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The Last Messenger: A Tale of Númenor  by Fiondil 4 Review(s)
obsidianjReviewed Chapter: 14 on 4/15/2008
That's quite a tale Earnur has to tell. I can understand Laurendil's anger so well. I think the Valar will be in for some scolding. Why did they do this? I guess in their view a few hundred years is even less than for the elves, and sometimes they lose perspective.

Author Reply: Perhaps, but even for elves a few hundred years is as nothing compared to the length of time many have and will live. But I imagine that one or two of the Valar will be told exactly what Eärnur and Laurendil think of them once these two get back to Aman and no doubt the Valar in question are aware of this.

LarnerReviewed Chapter: 14 on 4/8/2008
It is a great and somewhat terrible story, and I suspect the Valar ought to have been more honest with Earnur. However, they did what they could to prepare for a vicious future. And obviously Fiondil and perhaps some of the descendants of the fisherfolk are important to the Dunedain who will one day return to Middle Earth to dwell unto the ending of the world.

And I rejoice that Fiondil had training in how to block his thoughts from Sauron.

Author Reply: More is going on than the elves or the mortals suspect and with the presence of Sauron in Númenor, the Valar can read between the lines, though, obviously even they were caught off-guard by what the Númenórëans did in the end or they wouldn't have relinguised their authority to Eru the way they did. Still, I think it safe to say they did what they could as they could and Eärnur has proven to be a part of it, unwittingly so, but then that's true for all os us, I think. If Eärnur hadn't been there when Fiondil was captured, the mortal would not have had the benefit of Irmo's apprentice's knowledge and it's likely Amandil and his entire family would have been destroyed and history as we know it would not have happened.

Agape4GondorReviewed Chapter: 14 on 4/7/2008
Great chapter. I'm very glad you didn't make us sit biting our nails for too long!

Waiting for the next........... :)

Author Reply: Glad you liked the chapter. You know I don't keep my readers biting their nails for too long. This story gets updated once a week.

RhyselleReviewed Chapter: 14 on 4/7/2008
No wonder Lord Namo was grieved. For he'd obviously forseen all of this. I just hope that Laurendil comes to terms with the long plans of the Valar eventually. I think that even though the Eldar are immortal, they see the future in a manner closer to that of the Edain than that of the Valar. You'd think that the elves of Aman would have learned better by now. *grin* But I can't blame Laurendil and Earnur for not wanting to ask, "Why didn't you just explain WHY? We'd have been perfectly happy to do what you wanted, if you'd just told us!" *grin* (I know I've asked that question myself a time or two when something in my life suddenly made sense long after the fact.

I kind of get chills (good ones) thinking of the fact that Earnur's purpose was to be in a particular place at a particular time to save a particular individual. We each have our own free will, but but I've always wondered if certain choices we are asked to make are fore-ordained. Not what we choose, but the fact that we must make a choice.

I'm still on the cough med with codeine so I know this is not really coherent but I really loved this chapter and the way that Earnur told his tale. Great work, as always!

Author Reply: It must have been heartwrenching for the Valar to ask Eärnur if he would go, knowing what was likely to happen, yet hoping that he would agree to it because otherwise later events would turn out worse than they did. It doesn't negate free will because Eärnur could've refused to go, not having any further knowledge than what he had. What the Valar might have done then or what might have happened, we'll never know. The fact is, Eärnur did go and so events happened as they did.

Eärnur has obviously come to terms with what happened though I have no doubt he has a few things he wants to say to the Valar that he's been storing up for the last 400 years. *grin* Laurendil, on the other hand, still needs time to accept what happened. Hopefully, Eärnur's own calm acceptance and forgiveness will go a long way towards helping him to come to terms on his own.

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