Orophins Dottir
· 9 March 2004
· Chapter 1: They Deserved It!
Oh, Sister! How did we ever survive their childhoods! So proud they have made us, but the cost along the way! My poor husband actually has a few silver threads among the gold of his hair. He tells me each one is named "Daeron" or "Legolas", and I believe him. The little scamps! Seregon and Aldamir, at least, continue to bear themselves with the full dignity of the House of Oropher. *She whispers to Mîr-Gilúviel that he shall be allowed to produce a few silver hairs for Thranduil in the very next story. She is sure Sister Kaladriel will not forget her quiet one.*
The Queen of Commas thanks you for the privilege of being able to work on this fair story in any small capacity. How is the Mangy Ranger anyway? *Lalaith waves blithely to Meckinock!*
Ever,
Lalaith
Author's reply
It is true, fair sistah of mine; Elven childhoods last a long.g.g.g time. Often have I wondered how the king managed to not lock them in the dungeon until they came of age...or send them to Elrond for spite. Tell Mir not to worry, he has put more than his share of silver threads through his adar's hair. He just happened to not be home for this adventure...something I suspect he is quite grateful for.
Ah, and the Queen of Commas...what would I do without her? You have been a great help and more than a lot of fun to run the ideas by and then, the rough drafts themselves. Your comments are far better than anything I write. It's a shame the other readers don't get to see them. I never got back a corrected chapter than I didn't laugh through the whole thing. Thank you so much, my fair sistah, for your help, for reading this again and for taking the time to review it.
BTW, the mangy ranger is doing quite well. She is still sharpening the sword Emily, but she stops every now and then to challenge Halbarad to a game of poker.
Your humble servant, Kaladriel
Kitt of Lindon
· 9 March 2004
· Chapter 1: They Deserved It!
Not a bad idea...shooting arrows at my own Fluffy and Flouncy...oh, this is a public review. Ignore that.
Very entertaining story, as original as Legolas stories go. (It is hard to do an original Legolas story with so many of them out there.) Out of curiousity, does Daeron's name have a particuler meaning?
Continue soon, dear lady.
Author's reply
Hey Kitt,
I imagine we all have known a few people we would like to shoot arrows at. Feel free to let 'em rip! It's very cathartic.
Thanks for the kind words. It is hard to come up with original Legolas stories. Tolkien told us so little about him or his family that I suppose one can just sort of take off in almost any direction they want. Daw's Mirkwood has influenced me greatly. I love her creation of family and culture. I doubt Tolkien could have done better than she has.
Daeron mean 'shadow-one' in Sindarin...maybe. The book I have put a question mark after the meaning, so I suppose it's up for debate from anyone who is more knowledgeable than me about the language...which would be almost everyone.
Thanks for reading this and a special thank you for reviewing it. I really appreciate it. Karen
meckinock
· 9 March 2004
· Chapter 1: They Deserved It!
PS Would you believe it if I told you that I intentionally mangled that review just to make you feel better?
Author's reply
No. (Pats the ranger's hand affectionately.)
meckinock
· 9 March 2004
· Chapter 1: They Deserved It!
And the award for Best Disclaimer goes to...
You are simply a riot, Fair Queen! I bow before you. And thanks for graciously crediting my odd and misplaced advice, but truly I think the only feerreting I'm currently capable of is I think the only thing I'm capable of ferreting out lately are nasty-smelling messes left by the sword Emily in the living room. Your wit, imagination, and skewed psyche did it all.
Daeron is a great and subtly complex character - beneath the wise mouth lies a budding sage, if he can only stay out of Thranduil's hair long enough to survive childhood.
Your descriptions and observations are dead-on, as always. - Some of my favorites:
Thranduil - all day long! I couldn't believe that Daeron DIDN'T dive for cover. Something about those calm gray eyes peering out from above those steepled fingers at the "two gamey hens"...the vein coming out of hiding, the fist slamming down, and finally, the bellow and arm-flinging. Lovely buildup.
Seregon and his quiver strap...Greenwood the Hop, Skip, and Jump... and finally, the coup de grace - Yes, that is a VERY long time to poke blueberries into batter!
Keep it coming, fqk!
Author's reply
Thank you. Thank you very much for this auspicious award. I'd like to thank all the little people who made it possible...NO, not hobbits. The rangers and windy elf-queens...
Really, I could not have done this or gotten up the nerve to post it, if it hadn't been for your 'feerreting'. (Is this a new species? Something you ran across on your travels through Arda, or did you see it in a book at the Eriador-South Middle School?)
Anyway, I do appreciate all the patience you've shown me and all the help given. If people could see the mistakes you ferreted out of the rough drafts....
Thanks for the kind words. You really are a trooper to read this thing AGAIN! I really have enjoyed Daeron and Legolas and their adventures. You being along for the ride made it even more worthwhile. You're the best! fqk
meckinock
· 9 March 2004
· Chapter 0
This is so exciting - I have do badly missed seeing your dagger-sharp wit in print. I don't suppose that I can hope to see a cameo appearance by Raymond Chandler's dog, but I still can't wait to read this! You're lucky I am not clever enough to pay you back to the full extent that you deserve, though. I will have to prevail upon the witty OD to cover for me.
mrk
PS in case you were wondering how I managed to pop up at 10AM - I have discovered the secret font of internet access in my temporary haunts...very clever arrangement. I'll be ordering the trash cans rearranged later on today...
Author's reply
The author has always had a nose for news...or is it a new nose? Nevermind. She coughs, making a noise that sounds suspiciously like a dog when it wakes you in the middle of the night, and you're never fast enough to get it out of the bed in time. The nosey author knows the Ranger Meckinock is the master of stealth and goes to great lengths to prevent the common folk from knowing she has a wicked sense of humor. This hiding of talents must be the affectations of a ranger gone underground. Long has this mangy ranger been living life on the edge of a good comeback line. But her sense of doom, her dogged clinging to the underbelly of the tortured writer persona, has kept her from taking the final fling over the edge of the insane (and inane) style of bad fiction so heartily embraced by the crazed Elf-Queen. It is no matter. She will be hunted down and when found, made to move all the trash cans in her office to the 'other' side of the desks. Not clever? The ranger is cunning.
daw the minstrel
· 9 March 2004
· Chapter 1: They Deserved It!
Oh what a bad day these two had! I suppose it's their own fault but still, they were so miserable.
You do a nice job with the first person POV here, Karen. You give us Daeron's personality by showing us his thought and words. He certainly is a handful! I'm not sure I would want him loose with weapons either.
The families are nicely done. We can see the older brothers and Daeron's naneth emerging nicely. Thranduil is his intimidating self. Daeron and Legolas have courage if they cross him regularly.
Author's reply
Hi daw,
It's true. These two little elflings had a big, bad, terrible day. And yes, it was their own fault. Aren't life's lessons a bummer to learn? They obviously missed the part of the book where Tolkien stated that elflings needed little guidance.
Thank you for the compliment on the POV. First-person is always risky. It's often the kiss of death for a story, and some people hate it with a vengence. As I've told you before, I like a good first person pov. But, I think, this story's pov was chosen by Daeron instead of me. This will certainly serve as a good excuse if it falls flat on its face. It was his fault!
You're not the only one to want to get the weapons out of Daeron's hands. The Ranger was terribly nervous for a while, too.
Thanks again, daw. I really appreciate you reading and reviewing. Karen
JastaElf
· 9 March 2004
· Chapter 1: They Deserved It!
Very cute--the poor kids! Can't any of the adults see that the little creepy girls are being the ones to be mean? (Jeez, I'm becoming incoherent....) I want to see Thranduil or Seregon or someone catch the girls at their bad behaviour. Can you arrange it that they pull something VERY naughty and obviously BAD where their indulgent mothers AND the whole court can see??
Can you tell I want vindication for Legolas and Daeron?? :-)
I look forward to more....
Author's reply
Hey JastaElf,
What a terrific surprise to find you here. Thanks for reading and a big thank you for reviewing.
It's true, those little girls are thorns in our boys' sides. They'll be back, and Daeron gets his moment to get even. (Though I fear he may regret it someday.) Fluffy, I think, is the one to watch. She's the mastermind of evil. Daeron wishes us to watch her anyway. That way none of us will be paying attention while he's got his eye on Isilya. I wonder what he's thinking? The girls may even live to regret all those barbs they slung at the boys...but not in this story. :>(
Thanks again. I really appreciate you taking the time to review. I've had a good time allowing Daeron to tell his story to me. I hope you'll enjoy it. It's just for the fun of it! Karen
Maeglin the Traitor
· 9 March 2004
· Chapter 0
YES!!! I have been waiting forever for this story to be released!
Here we go,Queenie! Daeron rules!
Maeglin the Traitor
Author's reply
Oh my sweet elfling,
Take my hand and together we shall face the spiders! (You realize, of course, that I want you to walk in front. Do you have your can of Raid?) Good. Then, we are ready. Let us go, my brave elfling. Kaladriel
Lindorien
· 9 March 2004
· Chapter 1: They Deserved It!
Well - I've gone and done it! I've read my first little Legolas Story. I almost never read little ANYBODY fanfics. This was sweet. Seregon made me a bit nervous, so I was pleased with the last line. It will be interesting to see where you go with this. Are the elleths going to get back the boys?
Author's reply
What is this? The mortal can speak? How glad I am to see you away from that disreputable 'Drunken Elleth'. Elessar will be pleased to hear his scribe is recovering from her...um..most unfortunate experience.
Wow, Lindorien. I'm so pleased you read my 'little' somebody story. Thanks. I really mean that. And I really appreciate you taking the time to review the 'little somebodies'. (You really are cute with little bits of spider web hanging from your hair and earlobes.)
Oh, Seregon. He's not really a bad guy, just a tad overly serious. Considering the delight Daeron takes in torturing his older brother, you might should save a little sympathy for the big guy.
Those elleths have been picking on the guys for years. They show back up. Daeron is allowed to show his wit...or should I say how witless he is, considering that in the furure one of the elleths does torture him...but it's a sweet torture. :>)
Thanks again, O'Scribe of Gondor. Karen