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The Acceptable Sacrifice by Larner	17 Review(s)
Inkling	Reviewed Chapter: 28 on 3/5/2007
Hmm, and here is the flip side of letting go…Aragorn not being willing to let Frodo go yet. This was a very nice line: “…for others have remained whole only because I have been willing to be hurt for their sakes. That is the whole point--the only point I have ever seen, to being a warrior.” The discussion of Aragorn’s investments was fascinating…and your interpretation of the practical side of Frodo and Sam’s ennoblement. In LOTR I had the sense that their titles were little more than an empty gesture. And the claims for pain and suffering caused by the Army of the Dead…what a hoot! Author Reply: Yep, a flip side indeed. The granting of lands for purposes of maintenance for those granted honor for services rendered to the realm was very common throughout Europe; and I suspect such would be done in the Dunedain lands as well. I was never certain what the circlets of honor fully entailed, and I suspect Tolkien never thought of it as more than physical indications of the honor given Frodo and Sam, either; but the idea that if these were real lands such would follow such a public display of honor seemed logical, and so there it came. And so glad you like the injection of real human behavior here. Glad you're continuing to read it, and I always appreciate your comments. Somehow these comments didn't get forwarded to my home computer, but then Hughes.net has been giving me fits for months. I'm getting increasingly upset with them. I wish I had an option for cable or some other broadband system out in the wilds where I now live.

Endaewen	Reviewed Chapter: 28 on 2/16/2006
Love it. This chapter had me chuckling. Author Reply: So glad you did. I love the thought of a devious Aragorn doing such a thing, and folks realizing afterwards that when Hobbits show up at Council meetings they are indeed there as Lords off the realm!

Grey Wonderer	Reviewed Chapter: 28 on 12/1/2005
As this chapter ended with laughter, I think I will stop here so that I will be slightly awake tomorrow for work. You certainly mixed this one up. I was near tears when Frodo saw Pippin's injuries and then again when Aragorn told Pippin how proud he was of him and then I wind up laughing at Aragorn's land dealings and Frodo's teasing. Lovely way to end the evening. I will be back! Author Reply: Life is mixed, joy and sorrow, pleasure and pain, jokes and laughter and tears often all together in one bunch. And this brings it altogether in a single chapter, with Frodo even able to laugh, which he still could do.

Andrea	Reviewed Chapter: 28 on 11/17/2005
I've not reached the latest update yet, but I just have to review this chapter! “So, having no dragons to hand, instead you’ve decided to plague them with Hobbits?” LOL! That's really a splendid idea! Despite his illness, Frodo has a keen perception, whereas Sam only started to laugh, because everyone else did it ;-) I appreciate the idea of shoking those great lords of Gondor and Arnor with what must be in their eyes two simple hobbits. And I loved this simple, but logical statement from Pippin, which speaks of a deep love for his cousin: "So, since we couldn’t protect you, we each did the best we could to protect someone else." Author Reply: Thanks so much for the review. Yes, Frodo is able to appreciate Aragorn's intentions, although I think Sam appreciates the thought behind it as much as Frodo, but primarily is indeed laughing in relief to see Frodo laughing. And Pippin's declaration is indeed from the heart. Am so glad you appreciate the thought behind the chapter.

Radbooks	Reviewed Chapter: 28 on 11/17/2005
I need to review before I get too far behind! :) It was good to see Aragorn looking after Pippin like he did and for Frodo to see him and his damaged, but healing body. I loved Aragorn's comments to Frodo that his wounds were the price of his heroism. Who knows how many others might have been killed by that troll if Pippin hadn't killed it then and there? Loved Sam taking charge and making Aragorn rest... a king needs people like that in his life. :) Then Aragorn using the hobbits to shake up the lords of Gondor! I'm sure he did want to bless Frodo and Sam and allow them to provide the schools for the Shire, etc. He would not want their status as lords to be an empty one. But if he could also use it for a dual purpose, then why not? :) Actually, he got three things out of it because he made Frodo and Sam laugh! Which is always a good thing right now. Nicely done. Author Reply: Yes, three blessings from the decision to make Frodo and Sam lords indeed. And am so very glad you enjoyed the thought that went into this chapter. Frodo still doesn't recognize that his own wounds are the price he has paid for his own heroism. That will come in time, of course. Thank you so much for such a thoughtful review.

Grumpy	Reviewed Chapter: 28 on 11/16/2005
What a wonderful chapter. There is a huge hobbit huddle and hug, then Sam gets to boss Aragorn arround. Aragorn is making dragons out of hobbits. Maybe Gandalf should invite the dead back to spend some time with the lords of Pelargir. Author Reply: Yes, the realm of Gondor is getting a makeover, and Hobbit love gets to be at the center of it. And the idea of Gandalf inviting the dead back to Pelargir has me giggling myself!

Baggins Babe	Reviewed Chapter: 28 on 11/16/2005
This was such an absorbing chapter, with lots of incredible detail about Aragorn's care of the hobbits and how he made them wealthy. I've always imagined he did something of the sort but had never sat down to work out the actual details. And I laughed at the idea that hobbits are Aragorn's secret weapon! Even Frodo finds it funny. I also loved the way the King kept using the prospect of Shire schools to lure Frodo into agreement. Sneaky Ranger! Poor Pippin, those bruises sound awful. I see you tore the ligaments in your ankle - so did I, and I also cracked the bone in my wrist on another occasion, and the colours of the bruises were dazzling - technicolour wasn't in it! That sort of thing can be a shock to anyone who is not prepared. Sam is so observant, and has a knack of describing people perfectly. No wonder he becomes one of the King's Counsellors. Author Reply: Oh, then you know, and know how this may be disturbing at the same time it's not all that serious, once you get the healing properly set going by alignment and proper immobilization. Yes, Sam deserves very much to be one of the King's Counsellors, which is another shock to the traditional counsellors, that the King chooses wisdom and discernment over rank, and is willing to bestow rank to force its acceptance. And so glad you appreciate Frodo's enjoyment of Aragorn's very practically minded practical joke on the realm.

Dreamflower	Reviewed Chapter: 28 on 11/16/2005
Here's hoping I can get this review up before cable goes out again. It's been playing games this morning. I printed the update for this chapter out to read when I went out to supper on my own last night--glad it was a nice long one! I love this chapter! Not only do we have a lovely, lovely moment, where Frodo sees Pippin's scars, and a wonderful hobbit group hug that just made me melt, but then we had the whole thing of Aragorn explaining just how rich Frodo and Sam were! And why! And how! I just howled at the thought--so funny to see Frodo so taken aback, and how Aragorn kept holding out the carrot of his plans to set up schools in the Shire to keep him from protesting too much. It is interesting to see you deal with the question of Frodo, Sam, and money, in Minas Tirith after the Quest. Most writers never seem to wonder about it, and it certainly seemed that JRRT didn't give it any thought at all. I had a completely different take on it than yours, but I kind of like your solution a bit better than mine, truth to tell. It's more fun, anyway. I would love to see the reactions of some of the managers of those estates if they ever were to see their in absentia landlords, LOL! And I came in to post this, and found another update! Off to read it now! Author Reply: I have as yet to read all your stories and the predecessor to The Road to Edoras, so haven't seen yet how you handled it. But I love thinking about how this kind of detail might have been handled and figuring out how it was done. And that Aragorn would see this as a means of dealing with many orphaned properties and tweaking some of the traditional lords around and getting them to think more positively and creatively and humanely in the end I felt was within Aragorn's prodigious planning abilities. And so glad you liked the moments of tenderness as well as the humor.

Kitty	Reviewed Chapter: 28 on 11/16/2005
A lot of wonderful parts in this chapter, Larner, some touching, some funny. Frodo's worries about Pippin's injuries, the group hug of the hobbits, that was nice, as was Aragorn putting Frodo to bed and their talk with each other. And very interesting explanations about all the business and what the title "Lord" now means for Frodo and Sam. There were some lines I loved very much: the one with the narrow face and the mouth as looks as if he was eatin’ sour sloes lol nice description of Wasnior! And then Sam commanding Aragorn around - oh, that was so funny! I can imagine Mistress Loren's face! And the end was hilarious! “So, having no dragons to hand, instead you’ve decided to plague them with Hobbits?” ROFL!! This was definitely the best idea of all! Even after hours I'm still grinning about this chapter! Author Reply: Yes, I tried a mixture of moods in this one; but I felt we needed to appreciate Aragorn's intentions for his new land and his often devious sense of humor. Do something nice, but do it in such a way it's GOING to have an impact on everyone else and it forces them to look outside their expectations. And when the odd Hobbit stops in every generation or so to take a look at HIS or HER property and how it's doing, it's going to cause folks to stop and do a double or triple take there. Am so glad this got folks laughing, particularly after the last chapter. Read it to one of my clients on Sunday, and she just loved it thoroughly.

Linda Hoyland	Reviewed Chapter: 28 on 11/16/2005
I think Frodo and Sam deserved a bit of warning about Pippin's injuries in advance !I loved the way Sam cosseted Aragorn and the how Aragorn finds something useful for Frodo and Sam to do,as well as having surprises in store for the nobles !It makes sense that Firiel would own considerable lands which would be her dowry.I see Frodo is as responsive to Aragorn's Elven massage techniques as my Faramir,he will be in great demand for the ailing citizens of Gondor !Another lovely chapter. Author Reply: Yes, any lands settled on Firiel would indeed constitute her dowry, but they do not appear to have been accessed during her life, and so passed to her son and his heirs in turn. Until fairly recently in history land was the greatest sign of wealth, until a growing middle class led to possession of money as being considered a more common such indicator. The lands held gave the landholder wealth through crops grown on them, rents collected from them, natural resources available from them, the craftsmanship of the people who lived on them and who were under obligation to the landholder, and so on. As for Frodo and Sam needing warning, they had it in knowing the nature of Pippin's injuries--but again, intellectual knowledge isn't the same as seeing the physical evidence of the inuries. For someone who's never seen the effects of a major injury such as a hip which has been forcibly put out of joint, seeing the greenish healing bruises can be a shock--I know those who saw my ankle after I pulled all the ligaments in my foot and ankle, leading to the breaking of a toe, were shocked at the colors once the cast was off and they could see what the whole lower leg and foot actually looked like. Massage is very useful in helping with spasming, and yes, Frodo is responsive. And I agree--the folk of Minas Tirith and others throughout the realm when the King is in the area are going to be extraordinarily fortunate to have him around when they grow ill or are injured. Thanks so much for the long review!

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