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| Glorious Summer by daw the minstrel | 24 Review(s) |
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| Mirkwoodmaiden | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 9/20/2004 |
| Daw! You convey the divergent emotions of frustration, quietness although not quite loneliness, and giddy happiness in a newlywed quite well this chapter. Being a newlywed myself I find that there are times when I am frustrated beyond measure and times when I am very happy to be married to my husband. True life and real life are portrayed well in this chapter. I like the playful ease between Eilian and Celuwen in their conversation before they go to dinner with the rest of Eilian's family. MM Author Reply: Wow. A real newlywed. Congratulations! I've been married so long I wasn't sure I'd remembered it right. I'm glad you thought it was both true and real. These two have known one another a long time, and I think they are comfortable although they're not used to their new roles yet. Glad you liked it. | |
| caz - baz | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 9/16/2004 |
| Yes i am well and truly bloody snared the !"£$%^&*( !"£$%^&* banned hunting! I think i'm going to go and huddle up in a ball and die. How the hell am i going to sell those !£$*&^%$£" horses now. ummm... yes i'm a little too pissed off to leave a proper review maybe i'll try again later after i've been Rioting. My friends boyfriend broke into the house of commons. haha. Author Reply: Caz-baz-- Sounds as if you've had an exciting week, for good and for bad. Hope you're feeling better. | |
| White Wolf | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 9/15/2004 |
| Living in a palace after growing up in a settlement where Celuwen did the chores herself will take some getting used to. I could easily understand her screaming into that pillow. But all was made better when Eilian got home. I just love those two together. They are so perfect for each other. Author Reply: I love writing about these two too, but I think this will not be an easy marriage, at least at first. Each of them would like to be somewhere else and is here because of the other. That has to make tensions. | |
| lwarren | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 9/14/2004 |
| Ah yes, the many faces of Eilian... Eilian the impatient...what in the world could that quarter master be thinking anyhow? He's also funny about this posting...you can practically hear him thinking, "that is not my desk...I don't have a desk...I am an elf of action!!!" Eilian the merciless - in dealing with Tinar the oblivious! LOL (Eilian the gross - decapitate a chicken? YUCK!) Eilian the practical - yeah, Ithilden, store up a few months worth of supplies around here somewhere, and deal with the other stuff IF it happens! :-) Eilian the Captain - this was so cool..."stopping to consider an account of some battle and place it on the map of the Woodland Realm he carried in his head"... Eilian the Wood-elf - this was even better...ooooohhhh, that "intuitive sense" of connection with the forest Eilian the "SMART" husband - refusing the elfs' night out with the guys (somehow I don't think Thranduil would have been the only one put out with him if he'd gone) Eilian the besotted - truly ensnared indeed! Way to go, Celuwen! LOL He's so versatile...he's so elfy...he's so...so...hot!...:-):-) (Leggings and rune only....things that make you go hmmmmmmmm!) Celuwen is just right for Eilian - that fact is really starting to show. Anyone who would scream into a pillow, I can relate to! Also, she's made a good start at training that husband of hers! *vbg* And I love the way she is watching Eilian and Thranduil, and thinking she might need to intervene in that little situation...especially since she feels Eilian has done nothing wrong! She's great! Just the right change of pace after the tense battle scenes of Ch. 1! :-) linda Author Reply: LOL. Loved your list of the many faces of Eilian! He's always fun to write about, although I'm not so sure that Calith wants him in the office. And I have to admit, I enjoyed writing about him coming out of the bathing chamber. I'm having an interesting time trying to develop the character of Celuwen a little. I see her as very different from Alfirin, who is kind, motherly, traditional, gentle, and just right for Ithilden. Celuwen is more self-sufficient and more likely to tell her husband or father-in-law that she's so sorry, but they're wrong. The two of them are natural allies in that they are in situations that no one else will understand, but they need to learn to get along. Alfirin is trying to help. She knows how rough this transition was for her. But Celuwen doesn't want to be mothered. So we'll see. | |
| Alice | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 9/13/2004 |
| Score, a chapter with Eilian! He's a fun character to read about it. So is Tinar for that matter, but unlike Eilian, I do not think I would enjoy spending time in his company. Poor Calith. I get the impression that bickering between Eilian and Tinar is a normal occurence in his formerly peaceful office. I have this image of him popping a bottle of champagne the first time Tinar's gone after Eilian has been reassigned. " Ah yes, the office is all mine again. And what is that I hear? Why it's silence!" I loved the scenes with Celuwen. Her characterization is coming off really well. I sympathize with her with the palace thing. It would be weird to live in a place where the things you used to do are now inappropriate. It's interesting to watch her adjust because we didn't really see how Alfirin adjusted when she first moved into the palace. Of course, Alfirin had a year to prepare for it. I sense some upcoming tension between Alfirin and Celuwen though. I enjoyed this chapter immensley. Eilian really is well and truly snared. They are so sweet together. I look forward to more. Author Reply: Poor Calith indeed. I loved the idea of him having a little celebration when the two trouble makers leave. I may have to write a short little story from Calith's POV sometime. As I was writing about Celuwen, I had the same thought about Alfirin: I didn't show her adjusting and I'll bet it wasn't easy. But yeah, that one year betrothal would have given Celuwen some time anyway. Alfirin and Celuwen need to work things out between them. They're quite different. I think they're kind of natural allies because no one else understands their positions like they do, but they have to figure out where they can support one another and where they have to back off. I think Alfirin is motherly (which was probably good for an adolescent Legoals when Ithilden first married her) but Celuwen does not need to be mothered. She's very self possessed. | |
| Ms. Whatsit | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 9/13/2004 |
| Yay, more Eilian! In fact, it's the "Eilian, Calith and Tinar" Show! What happens when one arrogant lout, one charming-but-married rascal and one anal-retentive beaurocrat are confined in one office together? I appreciated the humor of that part, especially Eilian teasing Tinar and Calith clearly wanting to get the live wire out of his office. I like the part with Celuwen very much as well. It's a testament to how much she loves Eilian, that she could give up everything she knows to live with him. I especially like the way you showed the invasive nature of a royal's life, having servants everywhere, and how Celuwen is starting to make a stand against that, and how Alfirin's attempts at kindness don't come across right for a wood-elf. Author Reply: Calith must be going out of his mind. At least Eilian's presence is only temporary. But then, Calith kind of likes Eilian, at least when he's not tormenting Tinar. I hope Ithilden is paying him a lot of money! Celuwen is going to have to accept some help from servants, I think. She's not living in a cottage any more and she won't be able to manage without them. What she needs is privacy and a sense of control over her own life, which much feel like it's spinning away from her. I think that she and Alfirin are different types and are going to have to come to terms somehow. Neither one is bad; they're just different. | |
| Jay of Lasgalen | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 9/13/2004 |
| At last! I saw last night that you'd updated, but wasn't able to get near the computer for ages. (My daughter claimed that her home work for college was more important!) It's nice to be back with Ithilden and Eilian again - how Eilian has changed, not going drinking with the lads, and forgetting the ellyths' names! Ithilden hasn't changed - when he 'straightened his already erect back' the stick comment came back to me, I'm afraid. Tinar hasn't changed either, has he? I feel rather sorry for Calith, with Eilian baiting Tinar all the time! Jay Author Reply: You are so bad about Ithilden! LOL In both the Legolas and home front parts of this story, I think there are people who are having to adjust to new situations, some of them more pleasant than others. Eilian has been married a month and is still drunk with love, the lucky guy. :-) | |
| Jebb | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 9/13/2004 |
| I so much enjoyed this little peek into the new world of Eilian and Celuwyn. Both of them are having to make major re-adjustments, Celuwyn seems to be handling the changes in her life with rather more aplomb than Eilian who is driving poor Calith to distraction do elves get awards if so I think Calith deserves one! The idea of having to go off and scream into a pillow shows how difficult this transition is for Celuwyn, and although he is trying Eilian is only a male after all and it seems she is going to lay down the law a little in their home life for the very best of reasons I liked that both Ithilden and Eilian can see their brother as grown up when he isn't there at least and that Legolas knowing how his father worries writes regularly what a good son Will we see a confrontation between Celuwyn and Thranduil or will they both come to see that although they approach it from very different angles they both have Eilian's best interests at heart either way I think Eilian is well and truly snared a lovely chapter and a joy to read Judy Author Reply: Calith does deserve an award! I suspect that if he ever quit, Ithilden's office would fall into chaos for a while. I think almost everyone I've written about in the first two chapters is trying to adjust to changes, some of which they like and some of which they don't. I have to laugh at your saying that Eilian "is only a male after all." That is so true, both for good and for bad! When comes out of the bath dressed only in his leggings, it's good. But then, he's bare chested because he dropped his tunic on the floor. Ithilden and Eilian both have quite a lot of appreciation for Legolas as an adult warrior. Eilian has been his captain even. But Thranduil has a harder time letting his baby go. Celuwen is trying to keep from telling Thranduil off. If the two of them ever get into it, I expect everyone else will run for cover. I can just see Eilian! | |
| mer | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 9/13/2004 |
| I love all your stories but I must confess to most enjoying the adult Legolas stories. This particular story has such a pleasant title so I guess that nothing too tragic will happen! I like scenes in which the older brothers talk about Legolas and how he is doing. Will we see Thranduil included in those conversations? This is, of course, a personal preference that I don't know who else shares. I also liked the bittersweet ending of Spring Awakenings where Thranduil and his older sons watched Legolas ride off by himself into the most dangerous patrol--so I am glad to see the continuation of the story now. All the best for the upcoming year (with work and all). Author Reply: I'm glad to have an adult Legolas fan! There are lots of elfling lovers out there. Oddly, I always think I like the best whatever it is I'm writing about at the time. I get swept up in it, and whether I'm showing Legolas's vulnerability or his competence, I enjoy it. The title comes from Shakespeare's "Richard the Third": "Now is the winter of our discontent/ Made glorious summer by this sun of York." Only in this case, it's the sons of Thranduil who bring the heat. :-) I think we do need to see Thranduil at least thinking about Legolas if not talking about him. I think Ithilden tries to be careful so that he doesn't tell Thranduil things Legolas might wish kept private. The poor guy lives his life in a fishbowl sometimes. Work is going well, so far. I have great students. | |
| Manderly | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 9/13/2004 |
| It is so refreshing to read about normal home life for the Royal Family, as normal as it can get anyway. The little scene between Eilian and Tinar was great. Tinar is still as clueless as ever and I am surprised that Eilian even had the patience to insult him, not that the insults registered. Celuwen is a gem and Eilian is lucky to have her. Her screaming into the pillow is something that I can definitely identify with, only I wouldn't bother with the pillow, but then I am not living under the same roof as the king and his sons. All the protocols must be driving her insane. Somehow I don't think she'll ever slip into the role of the royal daughter-in-law as Alfirin has which is a good thing. I don't think the Royal household can survive with two female leads. What struck me about this chapter is that everyone seems so relaxed, even Thranduil and Ithilden. They deserve a little down time. Author Reply: This did seem like a normal home scene for once. I'm just setting the stage and reminding readers of who everyone is and what new situations they're facing now. Soon the peace will end! You are so right that the palace doesn't need two women like Alfirin. And Celuwen would not have been as good as Alfirin in running the royal household smoothly, I think. She tends to be independent minded. Alfirin is more traditional. She would go along with Ithilden unless there was some matter that she thought was a question of right and wrong or one that affected Ithilden's and especially Sinnarn's happiness. Then I think she'd be immovable. It's interesting to analyze the two wives. I have some trouble portraying them as distinctly as I see them in my head. | |