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Glorious Summer by daw the minstrel	28 Review(s)
Dot	Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 10/3/2004
Oh wow! Excellent chapter! I had to sit on my hands to stop myself from scrolling down to see what happened… Legolas was so good in this. It was almost painful to watch him put together a plan and try not to give into his instincts to check up on Eilian because I was dying to see what would happen but still, he did it very well! He nearly had an Eilian moment when he wanted to rush over and see if he could determine whether his brother was alright but he did a very commendable job in remembering his responsibilities. Clearly it’s one thing to have to look after Eilian when he’s injured but quite another to stand idly by while he’s in danger. I felt bad for Gelmir – who’s probably finding it more difficult than he thought he would to be under Legolas’ leadership – but Legolas did the right thing. It’s funny, Gelmir must have felt the way Legolas did so many times when Eilian was his captain and wouldn’t let him off into danger. I’m glad Legolas is willing to recognise Riolith’s strengths despite his personal feelings. I was quite relieved that nothing happened to him or it would have looked as though Legolas sent the guy he disliked to go and be shot! I was actually quite proud too of Legolas disregarding Beliond’s comment – while he still has the sense to accept advice from him in situations where he might know better, Legolas is really coming into his own and trusting his own initiative without having to have the support of his keeper. “Isulas saw some things in the cottage from the tree tops.” LOL! Trust those settlers to do their own thing. The way he was completely astonished at Legolas’ reaction reminded me of that guy he dealt with in ‘Spring Awakenings’. I forget his name. Frustration at the settlers seems to be a familiar feeling in the House of Oropher. Someone should point out to Thranduil that in the early days of Greenwood his father & co were essentially settlers as well… Anyway, dealing with this lot is quite good practice for if ever Legolas has to be part of a group in dangerous situations where not everyone has warrior training ;-) I had never thought about what would happen if Legolas rescued Eilian at the cost of Celuwen’s life! Granted, I know that she survives but still, what a terrible thing for Legolas to even have to contemplate. shudder That Zalan. He’s lucky Sólith was unconscious. Eilian is just so clever! Dragging the body instead of lifting it was a stroke of genius. It probably meant that the Men would never have dreamed that Isiwen would be able to lift something as heavy as the spit. He got some very useful information out of Susta as well. I had to laugh at the way Eilian played along with him. “May she sit? You know how females are. She will become petulant if she is kept on her feet for much longer.” He’s lucky Celuwen and Isiwen are intelligent people or he’d probably have earned a fine slap for himself. I’d never have thought of getting her to sit so that Zalan would be an easier target. Eilian’s reputation for being quick and adaptable in dangerous situations is obviously well-deserved. And he still isn’t in any way rash or needlessly endangering others. Thranduil and Ithilden would be proud! In between moments of annoyance, of course. I actually yelped aloud when Eilian threw his knife at Zalan. You had built up the tension so much that I jumped when the action began! Bravo for Isiwen and Celuwen! They were just amazing. And so brave. Legolas seemed completely calm and in control of the situation. Everyone did a fantastic job, I thought. The meeting of the two brothers was lovely as always. ‘“All right now that you are here, brat,” Eilian said as lightly as he could. Legolas met his eyes and then smiled faintly. “What are brothers for?”’ It’s nice that they never have to say much but this little exchange always speaks volumes. “I give the orders in my own house, Thranduilion. Not you.” Ah yes, all is right with the world. It doesn’t seem to matter which of Thranduil’s sons is around, Sólith is sure to find offence with them. I guess this is coming to an end :-( I suppose Khi has to be dealt with somehow. I wonder what will happen to him? And poor Eilian has to find out about Maltanaur. There’s another couple of chapters left in it, though, right?!! Anyway, this chapter was great. I’m so proud of them all! :-) Author Reply: You must have been sharing Legolas's need to know what was happening in the cottage. He thanks you for your sympathy. :-) It seemed like waiting was the hardest part of what he had to do. But one of the things I wanted to have happen in this story was for him to become a quiet, trusted leader, who could serve well as a second in command. I thought he might need to do that some day. :-) And as you so cleverly point out, that group would have civilians in it too. Zalan was a nightmare. He was about as nasty as I could stand to imagine. He was lucky that Isiwen finished him off or Solith and Eilian would be thinking up very unpleasant ways for him to die. It's really too bad that neither Thranduil nor Ithilden could see Eilian in action here. They don't know how good he is at what he does. I considered having him announce that she was pregnant (which I hasten to say she isn't), because that might have caused a fine furor afterwards with her parents, but I had enough to deal with already. I am so happy to hear that you got excited when the action started. I was trying to build as much tension as I could with as little actual physical damage as I could -- no torture or actual fighting, just really scary threats. I'm glad it mostly worked. I think one or two more chapters, yeah. There are some things to clear up in the settlement and then Eilan has to go home.

Tapetum Lucidum	Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 10/3/2004
I laughed at your very direct chapter title. Legolas' musings over his relationship with his elder brother were very sweet. I was glad he was able to use his head and send a better scout. It was good to see the loyalty that Eilian's troop had for him. It is obvious from their reactions that he is very well thought of among the patrol. Beliond's suspicion that Legolas picked Riolith to be in danger rather than be the best scout was amusing. At least the lieutenant passed that test. His reaction to the actions of the colonist was familiar. I seem to remember Ithilden having the same reaction to his little brother when he wandered off on a hunting trip. It is hard for those in the military to deal with us civilians. It turned out to be fortunate that he made his sojourn. If Legolas got Celuwen killed, things would be a bit strained at home. Eilian seems to be a master of hostage situations. I guess Legolas helped a little with his previous training. Not letting on about his strength and smooth talking the leader are very clever. Checking Felas for a knife was also a good idea. What self respecting wood elf goes without a boot knife? Even Aragorn knew they carried them when they went to Elrond's banquet. Zalan is obviously suicidal. I would not want to be him when it hits the fan. Maybe it is a good thing that Eilian hasn't read his Married Man Manual, otherwise he would never havet thought to suggest Celuwen sit down. I was glad that you had Celuwen participate in the overthrow. She is a lot like Eowyn, she wants to fight her own battles and does not want to be coddled. The brothers' greeting was classic! Legolas will always be the brat. It was good to see the lieutenant take charge of the cottage, at least for a few seconds. Solith will not let that last too long. I am wondering about the political ramifications of the death of Felas. Will Solith be in charge of the settlement? Will that change improve or worsen the relationship the colony has with Thranduil? Will the rest of the settlers resent the fact that they were supposed to be safe and the king's warriors (one of which was his son) let these men wander the forest? Sounds like a big political mess. Good Luck! Author Reply: The chapter titles in this story all come from things people say in the chapters. It's a technique I borrow from The Amazing Race, a reality TV show I shame-facedly confess to watching. I think the Eilian and Legolas are very important to one another. I also think that it must be hard for Legolas to know that Celuwen is now first in Eilian's heart, where he had always been. But his brother's love is still there, and he can see that Eilian is happier now. One of the things that I like doing best is using stuff from other stories I've written in new ones, so Legolas's experience with the nutty settlers in the flood stood him in good stead here. He knows there's no point in arguing with them (something that Eilian will eventually learn as a husband, if he doesn't know it already!). And Eilian's adaptable, courageous nature shone through. He's clever. And his wife and her mother were ticked off no end! The Men proably thought that Isiwen couldn't pick up that heavy spit, but braining the man who was cutting her daughter must have given her endless satisfaction. Solith is still Solith. Maybe his wife will give him a slap or two too!

meckinock	Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 10/3/2004
I'm so proud of Legolas, I feel ilke he's my own son. All the training and experience he has acquired up until now still couldn't prepare him for this hostage rescue - no pressure here - just his brother and sister-in-law's lives at stake! I bet many seasoned commanders would have reverted to blind instinct under such circumstances -- making assignments based on personality and not ability; putting themselves out front where the action is instead of holding back and retaining the perspective to assess the evolving situation and redirect the tactics as needed. Legolas kept a level head and Beliond is very proud of him, I'm sure! I guess it still remains to be seen whether Eilian will get a pass for the stunt he pulled. Being proven right in the end doesn't always make things better, and knowing Thranduil this will somehow end up being all Eilian's fault. But I'm guessing that proposal for improving settler security will get approved a lot easier now. Gotta love all the gears clicking away in my favorite elf's head. Don't let them know how strong you are; yup, get some separation between Celuwn and that jackass, give that sniper a clean shot...or OK, as an alternative you could just drill the pervy breast-groper yourself! Even better! And I'm glad Celuwen got to use her knife-throwing abilities. Those settlers aren't totally useless. Having Eilian search the corpse for weapons was a nice touch of gritty realism. So was the civilian wandering around inside the perimeter. Legolas wisely did not look that gift horse in the mouth! And Solith got the last word, as usual. Maybe he needs a whack on the head with the end of that spit, too. I can't wait to see what Ithilden has to say about all this. And poor Maltanaur -- what will he think when he wakes up? Author Reply: I thought that Legolas did well. I meant for his to do well anyway. This story was slow at the start because I wanted him to have a chance to try out his wings a little before he had to fly. :-) We'll have to see how Ithilden and Thranduil react to Eilian's homecoming. I imagine they're ticked off at the moment and will need a chance to calm down and learn what happened. Eilian did very well, showing all his skill and cunning. I enjoyed writing about Celuwen throwing the knife. I love it when I have a chance to use material from past stories, like the necklace and the knife. Solith is a jerk. Maybe his wife can whack him one too, although probably it would be best not to use the spit.

elliska	Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 10/3/2004
Thank heavens everything is alright. Those super tense chapters were killing me. “All right now that you are here, brat,” Eilian said as lightly as he could. Legolas met his eyes and then smiled faintly. “What are brothers for?” Ahhh, isn't that familiar. You have to love the relationship these two have. Legolas is lucky to have Eilian and right now Eilian is very lucky to have Legolas. The whole situation must seem a little strange to Eilian--being rescued by his younger brother (though he largely had that situation under control too) and then seeing 'his' troops commanded by his little brother. That has to be bizarre for both of them. Those men are lucky Eilian didn't have time to give them the kind of death he would have liked to give them. I'll be very interested to see if this little incident has any impact on Solith's attitude. Great chapter and thanks for putting us out of our misery. :) Author Reply: You're welcome. I had had enough tension myself. It's amazing what you can do without torture or battle to just make everyone, including the writere, squirm. I thought about that same thing -- that it would be odd for Eilian to see Legolas commanding 'his' troops. Little brother is doing it very well though and the troops seem to know it. They've decided he's ok. Eilian would have done far more painful things to Zalan if he'd had time. As it was, Isiwen was ticked off enough to brain him. I loved writing that part. The Men probably thought she wouldn't be able to pick up the spit. LOL. Go, Naneth!

Bodkin	Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 10/3/2004
Legolas is a star - Beliond must be so proud of him! He uses his judgment - picks the best elf for the job, regardless of personal preference; refrains from braining the settler (the diplomatic training of Spring Awakenings clearly not wasted!) and arrives in the nick of time to take out the baddie. After all - what are brothers for? (I love that expression. It conveys their love for each other so perfectly.) And Eilian managed the situation with a patience and control which would have surprised his adar. Clever of him to get Celuwen sitting down to free up the target area. I love it that Celuwen and Isiwen were just waiting their chance - I enjoyed seeing Isiwen whack the slime who cut her daughter. And I'm glad Celuwen got the opportunity to use those knife-throwing skills! She and Legolas can arm-wrestle to see who gets the credit! Gelmir's wish to help Eilian (and Celuwen) is very sweet. I like Gelmir. And isn't it typical of Solith to wake up with words of whinging on his lips. No thoughts of shock or distress, no gratitude for others leaping to the rescue. He needs a whack with a large iron spit - and Isiwen is just the one to give it to him. Author Reply: I really like it when I can draw on stories set earlier to inform the one I'm writing. So Legolas's previous experience with settlers, Celuwen's knife throwing skills, and the "What are brothers for?" stuff was fun to use, as was "brat" of course. Legolas has matured a great deal into a quiet, trusted leader, I think. Eilian showed his true colors. He's a clever, flexible warrior, which is one of the things that's made him so successful. His training and experience came to the fore. And Elf women rule! Celuwen and Isiwen must have been both terrified and furious. The Men probably thought the spit was too heavy for Isiwen. I'll have to see what I can do with Solith. :-)

Jay of Lasgalen	Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 10/3/2004
Wow, what a tense chapter! But thank you for resolving it and not leaving another cliffhanger. I'm glad that both Celuwen and Isiwen did their bit in the scuffle - and Celuwen (and Legolas) killed the man threatening Eilian! Good for her. Although she can't have ever imagined killing anyone, I think she's too sensible to be unduly upset by it. Legolas did extremely well - desperate to go to Eilian's rescue himself, he knew he had to hold out and not risk being injured. Eilian should be proud of his little brother. And Solith is back to normal, I see. Jay Author Reply: I loved the idea of Isiwen braining Zalan with the spit that the men probably thought was too heavy for her. Her child had been threatened and she was seriously annoyed. Legolas did do well. When Eilian hears about it all, I'm sure he will be proud. Right now, he's just surprised to see Legolas. Solith is one of the great constants in the Arda, I'm afraid.

Nilmandra	Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 10/3/2004
grin Here I am! I really like the settlers -Legolas interaction - I laughed and rolled my eyes all at the same time. Good thing the Z guy is dead, or a few more people might hurt him. Parents having to watch a child, no matter what age, molested and threatened at knifepoint is jsut too much. Solith would have ended up dead had he seen that, because reason would have fled him. Eagerly looking forward to Ithilden's apology to Eilian :D:D:D Author Reply: You must have been reading about a different Ithilden. Will mine apologize? When dwarves sprout wings! Zalan scared even me and I made him up.

Manderly	Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 10/3/2004
I guess I can breath now, right? Or do you have something else in store for us? Another excitement packed chapter! If you keep up like this, I will need an oxygen mask each time I read your story. Excellent job! Everybody deserves praise. Celuwen was very brave. I can't imagine what would have had happened if she was a hysterical female, though I think she'll need some time to get over this nightmare. The "brat" and "what are brothers for" banter was exactly what was needed to bring back some semblance of normalcy after that adrenaline rush, as well as subtle proof of how close the brothers are. It really was a touching moment. And Solith, somebody bash him on the head again before he utters another brainless and thankless remark. Author Reply: LOL. Go ahead and breathe, Manderly. I think we now have to do some unwinding of all these threads here, and then we're done. Celuwen was brave indeed, and now she can collapse. And her father is the same as ever, sad to say. Legolas was deeply shaken at the idea of possibly losing Eilian. Poor guy.

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