Stories of Arda Home Page
About Us News Resources Login Become a member Help Search

The Acceptable Sacrifice  by Larner 17 Review(s)
BodkinReviewed Chapter: 28 on 11/16/2005
the mouth as looks as if he was eatin’ sour sloes Beautifully put, Sam!

Pippin is still showing some remarkable bruises - and Frodo, of course, feels it is all his fault. But they held the mirror back at him! I don't know if the thoughts have penetrated that deeply, though.

The thought of Frodo and Sam as independently wealthy is amusing! Particularly Sam - I don't know quite what he'll make of that! Although he has a much sharper understanding of politics than he is willing to admit.

Author Reply: I pulled all the ligaments in my ankle and foot, and the bruises were still somewhat discernible two months after the injury, so I suspect Pippin's were discernible about seven weeks after he was hurt as well. Frodo has to realize that in Pippin's case the bruises may have been spectacular, yet in the end he was less seriously injured, particularly considering long-term implications of those injuries. The worst injuries in Frodo, both physical and spiritual, have left fewer physical signs.

Glad you like Sam's description of Wasnior.

And Sam has always been far smarter than he liked to believe. He sees the significance of the fact that no matter what happens, there are some who will lay claims for injuries no matter what happens or who's at fault.

Of course, Frodo is already independently wealthy in my view of the Shire, and he intends Sam will follow him in that capacity in Tolkien's view of the Shire as well. It's just that they both need to realize they have resources now outside as well as inside the Shire from now on.

I like to think that Aragorn would have exactly this kind of sense of humor--one which is devious and yet still has positive outcomes to the jokes devised.

Thanks so for the feedback.

Raksha The DemonReviewed Chapter: 28 on 11/15/2005
Another sensitive, beautifully detailed chapter. I liked Aragorn's little 'joke' on the Lords of Gondor. Good explanations of Aragorn's hereditary bank account - I've always wondered how he was going to finance his reign, since there didn't seem to be much tangible wealth in Arnor.

But I disagree with Aragorn's assertion (in this story) that despair was a partial cause of Faramir's illness. Aragorn said of the cause of that illness, in ROTK: 'Weariness, grief for his father's mood, a wound, and over all the Black Breath,' said Aragorn. 'He is a man of staunch will, for already he had come close under the Shadow before ever he rode to battle on the out-walls. Slowly the dark must have crept on him, even as he fought and strove to hold his outpost. Would that I could have been here sooner!'

JRRT never said that Faramir despaired. He certainly sorrowed for his father's contempt, he went out and did his duty, and kept his head amidst against appalling odds. Unless you equate "grief" with despair; but I don't think that's what Tolkien meant. Faramir does say in TTT that it's been long since he had any hope, but, unlike his father, he refuses to give up, and continues to fight, despite the likelihood of eventual defeat.


Keep up the good work with this very thoughtful and thought-provoking story!






Author Reply: Point taken and I will seek to fix it, probably on Thursday. And I did mean grief rather the the pure despair that Denethor displayed.

I also had felt that Aragorn ought to have had some form of wealth to draw upon once he became King, as what you say is true--there isn't much in tangible wealth obvious among the northern Dunedain. That Firiel would have been gifted with lands as part of her dowry made sense; but that she and her husband's heirs would not have great chance to draw on the wealth of those lands or the profits from them for many generations made sense; and over time the rents accrued could become quite sizable.

As in Lesser Ring I had Aragorn try his hand at trading in Harad, I wanted to add to that idea that he proved, in many ways, to be a sound businessman by indicating he used at least some of his ancestry's funds to add to his venture and made a profit on it, and then tried to help provide for the final showdown with Mordor by supporting the growth of the number of weaponsmiths in Gondor in the two cities where in the end they would be most tactically viable.

Thanks for the correction. I appreciate it.

ArmarielReviewed Chapter: 28 on 11/15/2005
Wonderful chapter!! Eek, poor Pippin! Lovely group hug, and wow...Aragorn is a wonder, what? *grabs him by the ankles* I think you must be the daughter Tolkien didn't know he had....hmmm, ya think?

~~~{~@

Author Reply: You mean Priscilla Tolkien and I are related, maybe? (Grinning!)

And you KNOW how I feel about Aragorn. I just like to see him a more rounded wonderful, you know!

And the group comfort there--they needed that as much as we appreciate it.

Thanks for the feedback, Armariel.

TithenFeredirReviewed Chapter: 28 on 11/15/2005
Economics and devious kings aside, it was the tender moments I liked best about this chapter: Frodo touching Pippin's wounds, the hobbits in a group hug, Aragorn gently lifting Frodo from the chair, Sam being a bossy mother hen over Aragorn. Lovely. ~TF

Author Reply: Yes, the tenderness is there amongst the other details; all realizing just how deeply Pippin was injured, and yet all feel it wasn't as bad as what Frodo had been through; the gentleness as all share their caring.

And Sam, through it all, hoping practical things like a warm drink in the belly will help to drive away tension and the coldness of the fear fought.

Thanks so much.

harrowcatReviewed Chapter: 28 on 11/15/2005
Oh Larner it is just as well that I am reading this last thing at night and not just before leaving for work or worse, at work because you have me howling with laughter along with Frodo at that last section! Diabolically Devious Aragorn letting Hobbits loose on the Lords of Gondor. Better than relying on the rumour mill to inform them of the breath of fresh air now blowing a gale in Gondor. (And I could use the same words about you Larner. Letting some of us reviewers prattle on about the Lords of Gondor needing to hear about the new requime a few chapters back when you had this in store for us!!!?! *g*)

I must admit I hadn't even thought of how the hobbits would be feeling about not being able to pay their own way. We hear about Merry and his silver pennies for the pony in Bree, even though Butterbur pays for it and Frodo worrying that all his small amount of money would not satisy the ruffianly and mysterious 'Strider' but I think that is the last time money is mentioned.
Does Aragorn have any idea that Frodo is already an expert at estate and money management? I don't think so! So yet more similarities between these brothers of the heart.

And all the bit with Pippin and Sauron's hatred of the Shire was wonderful too. Especially about the only point of being a warrior. Frodo needs pulling up short sometimes and the true facts of the matter stated clearly.

But the bit that had me close to tears, again was, of course;

“Know this, Frodo Baggins--I may have called to you, but it was your choice to return. The Gates were opened for you--for you and Sam; but it was you who turned and came back. I will rejoice that you did, for I would have been loth to lose you again....”

“Oh, Aragorn!” Man and Hobbit embraced. “I will try to make the best I can of the gift you’ve given me. But it is so discouraging at times.”

“I know, Frodo. And I’m selfish, I’ll admit, not wishing you to go on as yet. But in spite of all you can know beauty and laughter, joy and delight.”


Author Reply: This has been rewritten and re-edited about eight times since I wrote it over a week ago, and finally I felt I had it right. And so glad you enjoyed the laughs as well as the heart-felt moments. I doubt Aragorn regretted his upbringing, but he must have felt the conflicts with his instincts as a healer from time to time.

But so glad that you enjoyed both sides of this chapter, the caring expressed and the deviousness, the idea of the economics of the realm of Gondor compared with the pleasure of just seeing Frodo relaxing for a moment, the concern for Pippin and the following pride expressed, and the final laughter, with the breeze in Faralion's wind chimes, sweeping away the day's melancholy. And thank so much for letting me know I can make you laugh as well as weep.

French PonyReviewed Chapter: 28 on 11/15/2005
I like that Frodo and Sam have found useful employment in assessing the people that Aragorn deals with -- they've certainly had enough practice making good judgements about strangers on the Quest. And I love that Sam's initial impulse is to take care of Aragorn. That's so Sam.

I confess that I was a little weirded out by the last part of the chapter, though. I was not aware that Middle-earth, a quasi-feudal realm which seems to trade as much in barter as in coin, would have such a sophisticated, modern banking system. And the idea of free schools in the Shire sounds suspiciously post-Industrial Revolution.

But aside from that, I enjoy seeing Aragorn and Frodo deepen their understanding of each other.

Author Reply: Yes, Aragorn would make use of two of the most discerning folk he's ever met, I think, and I love to think of him with Frodo and Sam in tow, the lords come to swear their loyalty uncertain what to think of these two small ones by the King's side.

As for the banking, I doubt there would have been usury in Tolkien's Middle Earth, so not a great deal of chance to earn money via interest on loans and such; but with a situation where there were often absent landowners and such there would be a need for those who would keep track of incoming rents and income, and to see that taxes were paid properly and so on. In the case where no one had taken anything from the income for a long time, I suspect there would over time accrue quite a good deal of money which would need to be reinvested from time to time. Perhaps I should have called them estate managers or something, but bankers is a term we would recognize now; and in my Middle Earth's Shire there is a system of bankers of discretion who do much the same, serving as middlemen for those wishing to invest in the efforts of others for a share, and occasionally dispensing financial gifts or gifts of real property anonymously in one way or another.

There were bankers in the Middle Ages, and part of the reason Philip of France decided to have the Templars named sorcerors and black magicians was to relieve himself of his financial debts incurred by loans he'd taken advantage of from time to time from their coffers. Many would also borrow from Jewish lenders who did practice usury, and to get out of those debts it was not uncommon to do what Philip did with the Templars and name them kidnappers of Christian children and so on. It could be a dangerous business in the Middle Ages, being a banker.

You'll see I describe those in Minas Tirith as only the receivers and keepers of funds, payors of debts and taxes, and overseers of management agents and not much else. I suspect every civilization has done much the same; and here with a civilization which is three thousand years in its current site and with an additional three thousand years in Numenor, there was plenty of chance to develop banking in one form or another.

As for the free schools, I've always seen Frodo wishing to do this for the Shire so that more working-class Hobbits might follow Sam in upward mobility; Tolkien after all did place this land more in a eighteenth-to-nineteenth century mode than the rest of Middle Earth, complete with mantel clocks, after all!

But am glad you appreciate that Sam is Sam equally with Aragorn as with the other Hobbits and his beloved Master; and Frodo and Aragorn do need to appreciate one another for more mundane reasons than Ringbearer-King roles. And the ability of Sam and Frodo both to be discerning must have been treasured by Aragorn.

Thanks for bearing with my aberrations, and hope they don't bother you too much!

shireboundReviewed Chapter: 28 on 11/15/2005
What a lovely, hobbity chapter. All very fascinating, but this was my favorite part:

Sam flushed. “See beneath appearances? How about as when we met up with you at the Prancing Pony, then? I thought as you was the scurviest knave as ever walked Middle Earth, I did!”

Author Reply: Yes, Sam must have been embarrassed about that from time to time for years, and Frodo and Aragorn must have laughed at it frequently.

Yes, a rather hobbity chapter, and deliberately so after the last one. But the idea of plaguing Gondor with Hobbits has been going through my head lately, and this just sort of slipped into place.

First Page | Previous Page | Next Page | Last Page

Return to Chapter List