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Be Careful What you Ask For  by Nilmandra 24 Review(s)
PSWReviewed Chapter: 1 on 11/9/2016
Oops... :-P

This was great! And, I knew that would be Beliond.... :-)

Thanks for writing!

CesReviewed Chapter: 1 on 2/19/2008
How have I not found this story before?? Thank goodness I have though and it was wonderful!

I love Beliond - yes, I can imagine all his encounters with Thranduil's family are not boring!

Poor Eilian and Gelmir - they wanted a little pet and they get more than they bargained for - at least they learned their lesson!

IceReviewed Chapter: 1 on 3/30/2007
I loved this story! I was so happy to see an Elian story after I had finished reading all of Daw's stories. This was really well written and I didn't see any mistakes, which is great and really rare in fanfiction. My favorite part is definitely when the spider calls Elian nana. That was so funny. I loved how you incorporated Beliond and his future job with Legolas into the story. I can't wait to read what you wrote about Ithilden! :)

nautikaReviewed Chapter: 1 on 1/14/2007
If I have nightmares tonight, I owe it all to you. Grin. I have a major 'thing' about spiders, but I just couldnt stop reading your story!

Author Reply: LOL, I hope you slept well. I enjoyed writing this story. Such boys! The Karenator wrote a wonderful version of the spider-pet story (we collaborated for Daw's birthday), and I think her ending is more scary :D

http://www.storiesofarda.com/chapterlistview.asp?SID=4880




NoorReviewed Chapter: 1 on 7/26/2006
What a wonderful story - you captured Daw's characters beautifully.
I did laugh at Belion showing up like that!
Well done!

Noor

Author Reply: LOL, glad you liked it. This was fun to write.

The KarenatorReviewed Chapter: 1 on 7/23/2006
Talking spiders make my skin crawl. This...this...Tithen-lhing was a scary beast. All that whining. And saying hungry every ten seconds. Nope, nothing good is going to come from trying to tame this mug-ugly critter.

Eilian and Gelmir are blissfully ignorant. Such boys. Creepy crawlies don't bother them at all. At least not until the bad spider decided to attack them. To Eilian's credit, he was putting two and two together. I think the squirrel would have tipped me off. Of course, a spider that can talk would have been a major clue.

Gosh, I just loved Beliond. Your description of him was terrific. The little details like no identifying markings on his clothing and the single braid made a complete visual. He is such a cool dude. I loved it when he told Eilian he did not need permission to see the king...and he told Ithilden what to do! I'm surprised Eilian didn't follow him home like a lost puppy. Beliond is Eilian's kind of guy. Of course, if Beliond had trained Eilian, Eilian might have changed his mind. Maltanaur has enough trouble keeping 'the fool' straight.

I have to say, that was the creepiest spider to invade Mirkwood. Eilian is brave and it was kind of Beliond to recognize this even if Eilian was also a little clueless.

I was glad Thranduil didn't chew Eilian out. Beliond saved him from that fate, I think. Of course, at the moment when Thranduil found out what had happened, he was probably so relieved he couldn't breathe. But Thranduil is smart. He did tell Eilian they would have to tell Nana. After Nana picks herself up off the floor, I'm sure she had a few instructions to offer.

Wonderful story, Nilmandra. I loved it. You captured Eilian and Gelmir perfectly. And Beliond! I'm such a fangurl.

Author Reply: Can you imagine - poor Beliond comes home from some mission and meet Eilian and rescues him from a spider. Of course, been there done that with Ithilden already. So then he goes out on another mission at some point and comes home to find himself saddled with Legolas.. and they promptly fight spiders, LOL. It was too good to pass up. Poor Daw.. fortunately she feels free to adopt only what she wants to her own canon, since I love throwing things into it!

I think Daw's Thranduil would have chewed Eilian out, but I just couldn't do it. Poor kid.. that had to be really scary and he was very brave. :D

DotReviewed Chapter: 1 on 7/23/2006
Ok, the Great Catch-Up Session is beginning and you’re first on my list :D

I really enjoyed this, Nilmandra. You have Eilian spot on! Those two are such boys. It wasn’t enough to just look at the creature, they had to go dangling food in front of it. It was a great moment when it spoke – and then it chimes in now and then as they discuss it, lol!

“It is not much bigger than my hand.” Oh, geez. I’d have been running off as fast as I could to cower in a corner somewhere, even if I did think it was a big small spider. I would *not* be trying to touch it and having a conversation with it!

As much as I hate spiders, I admit that I laughed when it followed them! You’ve actually given the little horror its own personality. And in the space of about five minutes they’ve ended up with a new pet. That’s what happens you, isn’t it? They just follow you home from the pet store ;-) I think Eilian has the makings of a good captain, the way he puts that spider in his place. Or a good Ada!

I used to try that same story about a friend having forgotten something too. It only works so many times, though… The spider seems to have been making itself at home. The thought of the web is disgusting. But oh my God, there’s a squirrel caught in it. Poor Eilian. Not only has he just witnessed a most unpleasant part of forest life, he knew this squirrel and brought danger to its home. But thankfully a mysterious stranger arrives! Hmmm, now who could he be… :D I like the detail about him not wearing any markings to identify himself as a warrior of the Woodland Realm. I hadn’t thought about that before but it makes sense for someone who needs to be inconspicuous while on, uh, special missions.

I cringed as I read the scene with the spider leaping at the two lads and then devouring the rotten meat. Ugh. The whole thing was just nasty. At least it made Eilian and Gelmir see sense. For a while. And then it rained…

One thing I really like is the way you give hints of what’s happening elsewhere so that we get a sense of the life of the realm but Eilian himself is only focused on his own little corner of it. Like Thranduil and Ithilden being worried about flooding but “he had not heard where. He only knew they had sent elves out to check on it.”

What if his spider was not a regular spider? And the lightbulb goes on. I had to feel sorry for him, though. He’s just realised that he may not have done a very clever thing after all. But he still doesn’t seem to have quite grasped the seriousness of it. I was starting get nervous that it would take the realisation that he was about to be the “fresh meat” that the hideous thing was demanding…

“Like Eilian. Eilian-nana,” wheedled the spider. *falls off chair*

The was no way the spider was getting in that bag. What a tense scene. I was peering through the fingers of one hand while the other scrolled down! But thank heavens for Beliond and his timing! I wonder if he wears his underwear outside his clothes… And I’m still grinning at Beliond getting the whole strange story out of the two boys. I bet he thinks he’s heard everything now. “How is it you two young fools have managed to stay alive this long?” Hmm. That sounds like a refrain his pal Maltanaur will be taking up in a few years time.

Now that the danger is over, Beliond seems to be enjoying this immensely. One of my favourite moments was Thranduil picking Eilian up and checking if he’s alright. It was a lovely fatherly moment. And Eilian needed the safety of his father’s arms. I admit I was surprised that he didn’t land in trouble, though! I thought it was really good of Beliond to stress the fact that they didn’t know what they were doing. And it’s poor Ithilden who ends up embarrassed! ROTFL! Bad author!

“If you have any more progeny, please warn me so I can prepare myself for the inevitable encounter.” Beliond! What have you done?!! Be careful what you ask for, eh? Especially when you decide to tease Thranduil…

An even funnier line, though, is this: Eilian decided this must be an important elf, because he did not wait to be excused and told Ithilden what to do. *snort*

The ending was excellent. Eilian quickly recovers in the safety of his home and his experience will probably become an adventure in his mind – while outside the protective walls of his family evil is closing in and all those who can are arming themselves and doing everything they can to ensure that no other innocent child is ever in such danger. This was great, Nilmandra – tense, disgusting, and totally hilarious with just the right amount of seriousness!









Author Reply: Seriously, Dot, animals do follow me home! And I admit I'm nuts enough that I would possibly keep a spider, though I'd prefer a lizard. :D

I really did have fun writing this. The only hard thing to recocile was that this was during the Watchful Peace, so I had to make it this a harbinger of doom that the Watchful peace was ending. As for children's logic, the grand thing about writing children is that they don't necessarily have to be logical or make sense!

Thanks for reading and reviewing.. glad you enjoyed it. :D

perellethReviewed Chapter: 1 on 7/22/2006
ROTFL! This was hilarious NIlmandra! I´m glad I was able to snatch some time to start catching up! I´m chuckling like mad! My! A speaking, overgrwon but totally regular spider! It is so true that cchildren are able to find explanations for the things they wish to believe! LOLOL It was priceless, from their enthusiasm to their worry to the squirrel episode... I howled at Beliond the brave coming to the rescue, only to learn that the terrified children had been keeping the spider as a pet!

And Beliond is eager to train Eilian!¡_ Now MAltanaur would have really loved that, I bet! And that would have been a huge headache for all of MIrkwod, trees included!THe whole exchnge between Beliond and the king was hilarious,seen from the child´s pov. Great story!

Author Reply: LOL, I really enjoyed writing this. And Karen and I sort of worked it out together, so be sure to go entertain yourself with her version. I'm still giggling over it.

Writing from a child's POV is so freeing. You can suspend a certain amount of belief with impunity. :D

elliskaReviewed Chapter: 1 on 7/22/2006
Catching up again...

This was hilarious! Only Elian would have a giant spider calling him nana! Oh the poor things. Their hearts were in the right place but they sure did pic the wrong creature. I felt so sorry for Elian when he found the squirrel. I'm glad it survived.

And of course I loved this exchanged:
“If you have any more progeny, please warn me so I can prepare myself for the inevitable encounter.” / “That is a wonderful idea, Beliond. I will ensure you have adequate notice to prepare for such a duty.”


So that's how he got the idea, huh? And wasn't Legolas's first battle with Beliond and a spider? Hilarious. Great story!


Author Reply: Poor Eilian - he had his heart in the right place. And really, mom and dad, it followed me home! Hard to be angry at his innocence, even if it did put them in danger.

Glad you enjoyed. Karen's version (we planned this) is hilarious and scarier!

pipinheartReviewed Chapter: 1 on 7/20/2006

This sounds just like Eilian, alway curious. Adopting a spider as a pet, wasn't the smartest of moves, very nice...

Beliond, it was nice to see him here and rescuing Elian and Gelmir...

Great Job...

Author Reply: A cuirous child is a thing of joy.. and danger, LOL. Especially in that world.

Glad you enjoyed. :D

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