Reviews (74)

Jay of Lasgalen · 21 October 2004 · Chapter 2: Dreams

Oh, dear. I guessed that was probably the reasons behind Thranduil's heartache and Eilian's drinking. There had to be sadness behind the happy memories. I enjoyed guessing which son was the subject of each memory - Eilian reluctant to do homework, Legolas the pony, Ithilden responsible enough to confess before he got found out! I liked the final scene with Thranduil comforting little Legolas, and Ithilden presumably doing the same with Eilian. I don't think he was going to scold him for drinking, somehow. I think I'd like to see more with Ithilden and Eilian as brothers, rather than Troop Commander/warrior. Jay

elliska · 21 October 2004 · Chapter 2: Dreams

You have to make a habit of writing these. You could do one of those Drabbles things that lots of people seem to do. This is just great. I love the part with Eilian's essay on Elu Thingol. That would indeed be a heck of a thing for Thranduil to read no matter the maturity level of the content (in this story it was too cute but also undoubtedly too much for Thranduil). I really do think this is an interesting thing for the elves. Their children would study these events 1000's of years in the past that their parents lived through. Bizarre. Must have made history seem more immediate to them, though. Legolas playing pony. *Grin* My friends and I did that when I was a kid so this was particularly sweet to me. Poor Thranduil. I bet it was hard for him to have 'parent duty' when everyone would try to approach him for 'king duty.' I imagine he lost track of his share of elflings over the years. But to be honest, I burst out laughing when Ithilden confessed a parent said he was a bad influence. Ithilden? Ever a bad influence? I doubt it! And Thranduil going to get Lorellin. I bet that was ugly! That poor parent had the nerve to come complain to the king but he didn't know who he really had to fear. I can definitely see that. I feared when I started the second to last part that it was the night before Lorellin's death. Then to find out Thranduil had been contemplating all these memories soon after it and that's why he can't sleep and Ithilden and Eilian are worried about him. Too sad. Very well done. You must do more of these. Do not feel bound to include Legolas in every story. We love Legolas, naturally, and you write him very well. But you also write Thranduil well. And part of the reason your stories are so good is because you have developed outstanding OCs. You could write a full length story with nothing but your OCs and I would bet that a very large number of us would read it and love it as much all your others. :)

Elena Tiriel · 21 October 2004 · Chapter 2: Dreams

Oh, I was so afraid of that. You dealt with "the event we all dreaded" very subtly, though -- thank you for not going into any gory details. I especially liked that Ithilden went to Eilian while Thranduil went to comfort Legolas. I absolutely love the flashbacks with each of the elflings. I would really like it if you could continue to show some backstory for each of the boys whenever it fits into the current story (10 tips for writing be damned!), like you did in, um, the story where Eilian got hurt (sorry -- I went to look up its name, and got distracted by Spring Awakenings - the part where Beliond scolded Thranduil - and started laughing so much I forgot what I was searching for). I always enjoy those bits so much! Thank you for the lovely -- and loving -- story! - Barbara

Dot · 21 October 2004 · Chapter 1: Pictures

Oh, daw, this is just…wow. I love it. I can’t even begin to thank you for this chance to see not only a more vulnerable side of Thranduil but snatches of beautiful and loving moments from a clearly cherished past. The little glimpses of Thranduil’s elflings are adorable but overall there’s quite a melancholic feel to it that I found really touching. Thranduil seems absolutely drained. There aren’t too many things that would bring him so low. Nor his eldest sons for that matter. Lorellin, right? What a lovely thought, the three pictures on the table. LOL at Thranduil not being too pleased about Lorellin going to this artist who was “half in love” with her. I get the impression that Lorellin pretty much did as she wanted anyway. And I bet Thranduil was fairly glad afterwards that she’d had these pictures done. You know, Thranduil must have received so many similar dispatches over the years. I don’t know how he does it. I had that same thought about Ithilden’s language in it. Of course, it doesn’t take much insight to know how Ithilden must be feeling. I’m so glad Thranduil decides to send him a letter just father-to-son. Can I add my own ((hugs)) to the end of that please??! “Now he paused at the top of the steps leading down from the doors and looked across the green at the brilliantly colored trees, flaming red, orange, and yellow. He inhaled the scent of wood smoke and fallen leaves.” Oh, how beautiful. I just love that time of year. I think those days are just about drawing to a close here now, though. It’s bitterly cold. *shiver* Anyway, it’s such a wood-elfy picture, Lorellin and Legolas twirling and playing amidst this autumnal scene. Lorellin is clearly well used to playing with her little son and seeing Thranduil so relaxed and relishing the moments with his family is an absolute joy. And of course, it wouldn’t be Thranduil if he didn’t have at least one moment of possessive protectiveness. The vivid colours of the autumn trees as well as the greens and red of their cloaks are a very powerful and quite poignant contrast to the encroaching darkness of the world around them, where another son is struggling with grief and probably anger in the threatened south and not too far away a family must deal with the pain of a lost child. Still, it’s just lovely to see Thranduil play with his child who doesn’t yet know that the world outside this garden isn’t full of laughter and love. O.k, I just LOVED the part with Ithilden as an elfling!! So my all-time favourite OC was once a cute elfling who needed his ‘bankie’ at night?! I’m guessing he’d strongly deny it if anyone mentioned it now. I was grinning from start to finish of this part. I mean, *Ithilden* in Thranduil’s arms being called “sweetling”. I love it! I can just imagine him deciding one day that he didn’t need the blanket any more. Apparently the night before my third birthday I threw my soothers (what do you call them, ‘pacifiers’?) down the stairs and announced that I didn’t need them anymore because I was a big girl now. My mother hid them then incase I changed my mind… I can see some of adult Ithilden in this elfling as he so solemnly explains to Thranduil that he only doesn’t need it when Nana is around. “Is my bankie lost?” the child asked, horror in his voice.” LOL! The poor thing must have been rapidly losing faith in his father – and I can just feel the rising panic in Thranduil too. I was beginning to think Nimloth had taken it off to wash it, as I recall she has a tendency to do. But never fear, Ada finds it in the end. “Good night. I love you, Ada.” *sigh* Lovely The Eilian part was, of course, absolutely priceless. I imagine they didn’t know what he’d get up to from one minute to the next. He has so much energy! He’s lucky he’s cute. “Ada!” the child cried, his face brightening.” That one moment brought tears to my eyes. Wasn’t it in ‘Spring Awakenings’ that Thranduil wonders if Eilian’s face had ever lit up at the sight of his father? Well, it seems it did! It appears too that Eilian always had his talent for getting off on a technicality. “The guard came” indeed. I’ve actually just realised how good Thranduil is with elflings. He obviously has a playful spirit himself and can relate to them, although he did lose it somewhat a little later. And who knew he had a little bit of Eilian in him?? I’m still smiling at the thought of Thranduil and Oropher sliding down steps on a sled. But yeah, maybe he finds younger children easier to deal with than when they start to grow up. I like how Thranduil and Lorellin each do their best to prevent the other from worrying. Although, Eilian doesn’t seem to have quite understood if he tries to reassure Thranduil that he doesn’t have to take a turn if he doesn’t want to! There’s such ease between Thranduil and his little daredevil. It’s just wonderful to see a time when Eilian brought him such enjoyment rather than worry. Oh, the ending of this chapter… To see Thranduil as I’ve never seen him before, so completely exhausted and Ithilden so concerned… I don’t know what to say, really. As much as it makes me sad, I really love it. Everything about this is just fantastic, daw. You’ve left me feeling quite privileged to see these personal moments when Thranduil lets his guard down, be it to simply be Ada, or at a time of obvious vulnerability. :-)

sofia · 21 October 2004 · Chapter 1: Pictures

its nice to read about Lorellin. Nothing better than some elfling fluff. :) -sofia

Brenda G. · 21 October 2004 · Chapter 1: Pictures

This is the story I have been dreaming of from you, Daw! I read this chapter like someone long starved, not able to consume it fast enough. Then, once half-sated, read it again, slowly this time so I could savor it - each word - each emotion - each precious vignette. Oh, my... I think this is some of your very best writing yet. You have made me feel like I am with Thranduil, an eye-witness to each moment as it plays through. Each word glows with its own special meaning and richness. I have a feeling I will be reaching for a box of Kleenex soon, for--I guessing--but is this the story where you will give account of the loss of Lorellin, the actual event? If not, this is the perfect vehicle with which to ply your readers with perhaps more angst than they may wish to experience, especially for those of us who feel like these particular Elves are members of our own family. Thranduil looms larger to me in this story than in all your others combined. This window you've opened for your readers to the "human" side of this formidable warrior king is awesome. We are privy to some of Thranduil's most intimate moments with family and self. These are the glimpses we have long been greedy for of this stern, aloof, often fearsome Elf. Lucky Lorellin! She knew the real Thranduil behind the crown, and now you are giving us a share in him, too. Thranduil's moments with each child are just too beautiful to adequately describe with words. Only the heart, overfull and overflowing, can express it is own secret language how precious those moments truly are. I am breathless with anticipation of the next chapter. Please don't make us wait too long!

Duchess · 21 October 2004 · Chapter 1: Pictures

Oh I liked this a whole lot! A very nice story, letting Thranduil get lost in memories of his sons like that. Too cute to get to see Ithilden as a child for once! I never would have thought he'd have a security blanket. *vbg* The one with Eilian was so completely believable, mud and all, I giggled all the way through it. And Legolas with his mother, *sigh* sweet, very sweet. :):):)

Jebb · 21 October 2004 · Chapter 1: Pictures

This was so lovely and full of love, joy and happiness but with each little memory was a feeling of loss too an omen of what is to come perhaps? The love Thranduil showed for his wife and children and theirs for him shows what a happy family they must have been and points up even more the devastating sense of loss they must all have felt at the death of Lorellin much appreciated

Jay of Lasgalen · 21 October 2004 · Chapter 1: Pictures

What a lovely glimpse of good!ada Thranduil with all three sons. The mud for sliding down the stairs just *had* to be Eilian's idea! The scene with 'bankie' was lovely, and a neat twist because I had thought it was still a memory of Legolas. I love the image of stiff, controlled, stick-up-the- correct Ithilden with a security blanket! But what is wrong with Eilian in the 'now' part of the story? And why is Thranduil so troubled? Jay

vic · 21 October 2004 · Chapter 1: Pictures

Daw, What a wonderful chapter! So sweet and loving. I really missed this kind of writing as I've been reading nothing but very boring reports and statistics. Thranduil is always such a pleasure to meet up with once again. I do hope there's more to come. Take care and thank you for a lovely chapter, vic

Bodkin · 21 October 2004 · Chapter 1: Pictures

PS On rereading - there are some great Eilian comments 'it can be hard to stop him' - can't it just. I don't think Thranduil would disagree. 'children had to make noise sometimes, and this one especially' Thranduil seems more tolerant of it in the elfling Eilian. (It's great to see some Thranduil / Eilian moments that are clearly full of love rather than disapproval.) '“Nana says you worry,” the child confided, “and I should not scare you.' Prophetic. And Ithilden - “When Nana is here, I am too big, but when she is gone, I need it,” I wonder what he needed to comfort him when Nana had gone somewhere she wouldn't return from.

Antigone Q · 21 October 2004 · Chapter 1: Pictures

Oh, my goodness! This was so sweet and amusing. I loved Eilian trying to bring the bucket of mud inside the house (I agree with him that otters are great fun to watch), and the glimpse of the little Ithilden missing his "bankie." I could see in this story how well Thranduil and Lorellin balanced each other as parents.

Bodkin · 20 October 2004 · Chapter 1: Pictures

I'm glad to see that, even in early childhood, Eilian knew that rules are there to be bent. Just collar the guard from the door and then you are not going to the river alone! Thranduil was still at the point of having an inner elfling here - before later tragedy soured him on light-hearted risk-taking. It casts an interesting light on the Thranduil / Oropher relationship - perhaps there is more of Thranduil in Eilian than often appears. And little Ithilden is adorable - before the weight of responsibility crushed much of his simple enjoyment of life out of him. He is such a typical first-born: hard-working, responsible, anxious to please - old before his time. And come to that, Eilian has all the problems of a middle child - never good enough, responsible enough, hard-working enough to be Ithilden, but too old to be the baby, and needing to be a good example and nothing he does ever quite matches up. And Legolas is the baby - amiable, good-natured, but nobody ever lets him grow up. The series of pictures of Thranduil, Lorellin and the elflings are lovely. Legolas and his Nana like autumn leaves is such a wonderful vision of carefree childhood in a beautiful setting - and will, I'm sure, in future years be one that Thranduil likes to get out. The little Ithilden moment is one to treasure. Yet even here there is an echo of the grown up troop commander who likes everything to be just so. All the elfling recollections are of a world where Ada can set things to rights and Nana provides love and security. Very happy . . . except the beginning, with the dead warrior and the wounded, and the end with the Eilian who has been drinking. And people only tend to wallow in happy memories to bolster them up against nasty things in the present. I dread to think. A lovely tale. Look forward to part 2 - and to whatever comes next.

Rose Sared · 20 October 2004 · Chapter 1: Pictures

Oh you are the master of family relationships. Lovely vignettes of the very young elves, but what is going on with Elian this time? too much wine does not sound good. 'nuther great tale Rose

Manderly · 20 October 2004 · Chapter 1: Pictures

What a touching chapter! I believe this is the first glimpse we have of Ithilden as an elfling (kind of hard to imagine, actually, that he did not emerge from Lorellin's womb a full grown warrior/commander) and what a 'sweetling' he is. 'Bankie'? Ithilden? For a while I thought you were writing about Legolas, right up until the part where Thranduil bends down to kiss the 'dark' hair. And then I started grinning like an idiot. Eilian I recognized right away, and he had me laughing too. It was so easy for Thranduil to laugh and find joy in this second son's antics when he was an elfling. What changed along the way? Legolas as an elfling we have seen enough in your stories, but he is no less sweet here, and it is so nice to see him with Lorellin. They really didn't have much time together, did they? One last thing, I really like the way the elflings were demanding and commanding their ada. Kids do that a lot and they tend to get away with it, even if the one they are commanding and demanding from is the king.

The Karenator · 20 October 2004 · Chapter 1: Pictures

For some reason I feel like crying after reading this. *their trust in a world that seemed to him to have gone awry.* The grief is palpable...or at least, I think it is. I've lost my confidence after my Eilian blunder. But I suppose that even when bad things happen, there are sweet memories of better times. Each of the snippets were so well done. The details were just lovely. The fall of autumn leaves, the lost bankie, and a bucket of mud were great memories for Thranduil to return to. The family bond was strong. You may tell the ranger that I saw where my name has been taken in vain. I learned my lesson the last time. Mum's the word. I'll behave. Wonderful, your minstrelship. Just wonderful. Karen

esamen · 20 October 2004 · Chapter 1: Pictures

Now he paused at the top of the steps leading down from the doors and looked across the green at the brilliantly colored trees, flaming red, orange, and yellow. He inhaled the scent of wood smoke and fallen leaves. This whole chapter was a complete joy. I went over to the website hoping to find something good -- and this was posted! oh, it's gorgeous. Except how on earth can you leave us hanging, wondering why Eilian was drinking so heavily? Had Lorellin just died? Brilliant, just brilliant. I loved all the flashes of memory and the way I had to guess which son Thranduil was remembering. Beautiful details. But most of all, I loved the quote about the trees turning color and smelling the woodsmoke. Oh, that's autumn, and I am missing it so much. Enjoy it for me, northerner. Thanks for writing it in.

French Pony · 20 October 2004 · Chapter 1: Pictures

Interesting. I like it. I like the sense of little flashes of memory and the general overarching sense that, as Miss Clavel might have said, Something Is Not Right. Thranduil is very disoriented tonight (and I'll bet it's not because he has a State Of Research Report on Stravinsky's Le sacre du printemps due next week, either), and Eilian has been drinking heavily. I'm going to take a wild guess and say that probably Legolas is not much older now than he is in the picture, and that something awful has recently happened to Nana. As much of each of those memories are about the children, they are also about Nana. She is the constant in each of those pictures (how Eilian and Legolas must have been so proud when they were finally old enough to have portraits drawn with Nana, too!). And the memories feature Lorellin as Thranduil loves to remember her -- lively and playful and completely understanding of children and of adas who can still connect with their inner children. Eilian should try to remember the indoor sledding when he is feeling cross with Thranduil, and Thranduil should occasionally remind himself that this elfling still needs to make noise occasionally. The dance of the twirling cloaks reminded me very much of one chapter of Bambi, the original novel -- have you read it? It puts Disney's bowdlerization to shame. There is one short chapter that consists entirely of two leaves in the autumn having a conversation about aging, death and the hereafter, just before the wind blows one down in mid-sentence. I refuse to believe that Lorellin's red cloak is a coincidence. It sounds as though Ithilden probably still needs his blankie. I'll bet that his blankie met the same fate as mine -- irretrievably lost before he could put it aside voluntarily.

elliska · 20 October 2004 · Chapter 1: Pictures

Oh that was wonderful. I absolutely love the glimpses into Ithilden and Eilian's childhood. That is a rare treat. I was sompletely surprised it was Ithilden who was searching for the blanket and I can just see Thranduil and Eilian roaring down stone stairs on a sled inside the palace. Thranduil thought Cook would have stories to tell over a bucket of mud. Wait until he sees the king go flying down stairs on a sled! Priceless. Better even funnier is the image of Oropher doing it with Thranduil. I am very glad this had another chapter. You should do more things like this. I love to see the childhoods of the older sons with Thranduil.

Nilmandra · 20 October 2004 · Chapter 1: Pictures

The beta can't say much, since she knows the end, but she is pleased. :-)

rikki · 20 October 2004 · Chapter 1: Pictures

These are rather neat snippets of memory. And whether you meant to or not, some of the scenes are memories from some of your earlier stories. Legolas and his blanket; Ithilian riding out to command his troops in the field. The one with Eilian and the sled on the stairs was new but it did remind me of Legolas doing the same thing with Oropher's shield with Annael and Turgon. I bet the whole household came running the first time Eilian and Thranduil tried out the sled on the stairs. I have a feeling where this one is going but I will keep it to myself for now. If I am right, then I risk ruining the story for someone and if I am wrong, well..... I know the school year is in full swing, but I am hoping that you have a longer story in the works.

Elena Tiriel · 20 October 2004 · Chapter 1: Pictures

Oh, I do love the glimpses of each of the young boys. But, there seems to be a storm brewing... Can't wait to find out more! - Barbara

meckinock · 20 October 2004 · Chapter 1: Pictures

They sure grow up fast, eh, Daw? Hehe. What a sweet story, with a rather ominous ending. This isn't a one-shot, is it? We do get to find out what everyone's upset about, right? I did a head count but I wouldn't want to speculate. I'll leave it to Karen to reveal your plot...

Karri · 20 October 2004 · Chapter 1: Pictures

Delightful! The parallel glimpses of each of the Thranduilion is fascinating. :-)