Raksha The Demon
· 23 September 2009
· Chapter 66: The Ring-day Fete
A delightful story; I loved the lords' children and servants' children uniting (with Sam!) to make a play about the Ring-quest. And Faramir's daughter played Gollum; how typical of children's play-acting that these roles get tossed about without much knowledge of the original. It's a nice touch that the thirteenth little Gamgee was born on Ring-day.
Author's reply
Yes, all uniting together, and Sam making certain they realize that Gollum, too, was important. And when better for the last of their children to be born?
Thank you so much, Raksha!
eiluj
· 22 September 2009
· Chapter 66: The Ring-day Fete
Lovely story. So many things going on!
Movie-Galadriel ... and if she can show up, why not Bilbo too? And Tolman as Frodo's birthday present to them all.
[Gotta tell you that I remember who Melian married.]
Author's reply
Yes--why not Bilbo, too? Particularly as this is his birthday as much as Frodo's, after all. And I'm so glad you remember who Melian married! Heh!
Thank you so much for the feedback.
grumpy
· 20 September 2009
· Chapter 64: Cleansed
wow, this is great! Frodo and Sam got a lot of help from a very special lady. Very nice of her, plus a blessing for Aragorn.
Well that is embarassing, collapsing in front of Elrond and others!
Author's reply
Yes, I do believe they all were deserving such a blessing at that point.
And do remember that at the point Elrond first tried to remove the shard from Frodo's shoulder Aragorn had basically been getting by on dozing for about two weeks straight. I figure he was due for a collapse about then! Embarrassing, but understandable, I think.
Thank you so, Grumpy--it's always a delight to hear from you.
Antane
· 20 September 2009
· Chapter 65: Birthday Plans
Cute! I bet he still had to do the clean up though! :)
Namarie, God bless, Antane :)
Author's reply
Oh, I do think Bilbo and Frodo will indeed make certain he cleans up after himself! Heh!
Thanks so, Antane!
Lindelea
· 20 September 2009
· Chapter 65: Birthday Plans
I hope that cake tasted delicious!
(And the kitchen sounds like ours, when the wee hobbits have finished their latest endeavor.)
*hugs*
Author's reply
Yes, like ours when we were growing up, too, Lindelea. Am looking forward to reading the next chapter of yours now!
Andrea
· 20 September 2009
· Chapter 65: Birthday Plans
That's our Pippin - always confident and cheerful!
The cake will be delicious, I'm sure. And since it is Frodo's birthday there won't be any hard punishment. Maybe he will help Pippin clean the kitchen ;-)
Last but not least: Happy birthday Pearl :-)
Author's reply
Oh, yes--our Pippin indeed! Always willing to brave a mess if it makes someone smile, I think!
shirebound
· 20 September 2009
· Chapter 65: Birthday Plans
Pip is so sweet and confident. And I like Merry calling Pippin "my favorite small cousin". Cousin-y love makes me smile.
Author's reply
It makes me smile, too, Shirebound. Thank you so!
Dreamflower
· 20 September 2009
· Chapter 65: Birthday Plans
*snicker* I'm quite sure it will. But he may be cleaning up his mess anyway.
Author's reply
I hope it turns out okay. And I do believe between Bilbo and Frodo Pippin will be cleaning up his mess--probably with the "assistance" of whoever's told off to see to it he gets it cleaned up! Heh!
Raksha The Demon
· 20 September 2009
· Chapter 65: Birthday Plans
Very cute - Pippin as a cook seems both a very logical idea and a recipe for chaos; though when he gets older, I'm sure he'll do quite well at it.
Author's reply
Oh, I'm certain he'll be a highly adequate cook as he matures! Thanks so, Raksha!
GamgeeFest
· 20 September 2009
· Chapter 65: Birthday Plans
Pippin alone in the kitchen. Always a frightening (but delightful - for us) prospect! I'm sure Frodo will enjoy his cake. :)
Author's reply
Oh, yes--he shall make a point of enjoying the cake, however it turns out; but I do believe he will set Pippin to cleaning up afterwards, too! Heh!
Baggins Babe
· 20 September 2009
· Chapter 64: Cleansed
What a beautiful glimpse of a time so frustratingly absent from the book. I love the thought of Nienna coming to ease our brave hobbits and her obvious approval of Aragorn too. A moving and inspiring story, larner.
Author's reply
I am so glad you liked it, BB. And who would not approve of Aragorn? Heh!
Thank you so very much!
Lindelea
· 19 September 2009
· Chapter 64: Cleansed
Ah, a tangible rendering of the healing brought by tears. Beautifully done.
Author's reply
Am so glad you approve. Thank you so!
Andrea
· 19 September 2009
· Chapter 64: Cleansed
He hummed the invocation for healing as he worked, and suddenly realized he was weeping softly as his hands kneaded Frodo’s palm. Yet he felt not sadness, but a solemn triumph, and he smiled through his tears, which fell barely noticed on Frodo’s arm.
Aw, how beautiful!
Tears are nothing to be ashamed of. Unfortunately there are still lots of men who don't think so.
In fact, weeping is a cleansing and healing experience.
Author's reply
You are so right that such tears are nothing to be ashamed of, yet so many are ashamed. And these are cleansing and healing on several different levels at the same time!
Antane
· 19 September 2009
· Chapter 64: Cleansed
What a beautiful tale! Cleansed indeed! I love the part with Nienna and her love for the hobbits.
Namarie, God bless, Antane :)
Author's reply
She is the personification of compassion and empathy; how could she not feel compassion for these small heroes?
Thank you so, Antane.
Linda Hoyland
· 18 September 2009
· Chapter 64: Cleansed
I just loved this glimpse of Nienna as well as my favourite healer King!
Author's reply
Thank you so, Linda! Although I ALWAYS love glimpses of our favorite healer King! Heh!
Linda Hoyland
· 18 September 2009
· Chapter 63: New Birth
What a beautiful idea!
Author's reply
Am so very glad you think so, Linda. Thank you!
Dreamflower
· 18 September 2009
· Chapter 64: Cleansed
What a wonderful encounter! I'm glad she was allowed to offer her comfort and healing there!
Author's reply
Oh, thank you so much, Dreamflower. And it was indeed an easing for all of them, I suspect.
Antane
· 16 September 2009
· Chapter 62: A Tree Grows in the Pass
I am finally, finally getting to this! It's only been sitting in my inbox for a month now I think and I started it but never got back to it. Love the addition of the statues at the Cross-roads and even more that Gandalf and Bombadil have replaced the Two Watchers! :) Love that this retracing of the steps is being taken, would that we could also, though my courage would likely fail at entering the Lair itself, but perhaps not. Love also the invocation of the Weaver - most appropriate - and the tree growing where Frodo fell. What a hopeful story of life returning to a dead place.
Namarie, God bless, Antane :)
Author's reply
Who better to guard against the memory of the dark than two who ever represent the Light? Glad you approve! If the builders of the stairs knew of the presence of Ungoliant's child in the tunnels overhead, I can well imagine them invoking both Vaire and Lorien to protect those who must go that way.
And what better to mark the place where Frodo was felled by Shelob? So glad you approve!
Thank you so very much!
Virtuella
· 13 September 2009
· Chapter 36: The Pain of Remembrance
Oh, Larner, this is wonderful. You manage to illuminate the psychological dimensions of this tragic situation with such sensitivity and insight. And it gives a very good motivation for the choice of Elros.
Author's reply
I'm so glad you think so, Virtuella. It's a difficult thing, facing the pain of the past in this way; and there must have been several reasons Elros would have chosen as he did.
Thank you so very much!
Antane
· 4 September 2009
· Chapter 63: New Birth
"And this imagining of yours pleases me greatly, as does your desire not to appear greedy, but still to share the seeds that you have conceived of within the rich world of your thought. Will you trust me with these seeds, to see them planted within the proper place, in the proper soil for their beginnings, and then to see them moved when the time is right to even richer soil?"
So we have another to thank for sub-creating hobbits, not just the professor - who would be a sub-sub creator? :) - but Yavanna as well. I love the idea of God asking for permission and her trust that He would take care of these 'seeds' as well as she would.
Namarie, God bless, Antane :)
Author's reply
Oh, indeed, Antane--and I do believe that ever the Father would seek to speak to each of His children in terms they would best resonate to! Thank you so!
harrowcat
· 30 August 2009
· Chapter 63: New Birth
Absolutely loved this one Larner.
Author's reply
I am so glad you did, Harrowcat. I loved writing it!
Rayma3
· 28 August 2009
· Chapter 63: New Birth
Reading this gave me chills! I really enjoyed this story. Thank you.
Author's reply
And thank you, Rayma3, for reading it!
Linda Hoyland
· 27 August 2009
· Chapter 63: New Birth
What a lovely account of the origins of Hobbits. It feels like a lost passage from the Simariilion.Yes,I believe this!
Author's reply
I'm so glad you do, although it doesn't quite feel Silm-like to me. Thanks you so, Linda.
Andrea
· 27 August 2009
· Chapter 63: New Birth
A beautiful beginning for the race of hobbits.
I particularly liked the fact that the idea of hobbits came to Yavanna while speaking with Olorin. Very fitting!
Author's reply
Oh, I'm so glad you approve. And who else to inspire her than our beloved Olorin, right? Thank you so very much!
Dreamflower
· 27 August 2009
· Chapter 63: New Birth
*grin* A very nice spin on this!
It seems so clear to me that of all the Valar, hobbits are the closest to Yavanna in nature-- imagine her delight when she finally sees the fruit of her thought in reality! Delightful! I'm glad I inspired you to this, and I hope we will see more on this theme from you!
Author's reply
I've always felt that the Hobbits, as well as the Ents, were particularly Yavanna's children, with Hobbits being as focused on tilled lands as the Ents are of the trees and woods. She must have indeed been very delighted when she found them living within Middle Earth in the early years of the Third Age, a sweet mixture of the best of the other three homonid races.
Thanks for the inspiration. As to how much more I might write in this theme--that remains to be seen. Am TRYING to write the next chapter of "Or Perchance" at the moment, and these little ones keep interrupting!
And thanks so!