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Reunion  by Larner 11 Review(s)
AndreaReviewed Chapter: 8 on 6/4/2006
Their hands touched, their fingers entwined; the Elf Lord whose hands had known the bow and the harp; the Hobbit who’d been granted an unwanted Lordship and whose hands had known trowel and pen. And in that moment they realized that, under the skin, they were brethren.

Larner, this is so beautiful!

"The greatest adventure of all", you're right: it will be an adventure, for all of us! And today is Whitsunday, "Pfingsten" in German, how appropriate!

Author Reply: I found myself here remembering a moment in "Peter Pan" in which Peter, having saved Tiger Lily and sent her off in the small boat with Wendy, thinks of death as a great adventure as he watches the tide rise to cover the rock where he stands, but then is distracted and flies away to deal with something else, forgetting his previous thoughts altogether.

In another story I have Elros commenting to Aragorn as he greets him to the Hall of the Dunedain in the Halls of Mandos that he wonders if his brother ever wonders about what's beyond the turn of the road as he himself did, a curiosity that at least in part led him to make the choice he did in accepting mortality for himself and his descendants.

And at the moment that Celeborn and Sam stepped aboard the ship together, I think that they would feel how similar they were and how similar their motivations in leaving Middle Earth at that time.

Yes, Whitsunday--I agree, a fitting day on which to post this chapter.

harrowcatReviewed Chapter: 8 on 6/3/2006
Wow what a momentous moment Larner. Loved all of it from the letter link to the similarity between elf and hobbit. But the bit I loved most was....

Elrond had stood to accept Bilbo’s decision to cross that plank; Gandalf had stood to accept Frodo’s; the Lady had stood to accept his own, had he decided then to accompany his Master, and she’d smiled in pride when he’d shaken his head and remained at the sides of Merry and Pippin, feeling bereft as he’d seen the others step onto the deck.

Now it was Celeborn who stood there in his wife’s place, ready to accept his decision, whether it was to stay or to go....


This is a brilliant use of a bit of movie-verse that I don't suppose most of us took much notice of but I will now!

Thanks for the thoughts and prayers. Jet is in trouble! He has learnt to jump the front fence and came to greet me when I arrived yesterday! The road isn't busy but when cars, tractors or horses come down it they do so at speed!





Author Reply: Now and then I like to add a bit of movie-verse, as long as it doesn't interfere with book-canon; and I loved the iconography here.

Sorry to hear about Jet's growing awareness of his ability to escape. I have some griefs about dogs, but will share it later when I actually have time to do so at length. I am pretty upset at the moment.

Linda HoylandReviewed Chapter: 8 on 6/2/2006
I wish that Sam had written to Aragorn.I wonder what became of the jewel that ARagorn gave him? I loved the way you depicted Sam's mixed emotions here.I could imagine him feeling just like that.

Author Reply: Hmmm--the Star of Elendil that was given to Sam by Aragorn--that does need some thinking, I suppose. We will find out, when the time is right....

And I agree that Sam should have written Aragorn. However, grief can be a pretty difficult thing to overcome.

ArmarielReviewed Chapter: 8 on 6/2/2006
Both poignant and delightful, such a build-up of suspense. Both will be very, very, very happy soon.....................

Author Reply: Yes, their fulfillment approaches for both of them. And so glad you find it both poignant and delightful.

AntaneReviewed Chapter: 8 on 6/2/2006
I just can't wait! I love this, Celebron holding Sam's hand and their excitement. Though you did give me a little scare there with Sam rethinking his decision for a moment.

Namarie, God bless, Antane :)

Author Reply: I personally would have mixed feelings about going to Aman, myself. I suppose I project a fair amount of myself into the story here, for I see Sam wondering if he really wants to go at least once along the way.

And both Sam and Celeborn are leaving what has been their home, going to a new land where things are likely to be VERY different than they are in the Mortal Lands. I think they'd assist one another at this point to take that step aboard the ship.

DreamflowerReviewed Chapter: 8 on 6/2/2006
This is absolutely wonderful, that Sam finds something so much in common with the ageless Elf Lord Celeborn. That he and Sam sail together seems very appropriate. I am so glad Sam will have a friend on the voyage.

Author Reply: I, too, am glad Sam knows at least one individual on that ship, and that they are able to reassure one another.

KittyReviewed Chapter: 8 on 6/2/2006
Quite a difficult decision, to leave behind everything one knows, isn't it? Particularly for one who was rooted in his home so much as Sam in the Shire. And parting from Aragorn is probably not easy, either. But I'm sure he will be very happy to be with Frodo again, to bring all the letters and pictures to him, what wouldn't be possible if he stayed in the Shire, and to have his beloved master for himself for a short time.

For Celeborn it can't be easy, either. He may be reunited with his family, but he was born in Arda and will live for so long as Arda remains sundered from the land of his birth, not to mention his granddaughter. And at the moment he may not know for sure how the twins will chose in the end. Maybe Sam and Celeborn can be a certain comfort to each other during the departure and the journey to Tol Eressea, as they obviously understand each other very well in this moment at the quay.

It's still a somewhat bittersweet tale, as I know Sam and Frodo will not live that much longer after they're reunited. As much as I look forward to the reunion I fear the end. (You know, you're right about buying stock in a tissue producing company *lol* - do it and tell me which one it is!) There are truly days I'd prefer the whole Fellowship and a few choice others (Arwen, Faramir, Éowyn, Éomer ...) could all sail West and live forever happy together in Valinor *sigh*

Queen GaladrielReviewed Chapter: 8 on 6/1/2006
Wow, so powerful! I never thought about how hard that moment of decision might have been, but of course it would be for Sam, who was so much a part of the Shire. And I love this:

Celeborn looked down into the eyes of the Hobbit before him and saw Sam’s fear, the fear of losing all that had ever defined him and given him
identity and comfort, and the grim determination to make that first step, and then the next....

And as the Lord Samwise of all the Free Peoples of Middle Earth looked up into his eyes, Lord Celeborn of Eregion and Lothlorien saw something
he never expected to see in the eyes of such a one--compassion for all the losses he’d known and reassurance that all would be restored to him at the right
time.

Their hands touched, their fingers entwined; the Elf Lord whose hands had known the bow and the harp; the Hobbit who’d been granted an unwanted
Lordship and whose hands had known trowel and pen. And in that moment they realized that, under the skin, they were brethren.

Together, hands clasped, tall Elf lord and small Hobbit gardener turned and walked across the gangplank, stepped onto that deck, commiting themselves
to a new life in a new land, one for the remainder of the life of Arda itself, one for the time he and his Master chose to remain there before they set
themselves to face the greatest adventure of all.

Oh, my, goodness. I have to agree with Shirebound: this is as beautiful as poetry. "The greatest adventure of all." *sigh* Yes.

Oh, we're so close now, so close!

The sculpture turned out well, thank you. It's for a very dear friend who is moving away. It's a decorative plate, or was supposed to be, oblong, and on each end are two little islands separated by a zigzag, criss-cross design in the middle, something like waves. On each island stands a small figure of a girl (done in the style that doesn't show the face or even much of the figure so that they can represent anyone), and both are leaning forward, their hands clasped in the middle. I don't say it's pretty, would almost say it is a little rough, but I think it will say what I can't say in words, and I'm satisfied.

I begin to think the rest of Acceptable Sacrifice is going to have to wait till I return from the CCFB. Everything is so hectic and I find I have become almost subconsciously nervous, which makes for a shortened attention span among other things. But I'll keep my place and read more as I can.
God bless,
Galadriel

Raksha The DemonReviewed Chapter: 8 on 6/1/2006
Love the image of Celeborn and Samwise, heading off into the unknown together, leaving Middle-earth forever. They both have wonderful reunions awaiting them; but it's got to be a wrench to leave...

InglorReviewed Chapter: 8 on 6/1/2006
I really enjoyed how you portrayed Celeborn. So much said with not a single word of dialoge

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