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The Heir Apparent by Mirkwoodmaiden	7 Review(s)
Nurayy	Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 3/12/2021
Another beautiful chapter. They are so sweet, so in love. Very tender moments. And you write young adults so well. I liked how her little brother was embarrassed by Gilraen's motherly affection. I remember you wrote something like this with Háláf as his mother showed her fondness of him in public in Destiny's Child. That is so much how they really feel and behave at such occasions and I find it amusing. The scene with her mother was so emotional, such feels. She wants her daughter to be happy as long as she can, although she knows that it will take a tragic turn. That is such a difficult knowledge to bear for a mother. Author Reply: Nurayy!! Hello! Thank you! blush And yes I have an few friends with teenage children and this is exactly how they acted so it seemed only fitting. And Gilraen knew EXACTLY how much it would embarrass Erithain. Which of course is the point. What else is a little brother for but to embarrass the heck out of them ;-) I really do love the way the scene between Gilraen, her mom and her friend turned out. Marriage and the birthing of children is essential to the Dunedain because without that their inheritance dies away. And that is what they live for. No mother could bear to see her child unhappy but for Ivorwen it is doubly difficult because not only can she not stand to see her child happy. She has to encourage the match because through Gilraen will come the culmination of everything that the Dunedain have lived and survived for. All Dunedain are bound to this driving force of their survival; their reason for being. And Ivorwen knows the pain it will cause her child. That is really a very tough thing. Thanks for writing! Stay Safe and well ((hugs)) MM Author Reply: Nurayy!! Hello! Thank you! blush And yes I have an few friends with teenage children and this is exactly how they acted so it seemed only fitting. And Gilraen knew EXACTLY how much it would embarrass Erithain. Which of course is the point. What else is a little brother for but to embarrass the heck out of them ;-) I really do love the way the scene between Gilraen, her mom and her friend turned out. Marriage and the birthing of children is essential to the Dunedain because without that their inheritance dies away. And that is what they live for. No mother could bear to see her child unhappy but for Ivorwen it is doubly difficult because not only can she not stand to see her child happy. She has to encourage the match because through Gilraen will come the culmination of everything that the Dunedain have lived and survived for. All Dunedain are bound to this driving force of their survival; their reason for being. And Ivorwen knows the pain it will cause her child. That is really a very tough thing. Thanks for writing! Stay Safe and well ((hugs)) MM

Larner	Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 3/7/2020
It takes faith to make such a garment in this manner, involving Gilraen as was done. May it remind her ever of the joy of her marriage. Author Reply: Larner! So true. I really wanted to show how important and special marriage was to the women of the Dunedain. It was their own unique way of contributing to the legacy of their people. It was also why Ivorwen did not tell Gilraen of her vision. She wanted her daughter to have those few happy years untainted by what would be. MM

Larner	Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 11/2/2005
Yes, the wedding garment being a document bearing testimony between mother and daughter is a wonderful image. And I love Gilraen taking her beloved off on an unwanted jaunt "picking weeds". Silly man! He needs to realize that this is not "woman's" work but "their" moment together, preparing for what is to come. Author Reply: Larner! I'm really happy that you are enjoying the story! I did love the bit of naughtiness that Gilraen and Arathorn! I thought they needed a bit of time alone, before they embark upon married life!! Also I wanted to create more of the Dunedain society than I had previously read. And historically speaking it is the women who give a society shape and foundation. They tended to hearth and home. So I thought a good way to flesh out Dunedain society was to speak of what relationships the women formed. Family would all important and the handing down of knowledge from mother to daughter would most definitely be a special one. Glad you liked it. MM

Envinyatar	Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 11/2/2005
I'm not sure how I've missed this up to now, but I'm very glad I found it. I really enjoyed the description of the wedding dress and all that went into the making of it. You create a very interesting picture of Dunedain society, a neglected area. You obviously know your (Earth) history and use it well in your portrayal of rural life. You also manage to bring Gilraen and Arathorn to life, which is rarely done successfully, and show where Aragorn gets his strength and compassion. Off to read the rest. Author Reply: Envinyatar! I'm so glad that you've happened upon my story and equally glad you really liked it. I meant start writing just before Aragorn comes to Imladris, but the story just started writing itself a little earlier! I've always been fascinated by the Dunedain and pondered how they could survive as a dwindling people yet so full of resolve and purpose! I thought about what kind of settlements they might have and a combination of roughly early Anglo-Saxon seemed to fit best. Gilraen and Arathorn pretty much wrote themselves considering the type of person Aragorn is, he had to come from strong and unique people. MM

Eruanneth_Luin	Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 6/29/2005
Ah, the joy of new-found love on bloom, filled with laughter and discovery. No timid, soft-spoken maid has the Chieftain’s son chosen, but one well suited to his own fire. The interplay between the pair as each learns the ways of the other calls to mind the growing together yet to come. Arathorn as a somewhat dazed, bemused lover is perfect. So beautifully done; the wedding gifts from her Ivorwen ‘the woven document of their relationship’ brought a tear to my eyes. Just imagining the planning and preparations begun early in the life of Gilraen, makes me long for the same intensely personal and loving heirloom from my own mother. Sadly the time is long past. We have lost so much in our hasty living. Thank you for another lovely chapter. Author Reply: It is so true what you say about the fast pace of life in our times. In this chapter I wanted to write about the relationship that the women of the Dunedain might have. Women are often overlooked when thinking about the construction of history because they generally donn't fight in battles, but they are often what the men are fighting to defend, hearth and home. What relationships were built by those hearthfires. I wanted to create such a moment, also I think that it reflects my relationship with my mom, who has taught me many things in a similar fashion over crafts that we shared. I also wanted to thank you for the all the reviews posted on my separate chapters! I don't have a lot of time presently but want to answer them MM

Nilmandra	Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 10/1/2003
I love the humor and love between Arathorn and Gilraen, but even more so the traditions, love and long preparations that were made for a daughter's wedding. How sad for a mother to prepare for happiness when she knows her foresight speaks of pain. Author Reply: Nilmandra! Thanks for the reviews of the chapters! I really appreciate them! :-)) I wanted to show how marriage and family could possibly become VERY important to a people who sole notion is to survive the destruction of their culture and their power. Ivorwen had a very painful road to travel. Everything her people have struggled for and built their identity on will come true, but her daughter must suffer for it. It is a horrible choice. But she is strong enough to make it. Now you can see (if you want to extrapolate from fan fiction) where Aragorn gets his resolve and tenacity. The Dunedain have always fascinated me. How does a people survive with their identity more or less intact 1000 years after the downfall of their kingdom? I found the unbroken line fascinating knowing that the historical nature of monarchy, even stable ones is to have their problems with the succession. Thanks for reading! MM

daw the minstrel	Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 9/28/2003
One of the things I like shows up in this chapter in particular: this story doesn't undervalue women's work and contribution to their people. Lots of LOTR fanfiction seems to assume that if the woman is not a warrior, then she is somehow boring. The detail of work and life here is a wonderful negation of that attitude. Also, I like the idea of Arathorn and Gilraen kissing in the heather, even if he is being crabby about weed picking. Author Reply: I'm really glad you picked that up. I thought that it was important in the describing of this Dunedain society to show the role of women in the life of the settlement, to show the work that women, really throughout history, have done. In a society that has been built around the simple ideas of defense and survival the women's ability to make and keep house and all that entails was just as important as the soldiering of the men. After all it is the way of life back in the settlement or the village that the men were striving to protect. While I myself with my modern sensibilities, would chafe under such restrictions I thought it essential that the women in my story understand and accept this. After all it is a different world we all write about. On a lighter note Arathorn and Gilraen kissing in the heather was just too fun to pass up! Wee-hee! MM

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