Pearl Took · 23 May 2006 · Chapter 4: Tending
This is beautiful, Elemmire. Beautiful.
Author's reply
Thank you very much, Pearl Took, for reading & reviewing. I'm glad you enjoyed.
Halflings by Elemmírë
Reviews (37)
Larner · 22 May 2006 · Chapter 4: Tending
Oh, I am so glad that Merry now cares for the grave and gravestone. How this must have torn at him, at the same time it helped him feel at one with his beloved cousin/brother, so far away. Very beautiful. (Check the initials, though.)
Author's reply
You're exactly right. After Frodo sailed into the West & his parents' siblings were passing on, I wondered who would be left to care for Drogo & Primula's final resting place. Since they died in Buckland, it's only logical that they were burried there as well (although I've a little bunny nibbling my toes on that matter). I think the task would have eventually been handed down to Merry due his close relationship with Frodo & also as Master. Merry would find it a hard task to bear, yet one that will also help his own healing of never seeing Frodo again. Merry can no longer take care of Frodo in any way, shape, or form, but he _can_ still take care of Frodo's beloved parents, as it may be. Perhaps when he & Pippin left for Rohan & Gondor in their final years, the tending of the grave was passed down to Merry's child(ren). Thank you so much for catching my little error!!! I was horrifed when I looked back & saw those initials! I had a lot of trouble posting in HTML code with this particular story & must have edited it at least ten times to get it right before publishing it. I think that mistype happened when I was editing that particular section & it got overlooked once I had my original errors fixed. I have since fixed Drogo's initials. Computers, sigh. Thanks for the read & review, Larner!
Larner · 22 May 2006 · Chapter 3: Goodnight, Frodo
Oh, so VERY sweet. And love this silly but loving ritual. Very realistic.
Author's reply
Thanks! This is just how my mother would sometimes tuck me in as a little girl. She would say "goodnight" to eveything in my room, then pretend to leave wondering if she left anything out, which was my cue to say "Me!" She wouldn't play this little game all the time, so I never knew when to expect it, which makes it all the more sweet & endearing to remember now, years later. Glad you enjoyed!
Queen Galadriel · 22 May 2006 · Chapter 4: Tending
Oh, you've got me crying now. This is so...words fail me. Yes, Merry, dear, loyal Merry, would be the one to take over the care of the grave when no one else could. Your descriptions of the surroundings are vivid and lyrical. I think of all the little fics in this collection, this is my favourite so far, sad as it is. *wipes eyes* God bless, Galadriel
Author's reply
I'm so glad you enjoyed. It is a very sad glimpse of life, isn't it. When Frodo left Middle-earth forever, whomever was left of his parents' siblings would themselves have been very old & not up to the task of climbing up the hill to tend the grave. Drogo & Primula's deaths would have affected many more hobbits than just their son. I questioned who would care for their final resting place after their immediate family had passed on. Merry & his parents seemed the logical choice. Merry would not let the grave fall into ruin even though he never knew his aunt & uncle Baggins. He would do it for Frodo & in a way find healing himself in his beloved cousin's absence. I wanted to write this story in a way that the reader would initially think of Frodo being the one to tend his parents' grave & not really know at what point of time the story was taking place. I wanted the reader to see & feel what a well-trodden journey this path up the hill had become & that the oak tree was symbolic of the many important events in Drogo & Primula's life together, including their death. However, at the end I chose to reveal that instead of Frodo making this annual journey & ritual, it was a very old Merry who had taken up the task in his beloved cousin's stead. As always, thank you for reading & reviewing, Queen Galadriel. May God light your way. ~Julie~
Queen Galadriel · 15 May 2006 · Chapter 3: Goodnight, Frodo
I love writing from life experiences, and I love reading it when others do. This is so sweet! I just adore these quiet moments and little rituals, and the end couldn't be more perfect. :) God bless, Galadriel P.S. I read "They Grow Up So Fast," but for some odd reason the link to leave a review isn't working for me right now (computers and their quirks...*sigh*) but I just wanted to tell you I found it very sweet and moving, from beginning to end.
Author's reply
I, too, love writing from real-life experiences--sometimes they show up as just a brief mention in my stories, other times they make a useful plot, like this one did. I find that incorporating my memories & experiences ensures that they will never fade away & will be there to share with others like yourself. As always, thank you kindly for reading (both) & reviewing! Namarie, Elemmírë
Antane · 12 May 2006 · Chapter 3: Goodnight, Frodo
Lovely, sweet and loving story! Hannon le! Namarie, God bless, Antane :)
Author's reply
Thank you for reviewing, Antane! I'm glad you enjoyed. Namarie, ~Elemmírë~
shirebound · 12 May 2006 · Chapter 3: Goodnight, Frodo
Such loving scenes as this just melt me into a happy puddle! And my parents had a similar "ritual" for our bedtime. *hugs you, wee Fro, and Beorn*
Author's reply
I got a Shirebound hug!!! Yippee!!!! (wee Frodo & Beorn help me to scoop Shirebound puddle up and send her to Gandalf and Elrond to be reconsituted ... so she can write more stories!) I'm so happy you liked! ~Elemmírë~
Larner · 9 May 2006 · Chapter 2: They Grow Up So Fast
Yes, so soon he will be of age, and Bilbo will be making his way toward Rivendell, beyond it to Erebor once more, then back to Rivendell to remain for many years yet. And the innocent child who ran naked from his mother will lose what innocence he once had to find peace again only when he has left Middle Earth behind.
Author's reply
Very true & thank you for writing such a poetic review, Larner. ~Elemmírë~
Larner · 9 May 2006 · Chapter 1: Questions of Loss
Movie-verse, I see. Poor Frodo, left wondering like that, not knowing that his own adventure will be far different and more serious than Bilbo's was.
harrowcat · 8 May 2006 · Chapter 2: They Grow Up So Fast
Ah these are lovely snippits Elemmire.
Author's reply
Why thank you, Harrowcat! Thanks also for reading & reviewing. ~Elemmírë~
Queen Galadriel · 2 May 2006 · Chapter 1: Questions of Loss
Oh, poor Frodo! That theme seems to be repeated over and over in his life, that theme of losing something. First his parents, then Bilbo, then a part of himself, taken by the Ring. You capture that very well here. It's good to know that Frodo and Bilbo were together in the end, though. God bless, Galadriel
Author's reply
Thank you for the review! Poor Frodo, he's always being left behind by those he loves, except for Sam, Merry, & Pippin of course. Frodo does get rewarded in a way when he gets to see Bilbo again & spend the rest of their lives together in the Blessed Realm. Short of having his parents back, I think that's all Frodo could ever ask for. I'm glad you enjoyed! ~Elemmírë~
Elemmírë · 30 April 2006 · Chapter 1: Questions of Loss
TO ANTANE: Hi, I was replying to the review you left me--I went to fix a spelling error in it & I accidentally delieted your lovely words. I'm sorry! Here is my reply to what you wrote. Thank you for the review, Antane. I'm glad that you liked it. Frodo has had to deal with a lot off personal losses in his life--I wanted to explore the various possibilites of how they affected him differently and yet also the same. While he may have been able to better deal with Bilbo's leaving than his paretns' deaths, Frodo still no doubt would have been affected by the leaving of his uncle, who became everything to him as he grew up. I would imagine that even though Frodo knew Bilbo was still out there in Middle-earth, he would worry and wonder what became of his beloved uncle. Namarie, ~Julie~