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Truth by Lindelea	47 Review(s)
FantasyFan	Reviewed Chapter: 17 on 10/3/2003
I do feel sorry for Ned. Even though it's his own fault, and even though it was a deliberately premeditated act, it doesn't seem like his remorse is purely because he got caught. Is it? I wonder how old he is? He seems very young here, and I wonder if the punishment will take into account that fact. He's certainly convicted by his own words, and Pipin's little bit of trickery serves to disguise the real magic, that of Ferdi's truth-sifting abilities. I knew there would have to be a confession, because there simply wasn't any other hard evidence possible, but it didn't come off like an old episode of Perry Mason, so you're all right by me. I think it was quite clever to use the hobbits' supersititon of Elves and their magic against them. Pippin would have to be pretty confident of his assessment of the Sandyman family, but then, what did he have to lose? If he didn't try something like this to get Ned to confess, Frodo would still be punished, and he's no worse off for the attempt. I guess we'll wait for the next chapter for the whole story to come out, and to make a better judgement of whether Ned's actions are undiluted malice or just misguided loyalty. Intent matters a lot. (Goldi may end up in more trouble than ever for starting the whole thing with her kiss of Farry. It's not fair, but then much hasn't been.) I wonder what the instructions to the healer were - to delay Sam until the hearing was ready to start, so he couldn't speak first? To hustle him out of there should things not go well? I'm curious. Author Reply: Ned is only a tween, and heedless of the consequences of his actions. He sees this as "getting back" at the Gamgees. Only with maturity will come the wisdom and the terrible knowledge of what he's done to another, and thankfully this situation was cut off before it got too ugly for him to bear when he's older, looking back. BTW, the healer's instructions will come out in a future chapter.

FantasyFan	Reviewed Chapter: 16 on 10/1/2003
Daisy and Primrose made Rose all her favorites. Frodo does Ruby's dusting for her. There's more than one way to say, "I love you no matter what happens." 'Don't be a ninny,' Rose said. 'I'll call all the children in to sit on you if I have to.' 'Sit on me?' Sam said. 'That's what they have to do with Tooks, to keep them abed,' Rose said. 'Don't think I haven't noticed, in all our visits to the Smials.' 'I'm not a Took,' Sam said. 'Then don't act like one,' Rose snapped. snicker That's love too, and besides, it made me laugh out loud, and at work too. I love the sharp wit, not to mention the running joke. I feel for Ferdi, with Pip in one of his difficult moods. This reminds me of a Pippin we haven't seen much of recently, all clever plans and airy pronouncements and stubborn intensity. I'm actually quite pleased that, although Ferdi has detected the truth and falsehood, it will actually be Pippin who worries out the real thief and gets Frodo-lad back into good graces. Ferdi has seemed a little too good to be true lately (though I love him dearly) and we might need a little reminding exactly why Pippin is the best Thain the Shire has ever had. Carry on with the writing - I'm not getting much work done, but I'm loving reading all the chapters. Author Reply: Sorry you're not getting much work done, but I'm loving reading all the reviews! Honestly, you always give me much food for thought which helps in the shaping of characterisations. Thanks for taking the time!

Miriel	Reviewed Chapter: 16 on 10/1/2003
I finally realized why the story is named "Truth." They must find the truth about the chickens. Hmm...I wonder what Pippin is thinking about the necklace. I hope that it works out! Author Reply: Good guess about the story's name. Often the names of these stories are multi-faceted, and can be applied to several different parts of the story. It's fun to do that!

FantasyFan	Reviewed Chapter: 15 on 9/30/2003
Frodo-lad barely got to say anything to his mom and da, and I thought maybe Rose might be brave enough to speak to him, in the safety and cloister of their own home. But I did not let myself hope that Daisy would brave the consequences and say good-bye, especially now when I see how severe the consequences would be. She is brave, to take the risk of not only seeing him, but to also declare that she would wait out the year for him. I'm sure there will be many suitors eager to 'console' her, while the competition is unavailable, and it will not be a popular stance to defend Frodo when his guilt has been proven, and his punishment made public. Frodo's and Daisy's love is romantic and solid, but there's another kind of love declared in a pocket-fuzzy ginger buscuit. Even amongst Frodo's anguish of his wrongful accusation and unjust punishment and his despair over losing his reputation and chances for the future, he must feel a trace of grounding security in the unquestioning love of his family. It's going to take one of those detective-novel miracle confessions to get Frodo out of this at tomorrow's hearing, I'm afraid. Even though Pippin knows he's innocent, and Ferdi's convinced Ned is lying, there's no evidence he can hold in his hand. He's got to find some way of proving it to everyone who's sure to be watching, and it will be a real trick to convince Ted, especially if his own son is involved. Unless the truth comes out about the borrowing of the knife, there's not even a thread to start pulling on to unravel the true story. I'm looking forward to see what you have to pull out of your hat. Author Reply: There is an awful lot of love in this chapter, one of the things that makes hobbits so winsome and wonderful, I think. A detective-style miracle confession? I do hope I managed to side-step that contrivance. Let me know how I did when we get to that part.

Miriel	Reviewed Chapter: 15 on 9/29/2003
Thank you for the part with Daisy. I'm so glad to know that she still believes in poor Frodo! Screams He's lying!! I know that, and you know that! Why can't everyone else know too? Ah, well, then I guess we wouldn't have a story, now would we? I think that I might have an idea on why Ned could have taken the chickens, but I'll keep quiet on that. Magnificent, once again! Author Reply: You have an idea as to why the chickens were taken? Do tell! (after this is resolved, of course). I’m itching with curiosity. Or else it’s time to treat the dog for fleas again. And thanks once again for the encouragement!

FantasyFan	Reviewed Chapter: 14 on 9/29/2003
Pippin's frustrated, Sam's in shock, Rose is going to be strong, the girls are in tears, the boys are angry, and Frodo vacilates between bewildered and grim. How can so much happen in the short time between breakfast and dinner? Sam is a worry. Of course he's going to resign: he may do it anyway even if Frodo is eventually exonerated. Sam has always had an over-developed sense of propriety. This, however has hit him right in the heart. Perhaps he held out some hope until the end that clever Pippin would find some way out of it. Later, he and his family will find a way to come to terms, but now it seems like he's lost his son. Pippin doesn't believe in Frodo's guilt, but there are enough people who do. I doubt Sam would be able to break the ban and speak to Frodo even in the privacy of his own home (but Rosie might). I hope nothing else happens to Sam right now, because he might not survive it. Ferdi believes Frodo told the truth. More than that, Ferdi seemed to catch a hint of something during the hearing. I don't know what it was, but his insistance on the hearing being adjourned came right after Ned spoke. Did he hear something that made him think Ned knows more than he's letting on? Does Ned carry enough resentment about his Father's treatment following the troubles, that he wishes for revenge? What can they find out in Hobbiton tomorrow? Guess I'll have to wait and see. Author Reply: Nice summation. It is amazing just how much can happen in the space of a few hours. Recent events come to mind. You were right in what you noticed about the timing of Ferdi's brainstorm. More will come to light in a future chapter.

Miriel	Reviewed Chapter: 14 on 9/28/2003
Groans This is probably one of the most agonizing things in fiction! Knowing that things will turn out right, yet also knowing that first the reader shall be led through darkness and despair. How awful that this should happen! For Sam to lose both Frodos...How awful. Poor Rose, devastated as any Mum would be. And let us not forget Frodo. How terrible for him to know that he is innocent, yet unable to prove it. And to be placed under the ban, while innocent! Sigh Actually, the person who deserves the most pity is Pippin. I'm sure that he believes Frodo is innocent, yet all of the evidence points against it. How hard must it be to sentence someone you believe is innocent, much less the son of a dear friend. (Not to mention that I'm sure Pippin is fond of the lad, as well.) It's almost tragic that the lad was named Frodo. For Sam, its as if he is losing Frodo again, for Pippin, he must place harsh punishment upon Frodo-how hard must it be for him to say that name! Why is Ned so eager for Frodo's punishment? Just Sandyman nastiness? Or something a bit deeper? I wonder also what Ferdi knows. I almost cried in relief when he asked for it to be adjourned. I could feel the anguish of all the characters in this chapter, which made it heart wrenching for me as well. Very well done. Is Goldi in the next chapter? Author Reply: I wonder how many innocents are put away in our justice system. At least as many as are let off when guilty. O for a truth-sifter, in reality! And yet, in this case, it looks as if hearing the truth is not enough. Somehow, hard evidence must be produced to save an innocent from condemnation. No, Goldi is not in this next chapter, but someone else is whom I think you'll be happy to meet.

Citrine	Reviewed Chapter: 14 on 9/27/2003
I actually groaned out loud when I read this chapter. Poor old Sam! To lose two Frodo's in one lifetime is more than a hobbit can bear. I could almost see him having a flashback to the Havens when he nearly fainted and then looked at his son. I have faith that Ferdi (or Pippin) will think of something....Crossing fingers. Author Reply: Yes, Samwise is under a terrible strain. He faces losing his son, his reputation, the Mayorship, and worst of all, he knows in his bones that Frodo is innocent, though he has no way to prove it. Thanks for reviewing!

FantasyFan	Reviewed Chapter: 13 on 9/26/2003
The little interlude about Pippin and Diamond's picnic reminds me of why we love the Shire so much (and its inhabitants). There is no evil here, without outside forces like ruffinas intruding. In Merlin, the hobbits didn't know the meaning of the word torture, or of breaking a prisoner. Most don't understand the meanng of the rope marks around Ferdi's neck either. No hobbit has ever killed another on purpose in the Shire, and the names of those 19 killed in the Battle oF Bywater are learned by heart. The concepts of child abuse, or rape, or kidnapping have no place in their world (something that turns me off in a lot of bad fanfiction I've read is when authors don't seem to understand that). But it's not a utopia either. Tolkien writes about gossip, petty jealousy, insular prejudice, the inflated importance of reputation and mistrust of anyone who dares to be the least different: and that's all in the first chapter. Hobbits are clearly capable of strife between themselves, although even the worst that Lotho Sackville-Baggins and Ted Sandyman ever do is motivated as much by too much trust in the wrong people as any evil intent of their own. So, I think that the justice system you have set up is perfectly appropriate for the setting. Everyone knows where the boundaries of polite society are. Transgression are subject to relatively severe and rapidly escalating penalties. Justice is swift and fair (within traditional guidelines). The worst offenders are removed before they can poison the society. As far as we've seen, there is no recourse of appeal of the Thain's decisions, even when they are capriciously and unfairly imposed as in Ferdi's case (perhaps an appeal to the king could be possible?) It's not a perfect system, but it has the advantage of simplicity and of preserving unity. Having said that, Pippin's hands are trully tied in this case. Frodo has no way of proving his innocence, and once sentence is imposed, he has no way of finding the real criminal. Perhaps it will be up to his family to do that. If the sentence for thievery is one year under the ban, the sentence for delibertely framing someone for a crime should be much more severe, as in the case of Nibs Clayburrow in Flames. There of course, the crime Ferdi was oringinally charged with was malice with intent to do harm, and the punishment for Nibs for the crime and his spontaneous frame-up of Ferdi was banishment. Here, the crime is less serious, but the malice is even more deliberate. I think Frodo-lad is in for a humbling experience, but Truth will out eventually (I hope). By the way, I read the stories here but sometimes don't think to look for a note from you in the reviews. I usually check the header of the story at ff.n for your comments, as I like to hear what you have to say to others too. I actually feel fairly anonymous posting my reveiws here with the priviledged few others whose names I see often. (sorry this is late. the computer crashed on the first try, and it was hard reconstructing all that.) Author Reply: As usual, a very helpful review. You gave me a turn when you mentioned kidnapping and bad fanfic in the same breath, for in my stories, it is a real fear for Pippin, though of course, he learned about the idea in the world of Men. Those in his inner circle know about the concept, as well, if only because he hopes it will give them cause to guard his family more closely, knowing what ruffians might do. Then, of course, I realised that you have already seen kidnapping in "Merlin" (on the part of ruffians, that is), so I see that your comments must be in reference to hobbits kidnapping hobbits, something I've not yet run across in fanfic, though I have seen reference to rape. My beloved Ferdi was branded a rapist in at least one story I've heard about! Talk about unjust accusations! You'll have to let me know, when we get to the solution in this story, how plausible you think it sounds. Your computer crashed on the first try, and you typed all that in again? You are a wonder, and I am very grateful to have you for a reader and reviewer! If you ever want to get into the beta business, let me know.

Miriel	Reviewed Chapter: 13 on 9/25/2003
I enojoyed seeing Pippin and Diamond still romantic, more so as the years go by, much like a marrige should be. Too bad that they never will get to go on their picinic, at least not today. Hits head against wall. This is so frustrating! Why can't Frodo remember lending his knife? Maybe someone could come up with the theory that his knife was stolen? Or he dropped it somewhere besides the chicken coop? Grr. Ferdi, hopefully, will be able to sort things out as he always does. Although, considereing how this is going so far, probably not anytime soon. Your right, Goldi and Hodge probably would make a better couple socially than she and Farry. I never thought about it before when I read the appendix, not being too concerned with classes myself, simply thought that it was nice that Sam's daughter and Pippin's son got married. I never once thought of the complications, and it is grand to see them brought to life. (I wonder how far you will let the Hodge/Goldi thing go. Perhaps to the point of agony of your readers? (Which would be engagement, or serious courtship.)) Anyway, thank you again! Author Reply: Yes, we are barely more than halfway through, so there is still a ways to go before this is over. Ah, well, my grandmother always used to say that adversity was character building. Guess all the Gamgees are under construction at the moment. I do love writing romantic scenes between my married hobbits, especially the longer they are married. Ummm, how far will Hodge/Goldi go? Am tempted to answer this, but for the fact that it would be a spoiler to do so. Thank you for the lovely, long review. It feels more like a conversation, somehow.

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