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Elf Academy 3: The Enemy Within by Fiondil	22 Review(s)
Kitty	Reviewed Chapter: 91 on 11/17/2014
Driving lessons ... Vorondur is right, if there's a source for Elves to get grey hairs, then that would most definitely do the trick. Hm, they have a point about using horses due to fuel problems. Even without a war, oil is not an unlimited source, after all, and the prices will go up and up. And who knows what really comes afterwards. Had to look up Yakuts - thanks for the link! Never heard of that breed myself, but liked them at first sight. They remind me quite a bit of my beloved Iceland horses. These might be an option, too, they may not be as arctic-proof (for lack of a better word), but come close. I know ours were fine with at least -20 degrees Celsius, even had their afternoon nap outside in the snow at -15. Some years ago we had for a short time -25, and even that wasn't a problem. Give them a shelter that protects them from wind, rain and too much snow and a paddock and they will do fine. So they may be an alternative. I know for a fact that there is an Iceland Horse Association in Alaska, with one of the centers in Fairbanks, and a number of breeders all over the US and Canada, so they might be easier to get than Yakuts. Of course, for riding, they are a bit small for Elves. The weight shouldn't be a problem, but the long legs of the riders could get in the way. But the Yakuts aren't any taller, and I don't know any big horses that are native to such cold climate. In the worst case, the Elves can walk with their feet on both sides of the horses, that keeps the feet warm ;) For pulling a sledge, they could use reindeers as well, I think, that part is already established since EA1. Or dogs. Glorfindel is right, few heed the speed limits. Near my place there's a road where 50 km/h are allowed, but I gave up keeping to that pretty soon, as I was the only one, and even the police was always too fast. Now that was a memorable first try that reminds me again why here, driving school is the only allowed method to get a driver's license and why their cars have a second set of pedals. Seems somehow safer - and better for the nerves of the teacher :D Oh, that reminds me of the time when my cousin had gotten his first car with automatic shift. I happened to be with them when my uncle got to test the car - he never had driven an automatic before. So, it went rather well - until we reached a junction outside of town where we had to turn left. Uncle, used to the other type, of course took off some speed and then reached for the shift to get the car into a lower gear - and put it into P. Needless to say, the car came to a very abrupt stop from 50 km/h to zero, and my aunt threw quite a fit snicker Finrod asked what I was always thinking - what if four cars from four directions reach the junction all at the same time? There's just no rule for that. Though it happens rather seldom, luckily. The end left me laughing loud. Nice joke with the hares :D Author Reply: I had to research to see if there were any horses bred for living above the arctic circle. The Yakuts were the only ones that I found to fit the bill. Whether the Elves will bother with them or any other breed at this time remains to be seen. Learning to drive can be harrowing for both the learner and the teacher. I'm sure we all have our (mostly amusing) horror stories. grin I'm glad you liked the gray hares joke. Thanks for leaving a review and letting me know. I appreciate it.

FV_Whisper	Reviewed Chapter: 91 on 11/17/2014
Oh, and I forgot the horses were mentioned here. It's nice seeing the Elves considering them. The Yakut seems to be a good breed to look into, for they are the breed most adjusted to cold temperatures I can think of. I agree with Sunny on Icelandics and Norwegian Northlands as breeds to look into too. The advantage I would give them over the Yakut is that they somewhat higher and more bred for riding. And for Icelandic horses it's considered acceptabele for a large male to ride on them. I think there are farms who breed them in the US as well, although it would be a good guess they will be more rare and pricy. Author Reply: I'm sure the Elves will look into all the possibilities if they decide to go that route. For now, though, I think they will be concentrating on everyone getting their driver's license so they are not dependent on the Wiseman Elves for everything. Thanks for your thoughts, though, FV_Whisper. I appreciate you taking the time to share them with the rest of us.

FV_Whisper	Reviewed Chapter: 91 on 11/17/2014
Why would I not have been suprised if Námo had half of his Maiar standing on watch Chances of something happening that would have made BOTH of them, AT THE SAME TIME, end up in his Halls again would be just too high to take any risks with. Getting his license was quite the experience for Finrod and the later chapter shows he did learn quite a thing from it. Linda's is a good name for a clothing shop, I know one myself called Linda's Look (although I would nevr buy anything there lol) I loved the grey hares joke (and hey, they actually sell plush bunnies over Easter at Wiseman, I like that town. I love buying plush bunnies over that period, but sadly, fior the last years, there have been little to no bunnies at sight is shops here) And the breeding like rabbits comment is hilarious! No wonder it took Ron some time to calm down. Author Reply: Hi FV_Whisper. I wouldn't be surprised if he did either, but I doubt anyone will ever hear of it, especially Finrod and Glorfindel. grin I'm glad you liked the gray hares joke and the breeding like rabbits comment. That last bit was fun to write. Thanks for reviewing. I appreciate it.

Kevana	Reviewed Chapter: 91 on 11/17/2014
Ahaha, grey hares! That's too funny! And putting them out on Amroth and Della's yard was truly inspired. Finrod's behind the wheel, everybody get out of the way! Nah, he did fine, I did wonder if Glorfindel would make him watch the "Red Pavement" sort of horror reel they used to show to scare people into driving safely. On the other hand I don't know if he'd ever want to get in the driver's seat after that. I had a good giggle imagining a tall Elf trying to ride one of those bitty, scrubby ponies. I've often wondered just how big the horses in Aman must have been to handle seven-foot-tall riders! But those little ponies are great for pulling sleds, too. Technically you can keep other domestic horses in Alaska, they have a few riding centers there, but you have to take lots of extra care, like borium shoes and special shelter, and you basically have to import enough hay to last the winter which is VERY expensive. So it would be a full-time and very expensive investment, and then you can't take them out to work in the winter on top of all that. But maybe they can pull a Thranduil and tame a few elk, or better yet, moose. An army of Elves charging into battle on giant moose would scare the daylights out of anybody! And of course some reindeer for Elf Academy. grin Author Reply: Hi Kevana. The gray hares joke is a lot of fun. I'm glad Ellie told me about it as it was perfect for this chapter. As far as I know the Yakut are the only horses that can survive above the Arctic Circle. Whether the Elves will ever really bother with them is hard to say. And those elk in the movies look very prehistoric to me. I don't think they grow them that large anymore and even if they did I don't think the State of Alaska would allow the Elves to domesticate them. grin And they already have reindeer. Anyway, thanks for your comments. They're appreciated.

obsidianj	Reviewed Chapter: 91 on 11/14/2014
Loved the gray hare/hair joke. That was too funny. Finrod's driving lesson went as well as expected. At least he had a wide field with no traffic to practice. They should go back there after the first snow and practice driving in snow. Author Reply: I'm glad you liked the joke, obsidianj. Yes, Finrod and everyone else will need lots of practice driving in snow, just like the rest of us. Thanks for reviewing. It's appreciated.

Tira	Reviewed Chapter: 91 on 11/14/2014
I loved Finrod's reaction to driving. I remember when I first learned (I did driver's ed at 16, but didn't get my license til 18) and had to learn in a minivan also. It's very different from a smaller car or SUV. As for his picture, I commiserate. I recently had to renew my license, and the picture is total deer-in-the-headlights look...better than the original, where I had ear shadows on the wall behind me, but still not pleasing. Your stories always make me happy, even the tense chapters. I love that you do thorough research on the things you write about so it reads believably. There is nothing worse, after all, than having a glaringly obvious incorrect factoid in a story that is not displayed as simply character error. Author Reply: Hi Tira. I don't know anyone who likes their ID photos. They all look like mug shots. LOL! I am so glad to know that my stories make you happy and you appreciate the amount of effort I put into doing proper research. I think that's important for any story, even one that is essentially fantasy. Thanks for letting me know. I really appreciate it.

Laer	Reviewed Chapter: 91 on 11/14/2014
Loved it when Erestor said he would like to name the store Linda's That was very sweet of him :) Driving is one thing, teaching someone else is so much a different animal. I work next to a park. One that people will bring the newbies to learn how to drive in. There are several lagoons in the park, not to mention a river that runs through it. I can think of 4 cars in the last 14 months that had to be pulled from the lagoons. People get nervous and hit the gas instead of the brake. Kind of crazy. Oh! And all the bunnies in Amtoth, Vorondur, Ercassë and Nimrodel would have been a hoot to see. :) Author Reply: Hi Laer. Erestor is very sweet. You're right that driving is one thing and teaching someone else is something else again. I am glad I've never had to teach anyone. I doubt either of us would've survived the experience. I'm glad you liked the bunny joke. Thanks for leaving a review. It's much appreciated.

Tari	Reviewed Chapter: 91 on 11/12/2014
That definitely was a great joke. Author Reply: I'm glad you enjoyed it, Tari. Thanks for letting me know. I appreciate it.

Kaylee Arafinwiel	Reviewed Chapter: 91 on 11/11/2014
Atya, I loved this chapter very much. I think my favourite bits were the suggestions on horses - where would they put them all, though, I wonder - and of course, like everyone else, the grey hairs/hares/breeding like rabbits prank lol. The thought of Finrod stunning the Woman at the DMV by reading the bottom line of the vision test made me giggle too, and of course Finrod driving Glorfindel around. Gray hairs, indeed...and Finrod checked for them too LOL. Amroth and Della sure got a surprise! :) Tye-melin, Kaylee Author Reply: I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter, Kaylee. You're right that even if they had horses, where would the put them? Most likely they would buy land or rent stable space somewhere. At any rate, now that Finrod's finally gotten behind the wheel, there'll be no stopping him. Thanks for reviewing. I appreciate it very much. Tye-melin.

Larner	Reviewed Chapter: 91 on 11/11/2014
Both jokes are wonderful! Love it! After the first time I took the Kid out to try driving, I forbade my students to even touch the gas pedal until they got used to how the car will move on its own (I, too, was teaching in an automatic, just as Glorfindel was doing) and they learned to brake gently. I then found a parking lot where there were two cars and taught my students how to drive figure eights both forward and backwards around them until they felt fully comfortable with the steering of the vehicle both ways. My daughter never had a speck of trouble, and has had only a single ticket in all her years, and that was due to her trucking instructor not advising her to get over to go through the first weigh station re-entering the state when she was working on her trucker's license. She drives a bus between our town and the biggest airport in the region, also taking people to the major hospitals in our largest city. The Kid was nowhere as good a student as his sister, while the niece and nephew I taught to drive were both excellent, both passing the driving test their first time with ease. Ah, but I did love Vorondur's reaction to the plethora of bunnies on the front lawn! I'm with him! Author Reply: Hi Larner. Sounds as if you learned good ways to teach the kids how to drive. I'm glad you enjoyed both jokes and loved Vorondur's reaction to the bunnies on the front lawn. Thanks for letting me know. I appreciate it very much.

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