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The King's Commission  by Larner 8 Review(s)
Queen GaladrielReviewed Chapter: 7 on 3/16/2006
Oh, I wish I didn't have to stop! :( I want to keep reading, but I've got to stop and study for a test tomorrow, and pull together the last of a school project that I desperately wish was over.

Before I forget, in chapter 6 you've got Rumivir instead of Ruvimir here:

Then the storm hit, and at a crack of lightning and thunder seemingly right overhead the pony bolted, and once again Rumevir was thrown, landing
in a ditch of standing water left from the previous day’s rain.

I just loved Sam's letter! How like him--serious but with a touch of humour here and there. The imitation of Gollum was funny--he was always especially good at that, wasn't he? :)--and the "Your Sam" at the end was very expressive of brotherly love; though it makes one sad at the same time, because he spoke to Frodo in the same way.

I really appreciate the detail Aragorn (or Gimli?) gives in describing Frodo to Ruvimir. I've always loved physical description for some reason, and it just so happens that I like to sculpt and am going to attempt Frodo in probably a matter of days. I'll have to keep that chapter in mind and refer back to it--and maybe I'll get something at least vaguely resembling Frodo. :)

Oh my goodness, you've shown that you're good at cliff-hangers now! Poor Ruvimir--that sounds *so* painful, and then to be so ill on top of it. Glad Miriel could come--I love them both.

"...They need cups that don't fall over so easily."

LOL! Sorry, doesn't work that way, I'm afraid. Poor Ririon obviously has a lot to get used to still...but if he doesn't want that stuff to happen, he'd best learn to be more careful than anyone I've ever heard of--I broke one of my parents' best crystal wine glasses that way once. My mother was *not* pleased, and neither was I, after spending half an hour cleaning up the mess I'd made with my carelessness.

Can't wait to read more; I'm completely hooked!
God bless,
Galadriel

Author Reply: Ruvemir has a way of working his way into your heart, I've found. A very decent fellow, I think.

Lower glasses with a wider bottom aren't as difficult, as I'm certain you know, as taller ones with a narrower diameter. But I certainly know what you mean about knocking over glasses of wine and having to clean up both the spill and the glass!

Thanks for the heads up on the misspelling--I found I'd still do that in the last few chapters--80 chapters of story, and now and then I'd still do "Rumevir" instead of "Ruvemir." We decided it probably means something similar to "red jewel," btw.

So, you'll try using the description to do your own sculpture of Frodo Baggins, eh? That would be interesting. I hope you like the full description of the final sculpture, then, although you probably have an idea of what it's like from reading The Ties of Family.

Good luck with the test.

ClaudiaReviewed Chapter: 7 on 5/28/2005
Hi! I've just now discovered this fic, and I am truly enjoying it. At first, I wasn't sure...with the original characters and Frodo having already sailed and all (and I'm a Frodo junkie)...but I'm on chapter 7 here, and I'm truly won over. I adore your main character. I love that he is "not perfect" and of short stature as well (to sympathize a bit with how the hobbits might have seen Minas Tirith, perhaps?) I adore the heart in this story, how much the King misses Frodo, how much his companions adored him, how strong he was. I especially loved the story aabout Frodo calming the soldier mad from his war experience. I'm just happy that I have so many more chapters still to read! Thank you for writing this story.

Author Reply: It is always a thrill when soomeone discovers a story and enjoys it. I, too, am a Frodo junky, and have been in love with Aragorn for well over forty years now, which is why I try if possible to write both into each story I write. Frodo may have already sailed to Tol Eressea, yet he is still at the heart of this story.

Ruvemir has become one individual whom I have come to admire, and wish I could meet him in person. As with Faramir walking into the text once Tolkien got the story to Ithilien, I found Ruvemir sitting there in the Crossed Keys in Casistir and taking over, as it were. That someone who was exceptionally short would be the one to capture the Hobbits for the memorial just seemed natural; that he would be a good person at heart was also natural. That he would seek to portray the Hobbits as they were also was necessary, for I've always felt the Hobbits would have difficulty with heroic depictions.

And I'm so glad you found the story of Frodo calming the man to be wonderful, for this, I've always felt, was also a good part of his nature--to want to aid others however he could, to try to share the gifts that had been given him.

Thank you for the review. Such keeps us writing, you know.

grumpyReviewed Chapter: 7 on 12/13/2004
Loved Ruvemir's time in the house of healing. So Ruvemir finally got to know who Strider really is and who he was before. Also like the intro of his sister Miriel. Plus the singing at the homecoming of Arwin, bet Strider is one happly man.

Author Reply: Thanks for the feedback.

ViresseReviewed Chapter: 7 on 12/13/2004
I am so enjoying this story. And if Ruvemir is going to the Shire, can I hope that this story will be a nicely long one? All the way to the Shire and back?

And who's going with them? They couldn't go alone that distance. Legolas and Gimli, maybe, to see their friends?

And please let someone find Frodo's drawings soon.

Author Reply: Fairly long, I think. Thanks for the feedback.

Amy EarlsReviewed Chapter: 7 on 12/13/2004
Only time for a drive-by review to say how intensely I loved this chapter (Ioreth! healing!king singing!elves-&-king).

I think that Tolkien was a little hard on Ioreth. She may talk a lot, but she has a good grasp on the essentials.

Yum, king in green and in black!

Loving your quick updates!

Amy

Author Reply: I agree about Aragorn, definitely (but then he's been the love of my imagination for forty-plus years, so of course anything he does is right!) And I agree about Ioreth, myself.

Grey WondererReviewed Chapter: 7 on 12/13/2004
The troubles of others often make us less annoyed with our own. I liked this part at the end of the chapter where Ruvemir sees the nearly blind lad and his friend and re-thinks his own life in a way. I found it very fitting that Sam should be the hardest to capture as he did stay in the background most of the time. Lovely story and I was glad to see such a quick update!

Author Reply: Oh, I agree about Sam sort of being the one others tend to ignore. However, the qualities that made him Mayor are starting to come to the fore, I think. And I can tell you from observation that blindness and partial vision are nowhere nearly as serious as disabilities as some folk like to think. Ruvemir may be in for a pleasant surprise.

BodkinReviewed Chapter: 7 on 12/13/2004
I'm a bit concerned about Frodo's drawings. They should - short of mouse infestation - be safe where they are, but once Miriel and Ruvemir leave that room, who knows who could find them! Unless it's Elise - that could be a useful plot device.

I hope the exercises help Ruvemir's hip. This journey to see hobbitses could be quite painful for him, but actually meeting the three musketeers would be very good for the project - as would seeing the Shire, which would help him understand the heart of hobbits.

He knows who Strider is! And Arwen is back! (The poor kid, though - to lose his sight.)

Author Reply: Oh, there are worse things than suffering damaged vision, believe me.

DreamflowerReviewed Chapter: 7 on 12/12/2004
So now he knows! And Aragorn is going to send him to the Shire! Lovely! That is so great! I can't wait to see his reaction to meeting Merry, Pippin and Sam in person. But I know that a lot more will have to happen before that.

You have really nailed Ioreth's chatter. And I loved the idea of the pompous healer being depicted with donkey's ears.

It's lovely to see that his sister has come to be with him, and I am very pleased that the lovely Elise seems to return his regard.

But I'm a bit worried about Frodo's sketches.

Author Reply: We shall see how well they remain beneath the desk.

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