Kitty
· 18 January 2009
· Chapter 45: First Victory!
Wow, that's certainly a feat to beat Aragorn with the sword! And at this age no less! Eldarion has every right to be very proud of himself (and Aragorn, too). Even if Eldarin learned only from the best, he is still very young to manage that. No wonder he was so shaken afterwards!
Author's reply
Amen, Kitty! He has every reason to feel proud of himself, and particularly to realize he won using the very skills instilled in him by his teachers rather than by mere accident. And Aragorn now knows the feelings his Elven brothers must have felt the day he managed to best one of them, winning the promised prize of being allowed to accompany them on one of their rides out on patrols against the orcs that ever threatened Rivendell and the folk of the Angle.
Yes, Eldarion is a bit shaken--until the joy of knowing his father's approval and realization he did it fair and square take over. One more step closer to manhood.
Kitty
· 13 January 2009
· Chapter 44: On the Naming of Twins
Lovely, Larner! I like your way to explain how they got their names!
Back to work ... why is lunch break so short?
Author's reply
Oh, I'm so glad you enjoy it! Thanks so, Kitty!
grumpy
· 11 January 2009
· Chapter 43: Will the Light Return?
Halbarad was right to decorate and celebrate "the Mettare" What better time, the coming year, it is either the end or a new begginning.
Author's reply
Obviously, I agree with you a hundred percent--as does Halbarad! All now know this is the last year of the current order, even, I believe, Sauron himself.
Thanks so for the feedback.
6336
· 10 January 2009
· Chapter 44: On the Naming of Twins
Oh that was sweet, I have often wondered how that came up with names for the twins, still managed to keep the star prefix, a nod to Erendil?
More please,
Lynda
Author's reply
Thanks so, Lynda. It appeared that this needed writing, and Jay LOVES stories about the twins.
shirebound
· 10 January 2009
· Chapter 44: On the Naming of Twins
That's lovely. The twins themselves showed which names would suit them best.
Author's reply
I'm all for children showing us what their names OUGHT to be, and am certain these two did so! As for not allowing them to be seen as one in two bodies--I suspect that having been able to talk with Maglor about the original Ambarussa Elrond would find that idea unacceptable! No, his children, even if they were identical twins, would be individuals, I think, and encouraged to think of themselves as individuals always.
curiouswombat
· 10 January 2009
· Chapter 44: On the Naming of Twins
Like Jay I am fond of the twins; and this is a lovely way for them to have been named.
Author's reply
I'm so glad you agree. As I commented to Shirebound, I'm all for children giving us the idea as to what their names should be.
Dreamflower
· 10 January 2009
· Chapter 44: On the Naming of Twins
Oh, that was sweet!
Author's reply
I'm so very glad you think so, Dreamflower. Thank you!
inzilbeth
· 10 January 2009
· Chapter 44: On the Naming of Twins
What a wonderful explanation for how each twin acquired his name.
Author's reply
I am glad you agree, Inzilbeth. Thank you!
harrowcat
· 10 January 2009
· Chapter 44: On the Naming of Twins
Beautiful & perfect!
Author's reply
Thank you so very much, Harrowcat! I am honored.
Cairistiona
· 10 January 2009
· Chapter 44: On the Naming of Twins
Ah, what an evocative scene. I feel almost as though I can see those stars and hear the soft sounds the babies make. Lovely!
Author's reply
Thank you so very much, Cairistiona. I'm glad it feels so real for you!
Raksha The Demon
· 8 January 2009
· Chapter 42: The Dance
A particularly lovely piece; blending high language and power with suggestions of tenderness and sensuality. I love the use of song here; it works so well with Tolkien's use of music and of course, The Song.
Well done!
Author's reply
I'm so glad I managed to communicate the moods I'd intended, Raksha. This was written with the theme of music in mind, and of course I found myself thinking also of THE Song.
Thanks so for the feedback.
Virtuella
· 8 January 2009
· Chapter 43: Will the Light Return?
Lots of interesting backstory you have invented here!
Author's reply
Thank you, Virtuella. Much of it has been established in some of my longer stories such as "The Tenant from Staddle" and "Stirring Rings" or "The King's Commission" and others in which the norther Dunedain appear; it was fun to find ways to add to those depictions in this story.
Antane
· 8 January 2009
· Chapter 43: Will the Light Return?
Love the ending! :)
Namarie, God bless, Antane :)
Author's reply
I am so glad you do, Antane. Thank you!
Sunny
· 7 January 2009
· Chapter 43: Will the Light Return?
*"He has not a chance, has he?"*
I am _ever_ so happy Sauron never encountered the Evil Overlord list ;-)
I know - not many items on the lists are really relevant to _The Lord of the Rings_ but there are some... And a few more that fit with a bit of, ah, adjustment.
Though most are spot-on _somewhere_ if you read as much Fantasy and SF as I do - and have done - though not necessarily all in the same book/series/universe or whatever. *allows an evil smile to spread on her face at the thought of the ends of certain villains*
http://www.eviloverlord.com/
Author's reply
Face it--evil overlords tend to be so self-absorbed they just can't understand those who think more broadly than they do. They know how to use the willingness to sacrifice self they see in righteous folk, but cannot begin to appreciate it for what it really is, seeing it as weakness.
But Sauron finds out--too late--just what Hobbits are made of! Never took them into his calculations or tried to own them as he did men, elves, and dwarves--and like Baldur the Beautiful was felled by what ought to have been the weakest of all!
Kitty
· 7 January 2009
· Chapter 43: Will the Light Return?
In hindsight, that was certainly a good time to start the restoration of Annuminas. And it was nice to watch the brothers together and talking about the events in FotR, even if it made me a bit sad to know Halbarad will not live to see the victory over Sauron. But I was glad he got a wonderful, joyous Mettarë in this his last year. And really, Halladan and Halbarad were *so* right - Sauron had underestimated the Hobbits very badly, and that brought about his fall in the end :)
Author's reply
If anyone deserves a happy Mettare, it's Halbarad--I agree there. And he died knowing that he'd helped see the King return!
And Sauron, in judging all others by himself, failed to appreciate just what faced him!
Kitty
· 7 January 2009
· Chapter 42: The Dance
Lovely, Larner! Reading that, I can see them singing all these things into being. Very appropriate for Yavanna und Aulë.
Author's reply
Oh, I'm so very glad you agree, Kitty! I found I rather liked writing this one.
Linda Hoyland
· 7 January 2009
· Chapter 43: Will the Light Return?
THis is just heartrending as we know what happens to Halbarad.I love these Rangers with their courage and strength.I think we need the hot bricks sent over here too! A great story.
Author's reply
I, too, love them, and wish I could have known them in person. But in the end the sacrifices were worthwhile for Middle Earth, no matter how wounding for those whose family members were lost.
Thank you, Linda.
6336
· 6 January 2009
· Chapter 43: Will the Light Return?
Oh, yes! Sauron has no idea just what is going to happen to him once he gets a few Hobbits on his case! Nor will the Witch King of Angmar!
Nice one,
More please,
Lynda
Author's reply
The two of them did find out, though, didn't they? Heh!
Thanks for the comments, Lynda.
Parmalokwen
· 6 January 2009
· Chapter 42: The Dance
Ooh, lovely! Valarin romance fics are so few and far between.
Author's reply
Again, am please it pleases. One thing the ALEC challenges has done--they've had me reaching beyond my more normal areas of writing! And this one was to include music somehow....
Thanks for the feedback.
Parmalokwen
· 6 January 2009
· Chapter 38: Faith Tried
Yes! This is the only reason to actively encourage Arwen to marry a mortal that makes any sense.
I hadn't considered Galadriel's actions, (I'd forgotten about the fancy clothes bit,) but I have been thinking similar thoughts about Elrond for a while: that when he named kingship as the condition for marriage to Arwen, he wasn't demanding anything like a Silmaril at all. Quite the opposite-- he wanted Aragorn to succeed, and he was willing to be parted from his daughter to make sure that Aragorn was properly motivated.
Conspiracy?
Author's reply
Indeed a conspiracy might have developed between Galadriel and Elrond to encourage Aragorn to seek his destiny in order to know the one desire he ever truly held; and if Elrond knew that this would motivate his fosterling to reach for that greatness, even he could only have encouraged Aragorn to reach for it, to find his own Estel there.
Am so glad this spoke to you. Thank you for the comments.
Szepilona10
· 6 January 2009
· Chapter 43: Will the Light Return?
Thank You so much!!!! I loved this story! It was a bit sad, but happy at the same time! I reading about Halbarad(and his brothers)!
God Bless!
~Szepilona10~
Author's reply
You're so welcome, Szepilona! And may the new year bring you much joy.
6336
· 6 January 2009
· Chapter 42: The Dance
Oh, lovely!
More please,
Lynda
Author's reply
Glad it pleases, Lynda. Thank you so!
Dreamflower
· 6 January 2009
· Chapter 42: The Dance
Oh, this was lovely Larner! On the surface, it would seem that Yavanna and Aule are opposites--nature versus artifice. But you show how they compliment each other: no aritifice without the raw materials nature provides, and artifice enables nature to increase its bounty even more! Wonderful!
Author's reply
I am so glad you like it, Dreamflower! It was interesting trying to figure out how to meet the challenge--I'd intended originally to post the Hurin/Lynesse story there, you see--but it grew in the telling, and by that time the character of Lynesse could have given away who wrote the story.
And Aule and Yavanna were well paired, I think.
shirebound
· 6 January 2009
· Chapter 42: The Dance
That's just beautiful. What a glorious way to describe the intertwining of soul-mates, and the joy of these early days.
Author's reply
Am so glad you think so, Shirebound! I am honored, and they must have rejoiced indeed to share in the preparation of the world for the coming of the Children.
Vilwarin
· 6 January 2009
· Chapter 34: Wounds from the Enemy
Oh, this is an interesting piece, the first that I've ever read about Elrond and Isildur. Well done.
Author's reply
I'm so glad you feel that way, Vilwarin. It was interesting trying to imagine how Elrond would perceive Elendil's son!
Thank you so!