Elly Baggins · 9 April 2011 · Chapter 1: Necessity and Desire
Absolutely loved this, you wrote Aragorn so well! Such a joy to read :)
Necessity and Desire by Gwynnyd
Reviews (16)
phyloxena · 5 November 2009 · Chapter 1: Necessity and Desire
“Legolas has been avoiding me since he arrived. The news he carries must be bad indeed. Perhaps the Gollum creature is dead.” “As long as I need not feed him tonight, I care not,” she replied I was rereading your delightful story again, and this is the first time I realized that "him" in Arwen's reply referred to Legolas, not Gollum.
phyloxena · 22 May 2007 · Chapter 1: Necessity and Desire
Rereading again. I loved the discussion on Rivendel defenses, with flashback of "hindrance going other way" story, best.
Tari · 28 February 2007 · Chapter 1: Necessity and Desire
Thanks to the MEFAwards I found this powerful tale. It's the first of yours I have read and will definitely not be the last. Your gift for words is amazing. I wish I was half as good. I loved the interplay between Aragorn and the twins. Your descriptions enabled me to see all that was happening. Your knowlege of the terrain of Middle Earth is awesome. Wonderful, wonderful. Tari
RS · 6 January 2006 · Chapter 1: Necessity and Desire
I came upon this and am pleased that I did. A wonderful read!! I blushed at Aragorn and Arwen's short but very sexy conversation at the banquet hall. This certainly explains why Aragorn was not at Frodo's feast. Maybe one day Elladan will find out why Aragorn was wearing his mail!!!
Author's reply
Thank you! Two things that always seemed strange to me are Aragorn not being at that feast, and then showing up in mail in the Hall of Fire. It has been pointed out to me that in very early drafts of that chapter, when Aragorn was still Trotter the Hobbit, the reason he was not at the feast was that he was helping out in the kitchens. I like my explanation much better. ;-)
meckinock · 25 September 2005 · Chapter 1: Necessity and Desire
This was absolutely flawless. I enjoyed absolutely every line of it and went back to read it again. The character interactions are just wonderful - I love your Elladan and Elrohir, and Arwen is splendid! I know nothing about event planning (as did Tolkien, apparently!), or at least I did before I read this, but you've done a brilliant job laying it all out with humor and logic. The ongoing armor gag was hysterical. A thoroughly delightful gapfiller, and all the more so because you let the reader inside the joke with you.
Dreamflower · 20 September 2005 · Chapter 1: Necessity and Desire
This is a brilliant gap-filler, not only answering many of the questions aroused by the strangeness of the feast the night before, but also many of the events that took place at the counsel the next day. I also loved the discussion of the strategy for the defense of Rivendell, and of the possible ways Sauron might take in attacking it. But I wouldn’t mind an Epilogue where Aragorn has to explain things to his betrothed. *grin*
Author's reply
It's often overlooked that Sauron knows where the Ring is, or at least he knew that it was being taken to Rivendell. The three assaults Sauron launches, carefully not directed Rivendell, the one place where they may have an effective defense, always confirmed an insight into his character. Gandalf says that 'doubt ever gnaws at him', but I think this noon-assault was a very subtle way of showing it. I know I missed it for years and many readings. LOL But if Sauron had wanted to assault Rivendell, how would he have done it? I had a good time pouring over the maps and working it all out. he became somewhat grim to look upon, unless he chanced to smile; Now you know he smiled at her. ;-) I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thank you.
grumpy · 18 September 2005 · Chapter 1: Necessity and Desire
This is a wonderful story. I loved every word of it, and how you wrote the characters, from Boramir to Arwin. It does answer why Aragorn was late, and why he was wearing armour, and not even his. What a great tale of Aragorn's life with his family in Rivendell.
Author's reply
Thank you for your kind words. They are balm to an author's heart.
lindahoyland · 15 September 2005 · Chapter 1: Necessity and Desire
This was a very plausible account of events.I liked it.
Author's reply
Thank you! I try hard to run my quirky solutions through a 'real world' filter. Tolkien's world feels real because of the wealth of detail and the feeling that it could really have happened. I do try to keep things both within his universe and as real as I can.
Amy · 15 September 2005 · Chapter 1: Necessity and Desire
Great gapfiller! Fascinating answers to questions that I'd never thought to ask. Lovely Aragorn and Arwen and twins. Have read this 3 times so far. It makes me very happy.
Author's reply
Thank you! I am very flattered that you feel it worth not only reading, but re-reading.
Rose Sared · 15 September 2005 · Chapter 1: Necessity and Desire
Oo,oo, oo! - Rose hops up and down in her seat squealing with delight - this was sooo good, so Tolkeinish - filled in gaps and answered questions I didn't even know I needed the answers too. Did I mention it was truly well written and that the the characters sang with authenticity. Should have. Great, great stuff. Well done and thanks. Rose
Author's reply
Gwynnyd hops and down and squeals along! I'm so glad you like it. I do enjoy thinking up quirky solutions to the gaps JRRT left in his universe, and it is very nice to know that they are read and appreciated. Thank you.
Bodkin · 15 September 2005 · Chapter 1: Necessity and Desire
This is a lovely complex weaving of all the different elements. I'm not sure about Arwen putting Aragorn in mail - but I'm glad to see he is putty in her hands. There are just so many delights - Boromir and his first meeting with the twins, Arwen and Aragorn together, the wooden Arathorn figure, the detail of Aragorn's elven/human room, Elrohir tidying up behind him - the discussion. The whole paragraph starting, 'It was a familiar exercise . . .' is just perfect - I loved it so much I read it about five times. And Arwen and Aragorn's closeness and willingness to let her brothers see it. The line 'Arwen had obviously heard the stories before, as she tilted her head up and smiled just before he told amusing parts,' shows affectionate intimacy so perfectly. 'Aragorn looked up and a smile also lit his face. “It is time for the sword to be reforged. If I am to go to Gondor and confront the forces of Mordor, I prefer to wield a weapon, not a symbol.” ' For this discussion, it would seem acceptable for Aragorn to miss Frodo's feast. Although Elrond is unlikely to be delighted by an absence that might seem . . . '“Rude? Unforgivable?” Elrohir suggested.' (He has a gift for finding the right word.) But Elrond might be slightly more manageable than his daughter - who had invested a lot of effort into making that awkward feast go off smoothly. 'Arwen will not be best pleased.' A master of understatement.
Author's reply
The mail! Oh yes. But I had to account for this canon moment. Aragorn stood beside her; his dark cloak was thrown back, and he seemed to be clad in elven-mail, and a star shone on his breast. When did he put this on? and why? I assumed that he would not have to be wearing it for protection around Rivendell and wasn't out patrolling or anything because Elrond, at least, had expected him to be at the feast. And, Hollywood aside, no one actually wore armor to dinner! I rather glossed over how the heck he would get the star (fastened how? if it was the star he usually wore on other garments - pinned? glued? hanging on a ribbon/chain?) onto the mail, because it seemeed like one detail too many. He would probably pin Arwen with his devastating smile and say, "Duty.", and she would understand. And while I'm sure Elrond did understand why he didn't show up, there must have been one awkward moment where Aragorn felt eight years old again, shuffling his feet and mumbling, "but, ada... it wasn't my fault. It was Elrohir's idea!". Thank you!
Larner · 14 September 2005 · Chapter 1: Necessity and Desire
Masterful; superb use of language and imagery. Devious indeed--as devious as any elf, having been raised by them! Superb story, my lady.
Author's reply
Thank you! Devious, persistent, smart... or he would not have survived so long. I'm glad you enjoyed the story.
harrowcat · 14 September 2005 · Chapter 1: Necessity and Desire
A lovely piece of writing Gwynnyd. Your characters rang true to life for me. Except the bit about Arwen understanding why he was late for the feast better than Elrond! Really? I think that I would rather face Elrond!
Author's reply
Oh no! Arwen must be used to him being called off by duty at the last minute and would assume that he wouldn't stay away from anything but necessity, but Elrond would be 'disappointed' that his protege was so careless of the diplomatic necessities that he could not juggle ten things at once and still be where he supposed to be. I'm glad you found the characters, mostly, believable! Thank you.
Lamiel · 14 September 2005 · Chapter 1: Necessity and Desire
This is a fascinating gap filler, and I think it is the writing that makes it so. The language, characters, and descriptions are so close to Tolkien's writing that I could imagine I was reading a lost passage from LOTR. The professor intended to give some background and explain that confusing dinner scene, but the manuscript was lost along the way, or perhaps abandoned due to his need to tell all things from the perspective of the Hobbits. In any case, you have breathed real life into Tolkien's characters here, and I imagine that your Aragorn really is just as Tolkien would have him. That's an incredible accomplishment, I think, because I never found Aragorn very approachable or even likeable in the books. I liked him much better after seeing the movies' portrayal. But here you've stayed true to Tolkien's creation, and yet also give light to the real depths and conflicting fears and desires that Aragorn has. And I need not add that this is even more true for your characterization of Arwen. You make it clear that it is NOT automatically assumed that the smart thing to do would be to accompany Frodo and the Ring, and the reasons Aragorn has to go to Gondor are very real and compelling, as are his fears of doing so. Very well done.
Author's reply
Oh my Thank you for your very wonderful-to-hear words. Unlike you, I have always seen many layers in Aragorn, and I have a hard time understanding how anyone can perceive him as uninteresting. His totally uncharacteristic behavior at the Council of Elrond always puzzled me. I'm so pleased that my speculations on why worked for you, and that you can think better of him now. Thank you.
daw the minstrel · 14 September 2005 · Chapter 1: Necessity and Desire
This was an interesting gap filler. It explains a lot of what went on in that 24-hour-period and does so very plausibly. The arguments about the attack on Rivendell and what Aragorn should do were convincing in their horrible possibilities and complications. I also liked the picture of the comfortable love between Aragorn and Arwen.
Author's reply
Thank you! I had a lot of fun and tried to put a lot of thought into what might have happened. As a professional conference and meeting planner, I've put togeher a lot of head tables in my time, and the one at Frodo's feast always felt very wrong to me. I had most fun figurin gout a plausible why.