Reviews (46)

Aislynn Crowdaughter · 20 November 2004 · Chapter 5: Chapter 5

Hi! Sorry for the discouragement by saying what I think is Tolkien canon, it was not meantto discourage you or put your story down. I love the story so far! Also, since this is an AU, it's okay when it strays slightly from canon, and you write a really intense story with intense feelings. Also, you write it very well! This was a great chapter, again. So, will Elrond be there in time? will Legolas survive? What is wrong with him, is he dying of grief now? And when is he going to show Thranduil his cave-memorial, or is he ever? Please continue this story soon, I like it a lot. Really! Aislynn

ju · 19 November 2004 · Chapter 5: Chapter 5

excellent story. absolutely sob worthy and touching. loved how you weaved it together. touched a nerve within me. i completely understand the changes you made, that's the beauty of AU isn't it? keep writing!

treymaine · 19 November 2004 · Chapter 5: Chapter 5

Whatever negative remarks are being said to you about this story IGNORE IT. I for one am enjoying reading this story. I do find it believable that Legolas had a difficult time after all his mortal friends passed away. I am interested in finding out about the blood in this chapter. Did he hurt himself? or someone else? Please keep writing.

Galimeril · 18 November 2004 · Chapter 5: Chapter 5

I love your story, it's very deep, and rather meaniingful to me. I hope there is more to read soon. Galimeril PS, you're right, God did give you a gift.

Shemyaza · 18 November 2004 · Chapter 5: Chapter 5

I think your story is quite brave. You're exploring the notion that Valinor might not be the blissful place of restful peace which is the picture we're always asked to accept. Or that every Elf that went there would be happy to shuck the dirt of Middle Earth off their feet and step into paradise where everything is wonderful, beautiful and perfect. It is true that many people don't function well in utter perfection. It's the striving for it that keeps us balanced and alive. The notion that Legolas, Elrond, Celeborn would be absolutely at peace given that they had all lost love ones to mortality is not realistic for me personally. I think Legolas would grieve for Gimli and everyone he felt he had lost - Aragorn, Arwen and their children, all the other people he had known and felt close to. I always felt that the warning about the call of the sea which came from Galadriel has a tragedic sound to it because it was happening to someone whose roots went deep into Arda and who would feel torn when he eventually heeded the call. And who better to understand that than Thranduil who didn't go across the the sea when all the other Elves left. In fact I don't seem to remember there being any mention of when he went. Or Elrond, who went but lost so many that he loved, left behind in Arda. Your *is* an AU story of sorts, but since Tolkien never wrote about how everyone coped with the bliss of Aman when they finally got there or with the loss of loved ones, I think it's fair comment to write that Legolas might have felt so sundered with the finality of the death of Gimli that he might well be lost in his grief. It would also seem like a very selfish grief to those around him who still lived, but then I've discovered that when one suffers a close bereavement, although most folk around are prepared to put up with a couple of weeks of mourning, thereafter there is a distinct 'For god's sake when are you going to pull yourself together and pay us some attention' attitude. That's why some many bereaved people put a brave face on, because they don't want to upset anyone else. They don't want people to believe that they are selfish. I'm much more comfortable with writers questioning the bliss of Valinor in their stories than I am with those who paint these pretty, trite little pictures of everyone living happily ever after. Just a few thoughts from me.

jlmart · 18 November 2004 · Chapter 5: Chapter 5

Ignore them - I am enjoying it! Please write more. It may be far from cannon but it is well written and interesting - both qualities I insist on in any story I read.

Duchess · 18 November 2004 · Chapter 5: Chapter 5

I'm curious *as well as worried* about why there was blood too! What is going on with Legolas? Fading doesn't entail physical injury, last I heard, so what's wrong with our favorite Elf? With all this longing for his mortal friends, has he himself become mortal and now has some disease that is killing him? Are there memories he's blocking out? My goodness gracious you have gotten my imagination into an uproar! *vbg* Okay, I can see Legolas as being coddled enough that he didn't really catch the part he should have learned about the Halls of Mandos OR he wanted it so badly he chose to delude himself about mortals being allowed there. It's still very sad for him though and not healthy in the slightest. *worried frown* I am also very sorry if any of the reviews I've given you have been downers. I apologize for that because the last thing I want to do is discourage anyone from writing. Please, continue with YOUR story? :)

daw the minstrel · 18 November 2004 · Chapter 5: Chapter 5

Oops. I hit the enter button too soon. Do me a favor and delete the blank review, Faith? Nobody gets away with much when Thranduil is around, do they? He hears them debating whether to tell him things and he finally manages to get Legolas to open up to him. I'm looking forward to finding out just what happened to Legolas.

Aislynn Crowdaughter · 6 November 2004 · Chapter 4: Chapter 4

Hi! I like this story a lot, and in this chapter I especially liked the conversation betwen Thranduil and the trees. I am not so sure about the end of this chapter, though. As a close friend to Aragorn and Arwen as well as to Elladan and Elrohir, wouldn't Legolas have known that the fate of mortals is not that of elves and that mortals, after death, leave the circles of the world? After all, the separation lasting over the end of the world was all what the grief of Elrond and his family over Arwens choice was all about! So I think his fotrmer ignorance ansd sudden realization is a bit unlikekely, here. Also I always thought that mortals indeed go into the halls of Mandos after death, but stay there only for a short time before they leave the circles of the world.That was after all the way Luthien and Beren could be returned to life as mortals after Berens death of his wounds and Luthiens death of grief about it; had Beren already passed over the circles of the world, he could not have been returned. Anyway, great story and well written chapter! Please continue soon! Aislynn

Marnie · 4 November 2004 · Chapter 4: Chapter 4

This is an interesting story and very emotional, but is there any chance you could change 'the Valinor' to just 'Valinor'? 'The Valinor' is like saying 'we're going to the Spain for our holidays', 'here in the England we have a lot of rain.' I know it's a terrible nitpick, but it's bugging the hell out of me and stopping me from really enjoying the story in the way it should be enjoyed.

Bodkin · 4 November 2004 · Chapter 4: Chapter 4

Stop wallowing, Legolas. You've got your family falling over themselves to try to console you. Be happy you have your siblings back. It's more than most of us get.

daw the minstrel · 3 November 2004 · Chapter 4: Chapter 4

You do have a huge cast of charactes to contend with! It's a juggling act, I know, but I think you do it well, reminding us occasionally of who belongs to whom. I wonder about elves and Men. Elves are tied to Arda until it ends, which is why they are in Valinor, which is part of Arda ends. But when Arda ends, what happens to them? Maybe they'll be with Men again then?

grumpy · 3 November 2004 · Chapter 4: Chapter 4

very good story. It is so sad, Legolas wants news of his friends so bad. he is right, he is the last of his followship, of what happened after the ring was distroyed. loking forward to more

Angelelf · 31 October 2004 · Chapter 3: Chapter 3

This is a wonderful story full of emotion and turmoil. Legolas dealt with mortals it seems much more than most elves and his relationships brought him much happiness but in the end also much sorrow.

daw the minstrel · 30 October 2004 · Chapter 3: Chapter 3

How fascinating to think of Legolas as an artist. I think he's sensitive and would do with that. I also enjoy seeing him with his family (including my namesake!). Don't you find it hard to manage that large cast of characters? I have to send some of mine off on missions sometimes because I can't face another big family dinner table scene.

Duchess · 30 October 2004 · Chapter 3: Chapter 3

Very sweet family moments, both in the past and the present. Nice visuals you're painting here. Please do keep up the good work? I look forward to more. :)

daw the minstrel · 23 October 2004 · Chapter 2: Chapter 2

That is mysterious. I'd like to know what Legolas is carving. But it seems such a shame that he can't be happy.

Anonymous · 18 October 2004 · Chapter 1: Chapter 1

Great story but surely Legolas wouldn't be the last of the fellowship as gandalf would have been in Valinor as well.

lmw · 15 October 2004 · Chapter 1: Chapter 1

This is very haunting. I really felt it. This is great. I'm almost scared to read more, but can't wait to. You will write more?

Lady Korana · 14 October 2004 · Chapter 1: Chapter 1

This is a very touching story. You did a great job portraying Legolas's increasing sense of loss growing over the years. I do think you might want to label this as an AU fic though, since there are several important inaccuracies in this story. The biggest of these is about the Halls of Mandos. You may not realize this, but mortal men do not go to the Halls when they die. The Halls of Mandos are set out as a waiting place specifically for Elves, though Dwarves do go there too, to a separate area prepared for them. The eventual fate of men was concealed from the Elves, and no one really knows specifically where hobbits end up either, but Elves that have gone to and returned from Mandos likely didn't see any mortals there. The other inconsistancy with Tolkien's books is the fate of Merry and Pippin. Both were in Minas Tirith when they died, and they were laid to rest in the House of the Kings (the same place where Denethor tried to fry Faramir). When Aragorn finally died, the bodies of Merry and Pippin were moved to lie beside the King. Again, I think you have a great story here...just thought I'd point those things out. Keep up the great work!

daw the minstrel · 14 October 2004 · Chapter 1: Chapter 1

This must have been a very sad time for Legolas. Gimli was granted such grace to be allowed to sail west with him and then he died anyway. As you say, that was the last of the Fellowship. How hard!