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| Time's Turnings by daw the minstrel | 25 Review(s) |
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| sofia | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 1/30/2005 |
| I did not expect Ithilden to do something like that. But then again if you want something that badly you'll do anything. I can't wait to see what will happen in the inn. -sofia Author Reply: It's hard to picture responsible, adult Ithilden as he was 600 years ago when he was an adolescent. He's learned a lot in the intervening years! But I think the kind of flaws he had are consistent with the ultra-responsible person he turned out to be too. | |
| Tapetum Lucidum | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 1/30/2005 |
| Are you sure you are not a lawyer - that was some fancy political rhetoric in the first section. Eilian is his father's son. All of those years of court have really paid off. Closing the door on Maltanaur and Co was funny. I could see his frustration and King Bram's glee. The words chosen to describe Thranduil's opinion of men were very accurate. Having Eilian use the truth to convince Bram of their continued good relations was definitely the right choice. No one's wine matches the King's (LOL)! Maltanaur's blood pressure must have dropped considerably when Eilian finally emerged from Bram's study. At least Eilian made sure they had adjoining rooms. Checking the window security was very much in character for the keeper. I am confident that Eilian will charm him at dinner and that Beliond will watch Legolas like a hawk. Beliond would definitely prefer the trees but the inn sounds like a lot of fun. It is a good place to gauge the mood of the town as well as a lot of fun for an inexperienced princeling. Beliond is doomed if Legolas and Maltanaur join forces. Having Ithilden make a decision about troop deployment was a good way to step into his flashback. I was happy to see him empathize with his son and youngest brother. I was also happy to see him be a little elss perfect. His little trick with Lomiland was very clever. It was, however, not nearly clever enough to escape his father's wrath. He was lucky his punishment was so mild. Deceiving a teacher is very bad (as you should know!). It is a little strange to see Thranduil and Ithilden talking as peers regarding parenting. It is a new side to their relationship. Eilian does seem to have matters in Dale well in hand... for the moment. I am looking forward to seeing that resolve. Author Reply: I'm glad Eilian came across well! I struggled with that part of the chapter, actually. I had to go on and write the rest and come back to it. I wanted it to be tricky and diplomatic, like a mine field for Eilian. And I wanted him to negotiate it well, but be aware of how important this was to his father and the realm. He's not so much older than Legolas that he takes his father's good opinion for granted. I also thought that the priorities of the two keepers might conflict a little here. Maltanaur wants Eilian's safety, so he wants Legolas to act like the guard he is. Beliond wants Legolas's safety, so he wants them out of the town. And Legolas was the one who decided which way things should go. I think the direction he chose was the right one. Ithilden did a very bad thing! Very bad! The teacher and his father both say so! And so say I! Thranduil talks to Ithilden like an equal as much as he does with anyone. And that's a sign of what a great adult Ithilden has become, I think. | |
| Elvenesse | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 1/30/2005 |
| Yup, I mean the sense of ease that Thranduil and Ithilden have with each other. I think anyone having that with Thranduil would be quite an achievement. Anyway, I forgot to add that I loved the way Legolas handled Beliond. You are welcome to do likewise or not, just as you choose. He knows full well that Beliond has no choice. It made me laugh. Author Reply: I've grown fonder and fonder of Ithilden as I write these stories. He's not a naturally friendly, happy kid, like Eilian. And he's not the baby, like Legolas. He's born the burden of a lot of responsibility all his life and he's done it graciously and well. And don't think Beliond didn't notice that either! | |
| Elvenesse | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 1/30/2005 |
| I think that it's a shame that Thranduil (and Ithilden as well) doesn't have that sense of trust and equality with Eilian and Legolas - although I suppose that it will come with time. The sword drill was very realistic, although I don't know much about sword fighting. I've done exercises where I can hardly breathe and I'm struggling not to be sick because it's so hard. The more tired you get the more you have to concentrate on your technique because it disintegrates so much. That scene made me wince - from both remembered pain and from anticipation of how much trouble Ithilden was going to get into. Legolas being assertive with Beliond - yay! I'm not sure that he will enjoy the inn though, Middle-earth inns don't seem to be something I'd enjoy; and I don't know how Elves would like the noise and the smell. Poor Beliond. Author Reply: I'm guessing you mean the sense of trust and equality that Thranduil and Ithilden seem to have with one another. I really enjoy writing about that. I think it's a real achievement on Ithilden's part (and maybe on both their parts). But you're right: Eilian and Legolas are both excluded from that just now. They're both young, of course. I'm guessing Ithilden had quite a lot of work to do to get to where he is now from where he was on the day of the sword drill I described. It does sound awful. French Pony told me about it. They did it in her fencing class. Legolas needs to assert himself a little with Beliond. It's the only way he's ever going to win his respect. He has to do it right: no whining or stupidity. But standing up for his own opinions isn't going to hurt. | |
| elliska | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 1/30/2005 |
| Bram is one seriously stern fellow. Poor Eilian. I felt bad for him--not only does he have to try to convince Bram that the Woodland Realm is his ally, he has to worry about doing it without saying anything that will tick Thranduil off in the process. Good thing he's a real charmer. You did a good job portraying the tension in that meeting. Poor Maltanaur too. And Legolas gets to stay in the inn. Boy, he'll regret that. Has pipeweed been invented yet? Regardless, I doubt the inn will meet the standard of living Legolas is accustomed to. Even that of an Elven warrior camp. Poor kid. I think he's in for some disillusionment (sp?). At best. And poor Beliond. He knows better and I bet he is imagining the worst. But in this chapter, my favorite part was definitely the flashback. What a sneaky little trick! Ooo and Thranduil was not pleased! I bet Ithilden didn't see that side of his father too often but it was scary. I liked that whole sequence a lot. And I like the discussion between Thranduil and Ithilden afterward. It is nice to see father and son talking about parenting. Thranduil handles it well, knowing how much he disliked interference. I am almost afraid to see the next chapter. You are good at building suspense. A little too good. :) Author Reply: I'm glad you liked the part with Eilian and Bram. I struggled with it, for some reason. Eilian is in a ticklish situation, caught between his need to convince Bram of his honesty and his need to keep some of Thranduil's sharper opinions to himself. A night in an inn. :-) We'll see how that goes. Beliond is not pleased. One of the odd moments in writing this chapter came when I wrote about Ithilden and Thranduil being companionable in the "present" after seeing that moment of Ithilden's adolescence. I do think the two of them are quite close now. I suspect that Thranduil trust's Ithilden's judgment as he does that of few others. | |