Reviews (90)

Author's reply

My hobbit muse has been a fickle one, but Pippin is my favorite hobbit, and I thoroughly enjoyed writing a fairly dramatic AU through his eyes. Not sure how different Faramir would be if Finduilas had lived; much would have depended on his relationship with Gandalf and if Finduilas would have supported that bond or not. Also, Finduilas might have had her hands, between struggling with health and managing Denethor, at least to the extent she could. I do think she and Denethor loved each other; and that love could have brought Denethor off the pyre alive along with Faramir. Thank you for the review!

Author's reply

Thanks for reading and reviewing, Periantari. I don't think that any of the defenders of Gondor and Rohan slept entirely free of bad dreams throughout the rest of their lives, especially those who passed under the shadow of the Black Breath. Victories all have their cost. But Faramir was lucky enough to share his bed and life with a woman who had fought that shadow and nearly died of it, as did he. Very likely he would also have occasion to comfort her sometimes. I'm glad you enjoyed the piece.

Author's reply

Finduilas came on very strong in my mind as I wrote this, I think that she would have, as Denethor's consort, been a woman who chose her battles well; and was above all the one person who could 'handle' her husband when she chose to make an argument. And this confrontation would have been her greatest, most desperate argument... Tolkien's treatment of women, in real life and in his fiction, might well have differed had his mother lived. I always find it curious that Tolkien's friend C.S. Lewis, whose mother died when he was ten, wrote a scene in "The Magician's Nephew" where the young hero saves his sickened mother with a magic apple; while Tolkien's Middle-earth landscape and history is littered with mothers who died, or left, during their children's childhood, from Miriel and Elwing to Elfhild of Rohan and Finduilas and Primula Baggins. Thanks for reading and reviewing, Inkling!

Author's reply

Thanks for reading and reviewing, Virtuella. I'm pleased that you found the storyline convincing; Pippin's perspective really was perfect for it, I thought; he was our original eyes and ears in Minas Tirith... If anyone could have brought Denethor off of that pyre, it would have been Finduilas...

Author's reply

I'm very pleased that you liked this story, Virtuella; I had wanted to write of Finduilas fighting her own good fight against the Shadow rather than being a passive victim of unspecified withering - the idea has been in my head awhile. I see her as a woman who was fiercely devoted to her husband, and not without pride in herself as well as him, though not an arrogant sort; she knew her own worth and deeply loved Denethor. Thank you for reading and reviewing!

Author's reply

A belated Thanks for reviewing, Larner. I think, at this point, Finduilas might have pulled off the near-impossible feat of dissuading Denethor from destroying himself and Faramir in such a terrible fashion. Much might have been different if she had lived...I'm glad you liked the piece.

Author's reply

I'm actually not sure if Denethor would have been Aragorn's Steward. In the other AU I have in my head, where Finduilas died long before and Denethor lets Gandalf talk him off the pyre, things get worse for Denethor before they get better and Faramir becomes Aragorn's Steward while Denethor is alive and kicking and angry. But if Finduilas is alive, that changes things for the better...Not sure I'll ever write either AU; though there is always a chance. But thanks for the vote of confidence; Wombat. I'm glad you enjoyed the piece!

Author's reply

I did enjoy writing it through Pippin's point of view. My hobbit-muse speaks to me very rarely, so I'm always glad to try out what inspiration it sends me. Besides, Pippin is my favorite hobbit... Thanks for reading and reviewing, Shirebound.

Author's reply

I think Gilraen managed to get through it all as her boy was growing up and needing her; but she seems to have fared far worse when Aragorn went out on his own. It's so sad that she went back to her people, but still couldn't be happy enough to sustain her own life. Thanks for reading and reviewing, Shirebound!

Author's reply

Thanks for reading and reviewing, Dreamflower. I don't know why this possibility didn't occur to me before; but of course I have been curious about Finduilas, mother to such outstanding sons and wife to such a singular and interesting man. I am not sure that Elfhild's early death was by design of Sauron; but since Tolkien tells us nothing of the poor young woman other than her dying in childbirth, fan writers can reasonably extrapolate either possibility. Tolkien did document Finduilas' influence on Denethor, in saying that he became more grim (which can, in my view, mean farther down the road of extreme social/emotional isolation) after her death and that Denethor loved Finduilas very much... I do think that if Finduilas had been living in ROTK, Pippin would have met her and been drawn to her as he was drawn to Faramir...

Author's reply

Thanks for reading and reviewing, Ellyn. I'm glad you liked this moment in Gilraen's life. Every house and family has some knick-knacks and heirlooms, doesn't it, things that hold a great sentimental value...Poor Gilraen gave up her home and her way of life for her son, and of course would do it again if necessary...

Author's reply

Tolkien did overdo the fading ladies a bit, didn't he?! Thank you for reviewing, Phyloxena. Much might have been different if Finduilas had not died...

Author's reply

Thanks for reading and reviewing, Eiluj. Poor Finduilas doesn't get to do much in many fanfiction stories, due to her shortened life; but I think Denethor's cup of bitterness would have been much sweeter if she had lived...

Author's reply

I think if Denethor had survived the Pyre (without getting burned), he would have officially accepted Aragorn's kingship; because Denethor was not stupid and would not have wanted to tear the realm apart in a war (which is what it might have come down to if Denethor had refused Aragorn's claim; especially with Eomer and the Rohirrim encamped on the Pelennor and backing Aragorn). But emotionally, that's a different matter altogether. Finduilas might not have been so wild about the regime change either, loving Denethor as much as she did. But Denethor would have been less embittered if he could have faced the changes, and Boromir's death, with Finduilas at his side. She would have helped him adjust to the new Gondor, and his role in it. Thanks for reading and reviewing, Linda!

Author's reply

It's my own conviction that the mother of Boromir and Faramir was not a damsel-in-distress type, at least not spiritually; more like a steel-in-velvet-glove type. And a lady born and bred in an old Numenorean house such as that of Dol Amroth might well have been quite proud, too proud to leave a beloved husband alone to face Sauron's emnity, even if that choice imperiled her life. Thanks for the review, Linda!

Author's reply

I think Gilraen at least tried to be a good mother, especially in Aragorn's early years. He grows up as a man of strong will and confidence, and I think some of that was due to her influence.

Author's reply

I'm sure they had, or found, good secretaries and assistants; but being the type of men they were, Faramir and Aragorn would have wanted to, and tried to, do some of the paperwork/sorting themselves, or at least gauge what needed most to be sorted (which in itself could be quite a chore when dealing with a thousand years of laws and regulations)... Thanx for reading and reviewing, Estelcontar!

Author's reply

Thanks, Cairistiona; Faramir probably had some dust in his hair too, but failed to notice it until later. Poor Aragorn had had just about enough of trying to personally tackle the scrolls of ancient laws and amendments, at least that day. And I think Faramir very much wants to be a help to his King (and he was also delighted to have a good excuse to go hang out with Aragorn rather than stay in Gondor's legal archives and sort through centuries of precedent). My personal title for earlier drafts of this story was Playing Hooky, LOL.

Author's reply

I'm glad you enjoyed the story, Ellie. I do try to make the dialogue and characterization as "real" as I can, thanks for the affirmation.

Author's reply

The sheer amount of stuff not involving running/riding/fighting that Aragorn will have to accomplish as King of Gondor and Arnor, especially in the first year, must have been a bit overwhelming to the new king, however well prepared he was. And it was also the beginning of his marriage. Arwen would have been lucky to see her bridegroom at all during the day; while she was also adjusting to a new life. I imagine that they both are patient people, and that helped...And I think Faramir (who also had a passel of new responsibilities) would have been very helpful in integrating Aragorn into the fabric of Gondor (which Aragorn had known from the standpoint of a foreign-born general some 40 years ago, not as King) in those early years. But sometimes the guys would have had to just leave the paperwork and get out and breathe! Thanx for the review!

Author's reply

I would think that Faramir would have done as much as he could for the widows and orphans and other family members of those he led who did not return - seeing that they had shelter and food, arranging for fosterage when necessary; and presumably pensions. I tend to think that many of the Ithilien Rangers and their families came to settle under the new Prince's rule; and some of the dependents of the soldiers who died in the Retreat might also have been encouraged to settle in Emyn Arnen and thereabouts as well. War is hellish enough without having to fight off Air Nazgul and vicious orcs; Faramir and Eowyn would have endured some after-effects, along with many others... Thanx for reading and reviewing, Larner!

Author's reply

They don't make 'em much wiser, at least in my opinion, Shirebound. Thanx much for reading and reviewing. I'm pleased that you enjoyed the piece.

Author's reply

You can take the Rangers out of the wild, but you can't necessarily take the wild out of the Rangers - and these two do deserve some sunshine, don't they?! Thanx for reading and reviewing, Virtuella!