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| An Unexpected Meeting by Bodkin | 67 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| Imrahoil | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 10/28/2004 |
| My oh my, a spoilt Elven brat and a lovesick Elven fool, something I generally don't allow into "my" Tolkien universe, but, sigh, when there is one exception to the rule it is the story of Nimrodel and Amroth. Very well done, telling it from Mithrellas POV is rather appealing, but you/Mithrellas are to kind towards them, hihi, I would like them to be reborn with their memories complete and loathing each other heartily. Author Reply: Amroth and Nimrodel - it all sounds very romantic until you think about what they were actually doing and how Amroth was abandoning his responsibilities at a very dangerous time to carry the brat off to eternal safety. Mithrellas was Nimrodel's attendant and (presumably) one of her closest friends (although I think Nimrodel wanted admirers rather than real friends) and so she was probably rather more tolerant of her brattishness. I'm sure if you asked others (Galadriel?) you would get a rather less tolerant description of her! Luthien also seems to me to be rather tarred with the Juliet brush! | |
| elliska | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 10/28/2004 |
| Wow, that was sad. I mean you know exactly what is going to happen and it is still sad. It was highly unlikely that she would ever realise how much she had asked of Amroth, or how much he had paid for her love. That is certainly true. I liked the description of how they got separated. Very believable. And Mithrellas' search for the others was very sad. I particularly liked this thought though: ‘History is selective,’ she informed him. ‘It remembers that which makes a good story – and it is told by those who survive.’ How true that is and I never thought until I read that how history must seem to an elf who lived it. Of course, they still see history from their own point of view, but they actually lived it and didn't read someone else's account. Interesting to think about. Along those lines, how interesting it must be for her many times over grandchildren to be hearing this first hand account of hazy legends. This is really well done. I am truly enjoying it. Author Reply: Yes, I don't think 'sensitive' was Nimrodel's middle name. She strikes me as the kind of girl who thinks she has all the delicate virtues, but is actually as tough as an old boot when it comes to getting her own way. I couldn't imagine what, other than an attack, would separate a group of elves and leave them wandering in the woods. History is written by the winners - and you only have to think back to things you lived through (and it doesn't have to be that far back) to see how the experience twists as it is recorded. The Amroth / Nimrodel story leaves out so much - such as the attendants - and would they really have been wandering off without guards - and what happened to the Joe Bloggses of the elf world? And, like Beren and Luthien, it's superficially very romantic until you think -Hey, this bloke was the Thranduil of Lorien - he just upped sticks and followed this bimbo regardless of all those who trusted him and relied on him to lead them. (Guess what, I don't think very highly of Amroth and Nimrodel!) I should think that Imrahil's family didn't really believe the legends at all - elves were pretty rare in Gondor, I think, until The Wedding - and after that it probably all seemed a bit distant. Thank you - I'm glad you are enjoying it. | |
| daw the minstrel | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 10/28/2004 |
| This is just beautiful, Bodkin. Even the images of mist are lovely, dangerous but lovely. You've done just a wonderful job in bringing this piece of canon to life. Author Reply: Thank you. It's actually very interesting to work with because there is just enough information to lead it (contradictory, some of it, but that opens it up a bit) and not too much in the way of developed character. The difficult thing for me is turning out to be passage of time over journeys - nobody really wants to know every meal, or day on horseback. More soon! | |
| Jay of Lasgalen | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 10/27/2004 |
| It's interesting to hear Mithrellas's story - how sad to watch those around her grow so swiftly. The tale of how elven blood came into Imrahil's line is one that has puzzled me before - thanks for explaining it! Jay Author Reply: Elf / Man bonds must have been really painful on both sides - but at least for the Men there comes a natural ending. Elves who committed themselves to humans must have suffered grief over the ages without hope of reunion. However, it's not the kind of thing people pay attention to when they fall in LURVE, when a few years of happiness seem worth any price. The story of Mithrellas and Imrazor is in the Word Of JRRT, but, fortunately, it is quite short - leaving scope for playing. Thank you for reading. | |
| SharonB | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 10/26/2004 |
| Oh my those Silvan evles certianly were complex and Nimordel a little more than self-centered to not realize or care how she was tearing Amroth apart in demanding he follow her or else. What was it that Mithrellas loved about her so? I wonder if Mithrellas would really stay in Middle Earth under other circumstances. Certainly not with her human family as that would be too much to bear seaing them grow old and die repeatedly. But some elves obviously never did leave. You are bringing up all sorts of intriguing questions with this story. Please post more soon. Shoarn Author Reply: I think Nimrodel must have been one of those people with bags of charisma - the sort who get you to do things that you never would if you had room to think. The whole elf / mortal thing is very difficult - and in some ways those granted the same fate had the best of it. At least Beren / Luthien, Arwen / Aragorn and Idril / Tuor ended up together. The sources don't really say what happened to Mithrellas - she could have stayed, but the age of the elves was over, and wherever she would not be reunited with Imrazor. This is quite fun to work on - the information is so limited. | |
| elliska | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 10/26/2004 |
| Now this is a topic you don't see dealt with very much in fanfic (or at least I've been missing it). I very much enjoyed seeing Nimrodel and Amroth debating over coming or going. I imagine this is how it must have gone. It would be one heck of a decision for Amroth to make, leaving Lorien leaderless to follow his love. It honestly makes it hard for me to respect him or especially Nimrodel. I really am enjoying this. The loss of Amroth is a central topic of one of the parts of my story so I am very interested to see how you handle it. And I love how it is framed by Mithrellas' conversation with her many times great grandchildren. How amazing that would be (in all senses of the word) for everyone involved. This is very clever. Looking forward to the update. Author Reply: Quite! I'm afraid I find Nimrodel to be irresponsible and insensitive - and manipulative. And it is hard to have any respect for an Amroth who, when danger threatened Lorien, ran off after Nimrodel and promised to carry her off to safety across the sea! What type of leader is that? Not the Thranduil sort, for sure. Not the Galadriel and Celeborn type, or an Elrond. Amroth and Nimrodel are really peripheral to the Mithrellas / Imrazor story once Mithrellas is separated from the rest of them - and their story then becomes more general knowledge rather than personal experience. Wouldn't it be - unexpected (and not altogether welcome) - if an ancestor from a thousand years ago came round to tea! I don't think it would be possible even to hold a mutually comprehensible conversation. | |
| daw the minstrel | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 10/26/2004 |
| Wow. It's before 6am and I'm totally absorbed in this. I have to say I don't like Nimrodel. I don't like her manipulativeness or her playing with Amroth's love. Author Reply: There doesn't seem to be a lot about Nimrodel and Amroth, but it's one of those stories that is superficially very romantic (like Beren and Luthien) - until you think about it. Balrog arrives, Dwarves flee, Lorien under threat - and what does Nimrodel do? Run off to seek safety, followed by the Lord of Lorien, whose duty is to protect the wood and those in it. He then promises to carry her off to eternal safety across the sea. Well, excuse me! Here we have a pair who deserved their miserable fate. 6 am, huh? You get up and read long before dawn, just as I do! | |
| Elena Tiriel | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 10/26/2004 |
| Ah, lovely! Please keep going... I want more! - Barbara Author Reply: OK. Service will be continued shortly. (I've almost got Mithrellas and Imrazor to meet - but it's a long way from Lorien to Dol Amroth.) | |
| elliska | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 10/24/2004 |
| Now that would be an encounter, wouldn't it? What a good idea! I have always thought that elven blood was in the line of the Princes and Dol Amroth, whether or not Tolkien left it somewhat uncertain. How sad this meeting is, especially at that time--as you said when the last elves were leaving and Arwen was marrying Aragorn. A strange perspective to see Arwen's choice as a blessing not something to lament. I liked this one. Glad to see it is a WIP. I am curious where you will take it. Author Reply: The Return of the King V 9, where Legolas, looking on Price Imrahil of Dol Amroth, saw that he was "one who had Elven-blood in his veins, and said to him: "It is long since the people of Nimrodel left the woodlands of Lórien, and yet still one may see that not all sailed from Amroth's haven west over water." The History of Galadriel and Celeborn. Mind you, even in that there seems to be a variety of versions of their story. I suppose that's half the fun - with so little that is definitive, it give plenty of opportunity to play. It's the family overtones that make Arwen's choice so tragic rather than giving up immortality - especially if you look on the afterlife as including the reunion of those who loved in life. You can't stop thinking about poor Elrond, and Celebrian there in Valinor looking forward to being reunited with the kids - and then being divided until the end of the world seems bad. But, on the other hand, would it have been preferable to Arwen to be able to sail on Aragorn's death and be eternally divided from him and her children and grandchildren? And, should Aragorn have been granted the right to go to Valinor, how would he have felt about never seeing his mother there beyond the circles of the word? Not to mention the children again. An interesting meeting - most of the story will be about Mithrellas and Imrazor, I think, although I'm finding it hard to get past Amroth and Nimrodel at the moment. | |
| SharonB | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 10/24/2004 |
| A a new one, this should be interesting to hear Mithrellas recount those family stories of old. And that she can be seen in all of the family is ome way or another, how poinent for them all. This sounds to be quite an interesting story. Do post more soon. Sharon Author Reply: Thank you Sharon. Amroth and Nimrodel are insisting on telling their story at the moment, but Mithrellas will be meeting Imrazor sometime soon. There's not a lot about them in the evidence (thanks Elena Tiriel), which will simplify that part rather. It shouldn't be too long before part 2 is cooked! | |