What a lovely look at this scene Dreamflower and how appropriate to do it from Gimli's POV. Whenever I read this scene I try to picture which members of the Fellowship would be standing and silent and which prostrate in their grief. I guess from your description that our ideas are very similar.
Author's reply
I had really wanted to do something from his POV--I hope to eventually have done each one of the Fellowship's POV in this set of fics--and this scene, I wanted to explore the reasons that Gimli seemingly ignored his grief over Gandalf to go sight-seeing. I just couldn't think it was that way, so I thought to go inside his head, and show that visiting the Mirrormere was actually a *part* of his grieving, and his need to draw strength from it. And it was important that Frodo and Sam go as well.
I think in some ways my ideas on how they showed their grief were somewhat influenced by the film. But not entirely...
Anso the Hobbit
· 12 March 2006
· Chapter 33: Ill Wind
Mmm... Legolas will indeed read more into the wind than any of the others and it is no wonder he is in doubt about the journey, but as we know he will learn several times over and more how well it was that those who set out on the Quest did. Very nice!
Author's reply
Yes, it is no wonder he was in doubt. I am quite sure that all of them doubted from time to time--even Gandalf. But you are right that he will learn they have done the right thing, even if it did seem completely daft at the time.
Queen Galadriel
· 11 March 2006
· Chapter 23: If I Only Had a Fire
:) Poor Pip! This seems very in character. And it just isn't fair that those elves can be so much more comfortable than we poor mortals, is it? *grin*
God bless,
Galadriel
Author's reply
Yes, poor Pip. While he usually is the cheerful one, he is only a tweenager, and sometimes that entails indulging oneself in misery. And, no I am *quite* sure it seems completely unfair, especially when one is cold and miserable and wants a fire.
Queen Galadriel
· 11 March 2006
· Chapter 22: The Long Dark of Moria
Wow! I love your drabbles-there's just something about them that I can't put my finger on, but leaves me wanting more and yet knowing that what was said is enough.
God bless,
Galadriel
Queen Galadriel
· 11 March 2006
· Chapter 21: Set #2 (featuring the Fellowship) : Who Will Best Serve?
I can't believe I'm saying this about a (as I believe Baggins Babe puts it) "jumped-up piece of jewelry," but you've captured the escence of the Ring perfectly.
God bless,
Galadriel
Author's reply
Thank you. I think the Ring was just as much a "character" as the members of the Fellowship. It really seemed to have a will and malice that operated on its own.
Author Reply: Thank you. I think the Ring was just as much a "character" as the members of the Fellowship. It really seemed to have a will and malice that operated on its own.
Bodkin
· 9 March 2006
· Chapter 33: Ill Wind
I like Thranduil's weather wisdom! And Legolas seems to sum everyone's feeling up very succinctly and accurately.
Author's reply
I was thinking about that song from Boromir's funeral, when no on wanted to sing about the east wind. But further north, a south wind would not be very good either. I think all of them must have had that question run through their minds at some point--oh, only about a dozen times a day.
Elf Friend
· 7 March 2006
· Chapter 33: Ill Wind
This had the perfect tone of forboding! It's so sad what the Quest did to the hobbits, although it did make them stronger in the end, didn't it? This was great, I'm glad I slowed down in my morning rush to read it! :)
Author's reply
Thank you--yes, it really was sad, and yet as you said, it made them stronger. But of course, their larger friends were going to be very sad to see what it did to them.
Larner
· 7 March 2006
· Chapter 33: Ill Wind
At that point in the quest, this is definitely a valid question. Poor children.
Author's reply
Yes, I thought so. And that particular point, right after seeing the crebain,, would certainly be a time when it might have occurred to Legolas.
"Poor children", indeed!
Kitty
· 6 March 2006
· Chapter 33: Ill Wind
Well, it is understandable Legolas has some doubts. The whole Quest was a desperate idea, and I sometimes wonder if *anyone* truly wholeheartedly believed it would succeed. It looked more like a suicide mission, I'd say.
Author's reply
I think all of them must have had their moments of doubt from time to time; Legolas, less than the others, since he would know the truth of what Elrond had revealed. Yet even he, especially pondering his companions, would worry and doubt occasionally--even moreso as he grew fond of them, and realized that yes, it was a suicide mission. If it had not been for the Eagles, it *definitely* would have been--and no one at that point had *any* idea that they would intervene.
A friend of mine on another Tolkien forum has a sig line. First there is the quote from Elrond: "There lies our hope if hope there be. To walk into peril--to Mordor. We must send the Ring to the Fire." And then she has a quote from a character on the SciFi TV show, "Farscape", Crichton: "That's your plan? Wile E. Coyote could come up with a better plan than that." *LOL!* I giggle every time I see it.
And so it proved.
We don't see much from Legolas' POV in fellowship fics, so this was very nice. I love drabbles-wish I was better at them! :)
Oh, BTW, I read "Dear Frodo..." earlier today but lost my connection before I could leave a review. Wireless internet... But I just wanted to tell you I loved it, and got tears in my eyes reading it. Merry's letters looked very authentic, and it was so sweet how he tried not to mess up any words and confessed to it when he did. :)
God bless,
Galadriel
Author's reply
Yes, so it proved. But there really wasn't any better idea, either.
I'm hoping to have a bit from each of them by the time these are over--I think I've pretty much achieved that, except for Frodo himself. But I've seven more to go.
Oh, I understand about losing connection. Happened to me for a while yesterday, too!
I'm so glad you liked Merry's little letters. I hoped very much that they would sound like what a child of his age would write.
Bodkin
· 3 March 2006
· Chapter 31: Candle in the Dark
They just wouldn't have made it without Sam. He just thinks of everything. Leave the soul-searching to others and concentrates on the practicalities. I hate to think how heavy his pack was, though. Lovely.
Author's reply
I think it really must have been pretty heavy. He seems to have made a habit of that. On more than one occasion, Frodo makes a remark to that effect.
Thanks! Glad you liked it!
Baggins Babe
· 2 March 2006
· Chapter 31: Candle in the Dark
Is there anything Sam didn't remember to bring? Apart from rope, that is! The kitchen sink? That hobbit must have been a scout, since his motto is obviously 'Be prepared.'
Nice that Frodo is getting a little short-tempered, but I imagine he would, stumbling along in the dark. And I loved the fact that Aragorn hadn't thought to look so low down for dwarf torches! Silly Ranger!
Author's reply
Hmm...sounds about right. No rope, no kitchen sink. Everything else, though. He seems to have had a bottomless pack!
I like Frodo to get a bit cross now and then--it seems only natural that he would, from time to time. And navigating the rubble-strewn passages of the tunnels could not have been easy.
Just seemed to me the sort of thing he might forget; he is probably just as weary as everyone else.
Etharei
· 2 March 2006
· Chapter 32: O Pilgrim Grey!
Such a sweet bonding moment for the Fellowship! My heart goes out to poor Pippin; trust the Took to take the blame on himself. I also like the detail about Boromir delivering the news to Faramir. Merry's words made me tear a little- "I just was remembering *him* when he was just *our* Gandalf". It just brings to home how differently the Hobbits regard Gandalf compared to the rest of the Fellowship; first and foremost, he's like their big grandpapa. At least they're healing together. Lovely piec, dear!
Author's reply
I think Pippin would have felt guilty, thinking that he had wakened the Balrog. Truth is, I don't see how any of the Bad Guys could have slept through the racket the Watcher made when he tore up the Gate. But it might have been hard to convince the lad of that. And it's canon that Gandalf know Denethor's sons, and was especially close to Faramir ("wizard's pupil"). In fact, it's not a stretch that Gandalf had previously known every member of the Company--he was clearly a familiar figure to the Elven-king's court in Mirkwood, and I don't see how he could have been familiar to Thorin and Company without Gloin's son having met him before.
But his bond with hobbits, and with *those* hobbits in particular, seems very special. He does behave with them much like, as you said, a big gruff "grandpapa".
Queen Galadriel
· 2 March 2006
· Chapter 31: Candle in the Dark
Yes, I imagine tempers would be short in such a situation. And I can imagine that a dim light wouldn't be enough. Good for Sam! :)
God bless,
Galadriel
Author's reply
Yes, it occurred to me that Gandalf's staff as a source of light would have two problems: first, it would be mainly meant to light the way in *front* of them, and so would not cast a lot of light for those following, and second, it would not cast much light near the floor of the passage, as he would be holding it up high.
Sam's a pretty clever and useful fellow, isn't he?
harrowcat
· 2 March 2006
· Chapter 31: Candle in the Dark
Oh what a great little explanation for that anomoly in the film! PJ would be very proud of you. I wish he could have filmed it! *g*
Author's reply
*grin* Well, I was not at first thinking of this as a movie-verse gapfiller, but as meeting a rather practical problem they might find in the dark tunnels. But I do have to confess, the images *were* in my head as I wrote. So maybe that is what I was trying to do subconsciously.
Larner
· 2 March 2006
· Chapter 31: Candle in the Dark
Bless Sam for his forethought, which is always so practical; Aragorn for his insistence and for the thought to accept Gimli as a companion in the search, and for Gimli's offer end practical Dwarf-sense. I can see the very tall man embarrassed that he was looking too high for dwarf torches....
Author's reply
Sam's as much a planner and long-thinker as Merry--I am sure he would have thought it might be handy to have a few little candles along.
Yes, well it *had* been a very long time since he'd been there, and, after all we are all of us creatures of habit, LOL! Gimli, of course, while he'd never been in Moria, would have known about where to look for torch sconces.
SlightlyTookish
· 22 February 2006
· Chapter 2: Playing at Stones
I'm pretty sure I read this before but I don't remember if I reviewed it! I really like this story, and I'm so glad you linked to it in your LJ today. It's the perfect story for wee!hobbit day. I love the cousins here, and all the wee and young hobbits playing together. It's very sweet :)
Author's reply
Thanks! I think that's the "wee-est" I've written Pippin! I'm so glad you liked it. I'm going to continue to link my wee!hobbit stories in more or less chronological order, so look for another batch soon...
Anso the Hobbit
· 20 February 2006
· Chapter 27: A Conspiracy of Comedy
Dear, observant, determined Merry! And LOL! Gimli's socks and Aragorn's lizard and Legolas' apples. :D It is nice to see that the other members of the Fellwoship can cheer poor Frodo too. He certainly needs it.
Author's reply
"Observant" and "determined"--two of Merry's greatest qualities, along with "loyalty" and "courage".
Yes, poor Frodo really does need all the cheering up he can get, from time to time!
Anso the Hobbit
· 20 February 2006
· Chapter 29: Never Give Up
I love it! i am slowly making way through my endless list of fics to be read...
I am so happy for once to see that Merry isn't doing as he should and instantly being on top of a situation and thus being embarrassed and needing special instructions. That almost never happen in stories.
There are lots of lovely things about thi story and I especially like that they went to the Dwarves to get more knowledge on how to fight a larger foe.
Thanks, dear, for this very enjoyable read! :D
Author's reply
Wouldn't it be lovely if the list of new fic truly *was* endless?
I had this idea a very long time ago, about the two younger hobbits, and their training, but it had completely slipped my mind until Imrahoil asked for Boromir-hobbit fic, and I saw "yield" as the prompt for this 20_rings story. Then I remembered the long-ago bunny. I had seen an article about SCA fighter training in the organization's quarterly magazine, "Tournaments Illuminated", and one of the things the author mentioned was the importance of proper breathing.
It seemed to me that Merry might be on of those single-minded sorts who sometimes will hold their breath if they are concentrating too hard on doing something.
It seemed to me that Gloin and Gimli would be able to reassure them that what they were learning was not useless, and that it was, indeed, possible to take down a much larger foe.
I'm glad you liked it!
Anso the Hobbit
· 20 February 2006
· Chapter 30: Too Long
Oh, poor Merry! It's so hard for the hobbits to lose one another, the bonds are so very strong.
Author's reply
I thought you might like this little bit of Merry-angst!
Yes, their bonds were strong when they left, but now they are even stronger, and it's hard for Merry to have any of the others out of his sight.
PIppinfan1988
· 19 February 2006
· Chapter 17: Blue Eyes
LOL, yes, I'm still here! I love your library. :-)
This is amazing! I am always drawn to eyes, so this was great to read--but the different views on Frodo was awesome. I could easily see the personalities of Frodo's young friend and cousins, too, through their own observations. Wonderfully done!
Pippinfan
Author's reply
Library! LOL! Is that what it is? *grin*
Well, of course, the theme to me just *screamed* Frodo, and I thought each of his dearest friends would have a different take on those wonderful eyes of his.
I'm glad you like it!!
PIppinfan1988
· 19 February 2006
· Chapter 9: Clear Night
I needed a good story tonight, and this was absolutely perfect. I never tire of star-gazing. I once lived in a place where I could clearly (and literally) see a million stars on a cloudless night, and oh, how I miss that. Thank you for taking me back there for a wee visit. :-)
Pippinfan
Author's reply
The stars were so very *important* in Arda, and I know that Gandalf would not have been comfortable having his fireworks praised as being better than stars--it would not sit well with a Messenger from the West. But he would be gentle and instructive, realizing he is dealing with children.
pipspebble
· 17 February 2006
· Chapter 32: O Pilgrim Grey!
*choke* Oh, that was lovely; a fitting tribute to Gandalf the Grey.
Author's reply
Thank you. I know that when I read that part of the Lothlorien chapter now, I just want to *tell* them--"it's all right, dears, he's going to be back." They must have been mourning so hard.
Baggins Babe
· 16 February 2006
· Chapter 32: O Pilgrim Grey!
A beautiful look at one of the most moving moments in 'Fellowship,' Dreamflower. Gandalf was so fond of his hobbits, and they of him, and he was like a grandfather to them. No wonder even Aragorn and Boromir are moved to tears. So was I.
Author's reply
Oh thank you! What kind words!
This had to be such a painful time for the Company--they've no idea that their beloved leader will return, and at this point, all seems very nearly lost. And the hobbits *were* so fond of Gandalf--yet, in varying degrees, every member of the Fellowship had known Gandalf before they met in Rivendell, so of course all of them were grieving as well.
Bodkin
· 16 February 2006
· Chapter 32: O Pilgrim Grey!
I love Merry's perception of him as 'our Gandalf'. It must have been a pleasure to the wizard and ringbearer to go off to the Shire - where he was looked on as a grumpy old grandfather with a talent for fireworks.
That time in Lothlorien must have been so difficult for them all. I'm glad Galadriel hung on to them all for a time to give the wounds time to scab over.
Author's reply
Just exactly the idea I wished to convey; Gandalf loved the Shire, and I think a good deal of the attraction (besides the lovely company of hobbits)was to be able to set aside important tasks and vital missions, and simply be an eccentric old conjuror of fireworks.
I know that it had to be. All of them had, in one fashion or another, known Gandalf since their childhood/youths. I had known this, but not really *realized* this, until I came to write this story. His lose had to be extremely painful. Galadriel understood this.