ithilden cheering (?) on at the sideline. It's really nice seeing the lighter side of Ithilden - love really brings out the best in a man, or an elf. I can see that a sense of humour runs in that family and all this time, I thought Eilian held the monopoly on humour in the royal household. Being surrounded by so many loving and caring people, no wonder Legolas turned out the way that he did. Wonderful story, again! Thank you. Author Reply: I really enjoyed this chance to develop Alfirin a little. I like Celuwen, but I think that Alfirin's maternal streak was very good for Legolas in general and was what he needed at this moment. And the palace will be a better place to live because she's there. Ithilden is a lucky elf. Ithilden in love was a more relaxed, humorous person too. He could see that Legolas needed to relax and he was happy to tease his father and then reveal something about Eilian if he had to! Legolas was indeed surrounded by loving people. They made mistakes in rearing him, but they always cared for him. Thank you for your kind words, Manderly. | |
| Elena Tiriel | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 12/28/2004 |
| Awwwwww... *sniffle* I'm speechless... - Barbara Author Reply: I guess that's good! Glad you liked it, Barbara. | |
| Eruviluieth | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 12/28/2004 |
| Lovely ending. Everything pulled together, and I'm so glad Legolas is OK. Thank you for a wonderful story. Author Reply: Thank you for letting me know you enjoyed this, Eruviluieth. Legolas is mostly OK, although he has a way to go yet. But he has a loving family to help him, and we know he comes right in the end. | |
| French Pony | Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 12/27/2004 |
| Am home with the parental units, without much time to leave a long and detailed review. So I'll just hit the major points: I liked it much. Galelas will eventually have to eat those words. Ithilden is learning. If Ithilden and Alfirin are in the wet woods that close to a lightning-hit tree and they didn't even feel a little buzz, they're really lucky. Legolas is catching it from all sides, isn't he? Author Reply: Hope you're having a good holiday, FP. What are you doing now that you aren't spending all your time studying? I'm glad you liked it. I have to admit that I feel sorry for Galelas. His arrival at home is not going to be joyous either. I never even thought about the lightning buzz for Alfirin and Ithilden. Hm. They were feeling buzz on their own, I guess. At least Ithilden was nicer to Legolas today. Alfirin will approve. | |
| Bodkin | Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 12/27/2004 |
| This was just such a delight - and so refreshing: not a sprout or parsnip in sight. I cannot help but pity Galelas - I imagine his parents would have been full of Tinar's perfections and comparing Galelas very unfavourably with superson. It is no wonder Galelas was so aggravating - he saw favouritism all round him every day when at home; he must have been looking for it all the time in other aspects of his life. Annael has the insight (and liking for Legolas) to realise that there is something behind what is going on, but Galelas hasn't. I find myself looking forward to his days with Eilian - at least that gave him some happiness. On the other hand, Legolas probably didn't need that just now. Although it has given him some forced time off when he can hanker after training - probably being forbidden to train will make it more desirable anyway, in that delightfully contrary way we all (especially when adolescent) have. Hormone poisoning combined with trauma: no wonder the elfling is a mess! I'm glad to see Ithilden is taking Alfirin's words to heart - it augurs well for their future. A responsive husband is a happy husband. I was glad to see he was responsive to other things, too. A pity that a falling tree seems likely to interrupt a bit of wet elven physical contact. Still - given their current performances to date, that would have been a bit too much to hope for. Thranduil is a stellar adar (most of the time) - and his lapses from understanding a quite excusable. Legolas can be enough to try the patience of a Vala - as can Eilian, actually. I would rather like to see a moody adolescent Ithiden driving his poor adar insane, too. (Perhaps in memory in conjunction with an intolerable Sinnarn.) Ithilden did well to remind Legolas that. in Thranduil's eyes, he and Eilian were sometimes worrying elflings of little more sense than their brother. And actually, it doesn't do Legolas any harm to see Ithilden lapse into moonling mode at the sight of Alfirin - he could do with feeling amused and superior at the moment. It was such a pleasure to read this. Author Reply: I have a lot of pity for Galelas. He had a really crummy family and then the way he reacted made it harder for him to get the very recognition and respect he craved. I tell myself that he was treated as hero in the Halls of Mandos. He'd like that. I'm laughing about your analysis of how Legolas will crave training now that it's forbidden to him. You could very well be right! Ithilden is very disappointed, I want you to know. Having Alfiring in a clingy dress on his lap on a horse is his idea of Valinor right now. But his chance will come, and he'll have centuries to enjoy it. Was it you who suggested that I needed a story with adolescent Sinnarn driving Ithilden crazy? This addition (memories of his own adolescence)is a wonderful idea! I think I have to do that. I like it when Ithilden and Eilian are brothers to Legolas. That makes some of my favorite moments in these stories. | |
| perelleth | Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 12/27/2004 |
| Wow! I'm amazed you were able to post through "seasonal mess"! It is great to get back home and find such an amusing chapter again! (apart from that evil cliffhanger, oh my!) Hope you also had time to enjoy yourself through this wonderful yule time! See, I'm glad things are apparently calm in Mirkwood at this time of the year, and Thranduil can turn his chief commander into chief brother and send him elfling-catching!!! I do pity this King: being a ruler and a parent -or a parent and a ruler- can be such a demanding job...!;-) He is coping greatly, I credit him for that, but then, he seems to have been well trained with his first two sons !!!! He's a great dad, I deem, I liked the cliffhangers he's been through in this chapter, trying to work himself out of worry "he's ok, I know he's ok", only to find the kid's not at home, but then "he's ok, outside, Manwe knows where, but ok..." poor king, I don't want to picture him when he hears the storm and thinks two of his sons are out there... grrr! Such a demanding job indeed!!! I like the way you're dealing with the emotional upheavals Legolas is experiencing, his guilt mixing with his need for independence ... I think he'll soon be ready to open up wholly and see his family are only trying to suport him. Killing another elf must be something truly shocking for anyone, so no shame to be deeply affected, and at Legolas' age it would be worse... but then, with "friendly" Galelas ready at hand to drive him mad about simple things.. What's going on with that kid? Seems he's dying for a bit of attention, someone to care for him or something... Legolas is truly fortunate with his family, and friends,I'm sure he knows... but it wouldn't hurt if you reminded him of the fact!!!! ;-) "...he thought that perhaps he needed to take a different approach to preventing it, one Alfirin might be more likely to approve of" That's the trick, my lord, that's the trick, see that you can manage if only you put a little thinking into it?...Now you start to understand what Adar meant when he talked about "making up?" Belated seasonal greetings and tons of muses to you! Author Reply: My husband and I were alone on Christmas day, and then yesterday and today, we were in Chicago visiting our son. So I haven't written since I posted this chapter. We're going away for a week on New Year's Day, so I'd like to get this finished before then. It's so close. I think there's only two more chapters. Contrary to fanfic Evil!Thranduil, I think he's a very good father. I think the Legolas we see in the Fellowship is the best proof of that. And you see him here struggling, as you say. I think balancing his roles has been the hardest for him with Legolas because he wasn't a single parent with the older two. Naneth was around to take up the slack. But on the other hand, he does have the two older brothers to help him, at least when they're around and not busy themselves. Adolescent Legolas is very interesting to me. He's vulnerable, even as you can see his strengths starting to flower. But his self-assurance is still not well established. And I think he's been over-sheltered in some ways, by a father and brothers who see him as a link to his dead mother. Galelas has an older brother who is the apple of his parents' eyes. He's always going to be watching for someone else to get favorable treatment, I think. He's seen it at home. He turns out better as an adult than you might expect, once he gets away from home and is valued as a warrior. I think Ithilden understands quite vividly what Adar meant about "making up." He was so looking forward to the horseback ride! | |