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Dreamflower's Mathoms II by Dreamflower	6 Review(s)
Queen Galadriel	Reviewed Chapter: 53 on 4/4/2013
Oh, this is wonderful. I love Arwen's voice, gentle, light, but wise and warm. Author Reply: Thank you. It was the first time I tried writing her POV.

GamgeeFest	Reviewed Chapter: 53 on 9/29/2008
This is lovely. I had never thought that Arwen's gem might have been handed down to her from someone else, and that you chose her mother is quite fitting. Celebrain had also been tormented and ruined by Sauron, and that Frodo should inherit her gem to carry back to her, perhaps one of the few elves in Valinor who would understand his pains, is quite appropriate. Author Reply: I always assumed that there was something special about that gem, and the way it was described made me think of Frodo's phial. Perhaps, it too, had been made by Galadriel? And that made me think of Celebrian. And that was exactly the reasoning I used in having the gem come from her in the first place.

Virtuella	Reviewed Chapter: 53 on 8/20/2008
I like this very, very much. It is beautifully written, and the motif of the jewel is so natural and yet so meaningful. The three embraces, too - two that take place and one that doesn't - link the three parts of the story together well. You description of Frodo's feelings after the quest is very insghtful. I hadn't thought about it like this before, but now I read this, it makes perfect sense. Author Reply: We are not given any clues in canon about the origin of the "white jewel", and it seemed to me that it might have been a gift to Celebrian from Galadriel, a sort of miniature version of the phial that Galadriel gave Frodo. And it seemed that would be a natural thing for Celebrian to give her own daughter on her departure. I am glad you caught the part about the embraces--and especially the part about the one that didn't take place. Thank you for noticing that! Frodo seems to distance himself emotionally after the Quest, and I tend to believe the fanon theory that he suffered from both post-traumatic-stress and survivor's guilt (over Gollum). It seems to fit in with what JRRT reveals to us about Frodo in his Letters, and also with the distant "tone" of the later narrative, supposedly written mostly by Frodo himself.

Andrea	Reviewed Chapter: 53 on 8/16/2008
I think Arwen chose the best messenger to bring her mother's pendant back to her. For Frodo and Celebrian share the same fate. They were fading in the end and the only possible way to find healing was to leave Middle Earth. Bilbo's "transparency" is of a different kind. He's simply old, or even "ancient" like Arwen calls it. He's not fading, but he was influenced by the Ring for a long time of his life, which seemed to be lost forever. But like Frodo he was allowed to sail to Tol Eressea and find healing there. Both of them will have a lot to share with Celebrian in the West. I enjoyed this story a great deal. Thank you very much, Dreamflower :) Author Reply: I think she did, too! And for the very reason that you state. As old as Arwen was, she probably had very little exposure to the aging of mortals. In her head, she realizes that for his race, Bilbo has lived far longer than most of his kind. But I am sure that in her heart, it was hard to face the idea that she would soon lose this small friend one way or another. I can easily imagine them sharing anecdotes of her daughter with Celebrian.

Larner	Reviewed Chapter: 53 on 8/15/2008
It is grievous to think she has in a manner of speaking given a promise she may not herself see through; but she sends it by way of a messenger with whom her mother will be able to identify, and who will be able to reassure Celebrian that Arwen is, indeed, happy with her choice. Very gentle and poignant. Author Reply: One reason I had the question worded the way I did, was so that Arwen actually did not break her promise, even though of course neither of them had an inkling at the time. I think that Frodo and Celebrian will have a good deal in common. And he and Bilbo will be able to tell her a lot, not only about her daughter, but about the remarkable Man who won her daughter's heart.

Kitty	Reviewed Chapter: 53 on 8/12/2008
sniffles Beautiful, Dreamflower, but sad, too. To have Celebrían give her daughter the pendant in the hope Arwen would one day bring it back to her in Aman was heartbreaking, knowing she would chose mortality. Oh, what a disappointment for poor Bilbo! Elrond was right, of course, but it was still very hard for him, after looking forward to it for so many years. And so he'd not see Aragorn again, either ... :( But it was lovely that Arwen was there to try and comfort him. Oh yes, I can imagine very well that these two grew even closer during the long wait, worrying if they would see Aragorn and Frodo ever again! sigh You're right, the minstrel meant it as a honour to make the lay about 'Frodo of the Nine Fingers', to raise him onto the same level as Beren. But Frodo didn't see it the same way, sadly. And of course Arwen, being an Elf, was one of the first to realise he would not heal, but was fading. Well, it was a nice way to keep her promise, even if it was not exactly as she - and her mother - had expected it to be kept. Author Reply: Yes, it was ironic. Arwen at that point had no way to know--but we did! I've always felt that the two of them would have a wonderful friendship. And I had such a strong image of that second vignette, as she comforted him, and then carried him into her bower--it was the first part of the fic that I came up with. There are so many parallels between Frodo and Beren--but Frodo was just not capable of appreciating them. And at least Celebrian will understand.

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