Stories of Arda - Lord of the Rings Fan-Fiction Archive


	About Us News Resources Login Become a member Help Search

Elf, Interrupted: Book One: Glorfindel Redux by Fiondil	9 Review(s)
Tari	Reviewed Chapter: 132 on 5/19/2008
Sedation is not good enough for Calallindale. A good swift kick in the backside would be a start. She’s despicable. Poor Laurendil. If I were he, I would head for the hills so to speak and hide. When several mischievous Elves get together, who knows what might happen. Author Reply: Calalindalë is a real piece of work, that's for sure. Laurendil... well, what can I say? He's just too good to run and hide. grin

Larner	Reviewed Chapter: 132 on 2/17/2008
Another interesting confrontation here. And a trick is in the offing? Poor Vorondil and his father. Author Reply: Vorondil and Aldundil both need much healing and hopefully they will obtain it, though it will not be easy or immediate.

Nieriel Raina	Reviewed Chapter: 132 on 11/7/2007
Gooodness, I have been busy! Let's see... Oh! WOW! THREE WHOLE CHAPTERS in ONE sitting?? content smile That was a very nice surprise! Thanks! I did read them initially but at work where I can't review! Let's see... goes and rereads Ah yes! Vorondil...that poor ellon. My heart just goes out to him greatly! He reminds me of some kids I knew in High School who were pretty terrible...until I found out what their home life was like. Then with love and some intervention by others, they turned out okay. I am glad to see no one is giving up on him. It was also shocking (though probably shouldn't have been) to me that Vorondil wanted Finrod to kill him. I honestly thought he had just reacted and not even realized the knife was still in his hands. Aldundil's heartfelt reaction was touching. Despite everything I have hope that this family may one day at least find peace and contentment if not exactly happiness. The continued tension between Finrod and the Valar is interesting to see, especially considering Finrod's place as the Feanturi's apprentice. And I think the Valar will never stop surprising me! LOL! I was glad to see Finrod would not allow Aldundil to take Vorondil's punishment again. One thing that disturbed me somewhat was Namo's preoccupation with the past being changed and seeming to forget that nothing happens that Eru does not have a hand in. It seemed Finrod had more of a grasp on that. The scene with the elflings had me smiling! "We're in mourning." LOL! Poor kids. Morgoth truly did his work well, and we can see it in these children who are suffering from teh marring. It is sad, and yet there is hope. And LOOK! Eonwe showed up! I'm still not sure why I like him so much, but I cheer everytime he is 'on scene'. There is just something... something like Namo has about him. Maybe it is that ability to remember the oaths...but that wasn't in this chapter. Loved Manveru and Erunaro with the elflings! They also are a joy to see 'on screen'. And loved Glorfindel's comment. "Hey! I can boil water with the best of them!" LOL! Great chapter! NiRi Author Reply: I'm sure Námo is quite aware that nothing happens that Eru doesn't have a hand in, yet that doesn't mean he cannot grieve for the opportunities that are now forever lost because of Calalindalë's actions. And since he admits to Aldundil that he has not been given the foresight to know how these changes will affect the future, he's understandably feeling frustrated. Eönwë has sort of "taken over" I think. grin He started out simply being there for Glorfindel, but now he's making himself more manifest. So all the Eönwë fans out there shouldn't have anything to complain about, should they? grin

Lilandriel	Reviewed Chapter: 132 on 11/4/2007
this is such a heartbreaking chapter! oh, that poor child :( i am so very glad that his father loves him so fiercely. i think he is going to need that in the days to come the future will find a way. even if things aren't as Eru initially planned, let's not forget that he wove threads into the Song that not one of the Valar ever even knew about. he's not omnipotent for nothing! the Song will change, but Eru's ultimate will shall remain unchanged. damn, i sneeze and you post a handfull of chapters! lol!! :) Author Reply: Very true. Aldundil and Calalindalë may have circumvented certain plans by what they did, but Eru is able to weave the new theme that is "Vorondil" into the whole and create something new. I have no doubt that Eru has great plans for Vorondil, though they will necessarily be different from what had been planned for Calalindalë and the elder Vorondil's children who will no longer be born.

eiluj	Reviewed Chapter: 132 on 11/4/2007
Thanks for such a speedy post after the Evil Cliffie! You’ve obviously been planning this a long, long time, judging by how well all the Vorondil details fit together. Then again, this whole subplot might have been devised just to delay satisfying our communal insane curiosity about the tournament.... What a good thing Eönwë & co. just happened to be in the neighborhood! "The oaths stand," he reiterated, then he gave the ellon a piercing look. "As do yours and Mistress Yavalda’s” -- Any oaths in particular that we should know about? Author Reply: This subplot has been in the background from the moment Vorondil joined the other Noldorin at the High King's court along with Glorfindel and there is still much to write about Vorondil and his family. Whatever the oaths, I'm sure we'll learn about them eventually. grin

Encaitariel	Reviewed Chapter: 132 on 11/3/2007
Beautiful. I loved how you used "thee", etc. for Aldundil and Vorondil's more personal conversation, very touching. And the Maiar are, as always, a joy! Thank you for writing. -Encaitariel Author Reply: Glad you enjoyed this. The use of the -l form of the 2nd person singular in Quenya is often used to indicate formal or polite speech but Tolkien states that between intimates it also has the original familiar aspect, which is how it's used here.

Kitty	Reviewed Chapter: 132 on 11/3/2007
Three chapters at once! Very nice surprise – thank you so much! Oh my – what can I say about this rather intense chapter safe that I feel so sorry for Aldundil and Vorondil? This whold mess is so sad for both of them. But at least it seems to have brought them closer together, what is a good thing. The second half brightened the mood considerably. Do I need to mention how much I enjoyed it that the Maiar turned up at Cemendur’s place? Eönwë sending them all off with Manveru and Erúnaro to plan some mischief was just too good! grin And it helped the elflings obviously to get over their initial shock, even if that was a bit changed after their return. Poor elflings, no wonder they were so upset after overhearing these rumours! I am glad Finrod managed to calm them down. Author Reply: Yes, the situation between Aldundil and his wife and Vorondil is very sad but hopefully things will work themselves out. The Maiar are very much fun to write about. Not as formal as the Valar, so they can relate better with the elves, especially with elflings.

Rhyselle	Reviewed Chapter: 132 on 11/2/2007
Oh I just wanted to weep when I read: "B-but Iâ€™m bad, arenâ€™t I?" Vorondil whispered forlornly. "I was born bad, wasnâ€™t I?" This young ellon stole my heart somewhere along the way, and I hurt for him. I just want to be able to scoop him up and comfort him and find a way to help him past the negative perception he has of himself through the actions and spite of his mother. Thankfully, since I can't be there to remind him that he is unconditionally loved, Namo was there to do so. The exchanges between Aldundil and Vorondil were wonderful. I thought that when Aldundil told his son that Vorondil was the best thing that had ever happened to him was something that all children need to hear and know. I feel so badly for Vorondil... His mother twisted his fea through her anger and hate of the Reborn; Aldundil didn't take enough of a hand in his upbringing to counter act Calalindale's poison; and then he finds out that the thing he'd always feared--that if his father had died in the War of Wrath, that he'd never have been born--was truly what was originally intended to be. He should not exist. To learn that one's existence was not meant to be at all, that other elflings had been meant to have lived from Vorondil Sr.'s and Calalindale's union (and they were to be and do something important in the history of Arda on top of that!), and that the union from which he'd been begotten was in violation of oaths sworn and promises made before the Valar.... well, I hope I never get into any kind of position where I'd end up feeling what Vorondil must feel. It's going to take a long time before Vorondil overcomes his lack of self-worth, and sorrow and guilt. Although he was the innocent victim of his mother's decision to abandon her vow to the senior Vorondil, and his father's decision to be swayed by her arguments, he feels as if he were the guilty party... he sees himself as flawed and not even worthy of life... and I think it is going to take a LOT of repetition of Lord Namo's statement that "no matter what happens [he] will always love [Vorondil]" to break through the pain he is suffering. I loved the change of language as Aldundil helped Vorondil lay down and told him to rest. The intimacy of the "thee" and "thou" was very touching and helped to emphasize the depth of love that Aldundil has for his son. //The Lord of Mandos locked gazes with the ellon and the sense of compassion and pity he saw in the Valaâ€™s eyes was nearly overwhelming. "Aldundil, forgive me for my harsh words earlier. I never meant to imply that we wished Vorondil any ill. He is as beloved of us as you. But please understand this... what you and CalalindalÃ« did has changed the course of history. Only Eru now knows where all this will lead, for I have neither the wisdom nor the foresight to say either way..."// This bit really got to me too... I love it that Namo can apologize to Aldundil. But he isn't pulling any punches about the consequences of the choices that Aldundil and Calalindale made. And now you've got me curious about what the future would possibly have held if Calalindale would have held to her oath.... even though that future apparently can no longer happen (although I contend that there must be others who could fulfil the roles that the non-existent elves were destined to fill). In particular, I'm intrigued by Namo's reaction--that his expression went dark for a moment (and that hesitation before the word "sins"). But I suppose he'll borrow a page from Aslan's book and only tell the story that concerns the ones he's dealing with and not someone else's... Finrod's return to find the elflings sitting in the dark broke the emotional tension in a good way, although the overall tension of the looming unknown outcome of the morrow's trial was maintained despite the lightheartedness of the banter in Finrod's encampment. The description of the visit to the children's parents heightened the tension (and I'm also curious about the oaths that Sorondil and Yavalda swore... to whom and for what purpose?). And what about the prank that they decided to target Laurendil with? Will we ever find out what it was? Wonderful chapter, and now I'm going to go read the next two even though I really need to be going to bed! Author Reply: Vorondil, of course, is indeed the innocent victim of his parents' decisions to abandon their oaths. Whatever was meant to happen, of course, will not, or at least will not happen in the way originally intended, but Eru is the master of contingency plans and I'm sure he's got it all figured out, including what role Vorondil will ultimately play. Still, it will take some time for the sense of worthlessness to pass from Vorondil's self. WIth Námo's help and Aldundil's love, hopefully that will happen sooner rather than later. And Námo doesn't pull any punches, true. What happened was in violation of many things and the consequences of such actions are far-reaching enough that even Námo hasn't been permitted to see. While there is still tension over the day's events and tomorrow's trial, Finrod's handling of the fears of the elflings was just what they needed to feel secure and unthreatened, since they are likely to project what has happened to Vorondil upon themselves as children tend to do. As to whether we ever eee what prank was pulled on Laurendil... well, as soon as the elflings tell me what it was, I'll be sure to let everyone else know. LOL

Agape4Gondor	Reviewed Chapter: 132 on 11/2/2007
Phew - A trial I can agree with and I am very glad Finrod is not going to kill Vorondil - but I'm really wondering what on earth is wrong with those elflings' parents! Author Reply: I don't think a death penalty would have been permitted anyway, certainly not in Aman. Even Fëanor was merely banished for his crimes, but considering what has happened in Aman since the Darkening, the idea has obviously become a possibility in some elves' minds. As for the parents.... time alone will tell.

Return to Chapter List