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| Good Enough by The Karenator | 15 Review(s) |
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| moonshine4488 | Reviewed Chapter: 15 on 8/13/2006 |
| I re-read this story. It seems just as great and enjoyable as the first time I read it. You said at the end that the saga of ELenna and Aldamir is not over. And that Legolas and Daeron still having growing up to do. I was just wondering, will you be writing more about them anytime in the future? I really enjoy these stories about them. Thanks for writing such a wonderful story. Bye! Author Reply: You're so sweet. Thank you. I know I go back and reread some of my favorite stories from time to time, but to have someone do that with mine is just so exciting. I have a story about Aldamir and Elenna in rough draft, but I've not been able to work on it much for quite a while. Family responsibilities have kept me pretty busy for the last several years and at the moment, I'm way behind on everything due to those responsibilities. But soon, I hope, life will calm down and I'll have time to clean that story and several others up to post. I promise to try. How soon that'll be, I'm not sure, but I'll make an effort to get at least the one about Aldamir and Elenna done this Fall. Thank you again, Moonshine. You're a good egg! | |
| TNT2B2 | Reviewed Chapter: 15 on 5/12/2005 |
| I can't wait to read your next creation. Author Reply: Thanks TNT2B2. I'm working on it! Unfortunately, I'm a little slow. But I'm plugging away. :>) Karen | |
| lwarren | Reviewed Chapter: 15 on 5/12/2005 |
| *in response to "shouldn't we be hearing from you soon?"...well, you see there was this HUGE spider infestation in my backyard and one of the blasted things ATE my homework... yes. linda Author Reply: well, you see there was this HUGE spider infestation in my backyard and one of the blasted things ATE my homework... *snort* Daeron says not to believe a word of it. He'd know if spiders were within a hundred leagues. Now get out your quill and get crackin'! You do not want to be summoned by the king. | |
| lwarren | Reviewed Chapter: 15 on 5/11/2005 |
| The idea to use Thranduil as the POV for this final chapter was inspired, Karen! He was the perfect one to sum up all the action and growth experienced by the other characters throughout the story! Besides, have I told you? I dearly love the ElvenKing! :-) I don't know if I can do justice to all the neat little parts and snippets of this chapter that caught my eye or my heart - let's see: Thranduil still ticked off about the Great Spider Experiments - you know, I've read that the elves bitterly hated the spiders, especially these spawned by evil. I suppose that goes all the way back to Ungoliant and the destruction of the Two Trees. (LOL That's my scholarly effort for the evening!) I loved his reflections about Legolas and Daeron. He was very thoughtful about all of his family, even Tarondor and his hope to be there in Aman when his friend first sees his strong, handsome sons. Such a nice thought! I think I loved best Thranduil's thoughts about his Queen...about how he is hers to do with as she pleases...how she is the heartbeat of his realm. *sigh* (So tell me, in your M-E, what happens to the Queen? Inquiring minds want to know, and if it's bad, say "linda, you don't want to know!") The little moment with the venerable old beech tree was so elfy and Thranduil - I loved it. The sparring match with Aldamir was perfect, right down to the sparring going on between them with words! :-) The last thoughts of the King about Aldamir's laughter being the most joyous sound of all was wonderful! In fact, this whole story was wonderful! So, I told you before I'd bother you in this review, too...what's next...huh?huh? What's next??????? linda (sorry, was feeling somewhat pesky tonight and you got to suffer for it!) :-0 Author Reply: I'm a real ElvenKing fan too. In this chapter, I let him be the last word since his word is final anyway. :>) Those spiders were something to hate! I can't imagine. Spiders the size of Volkswagens must have been scary...and disgusting. I keep wanting to come up with a giant can of Raid to spray them with, but Tolkien didn't mention any methods of extermination other than the sword and bow. I even let Tree mention that he first thought the dead spiders were from some kind of poison, but he knew of no such thing. Gosh, I wanted to send a kingly summon to Orkin. The queen wanted the king to have a moment to himself and he spent it thinking about everything that had happened and the people he loved. Poor Thranduil understands all too well the guilt that comes from being in command and something going horribly wrong. Oropher dying was tough, but Tarondor's death was the result of Thranduil's decision. He's loved and cared for Tarondor's sons, but there will be great rejoicing when Tarondor sees his family again. I'd like to see the look on his face as well. Lalaith has been a good mate for Thranduil. She knew him before he was king and so she's not quite as impressed with the title as most. But she's very impressed by him. She's always been in love with him. He was a little slower coming around. Something happen to her? Why, Linda...I know of no such thing happening. You never know what the future holds, but no one has mentioned to me that she won't be at Thranduil's side when they finally take their leave of ME and sail west. And I believe that Thranduil sailed. I know he loved the woods, but I've always thought he was wise enough to know when to say good bye. And we know Legolas went and Oropher was there or would be eventually. I just can't imagine that family being there wouldn't be a huge draw. The bonds we share with the people we love are stronger than even our love for land. I can't imagine he stayed and simply faded from grief when there was happiness to be had with his family in Aman. So...that's my thinking...today. I'm so pleased that you enjoyed the sparring match. I had a great time visualizing it myself. Putting Thranduil in the woods armed is something I love to do at every opportunity. He's a warrior. I think he misses getting to be one. The king was happy wielding a sword, but nothing made him happier than seeing his sons getting back on their feet. Legolas was well and ready to charge off into his adolescent world and Aldamir was laughing again. What more could a father want? Thanks so much for staying with me throughout this tale. It was a pleasure for me to write and knowing that someone enjoyed reading it is beyond my wildest dreams. I'm very grateful for your kind support. What's next? I'm working on it...I'm working on it. Not that I mean to be pesky either, but shouldn't we be hearing from you soon? Thanks again, Karen | |
| moonshine44(ff.n) | Reviewed Chapter: 15 on 5/6/2005 |
| Hello! ff.n isn`t letting me review so I decided to leave one here. “looking to spend his time with his friends and not his disgustingly affectionate parents.” Now that was funy! The spar with Aldamir and Thranduil was great! I loved the one on one with those two! The ending was very sweet, and also very true. I think every parent likes the sound of their child`s laugh most of all. This story was fantastic. I can`t wait for the next. And I`m hoping Erelas will make his appearance! Lol, so I`m wondering what you have planned for the future? Well, I can`t wait! Until then! Author Reply: Welcome! Thank you so much for going to the trouble of coming over here to review. I, of course, like SoA's review function much better than ff.net because I can reply! Ff.net, I'm told, frowns on replying to reviews at the end of a chapter. Seems kind of rude to me to not reply when someone has been kind enough to review! And I truly appreciate each and every one of your reviews. I'm so glad you got a chuckle out of Thranduil realizing that his adolescent son would be grossed out by seeing his parents being affectionate. Legolas is at the age where he'd like to kiss a maiden, but he sure doesn't want to watch his parents being all mushy. I enjoyed doing the sparring scene. I love to put a weapon in Thranduil's hand. He doesn't get to do that kind of thing very often. He was thrilled! I had a hard time deciding who would win, but Aldamir didn't feel it appropriate for him to best the king in full view of his subjects. That's his story anyway and he's sticking to it. You're absolutely right that the sound of a child's laughter is music to a parent's ears. Aldamir had a tough go of it in this story and Thranduil was worried about him. Hearing Aldamir laugh was a huge relief and a blessing for the king. I'm playing around now with what I'll write next. And if things go the way I think they will, Erelas will get to be a major part of it. He feels rather neglected at the moment. Thank you so much for all your kind reviews. I can't tell you how much they mean to me. It's always a treat for me to hear from you. Karen | |
| Nilmandra | Reviewed Chapter: 15 on 5/2/2005 |
| Thranduil's perspective was a nice way to wrap this up. I liked his musing on his sons, nephews and wife, and recollections of his own romance with Lalaith. Aldamir really had no chance in the sparring bout with his father - what was he to do, beat the king? If he wins, it could lead to rumors of a coup to overthrow the king and take the throne! Okay, not, but still . . . A Mirkwood Revolution does sound enthralling ;D I look forward to seeing Aldamir's and Elenna's romance develop. Author Reply: Thanks, Nilmandra. I appreciate you staying with me through this story. Thranduil wanted to have his say and it was a bit reflective. He's got a lot of experience under the belt and I think he would be thoughtful about how to deal with sons and nutty villagers. He even has experience to draw on that helps him understand what Aldamir and Elenna are going through. I'm glad you enjoyed the little glimpse into their romance. What could I do? I couldn't let the woodland king get trounced in front of his subjects. Aldamir didn't mind too much. This is another area where the king is quite experienced. I think the old boy enjoyed working up a sweat. And Aldamir enjoyed the opportunity to spar with his father. I doubt they get to do that very often. Thank you so much for all your support and kind reviews. I had fun doing this and I learned a lot about my characters. I don't know what I'll do next. I'm thinking.... Karen | |
| elliska | Reviewed Chapter: 15 on 5/2/2005 |
| Ok, now I'm home and I can have fun. Here's a shocker for you--I love Thranduil and I was so happy to see this chapter was from his POV. I think wrapping up this story from the from the POV of king and father was great. I loved seeing his thoughts/analysis of the less than brilliant actions of Calendon and how they affected him in those roles. And his thoughts on Elenna and his son--that was sweet. There are so many great truths in here. I found that I was no better at it the third time than I was with the first two. I liked that and I think it would be true--you are still going to worry no matter that you've seen it before. no appropriate or successful warning existed that could be given to someone who has tasted the first fruit of a blossoming love. Sooo true. Great line. And I liked the peek into Thranduil and Lalaith's past. This was merely one of Lalaith’s ways of never allowing me to forget that while I am the king, I am still hers to do with as she pleases. This line had me chuckling and then this line: she is the center of my being; indeed, my queen is the heartbeat of this realm. just made me smile--so very sweet! I loved the image of him with the beech. The conversation about color schemes (and lack of memory thereof) is another one of those truths (a universal trait of males) and cracked me up. And another truth is Legolas being torn between his friends and his parents (I did not realize that spending time with me is akin to punishment! Great line!) And I absolutely adored the opportunity to see Thranduil and Aldamir spar! The dialogue there was great! This was a wonderful story. I hate seeing it end and I sincerely hope to see another one soon. I really enjoyed how you managed the POV's. That was really well done and technically very interesting too. The last chap must have been a difficult choice to make--who gets the last word. But I loved your choice. Great job. I'll miss this one. Author Reply: Elliska! I'm sorry it's taken me so long to get to my review replies. My phone has rung off the hook. I keep having to sign back into SoA to do each one because so much time elapses between starting and finishing each reply. I'm glad that you liked Thranduil's perspective. He was mulling over the events and trying to put them in a proper light. Fortunately, he's been around the block a few times and has that experience under his belt. Of course, his experience as a father hasn't made him less worried about his sons. Perhaps it's his experience that makes him worry. His losses have been great and he knows how quickly things can go wrong. But there's only so much a parent can do and still have functional children to send out into the world. He has to rely on his sons to do the right thing and pray that this will be enough. Poor guy. I can't imagine how hard it is for parents to send their children into dangerous situations. He knows he has to allow them to think on their own and to fail on their own, but it ain't easy. I have Thranduil and Lalaith's backstory all worked out in my head. I might even take a crack at telling it one day, but I'm afraid no one would be interested but me. I'd have to come up with a way to tell it that wouldn't put everyone to sleep. That's a challenge! I could see Thranduil's eyes glaze over when Lalaith was musing over what color she wanted her gown to be. She knows he's no more interested in such things that he is in redecorating the dining room, but she gets a kick out of yanking his chain occasionally. Can't let the king think that he's exempt from his husbandly duties! Her eyes probably glaze over when he starts talking about how big the deer he bagged antlers were. Marriage. You just smile and nod. I love Warrior! Thranduil and take every opportunity I can find to put a weapon in his hands. He might have bested Aldamir in this case, but the kid knew that his father was on that field because he's loved. Aldamir didn't mind too much. He'd been much more annoyed if Seregon had beat him! Thank you so much for sticking with me for this story. I've enjoyed writing it and I've really enjoyed your reviews. Doing each chapter from a different character's perspective was an interesting experiment. I did it to learn more about each character and I think I know them a little better now. I'm glad I didn't bore you to death. I think I'll try third-person as soon as I can get up the courage. Thanks again! Karen | |
| French Pony | Reviewed Chapter: 15 on 5/2/2005 |
| An unexpectedly philosophical ending, that. But it's nice to see what Thranduil thinks of all that's been going on. He's been indirectly involved with every event in this story, as a force to be reckoned with. And here we get his perspective on it all. He sounds ancient and wise, wondering at the foolishness of young people who meddle in the muck of genetic engineering, but still able to rise above it all. The conversation with Legolas was interesting. It seems that recent illness has brought out Legolas's softer side, for I don't know of any other adolescent who'd stick within a hundred yards of parents who were even just beginning to make googoo eyes at each other. Even though no one has ever actually died of the embarrassment, no adolescent wants to be the first. And then Legolas sat and talked so honestly with Thranduil. You can just feel the bond between them, and it's kind of nice, though I suspect that it's at least partially wishful thinking on the part of an author who maybe knows some adolescents herself. I know I wouldn't have ever spoken to my parents that way very often when I was sixteen (messed-up adolescent that I was), and I imagine that Legolas doesn't make a regular habit of it either. And then bouting with Aldamir! Just what he needed, to have his damaged dignity completely and lovingly eradicated so he could build up a new one again. Yes, Thranduil does know what to do with his kids. Author Reply: Thranduil did have a philosophical moment here. As ruler, he's in the position where he has to think carefully and analytically about what happens and how he'll deal with it. He's also got the experience of thousands of years behind him to draw on when he looks at the nature of elves, men, dwarves...groundhogs. He's been around the block a few times. I suppose I'm fortunate that my teenage sons are still pretty easy to be around. They're big boys...17 and 19...but they both still sit down and yak with me, both still hug and kiss me whenever they come in or go out and will be seen in public with me. That's not to say that we don't have our moments, but for the most part, we've never gone through the stage where they're embarrassed to be seen with us. I, however, recall being mortified by my parents. If my boys are in fear of death by embarrassment, they handle it well. They both have personalities where they're just easy going in that respect, I guess. BUT! All that said, I don't think any teenager would be thrilled to have to spent too much time in the company of their parents when there are better companions to be had. Two things are work where Legolas is concerned, I think. For one, he has a rather responsible but easy-going personality. And two, he's used to having to have his parents' permission to leave their presence. He resigned himself quickly to doing what was required of him and then found that he enjoyed the quiet moment with his father. Adolescence is often a time with wide swings of independence and dependence and Legolas was swinging along at that moment. But you're right that Legolas doesn't make a habit of hanging around when his parents get all mushy. I figured it was easier to let Thranduil win the bout. Aldamir didn't mind too much. Besides, he'd probably feel worse if he bested his king in full view of his subjects! :>) Both father and son fought hard, but in the end, they were playing and Thranduil's experience won out. But if we let them have another go at it, I don't think Aldamir would allow his father the chance to trip him again. Live and learn. Thank you so much for your support and the wonderful reviews. I've enjoyed each and every one of them. You have such a fun and very thoughtful perspective. Karen | |
| Dot | Reviewed Chapter: 15 on 5/2/2005 |
| I was just thinking about you this morning! Don’t be scared - I was torn between missing your story and knowing that when you did post it’d all be over. Of course, I was thrilled to see the update and doubly delighted that it was Thranduil’s turn! He was in a rather reflective mood. It was very interesting to see his thoughts on the spiders and the nutty villagers. I like how the thing that appals him the most is the fact that they would “meddle in the affairs of creation”. And no matter how much Aldamir wants to blame himself, it’s Thranduil who is ultimately responsible for sending his troops out and sending warriors into danger so to think that such a danger was caused by his own people and could have been prevented if they’d said something must shock and grieve him. You’ve really captured Thranduil’s complex thoughts as a parent exceptionally well too. How hard it must be to want your sons to grow up to be good, happy, competent people and yet still want to protect them from the world that they will come to know as adults. Or to rejoice in their carefree spirit and yet fear that they’re not prepared enough for the dangers that face them. At least he’s wise enough to recognise his feelings and to try to have faith that he’s done all he can and everything else is in the hands of fate. I don’t imagine surrendering any power comes very easily to him so I really have to admire him for his courage as a father. I really liked the little glimpse of Aldamir that we got when Thranduil thinks of how he used to have some interest in maidens when he was growing up and how no-one was more surprised than Aldamir himself at the emotion he felt for Elenna. And I loved the memory of Tarondor’s anger at Lalaith and Thranduil’s attraction for each other! It’s so strange to imagine Thranduil in his younger days, with his best friend, looking out for his best friend’s younger sister and then falling head over heels in love with her! No wonder he understands how tough the path to love can be!! LOL at Thranduil and Lalaith betting on when Aldamir would take it upon himself to visit Elenna’s village. I’m glad, though, that Lalaith was able to put her husband’s mind at rest about Elenna’s intentions and feelings towards Aldamir. “I remain grateful for whatever hand played a part in bringing her into my life and heart; she is the center of my being; indeed, my queen is the heartbeat of this realm.” Aaaw, that’s so lovely! In my opinion, it’s Lalaith who’s darn lucky… “I smiled and patted a gnarled root in camaraderie. “We are two of a kind, old friend,” I said. An answering hum thrilled at my back.” I love that! Love it. I also really love the pride Thranduil has in Daeron and Seregon and how much he hopes that his old friend will one day be reunited with them and share in that pride. “On most days I feel the urge to congratulate myself on choosing her to be my mate, but in truth, I think it was she who chose me. Perhaps I even like that notion better.” I’m still grinning at that! “I hoped that she did not require me to tell her which color I had suggested since I did not recall the original choices”. *snort* Males, eh? They’re all the same. I think Lalaith knows her husband all too well and just enjoyed teasing him. Poor Legolas – imagine being stuck with his adar instead of being allowed off with his friends!! Too funny. It was a lovely moment between them, though. I think for now it’s better not to dwell on whether Legolas will indeed always want to stay with his father… “A mischief lit upon me as quickly as a touch of a butterfly.” I love mischievous!Thranduil!! What a treat you gave us. I was the teensiest bit disappointed that I didn’t get to see Seregon is action but I guess this made up for it ;-) I loved Aldamir’s shock when he saw his opponent and it’s still making me smile to think how much Thranduil was enjoying himself. The banter between them was an absolute joy to read. These two need to let their playful side show more often. I suppose they don’t often get the chance to just be father and son any more either, not like Legolas and Thranduil can be. As they’ve seen, too much of their personal lives are tied up in affairs of the realm. “His laughter. To me, this was the most joyous sound of all.” Oh, what a perfect, perfect ending. I’ve enjoyed this every step of the way, Karen. I meant it when I said that I tended to stay clear of first-person POV but you’ve shown me just how wrong I was in dismissing it and how effective and engaging it can be when done properly. I’ve even been playing around with it myself recently, although I’ve yet to find the key to making it a success as you have ;-) I can’t tell you how glad I am that I stumbled across your stories and your wonderful characters. I’ll miss this one, but I’ll look forward to whatever is to come. Best of luck with your next venture :-) Author Reply: Hey Dot, What a great review! I have mixed feelings about this story being over. I think I even procrastinated a little in getting up the last chapter because it's kind of sad to say goodbye, but there was also a sigh of relief when I finally posted it. I guess I'm sharing Thranduil's feelings about seeing both sides of 'our baby' and being torn. The king was rather reflective. His age, experience, and position probably lends for him to do a lot of reflecting about what goes on. So much depends on what he thinks. And so much of what he has to rule on and direct involves personal feelings that I would hope that he would think seriously about what goes on in his realm. But sometimes, such inner thoughts can get awfully boring for a reader. I hope he didn't beat you to death with his mental wanderings. Being a parent is often a bevy of conflicting emotions. On one hand, you want your children to grow up to be good caring individuals who make good decisions and on the other hand, you hate to see the child lose their innocence. You're absolutely right that it's hard for Thranduil to surrender control, but there are some things that are simply outside his ability to direct. He's trying to acknowledge his limitations, but it ain't easy! I have this whole backstory in my mind about Thranduil and Lalaith early life. She was a firecracker of an elleth and set her sights on Thranduil when she was very young. He was a little slower in coming around to seeing things her way. Actually, I see a parallel between the queen and Elenna. Unbeknownst to him, Aldamir has fallen in love with a girl very much like his own mother...not in a yukky way, but in a way that sets Elenna up for being the kind of elleth that could be an effective and loved queen in her own right if it ever came to that. The males of Oropher's line are very duty oriented and they tend to draw women who are strong enough to challenge them, support them and not be eaten alive by such forceful male personalities. Elenna is a version of possibly the way Lalaith was at her age...similar personality traits and gifts. I've considered writing the story of Thranduil and Lalaith's earlier life and their courtship, but I'm not sure that it wouldn't bore everyone to tears. I could be the only one interested in how Oropher came to the Greenwood and when Thranduil noticed that Lalaith wasn't a little girl anymore. Thranduil loves Seregon and Daeron like his own. He feels responsible for their father's death and has really tried to be a father figure for them without encroaching into Noreth's territory as their true parent. Of course, Seregon was grown when his father died--protecting him--so he's needed less fatherly guidance than Daeron, but I think Seregon knows that his uncle is always there for him if he needs him. Thranduil is proud of both Tarondor's sons and eagerly awaits the time when his old friend will see how wonderful his sons have turned out. Legolas was ready to fly off and hang out with his buds, but since that wasn't going to happen right off the bat, and might not happen at all if he didn't settle down and hang with dad for a few minutes, he figured he could handle it. Besides, I think Legolas is a happy kid for the most part--rolls with the punches--and does treasure the time he gets to spend with Ada. The king's a busy guy. Even though Legolas was fine for a short time with Ada, I don't think he would have been very happy if he had had to sit there all day. Seregon was a little disappointed that he didn't get to spar, but he was thrilled to see the king in action too. And the author would have had a hard time deciding who would have won a bout between Seregon and Aldamir. It was much easier to let Thranduil win. Besides, I love Warrior! Thranduil. I still get goosebumps when I think of the king dressed and armed as a woodland warrior in 'Serious Trouble' and riding out into the woods in search of his son and nephew. And I wrote it! How pathetic is that? I can't resist any chance to put a weapon in the king's hand. You're absolutely right that Thranduil and Aldamir both needed a little 'playtime'. Thank you so much for the kind comments about the POV. I've always liked first-person in printed works, but I have to admit that I don't usually seek them out either. I didn't even realize how drawn I was to them until I started naming off all my favorite novels on some meme or another. I love rambling around in characters' heads, but first-person can be tricky. People either love this POV or hate it. I'm so pleased that you were willing to give my story a try and I'm even more pleased that you enjoyed it. That means a lot to me. Go on...give it a try yourself. :>) It really is fun to see everyone's deepest, darkest secrets! I've not decided yet what I'll do next. I'm playing around with some ideas. I'd like to try third-person, but that terrifies me! I awed by how well those of you who write it do and I'm afraid that I'd fall flat on my face. Thank you so much for your support and reviews throughout this story. Your reviews are wonderful and such fun for me to read. Thanks again. Karen | |
| Bodkin | Reviewed Chapter: 15 on 5/2/2005 |
| Well - only one complaint. Complete? How can you do that to me? More is required. Much much more. Daeron needs to get his diary out again and offer some more revelations on life in the merry Greenwood. Or perhaps Nana Queen needs to get some words in on the joys of family life chez la maison d'Oropher. It was good to have this chapter from Aran Adar's point of view. And such a lovely combination of the two roles. (Three - or five - if you count husband, uncle and brother-in-law.) Lalaith swept him out so nicely 'yes dear, of course you want to go and And the awkward adolescent son - torn between wanting to be anywhere but beside adar and yet proud to be there and still (just) able to admit to loving him. Thranduil knows enough to be filled with that slight feeling of loss, knowing that this could be the last time Legolas is willing to be his child (as opposed to his son), and want to hold the feeling and treasure it. I love Thranduil's outrage at the activities of the spider-breeders, his acknowledgement that with power comes responsibility and grief, his lovingness (yes it's not a proper word), his pride in his wife and sons, his love and care for Tarondor's sons (on the day his sons finally sail into sight of the harbor of Aman, he will be waiting. I hope to be present for this meeting; I would not wish to miss the look on Tarondor’s face when he sets his eyes upon his strong, handsome sons). Beautiful. I hope he's there too. His playfulness - sneaking up on his boy like that! And putting him in the position of having to try to beat his adar! Lalaith would be popping with pride whoever won. I like his clear sight, too - and the knowledge, backed up by his wife, that Aldamir will be on Elenna's doorstep as soon as the dust has had time to settle. In fact, I love it all. Except the last two words. The End. Never my favourites. I shall have to have a poster campaign and picket for the next adventure to come along soon. A lovely chapter. Author Reply: LOL! You certainly know how to make a girl feel good. Daeron is always a little antsy to tell his side of every story so I'm sure he'll want to get his two cents worth in soon. I've not decided what I'll write next, but I have some outlines done. One of them has Daeron's first kiss with Flouncy. That would be fun. I like the idea of exploring the queen a little more too. She's just had a supporting role so far. Erelas feels a little slighted too. Yep, the queen booted the king out the door so she could get done what she needed to do so she could go to the games. I could just imagine that Thranduil had not scheduled much for that morning and was probably under her feet. She couldn't get anything done until she shooed him out of the palace. Adolescence is such a funny time. One day the kid thinks he's all grown up and the next day, he wants to be a kid. Pretty wishy-washy time. Legolas did have plans to scoot off and be with his friends and was most surprised when he ended up keeping Adar company. The poor kid not only had to honor his father, but his king wanted his presence too. And he's well trained to obey...unless he doesn't think anyone is watching. But you're right; Thranduil knew that his time with his last child was passing quickly. As a parent, he wants Legolas to grow up to be a good, responsible adult, but he also cherishes the time he has left to enjoy Legolas's youth. Thranduil's been around for quite a while and probably felt like he had seen it all. The villagers breeding spiders even shocked him. I'm sure that in his book, this kind of thing was irresponsible. Well...mine too. Thranduil has looked after Tarondor's sons and wife well. They're family. I hope Thranduil gets to see the look on Tarondor's face too when he sees his sons again. Daeron was just a baby when his father died, so that would be a nice meeting to see. Challenging Aldamir was sort of an impulse for Thranduil and I doubt he's given to too many of those. But what a fun one. Aldamir enjoyed the surprise too. Thank you so much, Bodkin, for staying with me throughout this story. Your reviews have been wonderful and such a pleasure for me to read. I can't tell you how much I appreciate your support. Karen | |