Reviews (18)

Fimbrethil · 22 June 2025 · Chapter 1: Learning Lessons

Oh right, in my last review I forgot about the maid. She should not have been there…after all, not all maids are governesses! I am glad the children made up…and that you stopped before Arwen has a chance to yell at Aragorn for leaving them.

Fimbrethil · 22 June 2025 · Chapter 0: Tea for Two

Oh my! I don’t know whether to laugh or cry! I cant wait to see them interrupt Arwen and Éowyn! And why did they start arguing exactly anyway?

Lady Saruman · 23 April 2006 · Chapter 1: Learning Lessons

This is really lovely--I've reread it for the second time--it's so funny. There was never a point in my life that I hated boys except for times when I witness them in one of their immature modes. It gets REALLY annoying then. After landing in the flowers in the garden who would have thought that Eldarion and Elestelle would have a newfound respect for each other? And the reason why Eldarion doesn't understand why his father kept "making such a big fuss over a girl", as he calls it, is because it is like a natural instinct for adults--they always coo over a baby or toddler because they think that they're so cute. Perhaps every time Aragorn does that Eldarion feels a wee bit jealous, though all he ever shows for Elestelle in the past was scorn--and still does--up until after the fight. A note to Aragorn: *shakes finger in disapproval* tsk tsk, you bad daddy. Arwen is right, you really DO need to spend more time with your son, otherwise you wouldn't know his habits. But you probably should have realized that toddlers are the most playful and active at this age. But I don't blame him--after all, according to his past experiences Eldarion behaves perfectly. However, he shouldn't have left them and tempted Faramir to leave with him just by saying that they have new books and leaving the children in the care of a maid. But like I said before, I can't put the blame on him too much because he thought that they behaved perfectly. And......once the daddies leave an argument issues between "nobility and royalty." It looks like both children have erred in the aspect. For example, Elestelle says “My Uncle Eomer is a King and your adar is my Uncle too, so I have two kings as uncles!” while Eldarion counterattacks her with “My adar isn’t your real uncle as your adar is just my adar’s servant!” WHOA there! That's going quite overboard! A servant and a steward are two different things! But mayhap Eldarion thinks that everyone below the rank of his father would be a "servant", except for his mother. Seeing as he calls Elestelle's father as "Uncle Faramir" which means that they are close and he still thinks of him as a servant of the king, I wonder if he thinks that Eowyn is a maid or something. *Sigh* Sometimes things issuing from a child's mouth is so funny. =) And........then they leave to find Arwen, causing nearly the whole kingdom to erupt in panic. Then, the two poor mothers! If anyone had recognized the two young "rascals" then it would have been indeed difficult to explain. I really liked the part when the fathers become sheepish under their wives and Faramir gets yelled at by Eowyn. For some reason I enjoy it most whenever it contains something about wives yelling at their husbands. For some crazy reason it just seems funny. Hey, at least Eldarion has an enjoyable punishment: “I will think about it,” Aragorn promised,” As for you, ion nin, I expect you to help the gardener replant the daises you ruined and to spend an extra hour each day learning Quenya with your tutor for the next month!” I love plants and nature so gardening would be appealing. However, more alluring would be learning Quenya. I've always thought that it was such a shame that Tolkien never made an Elvish dictionary--I would have loved that. In fact, I have been copying down any Elvish I see from sources so that I could puzzle them together. If you remember from my site on councilofelrond.com, my own Elvish name, Rhîwlim, is composed of two parts: 'Rhîw', meaning 'winter', and 'lim', which means 'light'. That is what I mean by "puzzling together"--finding words and seeing if combining them with other words would make them sound prettier. A very nice ending you've got there. Arwen comes in and finds everything peaceful and nice, just the way a story should end. =) -Lady Saruman

Mysterious Jedi · 27 December 2005 · Chapter 1: Learning Lessons

This is a lovely story. I like how they ended up acting friendly towards each other. <>< Saved from sin through Christ, mj

Julia · 17 September 2005 · Chapter 1: Learning Lessons

Great ending! Liked how Aragorn tried for a save with the hide and seek thing, but neither lady was buying it, wisely so. He and Faramir are very lucky that their wives are so in love with them that they find it impossible to stay angry with them for long. I love Eldarion in this story. As you pointed out, he is *truly* his father's son, and Gondor and Arnor are as fortunate to have him as heir to the throne as they are to have his father for their King. Also liked how Arwen dealt with the drinkers who claimed they were "too sick" to work. I hope the Healer who they are assigned to is Ioreth! A foul tasting brew and a nice scolding from her and they'll be sober and begging to go to work to escape from her.

Ithil-valon · 14 September 2005 · Chapter 1: Learning Lessons

Thanks so much for the sweet story! I thoroughly enjoyed it and delighted in the image of Aragorn being chagrined at the thought of Arwen finding out he had left the children alone! :) I hope you'll write some more tales of young Eldarion and Elstelle and their parents.

Raksha The Demon · 13 September 2005 · Chapter 1: Learning Lessons

"“We were just playing hide and seek, my dear!” Aragorn replied in dulcet tones." Heeee! Very funny moment, with Aragorn trying to cover his tracks; no doubt he's become very skilled in the art of evasive answers during all the years of concealing his true identity. Very sweet ending, with Aragorn telling both his son and Faramir's daughter stories, and the kids snuggled up against him in utter trust, and poor tired Aragorn sleeping along with the kids. And good for Aragorn, insisting that Eldarion help replant the posies that he and Elestelle damaged.

Raksha The Demon · 13 September 2005 · Chapter 0: Tea for Two

"Aragorn and Faramir sat on a bench drinking tea for a while and observing their beautifully behaved children." Heh-heh; the calm before the storm. What a pretty picture; and how complacent the fathers are! I loved Aragorn's reluctance to spend time with two children when he could be exploring new books with Faramir instead - even though his being a loving father is not in doubt, every father has things they'd rather do sometimes...And I would think that being able to pull royal rank as the King of the Reunited Kingdom of Arnor and Gondor with a stubborn six-year-old outweighs the authority of 'Because I'm your father and I say so' - though I'm sure Aragorn will use that line too. The kids' fight, and the spat leading up to it, was very well done! Kids will be kids, even royal and princely kids, and in the end, for six-year-olds, it can often come down to the age-old 'my father's better than your father' contest...

Lilan · 13 September 2005 · Chapter 1: Learning Lessons

Linda, that one was just sweet, and I seriously wonder which genre you are better at, angst or humour. Both kids are great (not cute little angels, but hey, those are not really interesting, are they?) I love the way you show little Elestelle, having inherited bothe her mother's and her father's traits (let us hope she will not turn into a pyromaniac, to show something of her grandfather too!) And the respect Eldarion starts to feel after his little companion's resistance - so believable!

Bodkin · 12 September 2005 · Chapter 1: Learning Lessons

Good for Eldarion. It's not Laerwen's fault - and she's only a junior nursemaid. The kids were in their fathers' charge. Ergo, they are to blame. Very sensible of Faramir to keep quiet and let Eowyn get the irritation out of her system. And it seems to have done the children good to see that other children don't have it as good. So the end result is beneficial for all.

harrowcat · 12 September 2005 · Chapter 1: Learning Lessons

Ah! *happy sigh* mixed with *fits of giggles*. Aragorn & Faramir got off very lightly - this time!

Larner · 11 September 2005 · Chapter 1: Learning Lessons

Lovely image, Aragorn standing helpless (as well as undoubtedly glad it wasn't him on the receiving end!) while Eowyn lays into poor Faramir! But good to see both children beginning to mature a bit. And like him falling asleep with the children on his lap, and the servants thinking him eccentric. All our favorites are eccentric--Aragorn, Bilbo, and Frodo....

Julia · 11 September 2005 · Chapter 0: Tea for Two

Oh, Faramir and Aragorn are in SO much trouble, I sure wouldn't want to be them once Arwen and Eowyn see those kids! And those guards need a serious raking-over by their superior officer. They should have noticed that underneath the pastries and dirt those kids had on pretty expensive clothing, not the kind usually sported by your common urchin. Eldarion and Elestelle are terribly cute though! I like how you have Elestelle, at least at this age, taking more after Faramir than Eowyn. I never thought about it, but it must be a distinct benefit for Aragorn to be able to use royal authority as well as normal parental authority when he needs Eldarion to do something and the boy is being stubborn. Also, are E & E still only children? 6 years seems like a big gap with no more kids, especially for Aragorn, who needs a "spare." And Faramir needs an heir too, to be the next Steward. Anyways, I'm loving this story and look forward to the rest of it!

EllyBaggins · 11 September 2005 · Chapter 0: Tea for Two

i'm relly looking forward to seeing how this story will turn out. I love the way you portray faramir.

Bodkin · 11 September 2005 · Chapter 0: Tea for Two

What gormless fathers. The poor nursemaid. True, she should have shouted for help rather than leaving the little monkeys - but the fathers should never have left them in the first place. As I am sure they will learn from their wives before too much time has passed. And a food fight! Naughty Eldarion. The king will not be pleased. And at least Elestelle stopped crying and proved herself to be Eowyn's true daughter. Although Faramir will not be pleased either. Although, having heard the argument, I think Eldarion wins the award for being the biggest brat. I wonder if seeking out their mothers will save them. Or just lead to more chaos. (The guards are pretty dumb if they think that two grubby kids leaving from the royal gardens are just random passing paupers. They might be covered in food, but they're still wearing their best clothes and emerging from somewhere not generally occupied by the hoi-polloi.)

Larner · 10 September 2005 · Chapter 0: Tea for Two

Oh, lovely! A food fight, a very contented cat, two children off in search of their naneths, and two adars who know they will shortly be in for it from those same two ladies. And, of course, the moment the nursemaid flees, the children decide they like each other after all! Going to get interesting!

MaidenofValinor · 10 September 2005 · Chapter 0: Tea for Two

haha I meant to Laerland. She was only doing what she thought best. I am looking forward to seeing the outcome of this.

MaidenofValinor · 10 September 2005 · Chapter 0: Tea for Two

aw aragorn don't be mean! this is cute. I like it quite a bit.