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| The Seeds of Time by daw the minstrel | 21 Review(s) |
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| ponypetter | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 4/1/2007 |
| I think we finally got to see the why Legolas adores Eilian so much: he really does walk on water! Author Reply: LOLOL. I admit I made myself laugh by showing him literally walking on water. What more could a little brother ask for? | |
| pipinheart | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 3/25/2007 |
| Nice... Eilian is impatient, of all the talk, and who can blame him. He is a good friend trying to help Gelmir out. The introduction to turgon and annael is nice, to see when they first met. You can see turgon is a bit on the risky side. Good thing Eilian came along when he did. Nice work...update soon... Author Reply: Eilian is very impatient of the talk. He needs to move, to act, to do something! At the moment, all he can do is prevent the elflings from doing something even more stupid, which is good enough, I guess. Glad you liked it. | |
| perelleth | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 3/24/2007 |
| lovely, the beginning of a famed friendship, and with the markings of mischief snce the very beginning. I always suspected that Turgon and Eilian would have been good friends, if they had been of the same age, but then Eilian's childhood would have been far more troubled than it was! And how sad to see trouble brewing, as LOrellin worries for her family, the troop commander expects that he can keep the lands free by his own strength of will only, GElmir drowns in guilt and the villagers norun the lost ones. I wonder how Thrnaudil bears the burden. The parts with the children are a most welcome relief, daw. Author Reply: I can't imagine how Thranduil would ever have survived if Eilian and Turgon had been the same age and friends! Holy cow. It just doesn't bear thinking about. I love writing the elfling parts. The children are still innocent, though they doubtless sense the adults' mood. | |
| Dot | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 3/24/2007 |
| So sorry this is late. And that it’s about to be more hurried than I’d like. The meeting was great. Very tense! I felt so bad for them all. The back and forth discussion was very realistic, I thought, but there was also a sense of despair in that room. And Ithilden really is a stubborn ass :-) How hard it must have been for Eilian to sit there and listen to this when he knows what it’s like in the south and he just wants to be doing something that feels like it’s helping. I like how he reads Maltanaur’s reaction and tries to do what his keeper wants him to do too. I loved the scene with Legolas and Nana! It’s fascinating to see how his mind works. Though Nana is clearly used to her elfling as she patiently deals with his questions. It might take a long time for the Valar to make new bodies, maybe all the way to winter. I’m smiling at that even though it’s really rather moving. What a perfect way to show how he perceives time. I also really like the idea of everyone bringing food to the grieving family. I know it’s something you see in lots of cultures but there’s really such a sense of community here. It sounds like a hive of activity around the Green. I suppose this is the spring dancing, then :-( "Nana, can we see what those boys are doing?" He pointed to the two along the river. She glanced at the boys, then swept her gaze along the riverbank. "I think we should." Er, yeah. I’m with Nana – those elflings need to be supervised! Oh wait, Mírdaniel is there. That’s ok, then ;-) She doesn’t seem as bad as usual but she’s certainly distracted enough to choose a stitch to concentrate on instead of elflings playing by a dangerous river… I did groan loudly when she said she has letters for the queen but hasn’t managed to find them yet. I mean, seriously Mírdaniel! And not to mention the fact that I was cringing incase Mírdaniel’s words might be the reason for Lorellin’s visit to her family. You can really tell that Legolas is used to spending time around adults rather than with people his own age. I’m glad he’s getting a little lesson in imaginative play, even if he will be coming under the rather questionable influence of the bould Turgon. Even the trees sheltering the cottage sang more somberly than usual. A willow trailed a branch over the thatched roof, as if caressing it and offering comfort to those within. That was a beautiful and very moving image. If the tone of his voice had not told her he was lying, that failure to brave her gaze would have. She understood the pity from which he spoke, but surely he could have leaned on his wood elf heritage and curled his tongue around an ambiguous answer. Thranduil would speak sharply if he knew. People had to be able to trust Eilian's words. Gosh, that was interesting. What a different culture it is! I mean, I’d be more likely to criticise someone for not softening it if that would provide comfort when there was no need to know any different. I can see the point, though, about people needing to be able to trust Eilian’s word. (I vaguely recall something about truth/ honesty in medieval times… was there a term for it? I might have done it in a Middle English Literature module at some stage but can’t quite remember it.) I’d still be inclined to think Eilian was right to trust his instincts and provide some comfort to the brother. Maybe he could have just left out the “fear” part… The part with Helith was quite hard to read. My heart goes out to her. Especially when she gazed after Gelmir and Eilian with such longing. More people than her family benefited from Lorellin’s presence, I think. She seems to be very easy and natural around people and was able to offer a comfort that is simpler than what Thranduil or his sons could provide. I must say, I quite like Turgon’s clueless naneth. I know she’s not an ideal supervisor but she seems fond of children and I bet they like her too when they’re young enough not to question… parenting techniques. Annael made me laugh telling her they’re being careful! "Numenor is very far away, and maybe something happened to it." LOL! That’s sweet. Clearly such history is nothing more than a good story with no relevance to these elflings. The river grumbled past That seems like an odd thing to pick out, I know, but I have to tell you that I loved that description! That Turgon is a ball of energy. I was almost afraid to read on the closer they got to the water. I was thinking that weighing down the “boats” with pebbles was probably not a great idea but apparently that was the least of their problems. Hurrah for Eilian! Granted he possibly should have pulled the three kiddies away from the river altogether but I was glad he rescued Annael’s boat. I didn’t want him to get into trouble. And I laughed at Eilian walking on water! LOL. Plus he got a smile out of poor Gelmir. It amused me no end too when they exchanged understanding looks after being shown the person looking after them. He glanced back to make sure Eilian was coming and saw him walking with his hand on Gelmir's shoulder. Legolas turned forward again and put one hand on Turgon's shoulder and the other on Annael's. *grin* I love how he copies him. A case of big brother worship. "Some other day." *bangs head off desk* Author Reply: One of the interesting parts of writing this story is having the family members think about one another and the activity around them. When I wrote about Eilian on the edge of the room with the other scouts, I really felt for him. The people in charge are making decisions about things he knows and cares about, and they're not necessarily deciding as he'd like them to. Then I had Nana judging him when he lied, and to my surprise, she disapproved. I hardly ever picture her disapproving of Eilian, but in other stories I've stressed that Thranduil raised the boys to be honest, so I got to wondering about the value of the king's son's word. I had to think about the timing of the festival etc a little. I believe that in other stories I say Nana left the day after the dancing and that's not going to happen in this story's next day. So I'm calling this feast the Spring Equinox feast and Eilian is here. Then there'll be the Spring dancing in a few days. He has to be gone by then to fit into other things I've written. Sometimes it makes me crazy. Turgon is so much fun to write. He's endlessly creative and energetic. No wonder the other boys like playing with him. | |
| erunyauve | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 3/23/2007 |
| >>Legolas scowled at him. "It is not an orc boat. It is a warrior boat, and they are sailing all the way to Numenor." Annael frowned. "Numenor is very far away, and maybe something happened to it." ::g:: I love this bit. He finally gets to meet Annael and Turgon! Author Reply: I figured the kids might not be too sound on their history yet. They're pretty little. I'm having a lot of fun writing about the kids. | |
| sofia | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 3/22/2007 |
| 'It might take a long time for the Valar to make new bodies, maybe all the way to winter.'- ah, that is too cute! And hearing Lorellin thinking about going to visit her family makes me want to say, "NO!" Because of course, we all know how that'll turn out. I love how Eilian came and saved the day by rescueing Turgon and Annaels boats. It's such a good brother. Author Reply: I kind of cringe at the thought of Lorellin's death because now that I'm writing about these people before her death, I can see how awful losing her will be. The elflings are so much fun to write about. They all admire Eilian. Of course, so do I. :-) | |
| Bodkin | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 3/22/2007 |
| Right. Now back to the important stuff! Eilian's report of Fithral's death reminds me of a WW1 poem - can't remember which one - where brother officers are telling those at home about a soldier's fate. And it's not a lie - not really - just not the exact truth. Fithral's death was quick - just not (as if anything could be under those circumstances) quick enough. And it's an evasion his family would far rather live with. What a dreadful time to be King ... and council ... and warriors and mothers. This dark is such a tangible, polluting, fouling thing. And elves, unlike men, have personally faced this before and know how insidious it is - and how difficult to resist. They must be on the verge of despair beneath their defiance. And I daresay there will be a fair number bleeding away to the Havens in a desperate desire to protect the innocence of their families. And little Legolas - and his newly-discovered friends - shine through it. Lovely stuff. Author Reply: If I'd been Eilian, I would have lied too, but I thought Thranduil might have wanted his sons to treat their word as sacred because people really did have to rely on it. What's really sobering about the experience of the elves with shadow, is that they saw it come and go and come again. If that didn't drive you to despair, I don't know what would. All that sacrifice, and the shadow is still back. | |
| Noor | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 3/21/2007 |
| Lovely to come back from holiday to another story in your world Daw. Lorellin's influence on her family is so well expressed. I hope this is not the story that she is going to die in. It was traumatic enough reading the excerpts in your earlier stories! Although the threat of Sauron and SHadow is there in this story at least Thranduil's family is together and not divided in grief. Thanks again Noor Author Reply: Hi, Noor. Thanks for the review. This story will stop before Lorellin's trip, but it's there, closing in on them all. In the meantime, she's good for her family, and Legolas is so happy to have everyone home. | |
| Bodkin | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 3/21/2007 |
| Let joy be unconfined - Legolas has made Turgon's acquaintance, and the ellon has already begun his campaign to provide the king's youngest with adventure enough to train him for his future role. So lucky that Eilian turned up just before the elflings inadvertently went swimming in the swollen river. Even if he has provided them with the seeds of a future adventure. And it seems that Turgon's mother, in addition to being a total incompetent in the field of child care, also bears the blame for getting Lorellin so worried about her family that she heads off to see them! More later. Interruption! Author Reply: Writing this chapter, I cracked myself up by having Annael tell Turgon's mother that they were being careful near the water. I love writing about the little kids. And you can just see how the little boys would admire Eilian, much to Thranduil's dismay. | |
| Agape4Gondor | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 3/20/2007 |
| A great chapter - though I had my heart in my throat through most of Legolas' adventure! Sure the little one was going to fall in. I think someone should give a good scolding to Turgon's naneth! I love the way you write - there is always a line or fourteen that just catch my breath - this is one of them.... 'Water dripped off the bottom and made a dark border.' What a neat way to bring an image so easily to mind. Also - on my comment from the last chapter - I didn't realize and was horrified to finally understand why poor Fithral's body (what was left of it) was burned by the Elves! My goodness, I don't think my mind could quite register what the Orcs had done to him. Hideous. Many thanks for continuing this - I sincerely hope your business trip goes well. Author Reply: Hi, Agape-- I'm snatching a few minutes from my hotel room in NYC. Things have gone well so far. Thanks for the nice feedback. My memory of my own son at this age is that he never knew when he was wet or cold. No brain, no pain, as my husband always said. Poor Fithral indeed. Ick. | |