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In Darkness Bound  by Fiondil 10 Review(s)
obsidianjReviewed Chapter: 121 on 11/22/2011
Ingwion finally acknowledges that his brother is dead. Good thing that he was at the funeral. If he had missed that he would forever berate himself when he finally healed. The funeral was beautiful and so sad. Especially for elves who until now never experienced death. Olwe and his family had, but it is still so new to all of them. It is not like in our culture where death is an integral part of life.

Author Reply: It is a good thing Ingwion acknowledges his brother's death now so he can start to heal. I'm glad you found the funeral beautiful if necessarily sad. It certainly is a new experience for these Elves and most probably had difficulty prcessing what was actually happening and then try to explain it to their children. It's tough enough when mortal parents have to; it has to be a hundred times tougher for Elves. Thanks for reading and reviewing, obsidianj. It's very much appreciated.

LarnerReviewed Chapter: 121 on 11/2/2011
At least Ingwion is accepting what has happened now. It will make things easier for all of them, I know. A terrible loss for all of the Eldar to accept.

Author Reply: True, Larner, but whether it will make things easier for all of them still remains to be seen. Ingwion isn't out of the woods yet. Thanks for reading and reviewing. I appreciate it very much.

Kaylee ArafinwielReviewed Chapter: 121 on 10/31/2011
Atto,

That was beautiful, and very sad. I cried for Ingwi when he first heard his name being said, up through when he finally allowed himself to realize Ingil was gone. I was also crying when Ingil's hroa was taken away, though I was so pleased that the Maiar promised his tomb would be inviolate for all time. I wonder if perhaps their (his and Lemenyon's) tombs might lie in the tenth dimension? There they would be truly inviolate...but I suppose the Maiar couldn't take them there...but maybe if the Valar took them from where the Maiar took them...oh, I don't know, lol. I have no idea if I'm making any sense.

In any case, this was a very lovely, well-written chapter, as the whole story has been (which is no surprise considering it's you :) )

Tye-melin,

Kaylee

Author Reply: Hi Kaylee. I'm glad you found this to be both beautiful and sad. I tried to make it both, as funeral tend to be. Lemenyon and Inagalaurė are buried in caves totally inaccessible to the Elves. They will never be found and of course when later in the second age Valinor is removed from the Earth plane, their bodies will too, though none of the Elves will be aware of this. I hope that makes sense. Thanks for reading and reviewing. I appreciate it very much. Tye-melin.

RhyselleReviewed Chapter: 121 on 10/29/2011
Firstly, thank you for showing the care given for the farewelling of Lemenyon's hroa. I was so touched that Ingwe and Elindis were part of that ceremony as well. Besides being a kind thing for them to do for the widow and children, it also, I think, gave them a bit of a "practice run" for the farewelling of Inglaure.

It occurred to me that the Elves at this point in their lives in Aman, have to take a future reunion with their dead loved ones on faith. Yes, the Valar have told them that the dead will be Reborn (and I am now imagining some elfling having the audacity to ask Lord Manwe if being Reborn meant that his Atto would be an infant when he came back to them again *grin*), but so far, none have left the Halls of Mandos for a new life in Aman. So, right now, in this time of Darkness, the Elves aren't able to rely on self-knowledge, but must rely on faith that it will happen, as we mortals in the here and now must have faith that the promises of the afterlife that we have been taught are true.

While I didn't actually cry while reading about Inglaure's funeral, I did choke up several times, particularly when Ingwion began to realize that Inglaure really was dead. Thank Eru for Manveru's comfort! I thought that the repetition of the use of helinyetillė in both ceremonies was very appropriate. Had I been able to get pansies for my mother's funeral, I would have given her Heart's-Ease to hold. *sniffle* To this day, I love the purple and yellow "faces" of the pansy.

Thank you for giving us such a beautiful closure for Inglaure's first life. I'm very grateful that we already know of his rebirth, or these chapters would have been much harder to get through!

As always, dear friend, you have gifted us with words that touch the heart, and I can only say "Thank you" for them. Well done!

Author Reply: Hello Rhyselle. And I can just see Lord Manwė standing there looking a bit nonplused while said elfling's ammė is about dying of embarrassment and Lord Nįmo is grinning like a fool. LOL!

At any rate, it was important that Ingwė at least be at Lemenyon's funeral, as we will see soon. And it let others know that Ingwė was not going to punish Lemenyon's family for what he did.

You are right (and I hadn't really thought about it) but at this point in time, the Elves don't have self-knowledge of Reborns, but must simply take it on faith that their loved ones will return to them. I think in one of his writings Tolkien even states that for the Elves, this is as much an article of faith as is our own beliefs in the afterlife.

And thank you for reading and revieiwng (and a lovely review at that). I appreciate it very much.

LaikwalāssźReviewed Chapter: 121 on 10/28/2011
poor Ingwion. Now he is slowly accepting what happened. I“m crying with him but I“ve no maiar wrapping around me. Very nice and comforting image. A powerful and great chapter. Thank you. Lai

Author Reply: Hi Lai. Slowly, he is accepting what has happened. And I wouldn't mind a Maia or two wrapping themselves around me to give me comfort, too. *grin* It is a indeed a comforting image and Ingwion needs a lot of comforting. Thanks for reading and reviewing. I appreciate it very much.

SiiwReviewed Chapter: 121 on 10/28/2011
I closed this window without writing anything a couple of times, because I didn't know what to say. This chapter is the first you have written that has made my eyes wet. It gave an unusually clear mental image, and brought back memories of another funeral several years ago.

At least we know that they will be reunited.

Author Reply: Hi Siiw. It does make for difficult reading, especially for those of us who have lost loved ones. But this is the last of the "3-hanky" scenes, you might say. *grin* The rest of the story is less sad as we see Ingwė as Ingaran once again. Thanks for reading and reviewing. It's much appreciated.

6336Reviewed Chapter: 121 on 10/28/2011
Oh, that was so beautiful, I've got the sniffles!

I think, maybe, that Ingwion is finally coming to realise that his brother is dead, hopefully the start of his healing.

I think Ingwe was correct in including his brother and his wife in the ceremony, maybe seeing the results of his machinations will bring home to him the seriousness of the problems facing him.

Now to see how the trial unfolds.

Huggs,
Lynda



Author Reply: Hi Lynda. Ingwion is indeed beginning to recognize and accept that his brother is dead and healing has begun, though we know he still has a long way to go. And yes, the trial begins and we'll see how that unfolds. Thanks for reading and reviewing. I appreciate it very much.

FantasiaReviewed Chapter: 121 on 10/28/2011
I'm in tears, crying like a baby. It is like I'm saying goodbye to a family member.

Bad thing is that I'm at work....It is so sad.

Great chapter.

Author Reply: Hi Fantasia. I know just how you mean and you will never know how long I agonized over Ingalaurė dying and what would follow afterwards, but it was already established in "Elf, Interrupted" and so it had to be done.

Hopefully your coworkers were sympathetic. *grin*

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

Agape4GondorReviewed Chapter: 121 on 10/28/2011
Had to read this twice -- the emotions so high.

Well written.

Author Reply: Thanks, Agape. I appreciate you letting me know.

SunnyReviewed Chapter: 121 on 10/28/2011
At least Ingwion has realized and acknowledged that his brother is dead. I don't think anybody is going to call off his Maiarin guards anytime soon, though! He is still quite a long way from being sane, and under the circumstances, I think unexpected behavior is more or less to be expected.

Author Reply: Hi Sunny. Yes, Ingwion has begun to acknowledge that Ingalaurė is indeed dead, but no one is going to call off the Maiarin guards just yet. He does indeed have a long way to go before he can be declared "safe", as we will see in subsequent chapters. Thanks for reading and reviewing. I appreciate it very much.

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