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From Wilderness to Cities White  by Larner 3 Review(s)
AntaneReviewed Chapter: 28 on 10/2/2012
Poor Merry - to be so worried. I wonder what Frodo was responding too - perhaps being grabbed by Gollum? Yes, all scarred and the worst ones are not physical. But glad it gave the wounded man a new way of looking at things.

Namarie, God bless, Antane :)

Author Reply: Perhaps Frodo was reacting to that memory, or to the memories of how the Ring took and sought so often to betray him. But Derulon needed to break out of his cycle of despair and self-pity if he would find the hope inherent in knowing that there is a future offered to him. And Merry is so newly healed himself that seeing Pippin, Sam, and Frodo all laid low and held in healing sleep must have been very difficult.

TariReviewed Chapter: 28 on 10/1/2012
Merry may not realize it, but he is a bit of a healer himself. Derunol was ready to give up until Merry gave him a new lease on life. Way to go Merry!

Author Reply: Yes, just learning that someone else sees him as anything but a helpless case, and perhaps in far better shape than his own loved ones has helped hearten him. And he needed to see that there are options in front of him, that he's not destined to be a drain on society and his family from now on. And if he truly loves Gilien, he needs to be as willing to fight for her as he was to fight for freedom and Gondor itself!

shireboundReviewed Chapter: 28 on 9/29/2012
This conversation is so full of healing, it's just what they both needed most. Dear Merry, he always did see so clearly, and acted so much -- as did all the hobbits -- out of love for homeland, and for one another. I enjoyed reading this very much.

Author Reply: Both needed to get at least some of their fears out of their system, I think. As for Merry--he's only just really begun feeling quite normal after his deep brush with the Black Breath that almost took him, and now he has to look on the sleeping forms of his two favorite cousins and dear Sam, all of them looking quite awful, and knows the competing emotions of relief that all three of them are still alive mixed with the anxiety of not knowing if Frodo and Sam will truly awaken again, or whether any of the three might have ended up with serious brain damage. There's always the possibility, as badly hurt as the three are, that they might die anyway, too.

Trying to reassure someone else at such a time would have felt natural considering his nature as a Hobbit, but would undoubtely have underlined his own lack of surety that those he loved so would be able to recover. No wonder he's blathering!

As for Durunol, he's suddenly realizing that perhaps he's not as bad off as he'd thought, as at least he is able to think straight. And for the first time he's able to look past his loss and see the glint of hope that in spite of the loss of his leg he might still be able to walk again, and that just perhaps there's still something worthwhile in his life to continue fighing for.

Thanks so, Shirebound!

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