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In Darkness Buried Deep by GamgeeFest	8 Review(s)
RenaissanceGrrl	Reviewed Chapter: 11 on 11/14/2005
The first bit was pleasantly confusing. Still not sure that you've explained anything, only hinted. (Have you ever seen the Elijah Wood/Macaulay Culkin movie The Good Son? Because you keep making me think of it, though I haven't put my finger on why.) BLOCKED? Figures. The Forest won't let Frodo go until he learns his lesson, will it? (Or everyone learns it, lol, Gil, Edon, Sara and Esme included, hmm?) Author Reply: It's explained, if only in hints. ;) The next chapter should pinpoint it a little more. I have seen The Good Son, a long time ago. Don't remember anything about it, lol. :) You must have this forest confused with some benevolent place like Lothlorien, lol. The forest doesn't want Frodo to leave, period. It really couldn't care if anyone learns anything. Yet, despite its most evil of intentions, they are going to learn something and grow from this experience. ^_^ That is perhaps the only reason Frodo agrees to go into the Forest again later for the Quest - because this experience ended well.

Grey Wonderer	Reviewed Chapter: 11 on 11/12/2005
Now the trees are working against them in the search! I wonder if maybe they were going the wrong way and the trees are re-directing the search or if they have other things in mind. I feel sorry for Gil. He knows what he's done and he is trying to turn things around but nothing seems to be helping. I also feel terrible for Saradoc. He seems to be blaming himself also. It's like Piper said in the last chapter, there is a reason to blame many folks if you look for one. Great chapter! Hope there will be more soon! Author Reply: Oh, but the trees were never working with them - just allowing them to get far enough inside to become trapped themselves. These trees know what they're doing! I imagine they're feeling very smug with themselves, now that they have nine new "toys" to play with. It's so easy to blame ourselves when something goes wrong. But Saradoc isn't the only one blaming him, as we'll see in another chapter or two. ;) Gil has stepped up to the plate, but too late. He understands at last just what he did and he's doing his best to amend things. He realizes that if Frodo is not found, that he'll be the one to carry the brunt of that the rest of his life, no matter how much everyone else may try to take the blame. Seems they could all use a talking to from Piper. :)

Andrea	Reviewed Chapter: 11 on 11/12/2005
What a vivid dream! The past, the present and the future connected loosely together in the split of a second. To imagine that Frodo ran away to the secret spot he shared with his mother, thinking if he would only wait long enough, she would come to him, that's really heart-breaking. I love Dreamflower's image of Frodo as the Old Forest's play-toy. That's very true. Apparently, the trees have decided to block the search party's way. What will they do now? They really have no time! Author Reply: Poor Frodo, to have to dream such things. It's no wonder he hides those memories away as much as he can. I can see a grieving child going to a secret/favorite place he used to share with his loved ones to wait for them there. Of all of Frodo's hiding places, this is the one he would visit the most and the only one he doesn't tell anyone about. He knows now that they will never show up, but he still goes there to "be" with them in spirit and in thought. The Forest has very much enjoyed their cat-and-mouse game with Frodo. They're not about to give up their game so soon, now that they've worn down their toy. They are mean and vindictive trees indeed. Thanks for reading and for such wonderful reviews. :)

Julie	Reviewed Chapter: 11 on 11/12/2005
Wow! Frodo's dreams/memories were so vivid. The poor little guy certainly has a lot of baggage to carry and deal with, doesn't he? I really enjoyed the scene between Rory and Saradoc. I do believe it's the first time I've ever read anything with them together regarding the parenting of Frodo. You wrote it very well and it definitely conveyed the love they both hold for the lad as well as the insecurities in dealing with a grieving orphan. I started to get a little scared when I read the part about Frodo singing to Merry because I recently wrote a story which contains some of the elements you mentioned, though in further detail. I'm still putting the finishing touches on it, then I hope to post it here with many others soon. It was kind of funny to see someone else had a similar idea. As always, I eagerly await the next chapter and I hope Saradoc,etc find Frodo very soon. Author Reply: Frodo has more baggage than he knows what to do with. And he wonders why he feels so weighed down all the time. Hopefully, this experience will help him to start putting some of that behind him. But first, he needs to get out of the forest! Rory and Saradoc are the two who are most responsible for Frodo's well being, besides Esmeralda. And Rory is simply trying to look after his own son here. They all love Frodo and care deeply for the lad, but they simply don't know how to deal with a grieving child. Good luck with your story and thanks for reading!

Larner	Reviewed Chapter: 11 on 11/11/2005
No, they don't want to give up their little victim and playtoy, even though they've almost broken him, do they? The dreams of Primula's miscarriage and the drowning, and the waiting in the secret place--oh, how unfortunately logical they are. Author Reply: No, they want to keep Frodo for their own. If they could speak, they would probably be uttering "my precious" right about now, lol. Frodo has managed to forget - or at the very least, hide away - most of these memories. He hasn't dealt with his parents' deaths at all and its been affecting him all the more because of that. The dreams of the river and the sea are just the tip of the iceberg. There's so much more going on under the surface and this gives us a glimpse of that.

Dreamflower	Reviewed Chapter: 11 on 11/11/2005
Oh my! Dear, this is a very powerful chapter. The way in which you describe poor Frodo's dreams/visions/hallucinations/memories (and I slashed those into one word, because really, they do seem to have elements of all the above--is terrifying and heart-wrenching! Poor baby, I just feel so bad for him in there. If he remembers this experience at all, it is a wonder he was ever willing to try and brave the Old Forest again even though it was years later. And the conversation between Rory and Sara is just beautiful. You can feel certain that whether they understand him or not, they love and care so deeply for Frodo, and want only what's best for him. When Sara described Frodo holding little Merry it just made me tear up. sigh It was just so poignant. And I am very glad you had Gil overhear their conversation. Adolescents tend to be very self-absorbed, and this had to be an eye-opener. It's not all about him and his mistake in taunting the child, but it doesn't absolve him either. He is going to come back from this search a somewhat more thoughtful person than he was when he went in. But the Forest has blocked the trail. And I can't help but keep thinking of two other denizens of the Old Forest--one beneficent, but mysterious; the other malicious and steeped in wickedness--and wondering if poor little Frodo will encounter either or both of them. Or neither. Author Reply: As Frodo grows weaker, so too does his ability to block out these memories that have been kept at the edge of his consciousness for so long. He had likely forgotten that night of his mother's miscarriage, and he would think as little as possible about his parents' death and his attempt to "join" them. He's now been backed into a corner of his own, rather like the spider he was playing with earlier in the story and again in his dream. Unfortunately for him, his oppressor is himself and so there is no one for him to lash out at. So he takes it out on those around him, or he has been up to this point. He doesn't understand this connection though and so he keeps repeating the same behaviors, including shutting out Esme and Saradoc. Frodo would have forgotten a good deal about this experience over the years to attempt the Forest again. Either that, or he somehow managed to gain something from the experience, thus taking off a bit of the edge. Or, he was just plain desperate to get out of the Shire undetected, which we all know well enough that he was. Everyone loves and cares for Frodo. It's Frodo who doesn't see that. He thinks of himself as a burden, but knowing that so many people went into the forest to look for him will open his eyes a little bit. Frodo singing to little Merry was a last minute addition. I thought the scene wasn't quite angsty enough, lol, so I upped the ante. :) A little slice of life when all is well in the family. And Sara is right in a way - Merry never will remember these things about Frodo or how his older cousin used to be during these first few fragile years. I wonder if he will even really believe the stories that he's told about Frodo as a "rascal". Frodo won't be the only one learning something from this experience. Gil has much to chew on and he won't be quite the same lad he was when he entered the Forest. The change will come quick for him and it will hopefully last him the rest of his years. He at the very least will see Frodo in a different light and will be able to appreciate the "scrap of a teen" better after this. And the Forest awakens again, to prevent the rescue of its captor. They're worse than a tower full of orcs! I'm so glad you're enjoying this. I'm still a tad bit nervous about this story and your support has been wonderful. Thanks for reading!

harrowcat	Reviewed Chapter: 11 on 11/11/2005
Now just what is going on here? Do the trees think that they are protecting Frodo by keeping the others going round in circles and blocking the path? Author Reply: Well, the trees certainly think they're protecting their prize. They don't want the searchers to reach Frodo, but they did want the searchers to get far enough into the woods to become trapped themselves. Thanks for reading!

TheHobbitWaffle	Reviewed Chapter: 11 on 11/11/2005
Gack! pulls out hair I loved how the dreams just kind of blended together into all these events, all very confusing and quick moving and... ergh! You gave me the shivers! With the spider and the blood and the... If I was having dreams like that I'd be a screaming like a "faunt in the dark". That was one powerful bit of writing there. You leave me in suspense and unable to sleep because that blood reminded me of the nightmare I had last night. Go you! ^^ Author Reply: LOL, well I hope you manage to get some sleep tonight. I've had some incredibly lucid and horrible dreams myself, so I suppose that helped a bit while writing this. But much of this dream just came out of nowhere, a gift from the Muses. Frodo's thoughts and fears are laid bare here. He's been stripped down to his deepest secrets and darkest remembrances. I'm glad you're enjoying this, night terrors and all. Thanks for reading!

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