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| A Crown Of Woodland Flowers by Jay of Lasgalen | 12 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 10/19/2007 |
| A need to remember peace as one looks forward to a life increasingly shadowed by threat and war; and the love shared that day is of the sustaining kind. Lovely, Jay. | |
| Idhreniel | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 11/15/2006 |
| Lovely fic! Thranduil needed to be just Thranduil and the story of the crown!!!! Very nice indeed! | |
| Nilmandra | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 8/3/2006 |
| A lovely birthday story! Nice to see Thranduil enjoying the day, and a nice beginning for the crown of woodland flowers. Author Reply: For some reason I'm not always getting review alerts when someone leaves a review, and I nearly missed this one! I decided a nice, non-eventful day would be very relaxing for Thranduil, and the perfect origin for his tradition of wearing a crown of flowers. I think Telparian will | |
| Bodkin | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 8/1/2006 |
| Good for Telparian! Thranduil needed a holiday from the tedium of ruling - and there's nothing like telling the help that they'll have to wait to make them realise who's boss! I love boyish Thranduil being tipped in the water by the stone - he covered it quite well, but I'm sure he was very glad that the only witness was devoted to his cause. And it was just the kind of day he needed. The symbolism of the crowns - and the relevance to the two of them - is very touching. I'm sure it must have made it hard for Thranduil after his wife's death ... although perhaps the feeling of closeness to her might have helped after a bit. Thank you very much, Jay - it is a lovely story. It's worth having birthdays, I find! They've seemed more trouble than they're worth over recent decades - but these are presents I love. Author Reply: Welcome home, and happy birthday! We all need holidays and days off, and Thranduil's no exception. I rather liked the image of Telparian telling the council the meeting was postponed - I don't think she's someone they would argue with. I've sometimes wondered why the Elvenking had a crown of flowers, and this story gave me the perfect opportunity to explore it. I'm pleased with the way it turned out. I referred to Thranduil having once fallen in the stream in the penultimate chapter of 'Telparian' - and this seemed the ideal time for it to happen. I'm glad you enjoyed this. Author Reply: PS - Thanks so much for nominating this for the MEFAs! Jay :>) | |
| demeter d | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 7/31/2006 |
| Warm memories of a beautiful day must have done a lot to get him through the dark times later on. Lovely. Author Reply: Knowing what I did to them later, I feel they deserve a few special moments like this. The more I write about Telparian, the more I like her! | |
| Elerrí®ˇ | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 7/31/2006 |
| This was lovely! I really enjoyed the whole atmosphere of the story and the idea of a relaxed day in the woods when nothing momentous happens but which becomes one of those moments you always remember—particularly considering what later happens to Telparian...if that made sense =) It was also great to get an explanation of Thranduil's crown—after reading LotR and The Silmarillion, I did wonder about the very rustic nature of a crown of flowers that would fade every day, particularly since Thranduil had a fondness for silver and jewels and so might have been expected to have a circlet more like the one you have him initially wear. I loved that there was a particular reason behind the woodland crowns, and that they were both made by the queen and made enduring by the king. Thanks for this! Author Reply: I did wonder why Thranduil had a crown of leaves and flowers in The Hobbit, and while planning this story I suddenly realised why! I knew a crown that wilted wouldn't be very impressive (or practical), and it would be wasteful to keep picking fresh flowers - so elven magic was the answer. The memory of this day will stay with Thranduil for a long time - long after Telparian's death. I'm glad you enjoyed it. | |
| Noor | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 7/30/2006 |
| Fantastic story, Jay......lovely to see Thrnaduil having some quality time with his beloved Telparian. Well done and Happy Birthday to everyone.........Daw, Bodkin etc etc. Noor Author Reply: Because I've written about Thranduil's grief after Telparian's early death, I think they deserve to have a few special moments together sometimes. And just *why* did he have a crown of flowers? | |
| Kitty | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 7/29/2006 |
| Wonderful ficlet, Jay! To be King is not much fun - always duties and boring council meetings and the like. Telparian found the perfect begetting day gift for her husband, I'd say - to slip away and enjoy a day alone with her in their beloved forest. It was obviously what Thranduil needed. A pity Legolas wasn't born then - I am sure he would've been *most* amused to witness his ada falling in the river *grin* You had a very nice explanation for the crown of flowers, by the way. Very useful enchantment! It is certainly much more dignified when the crown can't wilt during the day, but looks always fresh. Author Reply: A crown of flowers seems an unusual adornment for a king - so there had to be a special significance. I don't think Thranduil would keep taking fresh flowers from the forest, so how did he keep the flowers from fading? Elven magic was the clear answer. I'm glad you liked this! | |
| daw the minstrel | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 7/29/2006 |
| Jay, this was lovely. Thank you so much. I find it's odd these days what catches my eye in a story. A couple of places in this one had really nice details: "the leaf shadows dappling the floor," Thranduil's "traitorous" horse, "a shower of shining droplets." It's also nice to see Thranduil in this time so early in his reign, when he'd have to establish his style of rule as different from his father's. I can see how that would be wearing. It's also nice to be reminded of how women ruled when men were gone at war. I believe that was one of the expectations of a ruler's lady, and it's really not so different from the way women take up all kinds of work when men leave. I like this notion of how the king came to have this sort of crown. It's odd by our standards, but shows his connection to the woods. How like a man to deliberately make the stone tip back and forth and then be surprised when he lands in the water! She knew it was coming and there was nothing she could do. Lovely day for Thranduil and lovely gift for me and Bodkin. Author Reply: I started wondering why the Elvenking in The Hobbit had a crown of leaves and flowers, and that was the basis for this tale. It seemed there had to be a special significance, and Thranduil setting his own ways of ruling, and marking a special day seemed a good reason. I mentioned in another story ages ago that Legolas fell in the river doing the same thing, and had Thranduil remember his own misfortune. Again, this was the perfect opportunity for it to happen. I'm sorry this birthday gift is late. Although the story was 90% finished, I just couldn't get the final details of the tale worked out. When I realised it would soon be Bodkin's birthday as well, I *knew* I'd never have time to complete another birthday ficlet - work has been chaotic recently. I'm glad you like it! | |
| French Pony | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 7/29/2006 |
| It's so much fun to see Thranduil and Telparian playing in the forest like little kids. After all, what's the use of ruling and fighting and diplomacy, all in service of The Realm, if you can't enjoy it a little. Telparian is a fabulous match for her husband, as he ought to know. She has skills in people management that are an excellent complement to his. And that includes husband-management as well, it seems. He did need a day of fun and play, and the crowns will be a lovely reminder of that. I liked seeing the little bit of magic that he used to preserve them, too. Author Reply: The more I write about Telparian, the more I like her. She and Thranduil make a good team, and she understands him and knows what he needs, even if he doesn't. I liked the mention in The Hobbit about the Elvenking's crown of leaves and flowers, and wondered how it came to be. I love elven magic, too! | |