Stories of Arda Home Page
About Us News Resources Login Become a member Help Search
swiss replica watches replica watches uk Replica Rolex DateJust Watches

Destiny's Child  by Mirkwoodmaiden 50 Review(s)
demeter dReviewed Chapter: 15 on 10/7/2021
Things are begining to accelerate! Your chapter title says it very well. The quiet moments of concern and fear are interspered with confrontations. I like your back and forth between within your character's heads, and seeing as they see. The quick reference to the bracing February wind brings hope to us, the readers, who know that February and March of the year 3019 of the Third Age of Arda will be busy ones, and bring a complete turn of fate! Where you left us in your "Reunion in Mirkwood" story, it was October 3018. Things were beginning on the western end of their continent which, though they do not know it yet, will impact the folks in this story, very soon! I will gladly still travel with you.

One more fun thing to share. When Katzilla recently posted a prequel to her older story set in this time period, "The Banishment of Eomer" I realized that I had never read that original story. It has 60 chapters, and I did not read longer stories back then. Author leads us on a merry chase between book and "Two Towers" movie-verse, with alternate original story premise woven through. All three stories together, I have decided it is high time I read the book again. Especially the part with Helm's Deep!

Author Reply: Demeter d!

Hello! So happy that you are with me on these two journeys! They have been fun to write. Gap filling stories always interesting to me. I do like to give perspective of the different characters POV. Sticking to only one character's POV is so limiting.

Indeed these are the dark times of the soul for the Rohirrim especially Eowyn, but as you say these days will lead to happier times. These chapters will lead into those more hopeful, happier times.

My next "Reunion" chapter will make an appearance soon!

I have started reading Katzilla's stuff it is indeed wonderful! I need to find more time to read!

Thank you for staying with me! :-)

Hope you and yours are well and safe!

((hugs))

MM

NurayyReviewed Chapter: 15 on 10/6/2021
Oh dear, it begins for real, the tragedy the hardship takes it's course.
My heart broke when Théodred rode away, knowing he will not return alive.
I feel so much for Éowyn.
And Grima is getting worse and worse. I cannot stand the way he looks at her with this naked longing.
I brave myself now for what is to come.


Author Reply: Nurayy!!

Hello! Yeah this and the next couple of chapters are going to hard-going. Such despair and unhappiness. Grima is feeling empowered as his plans start working. Ick!

I keep telling myself in the end Eowyn is happily together with Faramir! This story will join with "Bound by duty; Bound by joy." and end there in the Houses of Healing.

Hope you are well and safe.

((hugs))

MM


shireboundReviewed Chapter: 15 on 10/5/2021
“Grima is right. Saruman will protect us."

What an insidious lie to persuade the king to believe. How the hearts of Theoden's family must be breaking to see him fall so far under Grima's spell and lose his own perception of the dangers facing Rohan. There are evil days ahead...

Author Reply: Shirebound!

Hello! I hope this response finds you and yours safe and well. As you say these are indeed dark times for Eowyn and her family. Their sadness and despair has been hard to write and I hope I am doing them justice! Thanks for always reviewing this story. It is very much appreciated!

Stay safe Mellon nin!

((hugs))

MM

NurayyReviewed Chapter: 14 on 7/16/2021
Dear Mirkwoodmaiden
So nice to see an update of this story of Our favourite shieldmaiden!
It is so difficult to see the King deteriorate more and more under Grima's influence. As always you write Éowyn's emotions touchingly. How I feel her grief and helplessness!
And then this wonderful friendship with Gamhelm, sweet to the maximum. Loved their exchange of words. What a comfort to have a friend so close, like a father, a shoulder to lean on.
And poor Théodred. He has to watch his father crumble, and feels so much responsibility. What can he do against it...?
Heavy, but beautifully written.
I hope you are well, and will stay safe.


Author Reply: Nurayy!!

Sorry it took soget back long to you! Glad you liked it! Gosh this hasn't been easy to write. It is so hard for Éowyn and Théodred right now. Both are so powerless to help. These are the dark times. And it is only going to get worse before it gets better for Éowyn. Thanks for the kind words!

Hope you are well and safe!

((hugs))

MM

NurayyReviewed Chapter: 14 on 7/16/2021
Dear Mirkwoodmaiden
So nice to see an update of this story of Our favourite shieldmaiden!
It is so difficult to see the King deteriorate more and more under Grima's influence. As always you write Éowyn's emotions touchingly. How I feel her grief and helplessness!
And then this wonderful friendship with Gamhelm, sweet to the maximum. Loved their exchange of words. What a comfort to have a friend so close, like a father, a shoulder to lean on.
And poor Théodred. He has to watch his father crumble, and feels so much responsibility. What can he do against it...?
Heavy, but beautifully written.
I hope you are well, and will stay safe.

shireboundReviewed Chapter: 14 on 7/16/2021
But she shook herself out the melancholy that threatened to take hold. She straightened her shoulders and stuffed the negative emotions back into a corner of her heart where she could safely ignore them for a while longer until life once again let them loose. It was the battle that she fought every day.

What a way to live, but at least Eowyn isn't alone with no one to understand her heart. Gamhelm is another wonderful friend for her.

Author Reply: Shirebound!

So happy to hear from you! Hope all is very with you and yours!

It is a dark time in Eowyn's life. She is feeling pretty hopeless and driven on only by her duty and her love for her uncle and cousin. But she does have those who are there for her in Gamhelm and Holdlith and her little dog because we all someone to be there.

This story will eventually join with "Bound by Duty; Bound by Joy" and end with Eowyn finally finding happiness with Faramir. It is really the goal I am focusing on because it is really pulling Eowyn this unhappy period but it is part of the story.

Thank you for writing!

((hugs))

MM

LindeleaReviewed Chapter: 13 on 6/7/2021
Oh, well done as always! The descriptions and details add such richness. When you were talking about Eowyn's wardrobe and the reasons for the pale colors, I found myself thinking that such color schemes would also serve as an indication of status. The nobility could afford to wear white and pale colors, both because their tasks would be unlikely to soil their clothes and because they would have "extra" clothing in the wardrobe to change into in the case of soiling. Meanwhile, someone of the lower classes would probably wear darker clothing in shades less likely to show dirt or stains in between washing, and considering the intensive labor that went into making clothing (spinning, dyeing, weaving, cutting, hand-sewing), they weren't likely to have many sets of clothes. Maybe one set of working clothes and one set of "second-best" (former working clothes that had almost worn out) to change into on wash day. The more fortunate ones might have a set of "good" clothes to wear on feast days (like the commoners dressed in their best to see the King, as you described).

Your description of the commoners dressing up and the nobility dressing down (the latter for manipulative reasons, argh).

I like that Theodred was the reason Gandalf got in to see the King. Is this where he gains Shadowfax?

I hope you are enjoying your holiday, and that this finds you and yours well. ((hugs))

Author Reply: Lindelea!

Sorry to take so long in writing back to you! Really glad you liked the chapter! I loved your added details about the clothes representing the status of the people.

Yeah, commoners dress up meeting the King and the nobility dresses down. Honesty and respect from the commoners and manipulation from the nobility kinda says it all.

It jusr seemed natural with the flow of the story that Theodred should have a hand in Gandalf seeing the King. And yes this is where Gandalf get Shadowfax.

Thanks for writing!

Hope you are well. ((hugs))

MM

P.S. We had a lovely time in Morro Bay!

SimplegirlfromLPReviewed Chapter: 13 on 5/23/2021
Ok, here we go.. this should get good.
I always wanted Theodred to live. Of course that would have changed the whole story.
Thank you for writing and sharing this story.

Author Reply: Simplegirl!

Thank you! So happy you are enjoying the story. Unfortunately for all involved in the writing and reading of this story Theodred will unfortunately still die within the next two chapters :-( which is going to be really hard on Éowyn and thus will start the darkest part of her story.

Hope you are well! :-)

MM

NurayyReviewed Chapter: 13 on 5/18/2021
I loved to see Éowyn in her gown with her hair made and the diamond drop earrings, beautiful. So nice that she can conjure a small smile from her so worn down uncle with her shiny presence. Although inside her there is such turmoil, and I can feel it. The deep, depressing worry you show about the state of the King brought with Grima's treacherous and creepy presence. There is still Théodred, sharing the weight with her, a great support they are to each other but soon... Oh my, I'm dreading to read what will happen!
So nice to see Gandalf appear. It gives some comfort. And fortunately Théodred is still there keeping at least some things right, preventing Rohan and the King from the downfall.
Be well, my friend!

Author Reply: Nurayy!

Thanks so much for writing! I've tried to show Théoden gradual slip toward what the Three travelers will find in March of 3019 I hope I have been able to do that successfully. I thought that showing that Éowyn making an effort might be a good way to help show that. I guess I have been thinking of what modern family members of a loved one's descent in Dementia or Alzheimer's would be thinking or feeling. Seeing a once vigorous father or mother become someone else. What is happening to Théoden is worse as it is being caused with malignant intent. And it is better in a way because he can be released from it by Gandalf.

Théodred is a great comfort to Éowyn. He is there for her when Éomer cannot be, as he has gone to Aldburg to live as Third Marshall. His death is going to be very hard on Éowyn. "Oh my, I'm dreading to read what will happen!" True and I am going to have a hard time writing it! But my only comfort is that Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli arrive less than a week after Théodred has died. So she will not be without friends or support for too long.

Hope you are well!

((hugs))

MM

shireboundReviewed Chapter: 13 on 5/16/2021
unmarried girls in Rohan wore only these shades, symbolizing they were yet untouched. Daily wear consisted of light pastels. Wearing colors came with marriage, as they gained their full womanhood and identity.

That's a lovely detail.

You show us how perceptively Éowyn and Théodred are understanding what's going on with their king, their people, and with Grima. How wonderful to have Gandalf among them now, their trusted counsellor.

Author Reply: Shirebound!

I wanted to give some reason as to Éowyn is wearing white and this seemed really to flow into the story I have written for her. Also a detail that might give some flavor to Rohan as a society perhaps a little different than Gondor though they are sister-states there is some difference between them societally.

Both Éowyn and Théodred are having to live this reality full time. They see what is going on but are powerless to stop it. A very difficult situation to be in.

Thanks for writing!

Hope you are well!

((hugs))

MM

First Page | Previous Page | Next Page | Last Page

Return to Chapter List