Stories of Arda Home Page
About Us News Resources Login Become a member Help Search

Interrupted Journeys: Part 4 Journeys of Discovery  by elliska 8 Review(s)
BrazgirlReviewed Chapter: 4 on 10/11/2005
Hi Elliska!
Oh no... Apparently the elfling's adars are very very mad at them. I was surprised with Thranduil and with his brother even when Hallion tried to soothe their anger. Poor Galithil!
And why Legolas had to be the one to be seen by the warriors??? Poor elfling! Ada Thranduil is nervous. I wonder what Lindomiel will do to appease him.
By the way it called my attention that line - 'Thranduil's patrols!' - just like it happened to Legolas. Who are those elfling's parents? Would they be some of those creepy elves of the past??? I am curious now!
Very interesting chapter! I could feel their despair when they were heading back to the cottage and climbing the slippery rocks. Ah, and poor elf!! Those mischevious elflings made him feel guilty. I wonder if they are going to tell him in time what happened or Amglaur will find them first.

Sorry for any mistakes up here... I am sleepy. But I had to leave ou a review! There is a thing here that needs to be answered: who are the fathers of those elflings!!! Ahhaha

Hugs,

Brazgirl

Author Reply: Hi Brazgirl! Yes, the parents are angry. Legolas and his cousins should be glad they have grandparents and uncles like Hallion on thier side trying to calm their parents down a bit. :-)

I'm glad that line "Thranduil's patrol" called your attention. I meant for it to show Anastor and Noruil's attitude. You are absolutely right--they are the children of some of the creepy elves. Those kids will continue to cause trouble. And so will their parents. You will see.

Legolas was unlucky that he was the one the patrols saw. Poor him! And he will feel sorry for himself when his father gets hold of him.

Thanks so much for the reviews! :-)

NilmandraReviewed Chapter: 4 on 10/11/2005
Oh, I am hoping that the children are allowed to confess their sins before their parents let on they know! It may not lessen any punishment, but it will do them good to do the right thing now.

You really had me on the edge of my seat, anxious to keep reading and see if they got caught. Now I am anxious to find out what the parents will do, and more importantly, if they will manage to stop the two children creating havoc with the patrols before they are injured or taken by orcs :/

Author Reply: I'm glad the beginning part of the chapter had you wondering if they would be caught, or worse. They got off relatively easy this time (though once they have to face their parents, the children may not agree that they got off easy). They will not always escape unscathed, but this time they did.

And Anastor and Noruil will continue to create havoc even if this particular activity is curtailed. Orcs...hmm. Not yet anyway.

I cannot decide how to edit the last scenes of this. Poor little things are brave to decide ot go confess though, aren't they? :-)

Thanks for the reviews! :-)

BodkinReviewed Chapter: 4 on 10/11/2005
I do love this. Those poor elflings - having to wait for justice to fall heavily on them.

(I hope skilful questioning teases the names of Anastor and Noruil out of them. But I'm not holding my breath!)



Author Reply: :-) Thank you for the second review. What a treat. :-) Poor elflings, indeed. I am going to edit the 'justice scenes' right now and hopefully finish them tonight. Thranduil is a pretty skilled interrogator, but as daw says, children just don't tell on each other. Even if they did, Anastor and Noruil's parents aren't exactly going to be joining Thranduil for tea to discuss parenting tips anyway. Those kids are bound to cause more trouble still. :-) Thanks again. :-)

DotReviewed Chapter: 4 on 10/10/2005
I’m so in awe of your descriptions of the forest at night. It’s just magical. I love the idea of Legolas thinking that the forest simply sleeps when the elves do, but realising now the life and beauty of the night.

The moonbow sounds amazing too. You create a real sense of something ancient and mystical. But Anastor and Noruil need a good slap across the backside. Grrr. I really felt for the other elflings when they realised that they’re mixed up in more than just deceiving Crithad. I will admit to feeling a little thrill at the thrill at the thought of the patrols being out there :-) “Thranduil’s patrols!” Anastor whispered Legolas’ shock at that disrespect for his father is very effective. It’s worrying, though, that Anastor is saying that because he must have picked it up from home or somewhere. It’s fairly obvious from the daring leap they made that these two have done this before. And can I just say how much I love Galithil taking Berior’s hand and helping him, and also coming back and helping save Brethil?! Whatever else he may be, he’s also brave and loving and he takes charge too when he needs to. And what a scary moment it was when Brethil slipped! Apart from the fact that he could have been seriously hurt, even if he just got wet it would require a lot of explaining!!

One of my favourite little details from this chapter is the line about Berior’s father not getting angry unless they’ve done something dangerous enough for them to be hurt. His son is a happy little soul and it just makes me smile to think that Celonhael hasn’t become protective of this son but has learned to just enjoy fatherhood and let his son enjoy his childhood. Of course, it also has more of an effect, I imagine, when he does lose his temper!

You painted a wonderful picture of the frightened elflings when they arrive back! Poor Crithad, though. He thinks he’s frightened them and his wife is probably in I-told-you-so mode.

I really am quite fond of bossy Eirienil. She’s quite skilled at finding out what’s going on. And Berior is adorable. Even if he will have a fine bruise on his leg now. Rodonon’s explanation of rainbows and moonbows is beautiful. I love the idea of them being a gift and blessing from the Valar.

Eek, the parents have found out. *cringe* I’m glad Aradunnon realises that they probably weren’t the ones sneaking around any other night but still, that doesn’t mean they can’t all be mad as hell with their offspring. And the mothers will probably do their “worried and disappointed” routine (understandably too!) and that’s often worse than an adar’s anger. I wonder if they’ll tell on Anastor and Noruil? Hmm.

As much as I hate seeing the elflings so anxious and guilt-ridden, I do think it’s good that they’re feeling this way because it shows that they know not only that they were wrong, but why they were wrong. It shows a lot of maturity to recognise that it is the lie – or omission of truth – that is as wrong as the act in the first place. They definitely do need to apologise to Crithad (can you tell that I like him?) and I suppose I can hope that their parents recognise this as the positive thing it is. Errrr… would it be very bad of me to wish to see Thranduil & co. in full flow, though?! :-)


Author Reply: I am so glad you liked the description of the forest at night. I wanted it to seem special through Legolas's eyes. And moonbows really are just magical to me. I remember when my dad first took me to see the one near where we lived. It was so vibrant that I'll never forget it.

And you are right--Anastor and Noruil need a good spanking. They are regularly up to no good, as we will see as this story moves along, and that line about Thranduil's patrols was intended to imply exactly what you said--they had to learn that attitude from somewhere and it's not a good sign. They will cause more trouble for Legolas than just this incident.

I will admit that Celonhael is totally my dad. You have him pegged exactly from that little line--he knows that he is blessed to have another child so late in life and he is determined to help that child enjoy the world. And Celonhael, though Sindarin, is very much a woodelf, just like his son. They play a bigger role in some later parts of this and I really like them. But you are very right--the parent that rarely loses their cool is very frightening on the rare occassion that they do get angry. Poor Berior.

I felt bad for Crithad having to take them back in the house--and having to face his wife. And when she finds out what they were really doing, it isn't going to be better for Crithad because he was supposed to be watching them. He's in a no-win situation here. Poor guy--I like him too. He's a good person and very loyal, as we will see.

And I'm glad you like Eirienil. She cracks me up. She is a good kid, if a bit bossy at times. Now that I am reading these parts again, I wonder a little if I was reading a Harry Potter story when I was writing this. She reminds me a little of Hermione sometimes. But she has some rather large responsibilities coming to her, so it is good that she is smart and dependable.

I am also glad you liked Rodonon's little story about Yavanna. I thought it was a pretty idea. :-)

But yes, the angry fathers and the disappointed mothers--what a deadly combination. I haven't decided how much of the explosion...I mean parental reaction I will show yet. The whole scene as I have it written seems too much to me. But it is hard to cut. Thranduil in full flow is fun, isn't he (at least from this side of the computer screen--wouldn't want to be in the same room with him though.)

Thanks so much for the reviews! :-)

perellethReviewed Chapter: 4 on 10/10/2005
Yay! doomsday's at hand!
It was such a dangerous adventure, I was catching my breath waiting for the moment one of them would slip and fall into the river.
I had to laugh at Legolas' surpirse at hearing his adar referred to as simply "Thranduil"! :-)
These two elflings, though seem to be at nothing good, chasing the patrols and learning about their movements... and guiling other elflings into the forest at night... this smells like disaster!

Pity that the kids made up their minds and decided to tell the truth the same moment the infuriated parents are in search of an explanation, this is going to be great! :-)


Author Reply: You are right that Anastor and Noruil are serious troublemakers. They will continue to be as this little story progresses along. I'm glad Legolas's reaction to the way the refered to Thranduil made you laugh--I had fun with that detail. I think it would be something Legolas would rarely hear, so it would strike him. And I intend it to show something about Anastor and Noruil's attitudes too.

And I'm glad the beginning of the chapter had you a bit worried about the outcome. Nothing happened this time. They were lucky. They will not always be so lucky in the future, but then, after their parents get hold of them, they may not count themselves as very lucky this time either. ;-) Legolas would like to express his dismay over your enthusiasm for the punishment he is going to have to endure. ;-) (I would not want to face an angry Thranduil).

Thanks for the reviews! :-)

BodkinReviewed Chapter: 4 on 10/10/2005
Well. If they are caught actually in the process of confessing to Crithad, it might take the teensiest edge off their parents' wrath. And it will solve Crithad's dilemma of 'what on Arda do I do with this information?'

And I hope that the parents are detectives enough to weasel out of them enough information about the elflings who led them astray to be able to go in for the kill.

Whatever happens there, though, Legolas, Galithil, Berior and Brethil are in for a painful learning experience. One that Eirienil is going to be very happy to miss. Perhaps she will take and use the knowledge that there are times when it is better to let the ellyn get on with it on their own - or perhaps she might feel that they need her restraining influence.

The elflings didn't do badly, in a way. They did stand up to Anastor and Noruil and refuse to do anything terminally stupid - like leaping off waterfalls in the dark and climb trees from which they would be bound to fall. They did look after each other - I love Galithil coming back to save Brethil (he's a good-hearted ellon, if as heedless as his adar in his younger years) - but, somehow, I think their parents are going to freeze at the prospect of Brethil-in-the-river rather than visualise Brethil-rescued.

They are soooo dead. No matter how beautiful the night and the trees and the song of the creatures and the moonbow, they will be warriors before they escape from the cages their parents are going to confine them in.

Orcs are easy, Thranduil. I'm enjoying watching you with elflings. A much tougher call.

Author Reply: We will see if their willingness to confess saves them at all. I remember a few times in life when I thought my confession should have earned me some points and it didn't. :-/

But you're right--things could have been much worse. Somehow, though, I doubt 'But ada, I didn't jump off the cliff or jump through the trees over the river' is going to be an argument that calms Thranduil down. I think you are right: the parents are going to see the Brethil-in-the-river side of the story more vividly.

But Galithil, for all his troublemaking side is a good child at heart, as you said. He has some hard lessons to learn before he will learn some restraint to go with his love of adventure.

Bottom line though--you said it, they are sooo dead. My parents would have grounded me until my wedding day if they'd caught me sneaking around at night. Now I have to go decide how much of the aftermath of this I'm going to post.

Thanks for the review! :-)

French PonyReviewed Chapter: 4 on 10/9/2005
I never knew anything about moonbows before. I shall have to go and look for a moonbow someday. But not on the advice of elflings who aren't supposed to be out at night, and I will most certainly tell Thranduil where I am going.

Probably one of the worst things about being a kid is doing something wrong but fun at just the time in life when you start to grow a conscience. The fun thing isn't so much fun after all, and just when you work up the courage to go confess, you realize that the grownups have already found out about it and they're hopping mad. And the fact that you were coming to confess doesn't count as a mitigating factor at all. It usually makes the grownups even madder.

Sigh. I feel for those kids.

Author Reply: There are really only two reliable moonbows that I know of and only one in the US--in Cumberland Falls, Ky. It is really stunning. Seeing the bright colors when everything else is dark is really incredible. And pictures can't do it justice because to expose them long enough to capture the moonbow, you end up with a picture that looks like you've taken it in the middle of the day. You have to see one in person to really appreciate it. I loved seeing the one in Cumberland.

These kids would have been much better off if they had practiced a little patience and just asked their parents about moonbows rather than trusting Anastor and Noruil. Fortunately they will live to regret their actions.

But I so agree with this: one of the worst things about being a kid is doing something wrong but fun at just the time in life when you start to grow a conscience. The fun thing isn't so much fun after all.... I remember that lesson all too well. Poor kids. They have definitely learned it here.

Thanks for the reviews, FP!

daw the minstrelReviewed Chapter: 4 on 10/9/2005
I was impressed by Galithil's rescue of the small elflings on the rocks. He's reckless but he's not selfish. I was also impressed by Legolas's argument that they should confess. He has a finely developed conscience. I'm not sure it's going to save him though. And I think Galithil may be in more trouble than he realizes! His father looked mighty displeased.

Will they tell on the other kids? It really would be best for the wanderers if they did but it violates the kid code.

Author Reply: Hi daw. :-) Galithil is a good child at heart. I think 'reckless but not selfish' describes him pretty well, actually. He likes his adventures and he has the confidence of someone who knows too little to know better, but he cares about his younger cousins and he won't do something that he really is convinced is wrong (like flat out lying). And I remember you saying once in a review reply that you see Legolas as having had honesty drilled into him from an early age--I definitely agree with that, both given who he is and given the fact that his society would have that expectation of anyone. So I think he knows enough to feel uncomfortable being less than truthful.

But you are right--it's going to be too little, too late in this instance, poor kids.

The kids code--that makes me laugh. But you are so right. It is innate social behavior. I still haven't decided how much of the 'confession/parent's reaction' part of this I will post. It seems too much to post all I've written (overkill of a sort) so I can't say yet how that will be handled in the final version. Poor kids though--you're right. Aradunnon is mad about this one.

Thanks for the review! :-)

Return to Chapter List