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| Discretion by Bodkin | 13 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| Dot | Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 9/10/2005 |
| Well, good for Arwen! No point in spoiling it now. Of course, she could just figure that it’ll save them more embarrassment by not telling them than telling but I prefer to think she’s enjoying a good joke ;-) I actually didn’t expect Aragorn to react that way any more than Gimli did. Men! Wanting to save his brothers instead of embarrassing them???! LOL. Perhaps Gimli should just have explained it to Arwen and let her decide whether or not to tell her husband… You know, I was just thinking that if I were a dwarf and heard someone using those phrases, I’d actually be more likely to think they were making fun of dwarves than anything else. Which is actually rather worse than just thinking that the king or the sons of Elrond have some verystrange wishes. Either way, Aragorn owes Gimli big time now. Arwen is wonderful in this. Her mother and grandmother would be proud! Her powers of persuasion have obviously been finely honed over the years. And the best part is that she has no shame whatsoever in using her, uh, skills to handle her husband. I love the little moment shared between herself and Gimli. ‘Let the secret tongue remain in the safekeeping of the dwarves’ Good man. And Gimli is happy :-) Author Reply: No point at all spoiling it now! When a joke's been running over 2000 years and is so old it has whiskers bushier than Gimli's, you might just as well let it ride! Well - Aragorn was embarrassed enough by the information himself - he really didn't want to know what he'd been saying - so he was overcome with a wave of protectiveness for his foster brothers. Of course, once his natural buoyancy has had a chance to revive, he will see the point in continuing the gag. And relish every slip of their quicksilver elven tongues. No more developments, she sobbed, please. I have decided (!) that Elladan and Elrohir didn't really spend a huge amount of time of / with / near dwarves. In their younger years, Elrond and Glorfindel (who are in on the joke) were more of less in control of them - and what contact they had was fairly formal. In other words, they weren't about to be spouting what they believed to be bad language. They have enough diplomatic skills to be in control of their tongues. And they know that dwarves really don't much care for outsiders to be speaking their language. (Some exceptions. Possibly Galadriel.) In later years - when they were orc-slaying and beyond - their contact with dwarves was even slighter. Dunedain, yes. Rohirrim, possibly. Men of Gondor - on occasion. Elves of different realms. Dwarves, no. Gimli is the first dwarf in donkeys' years to make it beyond 'slightly suspicious stranger' to 'elf-friend' and the first dwarf who has been close to the Elrondionnath when they have been playing. So he is the first dwarf to have been in earshot of their little slips of the tongue since the ones who taught them in the first place. But Aragorn does owe Gimli - because dwarves are involved in the rebuilding of the White City, and one accidental use of an interesting expression could cause an International Incident. However, Gimli (this one is NOT going to make it to paper) has a devious little scheme of his own to keep him entertained over the next century. Not only is he planning to collect the phrases used by the sons of Elrond, he has in mind the possibility of adding to them. Just a few casual phrases - accidentally employed in elven earshot. Elladan and Elrohir will collect them thirstily - like a plant in the rain at the end of a dry week. And Gimli will watch and listen and act dumb. And enjoy. Although he will have to act carefully so as not to pollute the mind of his elf. Arwen is the descendant of a whole raft of very powerful female role models - and she has learned the knack of getting her own way from mistresses in the art! (Not that Aragorn can't wangle his way round her - she wouldn't want him to be a doormat. But they are newly wed and he's been waiting nearly 70 years and it doesn't take much to turn him to mush.) She didn't quite wink. But she could have done! Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed it. | |
| daw the minstrel | Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 9/10/2005 |
| So the twins have been doing this for thousands of years. I wonder how many dwarves have heard them? Gimli is right though. Arwen is quite scary when she sets her mind to something. Author Reply: Maybe not too many - I hope. After all, they think they are being very rude. And they haven't been that close to all that many dwarves - and then not as friends, until Gimli. Maybe, when they search their memories, they may be able to convince themselves that they have managed to get away with it. Maybe. Arwen is the cherished daughter and youngest child of a remarkably powerful house. I can imagine that, much like her grandmother and mother, she is pretty accustomed to getting her own way. (Though I think Aragorn must have had - or developed - some pretty good Arwen-managing skills. I can't imagine she would have appreciated a doormat. But wisdom does suggest not getting between an elleth and her older brothers.) | |
| harrowcat | Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 9/10/2005 |
| Brilliant Bodkin. I had wondered, previously, whether Arwen knew - after all she is daughter and grand-daughter and we females should stick together! So it was nice to see her in this chapter supporting Gimli's POV! Giml's Observation of her was very astute. I don't think that Aragorn stands a chance of changing her mind ever either. And what a fun project to last for years! Author Reply: And I've just had the thought that Gimli might have taken great pleasure in very subtly adding to the twins' vocabulary. Not directly, of course - that would be too obvious. Just, perhaps, using a phrase in their hearing that they could then adopt. And he could score himself on how many and how stupid the expressions. Arwen in nearly 3000 years old and the descendant of Celebrian and Galadriel. Once she chose to bend Aragorn to her will, I imagine he bent! (Puts a new perspective on who chose whom, really.) I'm glad you enjoyed it. Author Reply: descendant of Celebrian and Galadriel. And Melian and Luthien. To name but four. | |