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| Testaments of the Past by Dreamflower | 12 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| Pearl Took | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 10/20/2006 |
| I feel drained . . . hollow. What a precious and horrible moment . . . Author Reply: Wow, what a compliment. I do think the revelation of what was in the box shocked most of the readers as much as it did Sam, Merry and Pippin. | |
| Antane | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 9/4/2006 |
| This is your best chapter yet! How heartbreaking, but completely plausible. How it must have wrenched Frodo's already shattered heart and soul to not be able to part even with the bloody chain and to know his brothers would find it. I applaud him for the strength to leave it behind, that shows he was already healing, though it must have been difficult to do so. Namarie, God bless, Antane :) Author Reply: He just couldn't do it, not when the loss of the Ring was so fresh--it was at least *something*. And later, he hid it away, and probably never looked at it, but just knowing he had it would both shame him and comfort him in a warped sort of way. And then that feeling would shame him even more. But he did find the strength to finally leave it behind, which gives everyone hope. | |
| PIppinfan1988 | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 9/3/2006 |
| *sniff* :'-( This was so sad to read! I think the image of a broken, bloody chain would bring to light any doubts I had as to *why* Frodo left. Yes, the movies helped, but this chapter of your tale drove the reason home in my own heart. I loved how Frodo called them all his "brother" in his letter, and I know Pippin and Merry welcome Sam with open arms. I hope this wasn't the last chapter! Will we get to see the threesome recover a bit and the cousins take their leave of Bag End? Have I told you and Gryffinjack how much I love this tale????? I do! :-) Pippinfan Author Reply: Yes, the sight of that chain, his "fetters" if you will, still covered with the evidence of what it did to him along with the Ring, would have stunned the others. Frodo always thought of them as his brothers at heart, and now they feel the same about one another. No--there was going to be *one* more chapter, but at this point in time, it looks as though there will be *two* more chapters. And we are very glad you love it! | |
| Andrea | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 9/3/2006 |
| I wish that I could bring myself to discard it--yet I find that I fail at that just as I failed in the end to discard what else needed discarding. Do what you will with it. I could not abide to look at it, yet casting it off was impossible, just as the other task was impossible. In the end, I am leaving it behind me, for it has no place where I go now. Wow! That letter is awesome! It's so sad to know that Frodo's lust for the Ring was not ended with It's destruction, sad but true. I can very well imagine that he was not able to destroy that chain and instead kept it as a constant reminder of his failure and a kind of substitute for the Ring. With all those dark memories and mementos healing was impossible in Middle Earth, and so the journey to Tol Eressea was his last chance. I am leaving it behind me, for it has no place where I go now. And now at last he is able to leave it behind, because he will start a brand new life, which holds no place for sad memories. That's a wonderful thought. Sam reacts as I had expected. I wonder if that is the very hearth in which Frodo tried to cast the Ring at the beginning of LotR. Author Reply: I am very glad you liked Frodo's letter. It was hard to write--we had to let the others realize how hard it had been for Frodo. One thing we decided on early on was that Frodo would never directly *name* either the Ring or the chain--he would instead, "talk around them". Yes, he finally realizes that he cannot take such a thing with him to the Blessed Realm, and so he leaves it behind--hidden away as much as he can. And yes--that is the very hearth! It is important symbolically that it be so. | |
| Kitty | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 9/3/2006 |
| Don't truly know what to say. I had never, never expected the object in the box to be *that*! The image of the chain digged so deep in Frodo's neck that it remained there is so horrible and left me shuddering. Poor Frodo! But thinking back to the pictures in the movie, of the deep wound, crusted with blood, it seems only too possible. Now I feel so sorry for all of them, and I can only say I am very glad the three threw it in the fire to destroy it as far as possible. I am sure none of them could've endured it to have this chain in the house one moment longer than necessary. Author Reply: You know, until I saw the movie, I had never in all those years, thought about the fact that the chain had to have injured Frodo, cutting into his neck, rubbing it raw. That is why I say visuals were the strong point of the films. It did indeed leave an impression on me! It was important that they destroy it, for their own sake, and for Frodo's. | |
| Elemmírë | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 9/2/2006 |
| WOW! Now that's cool and creepy as well. I never thought about what happened to that chain. I guess I thought it fell to the sharp, rocky ground of the Sammanth Naur. No wonder Sam was so upset. And poor, poor Frodo. Hating the Ring, yet lusting after it and all he had was the horrible memories and the Elven chain that chafed severely into his neck across Middle-earth. The chain was indeed, caught in Frodo's hair, and the matted blood where it had cut into his neck. Of course, when he was brought back to the healers, it was removed, and put aside with the other things they yet had. Gandalf and Aragorn questioned what was to be done with it. Aragorn thought it should be disposed of without Frodo ever knowing, but Gandalf thought Frodo deserved the chance to choose what he wished done. He hoped that Frodo would also choose to dispose of it, and thought that giving Frodo the chance to *make* that choice would help him. However, Frodo decided to keep it, and Aragorn provided him with the small box to put it in. Now that would be an interesting tale to read in more detail: Frodo's healing with Aragorn and Gandalf discovering the Ring's chain embedded into his neck. Their reactions to seeing it like so and their discussion. Giving it back to Frodo and seeing how he kept it from the other hobbits during their stay in Minas Tirith and their journey home. I would love to read more about Frodo's thoughts regarding the chain (as would others, I'm sure) :D So, possible future plot bunny for one of you Ladies?? Looking forward to the next chapter! P.S. That is a very eerie and realistic picture of the blood-stained chain with Frodo's hair, Gryffinjack. It definitely speaks of the emotion that all the hobbits felt--Frodo at not being able to get rid of it, and the others emotional reaction to seeing it after all that time. Gives me the chills. | |
| cookiefleck | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 9/2/2006 |
| Wow, this is my favorite chapter of all. I had no idea what was in the box and was thoroughly surprised. Loved Sam's extreme reaction, Merry and Pippin learning more about what happened at Mt. Doom, and the ensuing discussion in which they revealed their guilty feelings. I was not able to view the photo but it is vivid in my imagination from your description. Author Reply: I'm so glad you liked this chapter! We really put a lot of thought into it. Sam, as we said, hated the chain almost as much as the Ring. To lay eyes on it again after all that time had to be hard. You can probably see the picture now. I unlocked the post, which I had accidentally left locked. | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 9/2/2006 |
| You know, I never even thought of the chain at all. Yes, Frodo's fetters indeed. And a thing to horrify the rest. Poor Frodo, but able at the last to indeed cast that fetter off, if not away. And ready finally for the healing he needed. Author Reply: That's what we thought: it's something they thought long gone, and to see it, with its associations with the Ring would really horrify them--especially Sam, who saw day by day how it cut into him. And yes, by leaving it east of the Sea, he left off the last of his fetters. | |
| GamgeeFest | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 9/2/2006 |
| I completely forgot about the chain. It would be most disturbing to find that there, after all those years thinking it long gone. Frodo could ever only see his weaknesses and never his strengths. He was able to leave the chain behind in the end and that's what matters most. Author Reply: Yes, that's what we thought--they'd never expect that! And you are absolutely right about Frodo: he was far harder on himself than he ever was on anyone else. He set the standards for himself incredibly high, while making allowances for everyone else. But leaving the chain behind was important as well. | |
| Baggins Babe | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 9/2/2006 |
| *shudder* That was not what I was expecting - I have a very grisly imagination! ;-)) The image of the chain still covered in blood and with Frodo's hair tangled in it is very moving and sad. How terrible to have that suddenly in front of them, and to know that Frodo could not bring himself to cast it away. No wonder they were so distressed. Glad you didn't wait too long to update, Dreamflower. I would love to see a picture of the chain but the site won't let me - keeps telling me I'm not authorised. Any suggestions? Author Reply: I'm glad that it wasn't what you thought, too! It was dreadful for them, for they certainly weren't expecting that. But this was kind of necessary for true closure. As to the picture: I accidentally left the site locked. I went back and unlocked it now, so the link should work now! | |