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All Those Who Wander by daw the minstrel	25 Review(s)
ScarlettPendragon	Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 9/25/2005
Hi Daw!! OMG!! They forgot the friggin blanket?! The one thing they absolutely HAD to remember to bring and they forgot it?! Honestly!! At least they got through the first night without incident - what are the odds Thranduil's going to be as lucky the next night?! I have also been used for climbing practice by sleeping imps, so I can sympathise with the Elven King!! LOL I love Legolas critiquing Eilian's clothes and lack of circlet - for some reason, that just made me laugh and laugh!! It's also an aside that shows just how different the lives of the Thransuilions are from the other elves - I love how you incorporate those little throw-away lines that convey so much in your stories!! I am glad that Legolas got to play with the other little Elflings - and how it's Eilian that facilitates that interaction. It's like Thranduil and Ithilden know there's things they should be doing to make Legolas' stay happier, but they don't know what those things are, whereas Eilian has an instinctual gift of knowing what Legolas needs!! Another great chapter!! I'm looking forward to more!! Thanks again!! Scarlett Author Reply: LOL. The blanket somehow didn't rank high on their list of necessary items, good as they usually are about seeing that he has it. I suspect Thranduil is going to find himself sleeping in about six inches on one edge of his cot. Legolas knows what his brothers look like when they get dressed up, and he knew that Eilian was NOT in royal attire. Not that he cared. He was just observing. And he's happy enough to accept Eilian's explanation and his charge to serve as the representative of the House of Oropher. Although I'm not sure he fulfilled that last responsibility quite as well as Ada hoped. But then, Eilian in the Glade in his underwear didn't do much for the royal family's rep either.

Frodo3791	Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 9/25/2005
I wondered how Legolas would choose to share his new vocabulary with Thranduil. I don't think Eilian had that in mind when he told Legolas he was going to help represent the House of Oropher. Oops... aren't kids precious though? Well, I thought Legolas was at least cute when he was running around with the other children playing the game he had no clue how to play. These moments are probably my favorite... the small ones that really have little to do with the story but seem to flesh out your characters the most. You always do well of incorpurating these moments and that's a huge talent, in my opinion. Thanks for another chapter. I can't wait for the next one. It always manages to brighten my day to see that you've updated. -Micah Author Reply: LOL. Representing the House of Oropher, oh yeah. I'm sure the villagers were very impressed! Kids playing when they don't know how is just a great image. It seemed real to me. Thank you for your kind words.

Jay of Lasgalen	Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 9/25/2005
Poor Ithilden - how well I remember this feeling: 'He was occupied for only a few minutes, but when he turned around again, Legolas was nowhere in sight.' I knew that blanket would disappear at some stage - poor Legolas. Both my children had special comforters like that, and I remember my horror when a much-loved rag called 'yummer' disappeared when I was small! I loved the 'orc spit' scene - knew we'd be hearing those words again soon. But poor Eilian - no-one notices the way he salvaged Legolas's pride after he dropped the plate, they just remember who taught him the expression. I can guess what's going to happen next - Legolas wakes at night, no blanket, so he goes off to snuggle down with Eilian. An elfling wandering the forest at night? Not good news. Even if nothing happens to him, Thranduil is going to have a heart attack when he finds him gone. Author Reply: I think all parents have that terror of not being able to see where a small child has gotten to. They can disappear so quickly without even meaning to. They're little! My son had a blanket he called a "meme" and would be utterly horrified if he know I had disclosed that. I'm with you in that my sympathies are with Eilian. He's the one who acted to comfort Legolas and make things right. He has a very good feel for what Legolas needs emotionally. But who knows what Thranduil will make of it all?

sheraiah	Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 9/25/2005
Oh, daw, yet another gem from you! I've sorely missed this over the summer. 'Orc spit!' I can so relate to Thranduil in this chapter. My three year old son's favorite expression right now is 'Bloody Hell!' complete with British accent. Believe me, it's hard not to laugh when you hear this coming out of the mouth of a little boy from the US South. (Xander is a Harry Potter fanatic.) Why, however, do I sense storm clouds on the horizon? Of course, it could just be that this family attracts such things like honey attracts flies. ;-) I can't wait for the next chapter. Hugs, sheraiah Author Reply: I missed this over the summer too! I spent it turning "Growing Under Shadow" into an orginal young adult fantasy novel, which turned out to be more challenging than I thought it would be. I'm peddling it to agents now. I guess I'll be able to say I learned some stuff no matter what happens, but I did miss writing about Legolas and company. I'm laughing about Bloody Hell. One of my friends is married to an Englishman. Their son's accent when he was small was pure American except for the word "dart," which he pronounced "daht," like his father did. He'd apparently never heard an American say that word.

meckinock	Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 9/25/2005
I'm seeing a lot of Legolas being passed around, but I'm not seeing one person being given sole responsibility for making sure he doesn't wander off. I can already hear the choruses of "I thought you were watching him!" But of course, it will all end up being Eilian's fault, regardless. I liked Ithilden's acknowledgement that if Eilian doesn't smell danger, there's no danger, though. And I cracked up when Ithilden reacted to Legolas's announcement that he planned to sleep in the army cot with Ada by thinking that this was one occasion when he was relieved not to be Legolas's favorite. Boy oh boy. There is nothing more fun in the universe for a little kid than a camping trip in the woods with his dad and brothers. Army cots! Cool! I was thinking in this chapter that what tickles me about your little kids is how you capture their mercurial, impulsive nature. He notices and reacts to everything for five explosive seconds, and then he's on to something new. Well, I guess he did remember to tattle to Ada about Ithilden not letting him poke his eye out, but by it had been rolled into the Legolas Daily Summary - “I took care of a horse, Ada, but Ithilden would not let me stay or have a sword either, and I saw three elflings.” LOL Eilian seems so alone. I was actually relieved he's not being forced to sleep in the tent with Thranduil and Ithilden - I think that might be a little too much family bonding at this point - but he seems painfully aware that anything he does will tick someone off. I admired him for not just splitting the scene after the orc spit incident; knowing that Thranduil would automatically assume he's been deliberately, or at least negligently, corrupting Legolas. Moving in and settling Legolas down was a very mature thing to do. It remains to be seen if Thranduil noticed that part! That little fiasco will be entertaining the the subjects for decades. Yes, nothing like finding out the lordly king can't control his own children. I remember when the former head of my company gave his big farewell speech. He brought his wife and his four or five kids; and throughout the entire speech three of his kids were running around the podium knocking over flag stands, and one of them kept trying to drown himself in the decorative fountain. We loved it. He was not as steady on his feet as he could have been, but he was still certain he could dive closer to the wreath than Ganion had. Yikes. It's a good thing Elves are immortal. This has "Rehabilitation Institute of Mirkwood" written all over it. It's fun seeing Eilian just having fun, though. Naked. Author Reply: But of course, it will all end up being Eilian's fault, regardless. I knew you'd be that way! Ithilden did at least think about what a good scout Eilian is, even if he didn't tell him. Legolas is finding lots of new things going on, but Mean Ithilden won't let him do anything! When Nilmandra beta read this, she said it was a good thing for Sinnarn than Ithilden had some time to loosen up microscopically. One of the reasons Eilian drives Thranduil so crazy is that he's such a mix of good and bad qualities. Thranduil feels compelled to jump on the bad ones, and he doesn't often leave himself time to praise the good ones. The husband of one of my friends was delighted when the much-bragged-about child of a colleague said, "Move, Fatso," to the chief partner in their law firm who was blocking the entrance to an elevator.

ponypetter	Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 9/25/2005
It was funny that the first thing I thought of when the elves settled around to eat with plates in their laps was that Legolas was going to drop his. It's actually a principle of physics, and explains why I still find old french fries in the oddest places. I thought the scene where Legolas curses was hilarious, especially that Thranduil seems to know immediately who the culprit was. Author Reply: You should have been there to warn Thranduil that trouble was coming! I think this is one of the those moments when Nana would have known better, but Ada is kind of oblivious. Males can be like that. I went to pick my son up from kindergarden one day and found him with his v-necked sweater on backwards. My husband had gotten him off to school that morning. Later I asked my husband, "Did you let him go to school that way?" And he gave the classic male answer, "What way?"

sofia	Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 9/25/2005
Poor Eilian! Of course Thranduil would know Legolas heard that from him. I wonder how angry Thranduil will be. And it certainly wasn't Legolas' day. First he couldn't stay with the horses, then he couldn't keep the stick sword, then his blanket never made it, he drops his plate of food, and utters uncivilized words in front of a village. And he couldn't play with the other children until the next day. Author Reply: I'm still trying to decide how angry Thranduil is. After all, he also saw how Eilian cared for Legolas afterwards. Eilian must drive him crazy because he sees the good in his son (although not clearly enough and he sure doesn't mention it often enough!) but he also sees the problems and feels responsible for correcting them. Poor Legolas. He did have a bad day. No wonder he had to say orc spit.

Bodkin	Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 9/25/2005
Dawn is far from cracking - and I can't resist gleefully saying how enjoyable this is. Or remarking in horror that I was, yesterday, coming up with a very similar clothes-stealing scene!! It was as inevitable as the fact that it will eventually get light that Legolas was going to come out with 'orc spit' at the most inconvenient (if appropriate) moment. And it's quite possible that the villagers are much more easy with their children physically, when it comes to wandering - but much more moralistic about - er - lapses of language. But then, equally, what a moment of joy for a hard-pressed parent of small kids to learn that the king, for all his power, can't be in complete control of his innocent little fair-haired elfling. Probably a diplomatic success on its own. With all the females left feeling protective to the pair of them. Eilian was so good at dealing with this - and at telling Legolas he was being a guard rather than a prince - and at watching him - and at understanding that the brat has to know where everyone is - and at releasing him just enough to play with others while staying close enough to keep him feeling safe. I sometimes feel like screaming at the lack of acknowledgement he gets for things like this. He is largely responsible for Legolas growing up into the elf he did - Ithilden is great on discipline, Thranduil is terrific on frazzled parental care, but Eilian is the one who can love the brat unconditionally and let him try his wings - but be there with a staunch but unintimidating support when things go wrong. He learned a lot from his naneth. I'd have brought Eilian into the family tent, despite guard protocol - on the simple who-will-Legolas-disturb-at-night principle. If he wanders to search for his family, then have all the family in the same tent. And Eilian can become the blanket substitute. Perhaps Ithilden needs to put Legolas on a leash - so that he knows exactly where he is at all times. I think he might find it harder to leash Thranduil though. And Ithilden is a bit of a spoilsport. I know he's worried, but still - positive reinforcement, Ithilden! Stop being so negative - and try diversion. It works wonders. If Legolas is brushing a horse, you know where he is and what he's doing. (Elfling Sinnarn should be very thankful that his Adar had the chance to learn a thing or two about the care of the young. Pony is right. Ithilden was born 347. I'll bet he never repeated a mistake. Even if he made one in the first place. Lorellin must have despaired about him - much as Thranduil does about Eilian.) I was afraid for a moment that Eilian taking his attention off the brat could be a mistake, but Legolas has already got his thing for maidens who look after children and is happy being managed. Although I'm sure he'll disappear from camp at some point in search of his new friends. Eilian, on the other hand, has found an old friend. And, it would seem, one of the old friends who had his parents tearing out their hair. The whole going to the Glade in his smalls seems the kind of activity that is fraught with disaster. Adar would sooooooo not have appreciated that. And the Webbing Incident - even the aftermath is an example of Eilian's reckless courage. Rambling. But I loved this and am looking forward to the next part. Author Reply: Or remarking in horror that I was, yesterday, coming up with a very similar clothes-stealing scene!! Ah, Bodkin, I'm sorry. That's happened to me too. I suppose it's happened to everyone. Can't you just go ahead and use it? You can put a note at the start or something if you feel the need. You can tell that what makes me cringe is the idea of having to junk pages. Poor Legolas. He had a bad afternoon and then his food fell in the dirt. No wonder he had to let loose with an 'orc spit' or two. Eilian is wonderful with Legolas. I'm not sure he'd have made a good single parent of him. Legolas and Turgon would have been in so much trouble that I'm not sure any of them would have survived. But he offers a kind of ease that Legolas needs as a balance to the more rigid Thranduil and Ithilden, and also a maternal love that he also needs. Thranduil needs to think about that. Nilmandra said that very same thing about how Sinnarn was lucky Ithilden wore off some sharp edges on Legolas! And this -- Lorellin must have despaired about him - much as Thranduil does about Eilian. -- I've thought that too.

esamen	Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 9/24/2005
"Thranduil washed Legolas’s hands and face in water from the ewer someone had left in the tent. He helped Legolas dress, and then the child sat quietly on his cot while Thranduil and Ithilden readied themselves for the feast. Thranduil took Legolas’s hand and the three of them left the tent to find Thranduil’s advisor and most of their escort gathered in the camp’s center." Oh, this is such a tender scene. I love it. Thranduil is truly noble in his fatherly care for Legolas. I just love a father who tends his flock. And the "Orc-spit" moment was great too. Oh yes, don't we all know that feeling too well. And as far as what readers like . . . I really like Thranduil coming to rescue Legolas and take care of him. You've been very generous with such scenes in your past fics. I love them all. Thank you. Come to think of it, I love Thranduil taking care of any of his sons. I also like Thranduil galloping off to battle, Thranduil bathing in Rivendell, and Thranduil getting angry at anybody. I guess I'm a Thranduil kind of girl. Please write more! Can't wait for Chapter Four! Happy typing, esamen Author Reply: When I first thought of Legolas as a motherless child, I had to decide how much hands on care Thranduil would do. He has to hand the kid over to someone for most of the time because he has responsibilities, but I thought he would want to physically care for Legolas when they were alone at night. This seemed like an extension of that. In my head, elves love children. Thranduil has apparently charmed you as much as he's charmed the village leaders!

The Karenator	Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 9/24/2005
“Are we there, Ada?" Ah, the age old question. Are we there yet? It's in the childcare rule book for traveling. This question must be asked and repeated every fifteen minutes beginning five minutes from home. This line just cracked me up. Everything started out so well and then tragedy struck: no blanky. Nimloth obviously didn't pack Legolas's duds. She was busy at home with her wounded husband. She'd never have let Legolas leave without his special blanky. Never! She'll have someone's head when the word gets out. I bet Legolas was thrilled to get to sleep in the same tent as Ada and Ithilden...even without blanky. Too bad Eilian isn't with them. If Ithilden had been smart, he'd have put Eilian--guard or not--in the tent too. Knowing Legolas's habit to wander and check on people, having Eilian with them would have cut down on the chances the little one would escape. But they're male and all into protocol. I'm sure this never crossed Ithilden's mind. It wouldn't be the proper thing to do when Eilian's acting as a guard. Don't you just love it when your child repeats back exactly what they heard and uses it appropriately. It's like they come programmed for the eventual use of socially unacceptable curse words. Of course they try it out at the worst possible time too. My youngest was watching TV when he was little...two maybe. Whatever he was watching must have been quite stunning. He stood staring at the screen completely captivated and uttered his amazement: "Sum of a bish". Hmm.m.m. Not one of my sayings. What does a mother do? Me? I laughed my butt off...in another room and never said a word. I hoped he would forget it if I didn't make a big deal out of it. Now that he's 17, he's got it right. I bet every parent has these stories to tell and I can't help it, I share in their horror and laugh like a hyena. You certainly kept the tension tight in this chapter. Every time Legolas drifted two feet away, I was on the edge of my seat. Then you'd reel me in and do it again. And I fell for it every single time. I love it! Excellent. Eilian's little adventure was fun. The spider web one...though charging into The Glade in nothing but his shivvies was probably more fun for me. The web trip backfired, but then, most of Eilian's stunts backfire. I think he said himself that he's slow but he does learn. Yep, yep, yep. But if he were any other way, he wouldn't be Eilian, and he's endearing just the way he is...except to Thranduil. Wonderful chapter. I'm looking forward to more. Karen Author Reply: I laughed when I read your speculation that Nimloth would "have someone's head" when she finds out Legolas got shipped off without his blanky. She'll probably also be glad she wasn't the one who had to spend several days and, more important, nights with the kid without it. You're undoubtedly right that Legolas loves the idea of sleeping in the same "room" with Ada and Ithilden. He'd like it even if he weren't trying to keep an eye on them right now. I also felt sorry for Eilian. In a way, it's like protocol excludes him from the rest of the family, which I think he may tend to feel sometimes anyway. "Sum of a bish"??? That's hilarious. My son went to a nursery school where they believed in ignoring this language, which was fine except no one else did. Those kids all cursed like sailors. I loved the place except for that. I don't imagine Thranduil was thrilled to hear about Eilian wandering around in his drawers (and sword belt) or going after webbing in a dangerous location so he could pay back a friend. I had fun writing it though!

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