New Beginnings by Gwynhyffar
Aelinmir · 27 October 2005 · Chapter 2: Decisions
I am glad to finaly see a kind and caring Oropher. looking forward to the next chapter.
Author's reply
I never liked the idea of elves being bad parents. They may make mistakes just like any parent, but I don't see them as being anything but loving and caring.
Brazgirl · 27 October 2005 · Chapter 2: Decisions
Ah, poor little Thranduil. It was nice to see him in the arms of his ada again. Great chapter.
Author's reply
Hi Brazgirl, Thank you for reading and taking the time to review. Thranduil is very happy to be with his ada right now, but I think he is going to start thinking about some other things soon too.
Bodkin · 27 October 2005 · Chapter 2: Decisions
Poor Thranduil - not old enough to understand anything much of what was going on. But at least he got his Adar back and he still has his Naneth. And he has learned that people are more important than things - and that's a pretty important lesson to grasp. This is a lovely look at Thranduil's early experiences. I'm looking forward to more.
Author's reply
Right now he is just happy to be with his parents and he hasn't really had time to think about much of anything else. I think pretty soon he's going to start seeing that things will never be the same again. Thank you for reading and reviewing.
Bodkin · 27 October 2005 · Chapter 2: Decisions
Poor Thranduil - not old enough to understand anything much of what was going on. But at least he got his Adar back and he still has his Naneth. And he has learned that people are more important than things - and that's a pretty important lesson to grasp. This is a lovely look at Thranduil's early experiences. I'm looking forward to more.
French Pony · 26 October 2005 · Chapter 2: Decisions
I love this look at Oropher. He is such a strong leader, going in an instant from a refugee organizing the remnants of his people to breaking the news of a husband's death to putting a cheerful face on displacement for his little kid. You can see that this is the guy who will raise Mirkwood's greatest king. And you can also see where Thranduil acquired the attitude that would lead him many years later to declare that he would not start a war over gold.
Author's reply
I tried to think of things that define Thranduil later in life and which things would have been instilled early on. It seems like witnessing the kind of destruction that took place in Menegroth would have had a significant impact on him, particularly when he was so young. I think his understanding of events wouldn't be fully developed, and he would see things with a childish simplicity, leaving out anything other than that basic facts. Bad elves came and killed a bunch of elves including the king, and tried to steal his things. I think that would be memorable and even if it wasn't he would probably be put off by the idea of starting a war over gold. We know even less about Oropher than we do about Thranduil, which makes it almost like writing an OC to write him. I can't imagine any elf really being a horrible parent, but especially not someone who raises Thranduil.
moonshine44 9ff.n) · 26 October 2005 · Chapter 2: Decisions
AW, little Thranduil is so cute. I`ve never read a fic with Thranduil as a child before. It`s an intersting perspective. Great chapter. Until the next!
Author's reply
When I first told my beta reader that I was going to write a story about Thranduil as a child we both had to laugh. She is a big Legolas fan and I love Thranduil and neither of us could readily imagine Thranduil as ever being little. Wasn't he born grown up?? Well.. probably not :) he just seems that way. Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed this chapter.
daw the minstrel · 26 October 2005 · Chapter 2: Decisions
Oh goodie. I was happy to see this tonight. You do a child's perceptions very well. And his parents really are his world now. We moved when my son was 6. We looked at a lot of houses and he liked some better than others. It took us a while to realize that he liked the ones with toys and good computer games because he thought we were just going to change houses but leave all our possessions behind. He was very excited when we told him we would take everything with us that wasn't nailed down. He was also incredulous. We had to explain about the movers and the big truck. So I could sympathize with Thranduil's question about how they would move his bed. I'm very fond of my bed too and would hate to have to leave it behind.
Author's reply
Thank you for the feedback, daw. I was a little concerned that it seemed like he was getting over it too quickly, but of course he isn't really over it he's just sort of ignoring it at the moment. That's funny about your son thinking when you moved you took over everything in the new house too. I don't have kids, but I do have three nieces and several friends with kids, and I have learned that if you don't actually explain everything they will think the strangest things! Well, strange to me, it makes perfect sense to them. I'm glad you are enjoying the story and thanks for taking the time to review.
moonshine44 (ff.n) · 24 October 2005 · Chapter 1: Escape
I was floored by this piece. The emotion and imagery in it was terrific. I`ve read about the battles of Menegroth, but getting a point of view from Thranduil, as a child living in the nightmare, was something I haven`t read. Great job! I can`t wait to read the next chapter!
Author's reply
Wow, thank you Moonshine. I'm glad you enjoyed the first chapter. There won't be too much detail about Menegroth since he was so young, but it seems to me that it would definitely be one of the things that made an early imprint and helped shape who Thranduil became when he grew up.
elliska · 23 October 2005 · Chapter 1: Escape
How terrifying for little Thranduil! I definitely think of him as being young during the attacks on Menegroth as well. He is certainly my favorite elf so I am looking forward to seeing how you develop this. :-)
Author's reply
It's funny, I know where I want to get the story to, but some of the getting there is difficult without seeming cumbersome. Thranduil is my favourite elf too and I always thought of him as being very small when Menegroth was attacked. It seems like one of the early memories that would have shaped who he later is when he becomes the king. Thanks for reading!
daw the minstrel · 23 October 2005 · Chapter 1: Escape
Nicely done. I'm curious about Thranduil's background. Tolkien tells us so little. Because the caverns were said to be like Menegroth, I've always thought he had lived there too. What a horrible experience.
Author's reply
Thank you, Daw. I like the idea of Thranduil being born in Menegroth and the attack by the sons of Feanor having a big impact on him in his life, as it naturally would. I didn't really go into it very much in the story, but in my mind as I was working on the first chapter I was thinking that he was too little to remember the dwarf attack and Thingol being killed - It was five years before the 2nd kinslaying - but that he did know about it because he heard about it so much that it was one of those false memories where you think you remember something but really you only think you know something because other people have told you about it so much that you have made up the memory in your mind. I am going to be messing with Tolkien's timeline in this story a little because he says that Oropher and Thranduil went to Greenwood early in the 2nd Age, but I am sending them there towards the end of the 1st Age. There is no mention of either of them in Sirion where Elwing and the others ended up for the 3rd Kinslaying, so I don't think I'm committing too grievous of a sin. Thanks for reading and I'm glad you enjoyed the first part.
Redheredh · 23 October 2005 · Chapter 1: Escape
Very nice start. I like his naneth already and am looking forward to the next chapter.
Author's reply
Thank you for reading. I would imagine that his naneth was a strong person.. she would have to be to be married to Oropher and have Thranduil for a son!
French Pony · 23 October 2005 · Chapter 1: Escape
Very well done. I love the atmosphere, the sense of half-understood terror as seen by a child who doesn't understand anything but that his nana is terrified. I'd say more, but I'm about to get off work and will soon have to leave this computer, but I will certainly be keeping an eye on this one.
Author's reply
Thank you for reading and taking the time to review. I am finding it fun to write from a small child's point of view, but I am also finding it difficult. I try to imagine how my nieces or friend's kids would react and what they would say in certain situations and it seems to work alright that way. I think a lot of the time children see what's going on but because they don't fully understand it all they tend to focus on other things. Hopefully it seems realistic that way.