Foreward

       I've had several question me regarding the use of Elvish within this story.  For those who read this at a later date, I offer a brief description of some of the terms used.

       Iorhael is the Sindarin translation of Frodo's name, both of which mean Wise One.  I usually have used it in chapters set either on the way to or within Tol Eressea, but here have used it in the debates Frodo has with the voice which argues.

       Samwise Tolkien indicated means Half-Wise; in one of the proposed epilogues Tolkien eventually decided not to put at the end of LOTR he has Aragorn address Sam as "Perhael who ought to be known as Panthael"--Perhael being the translation of Samwise while Panthael means Fully Wise.

       In the acclamations made for the Ringbearers on the Field of Cormallen, the names given in one of the languages, which I believe was Adunaic, were Conin (I believe for Frodo) and Berhael--obviously a variant of Perhael.

       The names which in The King's Commission I had Gimli inscribe on the circlets for Frodo and Sam were Iorhael and Panthail (another variant spelling Tolkien played with for Sam's Elvish name preferred by Aragorn).

       Cormacolindor is a translation for Ringbearer.

       Mellon nin means my friend. 

       Tithen nin means my small one.

       Muindor nin means my brother.

       Adar means father, ada means roughly dad, naneth means mother, nana means mom, daeradar means grandfather, daernaneth means grandmother.

       Hannon le means thank you.

       Ion nin means my son; sell nin means my daughter.

      Elvellon means Elf-friend, and was the title given to any mortal whose service to the Elves and all of Middle Earth was considered extraordinary.

       Snaga is Black Speech for slave, and is a popular epithet to throw at underlings. 

       Tarks and tarkil are Black Speech for Men, with the former being a slang version semi-translated to the Common Tongue.

       In ROTK Pippin realizes that the language the folk of Gondor use among themselves is a form of Elvish, particularly Sindarin.  However, that it has drifted from Sindarin as spoken by the Elves is shown in the use of Pheriannath instead of Periannath for Hobbits.  Depending on the point of view the story is being told from at the moment I use whichever variant the individual has come to associate with the Hobbits.  I assume that the folk of Umbar would prefer using Adunaic to Sindarin to differentiate themselves from the folk of Gondor, and so would not be likely to have a word in their vocabulary for Hobbits.  In my version of Middle Earth, the Northern Dunedain use Adunaic more commonly among themselves than Sindarin, and based my choice of that on the fact that they have used the Ar- prefix for their kings and chieftains for so long, that prefix having superseded the Tar- prefix originally used in Numenor when the estrangement between the rulers of the Star Isle and the Elves of Aman led to the preference for Adunaic over Sindarin.

       In my version of Frodo's life, he was born with a mild heart murmur which he eventually outgrew; but in the wake of his ordeals with the Ring, having been stabbed with a Morgul knife, and having been poisoned by Shelob his health was impaired, but that he was able to learn to mask this in great part.  In part I admit I was directly inspired by Lindelea's A Small but Passing Thing, but even moreso by knowledge of what longterm disabilities and diseases have been found to be associated with spider and tick bites, often beginning to manifest years after the initial wounds were inflicted. 

       I also wrote Frodo's initial problems with his digestion based on reports of Holocaust survivors, many of whom couldn't keep food down for quite some time after they were rescued from the camps.  Aragorn's orders that water be placed by Frodo and Sam at all times come from the same source, recognizing that for Frodo particularly the presence of water signified at a deep emotional level the fact he was through the trials of Mordor.  However, his long-term problems reflect the effects of the spider bite, such things having been shown to cause degenerative problems with circulation, the heart, the digestive system, and with connective tissue.  Symptoms he exhibits are consistent with acid reflux disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and a hiatal hernia or sliding hernia.

       My own husband died four years ago from a combination of ills (we joked he was dying from everything).  His condition was a degenerative one, and much of the pattern of appearing better and then appearing worse, then having symptoms suddenly change, the mood swings and such, are based on the experiences I saw in him and in others with similar clusters of disabilities I've dealt with.  Halargil's symptoms as a result of his stroke and the decision he makes to allow the pneumonia he's contracted to free him are based on personal experience with stroke patients, particularly my mother.

       Some of the ideas I present are expanded on in other stories I've written, particularly For Eyes to See as Can, The Choice of Healing, The Ties of Family, The King's Commission, and Fostering.  All of my stories, even my short stories, are tied together, as those who've followed my work for some time can tell you.

       I hope that those who are moved by this story will read some of the others as well.

       As for the source of the voice with whom Frodo argues from time to time--well, we will allow time to reveal that.