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Spring Awakenings  by daw the minstrel 36 Review(s)
LizzieReviewed Chapter: 9 on 1/14/2015
Forgot to mention that I of course still love the story! :)

Author Reply: Good!

LizzieReviewed Chapter: 9 on 1/14/2015
But what of this part of "Laws and Customs among the Eldar": "and their spirits being masters of their bodies, they are seldom swayed by the desires of the body only"? Which is what Eilian was doing, being ruled by his desires alone, which was in turn the reason why I couldn't read that part of the chapter.

Author Reply: This chapter was quite different from what I usually write, but I was interested in the idea of elven bonding. Elven sexuality is tricky to conceptualize, but what I finally decided was that sexual desire strengthens with love. Eilian and Celuwen bonded for life here, and I knew I'd never get another chance to show the way the union between them reached from body to mind to fea.

Anyway that was my theory! It's clearly not everyone's cup of tea, but then Tolkien leaves room for different interpretations.

Elena TirielReviewed Chapter: 9 on 4/17/2004
P.S. About the rabbits:

I take back what I said (that 8 rabbits seemed like too many).

First, as you pointed out, they were for more than one meal.

Secondly, I was thinking plump, juicy rabbits like you would see at a store (think: chicken). It occurred to me that *wild* rabbits caught after a *long, hard, famine-sticken winter* would hardly be more than skin-and-bones!

Okay, I admit it: my entire experience with rabbits consists of chocolate Easter bunnies when I was a kid...

Sorry! Please forgive my momentary flight of fancy...



Author Reply: LOL. You could have told me *anything* and I would have believed it. I do some research on the web when I'm writing about stuff like hunting or forest fires, but my ignorance is deep.

Elena TirielReviewed Chapter: 9 on 4/17/2004
So, Celuwen is scandalized by the fact that she left her stockings on her wedding night? How cute! (It's amazing what details we notice when we're in a brand-new situation...)

Well, the confrontation with Solith wasn't as bad as it could be. I am so pleased to see Celuwen standing up and taking pride in her choice, and Isiwen forcefully knocking some sense into her husband. Way to go, Isiwen!

I do now see past Solith's bull-headedness - he *finally* seems to genuinely care about his daughter (in his own churlish way). It doesn't excuse his misconduct (intercepting the letters...), but it somewhat explains it.

I'm glad that Eilian is at least beginning to understand how he has asked Celuwen to change her life completely, when his will not change as much. (So he thinks now, anyway...)

Solith still had to get the last words in, didn't he? I am glad he and Eilien came to some sort of "understanding" about Eilian not visiting... I suppose that's all the common ground they can expect! Solith still refuses to accept that Eilian truly loves Celuwen, and will protect her any way he can...

Celuwen giggles? I am all astonishment!

So Eilian's room is a guy kinda place, huh? But he just happens to keep the three stones that she gave him long ago displayed on his desk? Maybe he has the makings of a diplomat inside him yet? ;-D












Author Reply: Solith kind of surprised me when I wrote this scene. He insisted on becoming more real rather than just repeating his "I hate you, Eilian" line. And he turned out to be capable of tenderness toward his daughter. Who knew?

Eilian has a long way to go, I think, before he fully understands what he's asked of Celuwen (not to mention what changes are likely for him whether he wants them or not). She has to find some sort of life for herself in Thranduil's stronghold. *I* wouldn't want to be the one to do it.

Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 4/16/2004
best line in all of lotr fan fiction--I will filet you like a fish. I read that a week ago and I have re-read this 100 times and I still love it. I ranks with "on your knees". Poor guy. He's having a rough time.

Author Reply: Both fathers are threatening him, aren't they? I suppose he's used to it in both cases. :-)

That scene with Celuwen's father was one of the first ones I wrote for this story. It's been sitting in my notes for several months. I'm glad it finally made it to the story archive!

Jay of LasgalenReviewed Chapter: 9 on 4/11/2004
There were lots of good things in this chapter. The encounter with Celuwen's parent's wasn't as bad as they (and we) feared, and I loved the deep satisfaction Eilian and Celuwen feel in each other. Eilian *did* make the right decision, and I hope Thranduil will realise that too in the end. But the meeting with him next morning is going to be - interesting.


Jay

Author Reply: What Thranduil realizes in the long run and what happens in the morning are two different things, I'm afraid. He's not going to jump with joy immediately. But I think that Eilian did the right thing and Celuwen will be good for him. He thanks you for your support!

LKKReviewed Chapter: 9 on 4/11/2004
Considering all that might have happened between Eilian and Celuwen's parents, that went surprisingly well. I hope the same can be said about their encounter with Thranduil.

Celuwen's mother impressed and surprised me by jumping in and defending her daughter. She, at least, understands that the choice Celuwen was facing was death or bonding. Perhaps Solith will someday understand that as well. Solith did win some sympathy points by clearly caring about his daughter's happiness. But he lost a few of those points by not understanding that Eilian makes Celuwen happy.

I wonder if Celuwen will help defend Eilian's actions to Thranduil. I hope she does because I think doing so would surprise the king and go along way to easing his anger at his son. (I have to admit that I don't like it when Thranduil is angry at Eilian, so I fervently hope the announcement doesn't go over *too* badly!)

Oh, and I haven't forgotten about Thranduil's youngest! Stuck up in a tree with a comely maiden and a half-dozen children. Quite a pastoral scene it would be, if it weren't for the raging flood that's happening beneath their feet and possibly threatening the very tree that they're stuck in! GET THEM SOME HELP! :)

Author Reply: When I started to write about Celuwen's parents in this chapter, Solith kind of surprised me by turning real. He insisted on loving his daughter, even though I think, like you, that he is blind in deciding what will make her happy.

I'm writing about Legolas at the moment. He'll be in the next chapter and then we'll get back to the newlyweds and Thranduil. I have every faith that in the long run, things will be fine, but in the short run, I suspect that Eilian is in for some unpleasant moments. Sorry!

ErendisReviewed Chapter: 9 on 4/11/2004
First of all, thank you for that transcript of LACE, Daw. I haven't yet got my hands on 'Morgoth's Ring', so even as I've heard about it I haven't read it.

This was certainly an entertaining chapter. Fun and tense as well, I did giggle at certain parts. I think that Solith's reactions were inevitable and predictable, but you also showed that he has another side... a bit softer and more understanding, even if he expresses it with the desperation and ire of a thwarted father.

I can't help to think that you're purposely delaying the meeting of Eilian and Thranduil. Boy, Ada is going to have a nice surprise for morning meal!
In any case, the newlyweds are happy with each other and that's what matters the most.

Will the next chapter be about Legolas and the aftermath of the flood? I hope so. Can't wait to see how he fares now and who stole that food!

Author Reply: I think that a transcript of LACE may be somewhere in the files section of SoA Yahoo group. Take a look.

I laughed as I wrote part of this chapter too. The final conversation between Eilian and Solith struck me as funny, even though the earlier part was sort of angsty, at least to write. Solith is genuinely grief stricken over what his daughter has done.

I'm working on Legolas and the flood right now. I'm away from home at the moment, but should have the chapter done by Monday at the latest.

caz - bazReviewed Chapter: 9 on 4/11/2004
i'm glad i'm not in Eilian's shoes. it must be really hard to write about the confrontation between Eilian and Thranduil i know i'm not 100% sure how he's going to react to the news but i'm betting it's not going to be a good one.

Happy Easter

Author Reply: Thranduil's reaction has taken some thought but I don't believe he is one to let this go even though he loves his son and will see that Celuwen is good for him. I don't think he ever had any doubt that would be the case.

Happy Easter to you too, Caz-Baz.

FadesintothewestReviewed Chapter: 9 on 4/10/2004
I look so forward to reading about Celuwen and Eilian's adjustment to married life. How wonderful for them. It makes me giddy for them. I hope Thranduil will be more warm and receiving, after all she was fading and she will be everything Thranduil hopes for for Eilian.

Author Reply: Those things you say are true, but it's also true that Thranduil told Eilian he needed Celuwen's parents approval, that the engagement would need to be more than a year in length, and that he needed to behave like the son of the king. Also, LACE says that marrying without ceremony was contemptuous of the families. Do we think the king will like that?

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