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The Farmer's Son  by Lindelea 4 Review(s)
DreamflowerReviewed Chapter: 27 on 3/29/2014
Ah, Freddy, so clever and full of initiative; perfect person for the role he's taken! And yet, it might have been better for Paladin if Freddy was a little less clever...

Author Reply: Alas, poor Paladin... Still, must stick within the constraints of canon, which implies that nobody found out until after the attack on Crickhollow on the 30th. Thankfully, the Quick Post eats up some time -- it's still going to take the better part of a day, and maybe two, to take a message from Tookland to Buckland. A super-urgent message might travel a bit faster, but Paladin didn't give the rider any reason to "kill the horses" so while he's riding faster than a mail-carrier on foot, or a wagon, he's still going to take some time to cover 50 miles without straining his pony. The Pony Post relays in my stories are set up much later on the timeline, when Pippin becomes Thain.

(I love thinking this stuff through. Now if I could just attack housekeeping with the same thorough mindset...)

LarnerReviewed Chapter: 27 on 3/29/2014
Well, a definite turn of events here. Freddy is doing the job he signed up for, at least.

Most interesting!

Author Reply: I pondered for a while while writing this part of the story. Freddy stayed behind to make it look as if Frodo were still living at Crickhollow. There's no indication how long he expected to keep it up. (Pippin and Merry's parents would eventually be expecting their sons back home, after all, so that would be a dead giveaway in the end.) However, he had to be prepared to accept and answer messages, and once I realised that, I decided he'd better do a bit of forgery practice. Seems to fit with his later lawbreaking activities as well.

Thanks!

EverlightReviewed Chapter: 27 on 3/29/2014
Oh dear, that letter could be trouble if Paladin gets suspicious. He is perceptive enough to notice that Frodo didn't write it but he might be too distracted to notice right away. He's going to be awfully mad at Freddy though for lying to him about his son and the letter.

That was a good idea (of Freddy's?) to practice his cousin's handwriting and it came in handy. They put in so much effort into their conspiracy to ensure its success; too bad people don't write more about it.

Author Reply: Paladin might be perceptive enough, but Freddy is quite a skilled forger (or at least I'm imagining him as one). Now it makes me want to write (or preferably read!) a story about an earlier forgery -- maybe a childish prank, writing a note purporting to be someone wanting to meet up with someone else... What fun!

Garnet TookReviewed Chapter: 27 on 3/29/2014
This is NOT good. I'm half thinking that it would have been better if Freddy hadn't sent that answer but, if he hadn't, Paladin, Saradoc and all the rest would have converged on Chickholl faster than the wind. Things could have been even worse.

I can't help but think that Paladin is going to see through Freddy's forgery and then things are going to get really interesting.

Can't wat to see what's next.

Author Reply: You're right! If Freddy hadn't sent the answer, the game would have been up much sooner. As it is, they won't have an inkling until after the attack on Crickhollow on the 30th.

Paladin might see through the forgery, but he's got no reason to be suspicious at this point, and so he might only see through it in hindsight.

Thanks!

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