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Elflings by Bodkin	10 Review(s)
Larner	Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 10/24/2006
Ah, wonderful to see both sides of their heritage made visible. Galadriel's gift of sight, and the healing gifts of the sons of Earendil. Their great grandfather may not rue their relationship quite as much now. BTW, the idea he might have been made a star out of desperation as to what to do with one of Peredhil lineage was quite brilliant. Author Reply: I reckon Earendil will still be wary of them. At least until they are grown up! But they are beginning to mature out of that exclusiveness that twins can show - and they will improve. Their family wouldn't have it any other way! I think being a star is a bit of a cruel fate in a way. Splendid. But very, very lonely.

Redheredh	Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 4/18/2005
"We will be proud of them yet," she sighed. Well, I hope that was a real prediction and not a simple affirmation. ;) Late to the review party as usual, but I still want to add my praises if only in a tiny way for this particular episode. I am truly enjoying watching all the children grow up. This may be Aman, a less dangerous(?) place then Middle-earth, but their adventures are just beginning! Author Reply: Prediction. More than likely. Aewlin and Nimloth just need to grow into their inheritance. Being little Galadriel-alikes isn't easy for anyone - not for themselves and certainly not for their family! Danger is relative, really. They are unlikely to be hunted by orcs, but they do have Valar present. And I suspect that the wildlife and weather can be pretty difficult at times. And then there is the ability of elves to make their own trouble. Thank you for commenting - I'm glad you enjoyed it.

lwarren	Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 4/18/2005
Oh my dear Lord, Bodkin! Thranduil and Galadriel stranded in the forest alone? It's a wonder the next War of ______ didn't start...or at the very least, a kinhurting (I can't picture either one of them doing the other serious harm, except maybe with their unkind remarks...really, they sound like elflings sometimes! LOL) The fact Thranduil was hurt trying to help Nimloth down from the tree did not help the situation, I'm sure. But the revelations of each twin's individual giftings was prime stuff - the way Nimloth removed those splinters was great, and apparently an eyeopener for all, except Aewlin. Then Aewlin shows her gift of foresight. Great! Their elders became quite thoughtful in the face of all that promise! I was particularly glad to see Galadriel read these two the riot act about their little tricks and tell them it was definitely not funny anymore. They both seemed contrite - at the moment! :-) The escape from the lightning strike was very tense, and I loved their concern for the poor tree that was hit! A very interesting chapter, especially with Thranduil and Galadriel thrown together that way. They did a lot better than I expected! :-) linda Author Reply: I think Celeborn and Laerwen are a bit fed up with the Thranduil and Galadriel show. Sooner or later they will drop them both down a big hole until they learn that they can get on! I just love the newly coined kinhurting. It's going to stick in my mind for ever! And make me wonder about other degrees of internecine dispute. A kinirritating, perhaps. Or a kintutting. Thranduil was decidedly displeased with Nimloth until Galadriel decided to rake the twins over the coals - and then he immediately became defensive of them against the Ogre of the Noldor. (He would have been such a sucker for a daughter - one bat of the eyelashes and he would have been putty.) Aewlin and Nimloth do have promise - I think that, combined with the self-centredness of twinship, it's one of the things that has made them difficult. (I fancy Galadriel must have been a rather difficulty child, too.) There was plenty going on to keep T and G from remembering each other's more irritating characteristics - and each has, reluctantly, to acknowledge that the other is good in a crisis. Sitting them together in an empty room might cause more steam to rise! It would be quite interesting to see Thranduil's reaction if Galadriel tried to take over the care of the tree . . . not sure he would like that.

The Karenator	Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 4/17/2005
Delightful chapter! Of course, being an Elvenking fan, I was all smiles to see him appear. And to put him with Galadriel was just too much fun. They're like two billy goats butting heads. I loved how they sparred and jabbed, and I especially liked how Thranduil came around to taking the side of the little elleths when Galadriel scolded them. The healing scene was nicely done. The actual healing was subtle, but Thranduil immediately recognized the child's gift. Nimloth turned out to be quite a budding healer. Very nice. I also really liked the concern and gratitude the elves felt for the tree that had taken the lightning hit. Poor tree. The ending was very sweet with the little elleths cuddled up next to the big people giving and looking for comfort. Thranduil summed it up nicely when he said that they might be handful, but when the chips were down, the twins came through. I truly enjoyed this. An absolute pleasure to read. Karen Author Reply: Well, nothing would be more likely to make Thranduil defend the twins than knowing that their great grandmother was displeased with them! I keep hoping to defuse the edginess between Thranduil and Galadriel - but secretly they just enjoy it too much. (I think Celeborn and Laerwen find it irritating, but it'll take more than that to make them stop.) Nimloth has inherited talent. She's not entirely sure what she wants to do with it yet, but it's there. And she and Aewlin are caring under their rampageous exteriors - it's just that they've only just begun to register that people who are not them have as many rights as they do. They'll be fine. Galadriel will be keeping an eye on them to make sure of it. (I think the tree will be all right, too. It's lost its crown, but the lower branches are untouched and the rain stopped any risk of fire. The elves will reduce its trauma and send foresters to clean the torn trunk.) I'm glad you liked it. Thanks for reading.

daw the minstrel	Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 4/16/2005
There was a lot going on in this, Bodkin. Nimloth shows her gift and she and her twin feel the difference between them. Galadriel puts her foot down over their behavior, and I'm sure it's no accident that she and Thranduil are the ones left behind for the twins to face. That must have struck both Elrohir and Legolas as kind of amusing. And then there's that tension between Thranduil and Galadriel. Very interesting moment in the development of Elrohir's daughters. Author Reply: This was a fun one to do - I've been looking forward to putting Thranduil and Galadriel together somewhere they had to stand (sort of) shoulder to shoulder. I think Celeborn and Laerwen have had a very entertaining afternoon imagining the situation, too. Not to mention Elrohir and Legolas working hard to control their hysteria. Aewlin and Nimloth are beginning to be much more aware that they are not two parts of the same whole - and they are registering that the other inhabitants of the world have a right to self-determination; they just haven't quite got to realising that that means that they have to control their own desires. But they will. Ananeth has a more ruthless streak than Ada. She will see to it. And this one has actually been done for some time - but waiting for chapter 5 to surface.

Jay of Lasgalen	Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 4/16/2005
I'm curious - does this take place before or after the story in 'Reflections', where Elrohir fell down a cliff when he rescued a bird-watching Nimloth? Do none of them ever learn? Jay Author Reply: This takes place after. A fair few years after. I think Nimloth was probably about 5/12 - 6/15 or so there and she's now - what did I say 9/22-ish? Do none of them ever learn? Where would the stories be if they did? Life in Imladris / Mirkwood / Gondor / anywhere else would just be terribly tedious and dull and filled with perfect elflings. And Sauron would have seen the error of his ways and apologised before taking up social work in the ME equivalent of Calcutta. And the trouble is - if the adults don't attempt rescue, you just know the elflings would fall! Although I must make a better and more comprehensive timeline, so I can remember who did exactly what and when.

Karri	Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 4/16/2005
LOL! Isn't that so often the way of it -- we kill ourselves trying to rescue a young one that didn't really need rescuing. Thranduil is lovely in this chapter, as well as his 'kittens'. I enjoyed the sorrow for the poor tree, too. Author Reply: Thranduil was never keen on Galadriel - I think he saw her main problems as being over-powerful, over-arrogant and over here! And now the situation is reversed and he is over there! (And Celeborn is determined that they will learn to tolerate each other.) Myself, I think he is rather appealing in his treatment of the terrible twins. (I'd soften towards him, if I were Galadriel.) Hopefully the tree will survive, with the help of a bit of elven singing.

elliska	Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 4/15/2005
Hehehe. Now that is something I would be afraid to contemplate much less try to internalize enough to write--an injured Thranduil and Galadriel practically alone and stuck together. You can just imagine that I snickered all the way through this one. Everytime either of them opened their mouths was a gem to me. :) In addition to just getting a kick out of the basic premise, I enjoyed that Nimloth and Aewlin seem to have some of the fear of Ada in them finally in their sort-of respect for the dangers of the forest. And I loved seeing Nimloth's healing skills although she doesn't know the danger she is in practicing on Thranduil :) and I think it is funny that she has experience treating minor wounds. The lightening emergency came across as quite tense, really. And I loved their concern for the tree that was struck. But really if I started trying to quote lines I loved, I'd paste the whole thing in here. This was very well done. And now I have a confession to make--you want to know how dense I am? It was only with this chapter that I finally noticed what you are doing with the titles of these. I feel a little stupid. That's really cool. I have som much trouble with chapter titles for some reason. I could never keep something clever like that going. Love these. Author Reply: I think Celeborn and Laerwen are determined to make Galadriel and Thranduil get over their aversion. And now Thranduil is in the Blessed Realm, the complaints about Noldor interference in Arda are a bit old hat. I don't know if he has really realised that the situations are reversed now. Once Nimloth's little friends realised she could tackle minor injuries, I expect they were only too happy to let her. Elrond, on the other hand, might find the hairs on the back of his neck rising up at the thought of the difficulties she could have got into with instinctive untrained healing. The chapter titles just started - First Acquaintance being called that long before the story started to grow. And it's why Going Forth was the fourth chapter even though it was done second. (It does mean the titles are not always desperately relevant. Some numbers seem much harder to do than others. And I haven't yet thought of titles for eight and nine. Got one for ten, though.) I'm glad you liked the story!

Jay of Lasgalen	Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 4/15/2005
Thank the Valar that Nimloth and Aewlin are finally developing a little responsibility. I'm delighted that Nimloth has inherited her Ada's healing talent! We already knew that Aewlin took more after her great grandmother, after the incident with the pool. It was great to see Nimloth so caring with poor Thranduil, and for Aewlin - feeling sidelined by her twin's skill - to save them by her foresight. Great chapter, Bodkin. Jay Author Reply: They are beginning to have a better understanding of those who are not them. And they are beginning to understand, too, that they are two people - closer than most, but not the same. The Nimloth-healing bits have actually been written for a month or more - longer possibly - because this chapter was waiting for me to feel inspired enough to write a Galenthil/Eleniel chapter for 5. I think that finding these elements in themselves will do a lot to help these two to mature and become more responsible. (And, of course, knowing that Galadriel is keeping her eye on them won't do any harm.) (You seem to have a better grasp of all the different strands than I have! I bow to the memory capacity of she-who-remembered-that-A/N-were-blondes. One day I must get round to creating a complex timeline of this world.)

Bejai	Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 4/15/2005
Wonderful chapter, Bodkin! I certain do love these stories of yours. Interesting to see how that children are developing, the things they are learning about themselves, their families, and their friends. Everything you write is just a joy to read, and always makes my day. Author Reply: Thank you - the thought of me making someone's day is really cheering. Reciprocated. It's enormous fun doing the Valinor stuff, because it doesn't have to fit in with anything, except (vaguely) with what I've done before. (Although the son Elrond and Celebrian had in Purpose has never featured again!) And I find that I really like writing the elflings. But equally, I really enjoy trying to fit stories into a world that is more, shall we say, documented. Like Earendil, or Mithrellas. (Although finding out about sailing ships is proving a little too informative for me!)

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