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Chance Encounter by Dreamflower	13 Review(s)
Larner	Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 1/20/2006
You'll have to let me know what story has the holewarming present to the S-B's in it so I can read that. Now, have read back to where I left off before. Caught up backwards, I have. Author Reply: That little episode is in the last paragraph of Chapter 20 of "A Conspiracy of Hobbits". A little going away gift from Pip to the new owners of Bag End. I do that myself every once in a while.

PIppinfan1988	Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 1/20/2006
I knew it wouldn't be long before someone tried to take advantage of the hobbits. I hope they get their just reward. Grrr! Decisions, decisions... Menelcar his now committed to the King; no longer the care-free Bard that travelled about. I think he'll make a fine Court Bard. :-) "It soon became clear that those who had served there under Denethor were uncertain and uneasy about their place with the new King. I loved this point you made; this is the same premise that I wanted to come across back at Great Smials in my last project, but didn't really expound upon it. Its always like that when a new leader comes on the scene; new policies vs. old policies, the temperatments are different. Things can be a very tense during that transition. LOL, oh, Pippin's gonna get'em! Go, Pippin! :-D Pippinfan Author Reply: Oh, no worries on that score! I am quite sure he will make a fine Court Bard for King Elessar, and will bring a bit of fresh air into the formerly stuffy court that Denethor had overseen. I thought you did quite well with that--I am looking forward to more of the interaction between Paladin and Ferumbras. Your Ferumbras has a different agenda than mine, but he's just as selfish. He is, he is, you'll see!

Gryffinjack	Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 1/12/2006
Menelcar is a wonder! He's just what Aragorn needs to help him turn Minas Tirith around after Denethor's depressing rule. Both being outsiders newly come to the city, both Aragorn and Menelcar will be a breath of fresh air that will breathe life into the White City. I really like the way you have Menelcar becoming friends with the understaff of the King's Court. He definitely is wise. "Frodo watched as Merry prepared to go to his duty, with the mingled feeling of pride and dismay that he felt every time he saw his younger cousins so array themselves. He was prouder of them than he could begin to say, for all they had accomplished, for the way they had acquitted themselves so bravely and staunchly. Yet still, he felt dismayed at the thought that they had needed to learn a warrior's skills, that it had been necessary for them to kill. Such a thing was against hobbit-nature, and was bound, sooner or later to take its toll on them. If the nightmares were anything to go by, it already had. He sighed. Merry looked at him sharply. "Frodo, are you feeling guilty again because Pip and I came along? ... What do you think would have happened to us, with the Black Riders already on your tail? I have spent more hours than you can imagine, worrying about poor Fatty." Merry walked over, and put his hands on Frodo's shoulders. "We were meant to come along Frodo. We had things to do as well. Not as important as what you did, but still needing to be done."" I love this passage. Frodo will always be the older cousin and it is so Frodoish of him to be upset that his younger cousins have learnt to kill, and to blame himself for it. And Merry! I know I've said Pippin is my favourite of our hobbit lads, but lawks Merry makes it a close running at times! This passage made me feel all teary-eyed, with Merry's earnest seriousness and the truth of what he said. They really would not have been safe had they stayed in the Shire. With their fire and determination, Merry and Pippin would have tried to fight back and been ill-equipped and ill-trained to do so. And what Merry says about poor Freddy! They really were great friends; I can easily see Merry, who makes a hobby of worrying, constantly worried about Freddy. And he would have been right to do so. This deserves quoting twice: "We were meant to come along Frodo. We had things to do as well. Not as important as what you did, but still needing to be done." Oh, how true that is and how beautifully you said it! I hope that is a statement that Frodo always remembers. The exchange between Menelcar, Eowyn, and Faramir was wonderful. I'm glad Menelcar "put her out of her misery" and told Eowyn that he remembered her. lol! With Faramir and Eowyn betrothed and to live in Ithilien, it will be nice for Eowyn to have a friend nearby. Legolas singing to the hobbits all night to chase the nightmares away! I remember that, though not sure which of your stories it was in. It is so thoughtful of him. I enjoyed seeing it more fleshed out here, it's such a lovely moment. And as Legolas does not need normal sleep, he can do it, though I expect it would take its toll on even him over time. Plus, it is not a real solution for the hobbits' problem. Who would have ever thought that a wandering minstrel in search of a few songs sung by a hobbit would ever come to this! The more I see of Menelcar, the more I like him. He really is loyal, to king, hobbit, and friend alike. Thank you for making Menelcar more than just a minstrel, but a trusted friend who understands how serious things still are and knows enough to report them. Those two unctuous men remind me so much of your Clovis Banks and Dago Bracegirdle in "A New Reckoning" and "The Road to Edoras." Whatever Aragorn is planning for those two, it has got to be good! With all of Aragorn's experiences, he knows how to set a trap. And Pippin is just the one to help him. He's bound to be furious that those two would try to take advantage of his loved ones, and would want to help them to their just reward. I can hardly wait to see how this plays out! This is getting so exciting! Author Reply: I just thought a King who came in the way Aragorn did, out of left field, so to speak, would appreciate having someone around who knew a bit about what it had be like to live a peripatetic life. Menelcar will definitely be able to help King Elessar sweep the cobwebs out of the City. One thing Frodo and Merry have in common is a good deal of protectiveness and worry for those whom they see as being in their charge. Of course, Frodo, as the oldest automatically makes himself responsible for Merry and Pippin, whether that is reasonable or not. And Merry, who is even more of a Brandybuck than Frodo, sees just about anyone he cares about as his responsibility--most especially Frodo, whom he has tried to protect since he learned his first word, LOL! And of course, on this occasion, Merry is absolutely right, and though I am sure Frodo will remember his words, I am not so sure he will take them to heart. Menelcar will be glad to have a friend in her, as well, I am sure! The first mention of Legolas'keeping the hobbits nightmares at bay was actually in the second story I wrote: WTKCB(Brandy Hall)and though I just tossed the bit in there almost off-handedly, I had wondered about it ever since--how had he come to do that, and why. He is a good friend. I guess I get that from JRRT. I know how much of what is said about his works being an exploration of mortality and so forth--but to me personally, the central and abiding theme is one of friendship. And so I have to look at that from every angle. They do have a lot in common with Clovis and Dago, don't they? Nasty opportunists who will stick at nothing to get their hands on a little money!

Tigger	Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 1/9/2006
Never review when in a rush. This would be Canada's National Figure Skating Championships of course. Sheesh!! Sorry about that!! Author Reply: I kind of figured that out, since they were in Ottawa, LOL! Have fun! I love to watch figure skating! Have a nice trip, and come back safely!!

Tigger	Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 1/9/2006
Oh come on...Holewarming present? You're just leaving it there? You can't do that!! Anyway...Happy Menelcar accepted Aragorn's offer. He really is the perfect Bard for the new King. I'd love to say more, but at my sister's and will be gone for most of the week in Ottawa attending our National Figure Skating Championships here in Ottawa, so don't be surprised if this is the last review you see from me for a little bit. I am looking forward to see what's rolling around in that devious mind of Aragorn. If judging from Pippin's expression, this should be good. :oD Author Reply: Check out Ch. 20 of "Conspiracy of Hobbits" for the details on Pippin's holewarming gift for Lobelia and Lotho. Aragorn can be devious, can't he? That's why Pippin is the perfect person for this.

Baggins Babe	Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 1/9/2006
So much to love in this chapter. I fell off the chair giggling at the idea of Aragorn 'growling'!!!!!! :-)) Made my day - and almost made me late for work! I'm so glad Menelcar has chosen to take up the post of Court Bard. He and the King have led similar lives, wandering in the wild, so they should understand each other. I really hope those horrible Men who are plotting against our hobbits get what is coming to them! Yay! Author Reply: I'm glad I made your day, and hope you were not late! If anything could make Aragorn growl, it would be a threat to his hobbits, don't you think? Exactly! He and the King are somewhat kindred spirits, and Menelcar is just what Aragorn will need to shake up Gondor, after all those years with Denethor. Oh, they'll get their come-uppance all right! grin

Kitty	Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 1/9/2006
Menelcar is accepting his new post? Very good! Of his thoughts on the matter I loved particularly that he based his opinion of the King at least partly on the trust the hobbits have shown to Aragorn. And he remembers Éowyn :) So this was how it started that Legolas relieved the nightmares? No wonder they sometimes rued they had declined his offer to do it forever if he was so successful. Hmmm ... these men want to get money from the hobbits? Nice idea, but I have the suspicion they will get a very bad surprise instead! How good Menelcar overheard this! And thanks to his new position he was able to go straight to the right people to take care of the problem! That’s getting interesting! But now you have me wondering – what was the holewarming present for Lobelia? I can’t remember a story about that! Is that my memory or doesn't the story exist as yet? Author Reply: Yes, Menelcar will be Aragorn's new Court Bard. And anyone who has known hobbits is going to trust their judgement of people. And this was the start of it. Legolas means well. Some people always look for an angle or advantage. Unfortunately, this bunch has fixed on our lads as marks. The "holewarming gift" was in Ch. 20 of "A Conspiracy of Hobbits"; Pippin left a little present behind before he, Frodo and Sam left Bag End that last evening.

Garnet Took	Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 1/9/2006
This chapter had so much in it that I don't know where to start. You are capturing the day-to-day lives of everyone so well. Your little details, like Menelcar leaving the coins for the buskers and Aragorn putting his tongue in his cheek to think, were terrific. Legolas trying to help the hobbits sleep is so sweet. He probably shouldn't do that, but his heart is in the right place. This little plot by these low-life men is going to be "fun", at least for us readers. Oh, and just what holewarming gift did Pippin leave the S-B's? Enquiring minds want to know. GT. Author Reply: Thank you! grin I always like it when people tell me they like details. I always worry that I put too many in. "Legolas trying to help the hobbits sleep is so sweet. He probably shouldn't do that, but his heart is in the right place." Don't be looking over my shoulder now! Legolas may be surprised... "Low-life" is a good word for them. Wait'll you see what Aragorn has in mind... Pippin's little "gift" for the S.-B.s is in Ch. 20 of "A Conspiracy of Hobbits". Let us just say that Lobelia and Lotho were not nearly so amused as Pippin was...

shirebound	Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 1/9/2006
I'm just so very happy for Menelcar; such a lovely change of fortune for such a good Man. And Legolas is such a dear friend, easing the hobbits' dreams so gently. Author Reply: It's a good change of fortune for him, isn't it? And Legolas, of course, will do anything to help his hobbits.

Pearl Took	Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 1/9/2006
Ah ha! The plot thickens ;) I love that Legolas is helping our lads sleep better - sneaky Elf :) I love that Menelcar accepted the position and I love that part of his reason is to help his mother and sister. As always a wonderful tale ful of wonderful details. Well done :) :) Author Reply: Yes, nothing like a stirring to thicken a plot! grin He has a good many reasons to accept, and that is not the least of them. The list of reasons not is very short. He's giving up the right to come and go as he pleases, to sleep on the ground, go hungry sometimes, go days without an audience sometimes, walk through difficult terrain mile after mile...oh, he's giving up so much... I am very glad you are enjoying it!

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