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| All Those Who Wander by daw the minstrel | 175 Review(s) |
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| Manderly | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/19/2005 |
| How wonderful to see a story from you, Daw! I've been waiting for a new story from you for months, it seems, so I actually cheered to see this popping up. Better still, it's a young Legolas story! This first chapter was wonderfully written with such a mix of emotions that reflected perfectly the state of the family - healing, but still on edge that a simple thing can retrigger the raw feelings of grief. The little scene at the beginning between Legolas and Eilian was simply precious, but the thought of the little elfling wandering the halls at night checking on his family is rather heartbreaking. Orc's spit! Somehow I get the feeling that Legolas will be blurting this out at some point, within Ada's hearing. I hope Ithilden relents and allows Eilian join the guards. I would be wonderful to see the entire family heading out on this trip. Author Reply: I'm glad to be writing about these characters again too. I spent the summer turning "Growing Under Shadow" into an original young adult fantasy novel and now I'm sending it to agents, trying to get one to represent me. It's a discouraging process and I was glad to get back to little Legolas and his family. These people are healing but they're still a little fragile. Legolas and Eilian are lucky to have one another's unconditional love, I think. And yes, I suspect "orc spit" will come back to haunt Eilian. Ada will be sooo pleased. | |
| The Karenator | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/19/2005 |
| I have to admit I've missed your Legolas stories. I'm so excited to see this! And it's such a delightful beginning. Eilian is feeling pretty rough, but there's nothing like a little brother's cold feet to jolt you awake in the middle of the night. I loved that Legolas didn't mind that Eilian smelled a tad like spoiled grapes, but Legolas knew that Ada would most likely disapprove. Such unconditional love. And Eilian is naked. Thought I'd mention that in case anyone missed it. The blanket is a nice reoccurring bit. I can see the little guy hanging on to his 'blanky' no matter how ragged and gross it gets. BTW, I still have my oldest son's blanky too. My youngest didn't get as attached to one as the oldest. I did save one of his too, but it's not as 'loved'. I got a kick out of Lorellin saving her sons' special baby things. Ithilden is, of course, mortified. He came into the world far too serious to admit to ever having been a child. Gee, didn't breakfast turn out to be fun? Eilian wasn't sure if his stomach was going to rebel or not and Legolas went off the deep end when he found out about his Ada's trip. Don't you hate it when that happens? I felt terrible for poor little Legolas. He was beginning to rejoin the living when this bombshell was dropped on him. He's back to suffering separation anxiety again and Thranduil's not left yet. Thranduil has a fine line to thread with giving Legolas structure and discipline and staying tuned in to the little one's needs. It's hard to know where that line is sometimes since it's constantly shifting even under normal circumstances. Nimloth's idea for Legolas to accompany Thranduil is intriguing. I have a feeling things won't go as smoothly as she thinks it will. And no family meal would be complete without Ithilden and Eilian going at it, butting heads and trying to navigate their own shifting line of commander and warrior. Makes my head hurt to trying to figure it out. You did such a good job of changing the tone with each POV. The beginning is on the level of a child, but the adult voices were distinctly different and unique to each character. I enjoyed following that nearly as much as the story. Very well done, your minstrelness. Can't wait for the next chapter. Glad to see you back in Mirkwood. Karen Author Reply: Legolas judge Eilian by far different standards than Adar does. Eilian comforts him and loves him and that's all that matters. But Thranduil does have different concerns, poor guy. I have my son's blanket. It was knitted and it's unravelled like crazy but I treasure it. He used to take it to nursery school with him. All the kids did. But Legolas needs his and Ithilden is horrified at the thought that he used to need one too. :-) I was interested in showing Ithilden and Eilian still working out the brother/commander/warrior division. They manage nicely when they're older but it must have taken some doing. Thank you so much for your compliment about the voices. That's a wonderful thing for you to say. | |
| Lianna | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/19/2005 |
| Great to see that you're back! And that you've set this story at such an interesting point in time. There's something particularly interesting about seeing Thranduil learning to cope with being a single parent -- and not just to Legolas but to his grown sons as well. Poor Maltanaur, though. I know that he has to recover, but at the moment, things don't look good. I assume that he is not in immediate danger of dying because wild wargs wouldn't be able to drag Eilian out of the infirmary in that situation, so I suspect that the problem here is that Maltanaur's injuries might leave him with a permanent disability that could make it impossible for him to return to duty. If that's what you have in mind, it's going to be interesting. With the long lifespans of elves and the dangers of their lives, there must be at least a few elves walking (hobbling?) around with permanent impairments. I've long wondered how their culture deals with disability. Tolkien didn't really get into that. Author Reply: I'm glad to be back! Your point about Thranduil learning to be a single parent to all three of his sons is a really good one. He's struggling to know how to react to Eilian's wildness and Ithilden's rigidity. Poor guy. I was thinking about your comment about disability. In the Silm, Maedhros loses a hand and goes on to lead an army. I hadn't thought about it before but you're right. He couldn't have been the only one. I think they probably just accepted what the person could do. | |
| Jay of Lasgalen | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/19/2005 |
| How great to see a new story from you! I've missed Eilian and Ithilden, and the bodyguards. What on earth happened to Maltanaur?? The news from the infirmary sounds bad. We know he survives, and stays with Eilian, but it sounds very uncertain at the moment. Poor Ithilden, assigning himself as Thranduil's guard. He's not going to trust his father's safety to anyone else just yet, is he? And now Legolas is going, and Eilian wants to go - it doesn't seem a good idea to have the entire royal family off like this. Author Reply: Oh man, you couldn't have missed these characters any more than I did, Jay. I'm so glad to be writing about them again. I've been writing about how Maltanaur got injured. In my head, he and Eilian are still working out the terms of their relationship, and this is one of the events that pushed them along. Ithilden can't let Thranduil go off alone any more than Legolas can. And hey, Jay. I need them off in the woods! | |
| Bodkin | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/19/2005 |
| Poor Eilian. He makes a rod for his own back all the time. In more ways than one, I suspect. Not just the drinking and the settlement girlfriend as obstinate as he is and the restlessness and the open defiance of his brother - but I have a sneaking suspicion that he is guilty of placing Maltanaur in the position where he was injured. And yet - Eilian's good qualities are just so good and Thranduil and Ithilden barely seem to acknowledge them in their irritation. Who does Legolas tend to go to when he needs support and warmth? Eilian. And yet, when the inevitable 'orc spit' is spoken, what will be noticed? The words - or the fact that Legolas was able to comfort himself with his brother's presence and sink into the unquestioning care offered him? But this is such a difficult situation for Thranduil. He is right that the elfling needs to have a routine and to feel a gentle authority - but Legolas needs flexibility too, especially now, when he is facing the first real threat to his very shaky security. And if Ithilden feels the need to come along, why should the youngest member of the family not feel the same? Good for Nimloth - her offer gave Thranduil a way of keeping the elfling by his side. There are some totally delightful moments here - Ithilden's embarrassment at discovering that his naneth was still treasuring his blanket. Eilian's amusement at the same. (I'll bet Eilian didn't need a blanket. Different sort of elfling!) The picture of solid, authoritative, troop commander Ithilden being big brotherly enought to shout the traditional 'Grow up!' at Eilian. Legolas tasting the vintage of the porridge. Legolas waking his brother with the application of freezing feet. It's a terrific set up. I can't wait to learn more. Author Reply: We'll hear more about what happened with Maltanaur. It's one of the confusing flashbacks I'm working on. :-) You're right about how hard it is for Thranduil and Ithilden to recognize Eilian's good qualities. Legolas sees them easily. Eilian is open and accepting and loving. If Legolas needs him in the middle of the night, then Eilian is happy to have him, cold feet and all. Right here in my notes it says that Ithilden isn't any happier about letting Thranduil out of his sight than Legolas is, so you got that one right, Bodkin. To Legolas, it must feel like Nana went on a trip and didn't come back. How does he know Thranduil won't do the same thing? I have to admit that this story is MUCH easier to write than my original fic is, which is really odd given that the original fic is meant to borrow many of the same characters. But in this family, I know them so well that it's easy to create scenes and events and dialogue that feels real to me. | |
| pipinheart | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/19/2005 |
| Little Legolas has lost his mother, and has his little blanket around...I like the two older brothers they seem to have conflicts between each other... Author Reply: I love Little Legolas. When I write about him, I can get inside his head and the most bizarre things seem normal. The older brothers have very different personalities. They're far apart in age too. Ithilden is about 600 years older than Eilian, while Eilian and Legolas are only 60 years apart. So Eilian more or less drives Ithilden crazy. | |
| Joee | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/18/2005 |
| Hurrah! You're back, and with a little Legolas story too. Aww, I love young Eilian, he's so fun and unpredictable (and unattached!). Great start, please update soon =) Author Reply: LOL. Eilian is very unattached. He's a bit at loose ends actually. No wonder his father worries. | |
| French Pony | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/18/2005 |
| Awright! Back in the saddle again. I can't make this too long, because I have to get up and be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for a conference session at eight tomorrow morning (how people can talk in a scholarly fashion about the Holocaust at eight in the morning is beyond me), but I can at least leave a little note. I love the way Legolas goes straight for Eilian's room when he wakes up in the night. And the way that Eilian just turns over and accepts him in, cold feet and all. Those two have always been close, and that scene is one of those special little moments that shows it. And now it's Maltanaur's turn to take the bullet for his principal. I think he's the last keeper to be seen actually doing that, so good for him. I hope Thranduil pays him well for his job. Bodyguarding isn't easy at the best of times, and guarding young Eilian is probably doubly difficult. I kind of like the idea of the whole family going off on this business trip together. I suspect that they'd kind of like it, too. They seem pretty fragile still, and being together will be good for them. And good for Nimloth, offering to come along. Sounds like she has the problem of a wife whose husband has suddenly retired and feels the need to "help" out at home more often. I would agree with Ithilden that he was more sober than Eilian when he was 70, but I don't think he ever was 70. He's the sort who was born 347. Author Reply: I like getting to my office early. It confuses the students, which I need at my age. :-) I enjoyed writing the scene between Legolas and Eilian. They're each uncritically loving with the other, and they value that and gain a lot from it. As for what Maltanaur gets paid, that's a good question. I've tried to avoid most questions about economics in Mirkwood because I'm not sure Tolkien thought them through very well. I've decided Maltanaur is easy going but also kind of enjoys some of what he gets to do with Eilian. He probably isn't enjoying himself a whole lot at the moment though. I laughed at your comment about Ithilden's sobriety. I suspect you're right. Poor Ithilden. I'll bet his mother spent time trying to loosen him up. | |
| Wendy | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/18/2005 |
| Aaaaah, bliss! I was sitting down doing bills and thought "Let me take a break and see what's up at Stories of Arda." Not only did I find a new story, but it's by my favorite author! Thanks for making my evening. The story is off to a great start and I look forward to learning more about this period in the family's life. Wendy Author Reply: Thank you, Wendy. I've been working on turning one of my stories (Growing Under Shadow) into original fic and I finished a draft of that and am searching for an agent. So I needed a break and was soooo happy to be able to write about these characters again. | |
| Karri | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/18/2005 |
| Woot! A little Legolas story! I have not been reading much fanfic of late, but 'tis a pleasure to read this. :-) Author Reply: Thank you, Karri. I missed writing about Little Legolas. It's fun to try to get inside his head and see what makes sense from that point of view. | |