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To Become A Queen  by Madeleine 9 Review(s)
whitewaveReviewed Chapter: 5 on 6/29/2008
The making up scene and his innuendo about her taking her rest (but for the wedding ceremony) reduced me to squeeing fan girl again. Lothy's first entrance to Edoras evoked very vivid images--much like watching a historical fiction movie. I really enjoy how you draw your characters--their personalities are distinct and you stay committed to it all throughout.

Loved the lines: “Stop those gimmicks. You are not a colt any more” and the scene where Lothy overhears her brothers discussing what's going to happen after their sister's wedding and how she outsmarted them.

BodkinReviewed Chapter: 5 on 2/16/2006
Eomer! He certainly does enjoy a good game of cat and mouse, with him as the cat. I'm not sure he's quite realised how short a time his advantage will last, though. He is marrying a tiger.

I don't think Erchirion really needed to remind his sister that she and Eomer were to be married on the morrow - I'm sure every nerve ending she possesses is only too aware ot it!

They managed to get past their dispute quite effectively - helped by the fact that they both have other things on their minds when they are within touching distance. And Eomer's declaration that as his wife she will be her own woman must be reassuring - since he is clearly not saying that he is too indifferent to her to care what she does!

As a side note - I love poor Aragorn being left to deal with a clearly unimpressed Firefoot. He may be King of Gondor and Arnor - but that doesn't do a thing to make Eomer's horse warm to him! I just hope Firefoot has the intelligence to realise that the introduction to Lothiriel will have more bearing on his equine life.

And really, everything Lothiriel says only reinforces the instinct that told Eomer she would be the perfect wife for him. Even her rather ... terse remarks on meeting Gandalf in the Houses of Healing. (Good to see him there. And the hobbits. And Gimli and Legolas.)

I like Cynewyn. She and Elfhelm are a great partnership - and will doubtless be of great help to Eomer and Lothiriel as they are left to build a marriage.

But the chicken-brain accusations have to be among my very favourite parts of the chapter.

Great stuff. I really don't want this story to end!

Author Reply: Éomer will have to learn very quickly that his wife is able to catch up even quicker. Her ability to learn is something he should better never call into question.

And he is going to wish that he had not - somehow prematurely - told her that she will be able to make her own decisions. She is going to take him at his word.

Lothíriel relationship with Firefoot might prove interesting. They do not know what to make of each other. As a horse you notice when your master is somehow behaving oddly when in company of that human female.

KittyReviewed Chapter: 5 on 2/15/2006
Argh, wenn das so weitergeht, muß ich mir ein Ausgleichstraining für überstrapazierte Lachmuskeln einfallen lassen! Bei so langen Kapiteln wird das dauernde Grinsen langsam ungesund!

“What I do not understand,” this brother finally said, “is how the King of Rohan has managed to build up the reputation of being short-tempered. As far as I am able to judge, in recent incidents, he had shown enough patience to rival Aunt Ivriniel’s giant tortoises.” Erchirion hat recht. Bisher ist mir Éomer eher durch erstaunliche Selbstbeherrschung aufgefallen. Obwohl der Vergleich wohl doch ein ganz klein wenig übertrieben ist.

It will seem that it is a law of nature that as soon as I open my mouth that youngest brother of yours will appear out of nowhere. It is beginning to become a nuisance. Das Gefühl habe ich auch. Amrothos hat ein bemerkenswertes Gefühl für (unpassendes) Timing *gg*

“You will refrain from treating strange men, all on your own, in the middle of the night.” Weise Bedingung – wir wissen ja, was dabei rauskommen kann, wie Lothíriel so richtig sagt!

“He is a very amiable lad,” Äh ... redet er von dem Firefoot, den ich kenne? Darüber könnte man sehr geteilter Meinung sein! Aber ich fand es wirklich nett – und sehr typisch für dieses Volk – daß Éomer seine Zukünftige mit seinem Hofhund Reitpferd so hochoffiziell bekannt macht!

Hm, ich sollte damit aufhören, die schönsten Stellen zu zitieren, das wird zu lang! Auf jeden Fall war Lothíriels Auftritt am Schluß noch super! Und Elphir sollte wirklich aufhören, sich so albern zu benehmen. Zu dem Zeitpunkt ist es wirklich übertrieben.

Author Reply: Liebe macht vielleicht nicht blind, läßt Dich aber doch so einiges durch die rosa-rote Brille sehen. Z.B. Dein etwas eigenwilliges Pferd. Éomer hält Firefoot wahrscheinlich für ein etwas zu groß geratenes Steiff-Tier, eben recht knuddelig.

Und ich habe auch die Angewohnheit, mein Pferd und meinen Hund immer offiziel vorzustellen, auch nachdem ich vor kurzem hören mußte, wie ein kleines Mädchen empört zu ihrer Mutter sagte: "Die Frau unterhält sich mit dem Hund!" Na selbstverständlich! Einer der intelligentesten Gesprächspartner, die ich kenne.

DreamflowerReviewed Chapter: 5 on 2/15/2006
Oh, and I meant to mention--and it was the first thing on my mind when I read this yesterday--but as I said, was interrupted: I am so *very* glad that most of the Fellowship is there for the wedding. I loved your description of Merry's and Pippin's rambunctious greeting, and I do so hope that you will give Lothiriel a few moments to make their acquaintance, especially that of Merry, who is going to end up as one of her husband's dearest friends (why else would he travel all the way to Rohan at the age of 102 to be at Eomer's dying bedside?) so she really needs to get to know him.

Author Reply: Merry and Pippin are going to have their grand entrance a little bit later.

DreamflowerReviewed Chapter: 5 on 2/15/2006
I wanted to review this chapter yesterday when I first read it, but was interrupted.

From the very first line:
Nobody had ever mentioned to her that love could be so irritating.


to the very last line: She loved her brothers. She truly did. But she was glad that she was going to get shot of them.

this was an absolutely delightful chapter! I loved the various attempts at talking made by the two principals, and I also loved the details of Lothiriel's morning toilet, her new friends and her new handmaiden sound like wonderful OCs, and I am very pleased to see her making such friends.

Eomer is so aware of his effect on her--that's wonderful; usually in these sorts of romance fics, the male is completely and unrealistically oblivious. Your Eomer is anything *but* oblivious.

I can just imagine that Lothiriel *is* going to be glad to be shot of her brothers. Only Erchirion seems to have much in the way of discretion and tact, and when he gets going with the other two even *he* seem to lose track of those qualities. As for Elphir, he is a pompous twit full of hot air, and I would very much like to see his future brother-in-law prick that self-importance and deflate him. And Amrothos--he can't seem to treat anything seriously. Lothiriel *should* get over that reflex-action of defending him when she knows him to be in the wrong.

As for Amrothos and Merewyn--"couple from hell" might be accurate, but I still think that they'd be cute. I bet if anyone at all could throw him off guard it would be Merewyn, with her propensity for blurting out whatever comes to mind without any thought for consequences (I have an OC like that myself; those sorts of people are usually so sweet that you can't help but like them no matter how frustrating.) while he seldom says anything without trying for effect.





Author Reply: Oh yes, Éomer is very aware of his effects on Lothíriel. He has been aware of it since their first meeting, but he is also aware that she can't keep up with him and usually lets her off the hook and stops short before things get out of hand - most of the time. But Lothíriel believes in studying and learning and she is determined to be an apt pupil. And she certainly has some effects on him.

Her brothers? I love them, because nothing is really known about them and as a writer you can do with them whatever you want. Even mix Amrothos up with an OC.

Lady SarumanReviewed Chapter: 5 on 2/15/2006
Great job on your story!!!!!

Well, it’s nice to know that Éomer and Lothíriel made up—quite easily, in fact, much more easier than I would have expected after such a violent argument. You were right, Madeleine, Lothíriel can take care of herself quite easily. Now her only problem is to get used to Éomer’s presence. But I trust you to enable her to do just that. :D

The stone wall thing without mortar was funny, because I thought that Éomer would tell her that the wall did have mortar, except that it was designed to be invisible. Éomer’s betrothed is quite an observer.

And their “compromise” that they reached: Éomer would be riding still, and Lothíriel would still be into her healing studies. In that situation with Gandalf, where it says:

“Oh, not officially,” Gandalf replied in a friendly manner. “But we spoke a few words at the Houses of Healing, Princess Lothíriel. I think you said: ‘You are in my way!’ and I answered: ‘My apologies.’”

I can most certainly picture myself in Lothíriel’s situation. What an embarrassing moment! It’s surprising to know that Lothíriel isn’t the least a bit shy at all; on the contrary, she can be quite brisk, which makes her sound rude and insolent.

Gimli was pretty funny too. He’s rather nosy, and that quarrel between Éomer and Lothíriel was certainly not about the weather. Legolas is just something like an obsessed elf. First he comments on the weather, then he comments her on her elven-blood. The way he said it, it seems as if he could see through her veins and detect what kind of blood flows there.

This quote I found funny because it reminded me of Hagrid in the Harry Potter series. J.K. Rowling stated that Hagrid’s hands were the size of trash can lids.

'The introductions went on for quite some time. Lothíriel met Erkenbrand, Marshal of the Westmark. A mountain of a man with the biggest hands she had ever had to entrust her own to. He had once chosen a wife in proportion to his own configuration and therefore their children, two sons and two daughters, were of similar size. A truly large family. She had never felt so fragile.'

Imagine that: Lothíriel having to allow her hand being “entrusted to” another man’s whose hands are large beyond measure.

'Éomer still held one of her hands in his and suddenly she felt a tug which was becoming all too familiar. He was trying to slide her glove from her fingers. Lothíriel made a fist. She looked up into the green-gold gaze. His grin nearly made her knees buckle but she refused to give in. Finally he raised her gloved fist to his lips and dropped a light kiss on it.'

Wow, Éomer’s sexual desire must be stronger than ever now, I guess. Soon he’s going to become a stripper. Yeecccchhhh!

“What makes you think he can think?” Amrothos butted in. “By now you should have realized that he has the brain of a chicken.”

Man, Amrothos can really be rude when he wants to. Chicken-brain-Elphir. Imagine that! LOL…I personally think, out of the tree, Elphir is the most stupid, insensitive, and grumpy, not to mention him being a killjoy.

Ah yes, the going-into-room-and-slam-the-door-shut technique. It always works. Remember last time when that happened? It was the first time that Éomer and Amrothos quarreled. But this time I have a feeling the argument will stop then and there, seeing as the trio saw that their sister was okay and she just came and yelled at them and retreated without ever letting them say anything.

I did NOT send this on February 15. Instead, I sent it on Valentines Day, and I have no idea why it says the fifteenth, because where I come from, it’s only 11:00 pm. So….

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!!!!

Hershey’s kisses/hugs
-Lady Saruman ^_^





Author Reply: The wall of the city is indeed constructed without any mortar. Explanation in a later chapter when Lothíriel sets out to inquire.

Well, Erkenbrand is not modeled after Hagrid, but after a neighbour of mine and his family, who are all very, very tall so that next to them I always feel somehow dwarfed - and I'm not short.

Lothíriel didn't intend to be rude to Gandalf. She just concentrated on her work - and he was simply in her way. I can't stand it when I'm trying to do my job and there are onlooker underfoot.

Door slaming? You could call that our family's distinguishing mark.

ShirePirateReviewed Chapter: 5 on 2/14/2006
That was brilliant! I loved the ending. It is about time she had the last word with her silly brothers. Believe me I've got four of my own, and it feels good to be the last one standing! I am so glad to see that Lothiriel really feels comfortable in Rohan, however I worry for her going into a marriage ceremony she knows nothing about, and she still has not learned the language...hopefully Eomer will prove an adequate tutor! Keep up the great work, can't wait to see what happens in the morning, one more good argument?

Author Reply: In my own experience: you can learn a language only properly when you are in the country where it is spoken. That's the reason why I refrained from having Lothíriel begin to learn Rohirric while still in Gondor. And I considered Westron to be the euqivalent to the medieval Latin, which was the universal language for all of Europe.

But don't worry. Lothíriel is going to find a well qualified teacher.

Lady SarumanReviewed Chapter: 5 on 2/14/2006
Haha!!!!!!! *giggles* I don’t know why it’s so funny, but I can’t help it. This chapter wasn’t meant to be funny but I don’t know why I’m laughing anyways. *choking, wheezing, coughing, struggling for breath* Ok, Ok, I’ll come up with a more appropriate review as soon as this laughing fit is over.

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!!

-Lady Saruman ^_^


Author Reply: Hey, you are suppose to giggle all your way through the chapters.

Thanks for the Valentine wishes. Funny, when I posted the chapetr it was already the 15th over here.

daw the minstrelReviewed Chapter: 5 on 2/14/2006
A very engaging chapter. Loved the chicken brain comment! But I miss Merewyn. I liked it when she chattered.

Eomer is a strong, self confident young man. He must have had a personality of iron to have survived Wormtongue et al and come out like this. Or maybe the hard times made him stronger.

Author Reply: From what we now about Éomer from Tolkien (and unfortunately Peter Jackson's otherwise wonderful films have mislead many people in their perspective of his character)he had indeed a very strong personality, was a keen observer of human nature and a very competent and charismatic leader of his people.

And Merewyn will be back a little later - and in full force!

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