Across Arda's Ages by Rhyselle
Lady Edlyn · 19 November 2010 · Chapter 17: #17 - Boots (TA 3019, December, Rivendell)
I really love this one, twinling! However, you need to correct the spelling of "council" (a goup of advisors) to "counsel" (advice). But the misspelling doesn't detract from the scene at all.
Author's reply
I've corrected it twice, but the correction doesn't want to hold, it seems. I'll try again. I'm glad you liked it!
Celeritas · 18 November 2010 · Chapter 18: #18 - Competition (FA 4, Bree, at the Great Bree Midsummer Fair)
Oh, this was delightful! I think all of us would feel intimidated going against a hobbit in a bake-off, but there are never any guarantees, after all. A nice little slice of life for Bree.
Author's reply
As scatterbrained as Barliman Butterbur seems to be, I like to think that he has a devoted wife who tries to pick up the pieces behind him. *grin* Bree seems to be a place, being at a crossroads, that lots of fun and interesting things could happen. And since the Shire has the Free Fair at Michael Delving each year, then Bree should have its own fair too. :)
Ellynn · 18 November 2010 · Chapter 17: #17 - Boots (TA 3019, December, Rivendell)
I totally agree with you - hobbits do need boots on Caradhras. Nicely done!
Author's reply
Thank you very much! :)
Ellynn · 18 November 2010 · Chapter 16: #16 - Homesick (TA 3018, Ithilien, Gondor)
I like how you slowly turn funny tones from the beginning towards melancholic and sad in the end. Beautiful drabble!
Author's reply
Thank you! I hadn't actually intended the shift of emotion, but when Faramir spoke up to my muse, that was the way it happened. I'm so very glad you liked it.
eiluj · 18 November 2010 · Chapter 17: #17 - Boots (TA 3019, December, Rivendell)
Interesting idea about Elrond giving the four hobbits boots. I can't help but worry, however, that being unused to wearing boots, their feet would have blistered -- but then again, these boots were elven-made. "Concerning Hobbits" tells us the hobbits of the Eastfarthing wore "dwarf-boots" in muddy conditions; we're also told that hobbits don't practice shoemaking. This would seem to imply a brisk dwarven trading business in the Eastfarthing.... Odd as it seems, Tolkien's intention in The Hobbit was that Elrond provided Bilbo with boots, so you could say it's logical he would also have provided boots for Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin. Bilbo's boots are clearly visible in at least two of JRRT's illustrations, though mention of them was inadvertently dropped from the text. [This is explained on p. 277 of The Annotated Hobbit.] I don't review much, but I am enjoying all of these.
Author's reply
Thanks for the referral to The Annotated Hobbit. I need to get a copy of that! Regarding blisters, ouch! I'd expect that along with boots, they'd have been given socks to go with them. LOL! I can just picture elvish ladies knitting socks to fit hobbit feet! Maybe that's why they waited until December to leave! *giggle*
Celeritas · 17 November 2010 · Chapter 17: #17 - Boots (TA 3019, December, Rivendell)
Nice extrapolation! For the record, we do know that a few hobbits around Buckland and the Marish wore boots--I've always associated with water-work. But it doesn't snow that often in the Shire so I don't think it would have occurred to Pippin at least (possibly Merry, given his tendency to look ahead and his being a Bucklander) that they might need snow for those reasons. If I have hobbits go about in the snow for an extended amount of time I usually give them sturdy woolen rags for their feet--and if they aren't out for an extended amount of time but they do have thoughtful family, they'll have their feet treated to fire-toasted rags when they come in from the cold. Oh! And one of Tolkien's illustrations to The Hobbit has Bilbo with footwear, and in the annotated version there's a note from Tolkien explaining why he has boots and where he got them along the way. I don't recall the explanation, though. That is probably entirely too much information for you, but that's what happens when you write a drabble that makes me think!!
Author's reply
And when you respond to my drabbles, you make me think too! :) Thank you very much!
Celeritas · 17 November 2010 · Chapter 16: #16 - Homesick (TA 3018, Ithilien, Gondor)
I love the way the scattered remarks stretched this one out--and the way Faramir's thoughts turn grave. Last word is so sad!
Author's reply
I was worried that it would be longer than the 100 word drabble limit, but it came out perfectly. :) I'm so glad you liked it despite the sadness.
shirebound · 17 November 2010 · Chapter 16: #16 - Homesick (TA 3018, Ithilien, Gondor)
Such a poignant scene. And awwww, "My mum's soup." How sweet.
Author's reply
This one was another drabble inspired by events in my own life. When I was deployed in 2003 to the Middle East, I had my own list of things I was homesick for. I even had my husband send me one of his shirts that I could sleep in so I could imagine him hugging me. *smile* Every soldier, sailor, and airman away from home has something to keep close to his heart, whether a physical object or a memory, that helps him make it through until his or her return home. Thanks for reviewing!
Raksha The Demon · 15 November 2010 · Chapter 10: #10 - Secret (TA 3019, Summer, Dol Amroth)
Interesting and unusual piece - never thought of dye as a source of Dol Amroth wealth, but it makes a lot of sense, especially with the murex...
Author's reply
Thanks for commenting, Raksha. :) This was a fun way to explore those parts of the map that aren't really detailed, and what seems to be a reasonable explanation for the color used in the Dol Amroth Heraldry as described by Tolkien. I enjoyed coming up with this one almost as much as the one about Thranduil and the early motor car!
Celeritas · 15 November 2010 · Chapter 15: #15 - Thief (TA 2985, The Marish, The Shire)
Heh heh heh... I like the idea that Mrs. Maggot was part of the drive to bring young Frodo to justice!
Author's reply
Well, in my household, when vandalism occurs (such as kids draping toilet paper from the trees), I'm usually the one who gets maddest about it. *grin* Thanks for the review!
Larner · 15 November 2010 · Chapter 14: #14 - Filemot (Fourth Age, East Lorien)
A tragedy indeed, but one that was coming, I fear. Alas for the fading of the land with the loss of its Lady. I hope he joined her eventually.
Author's reply
In my head, he does eventually go to Valinor, but I'm not sure when. I have done other scribbles (unpublished thus far) where he does stick around until the present day. Both ideas have their charm. Thanks for reviewing!
Larner · 15 November 2010 · Chapter 13: #13 - Patience (Fourth Age, Tookland, The Shire)
Patience is not an easily learned virtue, and certainly Pippin paid more than his dues to do so. Wise he has become.
Author's reply
Oh, I'm sure that Pippin is still impatient when it comes to some things, but after his experiences on the Quest and upon their return home, he can't help but have picked up at least a bit of wisdom along the way. *grin* Thanks for reviewing!
Lady Edlyn · 15 November 2010 · Chapter 9: #9 - Terror (Seventh Age, 1897, England)
LOL! This story is still a hoot on the nth reading. This is priceless. But didn't you mean Horseless Carriage? That vehicle certainly has a motor!
Author's reply
Yeesh! I proofread it a dozen times and I never caught that! I've fixed it. Thank you!
Celeritas · 14 November 2010 · Chapter 14: #14 - Filemot (Fourth Age, East Lorien)
Loved the title for this one--I love it when fan fiction gives me artistic vocabulary lessons! As for the drabble itself--how sad! Inevitable, of course, but I hope that this isn't early in the Age at least. I also have to wonder if this means that the Shire's mallorn has also died, or if it gets an extra lease on life.
Author's reply
I was having problems coming up with an idea for the drabble, and so I decided to hit a "word of the day" site to see what their daily words might inspire. I must have clicked through two or three dozen words until "Filemot" came up--and the muse pounced on it. :)
curiouswombat · 14 November 2010 · Chapter 9: #9 - Terror (Seventh Age, 1897, England)
I love this image of Thranduil of Toad Hall, immensely!
Author's reply
*grin* This seems to be the most popular of the drabbles so far. I'm so glad you are enjoying this!
Celeritas · 13 November 2010 · Chapter 13: #13 - Patience (Fourth Age, Tookland, The Shire)
As a Fourth Age hobbit ficcer this really touched my heart. Of course, I think Pippin should know that patience is not something that can be learned the easy way, except for a few talented souls, and I doubt that Faramir is one of them...
Author's reply
One thing I hate about the present day, is how the modern communication technology has destroyed much of our ability to keep horrid things away from our small children. Today we can't shelter them like we could before TV and the internet came along. Deep in my heart, I wish that I could shelter my youngest children from rushing into adulthood far too soon.
Celeritas · 13 November 2010 · Chapter 12: #12 - Departure (SA 3433, The Grey Havens)
Bittersweet. I thought your use of OCs made this much more of an everytale--something that must have happened countless times with countless variations over the long years. Quite beautiful, and quite effective.
Celeritas · 13 November 2010 · Chapter 11: #11 - Hero (TA 3019, April, Minas Tirith)
This was lovely, and so fitting for the date! Thank you for the reminder of the heroism that can come from anyone in any place.
Author's reply
Thank you, Celeritas! I really appreciate your dedicated reviewing. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Celeritas · 13 November 2010 · Chapter 10: #10 - Secret (TA 3019, Summer, Dol Amroth)
This is great--I loved how you drew attention to the secondary consequences of war--economies, trade, etc. This is the exact kind of worldbuilding that I love.
Author's reply
In my planning for the Tolkien Gathering of A Long Expected Party 2: There and Back Again, I decided that I wanted to make an outfit of livery for Dol Amroth, and was trying to figure out just what Dol Amroth Blue was. So I did research on how different shades of blue dye were made in the Medieval and pre-Medieval period, and came up against the info on Tyrian Purple (which was actually more of a magenta shade than purple). I figured that maybe different shellfish's secretions could give a different base color, and thus... this drabble came to be. The costume fabric I finally settled on it gorgeous too--even though the fabric store described it as "Legion Blue". Thanks for reviewing!
Celeritas · 13 November 2010 · Chapter 9: #9 - Terror (Seventh Age, 1897, England)
I dread to think what will happen when Thranduil learns of aeroplanes!! This was a hoot!
Author's reply
Hmmmm.... You keep giving me ideas. I work near the Huffman Prairie east of Dayton where the Wright Brothers gave flying lessons in what is now Wright-Patterson Air Force Base... I wonder if Thranduil ever was a guest at Orville's home at Hawthorn Hill? Hmmmm....
Celeritas · 13 November 2010 · Chapter 8: #8 - Oaths (Seventh Age, 1789, Cadiz, Spain)
I'm not familiar with the context for this, but I always like it when Maglor pops up in history.
Larner · 13 November 2010 · Chapter 12: #12 - Departure (SA 3433, The Grey Havens)
A beautiful if sad anticipation as the two of them look forward to that reunion.
shirebound · 13 November 2010 · Chapter 11: #11 - Hero (TA 3019, April, Minas Tirith)
That's a lovely Veterans/Remembrance Day piece.
Author's reply
Thank you very much!
Larner · 12 November 2010 · Chapter 11: #11 - Hero (TA 3019, April, Minas Tirith)
Each person who stayed in the city during the siege had his own part to play, I'd thinl. Delightful offering for the day!
Author's reply
Thank you! I've always had a soft spot for those on the homefront who do their part, even though it is rarely publicized.
Larner · 12 November 2010 · Chapter 10: #10 - Secret (TA 3019, Summer, Dol Amroth)
A most likely scenario, I'd think. Love the idea of it!
Author's reply
Thanks so very much! :)