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Interrupted Journeys: Part 1 New Journeys  by elliska 4 Review(s)
French PonyReviewed Chapter: 14 on 8/31/2004
Thranduil's family sounds a lot like mine. You always have to run your new squeeze by The Family for Official Approval. In my family, it's the Seder Test. If you pass the Seder Test, you're in. My cousin has so far brought two boyfriends to the Family Seder. One of them flunked, and it was painful to see. The other one passed with flying colors, and now the marriage pressure is on. I brought a friend this year, and he passed. It is a great feeling when your squeeze passes the Family Test, especially since there is no way around such a test, and Thranduil should recognize this and surrender gracefully. Even if he is King, there is still The Family.

Of course they all think of him as a kid. You never never never get over that. I'll bet that, deep down, there's some part of Thranduil that is squealing with excitement about getting to sit in council with the grownups. I mean, yeah, he's King and all, but . . . he gets to discuss grownup things with the grownups! How cool is that?

I love watching the advisors deal with Thranduil. They are just like my mom's circle of friends. All these women, my tantes, have known me since I was a baby, and they will find a way to know every detail of my life. If they sense that I don't want to tell . . . well, they have ways of finding out.

There's just something gut-wrenchingly wonderful about seeing proud, powerful King Thranduil of Eryn Galen, Poobah Extraordinaire, The Only Major Elf Lord To Have Resisted The Dark Lord Without A Ring, getting jerked around and squashed by his family. You can be the most powerful person around, but there's always someone who remembers changing your diapers who will bring you back to earth in a New York second.

What happened to Hallion's wife? Was she killed in one of the general Sacks of the Sindarin Elves?

Author Reply: I am never, and I repeat NEVER, reading another of your reviews in a public place again. I will be arrested by the men with little white jackets, thrown into a soft cell and never released.

Yeap, king or not, there is definitely still The Family and Thranduil might as well get over it. After all, if he is king, his uncle is a prince and his mother is a queen. They are just as accustomed to respect as Thranduil and they are many years his senior. They wiped his nose for him--they are not going to back down from him. Yet.

But the image I cannot get out of my head is Thranduil squealing happy to be sitting at the big-boy's table. Too much! But I bet you are right and that is part of the problem. I do like playing with the Almighty Thranduil and his advisors. 'They have ways of finding out'--too funny. :) Yes they do.

Yes, Hallion does eventually talk about his wife in a later story with Legolas but it is not too hard to guess (I doubt I'm giving anything away) that she died in...oh hell, I can't remember--either Menegroth or Sirion. How sad is that? Can't remember my own OC's history.

Thanks for the review. They make my evening. Truly.


daw the minstrelReviewed Chapter: 14 on 8/31/2004
I enjoyed watching Thranduil put his advisors in their place. It must be difficult to establish your authority with people who knew you in diapers, but I have faith in Thranduil!

Uncle Engwe seems very annoying.

Author Reply: That whole dialogue was actually something that has been in and out of the final version of this story more times than I can count, along with a few others that are now finally cut. I like playing with the idea his advisors as more experienced then him. Any of Oropher's advisors that survived the Last Alliance would likely have stayed on to help his son I would think, if Thranduil wanted them. And I really think Thranduil would have wanted them. Given that he protected Mirkwood for three millennia against all odds, he must have been willing to make a lot of sacrifices for it. Even putting up with people like Engwe (he definitely is annoying but he will be valuable) until they learned a little respect. And again it is an age thing. Even if these people were born at the begining of the FA, they would still be hundreds of years older than Thranduil. How would they deal with him initially? Until he had a chance to prove himself a little? I'm 37. My boss is 19. That sometimes is very difficult for me to handle. He is a child. I just like playing with these ideas. But yeah, in the end, I'll put my money on Thranduil. :)

BodkinReviewed Chapter: 14 on 8/31/2004
First chapter and the one before still have to scroll across. It's really weird how it happens sometimes. I found putting verse in can be a real problem too. Still never mind - I'm hooked so I'd read it anyway.

Author Reply: That is weird. I tried different resolutions and Netscape and Mozilla and it shows up fine for me. That's scary because I really do hate formating problems it is just so annoying and I don't want to be putting people through that. But I'm very glad you are willing to put up with it. I love your feedback. Hopefully it won't do it anymore for you. :)

BodkinReviewed Chapter: 14 on 8/31/2004
Oh I do love these families - the way they talk to each other is so entertaining. It's lovely seeing Thranduil with a mother and a brother and an uncle to drive him insane and treat him like an elfling.

Thranduil had better get moving with Lindomiel, while his naneth holds her adar off. They need to spend more time together.

I don't like the sound of that Marti though! Sounds like an evil temptress with spyish overtones. Very Mata Hari.

(The last chapter was too wide for my screen - was it just me?)

Author Reply: Thanks for the review! I will look at the formating. I did a preview but I never looked at the published chapter and bad formating DRIVES ME INSANE!!! so thanks for pointing it out.

Yes, I like their conversations too. And I figure, Thranduil doesn't have any family mentioned in cannon except for Oropher but we know he must have had at least a mother. As a king, he surely had advisors. So, I just gave him a brother and an uncle and a few cousins. And I thought I would like to see Thranduil around people who saw him as young. It would not sit well with his natural personality but there have to be elves that are older than him from his father's generation. I like to watch him react to that.

Yes, Lindomiel and Thranduil will be spending more time together starting next chapter, much to his advisor's dismay. And you (and Thranduil) should be very afraid of Marti. She is much more than what she seems.

Author Reply: I looked at the formating--it shows up ok on my screen (in IE at 1024x768). If anyone else has trouble though, I'd appreciate being told. I hate reading stories where you have to scroll back and forth. I just can't make myself do that.

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