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| Moments in Time by Larner | 16 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| FantasyFan | Reviewed Chapter: 27 on 2/15/2007 |
| There is a lovely gentleness and solemnity about the entire fic that is so beautiful. Everyone there takes the entire ceremony so seriously, and treats it with true reverence. There's a couple of things that come to mind reading it. The first is a curiousity. If the wedding contract is written perfectly legally, and the ceremony is carried off without error, is it possible that the marriage is valid? Probably not given their ages, but there was an adult Brandybuck present who did not object - it'd make a odd argument for a point of law! The second thing is that, of course, Frodo is not there to officiate at the real wedding so many years later. Sam hands the wreath to Pippin: is he there in his capacity as mayor to hear the vows? Merry and Saradoc and Pippin all remember the first ceremony, and I am sure they feel the loss of their dear older cousin. Yet, in a way he is there, by virtue of their memories of the words spoken so many years before. Frodo's first wedding, one of probably very few he officiated at, and so very gently done and with attention and intimacy. Uncle Rory spoke truely - it was the only chance he had to stand up with Merry, and it was well done that he made it special. A very nice story. Author Reply: Thank you, FantasyFan, for your responses to the story. I've always seen Merry as the one who truly thinks things out and sees to all the details; and once he became aware that things like marriage contracts could be done incorrectly I think that our Merry would want to make certain even one for a pretend wedding would be properly written. As for Frodo, whatever he did was undoubtedly done with a certain grace and probably also with great attention to detail, and that he would tend to put his heart into whatever he did. Your first question is an interesting one, and I've played in my head with what might have been done with that marriage contract, whether it was presented to be signed a second time by the participants, the one signature different the officiant, or whether it was framed and hung in Merry and Estella's own quarters, or if it was sent to the Mathom House in Michel Delving, or if it might have ended up being filed in either Fornost or Minas Tirith. As I have Merry marrying the second spring after Frodo left in my version of events, Sam isn't Mayor yet, and so can't hear the vows; but instead he and Pippin together stood up for Merry as Young Tom and Merry both stood together for Sam at his wedding. I strongly suspect Saradoc himself had the pleasure of performing his son's second wedding to Estella, actually. And Rory had become a wise old Hobbit by this time, and had undoubtedly realize we cannot count on tomorrow and so must do what we can and must today. | |
| Andrea | Reviewed Chapter: 27 on 2/15/2007 |
| You might never be able to stand up for him when he marries for real, so this may be the one chance you have to see it done. Dear Old Rory! When he spoke these words he did not know how true they would come in the future! Thank you so much for this lovely story. It was really beautiful! Author Reply: Rory wasn't young when Frodo came of age, but I loved him, at the Party, deciding there was no reason to get overly upset at Bilbo's disappearance as long as the food and drink wasn't part of the disappearing act; as a result, I see him becoming increasingly free-spirited as he aged, and increasingly aware of how precious it is to grab at enjoyment and laughter and wonder as you can; therefore he wouldn't be upset if the children played at weddings and wanted to carry the Sword. And, being experienced, he would undoubtedly have become aware of how accidents and the like can change or take lives in an instant. Perhaps he was being foresighted--he had some Took blood in him, after all; but more, I think, he was wanting to see the wonder not lost before it had to. Thank you for appreciating it. | |
| shirebound | Reviewed Chapter: 27 on 2/15/2007 |
| That's truly lovely, Larner. I especially love the pride and respect with which the adults think of Frodo. Author Reply: I'm so glad you appreciated it, Shirebound. It's all the fault of those who've been coming out with Valentines stories, you must realize--suddenly the talk of how Frodo had done the "first" wedding of Merry and Estella had to be showed. And I think even then Frodo's native grace would have begun to be expressed, and that this was partly why both Saradoc and Bilbo treasured him as they did. | |
| AspenJules | Reviewed Chapter: 27 on 2/15/2007 |
| *laughs* I'm all teary too, Pearl... right along with you and Bilbo. I love that the 'wise' older hobbits understod the importance of letting the young ones have their play. Good for old Rorimac, both for letting Merry have the sword to "do it up right" and for teaching both Frodo and Sara the importance of holding on to childhood for as long as possible. His words to Frodo were touchingly prophetic, which is why I think it brought me to tears. Frodo never *did* get to see the real wedding, but they all had the memory of the first one done right, with their beloved Frodo right where he belonged, hearing their vows. I enjoyed this, Larner, even if it did make me weepy! Author Reply: I'm so very glad you liked it, AspenJules. Yes, children need to play, as it's in part a rehearsal for what we will do as adults. And Rory would be of an age to appreciate just how wonderful and necessary play is, and would want both of these he loved to appreciate that truth. And life is so very tenuous at times, a fact best appreciated, I think, by those approaching the end of their own lives. And I can't keep foreshadowing out of my stories, apparently. Am so glad this moved you. | |
| Pearl Took | Reviewed Chapter: 27 on 2/15/2007 |
| "Why, even we adults play at times, you realize—we have to, or we’d die of solemnity." This is a marvelous story, Larner! I'm all teary, mostly over the reactions of Sara and Bilbo. Excellently Well Done!! :-) Author Reply: Thank you so much, Pearl. I do sort of wish either Pearl or Narcissa (or Lily Proudfoot or some of the other proposed loves I've seen written for Frodo) had indeed been able to give Frodo the love of wife and family he deserved. And both Sara and Bilbo served as surrogate father to Frodo, after all. | |
| Dreamflower | Reviewed Chapter: 27 on 2/15/2007 |
| This was so sweet! I know you've mentioned it before from time to time, so it's very nice to see you put the whole story down. I love all the serious attention to detail the children gave to their play, while never losing sight of the fact that it *was* play. And I really enjoyed the attitude of both Bilbo and old Rory! And of course, it does appear the marriage "took", doesn't it? *grin* Author Reply: Somehow I managed not to respond to this one. Am so sorry! I do think if Merry were involved he would want details right; and I so wanted to see how Frodo did in this one. And, of course that wedding "took." It was officiated over by the best Hobbit in the Shire, after all! Heh! | |