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Blizzard!  by Nilmandra 42 Review(s)
lwarrenReviewed Chapter: 1 on 4/5/2005
This is such a good story about the family life Legolas enjoys day to day as he's grown older. I love seeing Tathiel and Lathron and Thranduil and the way they have helped Legolas become such a sweet, loving child. It was inevitable the he discover the not-so-nice side of people...watching his pain and confusion when faced with it was not fun! I was ready to snatch up Abronwe and pin his ears back by the end of this chapter!

Emlin is a seriously cute little elleth - I love her name. And Legolas' "tweet, tweet" in greeting was so cute! Fluffy indeed - but fluffy is good where little Legolas is concerned! :-) He has turned into a good older brother...I can remember when he was flying around talking to the baby in Tathiel's tummy and telling it to cooperate! Emlin twirling and watching how her skirt and cloak bell out is so typical - my daughter did it when she was small, and both my granddaughters do it now! LOL The guards are just one more part of Legolas' life that is loving and protective - I liked Magor the Magician!

Tathiel had Legolas doing a great botany lesson - name it, describe it, and draw it...lovely! I minored in Biology in college and botany/plant taxonomy were favorites!

Enter the new playmates...Narthan is a kind child, but Abronwe really put my back up (and I know about his issues, but he still made me mad! LOL) Legolas is so excited to be playing with kids his own age and a little friendly competition made it all the more fun...however, I got the feeling that Abronwe would have been nastier still if Legolas had shown any notion that he knew he had shown the older ellon up in their acorn game. But Legolas is so friendly - here, let me show you...and cheering for the boy when he did well.

I love Lathron - he's still my favorite, and Thranduil is still the best Ada with his little blond whirlwind! The goodnight scene was so nice, but sad as the King thinks how perfect it would be if Narawen was there. *sniff*

Of all the things Abronwe could have picked to throw at Legolas to hurt him, I guess he picked the worst. And Legolas' reaction - you described it so well, the tight feeling in his stomach and the knowledge that something was wrong - his thoughts of why was he saying those things? A terrible introduction to the cruelty of others... You know you have succeeded with a character when your readers want to spank him for being so mean! :-) Well done, Nilmandra.

linda
(Little Legolas Bunny Hutch, hmmm?)



Author Reply: Ah, yes, Karri is the keeper of many bunny hutches, including one dedicated solely to children! Her ideas have led to many stories, so if you are ever in need, we'll point you to the hutches and tell you the visiting hours. Bunnies love to be adopted.

Glad you liked this look at Legolas's life - he has adjusted well, doesn't even know his story makes him 'different' in any way. He is loved and he loves his family, and he gets to be a big brother to Tathiel's Emlin. Not a bad life at all for a child.

But, at some point, reality introduces itself, and even poor Legolas finds that its not just the outside world that can be bad.... people right in his own realm can hurt him too. Welcome to the world, Legolas. :(

perellethReviewed Chapter: 2 on 4/3/2005
Oh my! Poor elfling! (Tissues have been very useful!) This Abronwë seems to be angered with Legolas for some particular reason! Children can be very cruel, and hurt children are even crueller! I loved how big brothers raged and set out to right things!

But then, poor Legolas, to make him doubt Tathiel! I liked (in a technical sense of course!) how you managed to picture the child’s point of view in the Hall, as he tried to catch Tathiel’s attention, and how his short stature caused him to be left out of the circle of bigger elves trying to comfort Tathiel and her child, and how lost he suddenly felt. It was so visual! My! Thranduil’s going to have a stroke when he learns his child is missing, yet again!!!!


Author Reply: Your Thranduil did not find his Mid-winter eve very pleasant at all. I think a lot of memories resurfaced, a lot of fear and reminders of those two years they waited. Poor elfling(s), indeed! And you will likely include Abronwe in that, eventually :)

perellethReviewed Chapter: 1 on 4/3/2005
Well, my education proved more than enjoyable, although highly demanding in terms of tissues too!:-) I’m amazed at your ability to write such long stories, so full of emotion and feelings and so packed with unstopping action. Amazing. The best compliment I think I can make to that story (MTVPT) is that by the end of it I was able to recognize each and every OC, which is some kind of feat, as my attention span is becoming very diminished in my old age! ;-)

Blizzard, now! It was great to find Legolas so fully immersed in his life. It is amazing how well he managed to adjust, and how lovely and caring a child he is. Undoubtedly thanks to the way he was cared for and loved even when the circumstances where so difficult!. So it’s doubly painful to see his confusion at the end of this chapter. That Abronwë seems trouble! I’ll better go and get my tissues!


Author Reply: Oh, I should that to the warnings for MTVPT. I am glad you liked it. I hope little Legolas and his home life are believable given what the poor child went through!

perellethReviewed Chapter: 1 on 3/29/2005
As I've found that I'm grieviously illiterate about your Mirkwood, I thought I'd better go and get myself an education first! I'll be back here eventually!!! ;-)

Author Reply: LOL! I hope youre education is enjoyable!

meckinockReviewed Chapter: 2 on 3/28/2005
Must...kill....demon-elf-child...

Wow, is this Abronwe kid the spawn of Sauron or what? Poor Legolas. I was so relieved when his ada finally got him settled down nice and warm and cozy, and then this unholy terror had to go and torment him again. He seems to know exactly how to push Legolas's buttons. Where's his mom? I want to have a talk with her! Poor Legolas. Nothing could be worse for him than being made to doubt Tathiel's love. And now he's all alone in the forest.

Author Reply: Oops, I might have made him too mean! Well, we'll see. Abronwe certainly seems to know what buttons to push, but just being mean in general is beyond what Legolas has experienced. He's only been loved since he's been home. I think Abronwe's Mom would fear your interrogation! She's never met a ranger.

DotReviewed Chapter: 5 on 3/28/2005
Ah. I knew you’d give Abronwë a good reason for acting as he did but I wasn’t expecting this. My heart went out to him and his family. He’s tried to be brave and strong but he’s just a child who needs love and reassurance. I’m so glad too that it didn’t turn out that his naneth was being cruel in her words, just that a conversation was overheard when it shouldn’t have been. Narthan is a little darling. He’s so loyal and loving. I’m relieved that Thranduil waited until after he knew Legolas was safe before talking to the two families because he was calm enough to be able to see and understand their grief as something he shares.

I always love seeing Lathron and Legolas together. I just loved the little comment that “Lathron could be like that sometimes.” I thought that really summed up Lathron’s attachment to his brother.

And it seems they’ve all been wagering on Legolas and his desire to see some magic!! That’s so funny.

Lathron did well in explaining to Legolas why Abronwë acted as he did. As young as he is, Legolas can understand something of what he must be feeling and perhaps even recognises that in many ways Abronwë has a bigger hole in his life because he’s lost someone he knew and loved.

I love how simply it was all resolved in end, with Legolas inviting them to watch Mithrandir’s ‘magic’. It’s so wonderful to see him so happy and to know that he has friends. He has spent so much time with adults and really needed to be a child with other children for a while.

I can’t tell you how much I loved this story, Nilmandra. I haven’t done it justice at all but it really was such a treat. Thank you! :-)


Author Reply: Ah, Dot, you are very kind to review every chapter like this. I didn't expect anyone to do that, but I am more than thrilled to see your comments on every chapter.

I have had a few Abronwe's in my life recently, and it does help tremendously to know why they behave the way they do. People can hurt each other when in reality, their anger taken out on the person really has nothing to do with the person.

I am glad you liked the story - I wanted it to be realistic while showing a society where children really were loved and valued. Thank you for your kind words.

DotReviewed Chapter: 4 on 3/28/2005
What a wonderful thought that everyone would come to help search for Legolas.

Mithrandir! I wasn’t expecting him! I had to laugh at her apologising to him for not having food. She’s such a little mother too, all annoyed at the wizard for waking the sleeping child. It seems Legolas remembers who he is, though, and is just as entranced.

Tinánia’s memory of another Yule was so moving. It really gives weight to this scene, them all sheltered together, waiting to be found but still able to feel some happiness.

I thought it was lovely that it was Thranduil who reached them first and was the first person that Legolas saw.

“You look like a big ripe berry.” LOL. Now that conjures up an interesting image… ;-)

Legolas is very cute in his apologies. He knows he’s does wrong and seems to want to make amends. There was no chance of Thranduil punishing him, though!! I thought it was such a nice moment when Thranduil told him that he does remind him of Narawen but reassures him that it’s a good thing.

“Adar, do you think Tinánia will marry me when I grow up?” I’m still smiling at that!

It was a beautiful scene where Thranduil spoke Tinánia as an adult and thanked her for all she had done. She has been such a blessing to his family.

Tinánia and Lathron?! Oh, yes! When does she come of age??!


Author Reply: Tinania is a wonderful young lady, isn't she? And I truly did not see the Lathron thing coming -she went out the door, ran into him and really blushed! I have often said I just write down what I 'see', and sometimes even I am surprised!

Mithrandir showing up in any story is a good thing and fun to write, since he's sort of this gruff old grouchy guy who has a limitless heart. He's very useful!

And Tinania should reach her majority in the next year or so (I'll check my notes!)!

DotReviewed Chapter: 3 on 3/28/2005
Hey look, it’s Tinánia! I just love seeing all your OCs again! And at least she’s on Legolas’ trail, even if she doesn’t realise it’s him.

“Adar, we cannot find Legolas!” Thranduil’s heart must have stopped for a moment. I love the image of them all flying into action immediately – Bregolas organising everyone, Thranduil and Rawien wanting to get moving, Lathron looking after Tathiel.

I thought it was so cute that Legolas tries to think what Bregolas would do and is so confident that his eldest brother wouldn’t be scared. Clearly Bregolas is someone to look up to!

I love that tree! There’s a sense that the tree recognises him and wants to protect him until the king finds his young son and that’s so endearing.

It was an amazing moment too when Thranduil attunes himself to the forest and senses which way Legolas went. So elfy!!

Tinánia is just incredible here. There’s such a wisdom in her born of experience even though she’s still so young. I hate the thought that people’s questions still cause her pain but she seems to have learned to deal with them. I thought her explanation that “sometimes children need different things at the same time and a parent must choose the order in which they provide for those needs, but they are determining what need must be met first, not which child is more important” was very insightful. I was glad that she understood that these questions were important to him and answered them carefully, yet honestly. He seems to have responded to that too.

I felt more for Thranduil having to face the children and their families than for them facing him! I was relieved that he knew to be gentle with Narthan, though. There’ll be time for more later. For now, at least they have something to go on.


Author Reply: Tinania is sort of the embodiment of children who have grown up too fast, earned wisdom beyond their years, and come out more compassionate, kinder and wiser because of it. There are so many wonderful stories of teenagers out there throughout the ages that have risen to do whatever they needed to do. I think she saw the needs thing clearly with Tathiel - Tinania was usually last in line for help not because she was less important, but because Legolas's and Earundra's needs were greater.


DotReviewed Chapter: 2 on 3/28/2005
Oh, Nilmandra, the image of the sad little figure trudging into the palace and wrapping himself around his father was just heartbreaking. And how terrible for Thranduil, Lathron and Bregolas to hear this and feel so helpless in the face of such a tale. I had tears in my eyes when Thranduil felt his anger well up inside him and Bregolas placed his hand on his father’s arm to bring him back to the present.

Thank heavens he was able to shelter Elumeril from Legolas’ pain. I’d hate to see her sad again.

I like that moment when Lathron and Bregolas leave without asking for permission for anything and Thranduil not questioning them. Whatever Thranduil might think, for now it’s the only way they feel they can help their little brother.

Abronwë really comes across as a nasty piece of work. Legolas was making quite a valiant effort by even staying there and talking to them. But the suggestion that Tathiel might care more for Emlin and prefer just to look after her obviously hit home. I cringed when Tathiel brushed him aside to look after Emlin. She couldn’t have known how much Legolas needed reassurance at that instant and of course, she had to take care of her injured child – but it just couldn’t have happened at a worse moment. And that suggestion that Thranduil couldn’t face raising Legolas because he reminds him of his wife… I’m angry just thinking about it! Poor Legolas. No wonder he ran off as he did.



Author Reply: I admit, I felt so bad for Legolas here. Welcome to the real world, elfling. :( He is so sweet and innocent that deceit and underhanded mean comments are just beyond the scope of his experience. Well, fortunately, he has a whole host of people who love him!

DotReviewed Chapter: 1 on 3/28/2005
What a thrill it was to see this there. I read it yesterday morning and it was just the perfect way to spend Easter Sunday. Apart from the fact that I love your world and get completely caught up in it, it was such a joy to have a whole story from you to read! Yay!

I loved seeing Tathiel again. And Emlin is adorable! The relationship between her and Legolas is so sweet and it’s probably done him a lot of good to have someone younger than him to love and look after.

So, two boys, eh? I had to laugh at the way they introduced themselves – name + status in relation to knife. It was awful to see Emlin’s tears when she was left behind but I can see why Tathiel thought it would be good for Legolas to have some playmates near his own age.

One of my favourite things about this story were the glimpses of Legolas’ relationship with his family – like Bregolas teaching him the best way to throw a stone and Celebrinduil showing him how to spin them. I loved those images.

Yay, Lathron! I love him!

I really liked the part with Thranduil putting his son to bed too. They clearly adore each other and I feel so glad for Thranduil that he has these moments of happiness.

“You forgot Alagos,” said Abronwë snidely.” Ouch. Well, that stopped me in my tracks! I like Narthan and the way he offers his sympathy but if I could have dragged Abronwë out of there by his pointy ear I would have! My heart went out to Legolas. It’s never easy to hear such cruel things but this is obviously the first time he has and it must have been devastating for him. The fact that he’s so young and didn’t even clearly understand made it even sadder to see.


Author Reply: Writing a story to completion before posting was a new experience for me! I wanted to see if I wrote differently, and if I my writing was tighter or more concise or anything. I am glad you liked being able to read it all at once - I wasn't sure if people would like that or not. Don't think I'll do that with HLIII though!

Legolas really didn't understand what was going on. I've had that experience lately, where I joined a community (non-fandom related) and learned about all this in-fighting and trolling and saw such discourtey and disrespect, that I felt a little bit like Legolas!

Author Reply:

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