Reviews (1,168)

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Do they have turkeys in England or Europe? I know that Benjamin Franklin personally thought the wild turkey should become the national bird for the United States due to its slyness and practicality. Wild turkeys apparently have little in common with their notoriously stupid domesticated relatives when it comes to native intelligence. As Frodo was unconscious when he and Sam were brought out of Mordor, I doubt he'd have much memory of the eagles, although he does probably have a nodding acquaintance with geese and swans, who are as large as peacocks or larger. The four Hobbits might just be exaggerating at least a bit. But for land-birds, a peacock is quite large until one looks at ostriches, Emus, and so on, none of which Hobbits would be likely to be aware of. But then, can the great Eagles of Middle Earth, being sentient and able to speak human languages, be truly dismissed as common birds? If you ever visit the city of York in England, you can visit the Merchant Adventurer's Guild Hall, by which one of the rivers that meet there in the city runs. Those who founded it a millenia ago were the wealthy wool merchants of the region, who constituted quite an influential political and financial entity for the land of England. It was added to I think during the Tudor period. I love to go into it and imagine all the kings and queens and noble lords who came there begging loans and donations for this war or that crusade or the other wild idea like a railroad system.... And when someone like Pervinca REFUSES to learn from experience to keep her hair out of the well chain, what is a father to do? Giggling as usual at your post.

Author's reply

Peacocks are such fascinating creatures. And that Frodo would appreciate their beauty just seemed so right, you know. Thanks so much for the compliments.

Author's reply

Thank you for appreciating this one. It's one that fits with my other stories, of course, but then that's true of all of them as time goes on. I can see Frodo getting so depressed at one point that, no longer considering physical suicide, he still might be moved to such actions as these. And that those who loved him would want to set things right for him just seemed so logical. Maybe those who attended the Free Fair that year thought the ratification of Frodo's status was a joke of sorts, but I think it would have been something Sam would want seen done.

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The idea that Sting originally was forged for Turin came from a story I read elsewhere, and so I added it to this one. Wish I could remember what story it was and who wrote it so I could properly post my appreciation for the idea. However, as I read it almost two years ago at this point I haven't the slightest idea who sparked me to include it in my version of the story. That the mithril shirt was originally believed intended for Isildur's heir is my original idea (as far as I know, of course), and I originally wrote it into my long story "The King's Commission." That there is a special spiritual brotherhood between Aragorn, Frodo, and Sam is also an original idea, and it appears in several of my stories. Thanks so much for the feedback--I of course appreciate it very much.

Author's reply

In our first trip to England, our family went to York. In the Minster Gardens a peacock attached itself to my husband, who was totally blind. The bird followed him everywhere we went, did its most blatant displays, and when Tony would turn away from it would cry out at him until he turned back again. It was quite funny and touching; that peacock found its way into this story, only focusing on Frodo. In Hawaii we met other peacocks that were quite pushy, and I must suppose they, too, helped inspire this bird. I hadn't intended to write any such story when I started it, other than that the peacock in York has been pecking at my imagination again, and I find I so want to go back there again. I think that what triggered it was in "The Acceptable Sacrifice" Frodo comments that Aragorn is becoming quite the peacock. But then I wondered, how would Hobbits of the Shire even KNOW about such birds? So I thought there ought to be a story written about an encounter between them. I'd intended to settle a particular plot bunny on this story, but it wriggled out of my lap before I could get it committed to Works, and so I'll have to go out and track it down and capture it once more before I can get it off the property. Am so glad you appreciate Elisien's family and home and garden, which I think would be a bit more "homely" for Frodo and the other Hobbits than the gardens of the Citadel. Thanks so much for indicating how much you enjoyed it.

Author's reply

Oh, dear, my birthday isn't for three more weeks, folks! Big bro just sent me the new Harry Potter movie as an early birthday present to keep me from jumping the gun and buying it for myself. We loved seeing the peacocks by York Minster and in Warwick Castle, and wondered if perhaps Minas Tirith could come up with a few for its new king. As for the zoo, I'll have to get to writing about that one day.

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Yes, indeed appropriate for their lives at the time. My late husband's aunt and uncle also had peacocks for a time, although they blatantly ignored us when we visited, unlike the one we met in the city of York, there in the Minster gardens. Their screams can be terrifying if you don't realize they are there. And they will flaunt themselves around so.

Author's reply

For those who are accustomed to peacocks, I thought it would be very obvious what they were. The peacock which most influenced this story was one we met in York in the Minster Gardens, there where the monastery used to stand. It followed us around and around the gardens, attaching itself to Tony. As Tony was totally blind WHY it decided to make Tony the recipient of its attention and displays we had no idea, but it was fun. It even waited outside the museum there until we came back out and displayed and strutted some more. I remember the ones at Warwick Castle, but they weren't as pushy as the one in York, or the ones at Waimea Falls Park on Oahu--those will run right over you for your popcorn if you aren't careful, we found. Tony's aunt and uncle had a pair for a time, but had to find other homes for them in the end. They never paid us any mind, we found. And you can tell I already know their watchdog abilities from the story. And the feathers are indeed so gorgeous in vases. But I'd heard their taste wasn't so nice, and that those who ate them at feasts were doing it more for the sake of being ostentatious than anything else. As for life being less stressful--IF ONLY! Gack!

Author's reply

It was supposed to be an existing plotbunny exhibited here, but this is what came out. It certainly isn't what I'd expected to write, you must understand. This one just crept out of nowhere and insisted on taking over the computer. So glad you found it beautiful. And the peacock keeping its eyes on Frodo just crept in there.

Author's reply

Oh, so glad you find this story beautiful. I think every chance Frodo had to see beauty was a gift to him, particularly after leaving the others at Parth Galen. To have to traverse the Emyn Muil and the Dead Marshes and the waste before the Gates and then to leave the beauty of Ithilien for the horrors of Mordor must have been all he could take and more. And I've ever seen him as the one to tell the stories, until it was time for him to leave when he must pass on that blessed duty to the others. And thanks so much for sharing the story of your town and the peacock associated with it.

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I'm so very glad you like it, Hanci. One that took time to write, but it turned out well indeed. Thank you so much for letting me know how much it pleased you.

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I am so glad you enjoyed it so, Galadriel. And I think all innocence would be drawn to Frodo, don't you? Thanks so much for the review.

Author's reply

Somehow I managed to miss this review. I am so glad you found this believable and a proper addition to canon. There is so often a need for us to know those we love are there still, and this story was just insisting it be written for so very long. And I am so very glad Marigold recommended it. It is a great honor.

Author's reply

I do blame this on Bodkin and the Grey Wonderer, you know. They did such good jobs on their stories, this one was just begging to be written tying them together. So glad it gave you such enjoyment.

Author's reply

I can see Frodo doing this, and also grieve that in my vision of the blank spaces he felt impelled to do such a thing. But I do believe that by the time Fosco and Forsythia were of an age to set things right he was healed enough to be aware he did a foolish thing indeed. And I like to think that the Shire would eventually formally recognize the ennoblement of Frodo, even if most had no idea what it meant. If he was gone, then what would they care what happened to his memory? So glad you see this as a possibility.

Author's reply

Not every story on here is sad, but the first two definitely are. I truly think Frodo would want to know WHY? and wouldn't be fobbed off with glib or airy answers; he'd be a trial for those who don't truly know and would prefer to give the glib ones. Nor do I think Sam would throw away extra bulbs. But, if Frodo's introduction to thinning was by one who did usually dump the unneeded bulbs and plants (you certainly don't replant carrots and trees when thinning, after all, which I'm actually more practically experienced with than thinning bulbs, after all), then it is strongly possible that Frodo would be surprised by the idea of just replanting the extras. Unfortunately, too many folks at HASA took exception to this story because they don't particularly like Frodo-angst, and it's been declined there twice. Have decided not to try with it again for a time after all that. Give it a year and a slight intro, and maybe I'll then try it again.

Author's reply

So glad you liked it, Pearl. Have been out of town for the last few days, so missed this review--please forgive the tardiness of the response. I know that for me wanting to make contact at times has been intense; and I think that in the case of Frodo the desire of the others to have something tangible to demonstrate his awareness and love would be pretty strong. The idea of this had literally haunted me for months before I first wrote it, and then I had to do some crucial rewriting to get the ending right. Am so glad you enjoyed it as you did.

Author's reply

This story has indeed struck a chord with many people, and, for all the trouble it gave me in its writing, ended up one of the most successful I've written. I am honored you enjoyed it also. Yes, the toasts drunk on both sides of the Sundering Sea, and the joy of knowing tangibly that the love is still there, and that all did the right thing. Thanks so much for letting me know you enjoyed this.

Author's reply

Thank you. Yes, the gardener became the instrument of Light. Am so glad you appreciated it, and that Galadriel admonished Celeborn not to appreciate him. Yet, she, too, the Lady of Light, also became the instrument of Light that evening as she prepared what was needed to allow that Light to enter the tower. The wonder of Tolkien is that we have so many different people, each fighting ultimate evil as they can, doing each what he or she is best suited for, and all in the end defeating that evil together. Some do normal, everyday things; others do things they'd either trained for all their lives or that they'd never dream would be asked of them; but it is the culmination of the devotion of all to opposing that evil that in the end defeats it.

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Am so glad you found it moving, and capable of evoking so many different moods, Pearl.

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You are so welcome, Radbooks. And I, too, am glad that Faramir began to understand and to accept. But it must have been difficult for those who were left behind to understand why all four of the Travellers had to leave the Shire at the end. None of them was happy to remain; and once Sam left, Merry and Pippin followed so soon afterwards.

Author's reply

Sorry it's taking me so long to do responses to reviews, but I had an interesting last week of the month with my work schedule--in two weeks I worked eleven days almost straight, and one of them was a twenty-four hour shift, which was INTERESTING. Gaack! I was inspired by one of the Tolkien quotes on this site from HoME to put into The Acceptable Sacrifice that much of Frodo's own restlessness was due to having eaten the lembas, and Aragorn admits he, too, feels the Sea Longing, as do Sam and Gimli to a lesser extent; and so I had two people ask, but wouldn't it have had a similar response on Merry and Pippin? That got the imagination working, and this is what came out. Am glad you found it worth while braving Merry and Pippin growing older to read. Am very glad you enjoyed it.

Author's reply

The eating of the lembas wasn't said to cause the Sea Longing in Elves; but it might indeed have reinforced it once it was awakened for Legolas by the cries of the gulls. I'd read the description of the raising of the grain from which lembas was made before, but hadn't any idea that it was considered perilous to mortals for its danger in awakening the Sea Longing as it could; and so once I saw that quote I wrote it into "The Acceptable Sacrifice" as one of the reasons Arwen would consider begging the right for Frodo to take her place. But once the question was asked whether Merry and Pippin could have known its effects this was the story which came out. So often once an idea is sparked, particularly from Tolkien's own auxilliary writing, I find it starts inspiring what I write immediately.

Author's reply

It was the quote a week ago that lembas could waken the Sea Longing in mortals that led to this, along with the question as to how Merry and Pippin might have responded. It just sort of flowed out from that. But they do say farewell to Eomer, and then spend their last days with Aragorn, comforted, I think, by his presence. It must have been hard on him, losing the last two of the Hobbits with whom he'd traveled so far! Thanks for the response!

Author's reply

The two quotes from HoME were thought-provoking, and led me to write the information on the possible effects of lembas on mortals into my current story "The Acceptable Sacrifice"; then Harrowcat and Dreamflower both asked how they might have affected Merry and Pippin. Letting that percolate in my imagination produced this. So very glad you appreciated it. As for why Faramir and Peregrin Took rather than Merry and his son--well, it was Farry and Pippin that appeared in my mind's eye when I began writing. Thanks so much for the comments and questions.