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| Sweet Woodbine by Bodkin | 18 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| Jay of Lasgalen | Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 7/14/2006 |
| I'm glad to see the culmination of Legolas and Elerrina's long courtship and betrothal. They deserve their happiness at last! Their awe and wonder at the changes between them was lovely. I think your final point about changing relationships and the different stages of elven life are very true. Legolas - besotted with Elerrina - will not notice the lessening of his bond with Thranduil, but his father will. You made a similar point in Reflections when Elrohir mourned the loss of his twin, after Elladan (the first of the three) married Miriwen. I'm sorry to see the end of this, but I hope you have more stories planned. Please?? Jay Author Reply: There will be more stories. It's an addiction - I can't stop. I don't really have anything longer in mind at the moment, though, but I'm sure I won't be able to bear the gap for long. Yes, Elrohir felt the change in their bond very strongly when Elladan married. Elrond, though, would have had far less problem with it than he did with Arwen. This division was not absolute - his son would still be there and remain there - but, more importantly, he had Celebrian beside him and sharing the experience. Thranduil is alone at the moment. But L&E will be living with him - and Thranduil will enjoy having a daughter in his house. Elerrina likes him, too. He accepted her so openly and with no reluctance at all - that is bound to have affected her feelings towards him - and he has no need to be anything but loving towards her. It's an outwardly very uncomplicated relationship that will be good for both of them. Poor L&E ended up with a terribly long courtship. I think they did spend at least a century denying to themselves that it was a courtship at all, and then another century of suspicious rapprochement before they acknowledged there was more to it than just friendship - but even so, it's been a long haul. And Taryatur's disapproval made it very hard on Elerrina. But finding themselves together in the woods on the first day of their lives together has put all that out of their minds now - they are outside the everyday world for a while until their emotions begin to settle down a little. I'm sorry to finish this - but L&E had waited long enough! Thank you, Jay. I'm glad you enjoyed it. More will be along soon. | |
| JRJ | Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 7/14/2006 |
| What a lovely ending to a lovely story. The reference back to the chaffinch when they first met was an especially elegant literary touch. Author Reply: It's the same glade!! Not, I'm afraid the same chaffinch. I'm fairly sure chaffinches didn't share immortality, not even in the Undying Lands. Legolas has completed a circle and come back to the same place - but now he is not alone and despairing. It took a while, but he is now able to move forward properly, embracing the possibilities of the Blessed Realm. Thank you. | |
| Fire | Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 7/14/2006 |
| Now this is a nice ending to a nice piece of your complete writings about the elves. Celebrian shows a great insite in the ways to go into the future and I think she's quite right. Author Reply: Celebrian is wise. She is happy, most of the time, to seem light-hearted and mischievous and leave the more serious stuff to her mother, but she has a deep understanding of loss and duty and forgiveness. And a faith in the improvement of elves and a future when all will be reunited. Thank you. I'm glad you liked this ending - and I'm fairly sure it will soon lead into another tale. | |
| Lianna | Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 7/14/2006 |
| Someday, I will try to say something suitably coherent and complimentary about all this. But for now, all I can say is ... Legolas and Elerrina ... together in all possible ways ... in the woods ... naked ... finally! Thank you. Author Reply: I think, if they look round, they might find robes. Or sheets or something. Just so they don't get caught in the raw. But what could be more natural than a Wood elf and his bride strengthening their newly formed bond in the woods in the golden light of dawn? It's a beautiful picture - and thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed it. | |
| Gwynhyffar | Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 7/14/2006 |
| I can't tell you how happy I was to see this! For some reason my notification didn't work and I just happened to stumble on this update. Anyway - I was SO happy to see Legolas and Elerrina finally married, and I could totally picture them laying in the forest completely lost in each other. That scene was very touching... literally, in fact. :D Celeborn is great. I really like how you portray him. He just doesn't give a rat's patootie what anyone else thinks, he and Galadriel make their own life and everyone else can think what they want! I found myself feeling bad for Thranduil, of course. He's going to be lonely now. :( Author Reply: The explosion of feeling and sensation after bonding must be quite mind-blowing! L&E aren't quite sure how they ended up in the forest, but it is a very suitable place for them to wake up on their first day as ... elf and wife. Celeborn is strong, strong, strong. Far too strong to give a monkey's what other people think about him - and strong enough to shrug off the general theory that he's Galadriel's pussycat. Those who know them know different - and that's enough for him. Thranduil will be lonely - emotionally bereft - for a while, but he will have Legolas and Elerrina living with him and I think he will rapidly learn to enjoy having a daughter. And let her appear to manage him. And then it's not that many years - certainly far fewer than have passed during Legolas's courtship - before his Lady and he are reunited. I'm glad you were happy to find it - although I was quite sorry for this to come to an end. Now I shall have to ponder other ideas and look for a new story to write. | |
| French Pony | Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 7/14/2006 |
| What a nice ending to a delightful comedy of manners! You had some beautiful sparkly moments for most of the cast here. I especially liked Celeborn and Galadriel -- they have a marvelously dry sense of humor about life, with the practiced ease that only being married since the dawn of time can bring. Taryatur's dismay at the prospect of having Aulė and Yavanna at the wedding was also great to see. The poor guy. Events just come crashing down on his head, and he can do absolutely bupkis to stop them. And I love love love that someone finally thinks to call them "Nerdanel's sons." So everyone is happily married off at last, presumably with only a few bumps and bruises, thanks to the efforts of the ladies. All that's left is for Thranduil's Queen to turn up, which she will do in her own time. Because, if there's one thing we've learned from this story, it's that women will do what they want. Author Reply: It's being Nerdanel's sons that interests me about those seven! And, although I suppose I can see why they followed their father, what this says about elven society and their relationship with their mother and her family. And how their decision impacted on the family they left behind. Having Aule and Yavanna at the wedding - it's one of those moments like having the Queen or Brangelina turn up. Part of Taryatur possibly thinks, 'top that', as he looks down his nose as various Noldor courtiers - while a far bigger part screams 'no!!' While a little worm deep in his brain thinks of the fate of others who have proved themselves of greater than average interest to the Valar. Celeborn and Galadriel are great - they manage each other superbly. Everyone else is easy meat to them ... although Thranduil puts up a sustained resistance. And it won't be long before he is reunited with his Lady. But it wouldn't be in either of them to be strictly conventional about it. Most cast members who were more than names appeared or were mentioned, I think - except Espalas. He is just too strong a character not to try to take over. And women will do what they want... I just like a female perspective, I think. All those wives and mothers and sisters and daughters who barely get a mention. I like to think of them quietly managing the whole shebang ... while letting the menfolk think they're in charge. | |
| daw the minstrel | Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 7/14/2006 |
| I'm so happy for these two. They've certainly waited long enough. And the forest seems to me to be the right place for them. The little scene with Surion was nice too. He was just playing, concentrating on the ball, while the men talked about how much they treasured him and what Legolas had done. Then, when he's tired, he just flings himself against his father. And of course, that other father, Thranduil, is about to feel some changes too. An imprompu bonding in the woods seems to me to be right for Celeborn and Galadriel. Author Reply: They did have to wait a long time, poor things, but I'm sure they feel it was worth it! They're not entirely sure how they ended up abandoning their candle-filled, rose-scented room for a grassy bank in the woods - but they are both very happy to be there. I enjoyed writing the Surion scene ... (much easier to do than - er - lurve) ... and you still get themes of honour and duty and family love. And noblesse oblige. All of which goes over Surion's head, because he just accepts all that as the way people are. Poor Thranduil will feel this, I think. Although the house thing means he gains a daughter, his relationship with Legolas is bound to change. Still it's not too many years now before he finds his Lady. I think, if her parents and Finrod* had been there, Galadriel might have held out for the full works - but they weren't and, as far as she knew, she would never see them again. Consequently she and Celeborn would defy convention and do as they chose. And, somehow, the idea of this cool, apparently aloof Noldor daughter of kings going off and bonding informally ... well, she would, that's all I can say! (*I can't take to Orodreth much and, Tolkien's 'A' elves, both Finarfin's sons and Feanor's just haven't developed any personality for me.) | |
| utfrog98 | Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 7/14/2006 |
| Beautiful, beautiful chapter. I am so very happy for them. I really enjoy your work. Thank you. Author Reply: Thank you. I am delighted you enjoyed it. I'm sure there will be more soon! | |