Stories of Arda - Lord of the Rings Fan-Fiction Archive


	About Us News Resources Login Become a member Help Search

Glorious Summer by daw the minstrel	22 Review(s)
Jebb	Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 9/24/2004
So everything begins to come together and fall apart (you know what I mean!) Celuwen finding things rather different back at the settlement I thought the laundry problem was very telling, her life now is so different as are her loyalties. It must be both wonderful and unsettling to love someone so much that you have to change your life for them, that goes for Eilian as much as Celuwen. I don't think Ithilden or Alfirin had to make such major life shifts as these two are undergoing their characters are so different and both suffer from having parents who don't quite approve of the choices they have made. Eilian is going to be in big trouble I suspect when Thranduil and Ithilden find out how he has used his new position to enable him to go after Celuwen at least he still has Malantaur with him hopefully he will keep disaters down to a minimum. As for Legolas he must feel as if he is walking on egg shells with his new position. The fact he is going after the humans fills me with dismay at what is going to happen next. I am still hearing threatening music! Thanks for the information on the backgrounds of the fighting not too much at all it helped me put things in context and encouraged me to go and read up on it. Judy Author Reply: Yes indeed! I know what you mean. The various threads are coming together and I'm hoping it won't be dull. :-) I've had an interesting time writing about Eilian and Celuwen as newlyweds. It's been different than I thought it would be. They've both had a harder time, and when I tried to look at things from her point of view, I could see how unsettling it would be. I think of her as fairly self-possessed, but she's been thrown slightly off balance. I think she'll find her way again, but it's taking a little time. You're so right that while Eilian CAN make this assignment, he knows darn well that he's probably SHOULDN'T do that. But he's frightened and no one will listen to him. Like Celuwen, Legolas is just finding his balance as an officer. Theoretically, you should be able to see him do it in this story, but we'll see!

Dot	Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 9/24/2004
Ooh, it looks like things are moving. I’m bracing myself for what may come… I felt sorry for Eilian, lying there knowing that there’s nothing he can do to stop Celuwen going on this trip. I guess it’s how Thranduil feels every time his sons head off somewhere dangerous. What a moment, when Eilian realises that he’s jealous of his wife. It seems an entirely unwelcome notion to him. Actually, I think that she would very likely understand this. She knows him well enough to know how much he craves freedom. And excitement, of course, but right now a little bit of freedom would probably be enough for him. They’re going to have to get much better at hiding their feelings from one another if they don’t want the other to know everything! It brings home how very new their bond is, though. I like that she apologised to him. I doubt he needed to hear an apology but at least he knows that she’s aware of the difficulties he’s having. Oh! Sórion wanted to be a healer! I didn’t know that, that even being in necessary battle would diminish healing abilities. How sad. Sórion must have felt a huge amount of anger to decide to go and fight against the cause of hurt to Mirkwood’s warriors. I mean, he would still have been helping by doing what he was doing. Maybe it was more personal than that. Or maybe he was training as a healer at a time when there were a lot of wounded warriors coming home… It sounds like he started to train as a warrior later than most people. I wonder how he ended up in the south. The more I read about him, the more I want to know – can I have a look at that notebook of yours?! It’s definitely an effect of the Shadow that I hadn’t considered before. It has crossed my mind that Thranduil’s sons had no real choice in their careers but I hadn’t thought about it in the wider sense and just how many people became warriors because they felt that they had to fight the threat to their home. It makes me feel sad for the folk of Mirkwood :-( And what on earth did they do when peace finally came? I think Legolas and Sórion are slowly learning to respect one another. In a professional sense anyway. So Legolas is going to lead a patrol? And he may have to venture out of their territory? I’ll definitely be prepared for excitement, then…;-) It must be hard for Celuwen to have to take the king’s side in front of her father and Félas. Her little speech “Lord Thranduil respects the knowledge that those living here have of the forest. He knows you have much to tell him. I believe he had in mind that you would tell him of any oddities that you noted in the course of your own affairs. He can take action against dangers only if he knows about them” sounds like it came directly from the diplomatic mind of Thrior. I wonder how many times he made her practice it?! “We are a pretty peaceful lot.” LOL! Sorry, that probably shouldn’t have struck me as funny but it did… I must admit, I enjoy seeing Sólith as a father. Even if he is trying to blame Eilian for his daughter turning up unexpectedly. I bet he’s the type of person who’d really mellow if he had grandchildren. It’s quite touching to see how pleased Celuwen’s parents are to see her. I suppose it would be too much to expect Sólith to admit that the improvement in his daughter’s health is due to Eilian… How horrible for him to actually have to feel grateful to him for anything! It must be hard for Celuwen, though, to come home and be treated like a guest. But she’s out of the habit of doing her own laundry despite herself, I see! The necklace! I’m glad to see that again. It seems representative not only of a difficult time of her life when she was beginning to leave childhood behind but shows the length of her friendship with Eilian, how for so long they were part of each other’s life, and the beginning of a different kind of relationship with him. It’s a pity that she did have to choose between different lives and I don’t like to see her loneliness but in a way it’s good to know that she misses him so that she can be reassured that has made the right choice. Still, though…If only she and Eilian didn’t have to live in the palace. They couldn’t move to the settlement, obviously, but they’d probably both be a lot happier away from the palace, and she might actually feel less lonely in her own company than around servants. I suppose it’s just the way it’s done. And Thranduil would probably see it as a huge insult if they left. Belówen must wonder sometimes what he did to deserve Eilian as a patient. Or any of Thranduil’s sons. I wonder if he’s ever treated Thranduil himself. He’s probably worse than the rest of them. Eilian’s hip wound likely would be fully healed before now anyway if he just stayed away from tight spaces and awkward positions… Ah well, at least he got his way. Calith will be able to get some work done in peace now. How is Ithilden not more suspicious?? I suppose he figures Eilian is just thrilled to get away from the office. Boy, will he end up kicking himself. Elviondel seems a little stressed. He reminds me a bit of Todith when he’ll have to do Ithilden’s job for a while. What an interesting mix of officers we’re seeing in this story. Of course, Maltanaur figures out immediately what Eilian is up to. And of course Eilian takes no notice… He must be within his rights to investigate any hint of danger within his own patrol territory. But methinks Thranduil and Ithilden will be less than amused. I take it he’ll avoid bumping into them for the rest of the day. Wouldn’t it be funny if it turned out that there was no danger and Eilian had to explain to Celuwen what the heck he was up to… But danger there seems to be and I’m just dying to see what’s going to happen! :-) Author Reply: I thought your connection between Eilian's reluctance to see Celuwen go into danger and Thranduil's reluctance to see his sons go was very interesting. I hadn't thought about that. I suppose his sons know intellectually that Thranduil feels that way, but I'll bet Ithilden didn't really know until he sent Sinnarn, and Eilian could learn from his feelings about Celuwen if the analogy occurs to him. I also thought about the newness of Eilian and Celuwen's bond when he tried to hide his feelings. He has to remind himself that she can sense them and then try to figure out how to hide them, and I think he HAS to do that and so does she but it's still sad. Sorion interests me. Wouldn't it be awful to feel your talent as a healer slipping away? I wonder how Elrond managed it? As for what they did when peace came, that's a little tricky. The time of the Elves was over then, of course, so most of them went west, but as I recall, the Mirkwood elves stayed longer than most. So did they find it hard to relearn how to live under a flourishing forest? That would be interesting. Legolas, of course, is never happy under the trees again, but that's sea longing. Celuwen has just discovered that at the moment there's no place where she feels completely at home. I think that's because she's in transition, but she will eventually feel at home with Eilian (I hope!). Her father loves her but he is a difficult guy. Wonder how he'll react when Eilian turns up on his doorstep? Oh lord. Where will I have Eilian and Celuwen sleep? I'll have to think about that. "Eilian’s hip wound likely would be fully healed before now anyway if he just stayed away from tight spaces and awkward positions." I think I'm just going to walk away from that one!

Brenda G.	Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 9/24/2004
OK, Daw, now I'm getting as tense as Eilian. Can't he leave tonight instead of at dawn? Oh, me... This was a great chapter. I have thoroughly enjoyed this story from word one. I'm finding myself wishing I were a female elf of sufficient beauty that when I made eyes at Legolas he would notice. You say so much about your characters without belaboring the point, or maybe my imagination is so ripe, you don't have to say much. I find your stories tantalizing. This is a top-notch tale so far, and I am holding my breath to see what Eilian's sense of impending danger turns out to be. Please preserve Celuwen for her husband. If anything would make Eilian fade, it would be losing the love of his life. I might fade right along beside him were disaster to befall these newlyweds who have become like family members to me. Keep those chapters coming! We fans have a voracious appetite! Author Reply: Think of him as on his way, Brenda! He'll ride them in the gap between the last chapter the one I hope to start working on later today. You are so good for my ego. I've been worried that this story is moving too slowly, but if you are enjoying it and find it 'tantalizing,' then perhaps it's not. Things are happening in the woods and I now have all my characters there too. :-)

Susanlu	Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 9/24/2004
I have a question: Have Eilian and Celuwen never thought of moving out of the Palace and getting a little cottage of themselves in the woods just like an ordinary young couple? Surely they could visit and have meals with Thranduil and the others in the family often enough, meanwhile they could enjoy their own life in the way they like. I understand that Thranduil may think it's too dangerous, but there's the home guard and so many (most) his people living that way and Eilian is a fierce warrior himself. I also understand that Ithilden may never thought of it, because he and his wife were both traditional, besides, Ithilden take his responsibility as the Crown Prince/Troop Commander/Thranduil's son very serious, and it seems he get along well with his Adar, but I'm sure Eilian will be more than happy to not living under Thranduil's breath all the time. And, Ai, what a docile bady our little greenleaf is! I cannot image that either Ithilden or Eilian was able to tolerate such a baseless suspicion so long without protest. The only possible "base" of S¨®rion's untrust is Legolas's position as the king's son, but Legolas cannot change that, neither can Sorion. So if the southern patrol's captain isn't seasonble to it all along , maybe he should change his own position. He is a good guy, just as misplaced as that Captian Elviondel. Author Reply: What a good question! I think I just assumed that it was traditional for Elven families to live together. Tolkien says they are organized by houses. But I guess Eilian and Celuwen could move out. Of course, once he's back in a patrol away from home, she might be lonely. I'll have to think about that. Legolas is doing ok, and Sorion is settling in, although it's taking him a while. I also thought he might be misplaced leading this patrol, which might require someone more flexible. But you never know. Different styles can sometimes work equally well.

Jay of Lasgalen	Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 9/24/2004
Normally I'd trust Eilian's instincts, but I think his concern for Celuwen may be influencing him. I hope so, anyway. I have a bad feeling about this ... Will the fact that Eilian was a little less than truthful with the healer make any difference? If it does come to fighting, is Eilian truly well? At last we get to see Legolas in action in the south, leading his own patrol. I do hope that the mission will not be free of incident! Jay Author Reply: You hope that trouble will come along? Well, yes! So do I. This story feels slower to me than some of the other things I've written, but there really is action coming at some point. Eilian should be sensing danger at home when Ithilden and Thranduil catch on to what he did. He undoubtedly can assign himself to do this, but I'm not sure it's what they would think he should do.

Bodkin	Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 9/24/2004
'“Indeed,” Eilian agreed, not at all offended that Calith looked almost as glad as Eilian felt to know that he would no longer be working in this office.' I love Calith / Eilian interaction. It is an excellent by-product of having Eilian injured. 'Maltanaur and I are going to be carrying out a special assignment' - very sneaky, Eilian. I suspect you will only get away with this because you will be proved right to worry. But I suggest that you hurry and get away from the palace before Ithilden or Thranduil learn what you are about to do!! The levels of complication of having the king's son in your patrol just get deeper and deeper. It must be hard to let him do the ordinary things that might put him in danger - even with Beliond at his back. I can see a lot of possibilities converging on Solith's settlement - I hope they end up reconciling Celuwen's adar a bit to his new son-in-law. Though that would take a lot. And that the dangers make the settlement elves realise that being ready to protect yourself is not abrogating their principles. Poor Celuwen is realising that things have changed - although she misses the settlement, she doesn't really belong there any more. It's a hard thing to learn, but better to get it out of the way. Her political sense will be sharpening too - the settlement elves take to plans better if they are her idea. Useful. Like the finding of the necklace and the memories it brings back. Remember those knife throwing skills, Celuwen - I think they could prove advantageous at this point. Love watching the relationship between Eilian and Celuwen develop. And that Eilian is horrified to find he is jealous of her freedom - and also, I think, the good working relationship that is developing between Thranduil and Celuwen. Poor Eilian has always found it hard to get on with his adar and is still in the doghouse - it must be hard to see his wife and adar working in harmony. Author Reply: I'm sure Calith likes Eilian. He just doesn't want to have to work with him and the feeling is mutual. And Ithilden is happy to see how glad Eilian is to be going to the Home Guard. Sucker! He and Thranduil are likely to be annoyed, yes indeed. Poor Sorion has a number of difficult things to deal with in his first command. He's replacing a popular captain and is of quite a different temperament. He has a new lieutenant at the same time he is a new captain. And the lieutenant is the king's baby! But you're right that Beliond's presence must help. Thranduil was smart to appoint bodyguards for more reasons than one. Danger do all seem to be pointing in one direction. And there's Celuwen gradually realizing that she doesn't feel quite at home in the palace yet, but this is no longer her home either. I was pleased when I remembered the necklace and would have a chance to show it again. You're right that Eilian must find it mystifying and a little painful to see his father approving of his wife when he withholds his approval from Eilian so often. Sigh.

French Pony	Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 9/23/2004
Ya know, I get the strong sense that a goodly portion of Eilian's Sense O' Danger surrounding the settlement has to do with the fact that his father-in-law lives there. As I recall, Sólith was none too pleased to have his little girl ride off as Mrs. Eilian, and he mentioned something about filleting the groom like a fish. Yes, I can definitely see where Eilian might sense danger lurking around that settlement. Yum, roast duck. . . a little pomegranate sauce is all it needs. I liked watching Celuwen at home. Sometimes it takes going back home to find that you've really left. It can be a little disorienting, especially the time you come home to learn that your old room has been turned into a guest room. But it's always "your" guest room, and anyway, if all your stuff is at your new place, then that's home. Actually, Celuwen is in a pretty good place right now. She can trot between the palace and the settlement, and wherever she's going, she's headed for home. And of course, the old gown that's too soft to throw away. I'm wearing one of those right now, and it is a very special kind of soft. How nice that she found the old necklace again. She should wear it back to the palace home. Eilian would just melt into a little puddle to see it. Of course, Eilian is now more involved in bending the rules, so he may not notice immediately. He's the best at finding every single loophole in regulations. There's one in every army, isn't there? Author Reply: LOL. I am looking forward to writing about family interaction at Mr. and Mrs. Solith's house myself. Poor Celuwen. Imagine having to referee that! At least Celuwen's room hasn't been turned into an entertainment center or something. I can remember the time I went home from college and had to sleep on the couch because of various rearrangements of the furniture at my house. Maybe they were trying to tell me something! I think the necklace will, indeed, have to stay on now, rather like Eilian's rune. Which he may need, when Ithilden and Thranduil realize where he is.

esamen	Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 9/23/2004
He wrapped his arm around her, and they lay together without speaking, as he waited for the morning to come and take her away from him. Aaaawwwwww . . . . I have never seen Eilian so like this before . . . new ground for heartbreak once a warrior marries, hmm? From somewhere, his instincts were urging him to hurry, and he was elated that at last he would be able to do something about his sense of impending danger. And now on to the next adventure -- I'm staying tuned; thanks a million for what looks like a great story brewing up here! Author Reply: I think he feels as protective of her as he did of Legolas before he was certain that Legolas had been well trained and could take care of himself. And his feelings are, of course, made worse by the fact that he is uneasy about danger in the woods. So yeah, new ground for heartbreak. Things do seem to be converging on a problem in the woods, don't they? :-)

Manderly	Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 9/23/2004
Eilian certainly wastes no time in getting back into the swing of things once cleared by the healer. Such an extended perod of inactivity must have been driving him crazy, and no doubt, others around him as well. I can almost hear Ithilden's big sigh of relief to be ridding himself of a restless Eilian. That was a nice little quiet scene with Celuwen and her parents. Hmm, I wonder how long this quiet scene will last with Eilian on the way. Not much Legolas action yet. Is it coming? Author Reply: Eilian has been laying his plans while he's inactive and has them ready to go. You are undoubtedly right that everyone in Ithilden's office is glad that Eilian is on his way to the Home Guard. It was interesting to write about Celuwen going to her parents' house for the first time after her marriage. She's at the stage where she doesn't feel completely at home anywhere. Legolas action on the way!

elliska	Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 9/23/2004
So many gems--poor Eilian realizing he's jealous and then listening to Celuwen's apology. It is so hard for newlyweds to realize that they cannot always be perfect towards one another. I thought that whole scene was very sweet. Legolas' conversation with Sorion was very touching too. The idea of Sorion loosing the opportunity to be a healer to the Shadow is very sad. It would definitely make an impression on Legolas. And I'm glad he and Sorion are starting to trust one another. Sort of. You do a great job showing how uncomfortable it would be commanding the king's son. And it would be. Celuwen in her village. Now that was a hoot. I bet she never thought she'd have to negotiate with her father. Blech! I loved it that Celuwen is already so accustomed to servants doing her laundry that she forgot to do it. Great touch. I am still chuckling about it. But my favorite part is when she finds that necklace. Hmmm. Eilian is going to be in trouble again but I bet it will be worth it to him. All signs point to the fact that he will be needed. Great chapter Daw! Author Reply: I find Eilian and Celuwen touching to write about. Of course, they're my OCs so I may be prejudiced, but they seem to be in love and yet love so clearly does not conquer all in their case. There's a reason they didn't marry for all those years. And I love Eilian, but I'll be he wouldn't be easy to live with and settlement girl Celuwen has a stubborn streak! Let's picture a child with Eilian's love of adventure and Celuwen's stubborness. Frightening,isn't it? ;-) Legolas and Sorion are starting to settle into their roles and know one another a little better, I think. Poor Legolas. He must have made just about every captain he ever had really nervous. Ah yes. I could forget to do the laundry too and I don't have servants, just a tendency to forget about the boring stuff! I recently reread "Celuwen's Begetting Day" (in which Eilian gives her the necklace) and I knew I had to use it. You're so accurate about Eilian: trouble, but worth it.

First Page | Previous Page | Next Page | Last Page

Return to Chapter List