Reviews (94)

Author's reply

Yes. This isn't turning out like Marti wanted it to turn out, is it? Her little outburst backfired on her very badly. Wait until the next chapter to find out how badly. Why did you have to go and mention blue potatoes--it is a two hour drive to the market for me and there isn't enough gas right now for me to make that kind of a drive. Can you send me some blue potatoes express mail? :) As usual, you have me laughing.

Author's reply

Poor Thranduil had a very rough day, didn't he? Yes, he was controlled. I do not see Thranduil as a natural diplomat but I do see him as a quick learner. I think he figured out his second day in Lorien that arguing with Amglaur accomplishes nothing. Besides that, he bears a very small amount of blame here so he is treading carefully. I think Amglaur's face might crack if he had to smile at Thranduil but he is hard pressed to hate him now. At least that is something. I'm glad you liked the part with the discussion about the men. It is actually a cut of a larger original bit. I considered cutting it entirely because it doesn't really advance the plot here but it is referenced later in another portion of this series and I thought maybe a little levity wouldn't hurt to break up some very difficult conversations for poor Thranduil. And it is kind of funny in light of Legolas' future acceptance of such things, as you said. I think Lindomiel sees a little more of the danger Marti represents than Thranduil does at this point because she has actually seen/heard the gossip Marti spread about her. But I think if she is a king's cousin, she would have a grasp on how politics work. And you would have to be able to handle such things to accept Thranduil's life and be part of it. His is not an easy reign. He makes a lot of decisions, one can imagine, that are going to be very difficult. Thanks so much for the review.

Author's reply

In keeping with the utter discretion that you have shown, my only answer will be--yes, Jeb Bush. :)

Author's reply

Hi! Glad to see you here too. Yes, I love SoA. The reviews here are usually as interesting to read as the fiction--and that is so much fun for me as a former lit teacher. I just love to see people actually willingly discussing literature! And the fiction they have here is wonderful. I thought I recognized your penname from here. Yes, Marti lost it and made a mistake but mistake or no, Lindomiel would never have been fazed by her words. Look at her father--she can handle him. :) And as you said, she has been raised properly. As for ####, we will do our best with IT. Right now I like its projected path which is holding off the west coast. I'll only see tropical storm force winds. I think I can handle that. Feel sorry for the west coast though and I have lots of family there.

Author's reply

Marti is a fool. No doubt. She definitely underestimated Lindomiel and Amglaur and/or miscalculated what the effects of her little tantrum would be. She lost it and she blew it. But this is one battle. The war is yet to come. Yes, she is hiding something. And as for sticking to manipulations via the rumor mill--yes, she made a mistake here and unlike Tulus, she is smart enough to learn from her mistakes. And just so you know--our fine governor, whose politics I do not always agree with, has made one fine declaration: mentioning Ivan in the State of Florida is punishable by a five dollar fine! (He really did make a reporter that mentioned Ivan in a briefing on Frances pay him $5--it was great comic relief). We are denying the existence of Ivan. It is just not possible to get three of them in four weeks.

Author's reply

Thank you! I like Lindomiel too. She'd make a good friend. I think Thranduil has a rough enough life without having a shrew for a wife, don't you? And besides--picture for a moment Thranduil in the same room with a whining, moaning, crying, simpering fool of a girl that can be manipulated at every turn. Ok, that was an ugly image, wasn't it? There is no way, Thranduil would stick around someone like that to marry them. Additionally, I just have a lot of trouble believing elves could be so easily manipulated in such matters--if betrothals are rarely broken because elves are not easily deceived; if elves can see so much in another's eyes that they can even tell the other person is married--surely they are fairly decent at recognizing the type of thing Marti is doing when she blows it and does something so obvious as she did in this chapter. And you are right--Lindomiel might mention this to a simple suitor just so he would know what was happening. But Thranduil is not a simple suitor. He is a king. That makes a difference and someone who is going to be a queen had better recognize that. As for Amglaur--I have been re-reading the early parts of this overall story where he features fairly prominently and gee whiz--he scares me. I think he even intimidates Thranduil just a little and that is quite a feat. :)

Author's reply

I know what you mean about needing a boost--three hurricanes in four weeks is doing the same to me. That is why I was so anxious to start posting again. It's fun. I read somewhere else that UPS is holding your birthday present hostage. Isn't that ridiculous--they will send it back too. Been there and done that. But yeah, I got Coming Home out to read again (I printed it) and I looked at the part where it said the author's name and I said--hey I know that name! It was funny because I read it a while ago before anyone's pen name would have sounded familar. I really love that story though. It is really well done so I am sure it does get passed around in circles of friends. I know I gave the URL to several friends who liked it and we all talked about it and that sort of thing. The world of the Internet is odd isn't it? So many people see your work.

Author's reply

Yeah, Marti messed up. She lost her temper and she blew it. She revealed too much of herself. She will regret that in this battle but she will learn from it because she is smart. Actually, there were originally four more chapters before this one where Marti is a bit more subtle. The action with Marti in those chapters was good but in the end, I decided I didn't like the other parts of them very well and I thought they could be cut so I didn't post them. But that only leaves mentions of Marti's earlier little rumor mill manipulations. I think you are right that Thranduil just doesn't see the scope of this problem--Marti hasn't directly attacked him yet at least in the context of his courtship with Lindomiel. I think he is about to get a series of wake up calls. I hope none of them are sharp and pointy but I would not put that past Marti.

Author's reply

Sorry I'm so late in replying and never apologize for reviewing whenever you do it--I'm always just so happy to read them! We just got power back from Hurricane Frances so it was a real treat to login to see your review and Daw's. Thank you so much for pointing out the errors. Shows you what happens when you proof read while doing other things. People tell me I can't do fifty things at once--who are they to tell me that! :) Love the folk song. Being a former teacher of medieval lit, I love this type of stuff from any century. Yes, both Marti and Tulus are trouble in their own ways. And they both will pay for it in the end, though we won't see it in this story. They will survive here to fight another day with even greater skill born this of experience. Poor Thranduil. I really don't think anyone, even an elf, could sing flat on their back but I think the worse part for him was Lindomiel's proximity. :) By the way--I realized something before I went off line from the hurricane that I wanted to mention to you, so I will before I forget: The very first LotR fan fiction I ever read was one of yours--Coming Home. That was what got me hooked on LotR fan fiction. I remembered the story but didn't really realize who the author was (or, apparently, where I had read the story) until just a few days ago. Great story! Thanks again for the review. I'd better get some new chapters up before Ivan comes through Florida. We just can't win this year.

Author's reply

Yes, that is too true unfortunately. One would hope that elves, living for so long, would see the 'big picture' rather than their own little, tiny reality. But too many people think that they are the whole world.

Author's reply

I love the term 'vamps' that made me giggle. Yeah, they need stalking laws don't they? Unfortunately she only sees herself and what she wants. Tulus is one of those elves that the phrase 'less wise' must apply to. :) Thanks for the review! Frances is driving us all insane. It is approaching at 6 miles an hour which is exceedingly slow. 74 mile an hour winds extend 100 miles from the eye so most of central Florida is looking at winds and rain from Sunday at 2am to Monday at 2am--that is a very long time to be under a hurricane no matter how much it weakens. We are going insane waiting to see what will happen. I wish it would just come and get on with whatever it is going to do to us. Not how I planned to spend Labor Day :(

Author's reply

Yes,chapter two is very difficult to get. It requires patience and is really very disturbing. One of the reasons I delayed posting this so long is because I was debating whether to really put that chapter there. I am aware it comes right out of the blue in the very beginning and really slaps the reader. And the reaction is--what the @$#% is this? But in the end I left it because it does set up Marti's character and it contrasts with Lindomiel who is introduced in the very next chapter. But go back and think about chapter two--Marti was watching Thranduil. She seems to do a lot of that. She knew he was upset and evaded his guards to take advantage of that in a way that humans consider pretty sick. For elves, that behavior is inconceivable. She is one seriously scary chick and no--love has absolutely nothing to do with her personality. Which is undoubtedly why Thranduil reacts to her as he normally does--uncomfortably under the best of circumstances. Yes, Lindomiel is complex as well. She does know how to survive in court. And she is a healthy, fun sort of troublemaker. She will lead Thranduil a merry life and he deserves that. The rest of his life will be hard enough. I think Amglaur might over estimate slightly his complete knowledge of Lindomiel's life--as fathers are wont to do--but she does clearly tell him alot of things if she described the entire swimming thing. And I agree, that is a good sign. Thranduil would have zero tolerance for a lack of communication, I think. The guards are fun, aren't they. Can you imagine a life like that?! I love the guards in your stories. There is just so much to play with in those types of situations. We are well hunkered down for the hurricane. I hope it's not too bad over the places that Charley hit three weeks ago. We still have roof damage and twenty foot high piles of storm debris along the streets. That stuff will be missles going straight through cement block walls if we get winds that are too high. And the twenty inches of rain they are predicting is going to make my house look like my swimming pool. I am not looking forward to Saturday. Oh well, what can you do?

Author's reply

I am laughing myself silly again. Yes, Tulus is done. But he's not outta here just yet unfortunately. I think Thranduil did score some points. I wonder how much of Amglaur's belief that he knows everything about Lindomiel is a creation of his own mind. Lorien was small so he might know somethings...but everything? Probably not. :) Fathers often give themselves too much credit for their own 'control of the situation.' Squirrels are a lot of fun. On the campus where I went to college, they would literally do just what this squirrel did with Lindomiel. I always thought it was rather insane to feed squirrels from your hand--did ya ever look at the teeth on those things? But Lindomiel is an elf. Maybe squirrels don't bite elves. I hope not. Love the phrase 'spoon beneath the June moon.' That's great.

Author's reply

Yes, I think this does reassure Amglaur more than it actually upsets him, though Thranduil may not see that yet. It's fun to write Thranduil taking off heads. Too much fun sometimes so I end up writing different versions of the dialogue to try to back it down a bit. Tulus is not a bright elf. That will not help him in the future. I hope the hurricane misses us too but given that it is the size of Texas...Thanks for the review. They make my day. Especially when the only other thing I have to look forward to is Weather. :)

Author's reply

Tulus did just go fast and furious with both hands on the shovel, didn't he? I kind of laughed when I was writing this about the expression that must have been on the two gaurds faces. Can you imagine having to stand next to someone who is pissing Thranduil off that badly? Not good. He's just plain stupid. Stupid people should not be on the king's guard. Nothing good can come of that...though we will wait a while to see the worst of it. Thanks for the review! It makes writing so much more fun.

Author's reply

Yes, she is good for him. A little youthful play would not hurt him. Indeed young people tend to flirt this way and it is innocent. I'm glad you liked it :)

Author's reply

She is terribly forward pushing poor Thranduil into the water. I doubt anyone has ever treated him that way. Might be good for him. He might need a little play. Amglaur would not be pleased simply to know she and Thranduil are on speaking terms so it is likely no good will come of this little excursion from his point of view. And Engwe is simply too full of himself. How long do you think he'll get away with that attitude? Not long I imagine.

Author's reply

I have to admit, you had me on the reference to Bollywood. I had fun looking that one up. :) It is funny that you call attention to Thranduil's body guard. I have several versions of the next chapter. I don't really know which one I like or will post--I will have to take time out to make up my mind tonight after I finish putting the hurricane shutters up--but a few revolve around some repercussions with the bodyguard du jour. At any rate--can you imagine what his reaction must have been? It makes me laugh a little to think that people like this would have to try to court each other knowing they were under guard. It could not be very romantic. Poor Uncle Engwe is just to stiff. He does need to cool it soon but his opinion doesn't really matter to Thranduil anyway. Along the same lines, I think you are probably right about Amglaur. Lindomiel is very assertive and I think she could argue down her father. And yes, gossip can do interesting things.

Author's reply

I am never, and I repeat NEVER, reading another of your reviews in a public place again. I will be arrested by the men with little white jackets, thrown into a soft cell and never released. Yeap, king or not, there is definitely still The Family and Thranduil might as well get over it. After all, if he is king, his uncle is a prince and his mother is a queen. They are just as accustomed to respect as Thranduil and they are many years his senior. They wiped his nose for him--they are not going to back down from him. Yet. But the image I cannot get out of my head is Thranduil squealing happy to be sitting at the big-boy's table. Too much! But I bet you are right and that is part of the problem. I do like playing with the Almighty Thranduil and his advisors. 'They have ways of finding out'--too funny. :) Yes they do. Yes, Hallion does eventually talk about his wife in a later story with Legolas but it is not too hard to guess (I doubt I'm giving anything away) that she died in...oh hell, I can't remember--either Menegroth or Sirion. How sad is that? Can't remember my own OC's history. Thanks for the review. They make my evening. Truly.

Author's reply

That whole dialogue was actually something that has been in and out of the final version of this story more times than I can count, along with a few others that are now finally cut. I like playing with the idea his advisors as more experienced then him. Any of Oropher's advisors that survived the Last Alliance would likely have stayed on to help his son I would think, if Thranduil wanted them. And I really think Thranduil would have wanted them. Given that he protected Mirkwood for three millennia against all odds, he must have been willing to make a lot of sacrifices for it. Even putting up with people like Engwe (he definitely is annoying but he will be valuable) until they learned a little respect. And again it is an age thing. Even if these people were born at the begining of the FA, they would still be hundreds of years older than Thranduil. How would they deal with him initially? Until he had a chance to prove himself a little? I'm 37. My boss is 19. That sometimes is very difficult for me to handle. He is a child. I just like playing with these ideas. But yeah, in the end, I'll put my money on Thranduil. :)

Author's reply

Welcome back from your trip, Daw. It is always good to be home and I remember what those lovely academic trips were like. I don't miss them. I like having Thranduil in Mirkwood too. It is part of him and he is part of it. I was very amused that you caught both Limmiel and Amglaur's comments. You put things like that in a story as a side note (throw away lines) and you wonder if anyone picks it up. Doesn't matter because it's not major but it's so neat when people do. And the age thing--that's why I laughed when you commented on it way back in the beginning because this was coming (I had actually cut some of it but this thing is in flux until the moment it gets posted). I think it would have a big impact in many ways that Thranduil will notice as we go along. It is a very big role to step into at such a young age. Aradunnon is a good brother for Thranduil. A lighter influence that he needs, I think. Marti needs a good slap. Thanks for the review. I love reviews. It is just so interesting to see what others see.

Author's reply

That is weird. I tried different resolutions and Netscape and Mozilla and it shows up fine for me. That's scary because I really do hate formating problems it is just so annoying and I don't want to be putting people through that. But I'm very glad you are willing to put up with it. I love your feedback. Hopefully it won't do it anymore for you. :)

Author's reply

Thanks for the review! I will look at the formating. I did a preview but I never looked at the published chapter and bad formating DRIVES ME INSANE!!! so thanks for pointing it out. Yes, I like their conversations too. And I figure, Thranduil doesn't have any family mentioned in cannon except for Oropher but we know he must have had at least a mother. As a king, he surely had advisors. So, I just gave him a brother and an uncle and a few cousins. And I thought I would like to see Thranduil around people who saw him as young. It would not sit well with his natural personality but there have to be elves that are older than him from his father's generation. I like to watch him react to that. Yes, Lindomiel and Thranduil will be spending more time together starting next chapter, much to his advisor's dismay. And you (and Thranduil) should be very afraid of Marti. She is much more than what she seems. Author Reply: I looked at the formating--it shows up ok on my screen (in IE at 1024x768). If anyone else has trouble though, I'd appreciate being told. I hate reading stories where you have to scroll back and forth. I just can't make myself do that.

Author's reply

I can't blame you for living in lurkdom. The only time I'm not too lazy to login is when I need to upload a chapter. But I do appreciate the reviews very much. I'm glad you've enjoyed the story and yes, I personally agree with you: The plot bunny that got this whole mess going for me was "I wonder what the beginning of the TA was like with all new rulers." So I am having fun exploring Thranduil in a bunch of new and not always comfortable situations. No, you won't see elves as I portray engaging in behavior typical of that seen in a brothal full of mortals. The elves' wills master their bodies and physical union equals the joining of fear so I don't see casual sex as plausible. Harmless trysts-sure, but full blown casual sex doesn't fit in my view of Tolkien. As for Marti--she is going to be a jealous elleth and I will grant you that is a little trite in romances but it has purpose and there is cannonical reason behind why she acts this way. It will be dribbled out to you as this story goes along and is revealed fully in the third to last chapter (not of New Journeys but of the whole series). She will be featured in other portions of the overall series--three more times very prominently that I can think of off the top of my head and a few more times in a very minor way. As for the romance, I am not a major fan of them myself but--we know Thranduil does get married at some point. Given the history that Thranduil has in my little version of him (that he was 40 when Dior was killed, saw the kinslayings, War of the Wrath, moved with his father to Greenwood,would have been at least troubled by the wars between elves and Sauron in the SA and fought in the Last Alliance) I think that it is unlikely he found time to marry before the TA. So I thought, while poor Thranduil is negotiating his new role with Elrond, Cirdan and Amroth...while he is negotiating his new role with his advisors in Greenwood...what if he also was trying to figure out something as major as courtship and marriage. I guess I am really being very mean to him. But peace is finally upon his people. Maybe now he would find love--after all marriage is the natural course of their lives according to LaCE. It also says in LaCE that, "Love was not always returned; and more than one might desire one other for spouse." I am playing with that a little. And I am looking at it in two ways--Dieneryn and Amglaur were in that situation and the fact that they both married and had respectable children shows that it can be handled. Marti's position is going to turn out a little different. But the point is--the whole romance thing is just one more situation Thranduil must figure out and I am trying to do it as cannonically as possible while still developing a character that will play a big role later. I hope you continue to enjoy! Author Reply: Also, as far as the romance goes, it is kind of interesting to try to think about how such a thing would work amongst elves. What would courtship involve for them. They are immortal (to the extent that their fea is tied to Arda), so they don't have to get married to carry on their family line or have kids to support them in old age and infirmary. They are not driven by sexual desires (not that they don't like sex, just that they aren't controled by such urges). LaCE says, "And the beginning of marriage is in the affinity of the fear, and in the love arising therefrom. And this love includes in it, from its first awakening, the desire for marriage, and is therefore like to but not in all ways the same as other motions of live and friendship, even those between Elves of male and female nature who do not have this inclination. It is therefore true to say that, though achieved by and in the body, marriage proceeds from the fea and resides ultimately in its will." So I'm curious what does that look like when it comes right down to it? How do elves recognize this 'affinity of the fear? I'm trying to play with that a little.

Author's reply

French Pony, I absolutely love your reviews. You have something to say that makes me think and you say it so well! I imagine Oropher/Thranduil's capital city as having something of a clearing/courtyard where the elves could enjoy some merrymaking, yes I do. :) I think the silvan elves were quite good at merrymaking. I like archery and I am fairly decent at shooting on horseback. The game I described in this chapter is a native american indian game--it is played with spears or with bows. It doesn't take too much room. About 50 feet. And it is hard. I can get two arrows anywhere into the target. And I used to organize two nationally attended literature conferences (and their associated social events) every year so I am all too familiar with the planning a such festivities. It is horrible! Especially finding space. Yes, poor Dieneryn. She didn't see that coming at all and she truly could not understand why Amglaur would dredge up three thousand year old rivalries. I had fun surprising her a little. It actually just ocurred to me when I was reading this review that this chapter was the first one you see Dieneryn in. I am well acquainted with her so that didn't click with me until just now. I will have to go reread this chapter and see what I think about her initial characterization. And Aradunnon--I almost fell out of my chair seeing the comparison to the British Royal Family (although comparing Thranduil to Charles is nearly enough to make me ill. Thranduil is quite a bit more pleasing to the eye in my mind than HRH Charles). Aradunnon is actually modeled after a royal that I met once--I know him fairly well. I will not mention the country he was from but his father wanted him to learn better english so he sent him to college in the US in a small private school where I used to teach. The kid was a prince. He was also a horror. Honorable, honest, hardworking when the time came but otherwise just a cut up. He had so much fun in the US where he wasn't under his father's eye. And he did mention to me that it was very difficult to be the youngest son of a royal--all the responsibility and pressures with very little of the benefits. Aradunnon is a good person. He's just very merry. He hasn't seen everything the older sindarin elves have and I think his parents and Thranduil would have indulged his high spirits, happy to see them. You will also see he is very loyal to his brother and Eryn Galen and a good warrior and leader. (I love your comment about desiring to become the most eligible person--that is too funny. I wonder if elves would be subject to such things. I supposed they might.). Finally--old Marti. Yes, she is the forward elleth from way back. She does notice how uncomfortable Thranduil is and she is very intelligent. She just doesn't see his lack of interest as an obstacle. It is Thranduil who should recognize that such behavior is a very scary thing amongst elves. It is a bad sign. Marti is not balanced. Right now she is not balanced but relatively inexperienced. Elves have a long time to gain experience and this story is set in TA 144. Of course we know she will have no success now. But Marti will be back later.