Reviews (518)

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Well, he doesn't get a chance to tease her very often, as she's so sharp. I think Paladin must have an interesting sense of humor. You will notice that Targon did not for a moment doubt that they would be capable. His only concerns were that Eothain agreed, and that any of the guards would not try to take revenge on the prisoners for some of the things that happened in the Troubles. Yes, Poppy is a confident healer. She doesn't think she's infallible, but she knows what she can do. And, yes, along will come Diamond, though she doesn't meet Pip until "Tribute". I think that the Travellers would want to make sure that these new hobbits leaving the Shire are as well-prepared as possible. I like the Gaffer, too. He's gruff and negative on the outside, but I like to think that he has a core of wisdom and of affection underneath it all, or Sam would not have turned out so well as he did.

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I thought it would be nice if they *all* could attend the wedding, yet after the trouble at the Ball, they might be reluctant. Also, I wanted a bit of interaction there to do with the Bankses and Bracegirdle. Frodo wants this embassy to be successful, not only for the hobbits' sake, but for Aragorn's as well. I daresay Merry and Pippin feel the same way. I'm glad that you felt Merry's and Pippin's different personalities and experiences came through in their advice to the other hobbits. The Gaffer has spent his whole life taking care of Bagginses, no way he'd resent Frodo, though he would probably never admit out loud that he loves him. I think at his age, he's able to see clearly some things Frodo's younger friends would rather not see. Not that I think he knows specifically that Frodo is sailing off in the future, but he can see that Frodo is too damaged to be able to settle to a quiet life in the Shire.

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The Gaffer has spent his life taking care of Bagginses, and close to the earth and growing things. He is wise, and even more intuitive, perhaps, after such a lifetime of experience, than most hobbits. I do believe he is proud of his Sam, though he'll probably not say it in so many words, that doesn't seem to be his way. I think that he can read things in Frodo's behavior that his younger friends do not *want* to see, and is wise enough not to deny them to himself.

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A lot of unfair things happened after the Quest. Pippin having to wait to come of age was one of them. I don't know if Sam will ever get *over* his shyness, but he will finally learn to deal with it, and not let it keep him from what he has to do. Clovis? Learn? *wild cackling laughter* 8-)

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Yes, this wedding is going to be something! I just couldn't see letting Sam get married without at least *some* of his big friends there. I don't believe hobbits have the idea of making those kinds of exceptions. Probably the Thain would be the only one who could do that,if it would even be possible, and since Pip is his son, he couldn't without an outcry of favoritism. They seem to take the coming-of-age thing quite seriously. Pippin is in many ways more mature than many hobbits two or three times his age, just fron what he has experienced. Still, if he were human, he would not even be twenty yet, so in some important ways he is still quite young. At leeast those who are close to him understand.

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I think that Merry was only half-joking. It's a shame Anwynd had to burst his bubble. LOL! Clovis still has not got his tiny little brain around the concept of taking responsibility for his own actions; he always has to blame his trouble on someone else! Well, with Pip in charge of the music, you know he'd include Bergil if he could. It's a good thing the lad has improved a lot, isn't it? I'm looking forward to the wedding myself.8-D

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She'll make a beautiful bride. And all the attention won't bother her a bit with Sam at her side. This has to be such a hard thing. I think, in addition to the need to be with Merry in order to deal with their nightmares, Pippin also stayed at Crickhollow to attain a certain amount of independence that would have been impossible under the Thain's roof. Yet the legalities of not yet being of age are still binding on him, and have to chafe. I don't think the Shire has the concept of emancipated minors (though I toyed with the idea of Aragorn declring him of age, and then dismissed it as too AU), so this is a bit of angst Pip's got to live with. At least Merry understands. The phrase "life is not fair" could have been coined for Frodo. If things were fair, he'd have all the honor at home that he had in Gondor; he'd have escaped from Saruman's curse and been cured of his melancholy. There would have been no need to sail West, though I like to think that the honor would still have been offered. *Sigh*

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I have always thought of bluntness as one of Pippin's characteristics. He is not one to beat around the bush, and unless he is joking, he says what he means. That is also the reason that I think he would gather his thoughts carefully when he is being serious. Of course, this is just me, but I postulate that generally female hobbits would not take any kind of long journey among male hobbits without a male relative accompanying them. Since most of my hobbit healers are female, I think that they would normally be exempt from this. But even so, it woulld make her male relatives uneasy to think about. I really believe that hobbits in general have an unusual amount of charm, which would help them to arouse the protective instinct of the larger races. This would be an excellent defense mechanism for a very small race, and is easily seen in how quickly Aragorn, and then the rest of the Fellowship, bond with the four Travellers. Of course, Men who are base and wicked would not heed this charm, and hobbits like the S.-B.s and the Bankses obviously have something wrong with them. So it's not perfect, but it's a theory I like. I think Pip's having fun planning the music for the wedding. He's very flattered that Rose asked him. Well, Merry *is* fulfilling the function of what we would call a "best man", so keeping Sam calm is one of his jobs. But he's Sam's good friend, so I think he would do that anyway. As for Merry and Frodo, that relationship to me is so special. Frodo is to Merry what Merry is to Pippin. Poor Pippin, indeed. I actually had toyed with the idea of Aragorn making a decree declaring him of age, but I put it aside as being not canon. But I do really feel so sorry for his situation. And, as always I enjoy your reviews. They are always so detailed and enthusiastic. Thank you!

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Yes, Pippin has to be frustrated. He's still very young. If he were human, he'd not even be twenty yet. But he does have those who understand; experience has matured him in many ways, but not all. I am so glad you are enjoying the story. This one has swept me along, and has been far longer than I ever thought it would be. It's going to seem strange to come to the end of it.

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Pippin usually seems to know when to be blunt. I doubt if *that* interpretation of his refusal would have even occurred to Sam, but once Pippin pointed it out to him, he couldn't keep objecting. I don't believe that Iluvatar would simply cast hobbits aside once they had served their purpose. Just because they had a destiny did not make them any less beloved. In fact, I would venture to guess, just from the way Gandalf feels about them, that hobbits are his favorite creation. The wedding rapidly approaches.

Author's reply

*Blushes* Thank you. It's nice to be missed. The idea that hobbits in general, and Frodo in particular, were created especially for the Quest, is one that often gets tossed around in discussions of LoTR. I think there is a great deal of justification for that veiw; it is one that JRRT would not have been uncomfortable with as a Christian. And it in no way diminishes Frodo's choices or his free will, as some people would have it. But when you realize the suffering, the burden, and the sorrow, involved in Frodo's sacrifice, it really is scary.

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Thank you so much for all the compliments! You are going to give me a swelled head! The sequel is in the planning and percolating stages. I do have a few scenes already set to go, but they need a lot of linking up, 8-D. It may be a while before it begins to get posted, as I have to finish a Marigold challenge, and another couple of plot bunnies are already nibbling at me. Please don't sic any more on me, I'm not sure I could handle it, LOL!

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I'm sure that the King and Queen will indeed expect a full report of the wedding. But at least Targon won't be the only eye-witness, so perhaps they can get more details out of the hobbits. I don't expect Poppy to take note of many of them, but maybe Viola will do better. Aside from my fascination with the relationship between the cousins, my other fascination is with the interworkings of the remaining Fellowship. The Three Hunters formed a special bond for the objects of their pursuit; Aragorn could not go to the Shire, but Legolas and Gimli can. Of course, their love for the four Travellers pre-disposed them to think well of other hobbits. I am beginning to get my ideas together for the trip to Gondor. The story needs a bit more percolating time, but I've got some notions already. You are right in saying that they will be different when they return. As to the miscreants, well, the journey won't be completely trouble free. There is something about hobbits that brings out the protectiveness of the larger races. Legolas recognizes this.

Author's reply

Oh, there's nothing Pip won't say, if he thinks it will do the trick! Box of books? Well, it *was* just a box of books, but *now* someone has sicced a plot bunny on me. No fair. But it's going to have to wait for another story. Things have been hectic for me, with some unexpected tasks at work, and with some family problems, but it looks as though life is going to get back to what passes for normal around here.

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Since they have begun to get used to the Men, they have lost some of the terror that was keeping them quiet, and with time on their hands, blame-casting and in-fighting were inevitable. Cado may have noticed Viola, but she doesn't seem to have the time of day for him. I wanted to wrap up a couple of loose ends with Opal and her sisters, and with Clodio's wife. I've not written that story yet. Like The Dare, it may yet turn into a plot bunny.

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Oh heavens! I certainly hope not! (I won't swear to it though; it is already almost 40 chapters longer than I originally planned.) I am planning a sequel however. Yes, this did come out quite a bit shorter than the original. *Sigh*

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So far Cado has managed to blame all his troubles on his big brother (with a certain amount of justification, I must confess) but I thought it was time he learned that he can get in trouble all on his own. I thought Eglantine would be a good one to help me tie up some loose ends. Since things are moving on, I wanted to get "the Jewelry" settled, as well as Clodio's wife. ( It also helped me to tie up a loose end from another story as well.) Paladin is indeed proud of his Lady. She's his secret weapon.

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Cado's got a long way to go before he would be anywhere near ready for redemption. I am glad,too. I just can't help feeling that I lost a little something, though. As for the laugh, you know these highly intelligent hobbitesses would certainly know better--especially Eglantine! It is amazing to me, in this day and age the number of people who *still* believe in that old chestnut!

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She can always break it for him again. 8-D I decided that since JRRT was Catholic, hobbits would not have what we think of as divorce. (He hinted at this in Letters.) I think of having the marriage disavowed as something like a legal separation, and having it dissolved (which only the Thain can do) as being something along the lines of an annullment. Hobbits do have a stronger view of marriage. JRRT specifically said that they usually take only one mate, and that widows and widowers rarely re-marry. Reggie may not wish to dissolve the marriage for his daughter's sake. Since it happens so rarely, there would be a certain amount of scandal involved. Hyacinth was like one of those mothers in the fifties who just wanted their daughters to make a good match (as in status and money, rather than true affection) and would constantly say things along the lines of "Boys don't like girls that are smarter than they are", or "You should let him win, boys don't like to be beaten by girls". As far as I know that's never really been true for a truly intelligent male--they usually want someone who can keep up with them--but the perception of it is pervasive. And yes, Hyacinth was good at manipulation. She had her own way about everything for nearly thirty years, and no one realized until the last that not only was she a silly snob, but that she was truly cold and nasty. Yes, I'm trying hard to get most of the loose ends tied up.

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Well, Viola has caught his eye; but you'll notice she has nothing but contempt for him, and this is unlikely to change. The journey south will be a sequel. I may not be starting it right away; I have a Challenge fic and two Chapter of the Week summaries for r.a.b.t./a.f.t. coming up, and company coming this week. But I am going to try and wrap up Reckoning fairly soon. (And as I've said before, my hubby always reads books inside out. He won't buy a book of fiction if it doesn't have a happy ending.)

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Well, you notice that he *doesn't* really think he stands a chance. That doesn't keep the wheels from turning in his head. I realized a few chapters back that a sequel was inevitable. I will keep my fingers crossed about the characters. As it would involve the journey to Edoras, I would be able to incorporate Eowyn and Eomer. I have not decided how far I will take it, whether all the way to Gondor or not.

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Pip's discovery of that document really tore him up, and he never could share it with anyone before. But Pip and Merry have their heads on straight, and they had much rather have their cousin than his money. I think they made that clear to Frodo.

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LOL! I was just leaving a review for you at the same time you left this one! I actually *lost* this chapter yesterday, or it would have been up then! But my problem was not SoA, but my own computer. Reckoning will probably end with Sam's wedding and seeing the embassy off. The rest will be in a sequel, which is only in the planning stages right now. I have a few special scenes in mind, but have not yet really begun it. First I have to finish my next Marigold's Challenge fic, and then I have two Chapter of the Week summaries to do for the Tolkien newsgroups. But the sequel is definitely percolating, and will at least include the journey to Edoras, if not beyond. I will say that Cado is not through getting in trouble, and he won't be able to blame it on big brother this time. 8-D

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Frodo has always been a thoughtful and generous host, just as Bilbo was. He thinks the world of his cousins, and would feel bad to think of them sleeping on the floor when they come to visit. I am sure that Frodo would have had to have put his intentions for Sam into an official document, even if he did not tell Sam about it. I can just imagine the talk if he had not, and the three friends come back from the Havens, and say, "oh, by the way, Frodo said at the last minute that he wanted Sam to be his heir." Pip's glimpse of Frodo's first will really shook him. And I imagine that he felt guilty for snooping, as well. I thought this would be a good place for him to admit it. Marigold is not quite as close to Frodo as Sam is. But she is fond of him as well, and that would be a good way to have him take part in her wedding. I can imagine on the Quest, Sam looking at every unfamiliar plant, and wanting to know about them, and Legolas answering most of his questions. With their common interest in growing things, I'm sure that they spent a lot of time at it. And of *course* Gimli made the goblets! 8-D Pip's still trying to get Bergil to lighten up a bit. As I was writing it, and thinking of all the people that would *disapprove* of Pip's efforts, it just seemed to me that Strider would actually approve of them very much. I just know he would have liked his Realm to be a place where a child could be a child.

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I think it's great that Jolly's going too. Freddy will have someone who understands his problems. Yes, I did kind of want that to be a bittersweet thing: the readers knowing it will be in just a year and a half, while Merry thinks it will be "years and years". I don't think Frodo was so much *planning* it as keeping his one option open. He knows he's got an offer to sail, he just doesn't know if or when he will take it, but he wants to be ready. But by the next spring, he will know that his hopes of making a life for himself in the Shire are not working. It is sad.