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| What's left behind by perelleth | 6 Review(s) |
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| Bodkin | Reviewed Chapter: 11 on 9/13/2006 |
| I am so glad that Thranduil recognised that the time had come and that he was fighting against something beyond even his capabilities. The death of the old lord of Dorwinion must have been a sign! Giving the power back to the forest - such a simple action and yet so deep and moving! I like the way Mallereg got Laeriniel home for the decision - she really didn't want to give up, did she, even though she needed the reunion. Then the gradual packing up and leaving is right - painful though, choosing what to leave and what to take and the extended leave-taking with the forest and those who would not come. The provision of ship-building plans - courtesy of Celeborn and by the hands of a hobbit - was a delightful touch! And sailing must, in the end, have been something of a relief. Decisions made. Action taken. Lovely to see Legolas waiting impatiently for the ship to arrive - and his reunion with his wife. Which, I imagine, she will find healing in itself, let alone the peace that comes with having accepted at last their arrival 'home'. Author Reply: Thank-you Bodkin! I too was relieved to see Thranduil leaving.! Ten and eleven were a whole chapter, so Mallereg's little trick would have come out clearer for the reader, but it was so dense and packed that I was forced to split it in two...(my talent at editing being close to zero! ;-)) I gave them 30 years before moving up, time enough, maybe, for an elf to come to terms and to enjoy their favourite hauntings and say their goodbyes. As you say, once the decision is made, there is no hurry, just action, things that needed to be taken care fof and all. I enjoyed picturing their journey through the lands of the West, some of them had once crossed Eastwards. The building plans came up as a joke from Celeborn's part, but the Fairbarns were there from the beginning. We are told that they were given the Guardianship of the Towers, -and of the Red book- and I enjoyed having them in, another of those races bound to disappear. I loved the image of the Elven king and the old hobbit, sitting on a bench and sharing a jug of young wine. | |
| Redheredh | Reviewed Chapter: 11 on 9/12/2006 |
| Heh! I so like Mallereg. ;) Although, he certainly took his time getting back for that long ago deceit! He is so lucky to already be well-acquainted with his soon-be-father-in-law. I think what I like most about the first part of this chapter was the thoughtful way you had them take their leave. No rushing or skipping whole blocks of time nor forcing the journey to be swift and done without a sensible plan. That was interesting having the Great Doors set up by dwarves, forever sealing off the caverns. And having the towers still inhabited by the hobbits. That idea was an especially well-done detail! I was quite impressed with how you used it. :D Not everyone picks up on stuff like that or handles a situation in so natural of a manner. That includes the feeling of moving on and yet having come full-circle. Another nicely played up aspect of this chapter. Their arrival in Aman was lovely. Very heart-felt through both Legolas and Laeriniels pov. Just how a long love story should end happily ever after. Anxious to read an epilogue now to know that that is true. There is an epilogue planned, right? You left it a wip, after all. Author Reply: Although, he certainly took his time getting back for that long ago deceit! What are four hundred years for an elf? But a whisper, as Legolas says.. ;-) I enjoyed the logistics involved in this chapter, and figuring out about the changes in the lands which they had once crossed on the opposite direction. They were not in a hurry, once the decision was made, so they had time enough for preparations and planning. In the sketched backstory of Mirkwood for this tale, it was the Dwarves of Erebor ( long before the dragon came) who helped the elves carve their stronghold and the "magical" doors. They would build up the mechanism and, of course, then it would have been Thranduil to "set up" the scret password! The thing is that when Thranduil released his connection with the forest, the stones, too, would be unbound and so they would just come closed forever. A lost word and a lost world in a sense. Yes, there is an Eplilogue written and waiting that I have a moment to proof read it. I believe it will come out this week end. Thanks again, Redheredh! | |
| Jay of Lasgalen | Reviewed Chapter: 11 on 9/11/2006 |
| This was beautiful, sad and moving - so very melancholy. There were lots of lovely touches, from Thranduil's sorrow at finally admitting defeat and knowing he had to go, to deserted Imladris, and the wonderful Fairbairns. The final reunion was perfect :) Jay Author Reply: Thank-you,Jay! It was very entertaining to think how to move such a host across the western lands, and what things they would encounter. Imladris, the Old Forest, the Towers and the Fairbarns, the ruins of Mithlond...just to get distracted from the sorrow, :-) if Thranduil indeed sailed after all, it must have been a very difficult decision for him, I suspect. I'm glad that you liked it. | |
| daw the minstrel | Reviewed Chapter: 11 on 9/10/2006 |
| Lovely chapter, Perelleth. The reunion at the end was so satisfying. But as always, Thranduil rules. He's being driven back, but in the end, he takes matters into his own hands and surrenders his tie to the forest. What a gap that must have left. And the stronghold! I hadn't thought about what would happen to it. This was great. Author Reply: Thank-you, daw This tale was born because I had always wondered about the effect of Legolas' lot at the end of the War upon his people and, mostly, upon his father. I suppose that to Thranduil it must have been very difficult to admit that, after all, those who had sailed were right, and that midle earth did not belong to elves anymore. And that must have required great doses of leadership and personal strength. In the end that is what I wanted to explore. I'm tickled pink that you picked up the detail about the stronghold!;-) That's the kind of things that amuse me! I was wondering how it would turn out for archaelogists several centuries after that, and then came up with the conclusion that the "magic" would have kept water and roots from eating at it, but once the king is gone, it would all rot pretty quicky, until it resembled a common, primitive shelter. | |
| Nilmandra | Reviewed Chapter: 11 on 9/10/2006 |
| Oh, what a lovely reunion! But first, I enjoyed the king and his counselor discussing things at the top of a tree! Very wood elfy. I like the way he gathered his people together and said it was time to go. The king would just *know*. I loved that you included the hobbits at the towers! How appropriate that they would be the guardians. And I love how you had Celeborn leave a missive with the guardians rather than somehow attempt to send the information to Thranduil.. shipbuilding plans! Celeborn, helpful and thinking of his brethern to the very end. The reunion was wonderful - I love the sense when Legolas and Laeriniel became one and whole again, but I tink what jolted me most wonderfully was the idea that Legoals was a grandfather! Of all the takes I have seen on the wood elves sailing, this is the best. Very wood elfy to the end. Author Reply: Thank-you, Nilmandra! As FP said, given the long timespan of this tale, we get to see Legolas and Laeriniel reunited twice. I liked that this time it was he who was strong and hale, and could return her the favour I'm glad it came out well in the end. I always wondered what would have moved Thranduil to finally set sail -if he indeed did, (I hope he did!) Four hundred years of thriving human neighbours would have been seriously felt in the forest. I thought there would be few births, since the resources would not be ensured (a nomadic population needs wide expanses just to avooid overuse, and they were competing with men) and temporary shortages, and all kind of warning signs, until the wise king would finally accept that his place was no longer in M-e. It was fun to picture their parade through M-e. The guardianship of the towers given to the hobbits is canon, and I thought Celeborn would have amused himsef leaving "clues" for his friend, as well as involving the hobbits in the last great elven migration! :-) Thank-you again for your kind support. This tale hasd been a serious pain to write! | |
| French Pony | Reviewed Chapter: 11 on 9/10/2006 |
| Thranduil is indeed a wise old Elf, to cast the decision to leave the forest in such a light. The Elves aren't defeated, they aren't giving up. They're going on to bigger and better things, seizing a chance to travel, see things, liberate the trees, and finally end up at home. It is a measure of the respect that his people have for him that they trust him so far. And, at least for Legolas and Laerīniel, their trust is most definitely rewarded. One of the advantages of the long timespan of this story is that you get to see Legolas reunited with his wife twice! Author Reply: Thank-you, FP Thranduil is indeed a wise old Elf he is indeed. And besides, he has the good fortune that his subjects too have eyes and ears and intellects of their own, so they have drawn the same conclusions by just listening to the ailing forest ! ;-) Some will remain, others will be glad to sail in company rather than on their own... and accepting defeat under that light makes it all easier for them all, I suspect. | |