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Truce by meckinock	89 Review(s)
Linda Hoyland	Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 4/2/2008
A wonderful chapter I loved the humour at the beginning then the angst.If only Denethor had not so resented Aragorn.That is one of Tolkien's great tragedies. Brilliantly told. Author Reply: Thanks for reviewing, Linda. It is a tragedy that Denethor and Aragorn couldn't have been friends, isn't it? They were so alike.

Redheredh	Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 4/1/2008
Good chapter!! Humour, Romance, Angst, and Skullduggery! Who could ask for more? Sorry, you gonna get more than you expected. The scene at the dock where our principles mess with poor Searbellas was pure, calculated comedy. Hilarious and sublime, done with excellent timing. And yes I do feel for poor Saddlebags! Wouldn’t you want someone as dedicated as he to look after you? g The archivist and the scene with him was a hoot, too. And poor Denethor! Argh, Meckinock, you’re breaking my heart here! You have conveyed his true motivation so very well, and some readers still don’t get it. Not patriotism nor even honor rides our anti-hero the hardest, only pure and simple love. He needs his father to love him - for the person his father has made him. Yet he feels robbed of that due. Just what the heck is wrong with Ecthelion anyway?! How could such a sharp man miss such blatant signs? Does he not realize his son’s jealousy is his own darn fault? Does he not realize what kind of example he is making as a father for Denethor to follow with his sons? He is in denial of his responsibility for this rivalry! Why, look what he said to his son! As if Denethor did not possess the same qualities! hmph! Where is Denethor’s resentment of a returning king actually coming from? He might had been able to form a friendship with Thorongil instead of rivalry. But no, that possibility was precluded. Not by his own actions, which have been very honorable...eh, overall...if not exactly affectionate. I blame his father - Bad!Echthelion - the one who is in denial of his own words and deeds. And then there is Findulas. Denethor truly loves and wants her. She wants him too, but is blinded by her feelings for that carefree fellow that courted her by the sea. In kind, he loves that happy maiden he got to know - too well to be the cause of her demise. Why oh why does no one take his foresight seriously?! They would Thorongil’s, no? Ecthelion uses a strong argument when he says that Denethor would be worse off if another man had her as wife. Worse for whom? is Denethor’s caring protest. He is refusing to be responsible for her misery, and rather sacrifice his happiness for hers. As much as he would like to gain his father’s approval, he will not do it! To heck with the political consequences! Which are grave and should persuade him. You have to admire his sentiment. Their tryst was both sweetly romantic and truly saddening. They both behaved foolishly despite, or maybe because of, reasonable decorum. Then, along comes Turgon! That mook was sent ‘talk’ to Denethor, I just know it! He got so smug when he thought he was going to report back that he got the recalcitrant bridegroom to do what the bosses wanted. Denethor knows he can trust his brother-in-law only as far as the guy can be bribed or coerced. It was a clueless Turgon that caught him in the midst of thinking up a strategy to deal with Thorongil and misunderstood the responses he got. Of course, the matter Denethor was contemplating had nothing to do with love! He was mulling over the fact that he had been a fool for underestimating his foe and needed to move against him. Which brings us to those last lines: I have been a fool. I have to marry Finduilas. For a grandchild? Oh no, he doesn’t. He can get a grandchild from any “lady of high breeding and higher ambitions”. To stave off a feud? The argument would not last long in the shadow of a common Enemy. Political reasons my a*. He has to marry the lady who is not like the others, the love he should not wed and bury under his burdens, the one he only wishes to see happy and free by the seaside, because if he doesn’t...his rival will. A king must have a suitable queen, and Finduilas - his beloved - is above all others. Denethor will not be robbed of her love as well. Ah, there is such irony in the story’s title. The truce is over with a vengeance! Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy :D* Author Reply: Gosh, Redheredh, I'm so flattered that you found the chapter interesting enough to merit such a thoughtful analysis. I'm so glad that you found the chapter interesting, I'll try to do it justice. First, I'm glad you enjoyed the comedic interlude. I did enjoy doing that, especially knowing deeper stuff was coming. I'm glad you liked that scene and the archivist bit. Denethor: Yeah, he loves her. Too much too marry her. I'm so glad that came through - you described it so beautifully. I imagined that's how happy they were together, in their courtship, however that came about. And that's where the irony comes in. Darn canon, he has to marry her. So blame me, not Denethor, for setting him up with a trick bag he can't get out of. The guilt of it will kill him, if that helps at all... Ecthelion: I think I'd use the Prodigal Son excuse with him. He does love Denethor and just assumes Denethor knows that. Guys' logic. Dad logic. Thorongil, on the other hand, is the stranger, the orphan, the outsider. I think Ecthelion doesn't imagine that his affection for Thorongil could ever threaten Denethor because he doesn't imagine that Denethor could ever doubt his love for him. Sigh. Guys. ...and, in the end, Denethor's dilemma and his not-so-perfect solution. Again, blame the evil author for putting him in an impossible situation. Gosh, I feel so guilty now! Anyhow, thanks so much for such a detailed and thoughtful review. You've given me a lot to think about - and answer for.

Raksha The Demon	Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 4/1/2008
Ooh, an excellent chapter in a marvelous story. I love the way you write the relationship between Ecthelion, Thorongil and Denethor, it seethes and writhes with tangled love and jealousy. And the bits with Thorongil and Denethor allying against the healer are great. I felt sorry for Finduilas, though. It's rather terrible that Denethor changes his mind and decides to marry her as a ploy to outdo Thorongil. I wonder if she ever finds out, that could have contributed to her decline, she obviously loves Denethor. Author Reply: Wow, thanks, Raksha. I love that characterization - "seething and writhing." That's great; I have to write that down! That little bit with T and D conspiring against the healer was irresistable. Especially in light of the way their relationship is headed. I feel sorry for Finduilas, too. I'd like to think that Denethor feels so guilty about this that he tries extra hard to make her happy.

grumpy	Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 3/31/2008
No, no, no, Denethor, this is not the reason you should be marrying Finduilas. Really men and their reasoning. I love reading your new chapter, so glad to see it. Poor Saerbellas (aka Saddlebags, a healers life is not a easy one. Patients who want to ride horses, sailing in beer barges, and donkey carts! Thorongil, that ragged upstart from the north, had better be making plans to quit the city, he has been found out, unmasked. How fast can he hobble with his broken leg??? Author Reply: Hey, Grumpy! No, no, no, Denethor, this is not the reason you should be marrying Finduilas. LOL. Yeah, the worst part is, he knows. Saerbellas is going to be SOOO glad to get back to Pelargir! He'll be boring his colleagues for months with his tale of torment at the hands of the Captains of Gondor. As for Thorongil, well, he's not going anywhere for the foreseeable future. He might even be sneakier than Denethor, who knows?

Dot	Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 3/31/2008
“You asked for a horse.” Denethor stared at the animal. “I meant a live one.” ROTFL!!! Oh God, that's hysterical. Great to see an update. I'll be back with a review tomorrow. Hopefully tomorrow anyway. What a fantastic chapter :-) Author Reply: LOL. You must have had a hard day at work if you think that's funny :-)

Nilmandra	Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 3/31/2008
I really enjoyed Saerbellas/Saddlebags and Ecthelion's remembrances of someone trying to take off his leg. And Thorongil's idiocy that he can ride. At least he didn't go a hundred miles. Denethor and Ecthelion are great. Their conversation, argument, is from one powerful man to another powerful man. Ecthelion didn't raise a yes man for a son. I like the twist that Denethor is going to marry Finduilias for all the wrong reasons. And more interesting is that he is right about her - he foresees her unhappiness. But now he has political reasons to do it too - love and the good match weren't' enough, but getting himself in the good graces of his father over his competitor for his father's affection - that is a good enough reason. I didn't think Denethor could throw away the ring. Like the sons he raised, he is too honest. Turgon on the other hand....well, as we said, a good politician. Author Reply: Now, what kind of nincompoop would let a guy with a broken leg ride a horse? I enjoyed writing the conversation between Ecthelion and Denethor. I like the way you characterized it. And I agree, Denethor has too much honor to throw the ring away. Tell a little white lie about it, maybe...

Nilmandra	Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 3/31/2008
Meckinock, you'll have to forgive me for waiting for this chapter for apparently months after it has been up. I thought we were waiting for chapter 3. My bad. Oh well, a treat for me, though as I get two chapters in one day. I like your Denethor - he is practical, cunning and very very smart. Not abusive, not an idiot, not insane. And this feels masculine to me, as how I imagine men would handle the situation. There is emotion - this is a captain who is worth dying for, after all - but it isn't smothering. I love Denethor's assessment 'He will live' - that is great. And I particularly like how Denethor is working out who Thorongil might be. The ring, not a piece of jewelry but an heirloom. The pieces of the puzzle were forming a picture he did not much like - a secret, ancient ring carried by a wandering mercenary from the North, a mercenary who looked like a Dúnadan, spoke like an Elf, and knew Númenorean history as well as he did. Denethor is wise to bring Thorongil with him on the ship, to show him the respect and courtesy he would a kinsman - a brother even - for to do less is obvious. Hold your friends close, your enemies closer! And Turgon... well, he will become a great politician. Author Reply: LOL, it's like having Christmas twice or something. Or not.... I'm glad you like Denethor. The dude is really growing on me, too. LOL about keeping your enemies closer- that is exactly Denethor's thought! And yeah to Turgon the politician LOL.

daw the minstrel	Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 3/31/2008
A cold mist coated the fine hairs on the hand he extended out the tiny porthole of their cabin. Geez, that's a great detail. Telling, vivid, and totally uncliched. Your experience living along a river shows too. "Flat, brown water" is great. The relationship between Denethor and Thorongil is interesting to watch. That moment when they join in taking a dig at the healer, for instance, is just an instinctive alliance of two men who both see a third as an unfortunately necessary pain in the butt. And of course, Turgon joins in, beating a dead horse, so to speak. :-) And then even Ecthelion calls the guy Saddlebags. LOL. As soon as he was bathed, shaved, and dressed, he went to see his father. He should have anticipated that word of his return would race through the city, right to the seat of the Steward. You know what I like about that? It's the indirectness. It's clear what's happened, but you give the reader the chance to infer it, and I liked that a lot. You are heralded as a hero of Gondor, and I could not be prouder of you if you were my own son. I actually gasped when I read that. Ouch! Oh man, poor Finduilas. What an awkward situations. And yet, she's so bold to defy propriety and her own fears and ask Denethor to give her his answer. She could easily hidden behind her father and she didn't do that. I've always thought of her fate as tragic, but maybe it wasn't. Maybe it was the best one she could have had. Still I cringed when Denethor finally decides to marry her because he wants to thwart Thorongil and please his father. his heart was pounding like that of a thief hiding in a house at night, waiting to make off with the silver. Nice image, and appropriate too. You can see how Denethor's suspicions make sense from his POV. When he was telling Turgon about how Thorongil planned to take the throne, he just about convinced me. And you've done such a nice job of showing us Ecthelion's love of Thorongil with that scene in the Houses of Healing. Great chapter. Just great. And now I'm late for the gym. Author Reply: Gosh, daw, if you knew how endlessly I twiddled with that opening scene, and the mist on the hair was the last thing I wrote. Isn't it strange how writing works? I really enjoyed the little moment of camaraderie at the expense of the healer, and I think you're right about it being just a pure Guy Moment. Guys who can't stand each other will still gang up on someone who has the wrong football jersey on. Guys. Say no more. I already told you privately about the deleted scene....but oh, thank you for liking Finduilas! Another character I never expected to like. I kind of hate making Denethor an ass for marrying her, but he'll feel so guilty he'll be the best husband ever.

Cairistiona	Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 3/31/2008
The plot thickens! So much to like about this chapter, but what strikes me the most is the way Denethor paints Thorongil by his own brush. Denethor's innate insecurities and, yes, bent for trickery and deceit, have him seeing the same thing in Thorongil (ironic indeed that both men have their insecurities--yet one will rise above while the other utterly sinks). Just about the time I start feeling for Denethor in the matter of Finduilas, he turns like a worm. Excellent chapter, right down to the "slightly gravy-stained banner of the Steward", which had me laughing out loud. I also enjoyed the archivist and his absent-minded search for the keys. Well done, and glad you've been able to do some writing again! Author Reply: Hi, Cairistiona, Thanks for reviewing. That is such a good observation about how Thorongil is able to rise above his insecurities while Denethor is defeated by his. I feel bad for D, really. I'm glad you enjoyed the lighter parts as well as the angsty parts. Makes it easier to digest - gravy and all.

Jay of Lasgalen	Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 3/31/2008
Denethor is such a wonderfully complex character! If it wasn't for his resentment of Thorongil, it's clear they'd be friends - they have much in common. I like moment of comradeship in their needling of the poor healer! Denethor seems to be making the right decisions for the wrong reasons, and the wrong decisions for the right reasons. It's clear that he loves Finduilas, and wants to spare her sorrow, yet goes about it the wrong way. Yet when he finally does decide to marry her, it's for all the wrong reasons. I liked his exasperation with the archivist, as well - you have some wonderful OCs in this story! Jay Author Reply: Hi, Jay, and thanks for reviewing. I really did enjoy that one moment of comradeship between them - the only one they'll ever have, probably. It's too bad. What you said about the right reasons and the wrong reasons - LOL, that's exactly how I was trying to explain this chapter weeks ago as I was writing it. Denethor must feel twisted into a pretzel. I'm glad you liked the archivist. Sometimes I'd like to be buried in my texts and oblivious of the outside world :-)

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