Reviews (165)

RS · 30 January 2006 · Chapter 10: Friends Unexpected

Love the mention of Gimli. Very funny. Wonderful description of the hustle and bustle of the town of Kopairin..it felt like I was there. I have a funny feeling about the missing Sorni, I hope she is ok. Somehow I don't think those soldiers are from Gondor. They are too dark and sinister, and Gondorion soldiers wouldn't mistreat peoople that way..especially a child. And that shipment that they are waiting for..sounds suspicious. I hope Sorni is not tied into this whole thing.

eliza61 · 30 January 2006 · Chapter 11: What a Ranger-King Does

Dear Hannah & Sarah, Great, great chapter! I always enjoy how you portray Aragorns & Legolas' friendship. ( I absolutely love how they continue to joke with each other in the mist of a battle, must be some type of release from stress?) Wish I could have seen Legolas get ordered around by Valihondo's wife though, that was priceless. Poor confused Elf. Anyway- please don't worry about updates, I totally understand how "real life" can sneak up on one. I just glad you allow me to tag along with Legolas and Aragorn every once in awhile. Until next time Eliza

Vilwarin · 30 January 2006 · Chapter 11: What a Ranger-King Does

Sorry I havn't replied for a long time, but I have been quite busy. I can only say that I am amazed at the story and can hardly wait for a new chapter. And do not worry about every third day, I am sure that we all understand very well. The twp friends in battle action again, are they? *lol* Ha, I knew all along that those people could not possibly be Gondorians. And of course they would find out and save the day. Hehe. Oh, I have to leave now! Since I had a little time, I just wanted to leave a short review to tell you how much I enjoy your story. ~Vil

Imbecamiel · 27 January 2006 · Chapter 10: Friends Unexpected

Another excellent chapter! He! Not much gets past the elf and ranger duo... LOL, I loved them discussing whether or not they should wait for their follower to catch up. *g* "Of that I have no doubt. Beginning 'laddie' and ending either 'bless you' or 'I'm going to kill you now'." Oh, I laughed so hard over that! Love it! YAY! Nethtalt's back! I'm so glad to have another appearence from him :-) Aww, and that's so sweet, that he named one of his sons "Thorongil". Oo. *winces* Ah, yeah Mr Guard peoples, he really is *quite* familiar with what the king of GOndor thinks about things like this. And believe me, he ain't happy. Sooo, yeah, running along's probably a pretty goood decision. *g* ""Likewise, madam," Aragorn replied with a slight bow." LOL, oh dear, now I've got this picture of Frank Hopkins... *smacks Mind* This - is - ARAGORN - NOT - a - cowboy! Heh... Mmm, lots of interesting new people and intriguing possibilities in this chapter... Hehe, and I have no doubt that where Aragorn and Legolas make an appearence, trouble is indeed "brewing"! And an explosion. Always a good way to end a chapter... *g* Very, very sorry I don't have time to leave a proper review tonight! And very much looking forward to more! Imbecamiel

RS · 24 January 2006 · Chapter 9: Once Familiar Roads

And so the dam finally broke! Poor Aragorn. He needed that-- and such comforting words from Legolas. Lovely scene. Queen Mavranor is so evil. She reminds me of the evil queen in Disney's Snow White!! (boo, hiss). I hope Faramir is up to keeping the Royal Family safe! "Wandering corpse" huh,, evil, evil people. Great job on this chapter (I am biting my nails). It just makes me want more, more, more!!!

Imbecamiel · 23 January 2006 · Chapter 9: Once Familiar Roads

Yes, my new job is really great! And, for me, not nearly as challenging as it might sound. I absolutely love editing, so it's a job I enjoy a lot. LOL, of course, one of the downsides is that I can't read *anything* now, without mentally making note of problems, and figuring out better ways of phrasing things, and wincing at mistakes... Which is actually one of the reasons I'm loving reading your stories right now all the more - there are so *few* mistakes or awkward phrasings to wince at that I can truly enjoy the story, without my mind constantly being busy thinking of ways to improve things :-) Ah, and so the villainess returns... So Aragorn and all his family are dead, are they? I think not! HA! Take that!*bursts Mavranor's little bubble* NONE of them are dead! So there! *hides pin innocently behind her back* What? I just, ah, didn't want her getting overconfident and ruining her plans too quickly? *nods seriously* We do have to give these villains a fair chance, you know... *gets gleam in her eyes* After all, if they went and failed too soon, who would provide the angst, I ask you? Our dear heores may be a bit clumsy at times, but they really can't do it all them selves. *g* Hehe, well, Halda, the Gondorian king may not be exactly immortal... but at least half of his family and friends ARE! LOL, and he's about as close to it as a human can get. Best not go discounting any "dead" rangers too quickly there ;-) ROTFL! Oh, that's too funny... Your description of Aragorn and Legolas in the mudslide reminded me *so* much of something I read in a Sherlock Holmes story once, regarding Holmes' and Watson's relative abilities to stay clean. It said that, faced with apparently identical mud puddles, Holmes would invariably choose the one that was only a fraction of an inch deep, and would come out of it with catlike cleanliness. Watson, on the other hand, would without fail choose the other one, and wind up in mud up to his knees and absolutely filthy. Hehe... Remind you of any other duo we know? *g* I must agree with Legolas, though - however much I may love the kingly look, I do think the filthy ranger one has always suited Aragorn best. And, however well he may do, and however happy he may be as king, I really think he'll always be most content in his role as a ranger. He's just lived too long as a soldier, used to toughing it and managing on his own, to ever be completely content with other people doing all the physical work and protecting him. He! Oh, Legolas, that wasn't very nice, teasing a poor, cold human like that! *shakes finger* Just because it doesn't affect you doesn't give you the right to take advantage of his weakness! Bad elf! Though I do suppose it *was* for his own good... *frowns* Well, I suppose we can let it pass THIS time. *whispers under breath* And chalk it up to a tiny, mild, angst-appetizer! *eg* Aw, poor, poor Aragorn! He's had to be so strong for everyone, not even just for his family, but for the entire *kingdom*! It's hardly any wonder he'd break down, keeping everything inside for days on end, and trying to put on a brave face for the world... *huggles ranger* If it accomplishes nothing else at all, this trip with Legolas is just what he needed, to be able to let it all out and just let someone else be strong for *him* for a change. Heh, of course, if it *doesn't* accomplish anything other than that, Arwen's gonna die, in which case we're going to have a whole new set of problems... *shakes head* And apparently becoming king has done nothing to temper his tendencies to blame himself for absolutely everything. It's a very good thing he's still got Legolas there to set him straight! Ooo, and the Shadow's back! Very, very cool... *grins madly* Mmm, the more I see of him, the more curious I get about him... Are we going to be learning more of his past and who he is in this story? I certainly hope so :-) "While there, we may search for the wandering corpse that bears the name 'Elessar'." I love that line! Not only is it just a cool line, it's quite promising as well... Angst! Yeah! As long as the line's not *literally* true that is... *pats Vardnauth on the shoulder, oblivious to his indignant glare* Y'see, to quote 'The Princess Bride', "He's not dead, he's just MOSTLY dead. There's a big difference, you know. With all dead, there's not much you can do except go through their pockets for spare change." *g* Another lovely chapter! And I must be going now, as I've got to get up early in the morning... Looking forward to more, as always! Imbecamiel P.S. Ah, so it was Sarah I was talking to last time? Hehe, it can be rather an odd sensation at times, not being sure who you're talking to... Like addressing a certain schizophrenic, and not being sure whether you're going to get Smeagol or Gollum. *blinks* Eh... That probably wasn't the best analogy, was it? LOL, seriously, though, I do absolutely love the way you girls talk about each other, and your siblings. It's so rare these days to find people who *truly* love their siblings, and it's great to see you so close, and working together like this!

Elizabeth_Elindel · 23 January 2006 · Chapter 9: Once Familiar Roads

ARG!!!! the evil people are soo nasty. Shoot them all!!! Sigh. how much worse can it get? (Hopes the answer is a lot so that she can be ever more scared)

Imbecamiel · 22 January 2006 · Chapter 8: The Concealment of Many Things

LOL, well, I must say, you really couldn't have picked a better time to not be able to post, at least as far as I'm concerned. I just got a new job as an editor for a homeschool magazine, and it's been eating up almost all of my time the last few days. But now I've got a little better handle on things, so I'm back to review again - just barely on time, as usual :-) And what a wonderful chapter it is! I'm so glad I got time to review it. In this beginning, you've portrayed Eowyn just beautifully! And Faramir as well, of *course*, but I especially noticed Eowyn since she can be a particularly difficult balance to strike. Not only is she a woman (which, for some reason, tends to be terribly intimidating to write in fanfiction), but she's a very *strong* woman, to the point of having ridden out into battle (which can all too easily slip into the land of Mary Suedom). But you've handled her excellently! Oh, and Faramir and Eowyn's relationship is SO sweet! What a lovely scene between them. And Faramir's guess about what she's so happy about... "Your roses are in bloom" LOL! Aww, and isn't that just the way things go? Just as she gets ready to tell him the wonderful news - in walks a messenger. "Er... Hope I'm not... interrupting anything?" *screams* YES you're interrupting! LOL, poor guy, though, it's not like he exactly had a choice - and I rather suspect interrupting their nice loving scene embarassed him FAR more than it did them ;-) "I should have known when Legolas decided to go visit Aragorn that trouble would follow. I had not thought it would occur so quickly, though. This is unsettling." ROTFL! Oh dear... Looks like being lords of their own lands hasn't tempered our dear elf and ranger's trouble-seeking tendancies by much. Hehe, makes you wonder what's happened before, that Faramir is *so* familiar with it... *g* Boy, that's *got* to be a challenge for Aragorn - getting the country ready for him to suddenly be absent for *weeks*, and doing it without anyone else noticing anything's up. Heh, and that when his mind's already totally distracted by Arwen's sickness... Very lucky for him he's got someone like Faramir to leave behind! Hehe, sounds like Legolas is quite the babysitter! Oh, that was so sweet and funny. I especially like the little details of "Elenwen's crooked embroidery" and Gilraen falling into the fountain :-) Hmm, one has to wonder, though, just where he's acquired these incredible babysitting skills, having never had any young siblings himself... Though I suppose a younger Aragorn might count as practice of a sort, even though he was past childhood when they met. *g* Still doesn't explain the embroidery-admiring, though... Hehe... Dun dun DUN! Oh no Pippin, you'd better not give up on that "misplaced" brooch too soon there. *puts arm around hobbit's shoulders* Y'see, this is what is known as a MAJOR PLOT POINT, and if you ignore it now, YOU'RE GOING TO REGRET IT! Pippin: "Ehm, that's... nice..." *hobbit wanders off* Why the characters never listen to me, I'll never know... *shakes head* Ooo, and VERY good job, realizing that he probably wouldn't want to bring Narsil along, and providing a subsitute. It's easy to see that the two of you really put a lot of thought into this fic ;-) Awwwwwwwww! *melts into puddle of mush at picture of Aragorn and little Gilraen* That - is - SO - CUTE!!! Oh, I don't even know what to say, I can just *see* that part so well... Oh... Cute... *attempts to wipe happy grin off face* Ahem, yes, moving on... (Oh, and btw, again perfect balance between Eowyn's strength and capability, and her femininity and Faramir's protectiveness, in the note about him holding her horse, but letting her dismount on her own.) *squees* And Beregond even makes an appearence! Wow, you certainly manage to include a lot of different characters! And you still keep it so clear and uncluttered, too... *chakes head in admiration* And I love the side note about Aragorn wearing elven-style robes! So very like him... LOL! And Aragorn's comment on his children... "...*Elenwen* will cause you little trouble." He! Too funny! Mmm, I love Aragorn's words to Faramir - never saying anything but the truth, though the true meaning behind some of the words may not be revealed until later. *giggles* And his comment about Duurben - "I need him in the palace, glaring at anyone who shows signs of duplicity." LOL! Ah yes, let us hope indeed that their chances of returning unharmed are better than they were in Rivendell... Or not. THEY can hope so, at any rate. I, on the other hand...*eg* And I am VERY glad that Aragorn did not leave without telling his family, whoever else he did or did not choose to inform. Really, it just wouldn't have felt right for him to take off without letting them know first. *squees at Aragorn's new/old look* LOOK OUT BADGUYS, THE RANGER'S BACK! Hehe... Oh, and Arwen's reassuring him that he's NOT abandoning her, and that she'll be waiting for him when he gets back... *sighs happily* Beautiful! Ah, so they've got an unexpected follower now! Eh, and Tantur... with an as-yet-unnamed traitor on the loose, sounds like that are NEVER just your imagination. *smacks inexperienced soldier upside the head* This is not a very good start to your trip, young man. *shakes head sadly* And I will say it yet again... THE RANGER'S BACK! YAY! He gets into *way* more trouble than the king... Ehm. I mean... He should blend in with the crowds really well that way? *angelic smile* Looking forward to more! Imbecamiel P.S. Ah yes... That "pointless extra" would be Idhrin, maybe? Well, you see, that's just the consequence of writing too well - everyone likes your characters, even the ones they're supposed to ignore :-) P.P.S. Oh yes, I do think that your Vardnauth stands an excellent chance of getting on the list! Hehe, and I'm very much looking forward to his reaction... *g* P.P.P.S. *nods seriously* Oh yes, I'm most definitely crazier than I am. Or at least... My mind is, at any rate. Sometimes I really wonder about it. It's so strange, I begin to think it may actually be a seperate entity... (Mind yells: I am NOT!) *shakes head* I rest my case. *shrugs*

RS · 21 January 2006 · Chapter 8: The Concealment of Many Things

This is, thus far, my favorite chapter. It is refreshing to see Eowyn so happy and full of love for her husband. I really liked that moment w/her and Faramir. They are so happy. What a lovely picture of Aragorn holding his look-alike daughter while singing an Elvish song. The little details that are described are so endearing and say so much.."her pink lips parted so that her breath whispered softly in and out..";.."Elenwen immediately slipped into his lap, her arm curling up around his neck"...;.."she looked so much like her mother". You can feel Aragorn's love for his family, and vice versa. The reader experiences just a glimpse of the life that ARagorn fought hard for and finally achieved and might end up losing. You can feel his desparation. Legolas observations,"..permanent current of strenth which ran between the husband and wife..perhaps it was their love", "..his long, burgundy robes were very elvish in appearance"...Those descriptions were poignant to me. "My Dunedan". What a moment!! Aragorn has transformed himself from a loving family man (King) to a Ranger again.."removed the binding from his hair, letting it fall loose about his face.." just gave me the chills. Forgive me for rambling. I can go on forever picking my favorite moments in this story. The tranquility in Minis Tirith has been disturbed and will affect everybody!!! Will wait for your posting Monday. Hope you had a great time at your friends'!

Sio · 20 January 2006 · Chapter 8: The Concealment of Many Things

Oh wow its Friday AND theres a new chapter up! Now *that* is what i call a fun Friday - that and i get to wear jeans to work. hehehe Right, like you wanted to know. On with the review! Now THIS Is a cute Faramir. I admit, i found him cute in ROTK and this line just captures him perfectly. Its so easy to him reacting and acting like this. And NO i'm not converting, i'm still a ranger girl, but i loved this line: "Faramir clearly saw that there was something she wanted to tell him, but he seemed to have no idea just how wonderful it was; tilting his head to the side, his eyes sparkling with mischief, he tried to read her thoughts." The whole exchange between the two of them was really wonderful, it just makes the reader smile along with them. Now THIS. You guys have been watching too much LOST! LOL This is one of those times you cringe and say, 'way bad timing dude.' Oh man i so wanted her to finish her sentance! "The smile on Eowyn's lips grew full and she opened her mouth, resolved to say the first words that came to her mind— " And this made me laugh! Oh so true! If he only knew the full extent of that statement: "He tried to cover it with a jest. "I should have known when Legolas decided to go visit Aragorn that trouble would follow. I had not thought it would occur so quickly, though. This is unsettling." " "Legolas felt that there was a permanent current of strength which ran between the husband and wife. ...Perhaps it was their love; perhaps it was merely another facet of Aragorn's gift of healing. " This is a great line. So much information in this tiny paragraph about was is really happening behind the scenes and that people DONT get to see or arent privy too that Legolas notices and knows. Very nicely done. "There was a fixity to the human's mood that had less to do with having dealt with his own internal battles and more to do with the constant distractions that kept him separated from himself. " I loved the last part of this sentance, 'kept him separated from himself'. So true. SO easy to get loast in the tasks at hand and bury the emotions for a later date. Makes me wonder when and how it will all catch up to him. AND WOW, the Scene with Aragorn holding a sleeping Gilraen while Legolas watched from behind and the sunset!!! ACK such a sucker for those wonderful moments i am. Sounding like Yoda too. Wrong fanfic, sorry. That was a sweet perfect moment thrown in there in the midst of the stress and the chaos - so reflecting the way life really is. Perfect you guys. "His long, burgundy robes were, Legolas realized, very elvish in appearance. " COOOOL! He dresses like Elrond! That was a neat touch about how he dressed when going casual. This is a wonderful description of the person Faramir is becoming. "The valor and wisdom that had grown, unnoticed by his own father, was even greater now than it had been when Legolas had first met him after the battle of Pelenor. Had a king not appeared for Faramir to serve, he would have been a worthy steward. " Its too bad his father never saw in him what everyone else does, but maybe its just good that everyone else DOES. I just really loved the way you guys phrased that. hahahahahahahahah SOPERFECT SOAragorn! ""It seems the wilds of Middle Earth are calling to us again, my friend. Let us hope that our chances of returning to Minas Tirith uninjured are better than they were in Rivendell."" I swear i just broke out in this huge grin. Now how come me thinks that gleam in your eyes is saying it might not be as easy as he hopes. This just bodes a great adventure. So much foreshadowing and promise in that one tiny sentance! heheheh Ah...bring on the cliffies!!! *tosses Jack's empty rum bottle over the very tall cliff* Oh cool! Is this THE seashell nightlight? heheheh "Then he turned, checked the seashell nightlight to make sure it had plenty of wick still to burn..." You know that thing did have a life of its own. I loved that. Forgive me if i have made associations that were not meant, that was just wonderful to see it there in the girl's room! Oh nice little add here, one of those Aragornthings that he always does so absentmindedly: "his fingers caressing, while not quite touching, the delicate points and curves of her ears. " He does love those ears! :D hehehehe And then when i shouted out loud 'YES!!!!' in the office, there was absolutely no way to explain myself out of it, not grinning like a fool like i was. This sentance is where the music starts out soft and builds triumphantly till it swells and you know the movie Just Really started. heheheh THIS is perfect!!! "He finished dressing, fastened his belt, and removed the binding from his hair, letting it fall loose about his face. Last of all he lifted his overcoat, the leather worn soft and supple with years of wear, the surface marred by the familiar places where he had repaired it. He held it at arm's length for a moment before sliding into it, and was somehow surprised to find that it still fit in exactly the same way." Oh yeah definitely my favorite line so far. Now that there is a ranger! hehehe Sorry about using all the same words over and over again, like perfect, and cool. hahahah Cassia and i have that problem repeatedly when we read fanfiction, we get so storybrained (totally into the story) that the faculty to express oneself in a more cognitive way is lost. hehehee Oh no and now Tantur is going to follow! That boy has no idea what he is getting himself into! Well i LOVED this chapter. It was so fun to see AragornKing, and AragornFather and then watch as he stepped back into Strider, Ranger of the North and set out on another adventure! The progression or regression, was wonderfully done and so fun to read! Have a great weekend wtih your friends! Coming back to work on Monday now has an all new excitement to it! Always, Sio

Elizabeth_Elindel · 19 January 2006 · Chapter 8: The Concealment of Many Things

Ahh!!! I must hear more, I must, I must. This is a very good story. Well written. I doubt Aragorn leaving Arwen even for a short time, but that's okay. :) Very good work!!! :)

Imbecamiel · 17 January 2006 · Chapter 7: Groping in the Dark

LOL, you look forward to *my* reviews? Heh, and here I've always thought I was such an awful reviewer :-P Glad to hear that you enjoy my reviews at any rate, though! I love your description of the city's reaction to finding out about Arwen's illness. That alone speaks volumes about her character - the fact that the Gondorians would not only be able to accept a foreign queen, but love her so much that the entire city would go into mourning at the news that she's been hurt. Oh, poor Duurben! Aww, Aragorn's note to him was wonderful. *sniffs* Poor everyone! *smiles through tears* I'm so happy-I... I mean *sorry* for them. Yeah. Heh... Hmm, veeeeery interesting that Aragorn signed his note "Thorongil", though. Is that just recalling old times and friendships, or is this going to be of plot significance? Or maybe both? *smiles hopefully* *squee* Yes, the twins are coming! YAY! Ahem. *attempts to put on appropriately somber expression* I do hope they're able to come in time for the funeral. Or funerals, as the case may be. Ah well, if not, I do hear Rivendell has lovely gardens. They can always send flowers. *shrugs* Ooo, very unique cure for the poison! Lol, and excellent way to make sure they BOTH have to go, too. *g* Hmm, and do I sense a demise-by-his-own stupidity for a certain villain, with it's being poison when one person alone takes it from the tree? Talk about another one of those tough situations for Aragorn, though: in order to save his wife, he's got to leave her when she needs him most, and when he most desperately wants to stay with her and his children. You two are truly evil, you know that? *looks impressed* *giggles* Oh yes, Legolas, I'd think you knew Aragorn better than that by now! Of COURSE he means to leave without telling anyone! Hehe... Ah yes, and doesn't everything always look simpler in retrospect? Ahem. And as for a certain traitor, all I have to say is... IT BETTER NOT BE SOMEONE I LIKE!!! Oh yes, and one other thing. Something tells me SOMEONE isn't going to be terribly happy when they find out it's not the king that the city's in mourning for... *eg* Ooo, Vardnauth is cool, though! Hehe, my sister and I keep a list of "coolest villains" along with our list of favorite heroes. I'm beginning to wonder if we'll be adding a new name in there, alongside Darth Vader, Xanatos, Kirotis, Doriflen, and other such notable names. *g* And then, of course, there's our list of "villains who tried SO hard and got so terribly obsessed with the heroes they couldn't get rid of that you've just got to feel sorry for them". Hehe, there's always openings there, alongside Chauvelin, Javer, and other not-quite-as-notable names... Loved it, and looking forward to more! Imbecamiel P.S. Ah, your story of Aragorn running happily through a field of daisies was a flop, hmm? Well... Maybe you could try Aragorn running happily through a field of daisies, then falling into a hitherto-unseen hole in the ground, breaking his leg, then finding out said hole was filled with spiders and snakes and... Eh, yeah. I guess adversity sells. *g* P.P.S. Oh lovely. That's just WONDERFUL. SO the traitor's not someone I've mentioned in a romantic context? Well THAT'S very encouraging. Especially since the only people I HAVE mentioned in that context are Aragorn and Pippin, and then only in that the latter can sympathize with the former because he's married too. OH, and I suppose I also sort of mentioned Legolas, in that he's NOT married. Soooo nice to know none of *them* is the traitor. I was reeeeally worried about that, y'know. *glares* I knew it. I just knew it. All authors are evil. *sighs* I guess the "Authoress" and "Evilness" genes are just so close together that no one seems capable of seperating them... Augh. *panics* It's not Eression, is it?! Or Duurben? Or Errynben? Or Bartho? It CAN'T be them! I LIKE them! *wails* Why oh why do the authoresses always have to hate ME?! What have I ever done to them? Aside from inflicting my reviews on them that is... Heh. Would it help if I left? Oh, right, you did say it was already finished. *sighs desparingly* Why me? P.P.P.S. LOL, glad to hear you enjoyed the mental image that resulted from LOTR and War of the Worlds being mixed. Um, just be thankful you haven't seen some of the ones my mind's come up with for LOTR and Star Wars. Really, sometimes I think my mind's even crazier than I am. *looks back at previous sentence* And I believe saying something like THAT would be the signal that it's about time I went to bed. *shakes head*

RS · 17 January 2006 · Chapter 7: Groping in the Dark

NOOOOO!!! Don't lose hope Aragorn!!! I cannot picture Aragorn losing hope..He can't!!! This is beautiful-- "ultimately, this was a decision that Aragorn would make not as a king, but as a husband. As a man desperately and hopelessly in love. A matter not for logical thought, but for the heart. And the choice had already been made". SIGH... It just reminds me just how much Aragorn and Arwen are in love and the sacrifices that they made (can you tell I'm a romantic?) So the bad guy is going to go to Lorien and try to retrieve the magical sap. Will he be stopped by a gorgeous ranger and an equally beautiful elf? The Shadow thinks that the King is dead and his plan is running smoothly thus far. What is going to happen in Rohan? This is getting REALLY GOOD!

Sio · 16 January 2006 · Chapter 7: Groping in the Dark

I *like* Duurben! What a great captain of the guard! Bless that Pippin! This is a great line! I laughed so hard: "You've stopped looking like death on two legs. I was afraid you were blaming yourself for all this, or something stupid like that." And this is such a cool reminder that Estel did grow up in an elven home! It was just such a nice throwback glance to his upbringing: "...but the books and scrolls were arranged in a fashion that reminded the elf strongly of Lord Elrond's library in Rivendell." Its those little details that count so much! SOAragorn: "Even when in the hall, he rarely sat on the throne unless the formality of the situation demanded it; most often he was to be found standing. " I could just see this from him. hehehe See thats why your stories are so good, you add all the little idiosyncrasies and details that make the characters more real. Whoa! Knock me out of my chair, nice twist there with the snake venom working slowly in immortals and me totally forgetting that Arwen is now a mortal! Nothing like stepping up the pace of the angst! That was perfect :D And then this line: "...he could see the struggle in his friend's soul — as if there were naught but a pane of glass between the heart of Aragorn and the world." Ouch, what a beautiful description ot what was going on inside of him and how easy it was for the elf to see. heheheh now *i'm* quoting you back nearly every line in YOUR story! heheheh :D Like this one: "Ultimately, this was a decision that Aragorn would make not as a king, but as a husband. As a man desperately and hopelessly in love." That so describes the true heart of Aragorn - its perfect! Plus the way you have set up this story with the antidote needing the two of them and their friendship to waken the tree is excellent! Oh ouch, for some reason this tiny sentance just had so much longing and sadness in it, so much remembrance of younger days: "When the world was simple." Ooooh the bad guys are really bad! Hmmm...and so the plot thickens! So now i'm wondering if the traitor will get there first and get the sap on his own and poison himself or if Legolas and Aragorn will get there and ooohh...now the possibilities are endless - well in my little brain anyway. hehehe You know the outcome! I will content myself to wait and sit here on the cliffie with Jack. You know he sings really off tune when he's had too much rum. Winces and plugs ears. Keep it coming you guys! This IS GREAT!!! Oh and you know, if you like when you're done, we'd love to put it up on the MC. Can i say that here? Sio

Sio · 16 January 2006 · Chapter 6: Of Treachery

Wooow! Talk about your action and non-stop suspense. This chapter just holds the reader inches from the screen wtih the little scroll button on the mouse moving as fast as it can. Oh yeah, you really should remind people to breathe while they read these scenes! Ouch. Kind of embarrasing at work to come up for a gasp of air and have every eye turn to you. Really no way to explain that, at least not in a way anyone can understand - other than another fanfic reader. *snicker* Thanks for the coffee by the way i totally needed it! Oh my favorite lines: "...but he knew full well that now was the time to keep his head and concentrate on what must be done, lest all his fears come to pass. Closing off all feeling, he put it away ." What a great description of how Aragorn deals with emergencies! Totally captures the seriousness of the situation and how he was feeling. Very griping. "He feared what would happen when Aragorn's heart would be allowed to catch up with him, but for now it was held in check." Now see thats perfect! I wondered if you would deal with that! Thats a great sentance, just totally catches his friends' viewpoint on Aragorn's emotions. The whole calmness during and then falling apart after the event. Nicely done! "It seemed that within the small room was the last remnant of innocence to be found, and who knew if it would last? " Very very cool. Sobering, yet brings a smile to the readers face even if it is a sad smile. Caught the moment very nicely in just a few words. And isnt that just how children are, always the last to catch onto the severity of a situation or rather the last to let it affect them negatively. Personally i loved the descriptions of Aragorn, killing the snake and then the way you had him hesitating on the steps or just freezing before speaking or taking the next necessary step, very realistic. GREAT chapter, just what the doctor ordered in between insominia curing state paperwork - heheh which i must return to now! I'll be back for the next chapter at lunch! See you then! Sio

Imbecamiel · 15 January 2006 · Chapter 6: Of Treachery

Oh, yay! Hehe, I thought I was too late to review this chapter... But you haven't updated yet, so I guess I've still got time :-) Hehe, even a stupid snake ought to know better than to threaten Aragorn's kids when the Ranger's around! Go Aragorn! Ha, take THAT stupid snake! Poor, poor Aragorn, though. Yipe, talk about terrifying... Man, as if it weren't hard enough for the healer to be the *husband* of the critically ill patient, he also just happens to be the king, who's the one supposed to be taking charge of the situation. Talk about being emotionally involved here... *huggles poor ranger* Aww, Legolas is always such a wonderful friend. Always there to be anything his mellon needs, from snake-poison-identifier to water-fetcher to herb-deliverer to person-who-checks-up-on-the-babysitter :-) Oh, so all the Lhandlas seems to have disappeared, has it? Wonder how that could have happened... Apparently this villain is quite thorough, in addition to being sneaky. Now *here* is a very unusual situation - for once, Pippin actually has more personal experience to sympathize with Aragorn in this situation than Legolas does! Wow... Not that Legolas doesn't feel for him, of *course*, but it's so interesting that Pippin would be the one who could actually *understand*. Ooo, traitor, yes! Traitor is good! Traitor is ANGSTY! Traitor is- *is struck by a sudden thought* Ow... Oh. Oh no... I've got a bad feeling all of a sudden... This traitor isn't someone I like, is it? IS IT?! AAAH! No... Gah. I always seem to like the wrong people. I even managed to fall completely in love with the *villain* in my friend's original story. Man. This is sad. *headdesk* Pleasepleaseplease, don't let it be someone I like! *pleading puppydog eyes* ROTFL! Gotta love that version of "Thorongil". Hehe, obviously Aragorn's children are just a *little* familiar with that particular episode. *g* And now that I've finished "Darkest Night", I'm going to re-familiarize myself with it as well... Oh, oh! *waves hand* I know, I know about the viper and the remedy! It's a snake found only in Mirkwood, and in order to get the remedy, you're going to have to go there yourself. *nods in scholarly manner* Oh yes, I'm very familiar with the flora and fauna of Middle Earth, you see... What, you don't believe me?! *puts on air of affronted innocence* Really... I AM familiar with it! Or at least... *sighs in defeat* Fine, I'm just really familiar with the trailer. *g* LOL, looking forward to more! Imbecamiel P.S. You know, I've decided that, although I love your stories a lot, you really might want to put warning labels on them. Something along the lines of "Warning: Do not mix with other genres". Honestly... Last night I watched "War of the Worlds". Then, like the bright person I am, I decided to read a bit of "Darkest Night" before going to bed. THEN I dreamed that the aliens in "War of the Worlds" were invading... only they were really *nice* actually, and only wanted to learn more about the ancient Numenorians, so they were coming to talk with Aragorn and build some sculpture in honor of the Numenorians... *gives self odd look* Really, sometimes I wonder about myself, the LOTR crossovers my mind comes up with when I'm dreaming... *shakes head*

Lia · 15 January 2006 · Chapter 6: Of Treachery

Such a gripping story! The writing is top-notch! Thank you so much for this.

RS · 14 January 2006 · Chapter 6: Of Treachery

Oh My Gosh!!Poor Aragorn..to see his beloved that way! I am at the edge of my seat! The assasin truly struck at the heart of Aragorn! What a magnificent scene. I can feel Aragorn's desparation to stay calm to save his wife. I know Aragorn will find out who did this and when he does..WATCH OUT!! The punishment will be swift and I can't wait for that when it happens!(Sorry, I am getting ahead of myself) The part with Eldarion keeping his sisters occupied with his story was absolutely precious. How old is Eldarion and Elenwen? I know how old Gilraen is. I'm trying to figure out who this traitor is and it is driving me nuts. Wonderful chapter. I am grateful for the quick updates. Thank you. Again, can't wait for the next one. Keep it up! I am so thrilled with this fic.

Maranwe · 13 January 2006 · Chapter 5: A Friend on the Doorstep

I am shamed to say I almost forgot to review this chapter. And I almost didn't review. You have a nice little pattern going and I am loathe to be the one to break it. *g* 2-4-5-4-2-4-if I didn't review. But I shall and am, and it is ruined. lol. Ah, you wretches! You lead me to believe Legolas wouldn't show up for at least another chapter. :-P But as I wanted to see him anyway, that is a deception I shall forgive you. Generous, no? I feel like I should be speaking with a french accent. Ah well! ~Aragorn could not help a stab of old humor no matter how hard he tried. "Does that make you wish for a family of your own, then?" "Never in my life!" Legolas proclaimed with a laugh. "And don't you dare give your wife ideas of searching anyone out for me."~ *bursts out laughing* Oh, the timing on that was priceless... I'm afraid this shall have to be my favorite part, simply because of earlier. Oh my... And Eldarion tracking Legolas and ending up in the pool... Ah, I loved all of it. I shall be here quite a long time if I go back and point out every part. Muah. I did get a little confused about the traitor, though. Is he near the bedchambers? Alright, that's probably a stupid question. But where are those, in relation to where Aragorn and Legolas are? Up a floor? Same floor? Down a floor? I think I could probably figure it out if I went back and studied it, but I'd undoubtedly get distracted by the yummy Aragorn and Legolas banter that came before... *sly grin* So what do you say? Mm, I didn't really expect it to help - just thought it would be cool if it did. lol. I grew up with guys, so I learned how to throw and catch the ball before I learned the rules. Kinda funny really. But I know the rules as well as any guy, and they always give me funny looks when I get more into than they do. That's worth it right there. lol. Anyway, I'll see you again in a little while. I think I'll try and review right after I read the chapter instead of waiting. I don't have anywhere to go or anything, so maybe it'll work. Right... Cheers!

RS · 13 January 2006 · Chapter 5: A Friend on the Doorstep

ARagorn's domesticity becomes him. Your portrayal of the Royal Family is how I pictured them to be. But the picture of happines has been disturbed. We all knew it wouldn't last, right? Oh my gosh! The traitor got to--I'm assuming--Arwen. It was brilliant how you cut to each scene; Legolas and Aragorn's, conversation, then to the sneaky traitor, and then to the hissing reptile, then back to Aragorn and Legolas. BRILLIANT. Very suspenseful. I am biting my nails and patiently waiting for your next update.

Imbecamiel · 12 January 2006 · Chapter 5: A Friend on the Doorstep

*drags self in* Whew. Dragging big branches around in the snow all afternoon for a bonfire is *hard* work. Who'd a thunk it? *collapses onto floor* Um, I'll just do the review from down here, if you don't mind... Absolutely love this chapter! YAY! Aragorn and Legolas are BOTH back in the story! And the trouble's already started... Woohoo! Arwen's in biiig trouble now... Which means more elf and ranger trouble coming up, right? Not to mention... ANGST! Yeah! Ehm. *looks around* You don't think anyone heard that, do you? *attempts to put on innocent, harmless air* I mean, I REALLY wouldn't want ANY of them to suffer the slightest physical, mental, or emotional trauma, after all. Honestly, I think that the poor people have suffered more than enough already, and it's about time they had a break, and a nice, uneventful, happy story. And that's what you're going to give them, right? *smiles in her most insincere manner* Hehe... Not that I'd do any *complaining* of course, if things were to turn out differently, mind you. Um, in other words... Bring on the angst! Sorry I can't do any more tonight. It's laaaaaate, my mind's already gone to sleep (not that you could tell, right?), and my body's begging to follow :-P Imbecamiel P.S. I actually don't have anything more to say. Well, I do, but my mind's not awake enough to say it. But I had to add a post script anyways, just because I like them. Um. Yeah. It's really time for me to go to bed. G'night!

Sio · 12 January 2006 · Chapter 5: A Friend on the Doorstep

Ah such sweet evil cliffies. My dearies you learned that one far too well. And THAT was an excellent evil cliffie. Been too long since i had a good one of those! Ouch. You know a good cliffie is like the anticipation before Christmas, but at least at Christmas you can shake and feel all the packages. Oh by the way, Sticth likes Queen Mavranor - especially her laugh. He's taking to imitating it. We arent letting him read the rest of the story until he stops it. Okay review, right... back on track. The garden scene was well done. So easy to just imagine oneself sitting there in a corner and watching it all take place. The comfort and ease and peace flowed well. And it was really fun seeing Legolas' return to Gondor and his friend. Eldarion in the pond was funny! Poor kid, he'll never learn that you cant fool an elf! That was also very cool the way the story went back and forth between the ambience of the dinning hall and the dark unease of the traitor and his nasty reptilian surprise. *That* was fun reading, like watching a movie cut back and forth as the music builds and the tension increases...and then...then...then the nasty evil cliffie!! hehehe wow great build up and wonderful monster cliffie (with monsters in it too). Looks like a long drop to the next chapter. Do you think i could boorow Jack, he's used to living on the edge. It so odd being on this side of the cliffies. Kind of fun though for a change. Does this mean i get to beg for new chapters? hehehe Honestly, LOVED the chapter! Nice balance between calm and chaos, dark and light, friends and foes...okay I'll go now. I think i need coffee, its still a bit early for me! Thanks for the great story!!! Sio

Lia · 12 January 2006 · Chapter 5: A Friend on the Doorstep

Oh my goodness! This is such a good story! I can't wait for more. ^_^

Imbecamiel · 10 January 2006 · Chapter 4: Hobbit Knight, Hobbit Holdwine

*blinks* Well, now HERE is a rare situation. Something goes wrong (nothing very unusual there), Pippin is right in the middle of it(again, hardly uncommon), but it is in NO WAY his fault or responsibility! In fact, he actually *prevented* things from being much worse! And to top off this incredible situation, it's an Aragorn and Legolas story, and something goes wrong, and not only are they NOT right in the middle of it, neither one of them gets even the very slightest injury! *dies of shock* Though, of course, seeing as it IS Aragorn's daughter who caused the situation, I suppose you *might* say he's sort-of involved, if only because it couldn't have happened in the first place if it weren't for him... *ponders* Aww, Gilraen is SO cute, though! You two are doing *so* well with Aragorn's children. So very few people seem to be able to do young children well, but you are handling them excellently! LOL! I totally cracked up at Pippin's reason for not having noticed he had a broken rib: "I was hungry." He! Perfectly reasonable... if you're a Hobbit, that is. *g* Hehe, and his biggest problem with the Houses of Healing - they serve light lunches. How horrible... *shakes head seriously* A hobbit could sue for something like that! It's *got* to count as neglect of patients, or... something. Of course, considering Aragorn would probably be the judge, I doubt he'd get taken too seriously. Poor hobbit. *g* Oh, I love Eomir and Merry together! You do them *so* well! *sighs happily* It's so wonderful... You use such a wide variety of characters, but all of them are so perfectly in character. Mmm, I particularly loved one line: "As if, without using any such words, he'd just announced the sun was shining outside." That's such a beautiful description! Merry is so much more perceptive than most people give him credit for. I’ve always found it so interesting, the way both Merry and Pippin grow up so much during the course of LOTR, but Merry does so so much earlier, and always does seem to be the one that “gets it” the fastest. Again, I love him and Eomir together! I think he’s the perfect kind of impromptu counselor for a Rohirrim king :-) (And I love his story about Pip, too. ROTFL! Too funny.) Ooo, and what a lovely, mysterious, vaguely menacing-sounding note... I think I can pretty well guess at what most of the phrases might mean. Except the “avoid seaweed” part. Hmm... So “Lord Ranger” and family are in grave danger, and it‘s too late to send any warning or help? YES! *sheepish* Ahem. Um... I mean... I hope everyone’s alright? *whispers* Except Aragorn! And Legolas! He’s going to be in trouble too, isn’t he? *hopeful look* Setting up for a very interesting story! Can’t wait to see what happens! Imbecamiel P.S. Hmm, you just might have something there - it might not be the best of ideas to call him “poor, sweet, depressing Bartho” to his face... But then, considering Erynnbenn did survive the whole Lindamar-mentioning incident pretty well unscathed, one might have a fairly good chance of surviving calling him poor, sweet, and depressing after all... Eh, probably still best not to risk it ;-) P.P.S. Oh YES! I definitely re-read your stories! Yours is among the very best fanfiction I’ve found, in *any* fandom. LOL, and I am currently in the process of re-re-(I don’t know how many times)-reading “Darkest Night”. Hehe, haven’t read it in a little while, so I’m having a lot of fun remembering details I‘d forgotten! P.P.P.S. Are you planning on doing a shortened parody version of this story like you did for “Darkest Night”? I loved that! P.P.P.P.S. Can you tell I’m addicted to post scripts?

Maranwe · 10 January 2006 · Chapter 4: Hobbit Knight, Hobbit Holdwine

Fair warning, huh? Guess I can't bust you for it. Darn. *g* But there is Aragorn next chapter? And he has a substantial part? You didn't promise that but after two chapters without him I feel justified asking. A matchamaker? Me? No way. It was a little birdie whispering in my ear. lol. And it's always the men set against it that get caught in the snare. Besides, everyone else is married, so it's time. He won't believe it but that doesn't make it false. It makes it inescapable. *g* Mmm. Are we supposed to know Tantur? And if Duurben's his uncle, who's his father? I'm confused. And I can't see the significnce of the part. I know there must be one, but I'm lost. Rather amusing, though. Brings to mind times I've been watching kids. There were quite a few climbers in my classes over the holidays. They really liked tabletops, and bookcases (short ones, though, so they never got out of reach, thankfully), and slides - but they liked to go up the slide part instead of the ladder, so that's why that was bad. And Ben liked climb into the shopping cart (plastic kiddie one, not the real thing) and he fell of a step stool and the grille in one of those little tykes houses... ok, too far off topic. You see what happens when I'm Aragorn deprived? My favorite part was Merry and Eomer. Surprising, really, because there are just so many parts to choose from. *evil grin* But it was cute. And I liked Eomer's reliance on Merry's bluntness. And I'm curious to see what Eomer makes of Merry's story as it pertains to the actions of his Marshalls. ...That sounds too much like a school sentence. Eh. ...Is there any particular reason he's called 'Eomer King' and his wife 'Queen Lothiriel'? It's been bugging me, so I have to ask. Criptic note. Crimson Lady isn't Mavronor(did I mispell that? I think I did.) is it? Do we learn who Queen Berthiriel (I hve to have mispelled that) is? And you never answered me about the upcoming (next chapter, apparently) attack being what brings Legolas into the pciture. Or if you did, I managed to miss it. You didn't, did you? Respond in poetry, please. *g* Muahahahaha. Ah hem. Favorite quote: "Oh Valar," he breathed. "Send the help I cannot give." There's just something about the ending of your chapters so far that draws me. *g* Strange, ain't it? Well, what the Jags did was lose. Again. I am well and truly mad at them. My faith is forever shaken. ...But you don't know anything about football. So, real quick: two teams, 11 players on each; quarterback throws the football to the recievers while the cornerbacks, who play for the opposing team try to stop them from catching the football. Two end zones, one at each side of the field. Running or catching the football inside it gets you 6 points, plus an extra point attempt; a field goal (which requires a kicker to kick the ball through the yellow tuning sticks *g*) gets you three points. 4 20-minute quarters; team with the most points at the end of time wins. Don't I feel smart now. Did that make sense? Anyway, I have to go take a shower then get to bed. I'm taking spanish, two lit classes and a writing class this semester, and my first class is at 9 o'clock. And as it's already after 9:30, I'm cutting it close. Long live Aragorn! *muah*