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The King's Commission  by Larner 7 Review(s)
grumpyReviewed Chapter: 75 on 3/14/2005
Really enjoying your story, Glad that the king got a little healing.
Also love the part about Arwin getting Aragorn into some new riding leathers, that the secret is to get them as much like the old ones. Wonder if Ruvemir is going to find a new bathrobe, looking just like the old one.

Author Reply: I suspect that such is indeed likely to occur. New, comfy robe as much like the old one as possible, which was what I had to do for my own hubby a couple times.

RadbooksReviewed Chapter: 75 on 3/13/2005
Wow! Another great, well-written chapter! Aragorn and his brothers taking care of the apprentices and Ruvemir was touching and well done. But I think the part I liked the best there was, as Arwen said, Aragorn being out on the patio just being able to be a man among men. Not having to worry about whole realms, etc. That was well done, Larner. For any of us to have friends that we can totally relax with and to be our true selves with is a gift - much more so for a ruler or someone famous I imagine. Poor Ruvemir! But then even wounded he is worried more for Aragorn than for himself. Anyway, I could go on here, but I guess there is no need to really list everything I enjoyed about the chapter or it would be as long as the chapter! Well done, well done!

Author Reply: I am so glad that this chapter is obviously ringing a bell for so many. To be a ruler is to be set apart, particularly such a ruler as Aragorn was to be. He would definitely need to have some to unwind with from time to time. As for Ruvemir being worried for his King's wellbeing--well, that was his own nature speaking, I think.

Thanks so much for following the story for so long.

KittyReviewed Chapter: 75 on 3/13/2005
Oh no, Ivarnon has hurt Ruvemir! *sniff*
It was very brave how Ruvemir acted to protect Liana. What a luck Shefti was at home and reacted so quickly!

The healing was quite touching, as well was the way Aragorn sensed what hat happened and ran at once to Ruvemir. I love the idea they all are connected in this way.

I wonder if there will be a sequel? Gradually I am beginning to wonder what will become of all this people - Shefti and Liana, Folco and Miriel, Ruvemir and Elise, all the apprentices, how Ivarnon will fare after two years with the rangers and so on. Is there maybe any chance you will write sometime about this?

Author Reply: That I am being asked to provide sequels as I'm trying desperately to keep the story from going on into eternity is quite touching. That people find themselves caring about these original characters as much as our beloved Aragorn, Frodo, Sam, and company I'm finding amazing. Yet, they have come to be important to me as well, I find, almost as important as the characters of the original story I've been working on since forever, all of whom I've come to love dearly over the years. Maybe I'll finally sit down and finish writing it and get it published. And I'll freely admit that LOTR inspired some of the tangents on which this story goes, too.

Thank you for this tremendous compliment.

harrowcatReviewed Chapter: 75 on 3/13/2005
The first part of this chapter affected so much Larner. And when I got to the sentence about the scent of the athelas for Ruvemir I had to stop reading for a minute or two. The connections between Frodo/Sam, Aragorn/Frodo and now Ruvemir/Sam and therefore Aragorn/Ruvemir as brothers or the heart just hit me. I was so moved and also felt a little stupid that I had seen but not clearly understood just how close the four had become. Ruvemir is now there in my head on a par with the rest of the Fellowship.

I just had to go back and read your other piece about the death of Aragorn. I had loved it before but now it is even better. Perhaps after this you might go back and revise it just to add a hint of Ruvemir greeting Aragorn again. And perhaps Sam and, ofcourse, Frodo! Or perhaps there is a story here in its own right! I know I am asking too much. Will Ruvemir get to carve the block in this story? And am I right in thinking it becomes the link to the other story?
Thanks again for updating so regularly.

Author Reply: The large block is the link to Light on the Way, but I hadn't wished to go that way right now--perhaps, just maybe perhaps in the future, although there will be a mention of it in the next-to-last chapter.

As for Ruvemir honoring Frodo--well, you will see. The last chapter has been written for over a month, although the last few leading up to it are still under construction.

DreamflowerReviewed Chapter: 75 on 3/13/2005
Well, you dealt with Ivarnon rather quickly, and showed that he's merely clueless and vain, rather than actually wicked. I find myself curious as to how he will turn out after his sentence is served--you have such an amazing knack with your OCs! It reminds me of how well JRRT was able to characterize even his minor characters, which inspire us fanfic writers to try and expand on them!
I love how Ruvemir showed no hesitation whatsoever, nor asked for assistance, when it came to defending Liana. And it appears that Shefti must have paid close attention to Folco, to think so quickly of throwing something.
This story continues to intrigue me, as you open up more and more avenues to explore.

Author Reply: OOOH! You just paid me the ultimate compliment, comparing me to our beloved Professor! Thank you so very much!

Now, when someone starts taking my own fanfic further as I have done in part for Lindelea, Anglachel, Jodancingtree and a few others, then I will know that I've truly been almost as influential as he has been.

And you know, I never made the connection between Shefti and Folco and Pando, but you are right, it is there after all. But, when one sees another under serious threat, a good person uses whatever comes to hand to protect, or so I would think.

TiggerReviewed Chapter: 75 on 3/12/2005
Wow...This was such an intense chapter. Sad to see my instincts were right about Liana's husband, but glad to see mercy was shown on him. There is a difference between pure evil and just simple arrogant stupidity after all. I hope Ruvemir's recovery is problem free. I loved the beginning of the chapter w/the healing of the apprentices and Aragorn receiving healing in return. That was a lovely piece of writing there. Oh and I have a feeling Arwen has all the apprentices under her spell now. What a surprise. ;o)

As always, looking forward to the next installment.

Author Reply: Unlike some, I don't see a lot of good in prolonging healing through weeks and months of complications--I've seen a few stories become unbelievable just due to that ploy. I've read them to the end just to see how it will be handled or to see what new complication will be thought of next, but it can be overused.

And I am glad others have appreciated the backlash healing for Aragorn himself. He, too, needs some reassurance from time to time, not just easing of anxieties or feelings of guilt.

EruviluiethReviewed Chapter: 75 on 3/12/2005
You're tying up loose ends. I'm sad this is ending, but it would get annoying if it went on forever (though it would take a long time to get annoying with your writing). The healing was wonderfully written. I'm so glad they've been helped, and that Ruvemir and the King discovered a special connection, especially as it came in handy later. I loved that the athelas smelled like Sam for Ruvemir. I liked the moment among the brothers - when will they introduce Moritum to Staravion? There was so much providence here - that Shefti stayed home, that Eldamir did as well, and that the King immediately sensed a problem. It's a shame Ivarnon couldn't see the light for his own darkness until after he'd acted, but I'm very glad he's a good man at heart and that the good will now have a chance to flourish far from any lingering influence of Sauron. Telling the King about Frodo's growing light was the perfect chapter ender. I eagerly await the next chapter!

Author Reply: Yes, TRYING to wind down a bit.

Aragorn has used his healing capabilities on Ruvemir before, and as he said to Imrahil in the first chapter, doing so ties folk together in unusual ways.

I see Ruvemir serving as almost a surrogate for the Hobbits in Aragorn's life now, working on bringing Frodo's appearance before the folk of Gondor, sent to learn more about them, bringing about a different tie than Aragorn personally has to the Shire--there would be the psychic tie growing betweent them, particularly as the Powers have managed to do a backlash healing using Aragorn's own gift fed back into the King to offer him comfort as well. That he'd become aware that Ruvemir was hurt seemed just natural in this section.

And, as one of my friends is fond of saying, there probably are no true coincidences in life.

Glad you liked the chapter ending.

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