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Just Desserts  by Lindelea 6 Review(s)
FantasyFanReviewed Chapter: 30 on 11/16/2005
Pippin is very samrt, isn't he? He wants Ferdi to hear the story, but it seems that Haleth needs to tell it as much as Ferdi needs to hear it. Aragorn at least sees that, and that healing is necessary for more than one. To have a memory that is so bad, that you cannot bring yourself to think about it, means that you are frozen emotionally in the place where it happened. Maybe now Haleth can go on with life and promise.

Haleth is a good storyteller, I wanted to mention. Almost as good as Hilly a couple of chapters ago. It was quite mesmorizing to hear that tale told again in brief, and from all the points of view. Knowing the facts of the events let the concentration be on the feelings: the despair and relief and fear came through so well. Here you feel them also, as well as the cold, as Ferdi's reaction supplies the emotions the frozen seargent can't express. It's also interesting to see another view of Aragorn, a very ruthless one.

Author Reply: Yes, I agree that Pippin is smart! I wonder how he came to hear the story in the first place... was it from one of the Rangers who rode with Aragorn to the Black Gate? He's had several visits to the Lake, and has undoubtedly had some contact with Haleth. Had he noticed, somehow, that the Man avoided the subject of capture by Orcs? I don't know... I'm rambling. Have had way too little sleep the past few days, and that plagued by nightmares. Must be a food allergy asserting itself, what with the potlucks and special occasions lately.

You know, I hadn't thought of Haleth's need for healing, but you're right, he has been frozen, in a sense, since before the War of the Ring. And Halbarad fell in the Southlands... another reason to grieve. And it must be difficult for him to have watched Haldoron turn from a decent, thoughtful man into the hard, cold Steward seen in this story, after the death of his son. Being of lower status (he's a sergeant, after all), and very probably a much younger cousin (isn't that what "kinsman" would translate to, in hobbit terms?), he's not in any position to call Haldoron on his actions.

I have the feeling he was a very young Ranger at the time Halbarad and Haldoron were taken by Orcs, perhaps his first patrol or not long after, and travelling under the wing of older, more experienced companions.

It must have been so very difficult for Aragorn to lie there under cover, waiting for the signal that Elladan and Elrohir had taken care of the sentries, watching the treatment being meted out to Haldoron and knowing the Orcs might begin to feast at any moment... I wonder if he'd have been able to restrain himself if the sons of Elrond had not quite finished their task when they did? But my stomach threatens to tie itself in knots at the possibilities, and gladly do I abandon that thread of speculation. Strange, how the written word can affect us so.

Well, going back to the original thought, I don't think Pippin had Haleth's healing in mind, but rather was thinking of Ferdi first and Haldoron as a possible second. Haleth's healing will likely be an unintentional benefit.

...and I have really rambled here, and hope you don't mind too much. It must be bedtime.

LarnerReviewed Chapter: 30 on 11/14/2005
Have been resting mostly today--this night job is frustrating at times, the way it disrupts my sleep patterns.

Anyways--Ferdi is learning about orcs, and I doubt he's going to be as dismissive of Men as he once was. And he's heard the caring the Rangers have had for their chieftain, and sees the caring that one has for his Men, well proven. And I think he's coming to realize that there is as much variation among Men as there is among Hobbits, and that perhaps there might be a reason for what this Steward has done.

He saw the ruffian in the uniform--when he realizes the uniform may have been taken from the Steward's own son, I think he'll have a far different understanding of motivations.

Author Reply: I remember working midnight shift for three months. What a difficulty! I sympathise.

Very nice summation, and yes, I was thinking about the possibility that the ruffian that tried to murder Pippin might have been wearing the uniform of the Steward's murdered son.

Pearl TookReviewed Chapter: 30 on 11/14/2005
A frightful tale indeed and stirringly told. *shiver*

Author Reply: Thank you.

*throwing another log on the fire*
(not that it helps the "inside" shivers, but it might help the "outside" ones)

DreamflowerReviewed Chapter: 30 on 11/14/2005
A harrowing tale indeed, and one Ferdi truly needed to hear. It's definitely going to give him something to chew on. Pippin's still pretty manipulative when he thinks it serves a good purpose. And of course Aragorn knew exactly what the Thain had been up to.

An excellent chapter!

Author Reply: Thank you!

(Perhaps Orcs really are worse than ruffians... at least the sane ruffians.)

I think Pippin has perfected manipulating his cousins. But nowadays it is not for selfish purposes. At least it's mostly not.

harrowcatReviewed Chapter: 30 on 11/14/2005
I am glad that I, too, had eaten my tea and digested it before logging on tonight Lindelea. And it was just as well that Elessar arrived when he did or none of us might have heard the end. But it is just as well that Aragorn knows the ways of his hobbits or there might have been a lot of trouble. Yeh for the Twins - even in such an awful situation! My compliments on a hard chapter to write or so I imagine. Good to keep up the lighter-hearted bit with the food.

Author Reply: Yes, it was difficult to write. The light-hearted stuff actually came into existence on edit--the dark stuff split itself in half and screamed for something lighter to interfere.

And Elessar was right; Pippin wanted Ferdi to hear that particular story, and somehow had the insight to expect it to come out under those circumstances. But where did Pippin hear it? Must have been along the way, on that long march to the Black Gate with the Northern Rangers.

BodkinReviewed Chapter: 30 on 11/14/2005
'You'd rate a flogging for telling that tale to any other of the Halflings,'

I almost want Ferdi here to turn round and tell Elessar an equally horrific tale - calmly and very matter-of-factly - in a way that tells him not to be as patronising as his Steward was, and that being small, cute and generally good-humoured doesn't mean that the hobbits have not been exposed to dangers and horrors. Or maybe it would be even more effective if it came from Diamond.

Ranger society seems to have become more rigidly defined since Elessar became a king rather than a chieftain. Unsurprisingly, really. And, it would appear, rather more dogmatic about its punishments. I can't imagine that the Rangers who went round in small groups and acted relatively independently were very hierarchical and into punishing each other - however they reacted to ruffians. Aragorn wants to watch that. He could do with taking some of the attitudes of the north down to Gondor rather than exporting wholesale from south to north. Apart from anything else, his northern subjects will get rather fed up with their implied secondariness.

Poor Haleth. If I were him, I think I'd resign and go off and become a hermit. He'd be safer.

A fascinating story. And a good thing the brothers Elrondion were there. Or Halbarad and Halboron wouldn't be. Ferdi needed to hear that - and he needs to deal with his own demons, too - and it strikes me that men would be the best people to hear what he has to say. Another gripping chapter.

Author Reply: O I know. They're suffering a lack of imagination in the discipline department, when it comes to guardsmen.

Poor Haleth, but he really is such an upright soul he may never have been flogged in his life. It's just that hobbits keep leading him astray, lately, or so it seems.

And there already is a resident hermit near the Lake. Would hate for the hermit population to double. Of course, there's always Aragorn's reclusive relation, but he lives with wife and family so he doesn't count as a hermit.

Yup, I think Ferdi and Haldoron could be "good medicine" for each other. I wonder if there's some collusion going on between Thain and King, re: their respective cousins?

Thanks!

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