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The Road to Edoras by Dreamflower	10 Review(s)
Lindelea	Reviewed Chapter: 37 on 4/24/2007
sick and so staying home from class tonight. thus, hoorah, I have the chance to read your two latest chapters, and posted so quickly together! How lovely. LOL--Ent draught! You and I have both found a way to keep mortals from beating a path through Fornost after the stuff, it seems. I find myself wondering just what Woodruff would say if she had the chance to talk with Treebeard. Probably give him a little lecture about side-effects, and then throw her arms around him (his leg?) about as far as she could reach and thank him, with tears in her eyes, for saving those she loved so well. Bless Freddy for setting tradition aside at the end of the chapter. Poor Clodio, who knows what he's thinking. Perhaps things are worse than he'd thought, if Freddy is talking to him! Author Reply: Well, I'm sorry you were sick, but I'm very glad it gave you a bit of free time for a change! Yes, the Ent-draught is what held this chapter up for a while. I had it written, but a couple of things in it did not quite sit well with me. Yet, I had known that Mistress Poppy was going to confront Treebeard over the Ent-draught from the time I knew she was going south, back in "Reckoning". And I had known that the sight of the Ent would be too much for Clodio for nearly as long. It took a few tries before I could make this chapter at all plausible. I am sure Woodruff would have exactly that reaction--and then quiz him thoroughly. I am sure any healer would be completely fascinated by the idea of such an effective panacea--as well as disppointed that it could not be made available to everyone. Freddy is a kind and thoughtful hobbit--he's Frodo's, Pippin's and Merry's cousin, after all--and I think he is an eminently practical one. He'll not go overboard trying to become buddies with them, but he will certainly see that they are now kept informed of things that will concern them.

PIppinfan1988	Reviewed Chapter: 37 on 4/22/2007
Wow! This is an interesting turn of things -- and I'm looking forward to seeing where this all of this goes with Clodio, Cado, and Freddy. :-) LOL, still keeping my fingers crossed, but not so tight that I won't be expecting another turn of events in this storyline. I'm just following the Storyteller, lol. ;-) I liked your observation of Treebeard's eyes; that always captured me whenever I read that passage in the books. I lost your story-alert in my email file! I kept it out as a bookmark to read during the week and somehow lost it! How embarrassing. So sorry I'm late -- as usual these days. :-P PF Author Reply: So glad you are enjoying the turn events are taking! It seemed to me that his eyes had to be remarkable, for the description to be so vivid in the books. "Late" is relative! I'm just glad that you got to R&R!

Larner	Reviewed Chapter: 37 on 4/21/2007
Aha! A wise Hobbit Fredegar is growing to be as he learns more about the outer world. I'm sorry that there was no healing draught here for Clodio, but am glad Poppy at least asked, and was pleased with Treebeard's answer to her. And loved seeing the Lines from the Great List quoted so here! Wonderful! \ Am so glad I had the chance to get caught back up today. Now I eagerly await more. (Hint, hint, hint.) Author Reply: This particular chapter was one I'd had in mind from the minute I knew Mistress Poppy would be going--that she would encounter Treebeard, and confront him about the Ent-draught. And I'd had in mind almost as long, that the sight of the Ent would be too much for Clodio to handle. But coming up with the right explanation for Mistress Poppy was the hard part! I do so love the lines the Ents added for hobbits, the "laughing folk"!

mews1945	Reviewed Chapter: 37 on 4/17/2007
I loved the interaction between Treebeard and Poppy. She's so feisty, and he was so respectful of her. Lovely. And I loved Freddy talking to Clodio and Cado. Author Reply: She is a feisty little thing, isn't she? She's so eager to learn all about these amazing healings that took place. As for Treebeard, he seems the sort to be very respectful of other beings--as long as they are not "bararum-black-hearted-orcs..." It had to happen. Freddy's leader of the expedition, and while I don't think he's going to be constantly chatting them up, he can't help but feel responsible for them. And he's a kind hobbit at heart--he had to feel sorry for them, too.

Baggins Babe	Reviewed Chapter: 37 on 4/17/2007
What a delight to find another chapter of this tale! Poor Clodio - I feel quite sorry for him, and how hobbity of Freddy to find himself incapable of ignoring the prisoners. Lovely to be on the road to Edoras again, and I just love Poppy - she's so bold. Nice to see Treebeard again too. A wonderful explanation about the Ent-draught. Author Reply: It's one thing to ignore the banished when they are out of sight; quite another when one has to see them and travel with them day after day! I'm rather fond of Poppy myself; she's one of my own favorite OCs, actually, LOL! The explanation about the Ent-draught is what held this chapter up for a while. I was not completely satisfied with it, and had to do some re-writing.

Grey Wonderer	Reviewed Chapter: 37 on 4/16/2007
I loved Poppy in this but I always love her. She was so certain that she might find a cure from Treebeard and so unafraid to ask for it. I do think the Freddy is right about speaking to the prisoners from time to time. If nothing else, it certainly has confused them. I think Freddy is too kind-hearted to be good at banishing folks or ignoring them no matter what they might have done. He is very hobbity! Author Reply: Poppy's pretty bold, when it comes to finding out what she needs to know. Freddy is, indeed, very kind-hearted and hobbity! Don't forget he's Frodo's and Pippin's and Merry's cousin too! (On the Took side!)

GamgeeFest	Reviewed Chapter: 37 on 4/16/2007
I think Freddy and co. are going to find out that a lot of the things they're used to doing and take for granted in the Shire just don't work in the Outside world. I enjoyed Poppy's frankness with Treebeard, and he made some good points about the Ent-draught. It's best if they remain hidden in the forest where they are. Besides, the Shire really doesn't have room for more super-sized hobbits! LOL. ;) Author Reply: The Wide World is quite different than the Shire, that's for certain! I couldn't see Poppy being anything but rather frank and blunt. Unlike, for example, Mistress Lavendar, Poppy is somewhat less than diplomatic at times, LOL! But, no, I couldn't see having the Ent-draught becoming commonly available. That would cause more problems than it solved.

harrowcat	Reviewed Chapter: 37 on 4/16/2007
I am glad that Freddy is able to see beyond the letter of Shire Law for the welfare of all. And I love Poppy's detirmination to ask question's - even of Treebeard himself. Your explanation for the effectiveness of the draughts is very clever and plausable too. Author Reply: Freddy is an intelligent and thoughtful hobbit, and he's able to see sense. Poppy is going to find out everything she can--it is why she came, after all. My explanation for the Ent-draughts was not easily come by--I am so glad it seems plausable!

Bodkin	Reviewed Chapter: 37 on 4/16/2007
I'm glad Freddy has decided that Outside isn't like Inside and that sometimes rules need to be redefined. Clodio and Cado, I think, are more likely to distance themselves from Clovis and Dago if they can see some hope - after all, if there is no hope at all, what would be the point in trying to improve? Poppy was very brave - but Freddy is right to observe that she is there to find out all she can about healing and speaking to Treebeard is part of that! I like the idea that the Ent-draught only worked as it did for a combination of reasons, including the need of Middle-earth. It'll be a good thing to have them get to Edoras - they've been on the road for a while now and will appreciate settling for a bit. (I nearly lost this - it is so irritating when that happens! But fortunately I copied it first!) Author Reply: Freddy has realized this for a while, but it's hard to throw off certain expected behaviors. I think it had been bothering him ever since Clovis and Dago made their escape attempt a few chapters back. The question of how to deal with Ent-draught was the main thing that held this particular chapter up for a while--I was unsatisfied with my original thoughts on the matter, and did some substantial re-write. A couple of books about LotR helped to clarify my thinking on that. Once I was reminded of the crucial role of Providence in the story, it helped a lot. They will be arriving in Edoras fairly soon now.

Kitty	Reviewed Chapter: 37 on 4/16/2007
How very nice of Treebeard to visit them so far from his home! I am glad the Hobbits got to meet him and to see for themselves that Ents exist. Was grinning about Poppy. Oh yes, it was only to be expected that she would pester poor Treebeard with questions about the draughts he gave Merry and Pippin. Though I have to agree with the Ent; even if they were in Fangorn, I wouldn’t give any of them a draught, save maybe in very dire circumstances. For as soon as word got out about this, people would besiege Fangorn Forest to get this draught, too. But as a healer, Poppy has of course to be fascinated by the whole topic, even more so as she is so dedicated to her profession. And I am sure you’re right – there was probably some sort of reciprocation between lembas, draughts and all that. I’m not sure what to feel about Clodio. He is a traitor and I shouldn’t feel sorry for him, but still ... after these heart problems I felt a little bit of pity. To be confronted with an Ent without warning had to be something of a shock to him. But one thing I know for sure – from his two sons Cado is the better one. The fact that he cares about his father left at least a better impression than the way his brother ignores them all. This compassion is so much more than Clovis and Dago show. And that is a reason why am glad Freddy talked to Clodio and Cado, even if I still doubt they deserve any sympathy. Really, I’m dying from curiosity what will happen to the prisoners! Author Reply: I knew before they ever left the Shire, that these hobbits had to meet Treebeard, especially Mistress Poppy! But this chapter gave me all sorts of fits to get just right--not only Treebeard's "voice", but the explanation of why he could not just go passing Ent-draught out like tea or something. For, of course, if the Ents really had something that would be that efficacious, then why not provide it to all the world? It was a puzzle for me to get figured out. Clodio is beginning to wake up. He is still a traitor, and nothing will change that, but he's beginning to regret a lot of things, as is Cado. However, you see that Clovis and Dago are still intractible. The prisoner's fate will be soon in coming...

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