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| Lady in Waiting by Bodkin | 24 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| Glory Bee | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 12/30/2011 |
| Beautifully and compassionately written, it made me cry to watch Celebrian on her journey to healing. | |
| Elena Tiriel | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 11/27/2007 |
| Hi Bodkin! This is a powerful and moving story. I really like how you show the small but telling steps in her recovery. And it's the details that make it so right... the healer who collapses in relief when she says her first word... the reborn uncle who takes her outdoors despite her fragile physical health because, after all, she is Celeborn's daughter... the sense of humor returning... and so much more. And Finrod is certainly an extraordinary uncle, and extraordinarily well-suited to understanding her pain and helping her through it. She is fortunate in her strong family from both sides. Very well done! - Barbara Author Reply: Thank you, Barbara. I think Finrod would have been a great help to many of those who arrived in the BR - and he would have had so much understanding for what Celebrian had endured. She must have been on the point of death to sail, I think, and only fought to survive so that Elrond wouldn't lose someone else he loved - but her recovery wouldn't have been easy. The series of short pieces is a way of covering an awful lot in not too much space - and increasing the impact, too, I think. I'm glad you liked it. | |
| Levade | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 9/10/2007 |
| Wow, this has to be *the* most realistic story of this type I've read. I love that you have Finrod helping her -- he would know all about recovering from horrendous wounds of soul and body. I wonder if it's worse to die and then be re-embodied after being healed by Namo or just live through it and try to heal? Finrod's reaction to Sauron's death was *wonderful*! LOL! He would be veeeery pleased! Great as always, Bodkin. :) Author Reply: Finrod would have a better understanding - both physically and psychologically - of Celebrian's suffering than most. And I think he would be able to help her. I suspect Celebrian might have been better off giving in and healing in Namo's care - but she wouldn't, because Elrond needed to know that she was waiting for him. Not all courage is displayed on the battlefield - and Celebrian is a fighter in her own way. Glad you liked it, Levade. Thank you. | |
| elliska | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 8/3/2007 |
| This is wonderful! You have done such a great job of portraying Celebrian's fragility and strength in this. I particularly like the very first part and the very last part. You did a great job showing how desperate the situation was with their relief when she spoke and I loved her reaction in the end to the news of Arwen. She seems all the more powerful when one sees the transformation she made in a short story like this. Well done! Author Reply: Celebrian wouldn't allow herself to die, I think. For Elrond's sake. She would have known only too well how his losses had hurt him and she was good, I think, at offering love and support. I suspect she and Galadriel and Arwen had a better understanding of the female role - while Elrond would have flayed himself for being unable to protect his wife and daughter. Thanks, elliska. I'm glad you liked it. | |
| perelleth | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 6/25/2007 |
| How sweet, this healing. I loved how you shwoed the progrssion, from the britle, fragile creature in the caring arms of the knowlegeable uncle to the grandaughter in recovery to the strong, resilient and wise woman that she had once been, closing the healing again with Finrod. A beautiful sequence of love and healing while Elrond kept the house in order in the other end of the world, and a nice surpirse when he comes back in need of care himself. Author Reply: Finrod would have been such a blessing, I think. He knew Middle-earth, had endured torment, had passed through the Halls and returned with greater understanding. And he knew her father - which must have been rather unusual. And Celebrian had time to recover slowly and loving family to support her in her return to the strong and wise person who was Galadriel's daughter and Elrond's wife. Celeborn's daughter as well, of course, but I doubt that cut the mustard among the elves of Tirion. She will have had news of Elrond - but you can't help but feel for him, left in ignorance, faith and hope on the other side of a wide sea. Thanks, Perelleth. I'm sorry to have been so bad about replying recently. | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 6/25/2007 |
| The most realistic look at Celebrian's healing I've seen as yet. Very moving and beautiful. Author Reply: Thank you, Larner. It would have taken her time, I believe - and the presence of those who loved her and understood what she had endured. But, in the end, she was preparing herself to care for Elrond in his turn. | |
| Raksha The Demon | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 6/25/2007 |
| Sensitively told story of Celebrian's recovery. I like the imagery of how fragile she is - emotionally and physically. How did Celebrian guess that Arwen was going to marry a descendant of Elros? It's implied that she knew which descendant it was... I really like the notion that Elrond made Celebrian promise to hold on long enough for him to come to her - since she may not have been able to cling to life for her own sake, that promise probably kept her alive long enough to reach Valinor and help. Author Reply: Well - foresight is a bit of a family talent ... and I think Celebrian might have had her suspicions about the reasons why Elrond's choice wasn't binding on his children when Elros's was. I don't think she would have known which descendant Arwen would marry - just that the choice would involve the ... ultimate descendant, I suppose you could say - the King Returned. I think Elrond would only have been able to bear to part with Celebrian if he believed that she would be there for him when he sailed - if she was going to die, he would surely have preferred to have her do so in the heart of her family. She loved him too much not to promise him - and then found herself understood and comforted and able to recover. I daresay she was quite surprised and angry when she found herself getting better - until her sense of humour returned. Thank you, Raksha. | |
| Nieriel Raina | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 6/25/2007 |
| You know, I've never put it together that Finrod was Celebrian's uncle! Great fic! I really enjoyed this, though I would like it more if it showed the reunion! *hint hint* Thanks for sharing! NiRi Author Reply: The families have been divided so completely for so long! It's sad, really. Imagine growing up with Finrod as your uncle! I'm not planning to show any more of the reunion - but you never know! Gibbous Moon was only supposed to be one chapter! Thank you NiRi. Glad you enjoyed it. | |
| Agape4Gondor | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 6/24/2007 |
| I like the fact that she snapped! Anger can be as healing as tears... Ah - the rest is just as good - from the giggle on - I knew she would survive. Very nice tale and I loved the ending - knowing that he would be coming soon! Author Reply: One of the things I tend to feel about elves in general is that they're not all sweetness and light and dancing in the dew. After all - they have Feanor!! Celebrian isn't as dominant as Galadriel or Elrond and, like Celeborn, can be overlooked, but she comes of very powerful families and, having managed to survive to reach the Blessed Realm, I'm sure she would have survived. Elrond will need her. Thank you, Agape. There's nothing like snapping to make you feel better! | |
| Redheredh | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 6/24/2007 |
| Oh my, that opening scene...! That was almost overwhelming... It was wonderful how you showed Celebrian with each of her kin, and how she affected them and how they affected her. I especially enjoyed Finarfin "...shedding his courtiers and sycophants..." with Celebrian's "...better if we could speak away..." collusion. Their conversation and solace to eachother was lovely. I see her rising about the pettiness of others very much like Finrod being literally reborn with a clearer spiritual perspective. "...been through the fire..." Both tempered in pain, but both now polished with care and equally bright. The way of Finrod's announcement at the end was very satisfying for the reader too! So was their conclusions and dedication to now help heal the next in need. Your stories are simply great - the writing and the vision. Even if they are not always what you want, they are certainly wanted by your fans. Nilmandra gets some of the best presents! Which means we do too! Author Reply: I'm glad you liked the first scene ... which wasn't originally the first scene (or even there at all). I reckon she would have appreciated the family. And they would have treasured her - while Finrod's understanding of what she needed is going to be from rather more personal experience than most. Thank you, Redheredh. I'm glad you liked it - and I'm sorry it's taking me so long to get round to replying and reviewing. I think my brain has seized up. | |