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A Long and Weary Way by Canafinwe	5 Review(s)
obsidianj	Reviewed Chapter: 36 on 2/5/2014
That was quite a shock to hear Gollum talking about his birthday, when Aragorn's birthday was just that day. Although, it was just a coincidence and I think Gollum just remembers the long ago time when he lived in this area. But what a miserable journey. I can commiserate with Aragorn. It snowed all day today and I can't imagine being outside in this kind of weather with no shelter.

shirebound	Reviewed Chapter: 36 on 12/8/2013
Thranduil had assured them, many years ago when he and Gandalf had travelled to Mirkwood to make arrangements against the day they found their quarry, that his cells were impenetrable. Aragorn had had his doubts, chiefly springing from the jailbreak that Bilbo and his companions had effected on their way to Erebor. And well he should doubt! Quite a miserable birthday for them both, and no mistake. That was a very interesting moment when Aragorn wondered how/if Gollum knew his birthday. Author Reply: No kidding! I always sort of wondered about the choice of Thranduil as guardian for this most difficult prisoner, given the record there. I suppose perhaps it's because he's the only Elf-lord with a dungeon? A miserable birthday indeed. Though of course it wasn't REALLY Gollum's: whenever his birthday was, it was warm enough to be swimming at the mouth of Gladden. Thank you as always for the lovely comments!

UTfrog	Reviewed Chapter: 36 on 12/8/2013
Back to utter misery. We are in the middle of a nice storm, not nearly as nasty as most of the country, but bad enough. My dogs have to be pushed off the porch to get them outside long enough to pee. Then they look at me with the most reproachful eyes. I can only barely imagine walking and walking and walking in snow and cold. With a river crossing ahead, it does not appear that Aragorn will be comfortable again anytime soon. Great job. Thanks. Author Reply: Yes, winter is upon us all, Aragorn included! I'm very grateful for my solid walls and electric heating. Alas, our Ranger lacks all those luxuries, and must, as you say, walk and walk and walk. No wonder he's out of patience. Thanks as always! And your poor puppies: doubtless wondering what happened to their nice, comfortable garden.

HH	Reviewed Chapter: 36 on 12/7/2013
I was always under impression that Gollum had not escaped from Mordor but was released with some type of involuntary compulsion to find the ring and bring it back to Sauron or at the very least that Sauron knew that Gollum would be drawn to the ring (which was proven true) -- thus I would believe that if there really is something/someone following Aragorn & Gollum is it more likely that they a re actually following Gollum so that he can lead them to the ring vs the strange Tark that speaks the black speech. I think it also supports how Gollum was later assisted escaping from Thranduil's realm -- because unless there was a spy among the Elves, which I find unlikely, the only way they could know that he was a prisoner was if they had followed him there... In regards to Sauron being aware of Aragorn directly as of the heir to the line of Isuldur--- it seems to be treated both ways in the canon -- if I remember correctly Aragorn describes how the enemy has set snares to capture him (when he first meets the four hobbits in Bree) and yet there is a time when he first shows himself to Sauron in the Palantir where he says that Sauron was not aware that he lived and was shaken to find out... Anyway .. once again great story and looking forward to more chapters Author Reply: Gollum was indeed set free (or rather, allowed to escape unhindered) in the hope that he would lead the servants of Sauron to the Ring, but Aragorn only suspects this at the time of this story -- and his only real ground for suspicion is the tremendous difficulty of escaping from Mordor, since he has no idea what Gollum has told his interrogators. In either case, pursuit would definitely be made: if Gollum had legitimately escaped Sauron would want him back, and if he had been set free then Sauron would not want his errand hindered by an unknown Man who captured him almost as soon as he was loose. It is only prudent to assume that he is being followed, and that whatever the pursuers' attitude to Gollum they would mean Aragorn nothing but ill. I've always understood that Aragorn's comment that "The Enemy has set traps for me before now" referred both to Sauron's general efforts to seek the Heir of Isildur should one still exist and to any specific action against one who has been making trouble for Mordor for almost seventy years (not known to be the Heir of Isildur, but still in many ways a hindrance). Certainly his encounter with the Stone of Orthanc was the first time that Sauron received hard proof that the Heir of Isildur yet lived, and still more alarmingly that he had reforged Narsil and was marching to open war. I love talking Tolkien: thank you so much for the well-thought-out comments!

Aiwendiel	Reviewed Chapter: 36 on 12/7/2013
Wonderfully rich telling of this necessarily long and dreary journey, and timely for me as the weather in my particular locale has turned bitterly cold after days of blasting snow. This chapter in particular is, well, precious... I especially enjoy how you weave together for the reader the haunted memories of the Heir of Isildur and the muttered clues from Gollum. And that neither has any idea what torments the thoughts of his 'traveling companion' is a brilliant detail. Yet the reader knows both back stories and can enjoy it more fully. I love the idea of the Ranger "listening with his heart" as his ear is pressed to the ground and comprehending the slaughter of his ancestors. Fabulous story-telling! Author Reply: Oh, thank you so much! I'm very glad to know that this chapter came across well. It was an interesting one to write, because of course both characters have such deep history with this haunting place and neither would have any sense of the other's thoughts. The sentience of the land in Tolkien's works has always fascinated me: the ground groaning beneath the hated feet of the Uruk-hai, the stones of Hollin remembering the folk of Eregion, the trees and their memories. It seemed a good place to explore that.

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