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The Unquenchable Light  by Virtuella 43 Review(s)
LeithianReviewed Chapter: 21 on 3/31/2025
How did I miss this update? No idea.

This chapter has action interspersed with comedy in the most delightful manner. Glad to see Tilar and her new advisor meet their just desserts.

"๐˜‰๐˜ฆ๐˜ฉ๐˜ฐ๐˜ญ๐˜ฅ ๐˜บ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ๐˜ณ ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ๐˜ธ ๐˜ˆ๐˜ณ๐˜ค๐˜ฉ๐˜ด๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜ข๐˜ฑ๐˜ฉ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ,โ€ ๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ด๐˜ข๐˜ช๐˜ฅ. โ€œ๐˜š๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ธ๐˜ช๐˜ญ๐˜ญ ๐˜ณ๐˜ถ๐˜ญ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฐ๐˜ท๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ ๐˜’รป๐˜ป ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ ๐˜š๐˜ข๐˜ถ๐˜ณ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏโ€™๐˜ด ๐˜ฏ๐˜ข๐˜ฎ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ ๐˜ธ๐˜ช๐˜ญ๐˜ญ ๐˜ฃ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ ๐˜ข๐˜ฅ๐˜ท๐˜ช๐˜ด๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ.โ€

...

โ€œ๐˜Œ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ๐˜จ๐˜ฉ ๐˜ช๐˜ฅ๐˜ญ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ค๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ต๐˜ต๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ,โ€ ๐˜ด๐˜ข๐˜ช๐˜ฅ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ข๐˜ฎ๐˜ฃ๐˜ข๐˜ด๐˜ด๐˜ข๐˜ฅ๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ. โ€œ๐˜”๐˜ข๐˜ซ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ช ๐˜ธ๐˜ช๐˜ญ๐˜ญ ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฐ๐˜ธ ๐˜จ๐˜ฐ ๐˜ต๐˜ฐ ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฐ๐˜ง ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฃ๐˜ข๐˜ญ๐˜ค๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ๐˜ช๐˜ฆ๐˜ด ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ต๐˜ฆ๐˜ญ๐˜ญ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฑ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฑ๐˜ญ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ๐˜ต๐˜ด๐˜ช๐˜ฅ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ต ๐˜ด๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ช๐˜ด ๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ๐˜ญ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜ฒ๐˜ถ๐˜ช๐˜ด๐˜ฉ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜จ ๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ณ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ โ€“โ€

Sure ambassador!
There was the last Louis of France who lasted for less than half an hour and then there is this 2 minute Archseraphine. I know, Tilar, we all wanted to become princesses when we were young, but we don't ally with Dark Lords to fulfil our dreams. Better luck next time.

As for the ambassador, I believe that Hamujil will be more merciful to him than Sauron, so he better not try to escape.

Thank goodness for the quick thinking by Majani and her ladies that saved the day.

โ€œ๐˜ž๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฎ๐˜ถ๐˜ด๐˜ต ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ๐˜ด๐˜ต ๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ!โ€ ๐˜ค๐˜ณ๐˜ช๐˜ฆ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜จ๐˜ถ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ฅ, ๐˜ฆ๐˜น๐˜ค๐˜ช๐˜ต๐˜ฆ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ต ๐˜ง๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜ข๐˜ญ๐˜ญ๐˜บ ๐˜ด๐˜ฐ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฆ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜จ ๐˜ฅ๐˜ณ๐˜ข๐˜ฎ๐˜ข๐˜ต๐˜ช๐˜ค ๐˜ธ๐˜ข๐˜ด ๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ฑ๐˜ฑ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜จ ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ ๐˜ฉ๐˜ช๐˜ด ๐˜ซ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฃ. โ€œ๐˜ž๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ช๐˜ด ๐˜ด๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜จ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ?โ€

๐˜”๐˜ข๐˜ซ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ช ๐˜ฑ๐˜ฐ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜ต๐˜ฆ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ข๐˜ต ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ค๐˜ฐ๐˜ญ๐˜ญ๐˜ข๐˜ฑ๐˜ด๐˜ฆ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ฃ๐˜ข๐˜ญ๐˜ฅ๐˜ข๐˜ค๐˜ฉ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ.  โ€œ๐˜›๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ด๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ช๐˜ด, ๐˜ด๐˜ฏ๐˜ถ๐˜จ๐˜ญ๐˜บ ๐˜ธ๐˜ณ๐˜ข๐˜ฑ๐˜ฑ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ถ๐˜ฑ ๐˜ธ๐˜ช๐˜ต๐˜ฉ ๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ ๐˜ฑ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ต๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ-๐˜ช๐˜ฏ-๐˜ค๐˜ณ๐˜ช๐˜ฎ๐˜ฆ.  ๐˜๐˜ง ๐˜ช๐˜ต ๐˜ฑ๐˜ญ๐˜ฆ๐˜ข๐˜ด๐˜ฆ๐˜ด ๐˜บ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ, ๐˜ต๐˜ข๐˜ฌ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฎ ๐˜ข๐˜ธ๐˜ข๐˜บ ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ญ๐˜ฐ๐˜ค๐˜ฌ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฎ ๐˜ถ๐˜ฑ ๐˜ด๐˜ฐ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฆ๐˜ธ๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ.โ€

Lol! The guard's thoughts and Majani's calm response. I think she is still a little bemused at the absurdity of the attempted coup d'etat.

***
Hamujil on the other hand is too very nice and I don't know what to call it... he takes blame so easily or thinks everything is his responsibility? It isn't but, well he is a very nice neighbour. I don't know what to think of the Krรข response. On one hand I think that their accusations are too ludicrous but of course jealousy caused the world's first crime, so it is understandable that the Krรข are moved to war as they feel that they have not been treated fairly by the Kรปzeen. Of course, Sauron's lies may have worked to exacerbate the situation.

๐˜Œ๐˜ป๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ ๐˜Ž๐˜ฐ๐˜ฎ๐˜ณ๐˜ถ ๐˜ด๐˜ข๐˜ช๐˜ฅ ๐˜ด๐˜ช๐˜น๐˜ต๐˜ฆ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ ๐˜ฑ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฑ๐˜ญ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ต ๐˜ด๐˜ช๐˜ต๐˜ถ๐˜ข๐˜ต๐˜ช๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ ๐˜ธ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ข ๐˜ญ๐˜ช๐˜ข๐˜ฃ๐˜ช๐˜ญ๐˜ช๐˜ต๐˜บ. ๐˜๐˜ตโ€™๐˜ด ๐˜ซ๐˜ถ๐˜ด๐˜ต ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฆ ๐˜Œ๐˜ป๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ๐˜ด ๐˜ต๐˜ข๐˜ญ๐˜ฌ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜จ ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฐ๐˜ธ ๐˜ต๐˜ฐ ๐˜๐˜ข๐˜ฎรป๐˜ซ๐˜ช๐˜ญ, ๐˜ˆ๐˜ญ๐˜ข๐˜ต๐˜ข๐˜ณ ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ ๐˜ถ๐˜ฏ.

Finally a wise council from the Ezen.

โ€œ๐˜๐˜ฐ๐˜ธ ๐˜ค๐˜ข๐˜ฏ ๐˜ช๐˜ต ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฐ๐˜ต ๐˜ฃ๐˜ฆ!โ€ ๐˜ค๐˜ณ๐˜ช๐˜ฆ๐˜ฅ ๐˜‘๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ. ๐˜š๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฑ๐˜ถ๐˜ญ๐˜ญ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ ๐˜ฉ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ฐ๐˜ท๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ ๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ ๐˜ฆ๐˜บ๐˜ฆ๐˜ด, ๐˜ค๐˜ถ๐˜ณ๐˜ญ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ถ๐˜ฑ ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ต๐˜ถ๐˜ณ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ข๐˜ธ๐˜ข๐˜บ ๐˜ง๐˜ณ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฎ ๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ ๐˜ง๐˜ณ๐˜ช๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ๐˜ด. ๐˜›๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ด๐˜ฐ๐˜ฃ๐˜ด ๐˜ธ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ค๐˜ฐ๐˜ฎ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜จ ๐˜ด๐˜ฐ ๐˜ง๐˜ข๐˜ด๐˜ต ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ด๐˜ฐ ๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ต ๐˜ด๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ค๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ๐˜ญ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ฃ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ๐˜ญ๐˜บ ๐˜ฃ๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ๐˜ข๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ ๐˜ฃ๐˜ฆ๐˜ต๐˜ธ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ.

Oh poor thing. I feel so sorry for Jarin. I wish she didn't feel so bad, but I understand her horror.

Hoping that the saner heads will prevail and the negotiations will be successful.

Have a nice day!

P.S. I love the new summary. It is a beautiful reflection of the exotic nature of the East.
Also, if I may say so, thanks for your work in trying to 'redeem' the East. Honestly, as an Eastern person, the constant negative portrayal in the legendarium is sometimes a bit too much.

LindeleaReviewed Chapter: 21 on 3/28/2025
This chapter is as much comedy as it is drama. And then we come to the tragedy at the end. Poor Jarin! Can there be any healing possible for her heart and conscience?

LindeleaReviewed Chapter: 20 on 3/23/2025
Yeah, regarding labeling entire nations "evil", I suppose that fits the "good vs evil" theme. But even JRRT opened the door to not all Men in different nations being evil in his exploration of Sam's thoughts in Ithilien:

It was Samโ€™s first view of a battle of Men against Men, and he did not like it much. He was glad that he could not see the dead face. He wondered what the manโ€™s name was and where he came from; and if he was really evil of heart, or what lies or threats had led him on the long march from his home; and if he would not really rather have stayed there in peace โ€“ all in a flash of thought which was quickly driven from his mind.

I took "what lies or threats had led him..." in the sense of what we call today disinformation, as in a malicious twisting of facts to manipulate people's thoughts and actions. I can definitely see Sauron and the Mouth of Sauron employing that tactic. Along similar lines, the Haradrim in my stories are a mix of noble-minded and evil-minded people, with strong and weak individuals in both categories. It takes all kinds to make a world.

***
As to this chapter, my first thought was to hear some soldier in the back of my mind saying blearily to a comrade as the ships sail away, "...Man, those Elves sure know how to throw a party...!"

Uh-oh. Here comes the ambassador. To quote a certain princess, "I thought I recognized your foul stench when I came aboard..."

O-o-o-o-o-kay-y-y-y-y. Enter the Tree Women, stage left. (Did I ever mention how pleased I was that you brought them into this story?) Oh! So the Tree Women aren't simply very long-lived, like the Ents in Fangorn, but they've actually planted a colony of sorts and are thriving and growing. Oooo! "pale caterpillars": I'm guessing silkworms?

Oh, the Tree Women have Trockenbeernauslese and Eiswein!!! Of course they do. I remember the taste, like golden sunshine. Someone told me that the best of it stayed in Germany and was not exported to the US, so I never bothered to buy it after we left Europe. Wish we were still there, these days.

Aha! And the Tree Women (like my Eagles) differentiate between speaking folk and the other kind. (My Eagles are allowed to swoop up Orcs and "drop them on the rocks to break them" but are not allowed to eat them. They probably wouldn't be good to eat, anyhow.)

โ€œIf youโ€™ve treated them well,โ€ she said, โ€œthey must love you and they will follow you.โ€ Why do I suspect the horses won't follow them?

our palace. As Buggs Bunny would say, "The noive!"

I wonder if Tilar overestimated the support she'd get from others?

The Krandi don't even have folding chairs? They sound unprepared for the marching life.

"did not quite look right" Hmmm. But "shall we shoot it?" had me laughing, it sounded so much like the little boys I've known.

I have to say, if you hadn't mentioned the Krรข being honorable and not evil, I'd be worried about the eight of them coming in out of the dark to meet in the tent. (Shades of Hemry's Dauntless, where the Syndics appear to slaughter all the Alliance leaders who come to parley...)

Hahahahaha! Was Dorwinian Wine involved, I wonder? โ€œIโ€™m in a mood to die.โ€ โ€œExcellent.โ€
Sledgehammer! Good name (even if it's not the name). My hobbits have a similar name: Weed Killer (Or "keed willer" if you already happen to have imbibed one over your limit.) Really gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "slaying the enemy"! ("killing your enemy with kindness", maybe?)

Okay, I was kind of wary of these elves when Jarin encountered them (if I'm remembering right), but now I'm starting to like them. (Do I have to spell everything out to you?

Sheesh, this turned out to be a long review. Apologies if you find such annoying. (I adore long reviews, for my part [especially on one of my own chapters, LOL], but I realize not everyone loves discussing Tolkien's creation as much as I do.)


LindeleaReviewed Chapter: 19 on 3/17/2025
So little lies make a rider heavier. No wonder the palantรญr was so difficult to transport!

The people on the ships sound reluctant and misinformed. Has it ever occurred to them that their truth might have been twisted?

Pallando's strategy sounds interesting. It obviously assumes the Krรข are not evil.
The commander definitely sounds confused: he certainly also hadnโ€™t expected this, whatever it was.

They certainly were not prepared to meet a Hwenti onslaught. Party hearty? Make merry, not war? (I wonder what the Hwenti would think of being described as "the cavalry coming over the hill"?)

Author Reply: Well, the Hwenti are unpredictable, but they do follow their own agenda, which is benign enough.

[ It obviously assumes the Krรข are not evil.] For my taste, Tolkien is too ready to call entire nations, even entire species evil. I realise this kind of goes with the genre, but it still irks me. So no, they are not evil. Nor are they misinformed. Naรฏve, might be a better word. And things look quite different from their perspective.

LindeleaReviewed Chapter: 18 on 3/11/2025
I was going to just read and then try to gather my thoughts, but this was too good to pass up:
They had chosen this out-of-the-way spot so that half Levare wouldnโ€™t congregate around them and offer advice. It's so true!!! (I also love the description of the frosted landscape.)

(I have to say, I had thought I was seeing some hints in earlier chapters, but I didn't want to jump to conclusions... I am so unfamiliar with Dwarves, I don't know how to "read" them yet. I can't tell when they're joking or serious or just being Dwarves!)

Love the magnificent mustache. I wonder if he'd ever shave it off for any reason, and if his wife might not recognize him at first sight before he spoke and she recognized his voice? (Happened to me with one of my close relations after she dyed her hair a dramatically different color. LOL!) Awww. His wife made him put on mittens. I love how protective people are of him. "Don't tell Majani." (snork)

I'm with Diri. I'm all for clandestine departures when on secret missions. I worry about the Enemy finding out...

For some reason, "bail them out" struck me as jumping out of an airplane with a parachute rather than bailing out a leaky rowboat, and I had the sudden idle vision of a dragon-rider wearing a parachute pack. My brain does odd things now and then... And now, the procession with all the dragons and their riders has me thinking of All the Weyrs of Pern and the grand scheme to use the dragons, working together, to alter the orbit of the Red Star...

The breath-taking processional is almost worth the risk of compromise. Almost.

Waiting with bated breath to see Pallando's plan play out...

LeithianReviewed Chapter: 20 on 3/8/2025
โ€œ๐˜ž๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ต ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ ๐˜บ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ ๐˜ฅ๐˜ฐ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜จ ๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ, ๐˜›๐˜ช๐˜ญ๐˜ข๐˜ณ?โ€

๐˜›๐˜ช๐˜ญ๐˜ข๐˜ณ ๐˜ด๐˜ฑ๐˜ถ๐˜ฏ ๐˜ณ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ด๐˜ข๐˜ธ ๐˜ž๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ฅ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ ๐˜–๐˜ญ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ ๐˜ด๐˜ฆ๐˜ข๐˜ต๐˜ฆ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ ๐˜ข ๐˜ด๐˜ฐ๐˜ฑ๐˜ฉ๐˜ข ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ๐˜ข๐˜ณ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฅ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ.

โ€œ๐˜โ€™๐˜ฎ ๐˜ฅ๐˜ฐ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜จ ๐˜ถ๐˜ด ๐˜ข๐˜ญ๐˜ญ ๐˜ข ๐˜ง๐˜ข๐˜ท๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ๐˜ณ, ๐˜–๐˜ญ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ,โ€ ๐˜ด๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ด๐˜ข๐˜ช๐˜ฅ. โ€œ๐˜ž๐˜ฉ๐˜บ ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ ๐˜บ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ ๐˜ญ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฌ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜จ ๐˜ด๐˜ฐ ๐˜ด๐˜ฉ๐˜ฐ๐˜ค๐˜ฌ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฅ? ๐˜ ๐˜ฌ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฐ๐˜ธ ๐˜บ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ ๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ต๐˜ฆ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜•๐˜ฆ๐˜ธ ๐˜ž๐˜ข๐˜บ ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ˆ๐˜ณ๐˜ค๐˜ฉ๐˜ด๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜ข๐˜ฑ๐˜ฉ ๐˜ข๐˜ด ๐˜ฎ๐˜ถ๐˜ค๐˜ฉ ๐˜ข๐˜ด ๐˜ ๐˜ฅ๐˜ฐ. ๐˜ž๐˜ฆ๐˜ญ๐˜ญ, ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜บโ€™๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ข ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜จ ๐˜ฐ๐˜ง ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฑ๐˜ข๐˜ด๐˜ต. ๐˜ˆ ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ๐˜ธ ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜ข ๐˜ง๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ ๐˜’รป๐˜ป ๐˜ช๐˜ด ๐˜ข๐˜ฃ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ๐˜ต ๐˜ต๐˜ฐ ๐˜ฃ๐˜ฆ๐˜จ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ.โ€

Oh no!

โ€œ๐˜›๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ต ๐˜ช๐˜ด ๐˜ง๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ๐˜ต๐˜ถ๐˜ช๐˜ต๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ๐˜ด,โ€ ๐˜ด๐˜ข๐˜ช๐˜ฅ ๐˜Œ๐˜ป๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ ๐˜’๐˜ฆ๐˜ฎ๐˜ณ๐˜ข, โ€œ๐˜ง๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฆ๐˜ช๐˜จ๐˜ฉ๐˜ต ๐˜ญ๐˜ฆ๐˜ข๐˜ฅ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜ด ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ช๐˜ด ๐˜ค๐˜ข๐˜ฎ๐˜ฑ ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ ๐˜ธ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ๐˜ญ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฐ๐˜ต ๐˜ธ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ต ๐˜บ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ ๐˜ต๐˜ฐ ๐˜ฃ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ๐˜ต๐˜ฏ๐˜ถ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฃ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฅ.โ€ ๐˜›๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ธ๐˜ข๐˜ด ๐˜ญ๐˜ข๐˜ถ๐˜จ๐˜ฉ๐˜ต๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ ๐˜ง๐˜ณ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฎ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜’๐˜ณรข. โ€œ๐˜›๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฆ๐˜ช๐˜จ๐˜ฉ๐˜ต ๐˜ฐ๐˜ง ๐˜ถ๐˜ด ๐˜ธ๐˜ช๐˜ญ๐˜ญ ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฆ๐˜ต ๐˜บ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ๐˜ณ ๐˜ฑ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ต๐˜บ ๐˜ฐ๐˜ง ๐˜ฆ๐˜ช๐˜จ๐˜ฉ๐˜ต ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ ๐˜ฎ๐˜บ ๐˜ต๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ๐˜ต. ๐˜›๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ ๐˜บ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ ๐˜ฎ๐˜ข๐˜บ ๐˜ต๐˜ฆ๐˜ญ๐˜ญ ๐˜ถ๐˜ด ๐˜ธ๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ต๐˜ฆ๐˜ท๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ ๐˜ช๐˜ต ๐˜ช๐˜ด ๐˜บ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ ๐˜ค๐˜ข๐˜ฎ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ต๐˜ฐ ๐˜ด๐˜ข๐˜บ ๐˜ข๐˜ฃ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ๐˜ต ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฎ๐˜ช๐˜ด๐˜ต๐˜ข๐˜ฌ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ธ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ท๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฎ๐˜ข๐˜ฅ๐˜ฆ.โ€

Hamujil is so brave to accept and I really hope he doesn't regret it... Let's hope that Ezen Kemra is a man of his word.

The last part of the chapter, though, was pure gold. And somehow, that unnamed Hwenti elf has all the grace of a High-Elf.

Take care

Author Reply: Yes, Tilar is the traitor, though I tried to make readers think it was Miriel. ;-)

Initially, I had intended for the plan to work out, but then it seemed to me that was too easy and it would be better if Hamujil had to put his life on the line after all.

Oh dear, I didn't mean for the Hwenti man to come across like a high elf, he was supposed to be good-natured but flippant and condescending. I'm going to have to take a look at that.

LindeleaReviewed Chapter: 17 on 3/8/2025
Tiny crumbs of snow fell down in swift, straight lines around her like so many shooting stars. Nice. I've experienced such snow, as well as giant flakes floating down in eerie silence.

The casual greetings immediately followed by the fervent embrace was sweet.

Hmmm. "loyalties tested" and "one passenger" sounds... troubling, somehow.

Hamรปjil's humility shows his quality, I think (rather like Sam's description of Faramir); he seems to elicit respect and honour from almost all those around him, if I'm reading the scene correctly.

Why else indeed. Um. Is this supposed to make me uneasy?

So the chain is made from priceless mithril? (Is the flute, too? Probably not, considering how rare the metal is.)

Sigh. I used to spend many happy hours in the corner of one coffee house or another. (Long-handled coffee pot. Like Turkish coffee? I may be remembering wrong.) Oh dear. The gossip is distressing. And, of course, it brings the plan to the attention of malevolent ears, I should think.

A strong light source. Hmmm. Something comes to mind...

Author Reply: I only meant Jarin can take either Hamujil or Diri.

Do you feel I have overly idealised Hamujil?

[Why else indeed. Um. Is this supposed to make me uneasy?] No, not uneasy. I have been wondering - there is something going on in the background, which my beta picked up straight away some chapters back, though I tried to make it subtle. Seems that so far I have managed to sneak it past your sharp eyes! ;-) Why else would Diri have come to Levare?

Just the chain!

Yes, I was thinking of Turkish coffee pots. Turkish, along with Indian, Chinese, Japanese and Persian, is one of the cultures I have blended for the Kuzar culture.
Thanks for you comments; it's so nice toengage with a reader about the story!


LindeleaReviewed Chapter: 16 on 3/4/2025
So the traitor was in the room with us last night. That's a really distressing thought.

Oh my. She pulled out the big guns, it sounds like. The nuclear option?

Jarin's back! (And I think I may have an idea of what Diri's suggesting...)

Author Reply: Yes, I want the reader to be a little creeped out by that! ;-)

LindeleaReviewed Chapter: 15 on 2/24/2025
Thank you for explaining about the white peacock! That helps. Now I don't have to go back and read earlier chapters but can press on and go forward...

Poor Margig, I was wondering how he was coping with his daughter's prolonged absence. I like that he goes ahead and makes the festive cakes, remembering Jarin as he works.

Hmmm. Wan is wary of elves, is he?
Uh-oh. Elves. Most of these elves seem rather silly โ€“ which could be dangerous. I'm glad that Lossรซ seems friendly. Let's hope it lasts.
After they meet the one who chides the "children" for always wanting to save their lands, I feel sorry for these elves. What makes them different? indeed! But I have to wonder if the Hwenti would actually be able to defend themselves if a battle arose. They seem awfully jaded and hollow. Is this what fading looks like?

Miriel sounds wiser than Tilar. I love the description of the winter solstice celebration. But oh no! Vani's statue is smashed and the darkness cannot be dissipated, it seems!

Author Reply: I think these elves, lacking purpose and guidance, would go a little insane over the millennia. "Rudderless" is the word I have in mind.


LindeleaReviewed Chapter: 14 on 2/22/2025
O good, you're adding to the story!

I know that feeling of looking in the same places three and four times all too well. Not for young princes, though, just for things I mislay absent-mindedly. However, this doesn't look like a case of absent-mindedness. I suppose they might be able to find the palantรญr to find him. But maybe not.

She held her lantern high โ€“ it made no difference to the search but it just seemed the thing to do. One of those unconscious gestures that you don't think about as you're doing it (but adds an extra note of reality to the scene).

Oh! Is the peacock that hasn't settled yet and is thus sounding a piercing call unsettled because the boy is there? (I'm confused. He ran away and hid in the aviary and fell asleep?) I got lost at the mention of "Vani" and the pale shape. (Mentioned earlier in the story, perhaps? I may have to go back and look.)

Interesting invention. I find myself wondering if it might be used to confuse/deceive an enemy force (peacefully and non-violently)?

The seekers' methodology is fascinating. The administration of the poison is subtle and fiendishly clever and, thus, quite disturbing.

Diri's comment about the dragons is interesting, considering his invention.

Hmmm. I wonder what will happen in the morning...

Author Reply: Vani is an albino peacock who lives in the palace gardens. He is mentioned a few times earlier in the tory, and Hamujil gives Majani a porcellain figurine of him in the chapter "Lanterns".

You are supposed to be confused; I wanted to leave it ambivalent what actually happened.

Thanks for commenting!

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