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Lesser Ring  by Larner 4 Review(s)
KittyReviewed Chapter: 13 on 8/8/2005
*sniff* That was a bit sad, although beautiful, how Aragorn sang to the stars. It is truly not only a blessing to be long-lived or immortal if one has to watch his friends die, one by one.

Aragorn's tale about Eärendil and his sons must've been quite a surprise for Sohrabi and Ankhrabi. They took it very well - I wonder sometimes how peoples of our time would react if someone would tell them his or her grandfather is a star. And I must admit, although I'd known Eärendil is Osiri, I hadn't thought so far as to see Arwen as granddaughter to *Osiri*. It is a intriguing thought!

Author Reply: Yes, it is an intriguing thought, realizing Arwen is granddaughter to Osiri in the eyes of the Haradri. And the blessing of the prolonged life would be double edged.

So many of our forebears have considered their great heroes to be descended from the gods or great powers of the world; to find someone who would say, "But that star is my father's father" would be a poser, I'm certain.

grumpyReviewed Chapter: 13 on 8/7/2005
What a lovely picture, Aragorn singing to his son. It must be hard on him to know he will not see Frodo, Gandalf or Lord Elrond again. Or at least not very soon. He did a wondrful telling of the tale of Earendil.
Question from the last chapter, whatever did they do with the perfumed fat, ok they put it in their hair, but at the table? Is this sort of like finger bowls.
Liked the inviting of the man, who was once the child, Aragorn saved.

Author Reply: The perfumed fat was worn in the hair at parties and formal dinners, and allowed to melt. The scent was to delight the guests and soothe the scalp, I believe, and may have served instead of deoderant, much as in the court of France they took to wearing vast quantities of perfume in lieu of bathing regularly. The Egyptians did bathe, unlike many of the Middle Ages, but they still lived in a very hot climate where it must have become musky at gatherings.

And I'm glad the one Aragorn had helped heal had been invited, also. A tie to the past, a chance for Sohrabi to be certain this was indeed the one he remembered.

And I think Aragorn would have deeply missed those whom he'd come to love, whether by death or sea, and particularly those he'd been through so much with, like Gandalf and Frodo, Elrond and those others he'd known growing up, his mother, and so on. His time waiting for the reunion must have worn on him from time to time.

Thanks for the review.

TiggerReviewed Chapter: 13 on 8/7/2005
What a lovely chapter Larner. So very poignant and heartfelt. Loved how Aragorn answered the Farozi and his son's questions. It has to be a heavy burden for Aragorn. To be *The* Man of the West and to see those who he loves pass away before he does. In a way, it's just like Arwen's fate as foretold by Elrond when you think of it. Very bittersweet.

I also enjoyed the way Aragorn explained to them the tale of Earëndil and then Elrond and Elros and how Aragorn's lineage is related to the both of them and Earëndil. Very well done indeed.

As always, looking forward to the next chapter.

Author Reply: In the case of Aragorn, however, he's known all his life that in the end he, too, will die and hopefully follow those others who have died before him and have the chance of reunion. However, for Arwen it's been almost three thousand years of watching mortals die and letting them go, then finally making the ultimate connection with one of them and watching him go, too--knowing perhaps consciously she will follow him but on the emotional level having natural grief compounded by twenty-nine hundred years experience of thinking of them as being simply completely gone. Perhaps that is why at the end she was begging Aragorn to remain just a little longer, the fear she would be forced to remain behind forever and not be able to come to him again.

At times it must have been overwhelming for Aragorn, watching so many go before him, having to wait so. However, by the time he was crowned King he had known almost nine decades to learn patience. He still must have been tried sorely at times, though.

DreamflowerReviewed Chapter: 13 on 8/7/2005
How beautiful!

I loved Aragorn singing to his son, as he missed and mourned for Frodo and the others who had sailed. And his explanation of Earindil was very well done--I can imagine the thoughts the Farozi will have when he tries to go to his own sleep.

Look forward to more...

Author Reply: The relationship of King and Queen to Earendil will become more realized by more shortly. Before she has the chance to travel outside Harad, Nefiramonrani will be learning that things are far different among other peoples.

And I'm certain there were many times Aragorn would have mourned deeply for those who'd left with Frodo.

I've always loved the image from Galadriel's song evoked by "...and in a fading crown have twined the golden elanor..." Had to get that image expressed for others to contemplate.

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