Reviews (346)

Author's reply

Probably Halladan was far, far too fair with Cotman, as he didn't have his property simply confiscated, and he now has perhaps more than its worth to start over, although he will have to start over with very little. His scheme didn't work, and in the end he did little enough damage, I suppose. And Safflower has had a reality check as well, for the fact he even considered helping Cotman could easily have cost him his own life. And Barti has pretty much all of the story, although whether or not he understands Frodo's reasons for not wanting people to understand what they did is still questionable. It's still over a year before Sara and Esme will understand, but they will know before Frodo leaves the Shire, at least. The first taste of the King's justice for the folk of the Breelands, and I suspect they're seeing the new Steward isn't just arbitrary, which indicates the new King is likely to be rather a good thing for the Breelands as well. Thanks for the response. Now, we wants to see how the plotbunny's growing, of course....

Author's reply

Yes, now the two of them are truly beginning to appreciate one another. And there's nothing like having someone threatened to realize how much you appreciate them. As for where they might end up--that's still to be determined. Boboli finally has his lease. As for Bartolo--he still has a good deal to learn. As for the trials for these villains--the chapter's been written and should be posted in a day or two.

Author's reply

Yes, the contract is signed now and three villains will shortly be brought before Lord Halladan. And Alvric and Denra are beginning to realize they like one another. As for Dreamflower's plotbunny--may it grow strong and healthy and delightful! Thanks so much for the comments.

Author's reply

Yes, an understanding is beginning. And am so glad you like it. Now--what's next with Serinde? Heh!

Author's reply

Well, you know I like matchmaking, Dreamflower! As for how they will handle things--that remains to be seen. Cotman's sentence just got written this morning, and ought to be posted in a few days, probably from Portland just before I meet Lindelea and the girls and friends for tea. YAY! I managed to send a bunny your way! Hooray! Now, to see what how it manages to chew up your leg before it's written out. Those that have fastened on me are turning up all over the place, one nuzgul sitting on top of the true crime bookcase, and another playing about the stream that runs along the eastern border of the property. I have to watch out for that one, as it attacks me in the middle of the night. Likes to sneak in through the window where the cats tore the screen out and that they use to go in and out, I find. Anyway, looking forward to more of your postings. Happy Labor Day.

Author's reply

Barti's a stubborn one, Antane. No, still not wanting to see the light, much less the Light--not yet, at least.

Author's reply

I done it again. Doesn't seem to matter how many times I reread them or others read them--there's always some blooper like this one that needs editing! Thanks for catching it for me, Kitty. Have corrected it here, at least. Those who try things like this tend to be extraordinarily self-centered, and so often miss the obvious, such as the fact that they're being observed. I felt that this time Hobbits ought to get the credit, with a bit of training from a Ranger. Yes, I think Aragorn would feel proud! Heh! And poor Barti is caught in the tangle of his own expectations and lack of appreciation for Frodo's true nature, although part of the real reason he was angry that the return of Bag End still remains to be exposed. Again, thanks for the feedback and the correction.

Author's reply

Barti still has some tangles to work through, unfortunately. He's had to fight years of resentment and misinterpretation of what he saw and thought he saw and a good bit of resentment that Bag End went back to Frodo in the end--after all, as Lobelia's closest living relative (along with Lavinia) he OUGHT to have inherited it from her.... And folk like Cotman do tend to be pretty stupid and self-absorbed. I follow a court case in Arkansas where the two most likely suspects are both pretty sorry specimens--and why the local police department decided to focus on three trailer-trash teens instead of properly working the case has folks stymied all over the world! Heh! As for Mac--I like to see him come into his own now and then. Oh, did you ever look at no. 35 in Moments in Time?

Author's reply

Yes, one more petty soul removed from circulation. Thanks so for the feedback!

Author's reply

Oh, and thank you, Baggins Babe. Bender wasn't expecting to get caught, of course; but then best laid plans of mice and men and all that! Poor Barti indeed--every time he thinks he has Frodo pegged another new wrinkle comes to light and he has to rethink things, and he's not all that flexible to begin with. Thanks so for the feedback.

Author's reply

It's always nice to find I've managed to surprise someone. Yes, in this case Mac to the rescue, and we learn a bit more of the connections between the Hobbits of the Shire and the Rangers who guarded their borders. I suspect you're all too right about what Frodo might have said and done when faced with the question of what he'd been doing. And years of resentment are difficult to undo. Thanks so much for the feedback.

Author's reply

Yes, Barti is far too limited by being who and what he is as a stereotypical Bracegirdle; and the twins are first seen by the Bracegirdle children. And all three of these Travelers recognize the Baggins in Delphinium and Bartolo's children. So glad of the feedback, Bodkin; and looking forward to something new from you! Heh!

Author's reply

Actually, Sam gave Barti's his talking-to in the last chapter; part of this chapter is a bit out of sync. And once he's past his suspicions of the children as Barti's offspring Merry's able to appreciate that they are equally Delphinium's. As for Frodo--the PTSD is growing worse, and until he goes over the Sea he's not likely to get much better.

Author's reply

Sam's Sam, and fully honest, of course. And he'll see to it his Master's honor is defended, even from abrasive Bracegirdles. And of course Pippin and Merry are equally determined to the same purpose. As for Frodo--he is beginning to appreciate just how wounded he is at a deeper level, and is becoming aware that perhaps his dependence on Sam may not be the most healthy thing for either of them; but for now he does need it and cannot yet bear to be away from it. He and Sam are both meant to be whole, and unfortunately for him to be whole he must leave in the end; only to have the wholeness of Sam's companionship restored when it is right and proper for it, when it is no longer the dependence of illness but the proper companionship of those who are each whole in themselves.

Author's reply

I think he must have made a wonderful deputy Mayor--there had to be a reason he didn't run on his own! And I suspect Begonia would have been as sensitive to the story as her sisters, at least! I tend to feel sorry for their dad, myself. Thanks for the feedback.

Author's reply

Yes, Sam has also grown; and the one who best appreciates it and wishes for the entire Shire to know is Frodo himself. Now, if only he would do the same for himself. Yes, with a little help from his friends.... Thank you so much for the feedback.

Author's reply

Well, Bilbo's stories have to have had an effect on as malleable a child as Samwise Gamgee was, to the point he purposely packed things he was certain Frodo wouldn't think to take for himself, or so the Master tells us. Sam's always been the gardener and nurturer; now Frodo's facing up to the fact he's dependent on that nurturing nature to see him through life, and I suspect he both appreciates it and is becoming somewhat worried by it, not wishing his own dependency to draw Sam from actually living his own life as fully as possible. Yes, Mother Sam! And am so glad you appreciate how Merry and Pippin openly defy Frodo here to let at least Barti's children appreciate just what he did and how hard it must have been to do. And am so glad so many appear to appreciate the twins singing here. Thanks so much!

Author's reply

Oh, Pryderi, you can't imagine how glad you caught these! No matter how many times these are gone over, it appears there are always a couple of foolish errors per chapter that sneak by! Thank you so very much! And am so glad you found it enjoyable! Thanks again!

Author's reply

Yes, the Conspiracy still lives, and precisely as you point out. Sam won't allow folks to say things about his Master! No way! And Pippin is now indeed the future Thain in the making, who won't see lights hidden under bushes--or self-blame. The three of Frodo's companions on the great journey are now insisting on him being accepted as the marvelous being he is. These children hold the best of their mixed Baggins and Bracegirdle ancestry, and their ability to analyze and synthesize information won't be held down. They, and particularly Petunia and Persivo, have the sensitivity their oh-so-Bracegirdle father doesn't have, and all of them are perfectly capable of putting puzzles together. As for Frodo himself--he may not have as yet realized just how fragile emotionally he's yet to become, much less the physical decline that goes along with the growing PTSD, but he's enough self-aware to realize he's not recovered fully enough to keep on with these weekly jaunts between Bag End and Michel Delving, and growing more aware of how much he now depends on Sam. He's been good for the Shire, but how much good will he do if he starts getting ill regularly? And am so glad that the visit of Elladan and Elrohir mean so much to you. As for their own point of view--I just might write that one day, you know! Heh!

Author's reply

I wrote a response earlier, and again Hughes appears to have eaten it or spat it out somewhere else. The handkerchiefs sort of grew out of the idea that Sam purposely packed the little things Frodo didn't think of or thought of as needless that he suspected would be necessary to bring out in triumph when needed; if he always seemed to try to anticipate Frodo's needs, wouldn't he do similarly with handkerchiefs, and couldn't it have been sparked by Bilbo's own tales? So, this slipped in. And the idea of the history of Middle Earth ending up being sung that night grew out of the thought that this would be a part of the way the four of them tried to prepare their people to think of themselves as part of the greater outer realm. When the Master himself made the story of Frodo and Sam a continuation of the tale of the theft of the Silmarils and the exploits of Beren and Luthien, that the Travelers would seek to pass on this appreciation to the folk of the Shire seemed likely. All three of Frodo's companions would have wished to see him properly honored, and I do think they'd work at trying to keep him from morbid imaginings and undeserved criticism from himself as well as from others. And Pippin's Pippin, but he's also the future Thain in the making who knows from grim experience that sometimes orders need to be overlooked when they work to the ill of the very ones issuing them. At first Merry's suspicious because the children are Bartolo's offspring; but when he realizes how much they are those of Delphie also and how much they've figured out on their own he appreciates it all and offers them the respect they deserve. Sam has the patience of his calling, and the caring of his nature. Frodo may not have begun openly failing as yet, but he's sufficiently self-aware to realize he's not getting better as he ought to do; and I suspect the decision not to accept election would have been a considered one on his part. One of the highlights of my year since 1955 has been going to the Puyallup Fair in September; and I'd suspect the Free Fair would be similar to a state fair without the rides--contests, games, food of all sorts, craftsmen presenting samples of their skills and taking orders, women showing off their handiwork and cooking and competing with one another, farmer showing off the most wonderful of their crops and stock for the last year and arranging sales and breeding deals, shepherds selling off the small items they've crafted during the quiet times when their flocks were behaving, flock masters comparing bales of wool, spinsters competing for the finest threads and yarns produced and the finest weavings and yarnwork and embroidery; candy apples and scones and doughnuts and pasties and the odd Dwarf vendor here and there selling kitchen and utility knives, buckles and hardware, axes and arrow tips, game sets carved of stone, fine tableware, sets of beads of malachite and amethyst and aventurine, finely carved boxes and pipes and steins.... I, too, would wish to go, and I'd love to go to the Mop, I think. Pressure on the spinal column can cause so many problems; and I know how my husband's minor strokes affecting the brain stem led to multiple problems, from suppressed breathing to problems with balance and occasionally orientation. When my neck is out I have more migraines and problems just sleeping. Now the Bracegirdle and Baggins children just begin to become aware of one another, and we see that the Baggins legacy isn't lost to the Shire when Frodo and Bilbo sail to Tol Eressea. The remarkable sensitivity and intelligence and common sense of the Bagginses is now wed to Bracegirdle directness, bringing out the best of both lines. And the children realize that they share something with their mother their father is incapable of appreciating, and grieve for that as they accept it as true. Thank you so much for the long review. And good luck with the MS consultant. One of my best friend's MS has been arrested basically for the past twenty years, while that of the mother of a friend has become progressively worse, tying her now to a wheelchair. It is such an odd disease. Glad you plan to be diplomatic in your discussions! Heh! And love to the folks and Jet. Author Reply: I wrote a response earlier, and again Hughes appears to have eaten it or spat it out somewhere else. The handkerchiefs sort of grew out of the idea that Sam purposely packed the little things Frodo didn't think of or thought of as needless that he suspected would be necessary to bring out in triumph when needed; if he always seemed to try to anticipate Frodo's needs, wouldn't he do similarly with handkerchiefs, and couldn't it have been sparked by Bilbo's own tales? So, this slipped in. And the idea of the history of Middle Earth ending up being sung that night grew out of the thought that this would be a part of the way the four of them tried to prepare their people to think of themselves as part of the greater outer realm. When the Master himself made the story of Frodo and Sam a continuation of the tale of the theft of the Silmarils and the exploits of Beren and Luthien, that the Travelers would seek to pass on this appreciation to the folk of the Shire seemed likely. All three of Frodo's companions would have wished to see him properly honored, and I do think they'd work at trying to keep him from morbid imaginings and undeserved criticism from himself as well as from others. And Pippin's Pippin, but he's also the future Thain in the making who knows from grim experience that sometimes orders need to be overlooked when they work to the ill of the very ones issuing them. At first Merry's suspicious because the children are Bartolo's offspring; but when he realizes how much they are those of Delphie also and how much they've figured out on their own he appreciates it all and offers them the respect they deserve. Sam has the patience of his calling, and the caring of his nature. Frodo may not have begun openly failing as yet, but he's sufficiently self-aware to realize he's not getting better as he ought to do; and I suspect the decision not to accept election would have been a considered one on his part. One of the highlights of my year since 1955 has been going to the Puyallup Fair in September; and I'd suspect the Free Fair would be similar to a state fair without the rides--contests, games, food of all sorts, craftsmen presenting samples of their skills and taking orders, women showing off their handiwork and cooking and competing with one another, farmer showing off the most wonderful of their crops and stock for the last year and arranging sales and breeding deals, shepherds selling off the small items they've crafted during the quiet times when their flocks were behaving, flock masters comparing bales of wool, spinsters competing for the finest threads and yarns produced and the finest weavings and yarnwork and embroidery; candy apples and scones and doughnuts and pasties and the odd Dwarf vendor here and there selling kitchen and utility knives, buckles and hardware, axes and arrow tips, game sets carved of stone, fine tableware, sets of beads of malachite and amethyst and aventurine, finely carved boxes and pipes and steins.... I, too, would wish to go, and I'd love to go to the Mop, I think. Pressure on the spinal column can cause so many problems; and I know how my husband's minor strokes affecting the brain stem led to multiple problems, from suppressed breathing to problems with balance and occasionally orientation. When my neck is out I have more migraines and problems just sleeping. Now the Bracegirdle and Baggins children just begin to become aware of one another, and we see that the Baggins legacy isn't lost to the Shire when Frodo and Bilbo sail to Tol Eressea. The remarkable sensitivity and intelligence and common sense of the Bagginses is now wed to Bracegirdle directness, bringing out the best of both lines. And the children realize that they share something with their mother their father is incapable of appreciating, and grieve for that as they accept it as true. Thank you so much for the long review. And good luck with the MS consultant. One of my best friend's MS has been arrested basically for the past twenty years, while that of the mother of a friend has become progressively worse, tying her now to a wheelchair. It is such an odd disease. Glad you plan to be diplomatic in your discussions! Heh! And love to the folks and Jet.

Author's reply

I suspect you're right about Frodo perhaps wanting confirmation he's not so wonderful after all. Sometimes we are so bent on personal ills it's a wonder we don't crawl all over everyone who disagrees with us. And I've certainly seen some individuals who WANT to believe everyone else is arguing with them. Heh!

Author's reply

I got my copy of HP last Saturday and had it finished about mid-afternoon Sunday. I, too, had a bit of a return to make. That about the Elder Wand and Wand-lore was fascinating, and I'm so glad they got Ollivander back. Frodo isn't feeling well and is feeling terribly down on himself; and Barti's perhaps too ready to agree with Frodo's own self-perception, unfortunately. And so glad you finally got to see Nanny McPhee ant to hear you enjoyed it so thoroughly. The daughter was watching it day before yesterday, and it was so fun to hear the part where the donkey dances for Auntie.

Author's reply

The children are children, after all, particularly Lyssa and Ricki, and don't know to be circumspect, perhaps. So others begin learning more than they might. And we do have typical gossip behavior going here. Poor Bartolo--he doesn't know what to believe now! Others say Frodo accomplished so much, and Frodo's saying he's a failure, and Barti doesn't have enough knowledge to appreciate why Frodo's saying what he did, so he takes him at his word. And both are hurt by their own perceptions and one another at this point. Nor will Sam allow others to belittle his beloved Mr. Frodo. As for Persi--going to the Tooks will be a very different experience for him, and he's likely to find it both enlightening, broadening, and frustrating by turns. Actually, I didn't particularly appreciate ginger beer when I tried it, not having grown up with it; but I could perhaps develop a taste for it. I do love lemon curd, after all. And give my love to your folks and Jet.

Author's reply

The horse's mouth indeed, without the benefit of knowing how holding the Ring damaged Frodo's self-esteem or understanding most of what Frodo says. Frodo won't allow Sam to challenge Barti openly, but he's still going to give his own warning. He knows Frodo's true worth even if Frodo still denies it. And I love the idea of Sam making Barti squirm. Heh!

Author's reply

Yes, the most Stubborn Baggins of all Stubborn Bagginses in his headache is putting himself down (remember that in a few days when he comes back for Midsummer itself it will be after the spider bite drains again), and seeing himself once more as a failure. Barti has the facts laid out for him--"They know more than I do what I did--I don't remember a good deal of it myself..." He'll learn the full facts soon enough, I think. But until then Frodo's own words appear to condemn him. And Sam's not going to allow folks to upset his Master, particularly when he knows Frodo isn't feeling well to begin with.