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| Are You Going To Leave Me? by Llinos | 32 Review(s) |
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| PIppinfan1988 | Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 3/21/2007 |
| *Finally* I got here! This was blessedly sweet! I must have pondered how Aragorn called Merry back from the black breath a thousand times, but none of them ever resembled your flawless rendition. For as much as I loved the previous chapters, I think this one was my favourite. :-) The whole imagery of the Houses of Healing was fantastic; a room overlooking the corridors...brilliant. My--er, *our* beloved hobbits were absolutely perfect! And that warm bread with butter and honey - that's my most favourite thing to eat with tea in the summer, so I was salivating just a tad here. :-P and I'll run and pick you a posy of red poppies and blue cornflowers, just as I did when I was little, and you laughed as you wove the flowers into a crown to place on my head. You called me Thain Pippimus, King of the haystack; do you remember Merry?" Is this a story I missed, or is this one yet to be written? PF Author Reply: Dear Pippinfan, Thank you so much for your blessedly sweet review! That was so nice of you to say! Oh, and now you've set Marigold off, because she is now demanding a story about the flowers in the hayfield! Have mercy on me! Ll.x | |
| Grey Wonderer | Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 3/21/2007 |
| Long live Thain Pippimus, King of the haystack! I adore that. Almost as good as Pippin's Gondorian title. Better in fact. A King is better than a Prince isn't he? That was so very sweet and Gandalf was right; Pippin's discussion of food just had to make Merry hungry. It made me hungry. Author Reply: Dear GW A King is certainly better than a Prince, although it might just depend on the size of his Realm. Little Pippin is only able to rule over the haystack at the moment, although he may one day stretch his authority a little further. It made me hungry too! Rats, that's another 1000kcals I could live without! Thanks for reviewing, Ll.x | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 3/20/2007 |
| Thain Pippinmus it is, then! How wonderful, and I love Gandalf's words here--all of them! Author Reply: Dear Larner, Aha! A closet Gandalf fan are we? Thanks for reviewing, and so nicely too. Ll.x | |
| Bodkin | Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 3/20/2007 |
| Well - now you come to mention it, Gandalf! (What better way to convince a hobbit of the Shire that he's still in one piece than to coax him back to life with thoughts of apple harvests and haymaking feasts?) Author Reply: Hi Bodkin, and food, don't forget the food! Thanks for reviewing, Ll.x | |
| MarigoldG | Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 3/20/2007 |
| This is, without a doubt, my favourite chapter. It is just stunningly beautiful and Pippin's descriptions of the Shire and his memories of lazy, peaceful days spent with Merry are so vivid that I can smell the hay and flowers. This chapter really brings home the depth of the bond between these two, and all that they willingly left behind to follow Frodo. The image of a laughing Merry weaving a crown of flowers for little Pippin as they lay beneath the haystack brings tears to my eyes every time that I read it; it is just such a lovely, joyful image, and that they will probably never be quite so innocent and carefree again is very poignant. The descriptions in this chapter bring the Shire, and Merry and Pippin, to life. '...no one knew Merry's heart quite as well as Pippin himself did.' That is absolutely true, and I thought that it was so fitting that Aragorn was not able to bring Merry back until Pippin had been the one to actually reach him. A wonderful chapter, and I will never forget the beautiful imagery! | |
| Dreamflower | Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 3/20/2007 |
| This is a nice continuation of what you began in the challenge! I like the way you have managed to cover the "movie-verse" bases, while yet managing to get in the spirit of "book-verse". I love Eowyn's and Eomer's concern, and Pippin's anguish and fear. This last chapter is just lovely. You have caught Aragorn's speech patterns wonderfully, giving him dignity and warmth. And Pippin's reciting the memories to Merry was so very touching--it kind of reminded me of the scene in Mordor when Sam tries to get Frodo to remember the Shire in spring. Very nicely done, indeed! Author Reply: Hi Dreamflower, Actually, the Sam/Frodo similarity only occured to me after I'd written it. But you are right. I guess it's just an in-character hobbitty thing to do. It's really quite close to my own childhood memories - at least that's where I found it! Thanks for reviewing! Ll.x | |
| MarigoldG | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 3/20/2007 |
| Pippin's dilemma here is very well done, and the two litter bearers are so appropriately blasé - they have seen so much death and suffering that it is hard for them to feel moved by yet another wounded soldier. That Trwystan's focus is more on Shadowfax than Merry really bears this out. I love the way that Éomer has taken Merry to his heart as a Rider of Rohan - he is truly noble and wise for his years; now, having been proven wrong about Merry's worth, nothing will stand in the way of his finding this hero of the Rohirrim healing and the honour that he deserves. From your portrayal of Éomer it is easy to see why Merry remained devoted to Rohan even though Théoden is dead. This was just chilling: "Will he find my grave at last?" Tears trickled down Merry's face, "I have longed for it to bring me peace. Do not let Pippin grieve, for he is of the living and I belong with the dead." That sums up the state of Merry's suffering so completely! It was very nice to see the interaction between Pippin and Éomer in this chapter; we don't often see them interacting, but they both share a common fear here, and I especially liked that Éomer did not try to ease Pippin's fears with empty assurances, but spoke to him like an adult. That is something that is very noticable in this story - Merry and Pippin *are* adults, and you write them as such. So many fanfics portray them too childishly in an attempt to emphasise their differences to other races, but you manage to write them as the adults that they are and yet don't lose the hobbity quality of their innocence. Well done! | |
| MarigoldG | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 3/20/2007 |
| Éowyn's despair is captured so well here, it's very intense and powerful. I really like the way that Éomer is at first so dismissive about Merry and then finally begins to realise that he was wrong about him - that really irked me in the film, that Éomer ridiculed Merry's abilities going by his appearance and cheerful nature alone. You are so right that this gap was begging to be filled! It's wonderful to finally see the process by which Éomer learns that he was wrong. Aragorn's insistence about the fortitude of halflings really shows that he has no doubt about their true worth, and I love this glimpse of Éomer being brought to the same mind! Author Reply: I was worried you might not like the lack of hobbits in this chapter, but I suppose talking about hobbits is just as good. Ll.x | |
| MarigoldG | Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 3/20/2007 |
| Goodness but I love this story! If I should have to choose what aspect I like best about this first chapter,I think that it must be the depth of love that is so obvious between Pippin and Merry; Pippin's care for Merry is perfectly described. Merry needs Pippin to be the adult now, rather than the other way around, and Pippin more than rises to the occasion - he thinks things through and uses his wits, and he is comforting and calm, which is just what Merry needs. I love this line so much: Pippin smiled down, "Yes Merry, the haymaking is all finished and we have to get home." Despite his own fear and turmoil nothing is more important to Pippin at this moment than easing Merry's heart and mind. Pippin's thoughts about climbing to light the beacons being a breeze compared to this were great! And Gandalf's praise of them both was wonderful to read - we know that he thinks this way about his hobbits, but to actually hear him say the words! I could easily see Pippin momentarily rendered speechless! I really liked the way that both Gandalf and Pippin felt more at ease when Gandalf became sharp with him once more : ) Wonderful descriptions and dialogue throughout, and the image of Shadowfax picking his way across the battlefield towards the City with the two hobbits on his back was so easy to imagine. Terrific first chapter, thank you so much! Author Reply: Well I know you love those "Cider with Rosie" moments! Plus, you've seen the hayfield where I used to romp as a child! And thank you for all the bouncing of ideas! Ll.x | |
| shirebound | Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 3/20/2007 |
| he ran across the room to take Strider's hand I love that very hobbity, spontaneous gesture. "But now is the time for pleasant thoughts and sweet memories. Speak to him of those things again Pippin, for your words may bring healing too" As Pippin spoke the greyness started to leave Merry's face and he finally murmured, "Yes Pip, I remember" *happy sigh* What a wonderful gap-filler. Dear hobbits, dear Strider. Author Reply: Hi Shirebound, What shall I say? Dear shirebound! Ll.x | |