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In Darkness Bound  by Fiondil 9 Review(s)
TariReviewed Chapter: 89 on 7/29/2011
Oh, dear. This does not look good for Arafinwe. His defiance may cost him dearly.

Author Reply: Hi Tari. Things look rather bleak for Arafinwë but there is light at the end of the tunne. We'll see what this little escapade costs him in the next couple of chapters. Thanks for reading and reviewing. I appreciate it.

obsidianjReviewed Chapter: 89 on 7/24/2011
Oh, so that's how Arafinwe burnt down the cottage. LOL. Poor ellon, so, finally he wants to get rid of the collar, but I don't think this is the right way to go about it. He needs someone to take it off and then just don't put it on again. Tiutallion already hinted to that. Let's see how long it takes him to figure that out.

Author Reply: Hi obsidianj. Yes, that's how it happened. We'll see how things turn out for him soon enough. The Valar, as you may guess, aren't quite through with him yet. *grin* And how he eventually removes or has the collar removed will be revealed soon enough. Thanks for reading and reviewing. I appreciate it.

ninqwestilmenReviewed Chapter: 89 on 7/18/2011
Hi Fiondil,

The last time I read this was when Ingalaure was tossing the crown at his uncle. [ I know... its been too long..] The story has gone in quite a different direction these past few weeks, and not quite what I was expecting to see. I am finally fully up to speed and just in the nick of time too :)

Arafinwe's thralldom was quite a shocker to say the least, so totally unexpected, but brilliant writing it into the story, now it seems like its the only thing that could have happened. A powerful chapter indeed.

It did seem to me that too much time was spent wallowing in the new Pityahaun's misery, maybe the story needed it, but reading all the chapters at once, it did seem to drag on a bit. [That's my only critique and be sure that I read every word of the chapters regardless :) ]

This particular chapter stands out as the best of this section... The hysteria, the realization that he wished to return and the burning of the cottage... very well written, and wonderfully portrayed.

Author Reply: Hi ninqwestilmen. See what happens when you go away. LOL! The amount of 'wallowing' to which you reject I don't think is too much and only covers 2 chapters really. I think it would have been strange for him to be wallowing in self-pity in one chapter and then feeling perfectly fine about it all the next. There had to be a slow progression (too slow as far as the Valar were concerned) from self-pity to self-realization and you still have a couple of more chapters to go before you get to that stage of his development. At any rate, I'm glad you enjoyed this and the earlier chapters. Thanks for reading and reviewing. I appreciate it very much.

Kaylee ArafinwielReviewed Chapter: 89 on 7/15/2011
Well. *wry look* That went well, Arafinwe. Nice job. *snorts at him* I'm sorry it took me so long to review, Atto. I promise, I read this last week. *shakes head at self* I'm rereading it now, though. This had me howling with laughter:

"Thought you would never open the door," he heard someone say, sounding rather put out. "Here. Let me have those."

The bolts of cloth were taken out of his hold and Arafinwë stood there blinking in bemusement at the person who had invaded his cottage. She was not a Maia. In point of fact, she was....

"L-lady Vairë?" he whispered in disbelief.

The Valië gave him a wide smile. "Last time I looked," she said coyly.

Oh yes, that's too funny. *grin* I love Vairë! I especially love how she talks about her own lord husband as Eärwen would castigate Arafinwë for his own failings...not least this, I imagine. *sighs at Arafinwë*

Oh, and:

"No sense feeling modest, my dear. I’ve seen you in naught but your loincloth and I remember when you were just an elfling running about naked because you hated wearing clothes."

*helpless giggles* Oh, you love embarrassing him, don't you, Atto? *grins wickedly* Of course, I love reading it...

And then the dream of Eärwen...I loved that. And then of course, the silly ellon ends up burning down the cottage and running off...oh, very silly. =P Off to review more!

Tye-melin!

Kaylee



Author Reply: Hi Kaylee. Vairë is quite a delight, isn't she? I love her very down-to-earth approach to things, especially when dealing with the Children. She reminds me of the grandmother who isn't above telling very embarrassing tales about her grandcildren. *LOL!* Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing. I appreciate it. Tye-melin!

LarnerReviewed Chapter: 89 on 7/8/2011
I suspect that this may be the revolt he needs. I certainly hope so--he needs to help find Ingwe.

Author Reply: Most likely you are right, Larner. We'll see how far he gets. Thanks for reading and reviewing. I appreciate you taking the time to do so.

SunnyReviewed Chapter: 89 on 7/8/2011
The part with Vairë was really fun. Her lambasting the Dread Lord of Mandos, Doomsman of the Valar like any exasperated spouse certainly evoked giggles in me - and was perhaps also a bit of an eye-opener for Arafinwë.
Speaking of whom - I think he is really getting an education here, a very practical and hands-on one. The way you describe it, it has been rather like boot camp - and that is one place where parental leading strings get to be cut, and the recruit gets to learn independence and hard work, and to _lose_ any spoiled-brat attitude he may have - or else. Not that I think Arafinwë was spoiled, exactly, but he is royal, and while I would think Finwë would expect his children to be useful, the tasks they would have been given, would have been rather _princely_ ones. Now, Arafinwë is going to learn to perform homely, everyday tasks like cooking his own food, cleaning up his own messes, and now, making his own clothes.
Useful things for _anybody_ to know.

Author Reply: Hi Sunny. I love Vairë. She's a lot of fun to write and she's so different from the other Valar in many respects. And her down-to-earth attitude is not what you would expect from such a being.

And Arafinwë is certainly getting a practical education in self-sufficiency and learning that no job is truly beneath a person however exalted their station in life is. These skills will actually make him a better king. And in some ways, this is much like the Reborn being taught skills they never would have learned under normal circumstances (i.e. had they lived), such as Finrod learning horsehoeing basketweaving and Glorfindel learning ribbon embroidery and beekeeping. Such skills make for a more well-rounded personality.

Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing. I appreciate it.

AzureSkyeReviewed Chapter: 89 on 7/8/2011
"My beloved is a masterful tactician, one of our greatest scientists, able to bring order to the higher dimensions with a single thought, and one of Manwë’s closest advisors, yet show him a needle and some thread and he turns white and runs as far away as he can, leaving me to repair his tunics."

LOL! *wipes eyes* Oh, I could just see that... Namo, hiding in a star-core: "No! You can't make me!" Vaire: "Namo, come out of the star. Now." *snickers* I think Vaire was having too much fun putting Arafinwe off balance there. She is certainly good at it. It was also the first time in a while Arafinwe acted 'normal' if you understand. As for Namo and Irmo cowering if Nienna was angry with them...yeah, I totally think they would. Nienna can be scary. *grin*

Well, Arafinwe's halfway there, he's accepted he doesn't want to be a thrall, but convincing him he wants to be king...Of course, he'll be a good one simply because he doesn't want it. That was a rather disturbing dream he had. I understand burning down the cottage...I always assumed he'd do it in a fit of sullen apathy, but this...poor ellon needs a hug. Great chapter as always, and I enjoyed the lighter tone at the beginning. Can't wait till Monday!

Author Reply: Hi AzureSkye. I'm sure Vairë was having a lot of fun tweaking Arafinwë. She's really a down-to-earth kind of Valië as I've shown in my other stories and I have a lot of fun with her.

And as you say, Arafinwë is halfway there, though he still has some 'growing up' to do before he gets all the way. We'll see how he fares in the next chapter and what follows from his escape attempt.

Thanks for taking the time to read and review. I really appreciate it.

6336Reviewed Chapter: 89 on 7/8/2011
Poor Arafinwe, he is still having self esteem problems isn,t he?

His concern about Earwen does him credit, also his determination to be rid of the collar and with her, though I am not too sure I like his method!

So now we know how Arafinwe managed to burn down the cottage, I take it lessons in carpentry are due?

Evry neri should know how to sew, I made sure my son could at the least sew on a button before he joined the army and he tells of helping his Lt. sew on her new bars when she got promoted!

Huggs,
Lynda

Author Reply: Hi Lynda. You're right about that, but hopefully he'll learn self-esteem eventually. And yes, now we know how the cottage got burned. We'll see in the next chapter what happens. Carpentry lessons are indeed due, but they have to catch him first. *grin*

And as for me, not only can I sew a button and even do minor repair work (sew a seam back together, etc.), I can even work a sewing machine! Some of us neri aren't as helpless as we like to let on. *smirk*

Thanks for reading and reviewing. I appreciate it very much.

LaikwalâssêReviewed Chapter: 89 on 7/8/2011
uh-oh, Nienna will not be pleased but he´s finally thinking straight and on the right way. The collar is some kind of symbol. If he can get it off then he will be free. I´m looking forward how this will turn out. Great chapter, thank you. Lai

Author Reply: Hi Lai. You are correct that the collar is a kind of symbol, a very physical one. We'll see how far he gets in the next chapter. Thanks for reading and reviewing. I really appreciate it.

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