Stories of Arda Home Page
About Us News Resources Login Become a member Help Search

Jewels  by Lindelea 2 Review(s)
FantasyFanReviewed Chapter: 32 on 10/17/2007
I do love Estella so much in this story. Her character here and in "A Small and Passing Thing" is so bright and life-filled. Not always carefree, and not flighty, but so spirited and good that you can't help but love her.

Diamond even has come to love her, despite all the reasons she would have to want not to. And Merry is being drawn out of himself. It is subtle, but Estella is becoming the way he will keep hmself in the light, keep from becoming too grave and worried and beaten down. And he needs that levity in his life more than Pippin anyway; Pippin is well capable of creating upheaval by himself, or he will be once he recovers from the weight his father has tried to put on him. No, Pippin doesn't need a whirlwind like Estella in his life - he needs what he finds in Diamond. A practical lass, steadying, full of sweet love whom he can protect and who makes real all the things he will try to do for the Shire as Thain.

But back to Estella. In the previous story, it is clear that she has loved Merry most of her life. And she has some sadness, some frustration over the fact that there is no consideration that she will ever marry Merry. She is not so much resigned to her fate as accepting of the place she will eventually have somewhere, and trusting that it will work out well, but there is still a feeling of loss. I'm sure once he chose to marry Ruby she firmly put away whatever remained of the childhood dreams. Still, learning that Pippin was her intended had to spark something in her. Pippin and Merry are nearly inseperable. She would be often in Merry's company. Perhaps that made her merely content? After all, Nell loved Ferdi before she loved Rudi, but after her first marriage I doubt she spent any time pining for lost chances. She had a good marriage and both of them had so firmly put aside thoughts of each other that Pippin had quite a job to manage them back together. So I wonder how Estella reacted to finally knowing what her situation was to be? Even if she doesn't love Merry any more, she doesn't love Pippin either, having not considered him before now. There is no hint that she disreagards Pippin. Indeed, I think she actually tried to make it work. I wonder how much of her decision to break the engagement comes from not wanting to make Pippin (and Diamond, who she now knows and likes) so miserable, and how much comes from a hope for her own happiness, for her to finally have the chance to see and be seen by Merry, and to let develop what might? She's not manipulative, well not too much. She does make sure Diamond and Merry are at the picnics and outings in the summer. But was that an attempt to see if the four parties could endure the situation as it was, and even move past the past, or was she looking for rearrangement of bonds?

Author Reply: LOL, although Dana loves Pippin-Estella stories, they really would not have been as well matched as the canon pairings. They would have led each other too far in the direction of mischief and mayhem, I fear. Estella needs Merry to balance and anchor her just as much as he needs her to take him out of himself when he begins to brood. And Diamond is solid, a perfect anchor (in all the best meaning of the term) to keep whimsical Pippin from floating away, practical and loving and used to hard work and problem-solving.

I don't see Estella as scheming though some have interpreted Jewels that way. She is spoilt, yes, and used to having her own way, and yet she has also been brought up to assume a certain place. Her rebellion all happens within the confines (or do I mean constraints?) society and family have set for her.

Had Pippin given it a chance, as she was determined to, she'd have made him the best wife she possibly could. But his heart was clearly not in it. Once she discerned the connection between Pippin and Diamond, she could not in good conscience break two hearts, not even to be married to one of the heroes of the Shire.

She had no hopes of Merry, knowing that he'd been emotionally committed to Ruby, and with the way I've followed JRRT's hints about hobbits only rarely marrying more than once. She wasn't getting Pippin out of the way to be able to go after Merry, in other words. She wasn't afraid of ending an "old maid"; one of her favourite aunts, as a matter of fact, never married and remained lively, cheerful, and rather mischievous (definitely young at heart) to the end of her days (a very long life, if you were curious). No, giving up her hope of marrying was not manipulation in the least, but doing what she perceived as the right thing to do.

But I believe that virtue should be rewarded. And so, beyond hope, Merry's heart kindled once more, drawn to Estella's light, and so her lifelong love was at last... would the word be requited? (Have heard of unrequited love, but not the opposite.) Not because of scheming, but because they were meant to be together at last. *sigh* I'm a hopeless (or would that be "hopeful"?) romantic.

LarnerReviewed Chapter: 32 on 10/17/2007
Hooray! Ah, Estella, I KNEW you had it in you, discerning artist to see to the heart of the one you draw as you are! You see that Diamond loves Pippin and that you don't; and you're drawn to the one whose smile you've admired since a child and have done your best to bring back. Love the painting as a promise! Ah, how wonderful indeed!

Author Reply: Ah, yes, things are finally sorting themselves out. And yes, Estella is very discerning. Sharp as a tack, that one, and somewhat spoilt, but she has a good heart and a direct method of dealing with life.

Return to Chapter List