Queen Galadriel
· 9 February 2006
· Chapter 22: Lesson Learned: Spring Flood, 1433
Oh my. Yes, it can be so frightening when such great natural disasters come. I remember watching the news and hearing stories after Katrina until I just couldn't bear it any more, and I remember being at the point of tears of grief and, I suppose, fear...and the only thing that kept me anchored then was the knowledge that God ordains all things.
Drabbles are such powerful things! :)
God bless,
Galadriel
Author's reply
When I wrote this drabble, it never occured to me I would be living it in real life in less than a year! Nor did it ever occur to me that I would be writing a companion story to it. ("Hobbit Aid")
Ironic, isn't it?
Only yesterday, I was driving on Highway 90, taking my mother somewhere, and I kept stopping and taking pictures of the places that *used* to be there...
Queen Galadriel
· 9 February 2006
· Chapter 13: One of the Lads
Love it! I just adore stories in which the "Big Folk" contemplate the hobbits. Have you read Baylor's "The Care and Feeding of Hobbits?" That's a really cute one. I eventually plan to get through *all* of these Mathoms...well, hopefully I will, or the collection might just keep growing and growing and I may never catch up :) (not that I'd mind very much, I don't want to run out! :))...so I'm off to read more. Hope this review makes sense! :)
God bless,
Galadriel
Author's reply
Oh my yes! Baylor's "Care and Feeding" was one of the first fics I read, still remains a favorite, and was a huge influence on me!
Well, these mathoms will only go on for a few more, and then I'm going to have to open up a new anthology, or it really will be too unwieldy to manage. I think 100 stories is enough for one anthology, don't you?
Citrine
· 9 February 2006
· Chapter 93: Sam in the Middle
“Mr. Pippin,” Sam hissed, “hadn’t you ought to be between your cousins?”
Pippin chuckled softly. “I don’t think so Sam.”
Sam was startled to realize how much larger Mr. Pippin really was. “But--”
“Shh. Sam, this is fine. This is where I belong now.”
I don't know why, but that bit right there just really touched me. Pippin has grown so much, and not just in height. When Sam got tears in his eyes, I did, too.
Author's reply
Aww...
It *is* touching for Sam to realize how grown Pippin is. I think that as they all began to recover, and Sam began to appreciate what Frodo's cousins had gone through while they were separated, that it was the beginning of a deeper and truer friendship for him with those two, one that would help to sustain him a couple of years later when Frodo left.
Lindelea
· 9 February 2006
· Chapter 93: Sam in the Middle
Aww, this left me with a bittersweet feeling, and a smile. I like all the little details, and the "matter-of-facts" thrown in, like "the old way" of sleeping, among hobbits.
Kudos to Marigold for requesting this!
Author's reply
When I began to try and puzzle out the "whys" and "wherefores" of the "hobbitpile" (which is a fanon concept I *love*) I decided that for clannish and social creatures such as hobbits, sleeping together like that would be natural, especially in dangerous and uncertain circumstances, when the older or stronger would sleep on the outside, and the younger or more vulnerable on the inside. This fell away during the more civilized times in the Shire, but it would instinctively come back when the circumstances warranted. I alluded to this in "Chance Encounter", and when Marigold beta'd for me, she said she wanted a story about the first time Sam slept in the middle.
She does have a way of finding the most persistent bunnies...
mews1945
· 9 February 2006
· Chapter 93: Sam in the Middle
Oh, my, this is so lovely, it brought tears to my eyes. I always loved the thought that Sam and Merry slept on the outside so they could look after Frodo and Pippin, and now it's Merry and Pippin taking care of Frodo and Sam, and it makes perfect sense. I love your Sam voice too.
Author's reply
Yes, that idea was born in Baylor's brilliant "Care and Feeding", and I decided to carry it on through, and think *why*, and decided that it's the natural way for hobbits to behave when they are in strange or dangerous circumstances. And now of course, it is Merry and Pippin who are the protectors.
Andrea
· 9 February 2006
· Chapter 93: Sam in the Middle
But it did make a body feel older.
That was wonderful, Dreamflower! Sam's voice was so evident in each line. You captured it perfectly.
Little Pippin has grown a lot on their quest. He's not only taller, but also wiser. Sam should allow him to be his protector for a little while.
For after all, he's *really* older ;-)
Author's reply
I'm glad you think I got Sam's voice right.
And I think Sam will allow it; not that he's much choice. But I'm sure it seemed strange to him at first!
shirebound
· 9 February 2006
· Chapter 93: Sam in the Middle
Oh Dreamflower, this is wonderful! What a marvelous gap-filler, and it's just perfectly told from Sam's POV.
Author's reply
Thank you! It is a nice little gap, and Marigold is so apt in spotting the ones that need filling, and in pointing them out!!
Pearl Took
· 9 February 2006
· Chapter 93: Sam in the Middle
"But it did make a body feel older."
A totally marvelous last line!!! This is a delightful story, one of those refreshing Sam POVs :) Very Well Done :) :)
Author's reply
I almost didn't put in that last line--I was afraid it was a bit out of place. But I know how it makes me feel to realize that someone I have always thought of as a youngster is all grown up.
Queen Galadriel
· 9 February 2006
· Chapter 93: Sam in the Middle
Aww! Very sweet and touching! Yes, Sam deserves to be the protected instead of the protector for a little while (not that he'll ever change), and I imagine sleeping on the inside would be comforting after the long, lonely, bitter nights in Mordor, when both he and his Mr. Frodo were living on only his hope. Thinking about it, this story goes deeper than it appears to go on the surface.
God bless,
Galadriel
Author's reply
Thank you! Yes, he does deserve that, none moreso; and Pippin has grown into his new role. I'm glad you liked it and that you see a deeper meaning in it!
Bodkin
· 9 February 2006
· Chapter 92: Where There's a Will...There's Merry
I'm glad Esmeralda reacted with resignation. There was no way that they were going to be able to keep that devious little Brandybuck away without locking him in his room! And even then he would climb out of the window.
The bolster! He'll not get away with that trick so easily again. And Dahlia will sit with her back to the closed door.
Lovely tale.
Author's reply
No, I don't think they stood much chance of it. I would imagine that after this, unless whatever contagious thing one of them had was truly dangerously dire (and that doesn't come up for *my* Frodo and Merry) then they would have just given up the effort to keep them apart.
And, no, Dahlia will not be taken in by a bolster again, LOL! (And I love that image of her sitting against the door. *snigger*)
Baggins Babe
· 9 February 2006
· Chapter 92: Where There's a Will...There's Merry
This was utterly adorable! I love Merry's logic, that Frodo wouldn't make him sick! Merry sounds like a real handful - perhaps once Pip arrives he realises what Dahlia went through? :-))
Author's reply
Well, of course it was logical. Merry *knew* Frodo wouldn't do anything to harm him--and he turned out to be right. It's a good thing he's still too young for "I told you so"!
Oh, Pip gave Merry some hairy moments as well, I am *quite* sure!
Grey Wonderer
· 8 February 2006
· Chapter 92: Where There's a Will...There's Merry
Clever Merry! A very sweet story!
Author's reply
Thanks! Merry just is ever so clever, isn't he? *grin*
GamgeeFest
· 8 February 2006
· Chapter 92: Where There's a Will...There's Merry
Of course he didn't get Frodo's cold. Frodo would never do that to him. ^_^ Adorable little story. Merry's persistance and clever, quick planning really shine through here.
Author's reply
Absolutely. Merry *knew* that, and he couldn't understand why his Mum and Dahlia did not.
"Persistant and clever"--yep, that's our Merry!
Kitty
· 8 February 2006
· Chapter 92: Where There's a Will...There's Merry
Oh, that is so cute! Of course the adults fought a lost battle to keep Merry from his Frodo, the more so because Frodo was sick. Merry had to go and comfort ‚his’ Frodo, how could they not understand this? And of course Merry wouldn’t catch the cold, Frodo wouldn’t do this to him *LOL* I love this argument!
For someone so little it was a very cunning idea to use the bolster to fool Dahlia. Clever little lad! He must truly have been the terror of Buckland when he was older!
Author's reply
Naturally. Keeping Merry apart from Frodo when he was truly determined would be a lost cause, and Dahlia and Esmeralda should have known that from the start, LOL!
Well, Merry knows Frodo wouldn't do anything bad to him, so the argument made perfect sense to him!
My Merry is very precocious. If he were a modern human child, he'd be in what they call "gifted" classes at school. He's clever and a quick learner, and he is always planning ahead. Poor Dahlia didn't stand a chance.
Pearl Took
· 8 February 2006
· Chapter 92: Where There's a Will...There's Merry
Bravo!! Charming!! Well Done :) :) :)
I love the description of the toy pony :)
Author's reply
Thank you!
I just thought Merry might like a toy such as that: very realistic, and not necessarily cuddly. And Merry's always liked ponies.
harrowcat
· 8 February 2006
· Chapter 92: Where There's a Will...There's Merry
I am glad that no-one is the worse for Merry winning this tussle. Dahlia really did try so hard! *g*
Author's reply
She did. She really did; but trying to come between Merry and Frodo was doomed to be a losing battle.
Queen Galadriel
· 8 February 2006
· Chapter 92: Where There's a Will...There's Merry
LOL! Awww! That's cute, Dreamflower! Leave it to sweet little Merry to do something like that and slip away to comfort his cousin. I loved it!
God bless,
Galadriel
Author's reply
Merry has known from his earliest infancy that his purpose in life was to take care of his Frodo. Poor Dahlia, no way she could beat that!
I am glad you enjoyed it, thank you!
Kitty
· 6 February 2006
· Chapter 91: A Long and Weary Night
You’ve captured Pippin’s feelings in this difficult situation very well – his despair about his mistakes, his feeling of being useless, his shock how Denethor treated his younger son. In this state of mind, Faramir’s injury and Denethor’s death must have been even nastier than they were already. And then to come home and to have all the problems with his own father ... poor Pippin. No wonder he was so much more matured than one would have expected considering his true age.
Author's reply
Yes, poor Pippin--this is one difficult time for him. Alone, ashamed, afraid--very hard for him. I know that his mind had to be in complete turmoil.
Larner
· 5 February 2006
· Chapter 91: A Long and Weary Night
I love the current situation so interspersed with the flashbacks. A superbly done story, Dreamflower.
Author's reply
Thank you.
When I looked at the Tale of Years, I realized that the night of the 10th and into the wee hours of the 11th would have been very hard for Pippin. I am quite sure that his mind would have been churning, and old memories surfacing, amid the turmoil of his troubled spirit.
Bodkin
· 4 February 2006
· Chapter 91: A Long and Weary Night
Poor Pippin. Not designed by nature - or experience - to be alone. I like his horror at the way Denethor behaves towards his second son. I can't imagine anything more likely to turn him into a fierce defender of Boromir's little brother.
And it'll get worse before it gets better. But I'm glad to know that it will get better.
Author's reply
No, he's definitely not designed to be alone. He, more than any of the others, needs other hobbits at his side.
Hobbits are so family oriented, and we know from what JRRT says, that their children are cherished and indulged and protected. The idea that a parent could show such harsh favoritism would just be beyond alien to Pippin. And knowing how dearly Boromir loved his brother, it would definitely have put him squarely in Faramir's camp.
I actually know of a person whose brother was killed in an accident, and whose mother never ceased to tell her that she wished it had been her killed instead. This happened when she was a young teen, and yet when she passed on in her late seventies, her mother's cruelty still haunted her.
You are right though, for Pippin it *will* get better, though it's hard for him to see that at this point in time.
Andrea
· 3 February 2006
· Chapter 91: A Long and Weary Night
But he couldn't silence the tiny voice in the back of his head, that said--"At least you'd be together. Now you'll probably both die, hundreds of leagues apart--no comfort there."
Oh, I know that tiny voice! It keeps on bothering until your thoughts begin to circle around one thought: "It's all your fault!"
You have just to see it from a different point of view to know that it's simply not true!
Poor Pippin, he really needed some comfort that night, but he dared not to ask Gandalf. Though, I'm quite sure he would have given it gladly!
Author's reply
Oh, I know that tiny voice! It keeps on bothering until your thoughts begin to circle around one thought: "It's all your fault!"
Exactly. Just that exactly. But you are right of course, that this is far too big for it to be any one person's fault--Pippin just can't see that right now.
And yes, if he had *asked* Gandalf would probably have done just that--but since Pippin feels guilty about taking the palantir from him, he really does not dare ask.
harrowcat
· 3 February 2006
· Chapter 91: A Long and Weary Night
Wow! Now that was a night full of angst. I kept wanting Gandalf to intervene. I think Pippin is finding out the truth of Gimli's words at the departure of the Fellowship 'Sworn word may strengthen quaking heart.'
Author's reply
I know. I think if Pippin had spoken to Gandalf, he would have been comforted. But he's trying so hard to be grown up and cope on his own, and still a bit ashamed of himself over the palantir, so he wasn't about to ask.
You've made a good point. When it came to helping Frodo, or taking care of Merry, Pippin needed no oath to strengthen his resolve. But here in this strange place where he knows no one save Gandalf, an oath is probably a good deal of comfort to him, to realize he has a duty to perform.
Pearl Took
· 2 February 2006
· Chapter 91: A Long and Weary Night
i'm nearly speechless. This is wonderfully insightful, Dreamflower. Pippin would not - could not - understand Denethor until later when he would see a palantir in the mad Man's hands.
Author's reply
Yes, he'd know then just what tipped the Steward over the edge, none better. Yet he, an inexperienced, young and small hobbit, managed to resist the Dark Lord's pressures, while Denethor pridefully and deliberately courted disaster over and over...
Pearl Took
· 2 February 2006
· Chapter 90: First Time, But Not the Last
ROFL!!!!
I mean really, nothing more need be said.
hehehe
Author's reply
*chuckle*
Not until Pip grows up, anyway, and Merry can embarrass *him* with this...
Tigger
· 2 February 2006
· Chapter 90: First Time, But Not the Last
Oh, this is priceless!! There's one in every family. My youngest nephew was forever taking off his clothes when he was that age and has given the rest of us a deep well of stories to bring him up short w/when needed >:oD "Can cats me!!"...Poor Merry!! LOL!!
Thanks for this adorable little tale. :oD
Author's reply
It seems to be something that certain little ones just go through, to the chagrin of their families, LOL! Of course, it *is* embarrassing years later, to hear all about it. *grin*