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Interrupted Journeys: Part 3 Journeys Begin by elliska	6 Review(s)
lwarren	Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 4/4/2005
Why, that horsey hussy! Imagine flicking Aradunnon in the face with her tail! What a flirt, and easily tempted away with treats! Shame!! (I loved her! LOL) So now Thranduil has been apprised of the possibility of elves treating with Easterlings! This would have to seriously tick him off! I like watching the meetings he has with his counselors - the way all contribute and the way Thranduil runs things - watching his mind work, and the temper fray! :-) The news was enough to put him in a fierce mood - he will definitely need Lindomiel to take his mind off traitorous elves (more steam seems to be called for!);-) Dolgailon and Arthiel - (after a very interesting conversation between Dolgailon and Aradunnon). I meant to mention this maiden last review, but if you remember, I was having trouble keeping things in order LOL so I'll just say I really like her! She's funny (you are supposed to be on MY side) and she obviously loves her "friend" and she's not pushy...she says I would wait a season to be with you, no problemo...and even if there's peace, you'll still be a warrior, so what's up with that? See? She's blasted every doubt of his to bits, but still pats him on the arm and says 'think about it, ok?'. I like this girl. Give Dolgailon a little nudge; he needs a strong elleth by his side. Thranduil's 'office' - I'm not sure why he argued about giving up his work space with his wife - you know she had him at hello! ;-) A nursery... (Thranduil was so funny)...already? She's only 2 weeks along...obviously he is not acquainted with the nesting tendencies of a breeding female. But he will be...oh yes, precioussss, he will be! And of course HIS office will be willingly offered up as the sacrificial space for baby Legolas! The conversation between Lindomiel and Thranduil is very good on several different levels - he snapped at her and tries to make amends, she hears about the traitorous elves and tries to soothe him, he has a name picked out for the baby (ala Noldorin custom snicker) and she's plotting 101 different ways to seduce that name out of him g. But I liked where Thranduil is telling her he will try his best to leave the burdens of the realm in the throneroom and not bring them home to interfere with family/baby time. I've taught 9-year-olds since my firstborn (had 3) and I can tell you it is HARD to leave school at school and not transfer the frustrations of 20 children on to my own. My sympathies to the King! Also the idea of him taking up his art to help decorate - good idea, Lindomiel...art can be most therapeutic! All in all, a wonderful chapter, elliska! On to the next (and then I'm caught up for a time! Yay, me!) :-) linda Author Reply: Don't you love that horse! Making it a mare was French Pony's idea and I thought that was hilarious because the ladies do just rule this chapter. :) I'm glad you like Arthiel. I think she knows how to handle Dolgailon. I can't imagine being super pushy would get anywhere with any elf and least of all Thranduil's family but she can definitely hold her own, she knows her own mind and now Dolgailon knows it too! I think they would work out as a couple if he'll give it a chance. Time will tell you if that is meant to be. Poor Thranduil doesn't get the 'nesting' thing does he. Thankfully Lindomiel can handle him. And you're right--I really like showing them supporting each other. I definitely think that would be important for someone in his position and I think he would return the favor. They are a great couple. But I liked joking about the name/Noldorin custom. Couldn't resist that. I bet they had fun while she tried to convince him to tell and he tried to resist doing so. :) I didn't know that you taught! Cool! I used to too. Adults. And I found that hard to leave it school. I can't imagine teaching children and having them. I can definitely see how you could easily transfer some of those frustrations. I think the painting will be good for Thranduil. He needs a relaxing hobby. :) Again--thanks for the reviews. It is so much fun to go to my email and see them.

Brazgirl	Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 3/29/2005
Finally I took some time to review, Elliska! I read the first part of the chapter yesterday and finished today! I so loved that part between Thranduil and Lindomiel! There are few people who can describe with such grace those simple things of life. And you did! Ah... could you be more mean? I envied Lindomiel when she took her husband's robes, and his shirt... that was good to read! And Dolgailon and his maiden was so cute! Ah! I guess he will be entrapped soon! Father will be happy! And I believe uncle will be too. Well... those elves in the end... they unnerve me! I want to spank that lady!!! Author Reply: Yes, I loved writing that part with Lindomiel and Thranduil and I was jealous of her as well. :) I really like the thought of Thranduil and his wife together. He deserves it. And the scene with Dolgailon was fun to write too. Poor, serious elf didn't really see that coming. As you said, everyone would be happy if they had heard that conversation. Those elves at the end--they are definitely trouble and will be for a while. A little angst for Thranduil will be interesting too. :) Thank you so much for the reviews. Believe me, I understand about not having much time. And these last two chapters have been super long so I know it's hard to find time to get all the way through them. So I very much appreciate you taking time to review. :)

Bodkin	Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 3/27/2005
What a great way to start the day! Poor Dolgailon. I shall have to start the society for the defence of . . . and campaign for a happy ending for him. And Arthiel is right really - she'll worry about him whether she's married to him or not and at least if he marries her she will have a right to be involved in his life. And Dolgailon is a merchant banker with hippie parents. Tough hippies, but hippies nonetheless. Amoneth has increased in confidence - but then, apart from the passage of time, she is now Aradunnon's wife and Thranduil can't get rid of her easily, even if he wanted to. And no-one has Lindomiel's powers when it comes to royal manipulation - but then no-one else can drop her gown to get the king's attention. I should imagine it's quite an effective silencing technique. Perhaps questioning all the villages was not the best idea - it's giving the schemers a chance to go underground, and the Evil One is sneaky enough to be able to slide out of whatever trouble is about to confront the rest. There are some schools of thought that suggest that keeping your enemy under your eye is wiser than allowing him to sneak behind your back. Although it's a bit late for Thranduil to worry about that now. Lindomiel was very clever to get Thranduil involved in planning the nursery - he'll probably be more willing to put his train set in the attic if he can get to paint bunny rabbits on the walls. Also clever not to push it too fast - he's got another 50 weeks to come round, by which time the infant will have already taken over his life. (I wish I felt more confident about Lindomiel's long term involvement.) And traitors - with reasons dating back millennia. It must be very complicated to keep track of grudges if you're an elf. (I just looked up Manadhien. Good name.) Author Reply: You know, Dolgailon was the very last character added to this story. Originally most of his part in this and future chapters had been slightly different and was Aradunnon's. Then as we edited these chapters, we thought of some things that we could add to make it better and we realized the whole thing would work better with a separate character. So Dolgailon was added. I was really hesitant to do that because the cast of OCs for this story is outrageous even if you limit it to the OCs with fairly large roles--if you look at the whole list of people named just once or twice in minor roles I bet it has 100 people. And then you add the canon characters and it's awful. But I'm glad I did it. And as I've posted this, I've come to really like Dolgailon. Oh well. I have written his fate. Like I've said, very few people are going to Valinor on a boat. Mirkwood is a dangerous place. Can you tell I like teasing you? Dolgailon needs protected from loving adults right now more than he needs protected from me. My parents always seemed very straight-laced when I was a kid. Then I went to the same college my dad went to and I heard The Truth. It was horrifying. I will never forget how shocked I was. I think Aradunnon and Amoneth are a lot of fun. Good healthy people to have around to remind you to relax. But I couldn't manage them all the time. :) I had a lot of fun writing the royal manipulation scene. I really do think Thranduil's wife would be able to play him like a harp after almost 2000 years and given the fact that he would just be completely smitten by her. And I find that a lot of fun to contemplate. Thranduil involved in the nursery is good for several reasons--the heavier the Shadow hangs over Mirkwood, the more he needs some distractions when the day's work is done. Providing them is Lindomiel's job. And also, I think it's good training for husbands to get involved with all the baby stuff. Since elf children are nourished equally by mother and father, let it be shown everywhere. :) Besides, I also like the idea of warrior Thranduil and good King Thranduil having a softer, artsy side. Things like that can make for interesting contrasts. My conspiracy theory--you will see that you are not far off the mark on everything you said there. Keeping your enemies close is very important and Thranduil knows that. He just has no idea who his real enemy is. He'll find villagers here and there but it will be a very, very long time before he finds the root of the problem. Manadhien in all its variations in various languages is indeed a good name and is part of the significance of the last chapter's title as well. I love playing with names. Later in the story to hide her identity, our friend the Black Swan changes her name again. I had originally one name that I used there. I already searched and replaced it with the name you gave me a while back. I absolutely loved that. I love little things like that. Thanks so much for the reviews!

The Karenator	Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 3/26/2005
What an interesting chapter. Everyone is home safely. Let the games begin. Amoneth has certainly come into her own. She and Thranduil still butt heads, I see. She and Aradunnon are an interesting couple. They remind me of the parents of friends when growing up. You know, the ones who were always off to some party or hosting couples' bridge or having cocktails by the pool. Always walking around with a wine glass in their hand and calling everyone, dahling. Well, that might be a little strong, but you know what I mean. Party in Mirkwood. And love is budding just over the hedge. Dolgailon lost this round. There's nothing left but ordering the invitations. You're not going to kill him, are you? Give me some warning if he's going to Mandos. I'll want to have my tissues with soothing aloe near at hand. The queen was fairly unfazed by the grumpy king. Good for her. She played him like a harp. After all this time, looks like he'd know better to than take her on in a battle of wits; he doesn't have any when her dress hits the floor. I have to say though that I might not have any either when he started unlacing his leggings.... Is it warm in here? For a moment there, when I read the part with the Spiderwoman, I thought the old warrior she was talking to was Aradunnon. That frightened me. I had to go and reread that part looking for clues. Can't be the brother. The guy at the cottage has been around since before the Sinda arrived. Whew! However, it looks like the goals of Spiderwoman and the rest of the guys might not be the same. She's packaged hers up to look like theirs, but boy, will they be shocked when they find out that she's got an entirely different agenda. Names, huh? How many guesses do I get? Terrific chapter, Elliska. You're dropping hints, but I'm too obtuse to get them yet. But I'm working on it! I'm looking forward to the next chapter. The intrigue just gets better and better. Karen Author Reply: Hi Karen! Yes, Amoneth feels considerably more confident pushing back at Thranduil after nearly two millennia of marriage. But I think it is really cool that you commented on that. I wondered how people who had read the other parts would see that apparent change. :) Aradunnon and Amoneth are exactly as you describe. And I think it kills poor Dolgailon and probably most of Thranduil's family. People like that kill me too but only because I don't have what it take to be them. :) Aradunnon was born in Greenwood, never saw the horrors of Beleriand and refuses to be cowed by the Shadow in Mirkwood. I say good for him and his influence. :) Glad he's not my dad. Dolgailon...I think I'll let you wonder. I have two endings to this story and, as usual, I haven't picked which to use yet. And the beauty of this story is, the way it's structured I don't have to decide until the very last minute. I'll post a tissue warning though. Ok, battles of wits and bathing scenes...Thranduil's leggings...it would probably be best for me not to go there because reviews/review replies cannot contain warnings. But yes, I love the Elvenking and I do think he's hot. I think I would not have been thinking about baby names at that particular moment if I were Lindomiel. :) And my little conspiracy theory.... She has made quite an attractive little package and you could not be more right that her goals and theirs are completely different. Who the old warrior is I probably won't tell you in this story, though if you figure out which traitor gets posted to Thranduil's staff, then you will be able to guess who the old warrior is too. But that person's name has only been mentioned in this story once and I am not sure anyone will get it right away. I will be thrilled if people do, but it won't matter if they don't. They will get it soon enough. It is meant to keep you guessing. I hope it doesn't get to annoying, but mysteries are stupid if they are immediately laid out in black and white too. :) Thanks so much for the reviews!

French Pony	Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 3/26/2005
The theme of this chapter: Women Who Get Their Way And The Men They Steamroll. I'll bet anything that horse was a mare. Amoneth gets to listen to the discussion. Arthiel has Dolgailon firmly under her thumb. Lindomiel will have her nursery and most likely a list of names from Thranduil before the bath is done. And Manadhien is gathering an audience for when she finally gets ready to do her proverbial thirty-two fouettes. Poor Dolgailon must feel that the entire world is turning against him. Ada and Nana and Girlfriend all meet at the Oak. Both Adas are chatting happily. Dolgailon, the future groom, is the only one left out of the wedding planning. Sorry, kid. That's life. Weddings are about the bride, and the groom is a prop. He'll find himself married off relatively soon, I should think. I'm amused by imagining being one of Thranduil's guards That Night. The guards had to know what was up, and I'm sure there were lots of smirks and high-fives among them. So Lindomiel is two weeks into a fifty-two-week pregnancy and she's already starting to decorate the nursery? Leaping lizards, give poor Thranduil a break! He's only just starting to adjust to the idea of having a child in the first place, and suddenly Lindomiel is turning him out of what's clearly his playroom. She's got the whole year yet to get all hormonal and start cooing over baby things. Besides, she's still in the stage where she's at the highest risk of miscarriage. (Though we're pretty sure that won't happen, because Thranduil needs a son, and given the fuss he put up over this one, it'd be a long two millennia before he'd be convinced to try again.) Author Reply: LOL!! If I had thought of it, I would have specified that the horse was a mare! I may still go back and change it. That is a hoot, and you are so correct, aren't you?! I will have to convince my husband to read this chapter to get a male perspective. :) Women do seem to just stomp over the poor men, don't they? The groom is a prop I about died laughing there! But I will let you wait to see Dolgailon's fate. As for Thranduil's guards and That Night, you are quite correct. It had to be amusing for them. If it stays in the story, which is impossible for me to predict since it is so far in the future, those same guards will give Legolas a little ribbing about the details of his conception when he is well into adulthood. That scene cracks me up still but my beta hates it (she's very conservative). Yes, poor Thranduil and the loss of his play room. 'Changes' is the title of this chapter and that is one of the changes he will face. Poor guy. Guys hate to lose their playrooms (my husband just lost his darkroom--I had enough of the stinky chemicals so I reclaimed my walk in closet). But Lindomiel is just shoving him right along, isn't she? He'll live. :) Thanks so much for the review! I think I will go make that horse a mare. :) Author Reply: I got distracted but the horse is now a mare! That is too funny. :)

daw the minstrel	Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 3/26/2005
OK. I was all set to comment on the interesting references to art in this chapter, when you threw me that curve about one of the traitor's sons being in a position to do some damage. Who are we supposed to suspect, I wonder? The stuff about art really was interesting though. We have Arthiel, who has been a woodcarver and has an artist father, and then we have Thranduil. And of course Lindomiel, really. Your elves have a real appreciation for beauty and it's a shame they have to make choices because they are in danger. Lindomiel did a nice job of jollying Thranduil along! Let's hope he remembers his promise to leave his problems at the office after the baby arrives. Author Reply: Hmmm, who to suspect? Well, you will hear an actual name when the time comes. I will be very interested to see if anyone recognizes it. It has only been mentioned one other time. But if no one recognizes it in this story, that is fine. They will figure it out quickly in the future. But conspiracy theories aside, I am so pleased you commented on the references to art. Innocence (of childhood and peaceful elves, I suppose) versus loss (of innocence and family) is what I am playing with in this part of the story over all and the arts of the wood elves is one example of innoncence, I think. Of course wood elves are much simpler than the Noldor and the Sindar but I imagine them having a very organic type of art, connected to the forest and their surroundings. Maybe the Noldor wouldn't appreciate it, but I think Thranduil does. And I would. And I think a people being forced to focus on defense would start losing time for artsy type things. And I think that would be a real loss. So yes, these very creative influences are conflicting with an increasingly harsher reality. It is a shame. I had fun with the scene with Lindomiel and Thranduil. I can see Thranduil crushing absolutely anyone but his wife and a daughter. I think he'd just be lost against them. :) I think he will largely keep his promise. And we will see that as we go along. Thanks so much for the reviews! :)

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