Dreamflower's Mathoms II by Dreamflower
Marigold · 23 August 2006 · Chapter 21: A Passing Troll
Oh, what a perfect fate for Hyacinth! And what a sad fate for the poor old troll! I got such a tickle out of this Dreamflower!
Author's reply
Yes, everyone feels sorry for the poor old troll--even me! LOL! I'm glad it gave you a giggle!
Grey Wonderer · 22 August 2006 · Chapter 21: A Passing Troll
LOL I love this one! So many little nods and in all the right directions.
Author's reply
Thank you! Thank you! *bows*
demeter d · 22 August 2006 · Chapter 21: A Passing Troll
Oh, my, oh, my! No one will really know what happened, will they? Such a naughty bit of fun!
Author's reply
No, they won't. And even if they have a sneaky suspicion, they won't want to say anything about it. It was naughty, wasn't it? *grin*
Pearl Took · 22 August 2006 · Chapter 21: A Passing Troll
Oh, what you're leaving up to our imaginations!!!! Did Hyacinth merely skidadle or . . . ? I can well imagine her being a cause of severe indigestion ;-) Written with Bodkin in mind, eh? Is she the troll or is she Hyacinth? Or the folks who won't be missing either one? LOL Thie is most cleverly written, Dreamflower!!
Author's reply
I thought it would be funnier if I didn't go into detail! Let us say that since Bodkin has been telling me ever since "A New Reckoning" that Hyacinth deserved to be eaten by a passing troll I finally decided to oblige her, LOL! Glad you liked it!
Larner · 22 August 2006 · Chapter 21: A Passing Troll
You wicked, wicked soul, you! Certainly not a polite guest, this Troll, who chose his own meal, and one that was unlikely to agree with ANYONE! Oh, how appropriate, and how like Sam to suggest they plant ivy about the stone troll to soften its potential to frighten the natives! Oh, this is rich! Now to find the story and read the last chapters that were posted during my absence from the Web.
Author's reply
Guilty as charged--Bodkin made me do it! *giggle* I've always held that Hyacinth must have been pretty indigestible, so I finally decided to show it. Ivy would do it--kudzu would probably do the job better, but even in a silly story like this, I don't think they'd have had kudzu in the Shire. Sam would never have tolerated it! And I see that you did--how lovely to find an inbox full of reviews this morning! I will check them out soon!
AspenJules · 22 August 2006 · Chapter 21: A Passing Troll
Oh, you actually *did* it!! ROFLOL Poor old troll... *walks off giggling*
Author's reply
Well...it *is* AU. Poor old troll. *grin*
Mum's the Word · 22 August 2006 · Chapter 21: A Passing Troll
*blink blink* Poor troll. Poor daughters, not knowing what happened to their mum. Poor Hyacinth. Smart Sam! Brave Sam, Merry, and Pippin! *tries to think of something clever to say, fails, continues blinking*
Author's reply
*grin* I just couldn't resist. Bodkin has been hinting at this for *sooooo* long, she finally wore me down, LOL! And it *is* AU.
Queen Galadriel · 22 August 2006 · Chapter 21: A Passing Troll
Oh, Dreamflower, you didn't! Okay, she deserves it, but I still feel sorry for her. I think I feel sorrier for the troll though. :) God bless, Galadriel
Author's reply
Yes, I feel very sorry for him--I imagined him somehow roaming into the Southfarthing and having to hide up in the daytime, and not finding anything to devour at night--and then he comes across this stringy tough old creature, and thinks a little snack wouldn't be so bad...
Lindelea · 22 August 2006 · Chapter 20: Into Fangorn
Am still reeling from Hyacinth-being-eaten-by-a-troll. When I glanced at the chapter list just now, I thought this chapter was titled "Into Fangirl". Just thought you'd like to know.
Author's reply
ROTFL!!! *snerk* Don't put anymore wicked ideas in my head, please! *giggle*
Lindelea · 22 August 2006 · Chapter 21: A Passing Troll
Wicked! You did it! I (almost) can't believe you did it! (Won't Bodkin be pleased?)
Author's reply
Well, I *did* say it was AU. I couldn't *really* do it, just in case I might need a nasty villainess again sometime, you know.
Kitty · 16 August 2006 · Chapter 20: Into Fangorn
Merry discerned the situation very well. The orcs *were* sent to capture halflings, and if they hadn't found Merry and Pippin, they would've continued to look for halflings. So Merry and Pippin don't have failed Frodo, on the contrary, they helped him to escape, even if unknowingly. Otherwise the War could have ended very differently, I suppose. (In the movie this was hinted at very obviously, wasn't it, when the cousins distracted the orcs on purpose). Somehow I am glad the two realized this - it is a certain comfort for them in this situation, stranded in a foreign country and forced to rely on themselves instead of Aragorn, to know they at least did something important for their beloved older cousin.
Author's reply
Yes, the movie was much less subtle about this than the book--but it served the same purpose. And it *was* a comfort. They'd come all that way to *be* with Frodo, and to be forced away from his side had to hurt a *lot*. Knowing that very thing could have been the saving of their cousin, I am sure was a help and comfort.
AspenJules · 16 August 2006 · Chapter 20: Into Fangorn
That was really sweet. It touched me to read how they had spoken lightly of their escape, but couldn't bring themselves to talk of their capture and their last sight of Boromir. Aahhh... poor Boromir. *sigh* All in all, very nice little snapshot.
Author's reply
No, it's one thing to make light of their own hurts and traumas, it's quite another to try and speak of one who made the ultimate sacrifice for them. I imagine it will be a while before they will feel able to do that. Thank you very much, dear!
Bodkin · 16 August 2006 · Chapter 20: Into Fangorn
Merry is very bright - he can see more deeply into matters than most. He and Pippin are decoy hobbits, and they've been doing their job well. And those jobs aren't finished yet.
Author's reply
He can. And a few minutes to think, when his head had cleared and they were no longer in the Orcs' possession, soon gave him the answer. No, they aren't--not by a long shot...
Larner · 15 August 2006 · Chapter 15: Family Reunion
It's really too bad that the truth all too often is unsavory or at least a bit tart. But in this case Folco earned that toffee, I think! Lovely comeuppance for Lobelia and Lotho.
Author's reply
Yes, I think he very much earned that toffee. Even if he *didn't* mean to. My Folco is very much like the lad in "The Emperor's New Clothes", except...he never grew out of the tendency to blurt out the truth. Lobelia and Lotho certainly deserved it, every bit.
Larner · 15 August 2006 · Chapter 14: What Might Have Happened...
Alas--the idea of what might have happened had this occurred is terrifying! Gaack!
Author's reply
When you think of what a slender thread held everything together, you realize just how much JRRT did believe in that Purpose behind it all. But this particular circumstance--really, ever since my earliest reading of The Hobbit I've thought that relying on a few scratches on the door was really pushing things...
Larner · 15 August 2006 · Chapter 13: Fifteen Years After
I remember two years ago when I found my copy of Bilbo's Last Song, and how glad I was to find it with the double set of illustrations. To find it here is equally a joy, Dreamflower, and particularly as gently used as it is. And Aragorn heard the song as well.... Thank you.
Author's reply
I love that Song myself, and had recently been listening to it in the beautiful musical setting composed for it for the BBC Radio version of LotR. I thought doing a calligraphic rendering of it would satisfy me, but it insisted it wanted to be worked into fic as well. Yes, I thought it only appropriate, as they were thinking of their dear ones...
Larner · 15 August 2006 · Chapter 12: Proper Beginnings
Oh, such a wonderful telling of how the two couples got their start on romance! And so very well told indeed! Love it, Dreamflower.
Author's reply
I've thought for a long time about how sweet and perfect it was for those two friends to marry one another's sisters, and that perhaps they had come to realize where their affections lay at about the same time. In rural societies like the Shire, such early budding romances are not unusual. I am glad that you liked it!
Larner · 15 August 2006 · Chapter 11: Appearances Can Be Deceiving
Ooh, somehow I managed to miss this one! Love the meeting between Aragorn and Bilbo, and the tale of how the poem was written. Two of our favorite folk brought together like this! Wonderful!
Author's reply
I am glad you liked this. There have been many plausible takes on the subject, but Marigold's prompts gave me the idea for this one. How *would* Strider/Estel/Aragorn/the Dunadan appear to one who did not know? And how *would* Bilbo react if he thought someone dangerous had gotten into Elrond's Valley?
Queen Galadriel · 15 August 2006 · Chapter 20: Into Fangorn
Oh, this is so sweet. I love these moments between the cousins. They didn't have to worry-Frodo was under two ever-watchful eyes and, when he needed it, in excellent care. But I wish I could reassure these two all the same. I've often wondered what would have happened if they had all gone with Frodo... God bless, Galadriel
Author's reply
Well, they were probably worried about Sam as well, truth be known. Of course they loved and trusted Sam also, but there is nothing like one's *own* two eyes--or four, in their case! I think it would make a marvelous AU--but there is so much else that would have to be accounted for--who would see to it that the Ents went to Isengard, or that the palantir distracted the Eye, or that the W-K got slain? who would have seen to the saving of Faramir and Beregond? I really would like to see such an AU that cleverly addressed these changes... But I don't think I'd care to write it myself!
Pearl Took · 14 August 2006 · Chapter 20: Into Fangorn
This is so perfect!! I can so see them having this discussion. Wonderful, Dreamflower!!!
Author's reply
Thank you! I could too. JRRT tells us they were *having* a conversation, but didn't tell us just what they were saying, and I think this particular subject would have been on their minds.
Lindelea · 14 August 2006 · Chapter 20: Into Fangorn
...but this was marvelous, and so very believable! Trust Merry to think it through. Wonderful!
Author's reply
Thanks! It seemed a plausible bit of conversation. Frodo had to be very much on their minds at the time. He did need to take a few minutes. He'd been whacked on the head, and then had followed Pippin's pell-mell escape plan without much time to think. But he's very quick on the uptake, and I am sure that it occured to him at once that their capture had been advantageous for Frodo. Pippin, on the other hand, was beginning to wind down, and was probably more than ready to step back and put things back into Merry's hands, now that Merry was feeling up to it once more. So he was also ready to speak of his worry to Merry, who of course would make everything better! And he did.
Andrea · 14 August 2006 · Chapter 20: Into Fangorn
Pippin nodded. “I think you are probably right.” “I usually am,” Merry said with a smile, and an attempt to lighten the mood once more. “I would think you’d know that by now.” “Insufferable Brandybuck!” Pippin chuckled. “Cheeky Took!” He flung his arm around Pippin’s shoulders, and on they wandered, into the Wood. LOL!!! "Conversing lightly in hobbit-fashion" - that's what they do, exactly! I just love your Merry and Pippin :)
Author's reply
Yes, that is the hobbit way, and JRRT renders it so perfectly. I love Merry and Pippin, too!
harrowcat · 14 August 2006 · Chapter 20: Into Fangorn
Wow this is a really logical conversation for a Brandybuck and a Took to have but I can just imagine it happening. It is one of this snippits that you feel SHOULD be in the book and, when you see someone write it you wonder why he didn't. Brilliant Dreamflower. Perhaps Pippin should tell Merry about the vision now.
Author's reply
Well, you know, in that part of the chapter, he tells us they are "conversing lightly in hobbit-fashion", he just doesn't give us the exact details of most of the conversation--so we have to fill that in ourselves, LOL! I have a feeling Pip kept that to himself for a long time.
demeter d · 14 August 2006 · Chapter 20: Into Fangorn
Of course, they helped. Merry is absolutely right. they did lure the orcs away from Frodo. And, we know that in the end, Merry and Pippin ended up right where they were needed. What a Hobbitty tendency, to deal with heavy matters witha bit of jesting,ike a light in the dark.
Author's reply
Yes, they did. Not on purpose in the books (unlike in the film) but nevertheless it *is* what they did. And there was no doubt, to paraphrase Gandalf, "that they were *meant* to be in Fangorn, and *not* by the Orcs", LOL! It very much is a hobbity tendency. When I was reading the chapter, I just loved the bit where it says "As they walked, they compared notes, talking lightly in hobbit-fashion of the things that had happened since their capture. No listener would have guessed from their words that they had suffered cruelly, and been in dire peril, going without hope towards torment and death; or that even now, as they knew well, they had little chance fo ever finding friend or safety again."
Larner · 14 August 2006 · Chapter 20: Into Fangorn
Excellent reasoning for Merry, and the perfect reassurance for Pippin. Nice brief look at our favorite duo.
Author's reply
Yes. Book-verse, unlike movie-verse, they did not deliberately set out to lure the Orcs away; yet the movies did show their spirits--it is just what they *would* have done, had it been necessary in the book. But they had to have worried about what had happened to the others as they were being "Orc-drug" across Rohan. And I think that it wouldn't have been hard for Merry to work it out, and make Pippin feel better. It was rather short. I had hoped to do something a bit longer with the scene, but a reading of the chapter showed me there wasn't really a long enough gap for it.