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| Gifts by daw the minstrel | 27 Review(s) |
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| BlueEyedElf | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 2/27/2008 |
| Hi, daw! Just wanted to let you know I enjoy all your stories, but this one is one of my favorites. I have read it many times, but have never reviewed it. This afternoon as I was reading, I was listening to the radio and heard a song that reminded me so much of this story, I just had to share. I love that Ithilden was finally able to open up to Alfirin. I was beginning to wonder if she would ever break through those walls. I think Ithilden really needed it. He was eventually going to emotionally implode, poor thing! Anyway, I think this is just adorable. Thanks for the great read. Also, the song I was listening to as I read was "Love's Divine" by Seal. If you have heard it or seen the lyrics, please let me know if you think it fits too. Author Reply: BlueEyedElf: I was just browsing my stories tonight and found this review. I'm so sorry I never replied. And it's odd because I remember looking up the song after you mentioned it. It's just exactly right for Ithilden and what he needed from Alfiring. I think you for telling me about it. daw | |
| Antigone Q | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 3/20/2006 |
| This story made me unexpectedly teary-eyed. It was wonderful; thank you for writing it. Author Reply: Thanks, Antigone. It was such an angst-fest I almost didn't post it for Dot's birthday because it seemed like a bad gift. But I enjoyed seeing Ithilden and Alfirin learn to be married and decide to have Sinnarn. | |
| pipinheart | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 3/12/2006 |
This is wonderful... I adore Alfirin, she is such a great asset to Ithilden... He couldn't be without her. But he is too stubron for his own good sometimes. He should know better to let grief hold him down and not share it... Both want a baby, they finally communicated that... The poor foal... That broke my heart, and ithilden was worse for wear...This was a very emotional piece that leaves me curious more than anything... Did Eilian destroy and find what he was looking for? And where did he end up? Not where he is suppost to be, his brother wasn't pleased. Wonderful job.... Author Reply: It's taken me a while to realize how much Alfirin and Ithilden mean to one another, but I can see now that she enriched his life immeasurably and saved him from himself. I felt terrible about the foal too. I could scarcely stand to write it. As for Eilian, this story is set a very short time before "The Novice." In that story, Eilian comes home badly wounded. I think he took that wound while on this orc chasing mission. | |
| lwarren | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 3/9/2006 |
| I cheered when I saw this...then giggled a bit as I have been going through some major "daw" withdrawal lately, to the point of rereading almost all of your stories the past couple of weeks. :-) So this was wonderful, daw, and very welcome to see as I love these characters and the lives you've given them in the forest. I had to grin at poor Alfirin as everyone was checking her to see if she was in an "interesting condition" just because of a craving or wanting to keep a room available for a nursery! LOL You can tell everyone in the palace/family is quite ready for the prince and his new wife to provide an elfling for them to spoil. Then it got really sad - the young warrior killed, the foal not surviving and Ithilden was almost overwhelmed with the grief of it all! But he learns a lesson here, I think - his gentle wife is much stronger than he thinks and well capable of supporting him when burdens get heavy for him. I think their solution to shadow is wonderful - what better way to confront evil and death than with a celebration of love and life? Simply superb, daw! Thanks for sharing with us once more. Linda Author Reply: Thank you, Linda. Tolkien says most elves are born in the spring, which must mean they're conceived then too, and this is the first spring after Ithilden's wedding. So I figured everyone is keeping an eye on them. And they're both sort of ready for it. Poor Ithilden. Or maybe lucky Ithilden. He got more than he bargained for. In the meantime, I started drafting another short fanfic too. It might be maybe 3 chapters. I'm just letting my original fic sit for a while so I can see it more clearly to revise. The fanfic I'm writing is pretty slapstick, much more upbeat than this one was. | |
| Idhreniel | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 3/2/2006 |
| Daw, it was a pleasure to read from you again. I missed your stories and your caracters. It was delightful to read about Alfirin's pov and Ithilden's moment of weakness! I don't know what was the best. I like this sensitive side of your writing. But my favorite line was this: “Send a message to Eilian. I want him standing in this office as fast as he can get his backside home for me to kick.” Really creative! And expressed Ithilden's frustration very well. Nice to know that the decision that leaded us to Sinnarn was a bit impulsive from both of his parents. I would say it was one of the times Ithilden allowed his silvan side to bloom. I really enjoy that. I hope to read more from you soon. Your stories are fantastic, as are your caracters. Take care, Idhreniel (aka Brazgirl) Author Reply: Hey, Brazgirl! You changed your name? I like the new one too. I enjoyed showing this moment in Alfirin and Ithilden's life together. And Eilian is lucky that Calith was practicing passive resistance and delaying things enough for Ithilden to cool down. I hadn't thought about the fact that this was Ithilden's silvan side coming to the fore, but you're so right. | |
| emjo | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 2/28/2006 |
| Hi Daw, I was so excited to see this story! As always I don't much to say I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed this story and how much I have missed your stories. Great job once again! Author Reply: You may not have much to say, emjo, but you say exactly the RIGHT things! Thank you for letting me know you liked the story. I missed these characters. | |
| Lianna | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 2/28/2006 |
| How nice to see these characters again! I had missed them. It was interesting to see so much of Alfirin's viewpoint here. She has to be such a diplomat -- to deal with Ithilden, Thranduil, the palace staff, and even a sometimes-grouchy adolescent brother-in-law. I hope she has someone to whom she can speak freely. Like Legolas, she can't complain at home. I see from some of the other responses that you may have another story with these characters in the works. I'm looking forward to it, as always. Author Reply: Thank you, Lianna. I find I'm fooling around with minor characters more, the ones I created. Even in the story I've been thinking about, they're coming to the fore. I think Alfirin's mother would be a good support for her. Her mother serves as the royal family's healer, so she knows some of their private life anyway and can keep her mouth closed if necessary. I may be slow with this other story. My son is getting married on Saturday. :-) | |
| perelleth | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 2/28/2006 |
| Wow! This was great daw, so full of emotions, bitter and sweet! seeing Ithilden learning to be a husband during the least appealing moments of his duty was great! He seems the same and yet a different Ithilden, with apparently a new burden as he was not sure how to better deal with his worries, and anger and pain with his wife being around... Seeing him disentangling selfishness, pain and love and working out his doubts with the help of his wife was wonderful, because it showed a different Ithilden but still being the same character. Marriage suits him, I'd say! Author Reply: Ithilden learning to be a husband during the least appealing moments of his duty Well-put, Perelleth. He knew how to act when things were going well. He just didn't know how to share when they went badly. I think marriage not only suited him; I think it saved him. | |
| Noor | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 2/28/2006 |
| Thanks for the story Daw.....I was beginning to get Daw withdrawal symptoms! As well written as usual and provides an insight into how Ithilden and Alfirin's bond strengthens with time. Any more on the way? Many thanks again Take care Noor Author Reply: It was fun to do this again. I learn more about these characters every time I write about them. I have some notes for a story I think I might do before I hop off to write more original stuff again. It should be several chapters long. I was just working on it a little last night. Thanks for the review, Noor. | |
| Lera | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 2/27/2006 |
| I had the grandfather of all tests today and your story was just what I needed to clear my mind and pick myself up. Thank you. I had not realized how much I missed these characters until I read this. One thing you have accomplished in these Thrandulion men and their women, is I can find emotions and personalities in all of them to relate to. I cannot immagine having Ithilden's job. He naturally feels wants to take the blame for anything that happens so of course, he tries to keep it to himself so he will not cause anyone else hurt. I love that Alfirin was able to work through that, work through to his heart. Ithilden reminds me a little of my boyfriend. He's a sweet guy, but he doesn't open himself up easily and he is also very apt to take the blame for something. Knowing that I have worked my way into his heart has made it all the more precious. How is writing your novel going? I look forward to that, but I cannot tell you how much I miss your stories. Thank you and God bless. Author Reply: Thank you, Lera. That comment about the Thranuilions and their wives thrills me no end. It's taken me a while to get to know Ithilden and Alfirin. They're such reserved people. But their love for one another is passionate and precious. I have a revised draft of my novel that I'm pleased with at the moment. But then I'm always pleased until I start trying to get someone to publish it. | |