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A Spring of Joy by daw the minstrel	25 Review(s)
Elena Tiriel	Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 5/25/2005
So Loriel can reach high enough to close the gate by herself, huh? You do like to make your readers very nervous, don't you? :-( He kissed the top of his granddaughter’s head, grateful for the many adults who could help Celuwen keep an eye on her. Is the entire adult population of Mirkwood going to be enough? Legolas seems to be doing well in Dale. And Beliond... “Remember that Dáin is our ally, Legolas.” snicker Guess I'll just get into that line over there (behind Nilmandra, of course) for the Beliond Fan Club... Oh, dear. Thranduil's dream is definitely of the heart-pounding kind. We know that the treetops do eventually burst into flame in the Battle under the Trees... but that bit about children and grandchildren is just... scary. You just keep turning up the heat, Daw! I can't wait to see what happens next... - Barbara Author Reply: I've had some trouble figuring out what I'm doing with Legolas in Dale. I knew he had to go there. Gandalf later told Frodo that that's where Gollum went. But what does all this mean to Legolas? He's the character I often have the hardest time with. I finally decided he's still learning about Men, which will have a role in his future. I have four pages of the next chapter done but I have to work today and tomorrow. Boo!

Bodkin	Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 5/24/2005
On names - I can do the 'F' elves reasonably well. I can almost remember the 'C' sons of Feanor, (although not which is which). The ones that do for me every time are the 'A' elves, (who always seem fairly incidental and not hugely developed), which is why they are Very Rarely Mentioned, and if I want a random sibling of Galadriel, I always go for Orodreth. In a way it is terribly helpful that Tolkien tended to go for the 'all members of the same family starting with the same letter' theory of naming, (I'm sure he did it in an attempt to keep track), but it certainly doesn't make it easy to differentiate between them. Is there anyone out there who can list Aragorn's ancestry without looking them up? I would think even Aragorn would have a job. I can just see Mithrandir as that old bachelor uncle that all the kids adore - full of exciting stories and with pockets full of candies - from whom their parents are always trying to keep them. Thus, of course, making him even more fascinating. The poor mites just don't know how dangerous he can be. And he must like the kids - they're the only ones who are always pleased to see him. Author Reply: I'm proud to say I think I have the F elves sorted out too. I even know that Fingon goes with Fingolfin (g in both names) and Finrod goes with Finarfin (r in both names). From there, things go downhill. I've been reading these books by a couple whose last name is Gies about life in the middle ages. They wrote about one in which the father and BOTH sons were named John.

meckinock	Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 5/24/2005
The juxtaposition of Mannish and Elvish perceptions of time was very thought-provoking, as usual. Legolas's recollections of his past visits to Dale so vividly illustrated that events that to him (and us!) seem like they happened yesterday have fallen into the realm of history and legend for the Mannish inhabitants. The future is just as skewed by perspective. To the Elves, the Shadow's fall is so imminent as to be palpable, and yet Bard's little son will probably indeed live a long, full, life and die of old age before the Ring War. Loriel continues to be cute as a button. Your kids do such wonderfully kid-like things, like leaving their shoes outside to be looked for later. I loved her disclosure to Thanduil that her ada kisses her nana, and acknowledgement that he knows. Thank goodness they all know to keep an eye on her so she can't wander off. I don't think my heart could take it. Hear? Thranduil's dream was chilling. It gave me goosebumps. That's all because I am on the goofy laptop that refuses to leave the cursor in the right place, and I am also in the same time zone with Karen again, which is a certain sign of impending natural disaster... Author Reply: Your comments about the different perspectives on time are interesting. I almost forgot that the men of Dale wouldn't remember the old hall, but I did eventually catch on. However, I hadn't thought about the future in those terms. You're right of course. Bard's grandson is king by the Ring War (and dies in it). One thing I wondered about Loriel's shoes was if shoes would be hard to come by. Making them would be a real craftsmans's job, you'd think. Tolkien refers to Legolas's "light shoes." Maybe they were just deerskin thingies. Was it you who caused the hurricanes in Florida last summer?

The Karenator	Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 5/24/2005
Just as I was rereading this...slowly...and savoring it, an ominous cloud flitted overhead. Lorellin has just revealed something important, hasn't she? I'm afraid it's more than the Battle Under the Trees too. Hm.m.m. I'm thinking... Back to Dale...will the next chapter be called 'Dining with Dáin'? That was a shocker for our trusty trackers. Now...let me back up again. I love the statue. I can just see Legolas standing in front of it with a stunned, but amused look on his face. And I can see Beliond snorting at the 'suspect' memories of men. ...allies that any Elf would be grateful for.” LOL! Bard didn't know much, but he had one clue to add that did speak of Gollum having made his way through Dale. I was struck with the differences in the two leaders our merry elves have met with. Esgaroth's leader was a tad on the egotistical side, while Bard seemed rather down to earth. A good father and a good king, I'd say. Little Bain was cute. Loriel would like him! As a friend. But I feel sorry for any ellon who wants to court Loriel when she's older. Her entire family is armed and dangerous. The fact that her grandfather is king will be the least of the poor guy's worries. I love the little snippets of Mithrandir. He's a wily old goat. You never know exactly what he's got up his sleeve. I don't blame Thranduil for questioning whether it's a good thing that the wizard relies on him and his sons. The wizard had not yet asked for anything too outrageous, but Thranduil could not help feeling that one of these days, he would. Uh, yup! Two such days spring immediately to mind. Loriel is a such a sweetie. She's so open and comfortable with her ada's family. I know she's seen them as often as possible, but she doesn't seem to have spent the time in their presence that she's spent with her nana's parents. But she's settled right into the palace, stealing hearts and losing shoes. Now...remember the last time you let a child get hurt and the uproar it caused with the villagers? All that talk of tar and feathers. It was a near thing that the ranger, the sweet adorable child and I were able to calm them. Just thought I mention that. Terrific chapter. Lots of good stuff. I can't wait to find out what happens next. Karen Author Reply: Unless Nilmandra tells me different, I don't think we're going to see the dinner with Dain and Bard. Readers are having a good time imagining it, but sustaining the fun would be hard, and I'm already having a tough enough time working out just what Legolas is doing here anyway. You know what a slippery character he is! One thing I did think is that he views Men as a mixed bag, which is why you get Bard and the Master of Esgaroth both as they are. I think Bard is a much stronger character, although as Beliond said, he was willing to go to war over gold, which Thranduil was not. How'd you like to have Mithrandir come to your house, watch your sons, and then say, "Hm. He looks useful." I think I'd lock mine up! I think Loriel has been well loved, and it's clear to her that these people at the palace dote on her. Kids respond well to that. She does miss her ada, though. And I'll bet in the settlement, she goes barefoot most of the time in warm weather. I do remember the tar and feather thing. But then I balanced the scales by having Hobbit the Dwarf Child be okay, remember? :-)

Small Triumphs	Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 5/24/2005
What an awesome thing to come home to! I just got back from a retreat to see that you had another story underway! That definately made my day. Lots of stuff going on here! Eilian as a daddy and living in the settlement, Sinnarn married, and a long awaited peace has finally descended upon Mirkwood. Though, by the looks of it, not for much longer. Lorellin is a wonderful addition to your characters. So much like her daddy and grandmother. I can see why she is so doted upon! And Eilian truly makes a great father (though that is not too surprising). I love the picture you paint of their little family, living happily in the settlement. Somehow, it seems as though that was how they were intended to be living all along. And Legolas is so much fun to read! You definitely have made him much more like Book-Legolas, but the transition didn't seem like a sudden or surprising change. It feels as though all of your stories have contributed and lead up to him reaching this point. I loved the statue in this chapter! It's funny, when you were first describing it, I got this sudden mental picture of the Three Hunters. I'll bet Legolas would have never imagined becoming such a legend. Unfortunately, though I would like to review all of your chapters individually, I am pressed for time! I really am enjoying this story though, Daw. Good job! ~Small Triumphs Author Reply: Any review at all is a gift, so thank you. I so agree that the life Eilian's family lives in the settlement seems to be the life Wood-elves were intended to live. And Eilian is surprisingly happy in it. I've been wondering what he'd do when his warrior days were over, and I think he could do this. He could live close to the woods with his family and neighbors and the work of just living. And I agree that he seems cut out to be a father. He was very nurturing with Little Legolas, and I think he'd be the same with a child of his own. I suspect Celuwen has to be the disciplinarian though. The Three Hunters! That's what LOTR Faith must have been talking about too! In a review she said something about another trio, and I just couldn't think of what she meant. Thank you! I hope the retreat was good.

Manderly	Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 5/24/2005
Reading about the visit with Bard was like a little trip down memory lane, as well as a reminder of the timelessness of the lives of elves. It's easy to forget that those who are not elves continue to age outside the Woodland Realm. I really like the bantering between Legolas and Beliond. They have come such a long way from the time that Beliond was first assigned to watch over Legolas. I can still remember the tension and frustration of those early days. They really have both "matured". That dream that Thranduil had was pretty ominous. Was that the unofficial announcement that bad news is ahead? Author Reply: I almost forgot that the people now in Dale wouldn't remember where the old king's hall was. I had them knowing the answer to Legolas's question at first and then realized that was impossible. If I knew how to make an eye-rolling smiley face, I'd make one here! The relationship between Legolas and Beliond has changed indeed. Legolas is an adult now, one who has had some experience of command. Beliond is still his bodyguard, and in matters of his safety, he should do what Beliond says, but they mostly relate as one adult to another. Quite a change.

LOTRFaith	Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 5/24/2005
Hmm... I find it very interesting that there is a statue of an elf, man and dwarf in Dale :-) One can only think of another trio that is even more famous. It is very scary to think that Gollum would/might eat any young child. Freaks me out for sure! I suddenly find myself locking my window at nights... Hmm... I wonder if perhaps you are the cause ? ;-) Great chapter! Author Reply: OK, I'm trying to think of what trio you're talking about and I'm drawing a blank. Am I just being dense here? Give me a clue, Faith! I found that stuff about Gollum and children scary too, but it's what Gandalf says in Chapter 2 of FOTR. When I read that, I made a note of it to use in a story some time. Ick. Author Reply: The Three Hunters??? Is that right? Small Triumphs mentioned them in a review.

sofia	Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 5/24/2005
Loriel is such a sweet elfling... I can only imagine what she will be like when she gets older- and how Eilian will act. Loriel watched him closely. “My ada kisses my nana,” she confided in Thranduil. “I have seen your ada do that,” Thranduil agreed gravely. ^ Love that bit of dialogue. It really brings out the sweetness of a happy family and shows how innocent and young Loriel is. Thranduil's dream... I'm assuming somethings going on? Eek. Can't wait for the next chapter. -sofia Author Reply: I really liked your comments about Loriel and Thranduil's dialogue in the garden, Sofia. Happiness and innocence -- yes indeed. This child is loved and her family is sheltering her from bad things as best they can.

Lamiel	Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 5/24/2005
One of my favorite things about showing Elves interacting with mortals is the differing perceptions of time and memory. Legolas' lapse in remembering that none of Dale's inhabitants were alive when Smaug destroyed the town is a prime example of that. I like that statue of Thranduil with Bard and Dain, too. Heh, it's rather a tongue in cheek memorial, as Beliond pointed out, but one can appreciate the intent. Actually it reminded me a bit of the statue J.K. Rowling describes in the last Harry Potter book, at least in the way that the Man was front and center of the little group. At least they didn't have the Elf and Dwarf looking up at Bard in adoration. That really would be a stretch. Now why does Gandalf's appreciation for Thranduil and his sons strike me as being a bit ominous? Given his history, I think Thranduil has reaason to be a bit nervous about having Mithrandir "Stormcrow" so ready to turn to them in a pinch. And this prophetic dream of his at the end... this does not bode well. Not well at all. Author Reply: Here's a confession: I was the one who originally forgot that Dale's inhabitants wouldn't know where the king's hall used to be. I chalk it up to jumping around in time too much! (Did you see that a couple of weeks ago, students at MIT were holding a Time Travellers Convention? They said it didn't have to be an annual event, because you'd need only one that everyone could get to.) That statue was at the Ministry of Magic, right? I listened to that book on CD while commuting to work. Those books make great car books. They're engaging enough that sometimes I don't want to get out of the car, but straightforward enough that I don't forget what's happening if a couple of days go by when I don't listen. I'd lock my son away if Gandalf announced he looked useful!

French Pony	Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 5/24/2005
I meant to say this last chapter, but I forgot, so I'll say it now. I really like the pacing of this story. It's not moving lickety-split, but it doesn't need to. You've been keeping it at a nice, reasonable pace, doling out enough information to move the plot along, but not so much that it drowns out the atmosphere. It's a nice sort of summer-paced story, and that style works well for you. Wood-elves in Dale is, of course, endlessly amusing. Annael smiles cheerfully at everyone he meets, while Beliond glowers. It's like Legolas is being trailed by Good Cop and Bad Cop. And I love the statue. I imagine it in Soviet Realist style, for some reason, which makes it even funnier. I bet it looks nothing like Thranduil. Impressive that Legolas is able to get an audience so fast. That's what comes of being old war buddies with the King, and a royal Elf to boot. Mere mortals would have had to make an appointment with a secretary who had just gone home. He supposed that Beliond would never get over his suspicions that Men left alone with Legolas would leap at him with drawn knives and a pack of rabid dogs at their command. Well, yes. That's why Thranduil pays Beliond the big bucks. Bain is cute. For all that Legolas recognizes the I-don't-wanna-go-to-bed-and-miss-out-on-something-exciting expression from Sinnarn's face, I bet he doesn't remember that he probably wore it himself plenty of times. Now, Bain is the one who was King after the War of the Ring, right? Any Wood-elf, royal or no, who makes Loriel go out wearing shoes in the summer deserves what he or she gets. And I sense trouble a-brewin'. If Loriel can close the gate (and is this the big one, the magic one?) then she can probably open it, too. And the guards are probably still more accustomed to guarding against people coming in than kids coming out. I wonder how often Thranduil dreams of Lorellin. One would think that he'd do so fairly often, but this particular dream strikes me as being unique and prophetic. Author Reply: Thank you for that comment about the pacing, FP. This story is rather loosely plotted, I think, partly because it's showing canonical stuff. I think I prefer things tighter but it's too late now for this story. :-) Loved your observations about the statue! It apparently looked enough like Thranduil for Legolas to know who it was supposed to be anyway. I imagine Thranduil would be ironically amused by it. I also liked your analysis of Beliond and Annael as Good Cop/Bad Cop. It suits them. Annael is no one's fool, but he's a pretty relaxed guy. "Relaxed" is not a word anyone would ever apply to Beliond. Bain is Bard's son. He's the father of Brand, who dies in the doorway of Erebor when Sauron's troops attack during the Ring War. The king then was Bard II. I find them almost as confusing as all the elves whose names start with "Fin--." The gate Loriel is talking about is the garden gate. I picture this garden being next to the end of the bridge on the opposite side of the river from the stronghold.

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