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| Brotherhood by Bodkin | 18 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| elliska | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 3/10/2007 |
| ‘Should you not be honouring Elladan with equal attention?’ *Snort!* And I loved Elrohir's reaction to Estel's reference to Elrond. Great depiction of that moment. Author Reply: Well - if the twins are happily being his brothers, that does make their father his father, doesn't it? And I can see that in a society like that of the Dunedain, where fathers are often absent and children frequently orphaned, that a surrogate father would be more acceptable than it would be to elves. And I just loved the thought of a chatting, wriggly Estel snuggling up to a sleepy, warm Elrohir. Such a lovely family sort of moment! | |
| meckinock | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 12/31/2006 |
| Aww. I loved Elrohir's transition from truly, truly enjoying his bed and a dry roof over his head and a lazy morning with nothing to do but lounge about, to instant prickly alertness, to dry sarcasm at Elladan's clever re-direction of Estel, to the deliberate but genuine appreciation of unlooked-for blessings in the form of a worshipful little face beaming up at him. Not everyone gets to be someone's hero, and bless Elrohir for accepting the role with gladness. And bless him too for worrying about Gilraen's reaction to her son calling Elrond "Ada." I smiled at the moment when Elrohir officially designated himself and Elladan Estel's brothers. Author Reply: Elrohir is - I admit - lovely here. And good for him for recognising that moments like this don't come often and being Estel's chosen companion is something he can treasure for ever. I suspect that elves - immortal / perfect memories and so on - might worry more than the Dunedain about the idea of adoptive fathers. Because I do think that, in the circumstances the Dunedain live in, the fathering of children must be a community effort. It's not that Elrond would be Estel's Ada that is a problem but the fact that Arathorn's paternity cannot be acknowledged and celebrated that would really get to Gilraen. And the twins will make very interesting brothers! | |
| Lindelea | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 12/30/2006 |
| Just back from holiday and no time to read more than one of these burgeoning chapters... You evoke so much in so few words. The "hug" of the blankets. Water dripping from the nose. (BTDT) The warmth of a snuggling child. And the fatherless amongst the sons of Rangers. "Brothers forever" -- whether or not the sons of Elrond accept the Doom of mortality. Brothers don't stop being brothers, even when they've gone beyond reach. Author Reply: I hope you had a good holiday! Thank you. I like to think of Elrohir feeling really comfortable in that warm, semi-comatose way - and it's never better than when the rain is falling outside! The Rangers must have looked after each other's children, I think. Most parenting would have been done by mothers and whatever males were around. Gilraen can accept that - but it must have been hard for her to hear Arathorn's son call Elrond 'Ada'. But she was a brave woman - just because it seems a small thing doesn't mean it was, but she would accept it for Estel's sake. Yes - the twins have accepted Estel into their hearts. He will be part of them for ever. Like Elros will always be with Elrond. | |
| Dreamflower | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 12/29/2006 |
| *very BIG grin* Milestone! A very great milestone! Author Reply: I think it is the sort of thing that might have just happened, rather than being part of a big plan. But it was important, I reckon. Estel needed to be part of the family - although it must have been hard on Gilraen to let it happen. | |
| Nilmandra | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 12/26/2006 |
| I think of how hard this most of have been for Gilraen - indeed her son needed a father, but in hiding Estel he would never know of his own father. They do what is best for the child, but how hard for Gilraen, all the same. Author Reply: I think Gilraen must have had a lot of sleepless nights. Nights when she spent hours reliving her memories and trying to hold onto herself as a woman of the Dunedain - Dirhael's daughter and Arathorn's wife - hoping that, one day, she could pass her memories to her son. (Whether he would ever have been ready to hear them, I don't know. Maybe she wrote them down in those years after Estel became Aragorn and before she left Imladris to fade from history.) Estel was better having a father - especially with Elrond as a father. I think she would have seen that and accepted it. They raised a good son - even if, I reckon, he was more than a little confused as to where he belonged. He rather merits the name 'peredhel' himself. | |
| vampfan30 | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 12/26/2006 |
| this story just gets better - the idea of them finally melding into a little ( albeit mixed ) family, just too sweet.I have an older brother, but, find myself a tad jealous of Estel 'cause my brother NEVER allowed me such behavior, he ws too busy terrorizing me....^_^ Author Reply: Ah - well that's the advantage of Elrohir having 3000 years on Estel! He is a much older brother who has lived long enough to realise that indulging a little one is a pleasure that doesn't come often. It's a mixed family - Gilraen and Elrond sharing parenting duties for Estel, with the twins playing kid roles (most of the time). But it is a family that works for the intended purpose - Estel will be secure and well-raised and helped to become the best man he can be. | |
| perelleth | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 12/26/2006 |
| Ai! the pleasures of staying late, while it is pouring (or snowing) outside. Even if there is a little Balrogling kicking inadvertently at your most sensitive parts... That part was greatly done, it got me chuckling wickedly. And what a tender moment. I could imagine Elrohir half dozing as the boy recounted his adventures and suddenly "Ada" slips naturally from his lips. A beautifully done moment of realization. Author Reply: Kids' feet seem to get everywhere. And have more sharp edges than should be possible. Elrohir has learned to protect himself - even when half-asleep. I think Estel would have slipped into calling Elrond 'Ada' - it wouldn't have been particularly significant to him - but Elrohir would know what it meant to Gilraen. I think she maybe made a mental adjustment of some kind that didn't take paternity away from Arathorn - but she would have known that Estel needed a father. And what better substitute father could he have than Elrond? Under the circumstances. | |
| Linda Hoyland | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 12/25/2006 |
| A very touching scene. Author Reply: Thank you. Elrohir makes an excellent big brother. | |
| Kitty | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 12/25/2006 |
| Lovely. Simply lovely. Elrohir not only accepted the interruption graceful but reacted perfect to the boy. And Estel was so trusting. You're very probably right about the question of fathers among the Dúnedain; many of the children must have grown up without fathers or at least seeing them seldom, and they surely learned a lot from grandfathers or other men. But it was thoughtful of Elrohir to think of Gilraen's feelings first. And what a feeling for Estel to have his adored Elrohir and Elladan as *brothers*! It's not wonder Estel grew up to be the man he was after he was accepted truly in the family of Elrond and the twins teached him so much. Author Reply: Elrohir had the sense to realise that the visit was an additional blessing. While Estel is still so young that he hasn't yet accumulated the self-consciousness of an older child. I do think that - with many of the adult males out patrolling Eriador, even discounting the number who would have died - parenting must have been shared among the community. It still would be hard for Gilraen to hear Estel call Elrond 'Adar', but she would see that it was better for him to have a secure family. And being brothers with the twins would add a certain gleam to it for Estel! Estel needed a secure childhood very much - considering what he had to face later. Unquestioning love, discipline, guidance, high principles and unquestioning love - vital ingredients in child-rearing. His family - all of them - could be proud of the man he became. | |
| French Pony | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 12/24/2006 |
| [Bogart voice] Ya know, Bodkin, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship. [/Bogart voice] Author Reply: Goodness - you're good at that Bogart voice! I reckon it could be exactly that! A mere 18 years or so of E2's lives - plus however much time they were able to spend together after that, and then the post-War years. But sharing childhood builds strong bonds - and then sharing a sister can make them unbreakable. | |