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In Darkness Buried Deep by GamgeeFest	9 Review(s)
RenaissanceGrrl	Reviewed Chapter: 14 on 1/13/2006
I just realized that I hadn't posted these! Sorries! O_O See, I put my break to good use. ^_^ It's actually been documented (over and over) that couples who had thought they couldn't have children suddenly conceived after adopting, so Merry being born after Frodo's arrival is entirely believable. The only question this leaves me with is, if this happened, then why did Frodo leave later to live in Bag End? Not that Bag End isn't the world's coolest house and all (ignore the fangirlish squee right about here), but what I always got from the books was that Frodo got lost among all his cousins and moved in with Bilbo to gain some quiet and one-on-one attention. Author Reply: The theory is that the couples put so much pressure on themselves to have a baby that they pretty much doom themselves to not have a child. Once they've adopted, the pressure and stress are off, and here comes Junior nine months later. :) That question, and more, is answered in "The Usual Suspects". ~_^ As for the book, the Gaffer might be more of an authority on the Bagginses than other hobbits in Hobbiton, but he doesn't necessarily know what happened to cause Frodo to come to Bag End. I mean, in "A Long-Expected Party", he goes on and on about Gorbadoc Brandybuck and how he ran the Hall, but if you look at the family trees, Gorbadoc died before Frodo was even born.

periantari	Reviewed Chapter: 14 on 11/27/2005
I love this story~ loved the suspense you built in it from the beginning...loved the backstory of Gil and Edon's conflict explained... It had me on the edge of my seat when the searchers went into the Forest to find Frodo. And poor Frodo with his nightmares and the poisonous fruit!~ You're a great angst writer as well and i was so sad to read about all of Frodo's missing feelings for his parents. ANd this chapter was written very well since i'm a big fan of comfort and making sure that Frodo knows that he is loved and such. I'm so glad i caught up with this--it was well worth the read. :D Author Reply: Hello Peri! I'm so glad you were able to catch up with this story and that you enjoyed it. I love to see Frodo comforted as well, and little Frodo was in great need of comfort in this story. He now can begin to believe that there are others who care for him, and knowing that will help him to heal from his wounds. The nightmares, as horrible as they were, will also help him heal, since he needed to confront the source of his fears. He was in such denial in waking life, that he could only confront those memories while in sleep. Edon and Gil insisted on having their stories told also, and it's a good thing they did. All three of our lads were able to help each other let go the past and look toward the future with open hearts.

Grey Wonderer	Reviewed Chapter: 14 on 11/21/2005
I was so glad to hear Frodo get the answers that he needed so badly from Saradoc and Esmeralda. They were so reassuring and so loving. This was a wonderful chapter. I love it when the hobbits take care of each other. Author Reply: Now Frodo's mind can be at ease, at least until he finds something else to worry about, lol. Though he won't truly ever stop worrying about these things, they will no long dominate his thoughts and instead become those pesky little whispers in the back of his mind. Knowing that Sara and Esme have taking measures in case something should happen to them will allow him to slowly let go of that fear. Hobbits are so good at taking care of each other! We should all have hobbits to take care of us.

Larner	Reviewed Chapter: 14 on 11/20/2005
So very often children worry about things that are not to be worried about. Author Reply: Or they worry about things when it isn't their job to worry about it. Frodo needs to learn when to let the adults take care of things, or at least realize that the adults have the sense to take such things into consideration. This talk with Esme and Sara will help him to realize that.

Julie	Reviewed Chapter: 14 on 11/20/2005
Beautifully written. Sara & Esme make such wonderful parents; they do a wonderful job of listening to & reassuring poor Frodo. I like how you really show Frodo's perspective to be as a child's -- as it very well should be. I've read some stories with a young Frodo who sounds almost like adult Frodo. While his parent's deaths do mature him in some aspects of life, emotionally he needs to still be as a child, perhaps even more so because of the traumatic events in his life & you capture that so well in this chapter. “So, if Merry and I aren’t to be separated, does that mean that you won’t send me away either?” “Never,” Esme said ... Hmm, ever care to elaborate how Frodo ends up with Bilbo then? (Nudges a bunny in your direction :) Will Frodo get any interaction with any of the others who helped search for him, like Rory or Rufus & Milo? Will he see how much he is truly cared for at least by the immediate members of his mother's large family? I hope Gil finally apologizes to Frodo for his remarks as well & perhaps share with him what he has discovered about real courage. I eagerly await more. Author Reply: His parents death certainly made Frodo more aware of the dangers that can occur in life. That would have matured him quite a bit, at least past the level of the other children his age. This is why he feels more comfortable around older children; his peers simply don't understand that. At the same time, their deaths also put him back quite a few years. His feeling of security, so crucial to a child's healthy development, were ripped away from him, not to mention his feelings of abandoment and his anger - though he may never admit that his angry with his parents, or even realize that that is why he rebels and acts out at times. LOL, that plot bunny has not only bitten already, but its already written. In fact, I finished that story before I finished this one. I'm simply waiting to finish posting this one before I post the next one, which is titled "The Usual Suspects". ^_^ But the answer to your question, for now, is that not all promises can be kept, or even should be kept. I'm sure that everyone will come to visit him at some point while he recovers, to help keep him from getting bored, but I won't be addressing that here. It would get redunant after awhile, and there are more pressing matters to get to. The opinions he cares about most are Esme and Sara's and he's already seen how much they care for him. Any one else would just be icing on the cake. :) It's time for Gil and Frodo to have a good long chat. Thanks for reading and for your many reviews.

Bodkin	Reviewed Chapter: 14 on 11/20/2005
Phew. He's back and recovering and Saradoc and Esmeralda have been able to say a few things to him that he needed to stop and listen to. The red dress moment was interesting - I'm not sure that they've quite recognised that for what it was yet. Might never, I suppose. Rather a lot going on at the time. Gil's reputation will improve, I imagine, for having had the courage to join in the search party. I doubt he'll tell many people how scared he was. I'm looking forward to seeing where this goes from here. Author Reply: A lot of good has come from one bad comment. Frodo could have continued to evade his guardians indefinetly if not his misadventure in the Old Forest. Now he sees that he's not alone with his worries, and sharing that burden will help to ease his mind considerably. They never will suspect the truth behind Frodo's dream. Rae explained it away as a fever dream, and though they seem to realize there's a bit more to it than that, they will not linger over it too long. The signifance of the dress being red Gil's going to rue his reputation among his friends, I imagine. He's realized that all his boasting is just a way of hiding his own fears, and after seeing the damage that his boasting has caused, he'll be more down to earth after this. He's also learned what true courage is, and he's realized that he's a long way from possessing that quality. Author Reply: LOL, I stopped my reply mid sentence! Anyway, as I was saying, the signifance of the dress being red will likely go right over their heads. They would simply see it as a compliment and nothing more. Yet red is a color that dominates most of Frodo's dreams. It symbolizes life and love, as well as what he has lost.

Dreamflower	Reviewed Chapter: 14 on 11/20/2005
Awww...I'm all teary eyed. Poor baby, all his fears and worries, just pouring out like that! But your Sara and Esme are wonderful parents, and I just adore how they handled it! I'm curious now to see what happens with Gil and Edon, and whether they are ever able to be friends again. And I hope we get to see little Frodo's reunion with baby Merry... Author Reply: Sara and Esme couldn't have handled it any better. They've known for a time that Frodo was worrying himself over things, but they didn't know what. Now that Frodo knows he isn't alone with his worries, they will, as Esme said, begin to let go. Likewise, they will be able to worry a little less about Frodo. I managed to squeeze in a teensy bit of Frodo/Merry time in the next chapter, just for you. ^_^ And we'll find out what is going to happen with Edon and Gil, as well as what Edon's punishment is going to be. Everything is starting to wrap up, but there is one more thing Frodo needs to do before he can start to truly heal.

Andrea	Reviewed Chapter: 14 on 11/20/2005
I'm really relieved that Frodo finally resolved to speak about his worries with Sara and Esme. Now he knows that there's no reason to feel ashamed of being afraid. “Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is ask for help when you know you need it. And there is nothing wrong with being afraid of things. Everyone is afraid of something.” Esme couldn't have said it better! And he found out that he's not the only one who is worrying about the future. That will help him accept that these feelings are absolutely normal. Author Reply: Kids often make the mistake of thinking they're the only ones to worry about things. They also look up to the adults in their life and don't realize that, even though they're grown up, they too have their fears; they've just learned how to live with them. Frodo has a lot to think about, and plenty of time to do it in. He is no longer alone with his fears, and knowing that Saradoc and Esmeralda share his same worries will help to ease them. That weight that he put upon himself to carry will slowly begin to dissolve. There's just one other thing he has to do before he can begin to truly heal.

TheHobbitWaffle	Reviewed Chapter: 14 on 11/20/2005
There! I am no longer in suspense! Such a sweet chapter, I'm glad his dreams aren't scary anymore. I hope it stays that way for a bit, poor kid. Author Reply: Frodo is safe and sound, and on his way to recovery. It will still be some time before he's back to par though. Frodo's dreams will not be scary, but there will always be the occasional strange one that stands above the others, especially when it comes to the Sea. All part of being a future Ringbearer.

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