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The Golden Bell of Greenleaf by lwarren	10 Review(s)
Silivren Tinu	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 12/28/2006
huggles Aravir and Aragorn I really love the both of them! I think it's really the right decision not to obey orders or heed Legolas' wishes this time, if only for the sake of my peace of mind (and theirs). ;-) Poor Aravir, what he has lived through as a child must have been terrible, and it explains his love for Thranduil and his son very well. I liked his memories of Thranduil entrusting Legolas' life to him. “Now I am trusting you with my heart – the life of my son.” - That was so sweet! I was grinning madly when Aravir stumbled across Aragorn before the gates of Minas Tirith. I hope Aragorn will be able to join Aravir - the more, the better. You never know what kind of trouble a certain elf will manage to get into. “I do not understand what the attraction is" - snorts Of course, a golden prince on a golden horse is completely unobtrusive. I'm glad Aravir and Arod were able to catch up to him so quickly. ;-) I liked Caldor and the story how Legolas saved his father. It is incredible how many lives Legolas has touched and influenced over time, and all in a positive way. I think his life is more precious to a lot of people than he himself realizes. :) Uh-oh... and there's the trouble! I hope he'll be able to save the two of them, preferably without getting into trouble himself! I enjoyed this chapter from beginning to end! :) Author Reply: Hello again! You ARE having a marathon reading session today! As for Aravir's past, I would consider him as perhaps a foster son to Thranduil and his queen. He and his sister, cousin, and friends were raised in the palace by the King and Queen long before Legolas was born. He loves Thranduil as a father AND as his liege lord. As for Aragorn, he can't leave right away, but if at all possible, you know he'll follow. (Wasn't that funny about the proposals thrown Legolas' way on the road - I just had to throw that in! LOL) Caldor just kind of snuck in - just another person who Legolas and Aragorn have touched that they might not know about. Yep, here's the trouble...and Almut...mark it down! I wrote an honest-to-gosh, genuine cliffie! VBG Glad you enjoyed this chapter - thank you for reviewing! (This is fun - I've been revisiting these chapters along with you all day!) :-) Linda

Dot	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 4/10/2005
Wow there was a lot in this chapter! So many things about it that I loved… Aravir’s confusion and turmoil came across so well. It would be easy to just look at him and say that he should have gone after Legolas immediately but you do a marvellous job in showing how unnatural that would be to him, how used he is to obeying orders unquestioningly. And that flashback! My God! Poor brave, young Aravir. What an awful thing to happen. How generous of Thranduil and his wife to provide the orphaned children with a home, comfort, love and a future. The depth of Aravir’s loyalty to Thranduil and in turn Thranduil’s trust in him is so clear now. I just really like the idea that there’s such a connection between them. It’s also a wonderful insight into Thranduil, who is my all-time favourite elf ;-) “What did Gimli once tell me? That if I would think of him as a friend, as indeed I do, then I must act as a friend.” You’ve just got to love that dwarf! He speaks from the heart and isn’t afraid to be blunt about things! I had a quiet cheer when Aravir turned back. I was actually kind of surprised that Arod hadn’t just turned and followed Legolas himself! Oh look, and there’s Aragorn! I loved the moment between them when they each had to admit that they couldn’t let Legolas do this alone. I felt so bad for Aragorn, having to return to Minas Tirith but I’m glad he knows that Aravir will be there for Legolas. It’ll be so hard for him if he has to send Faramir in his stead, though. But Arwen will probably send him straight back out again if she can, I imagine. “I do not think he voiced it exactly that way, my lord,” he said stiffly.” LOL! I really enjoyed Legolas’ journey and seeing the reaction of those who encounter him. It’s lovely too to see him and his mare getting to know each other. It’s such a relief to see him so at ease; I’m almost afraid of what may be in store for him! Hmm. And Pelargir won’t do him at all (bravo to the mare for allowing him to lead her through busy streets), he has to go further. Hmm. I know you can’t see me but I’m glaring at you right now! I like Caldor! It’s just amazing that no matter where they travel, the members of the Fellowship seem to meet people who feel indebted to them and are honoured to be in their presence. It’s such a great way of showing the far-reaching effects of what they did. “Namarie, Caldor. Extend my greetings to your father when next you see him.” Is it just me or has Caldor been talking about his father in the past tense? I get the impression that Legolas hasn’t realised that some mortals he encountered may have passed away by now. Or maybe I read it wrong and you didn’t mean that… Ah, if you could see the image in my head when you said “marsh mallow plants”. I’ll have to look them up because I presume they have nothing to do with what you put on your hot chocolate ;-) I don’t even know Erelas and Raenor yet and I was still cringing, afraid of what was coming – that’s how well you write tension, missus! Ack! A mud slide!! Are they hanging off a cliff??? Oh well, at least Legolas is on the way. And Aravir isn’t far behind. Methinks he might have to make his presence known to Legolas sooner than he thought… What a place to leave it…;-) Great chapter, Linda. I know it must have been particularly difficult to finish and bring it all together, but I found that it all flowed beautifully and had me totally engrossed from start to finish. With a bit of luck I’ll get on to the next one after work tomorrow. I didn’t let myself read it when you posted it so that it wouldn’t spoil things for me! Take care :-) Author Reply: Hello Dot! I just love your reviews - you make such an effort to comment on different things in the chapter. Insightful, too! You caught something I went back and changed asap! :-) (More on that later!) Aravir is that rather lovable, stiff, bound-to-his-duty elf that would no more disobey a direct order than chop down a tree! He is totally committed to Legolas and is finding it incredibly hard to reconcile this rather novel idea (for him) of friendship with the Prince. He loves Thranduil and through the King, he loves his son. This friendship is on a more personal level, I guess. Poor guy, he's having a time with it, but finally realizes that in this case, the order is dangerous, not only for his Prince, but his friend, too. I think Arod had just about reached the end of his rope (so to speak LOL) when Aravir stopped and decided to turn back. He probably wouldn't have lasted more than another mile or so. I really wanted to show Aravir's connection to Thranduil and why he was so bent on serving Legolas. I love Thranduil, too, and have always seen him as a strong, but loving ruler (and father). I don't think those poor babies brought before him after the slaughter of their families would have been turned out of the palace. I can see him and his Queen taking them in and raising them to their coming of age and seeing them happily settled. It was a terrible time for Aravir - one that changed the course of his life, and set him on a warrior's path. Thranduil became that father-figure for him and he always remembers that. Aragorn, bless his intuitive heart, was waiting to see if Aravir gave in and came after Legolas. That's why he was still outside the gates long after they had parted. He really wanted to go with Aravir, Dot...had to restrain him forcefully and remind him he was KING and had been gone awhile...needed to check on the kingdom and his wife and son before haring off again!!! LOL Isn't Gimli the best? I love his down-to-earth philosophy about elves and things...although Aravir doesn't appreciate his phrasing sometimes! ;-) I enjoyed writing the trip, what with everyone waving at Legolas and the mare and the campouts along the river. He is at peace right now...he's getting to know the mare and she him and he's really into the new Song right now. The sea-longing is quiet and he's feeling pretty good about everything. Yeah, being worried for him is not a bad idea! That calm before the storm and all.... Hey! Glaring at me? What did I do? looks around for other guilty parties Caldor - that just kind of happened. All through this story I've wanted Legolas to see that what he's done and what he is has had far-reaching effects on many people. Also, these people have been placed in his path for a reason...which he will eventually come to understand. I hope! Stubborn elf! :-) As for Caldor's father, I went back and looked at the chapter and you are right, Caldor said "was" in reference to his father. Then in the next paragraph they speak of his father still living, owning a ship and delivering goods to Pelargir. So I went right in and corrected that "was" to "is" and I hope it makes better sense now! Thank you for noticing, Dot! :-) Marsh mallow plants! Sounds pretty good, doesn't it? I had a grin when I typed that part, too! There really are marsh mallows, and common mallow plants that are used for treatment of respiratory illnesses (pneumonia, etc.). The marsh variety is the best for that purpose, which was why Erelas was so bent on gathering them. Winter coming and all, they had some rather big orders to fill for other healers. Yes, they were hanging on a few feet down the cliff by the roots of a rather frail little tree! I hope Aravir was watching... It seemed the best place to stop...it being a cliff-hanger and all....(please ignore that terrible pun...couldn't resist it, mate! :-/) I had this chapter 3/4 done before things really fell apart, but it was very hard to get back to it. Once I did, it was a great distraction, and in an odd way a comfort, too. I'm glad it wasn't too disjointed...I appreciate your kind words and encouragement so much, Dot! Thanks! linda

Eruanneth_Luin	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 3/31/2005
That dwarf having such a profound influence on an elf is encouraging. For all the long ages when they were unfriends at best, for an elf to be willing to learn from these children of Aulë is a nice touch. Legolas heading to the sea! We can only hope he has the strength to return. So wonderful that his friends are following regardless of his words to the contrary. Though I feel Aravir may be chastised for his insubordination. Learning a little of Aravir’s history helps us gain understanding of why he acts and feels as he does, not only as an elf, but as a member of the family. What a delight to imagine the glorious vision of the golden elf on the swiftly running golden mare as seen from the wain of a slow moving caravan. Talk about stealing your breath! Logically the amiable Prince would win friends and a loyal following where ever he traveled. Now on to find out if he has arrived in time to affect a rescue. Author Reply: Gimli has played a large part in pointing out some home truths to Aravir, and the elf is finally starting to understand what he's been saying and finally, act on it! This of course leads Aravir and Arod to turn around and follow along behind Legolas without his knowledge. It's for his own good, you know! :-) I wanted everyone to understand Aravir's utter loyalty to Thranduil...his history with the King goes back before Legolas was born. In many ways he looks upon the King as a father-figure, though, he would never presume to tell anyone that! He promised the King to keep Legolas safe...this business with the sea-longing has been out of his control for so long...but here he has something he CAN do, even if it means defying his Prince and sneaking along behind to keep an eye on things. I like writing Legolas and the mare racing across wherever they happen to be! They are both speed freaks, you know!? LOL Any excuse for a good, fast gallop! Thank you for the encouraging review, eruanneth! :-) linda

Rose Sared	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 3/14/2005
Linda - I started to read your latest chapter and then just had to stop and write to you. Your writing is so good these days, thankyou, you have all my thoughts and feelings alongside you as you walk your journey without your husband. Your bravery astounds me, I cannot imagine how you find the emotional strength to write such lovely characters ( and horses). I will be thinking of you in the weeks to come, may all your good memories visit you and give you strength. Rosemary Author Reply: RS! It is good to hear from you...thank you for your kind thoughts. It has been very hard and believe me, I am anything but brave! I had completed about three-fourths of this chapter when everything fell apart, and found it surprisingly comforting when I finally decided to finish and post it. I guess it is the elves and horses! :-/ But I am pleased to hear that you are enjoying the story still, and hope you continue to do so. Thank you for the kind review. linda

Angelelf	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 3/12/2005
This is just a marvelously beautifully written story that I only found last night. You have managed to capture the characters strenghths and weaknesses and mold them into a totally believeable story. Thank you so much for sharing with us and I can't wait to read the next installment. Author Reply: Why thank you so much, Angelelf! I am always so pleased and gratified when someone thinks things are working in the story, and you a new reader, too! :-) I hope the next installment will come sooner than this one...we'll see. Thank you again for the very kind review! linda

Tinnuial	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 3/12/2005
I'm so sorry about your husband. You have my deepest condolences. I wish there was more we could do... I really love this story, and the new chapter was, as usual, absolutely lovely and brought many smiles to my face. You make the characters so real and genuine. Thank you for the update...that's a cliffhanger if ever there was one...in both senses of the word!! ;) I shall look forward to the next chapter with bated breath... but no rush...take your time to get your life back together again. Your loyal fans will understand. :) Author Reply: I do appreciate your kind words, Tinnuial. Really, just reading them was a great help. I am glad you are enjoying the characters and story...I've had fun with some of them popping up to insist on their place in events! :-) Anna comes to mind...and Elfwine...then again, you know how kids are!!! And that doesn't even cover those horses.... Yessss....a real, honest-to-goodness cliffhanger...I never thought I would ever ever ever write one! I am finding writing a comfort late at night, so maybe the next chapter won't take quite so long. Again, thank you so much for such encouraging, kind words. They really mean alot to me. linda

Bodkin	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 3/12/2005
I was so sorry to read of the loss of your husband. I wish you the best - give yourself time to take up the reins of your life again. Wallowing in elves and horses seems to me to be a good way to divert yourself for a while. I am glad Aravir decided to ignore Legolas's orders and follow him - this is not a good time for him to be alone, whatever he might think. I hope Aragorn manages to follow, but Faramir would make a good substitute - and, actually, Legolas would be less able to be cross with him, since he is obliged to follow his king's commands. Very tense ending, with those poor plant-pickers hanging on desperately. Still, if you happen to be falling off a cliff, an elf is not a bad chap to have turn up. And two elves might be even better. Legolas's beautiful horsie seems to be dealing with crowds and towns quite well - her trust in her elf must be pretty strong by now. But I think the presence of Arod might prove useful in the long run. Author Reply: Thank you, Bodkin, and you are so right. I am finding elves and horses a quite comforting diversion, especially late at night. Aravir kind of reminds me of the guy who stands there debating on whether or not to let his friend drive home drunk...he knows it's dangerous and he can't let him, even tho' his friend is insisting he is alright and can do it all by himself. So at the risk of making him mad, you do what's best for him. Legolas thinks he is all better - cured, even - still has things to learn about himself and the sea's call, he does. Faramir would be a good substitute...that is if Aragorn can bear to let someone else go..... :-/ Your word choices always make me laugh, Bodkin, ya know? Plant-pickers snicker yep, those poor guys couldn't have picked a worse day to decide to pick flowers. Still, I guess I'd fall off a cliff if I thought an elf or two might show up....hmmmmm. You are so astute...this is not the first time you've caught a detail I have overlooked...the mare and her town manners...she wouldn't be very comfortable with big crowds yet, would she? And Legolas left her to walk down to the docks???? Trust will only go so far, methinks...I'm not sure how plausible him leaving her was...will have to reconsider, and maybe revamp that part a bit. Thank you!!!!!! Yes, Arod needs to be around (I know I'd feel more comfortable with him in charge!) Once again, thanks for the review and kind words. linda

Manderly	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 3/11/2005
I am so sorry to hear of your husband's passing. My deepest, deepest condolences. I wish I can find more meaningful words of comfort to offer. I sincerely hope that you find support and care from the loved ones around you and that you are able to keep the happy memories of the life that you have shared together with your husband close to your heart. I am glad that you find comfort in writing as your story has certainly given me many pleasurable moments. This latest chapter was wonderfully written. I really like the glimpses of the past as depicted by Aravir's memories. What a great friend he is to Legolas, to even consider following Legolas' order. I am glad his true sentiments won in the end and that he's now following Legolas like a shadow. I didn't like the idea of Legolas going off by himself either. I really like the characters in your story, especially the minor ones such as Caldor. They are so real and so "everyday-like". Really gives a warm feeling to this story. Keep up the great work! Author Reply: Thank you, Manderly, and your words were very meaningful and comforting to me. My children and family, my school family, and my church family have been totally wonderful and helpful during this time. Actually, my writing has a big part in some recent happy memories...Charles used to tease me unmercifully about my elf stories and he and my son proclaimed themselves dwarves every chance they got! So it was hard, but somehow comforting to pick this story up again. I am glad the story has given you some pleasurable moments! Your stories have certainly given me many pleasant times as well. I'm glad Aravir is finally revealing himself...I'm not sure why it has taken so long! :-/ But he's showing that he's gradually coming to terms with the thought of having his Prince not only as his lord, but a friend, too. And yeah, Legolas needs his friends to still keep an eye on him. He thinks things are back to normal..... Caldor just kind of jumped out...kind of like little Anna did in the last chapter. I think those characters are lots of fun and you're right, they give such a warm, "normal" feeling to everything. Elves might be fighting sea-longing and talking to their horses...but the common guy just argues over the price of bed and breakfast! LOL Thanks again Manderly for the kind review and words...brought a big smile to my face, it did! linda

Maid of Ithilien	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 3/11/2005
My condolences on the loss of your husband! This has been and is a wonderful story. I'm a sucker for stories where animals are major characters and you have brought the horses wonderfully to life. Not to mention the two-legged characters, both known and original. All your characterizations ring so true to me. I'm looking forward to the next update. Author Reply: Thank you for your condolences. I had a difficult time returning to this story because of the way my husband used to tease me about my "elf" stories. It was good to pick it up again, tho' hard, too. I'm glad you think the story is still working. I have always loved stories about horses, too, and it has been fun working with Arod and the mare (who will get a name by the end of this thing! lol) I am also encouraged to hear that the humans-elves-dwarfs etc. are believable also. Thank you for the kind review and I'll really work at getting the next chapter up sooner...cross my heart...I promise... :-) linda

daw the minstrel	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 3/11/2005
First things first: I am very sorry for your loss, Linda. May whatever you believe in offer you healing. As for this chapter, I continue to be so impressed by the way you do the relationship between the elves and their horses. I'm also impressed by your patient showing (not telling) about the people Legolas encounters. I feel like I'm there. Author Reply: Thank you, daw. I appreciate the kind thoughts. You know, I'm not sure why I just love the thought of the elves being so close to their horses...it's a puzzlement, for sure! :-/ But I do love writing it and I think I read somewhere in a review/reply setting where the author was talking about showing, not telling the reader about what's happening (it may have been you and nilmandra, I don't remember...) but that really struck me and stuck in my mind. I always worry about being too wordy, but maybe I'm not if you feel like you're there. (Then again, maybe I need a beta to be my conscience...LOL!) That's the nicest thing you could say and the most encouraging, too! Thank you for taking the time to review! linda (oooooh, daw, another dragon! how cool is that?)

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