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| In the Court of the High King by Dreamflower | 204 Review(s) |
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| Fiondil | Reviewed Chapter: 24 on 2/26/2014 |
| The description of the baker's punishment sounds very familiar. I'm sure I read it somewhere before as well. Chaucer, maybe? Can't remember. I've done so much reading of medieval life and literature, I can't keep sources straight anymore. Anyhoo... a fitting punishment. It's fun to find real-world cases like that that can be used in Middle-earth without it seeming improbable. I did a similar thing in a case with Finrod and a horse in my "Findaráto Diaries", using a real-world case and its solution. The whole thing about the sea exploration... yes, very important and far-reaching in more ways than one. I bet the hobbits understood its importance. They're a canny lot. Glad to see this story continuing, Dreamflower. Author Reply: Glad to know I've remembered it fairly accurately. The book I *think* I may have seen it in has been many years missing, but I will have to see if perhaps I can find it in Chaucer. Perhaps that was the book author's source. At any rate, it was not the only such case; humiliation was a very common punishment in those days. They are canny, very canny. | |
| Lindelea | Reviewed Chapter: 24 on 2/25/2014 |
| Fascinating! I love Faramir's love of Ithilien, and yet his sense of duty that takes him where he feels he ought to be. I like Eowyn's involvement in bringing orphans to Ithilien. Perhaps they can become a part of the effort to make the land bloom again? Gardening can be healing. The account of the baker's consequences was very hobbity somehow! ...but I wonder what the Shirefolk made of the second matter. After all, they themselves are in the middle of what people back home would consider a hazardous journey! Will they get extra pay like the sailors, I wonder? *** We have a reprieve. Though the first vet said, "Put her to sleep immediately," the second vet said, "Yes, she's very ill. No, she doesn't seem to be suffering." So we have a little more time to love on her, even though the parting looms ever closer. We took her to the vet on a routine matter, never dreaming they'd discover something much, much worse. *sigh* Author Reply: That is Faramir, and the thing is, he will also love doing his duty as well. And I am sure they will be a part of all that. For one thing, many of them will go to families who will be trying to reestablish the farms of Ithilien. I thought so! ;) *snicker* I hadn't thought of that. Although it wasn't mentioned, all of them were issued very generous stipends (from the first of the weregild) before they left the Shire, as well as a generous helping of money to cover their expenses at the Embassy. (I know this is one of the hardest things ever. In 38 years we've had to deal with that decision seven times--5 dogs and 2 cats--it's never easy and it always hurts, but the pain is worth it for all the love you give and receive from your furbaby.) | |
| KathyG | Reviewed Chapter: 24 on 2/25/2014 |
| I like how the King handled the case of the cheating baker, and Arwen's thoughtfulness for his and Faramir's comfort! Just out of curiosity--how WILL this approaching exploration of the south be important to the Fourth Age? Do tell! =) Author Reply: Think of what effect 16th c. explorers like Ferdinand Magellan, Christopher Columbus and Francis Drake had on history and economics in "our" world! A ship that could find a sea route to Khand and Far Harad? It would be amazing! (And no, I'd rather not write fic about this myself--too research oriented, and lack of hobbits. But I'd love to nudge some of the folks who write about Men and Gondorians in that direction!) | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 24 on 2/25/2014 |
| A most just punishment for the cheating baker, and love that it comes from history! As for the wish to slip the increased pay for seamen intending to seek new routes eastward--well done, my Lords. Author Reply: I've always wanted to use that historical anecdote in a story, and this seemed like the perfect time as Freddy and the others study how Men administer justice. (And the exploration? That will be far more important to the future of the Fourth Age than most courtiers can imagine!) | |
| shirebound | Reviewed Chapter: 24 on 2/25/2014 |
| I'm enjoying this story so much. And it's details like this that make it such a delight: He sat down with gratitude upon a thin cushion of black velvet. Bless the Queen; one of her first acts had been to see that cushions were made for his chair and for the King's throne. They were not obvious to the audiences in Court, matching each seat in colour and not especially lush, but they made life a lot more comfortable. He sometimes wondered if his father's dour disposition had partly been due to sitting for hours on cold hard stone for so many years. Author Reply: It just occurred to me that stone chairs would be mighty uncomfortable--and that it would be the kind of thing Arwen would notice! :) | |
| Linda Hoyland | Reviewed Chapter: 23 on 11/23/2013 |
| A most enjoyable chapter. I loved Aragorn's pleasure in Faramir's return and his scene with Arwen and his desire to help his people as a healer. I also loved the Hobbit midwives. Author Reply: I think he would feel glad to have Faramir back with him, even as he realizes that his Steward also needs to spend time in Ithilien as well. And I like to show Aragorn and Arwen together in quiet domesticity. Mistress Poppy and her apprentice Miss Viola are characters I am very fond of; it's great to get a chance to show them in their element. | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 23 on 11/23/2013 |
| I love the House of Children being part of the Houses of Healing. And it is wonderful to SS's Serinde and her associates here! Author Reply: It made sense to me that it would be, since many of the children might need healing of one sort or another. I am so grateful to SS for allowing me to use her characters. I could have made up OCs as healers (and I have for some of them) but having hers just *feels* right. I always make sure she checks out any chapter with them in it, to make sure they are in character. | |
| Fiondil | Reviewed Chapter: 23 on 11/22/2013 |
| Nice to see Aragorn as a healer. Triplets! Oh my! When I was living in China I think I saw more twins in those 2 years than I'd ever seen in my entire life time, and that certainly put paid to China's one-child policy. LOL! Anyway, a nice chapter all around. It's nice to see Arwen and Eowyn as well if only briefly. Hope to see more of them along with Faramir. Author Reply: LOL! Those triplets kind of hijacked the chapter--they were meant to be a brief throwaway bit. Now they have evolved their own sub-plot! I enjoy showing him as a healer. In "my" universe, that was his main goal growing up: to become a healer among the Rangers (since he didn't know about his true place among them). He still feels it is his vocation, while being a warrior and a King are his duty. Faramir will play a larger role in the next chapter... | |
| shirebound | Reviewed Chapter: 23 on 11/22/2013 |
| It's always good to see Thorongil again. Triplets would astound everyone once it was known, and the poor parents would have no peace. Goodness, I would think so! I don't see any difficulties in Minas Tirith being quickly repopulated, at this rate. :) Author Reply: *grin* In "my" Middle-earth, twins (and it looks like triplets as well, LOL!) will be on the increase now that Sauron is no more! I love working with SS's characters, and she's so generous about it! Thorongil has more or less become the hobbit healers' liaison in the HoH. His mother's too busy to take the job on full time. So Poppy and Viola have been more or less shadowing him. | |
| UTfrog | Reviewed Chapter: 23 on 11/22/2013 |
| So triplets will make quite a stir in Gondor. Hope the king's guards can catch the poor father when he faints. I also love the midwife who assures her patients get some rest. Great chapter. Thanks. Author Reply: No space in this story for Mistress Fieniel's backstory, but she would not be the Chief Midwife for the HoH if she was not very good at her job, and knew when expectant mothers actually need to be coddled and when they don't. Mistress Ava is older and has had several pregnancies, and she has no support system at home; and of course with the rarity of multiple births, Mistress Isfen definitely needs to be where the healers can keep an eye on her. The King will see that the father finds out what he needs to know soon! | |