Dreamflower's Mathoms I by Dreamflower
GamgeeFest · 29 November 2004 · Chapter 3: Neither Have I Wings to Fly
That was just beautiful! A wonderful, touching connection between Frodo's loss, and now Merry's.
Author's reply
You know by now that those connections between them are my obsession. I've thought for some time how the grief of the ones left behind was in a way taking the grief that Frodo was also leaving.
GamgeeFest · 29 November 2004 · Chapter 1: Brandy Hall, Hearthside at Yule, S.R. 1349
How fun to see all our 'adults' as kids! I love the idea of Bilbo entertaining them all with his stories. It ties the younger and older generations together.
Author's reply
I can just imagine that Bilbo has been entertaining children at Yuletide in Brandy Hall ever since he returned from his Adventure! Whole generations would have grown up listening to his tales!
Lindelea · 29 November 2004 · Chapter 4: Helping the Gaffer
A wistful chuckle. Very nice.
Author's reply
Glad you liked it!
Lindelea · 29 November 2004 · Chapter 3: Neither Have I Wings to Fly
Perfect. The weaving of the theme of pain and leavetaking, and the final statement. Very well done.
Author's reply
I am so glad that you caught what I was aiming for. The intertwining of love between the cousins captivates me; Merry's pain must have been so deep, to lose the one who had been like an older brother to him.
Lindelea · 29 November 2004 · Chapter 2: A Matter of Perspective
“And what makes you think anything has changed now?” Bilbo has a way of putting his finger right in the bullseye of the target of Truth.
Author's reply
Frodo is really fretting and taking out his frustrations and fears. All Bilbo really needed to do was to get him to focus and think. Frodo *knew* that his cousins had not changed, even as his own fears *for* them had deepened. I think of Bilbo as being very straightforward, and not sugar-coating things.
Lindelea · 29 November 2004 · Chapter 1: Brandy Hall, Hearthside at Yule, S.R. 1349
You have a way of pulling me into one of your tales... *I* want to spend Yule at Brandy Hall too! (You're right, the Great Smials is too noisy at times) improbable though it seemed, he tended to believe most of it, if only because it *did* make his older cousin seem a bit foolish. This had me chortling. And thoughtful, too! It seems logical that Drogo and Bilbo would be close, if Bilbo, after all his years as a carefree bachelor, took in Drogo's orphaned son.
Author's reply
Thank you! And let me return the compliment! I think Yule at Brandy Hall would be just splendid, myself! I picture Drogo as being the closest to Bilbo of his various Baggins relations; it seems logical to me as well.
Lindelea · 29 November 2004 · Chapter 5: Wish You Were Here...
Poignant. You say so much in so few words. Thanks!
Author's reply
I'm coming to appreciate drabbles. The word-count constraint really helps to focus on what I want to convey.
Bodkin · 29 November 2004 · Chapter 4: Helping the Gaffer
'And for one day she did not envy Sam.' Very perceptive - I hadn't thought before that little Marigold might resent the amount of time that Sam spent with his father.
Author's reply
I'm sure that to her little eyes, it was much nicer to be out in the sunshine with the flowers, than staying home and doing "lass things" with mother. And I am sure that she did envy that time.
eiluj · 28 November 2004 · Chapter 3: Neither Have I Wings to Fly
Great, poignant title. [Not that the rest of the story doesn't suit those adjectives too, but the title just hit me.]
Author's reply
The title comes from a traditional Celtic song, that is one of my favorites, and that (naturally) makes me think of Frodo when I hear it: "The water is wide, I cannot pass o'er Neither have I wings to fly, Build me a boat that will carry two, And we will cross, my love and I."
Grey Wonderer · 28 November 2004 · Chapter 2: A Matter of Perspective
I don't remember this one from the ficathon. I always love it when Bilbo tells a tale. Great story!
Author's reply
I picture it that after several years, Bilbo's stories became a fixed tradition of a Brandy Hall Yule.