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Just Desserts by Lindelea	6 Review(s)
	Reviewed Chapter: 29 on 6/8/2007
"To Ferdi's mind, they were more like wolves than like hobbits, or perhaps a better comparison would be bears. Large, ungainly creatures, seeming harmless, comical, even disposed to be friendly, but dangerous all the same, and not to be trusted. Though there were no bears in the Shire at this late date, still, he'd heard the stories about them, seen the likenesses in drawings and paintings and pictures in books, even curled his toes in a shaggy bearskin spread before a blazing hearth." This is one of my favorite parts. I love Ferdi's opinion of men. What a hoot!. Tari Author Reply: LOL, I am trying to reply to all your reviews as they come, but I think this one (and the previous) came while we were out of town! So, apologies for this belated reply. Good old Ferdi. Everybody attributes the saying "All men are ruffians" and he denies ever saying it. (I believe what he actually says is "Ruffians, all"!) Author Reply: Hm. We weren't out of town. Must've come while we were catching up from being out of town! (easily distracted by niggling details)

Larner	Reviewed Chapter: 29 on 11/13/2005
Good--two stewards lose their prejudices this day. And they are coming to appreciate and accept one another as equals and not just as those funny and not quite trustworthy other ones. Well done, Lindelea. Author Reply: I think they may very well come to an understanding... eventually. But it is a start.

Bodkin	Reviewed Chapter: 29 on 11/13/2005
I hope it's plausible that Haleth would spill the story on such short acquaintance to a practical stranger. He's in shock. He needs to talk. And he doesn't like the way this halfling is looking at Haldoron. Haleth wants him to appreciate what the Steward has sacrificed in protecting the Shire. I can just picture Aragorn with cribbage-playing twins tucked into his pack. Or maybe not. But I certainly can see them turning up every now and then for a quick message delivery / Isildur's heir check. Sent, I imagine, by Mithrandir, Elrond, Arwen and even Galadriel at different times. Author Reply: Thanks for the reality check. I was originally wanting to say "playing penucle or peaknuckle or however the game is spelled" because of the alliteration involved, but the mental picture of toting up Orc-points is so very diverting.

Bodkin	Reviewed Chapter: 29 on 11/13/2005
Aha! I thought Haleth might have known a different - and far more sympathetic - Haldoron. And he is a good person to talk to Ferdi about all this, because MFH would be looking on him as one of the Steward's victims. I wonder how MFH will react to knowing that the Steward's son died as part of the ruffian's plot to seize the gold. And to discovering that the Tookland guerillas were partly so successful because of the suffering of Rangers who spent so much time protecting the borders - for no recognition, let alone glory. It seems about time for Ferdi's mind to be expanded a little - he can (most understandably) be rather pig-headed at times. I'm not surprised Haleth didn't fancy breakfast, but he'd better have something to eat soon - before he gets shaky on his legs. It sounds as if Haleth was as lucky to survive the Orc Incident as Haldoron and Halbarad. And a good thing the Sons of Elrond were there to help Aragorn. Exciting stuff. Tense, too. Author Reply: It was very fortuous that the sons of Elrond had stopped by with a message from Gandalf to Aragorn. Don't know if there's time to shoehorn that little scrap of info in, or not. I'm not of the opinion that Elrohir and Elladan were just conveniently hanging around Aragorn all the time, playing cribbage or the like, though it might read that way. I hope it's plausible that Haleth would spill the story on such short acquaintance to a practical stranger. Your question about Ferdi's reaction to the death of Haldoron's son is a good one. It's not in the draft of this story. Don't know if it will make it in, on edit, or if it might have to wait for the "Farry and Ferdi go to Gondor" story. Thanks! Author Reply: On second thought, cribbage does seem to fit the scenario, especially when slaying Orcs is in the picture. I can almost hear it in the back of my brain: "Fifteen-two, fifteen-four, fifteen-six and a pair is eight. What did you get?"

harrowcat	Reviewed Chapter: 29 on 11/13/2005
Lindelea, I think that I am awarding you the reviewers 'kick up the p**s' trophy for evil cliffies! Come on you can't leave them in the hands of orcs all night! Author Reply:* Oo, I get a trophy! Awesome! g Didn't want to post what was going on with Halbarad and Haldoron last night... might give the Esteemed Reader nightmares. (Certainly would give the author some.)

Dreamflower	Reviewed Chapter: 29 on 11/12/2005
This is a wonderful chapter! Ferdi's no fool, and observant as he is, he will grudgingly admit when his prejudices are proven wrong, at least in individual cases. I love Ferdi's gruff crankiness with the healer. He's not at this point happy at all with his orders. I also love how quickly he is drawn into Haleth's tale. Hobbits do love a story, almost as much as food and drink, and at least as much as pipe-weed, LOL! And I am drawn in very nearly as much. Can't wait to hear how Aragorn, Elladan and Elrohir rescue Halladan and Halboron. Author Reply: "individual cases"--yes, you have the right of it there. I don't know that he ever absolves the race of Men. Actually, I'm not sure he ever completely makes up his mind about Elessar--or at least, he never admits to it. Ferdi is not at all happy. 1) Who knows what Pippin is up to in his absence? 2) He needs the reassurance of Pimpernel, after seeing the flogging earlier. 3) He's in the midst of healers, and you know how tricksy they are. 4) He's off-balance by the scale of everything around him. 5) He's in the presence of the Man who hauled Jack and Will away to be hanged, and argued to take young Robin along, and in the presence of the Man who ordered the hangings and flogging, and then was himself flogged. It's some sort of twisted justice, but Ferdi doesn't know what sort. (I think Ferdi's food is going cold, actually.) Well, let us just say that if the sons of Elrond didn't "just happen" to be there, carrying a message to Aragorn from Gandalf, things would not have come out as happily for Halbarad and his brother.

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