Reviews (219)

Author's reply

I know what it is to do without a computer! Fortunately for me it wasn't for so long! Oh yes...Rudharanion--I'd have given him a shorter name if I had known he was going to stick around for so long, but I wasn't planning on bringing him back at all after his first appearance. But he kept popping in, and popping in...and popping in again! Some people just don't know when to leave! But I guess that's all right, the story needs a "growth" character to provide some drama and teach our hero a thing or two about himself. And I'm sure Frodo will help him earn his "jewel" in the end!

Author's reply

Not familiar with it...but I did a little search and it sounds interesting (if--ahem--somewhat familiar), might look into it sometime. I used to be a horror movie buff (I'm weird, I admit it), and have seen a few movies in which the dead come back, and it's never a good thing, quite the reverse. As some tagline for a Stephen King flick goes, "sometimes dead is better." On the other hand, Lazarus didn't seem to mind being brought back, and I suppose Amras will get quickly resigned to it once he's recovered and happily married and raising a family and so forth; heaven can wait. But when he's just re-occupying his battered body...no, not pleasant. And I dare say Frodo's standing in the eyes of the populace has increased dramatically, not that it was ever really in doubt! Why not, indeed..."Rudy" may have a few rough edges still, but I'm sure he's redeemed himself sufficiently to warrant giving him a mate, and yes, maybe Salmë is what he needs; she has a sense of humor and can keep him from taking himself too seriously, and perhaps even keep his notoriously roving eye from straying too much! ~~~{~@

Author's reply

So good ol' Rudy can say something worthwhile, can he?;);) even if he does have a tendency to, um, overstate sometimes. I may have to wrap up the story pretty soon although I don't exactly want to, since the central event in it is the writing of Frodo's story, and that, along with the dramatization thereof, has been accomplished, and I don't see what more could come just now. But perhaps some shorter pieces in the same universe will come about. Then again, maybe the Muse will say, "Oh no you don't!" and slap me with another thread, who knows! We'll just see, preciousssss........ blessings & cheer Armariel ~~~{~@

Author's reply

Hmmm, well, I think any vestiges of guilt he had are gone by now;) And I doubt there is anything he wouldn't be happy to share with Sam either. "Spiritual counselor" is somewhat my own invention--at least in this universe. I haven't heard of a spiritual director, but "counselor" rings more gently on my ears than "director," which sounds to me more like someone who tells you what to believe, whereas a counselor would offer advice and comfort and helpful instruction. Frodo has said recently that he knows now that his excessive guilt feelings were the Enemy's doing, and at this point the Enemy knew he was in a vulnerable position and attempted to strike at him through Frodo's dream, but Frodo was able to rebuke him and escape, thereby finding the courage to call Amras back from the Halls of Mandos, in part thanks to Galendur whose earthy humor helps to keep him grounded as well. In "Bear Me Away" Elrond was his first counselor of the sort you mentioned--his "shrink" you might say--who helped him find the way to defy his enemy and learn to help others do the same. Then Elwing became his spiritual counselor who led him to attunement with the Divine and eventually helped him learn to cope with the death of Bilbo. Gandalf and Dundeloth have served in that capacity as well, so it seems Frodo is in good hands. Hope to have the next part up in a couple of days. Thanks for reviewing! hugs Armariel ~~~{~@

Author's reply

Frodo is guilty only of post hoc reasoning--"A happened then B happened, therefore A caused B." Still, he is of a different race than the others, and perhaps is unconsciously aware that people tend to blame those of different races, religions, etc. for misfortunes that occur. But Elves, being of a higher and wiser sort than medieval peasants or 19th-century rednecks, would surely not subscribe to such a superstition and would be more logical in their reasoning. Yes, I thought there must surely have been some deaths there, because of...well, what you said. Especially among young boys who tend to do stupid things anyway (good thing they didn't have drag racing!) and I picture the terrain there as being a bit rugged, as in the illustrations, so surely some must have met with fatal accidents at one time or another. And I grew intrigued with wondering what effect such deaths must have had overall. (And perhaps felt there wasn't enough angst going on? Well, maybe!) ~~~{~@

Author's reply

Ahh...but those suffering grief and/or guilt don't always respond to logic, even when they admit it to be sound, do they? Yes, poets may have a certain advantage over other folks in being able to put their deepest feelings into words...although on the other hand, they tend to feel more deeply also...or so it seems! But yes, spilling it out surely helps, and praying also...and after that, well, we'll see! hugs Armariel ~~~{~@

Author's reply

Why thank you Dearie! A friend sent me some photos of a "glass" butterfly once, I still have them somewhere; the wings actually are transparent. Don't know what country they are native to, though. So I thought I'd just incorporate them into my universe:) I've been to such cities (San Antonio is one, NYC is another) where every time I go out into them, I discover some lovely or unusual thing I didn't notice before, often in out of the way places, as well as in the usual streets and squares. They usually happen when I'm NOT expecting them, rather than when I've got an eye out for them. Thanks soooo much for reviewing! Hope to have another chappie up before the end of the week. hugs Armariel ~~~{~@

Author's reply

Wish I could have seen it too. From what I've heard/read it was a success. Wish I could at least find the script online so I could get an idea of how, um, Rudy's, should go--a screenplay and a stageplay being two entirely different beasts! Well, of course I've no intention of presenting it in its entirety anyway *g* maybe just fragments. I recall reading that the ancient Greek dramas had to be sung in order to be heard in those vast ampitheaters, so it seems the Greeks actually invented opera, unless some other ancient culture thought of it first (like the Elves, for instance?) I seriously didn't think Frodo would want to play himself, so I figured the next best thing would be Bilbo...which would surely make the old hobbit proud! Thanks so much for reviewing! blessings Armariel~~~{~@

Author's reply

Hmmmm, sounds like love to me;);) and what could be deeper? I forget who said "Those who forget their history are doomed to repeat it" but I thought it could hold true even in the BR. And who was it that said "The truth will make you free"? (Yes, yes, I know:D) He may have groaned a bit at the first, but one day he'll be proud and joyful that he played such a part in keeping the land free and safe. (Who wouldn't be?) hugs Armariel~~~{~@

Author's reply

Yes, I imagine that the advent of hobbits to the Blessed Realm might have served to make squiggly hair fashionable at least among the youth! Still, I suppose the fuddy-duddy parents wouldn't have gone in for the idea of foot hair to match! Seems a lot of readers like my girls...I've noticed the parts in which they appear get read more than the others. It's nice to be able to provide Frodo with the kids he'll never have himself! The parts with Galendur get read more often also. Yes, I dare say he could prove to be a good influence on Dinlad...although he could maybe end up teaching him things his mother would rather he didn't know as well! Such is the fun of being an uncle/older cousin/grandpa--have fun with the kiddies and then send them back home to their parents! Another nice thing is that the Elves grow up much more slowly than mortals, which I think is a good thing for Frodo...his elflings will still be children by the time he's ready to take his leave of the world some 60-odd years later, although how good for them that will be, I'm not sure. Maybe kids can deal with loss better than adults can, sometimes. Thanks bunches for reviewing! ~~~{~@

Author's reply

Somehow the idea of a tiny hobbit praying by the seashore in the moonlight just enormously appealed to me! And I suppose only kids would ever want foot hair LOL Yes, I just had to make sure he was beloved by all...he should be compensated in some way! Must surround him with friends who just couldn't do without him until Sam comes along! hugs Armariel~~~{~@

Author's reply

You're most welcome Dearie! Yes, he'd have made a fine dad, I'm sure! But, being childless myself, and likely to remain so, I've had some of the same thoughts he has been having, and saw fit to put them into the story. And like himself, I've come to no real conclusions. Thanks for reviewing, and so glad you're enjoying the story! hugs Armariel~~~{~@

Author's reply

He should have, and he will...in the next part. Yes, probably should have in this part, and I did have him going out to look for her originally, but scratched it out thinking the chapter was getting too long (I don't like to have chapters much over 4000 words, and this one was getting on for 5000!) and settled for Lyrien's mom bringing her in. I imagine Frodo got considerable practice in Brandy Hall in his youth persuading balky children to take their medicine! And I should imagine he's learning some lessons in patience from the Elves...which will surely pay off richly in the end! ~~~{~@

Author's reply

Yes...good instincts and good genes! A pity it's not to be, but there are wounded souls all over the Island and he'll have a hand in healing some, so his potential won't all be wasted!:):) blessings Armariel~~~{~@

Author's reply

Or something, yes....Have to admit I did play around with the idea of getting them back together eventually (even before you suggested it;);)) but then I finally decided, Nahhhh...just wouldn't work! Or the Muse decided it, or whoever (it really does feel as if it comes from outside of me and I am just taking dictation, or something...) Yeah, he still needs more straightening out before he's ready to settle down. He's not exactly husband material yet! And I'll bet Aredhel will be looking a bit sharper at Alcandor, and watching for his good points, and perhaps conclude pretty soon that despite surface appearances he's really a bit of all right.........:D ~~~{~@

Author's reply

Well, I didn't think Frodo told much more than he told Sam in the tower what happened...I thought the only thing he added was the orcs touching him, and I've found out myself that you can only keep something to yourself for so long, sooner or later it has to come out, even if it will upset your dear ones to hear it. And Frodo does mention that he considered it a mistake for Salmë to have held back so much from her great-granddaughter--perhaps if she had told the girl more and shared her true feelings about what happened to her, Aredhel might have turned out less self-centered and unempathetic. Not that Sam would ever have turned out so, of course. But perhaps Frodo has concluded, maybe unconsciously, that too much holding back of the truth is not a good thing all around, and needs to get it out. Oh yes, it does cut me to the heart when my best friend tells me she's hurting badly and I can do nothing about it, but I just have to bite my tongue and let her tell me, if it helps her any at all! hugs Armariel~~~{~@

Author's reply

Ah well, a gal can dream, what?;) Well, this gal would dream of somewhat taller guys, but each to her own! Actually I think the Dark Lord in question here was Morgoth/Melkor, the Lucifer of the Valar, and Sauron is just his patsy...but yes, they are both devils to be cast out in that sense. I'm not totally comfortable with the hurt/comfort school of fanfic writing and when I catch myself indulging in it (maybe it's just a bit of a guilty pleasure sometimes, but I often feel there's something slightly perverse about making a character suffer just so we can "make it all better"), I try to get out of the hurt as quickly as possible and temper the "comfort" with a touch of humor. That way I can feel less guilty;);) I would venture to say that the memory of torture is virtually impossible to overcome completely. But Frodo in "Bear Me Away" scored a victory over it and Sauron by choosing not to have his memory erased, so it may haunt him occasionally but never dominate. ~~~{~@

Author's reply

Yeah...she seems frozen in that adolescent phase in which she sees herself at center stage and every eye in the universe is fixed on her alone, just waiting for her to screw up, and she'd as soon be seen without her clothes as with a hair out of place. But she's hardly adolescent any more and needs to grow out of it fast. (Reminds me a bit of my ex-roommate, but she at least had a heart...of sorts) Happens that way sometimes when parents or parental figures who had to grow up too fast try to ensure that their children will have it better than they did, with the result that some of those kids end up not growing up at all, or not fully, and with little or no appreciation of what their parents went through. So maybe Aredhel will grow up...who knows? We'll just see! ~~~{~@

Author's reply

Heheh...well, they are all the same universe, the same narrator, some of the same characters! And I doubt my muse is going to turn me loose anytime soon, so there will be more...hopefully I'll keep getting ideas, and I've been known to get some from reviewers like yourself, so please keep it up! Since this one isn't a story in the usual sense but a series without any apparent plot, I've no idea how long it will run, as long as my inspiration holds out, I suppose! Thanks once more for commenting! ~~~{~@

Author's reply

Hi SWG and thanks for reviewing! Actually I don't know how long this one will keep going, for as long as I have inspiration, I guess. I've written two other stories of Frodo in the Blessed Realm, "Bear Me Away!" and "Anemone", in case you don't know already. Those are on this site also, and this one is a companion-piece to them. After I finished them, I got to missing that universe, so I decided to write more...and "Light from the West" was the result! It was meant to be a series, but behaves more like a serial at times, so I suppose that's what it is. Whether it gets to Sam's arrival remains to be seen. He does appear in "Anemone", so it's for sure he WILL get there. Thanks once more!:):) hugs Armariel~~~{~@

Author's reply

Maybe he will, maybe he will...he's a bit undecided at the moment (not being the most resolute of souls)! I'm guessing Salme is going to get pretty popular very quickly and might like to have some fun and make up for a bit of lost time before deciding on a suitor, and at this point I don't see her settling on Rudhi...and I've a feeling Aredhel will realize soon that she's not the center of the universe after all and may seriously consider cleaning up her act, and then...well, yeah. It could happen. Maybe. Yeah, I've a feeling there would be plenty of trouble in paradise if he threw her over for her grannie...(but wouldn't Bilbo be tickled pink...heheh!) We'll just see, preciousss! Stay tuned..... ~~~{~@

Author's reply

I think our hero is gradually forgetting himself in his zeal to help others. Good and practical way of dealing with a troubled past! But I think I'm secretly hoping Rudie doesn't become TOO sensible...wouldn't know what to do with him then;);) But I'm guessing some fur is gonna fly when Aredhel finds out how he feels about her grannie.....maybe......! We'll see, precioussss! hugs Armariel~~~{~@

Author's reply

Yes, Love is blind and Guilt is hard of hearing;) And characters often have minds of their own--just when I think I'm done with good ol' Rudie and try to dismiss him, he keeps popping in again, silly bugger!--and asking for ONE more scene, just one...and another...and another....Oh well, nothing to do but let him have his way. Keeps Frodo on his toes at least *g* All in a day's work for a Peacemaker! ~~~{~@

Author's reply

Oh yes, how to tell a person his/her beloved is really a rat is always a nasty dilemma...been there, too chicken to do that, hope I never have to go there and do it again! Hopefully Rûdharanion is not seriously in love, just infatuated and is already beginning to see for himself and might grow less willing to overlook the obvious. And hoping that Frodo's idea works out..... ~~~{~@

Author's reply

I've a feeling that pearl was a sort of pass-key to Frodo's dreams...which will have to sustain him until he no longer has the responsibility of looking after Bilbo. Then he'll find a little comforter and get all the happiness he deserves...too bad there won't be children of his own to round it out but yes, it's a land of miracles so there will be compensations perhaps!