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A Spring of Joy by daw the minstrel	270 Review(s)
Socket	Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 5/31/2005
Oh, this is so sad. I was just not expecting Sinnarn to die. But how beautifully you have handled everything in this chapter, and how perfectly this sad event fits into Legolas's decision to join the Fellowship. Poor Annael. He has no family left in Middle-Earth now. And my poor Ithilden. weeps Author Reply: Thank you for your kind words, Socket. I'm glad this seemed to work in terms of developing Legolas. Annael has his wife, thank goodness! But his family has suffered tremendous loss. And I really am fond of him. But he will see all of his family again if he chooses to sail, and that's a comforting thought.

esamen	Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 5/31/2005
"He had always believed that Alfirin drew comfort from Ithilden’s strength, just as Legolas did, but he had never before realized how much Ithilden relied on Alfirin’s immovable courage." Oh, thank you for writing this sentence. It made me proud to be a woman . . . we do have such a great history of strength hidden within our smaller frames. I guess that's a terribly sexist comment but hey, that's how I see it. I think that this is the best funeral scene you've written so far (in these stories). The idea that Sinnarn has gone on and no longer needs the "shell" of his body is such a comforting thought. And I loved Thranduil's strength at the end. That's exactly what he would need to have, a preternatural courage to match the devastating circumstances that face him now. That's why he's king, hmmmmm, and why even the trees recognize him as such. And Mithrandir . . . that observant old fox . . . taking Legolas's measure with every visit he makes. Ah yes, he'll be back with Gollum. I think that you have beautifully juxtaposed good and evil in this story. The evil is fabulously written. The terror that the Nazgul inspires and the seriousness of the threat at Dol Guldur is very well done, even better done than Tolkien himself. And I think you have written a uniquely Elvish way of facing loss with honor and sincerity. What a story! I'm sorry it's over so quickly. I enjoyed our talkathon. See you again sometime! Esamen Author Reply: I think Alfirin is amazingly strong, despite the fact that she's content to stay within stereotypically female roles. She feeds Ithilden because it makes her feel better as well as him. And he eats to please her, and thus he stays strong. They truly need one another. Elves are deathless and Sinnarn is still alive. He's just temporarily "houseless" and out of his family's life. So that's very sad for them, but they know he will be reembodied and they will see him again if they choose. even better done than Tolkien himself -- Did lightning strike your computer? I enjoyed our day together too. I love talking to people who are interested in writing!

Brenda G.	Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 5/31/2005
I remember Sinnarn when he was born and tugging on his Uncle Legolas' braids. I remember him getting soused as the dwarves escaped. I remember him shuddering with the pain and loss at the Battle of Five Armies. I remember him falling in love and later, in this story, helping to lace up his wife's gown. I remember his last smile at Eilian before he and Tynd started their patrol from which neither would return. And, of course, the death scene. More bewildered than frightened, staring upward. So many Sinnarn moments... Now he is gone. I don't blame his wife and her grandmother for sailing West. The pain would be unbearable almost as much there as here, I would think. Legolas did not weep at Sinnarn's loss, but I did - enough for both of us. The bit where Thranduil imagines a dark-haired sprite running along beside him as he escorts Sinnarn's wife to the palace... That part broke me up pretty good. I'm glad Loriel is okay and that Gollum is gone. I'm glad that you have had enough of funerals and funeral pyres for a while. Me, too. Me, too. If my tears are a testament to great writing and the power of one author to make the heart overflow, then here's to you, Daw. You're the B-E-S-T! Brenda G. Author Reply: Oh dear. You're the second reader who's recalled Sinnarn moments for me. I already feel bad enough! What I think of with him is his struggle to accept his place as Ithilden's son. That was hard for him, but he did it. :-( No more dead characters for a while. I swear it! I wonder how Tolkien reacted to Boromir's death? Thank you for you kind words and your tears too, Brenda.

Frodo3791	Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 5/31/2005
I'll put it simply. I was totally in shock, then denial, then I was just purely angry that Sinnarn died! I had this hope that you wouldn't kill him, despite the fact you seem to have been in the killing mood lately, but then bam! Wow... to think at the beginning of this story I was wondering how you were going to keep track of all your OCs... guess you handled that! Ugh, the struggles of being a wood-elf.... I loved the ending of this chapter. I think it's very true, and you've definitly created all those elements within your characters. Mirkwood goes through a lot of pain, but yet it still goes strong. Awesome story, but I think you're due for some Legolas as a child fluff bit of writing soon. -Frodo Author Reply: LOL. OK. I did feel I had a lot of OCs and needed to thin the crowd a little. But I have to admit that I'm sick of killing characters now. Child fluff is exactly what I need!

Dot	Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 5/31/2005
More random thoughts from someone who should have been in bed a few hours ago... Legolas wondering "how many deaths would there be in the families of the Men he had just visited?" was interesting, I thought. It shows that he's beginning to think of the need to conquer evil in terms of all races rather than just wanting to protect his own home. Also interesting was the fact that Loriel was present at the funeral. I guess she's learned how dangerous the woods can be :-( And... there was something else but I've forgotten... Author Reply: I debated with myself about whether Loriel would be at the funeral, but I decided she would, mostly because I think I implied that Legolas was at his mother's funeral when he was small. I'm not sure how Elves thought about death. It was supposed to be rare, because they were deathless, although in Thranduil's realm it may not have been. But they knew that the fea went to the Halls of Waiting and then was reembodied. There were people among them who had lived with the Valar. So maybe that affected their sense of death.

elliska	Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 5/31/2005
I am absolutely bawling my eyes out. I loved it. Very well done. When I can think better, I will leave a proper review. Author Reply: Thank you, Elliska. Does it make you feel better if I say I cried when I wrote it?

sheraiah	Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 5/31/2005
Oh, Daw, when you do a tearjerker you really do it! I'm sitting here bawling like a baby. Very well done indeed. Author Reply: I think I'm glad I made you cry, sick as that is of me. This chapter was hard for me too. I love my OCs and I feel bad about killing Sinnarn. I just didn't think it was realistic that none of the warriors in Thranduil's family would die.

Lera	Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 5/31/2005
Ok. I don't cry. But I almost cried reading that. Sinnarn's death was horribly sad. But that was not was really touched me. This world, this family you have created have become so incredibly real and I FEEL for them. It was so wonderful to start this story off with peace and joy and Elien and Celuwen in the woods with a little girl, and now once again they must fight. You're setting it up perfectly so that it will seem so natural for Legolas to go on the quest. When Thranduil gets word of this, he will be sad but he will not be surprised. With finishing my freshman year of college and starting a new job I have been pulled out of Middle Earth. But this has absolutely drawn me back in. As you write onward towards the War of the Ring, I look forward to sympathizing with Celuwen as Eilien goes back to fighting, to seeing Loriel grow up under darkness and Legolas continue to grow. He will always be growing. Though he has seemed the most grown up in this story, more so even than in the one you wrote where he decides to be part of the fellowship. Thank you as always for a wonderful riviting tale that Tolkien would be proud of. You are quite honestly my favorite author I have found. Bless you for making your readers truly feel. Author Reply: Thank you so much for saying that Legolas is getting ready for the Fellowship. That's what I was aiming at. And the loss we see in this story is both personal and large scale. I can't imagine what it must have been like to be an elf and see evil be defeated and return so many times. I think if I had to write "Question of Duty" today, I'd probably do it differently. By the time of that story, Loriel would be an young adult. I'll bet Eilian will be frantic about her by then. I hope your first year of college went well. You're being very kind about these stories.

Dot	Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 5/31/2005
Oh, daw. I’m so sad. I felt a little of what they all did over the last few days as I waited for this chapter, knowing deep down that Sinnarn was dead and just waiting for that confirmation… You know, I’ve often felt sad or distressed by things in your stories but this is honestly the only chapter I’ve read with tears running down my face. I should be embarrassed to admit that but I’m not. I’m so attached to Sinnarn and this whole family and you wrote it all so incredibly well. I’ve often wondered what happened when Thranduil felt that Lorellin was gone. Now I know. I can’t even begin to imagine what it’s like to feel something that’s so much a part of you suddenly disappear. It must leave them reeling and so frightened. I love the way you’ve made it such a physical reaction. How bad I felt for Ithilden in that moment when he too realises that his son his gone. Thank heavens for Thranduil’s strength. “And in Thranduil’s imagination, a dark-haired sprite of an elfling ran along beside them, laughing and chattering excitedly about whatever Arda had offered him that day.” Oh, that’s just heart-breaking. I was sad about Siondel and Todith, but after Ithilden, Sinnarn was my favourite OC of yours. Remember him wanting to dance with Eilian at Legolas’ coming-of-age? Bowing to Mithrandir when he first met him? Messing about with Amdir? Paying for his youthful carelessness time and again? His enthusiasm about meeting Dwarves? His acceptance of his punishment after the Dwarves escaped? His bravery at the Battle of the Five Armies? Falling in love? His determination to find out exactly what was threatening his home so that he could protect his family? sob “In disbelief, he froze for a second and then sprang forward to crouch next to Tynd, who lay sprawled face downward, with an arrow in his back, reaching into a trench in which Sinnarn lay on his back, staring up at the sky, with three arrows in his chest.” I don’t even know what to say. I should probably have left this and thought about it for a while! It sounds like they never had a chance. But in some ways I’m glad that it was both of them. That’ll sound terrible, but I just think that it proves how dangerous this place is and what they had to contend with. If it had just been Sinnarn, there would probably always have been a certain question as to whether he had been as careful as he should and Tynd would likely have been completely guilt-ridden. This way was the best, I think. I always like to see Calith and I do enjoy seeing him take over. This must be hard for him, though. Apart from having to “have a little talk” with Beliond, I bet he misses the elfling who played with his Oliphaunt paperweights. I thought Legolas’ reactions were just perfect. His disbelief and unwillingness to accept what Emmelin was saying was a very natural reaction, and I thought his anger was spot on. This is his first experience with the return of Shadow and after everything they’ve suffered to finally gain some peace –a peace that lasted just long enough for them to begin to believe in it – to see evil return in such a way must be soul-destroying. The little moment between Alfirin and Ithilden was so moving too. Something like this could tear people apart but these two seem to be taking some comfort in each other. I love seeing her trying to look after him. He needs it, and I imagine doing so helps her a little. Aren’t the keepers just great? Eilian would be lost here without Maltanaur. His despair as opposed to Legolas’ anger shows the difference in their experiences. He’s seen this happen before and it took away the last of his childhood then. What will happen now to his own daughter? And how unspeakably awful for him to know that he has to return Ithilden’s son to him like this. There’s something very heartbreaking about the idea of Ithilden having to keep working, because it’s what he knows and where he can take refuge as well as the fact that the work needs to be done, and even more so to see Thranduil’s regret that he would need Ithilden now, despite the pain and grief he will be feeling. The saddest moment in the whole chapter is when Eilian hands over Sinnarn’s body to Ithilden. It’s one of the hardest things either of them will ever have to do but there’s still a connection between them. I was so grateful to Ithilden for that bit of reassurance he gave Eilian. I was surprised (and thrilled) that you showed the funeral. I’m glad Amdir spoke, and I thought it was a lovely touch that Beliond said a few words. He said exactly the right thing too. “I will remember Sinnarn’s gift for finding moments of joy, but I will also do anything I can to drive away the thing that killed him.” I’m welling up again reading that! To me, that sums up exactly Fellowship!Legolas – a deadly and determined fighter who will still play games and run off to find the sun. Thranduil is amazing. No one should ever have to see their grandchild die. Yet everything he has experienced has only made him stronger and more determined not to give in to the Shadow. He’s absolutely inspirational. His family are lucky to have him, and so are the people of the Woodland Realm. I think Elowen and Emmelin have made the right decision. I feel sorry for Annael but they deserve to find some peace. It might have been different if Emmelin and Sinnarn had children but as it is, there’s nothing for her here and Elowen has done more than enough for everyone. I’m glad too that Emmelin won’t be there to see the trees destroyed. This whole family has such strength. I think in them you’ve really captured the spirit of the Wood-elves. They won’t give up. They’ve suffered a terrible loss in Sinnarn’s death and also of the peace for which they fought so hard. But they’ll pick themselves up and just keep going. I’ll miss Sinnarn and still can’t quite believe he’s gone but at the same time, I think you did the right thing. Things are bad in the Woodland Realm now and there’s no clearer sign than the death of a brave and beloved warrior. I’ve talked too much and will probably realise tomorrow what I should have said. So I’ll finish by congratulating you on a wonderful story that brought us closer to the events that Tolkien just touched on and helped us see how they affected those involved, as well as how deep the strength and determination of the Wood-elves and their king runs and why Thranduil’s son would be prepared to risk his life to destroy evil for good. Thank you so much for a truly amazing story! :-) Author Reply: Remember him wanting to dance with Eilian at Legolas’ coming-of-age? Bowing to Mithrandir when he first met him? Messing about with Amdir? Paying for his youthful carelessness time and again? His enthusiasm about meeting Dwarves? His acceptance of his punishment after the Dwarves escaped? His bravery at the Battle of the Five Armies? Falling in love? His determination to find out exactly what was threatening his home so that he could protect his family? Oh lord. I do remember all that. Believe me, Dot, I feel terrible about Sinnarn dying. I just thought it was unlikely that with all those warriors in the family, none of them would die. And like you, I was worried about Tynd feeling guilty. That's why he died. In my head, this story has been about loss and how people face it. And I wanted the personal loss of Sinnarn to be set against the large scale loss of the peace. These two things get mixed together, and I'm not sure which one would cause the greater grief. I tried to think who would go and who would stay, and I couldn't imagine any of Thranduil's sons doing anything other than staying and continuing to fight. They've been raised to serve. You'll get no argument from me about how strong Thranduil is and how good he is for his people. And you words about how this is Fellowship Legolas thrilled me no end. Thank you for all you reviews and kind words, Dot.

Elemmíre	Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 5/31/2005
Ah, you deceptive creature! There are few author's who can make me cry, but you are certainly among them. Elemmíre Author Reply: I think I'm glad I made you cry. Does it make you feel better if I say that I cried too?

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