GamgeeFest
· 25 October 2006
· Chapter 15: In a Room Blazing with Light
Oh! Poor Sam! I hope he didn't hit his head too bad when he passed out. After all the excitement and running around when he wasn't supposed to be and worrying about Frodo, it's no wonder it all finally caught up with him. Seeing such an operation wouldn't have been easy under normal circumstances. It's admirable how he tried to tough it out so he could be there for Frodo.
Frodo's breathing easier - and now so are we. What a relief! Though it sounds like he has a long road back to recovery. I hope he doesn't have too many of those complications that Elrond listed.
One slip up I noticed, I hope you don't mind if I point it out: you had Mikah in the room helping with the tubes, and then a couple of paragraphs later, he was knocking on the door bringing the wine bottles. I think you meant for Peter to be helping with the tubes. :)
Author's reply
Oh, GamgeeFest, I never thought of Sam hitting his head! Great idea, though. Sam is now giving you the narrow-eyed look he gave Strider as the Ranger sat in his corner of the Prancing Pony in Bree.
I don't mind at all having errors pointed out to me - I appreciate it. In this case, though, I think you might have missed where Elrond (politely) sent Mikah and the litter bears from the room, with Legolas following. Mikah is tasked with getting the wine bottles later. Peter stays and helps. In reading it over I did notice I spelled Marly's name wrong in a couple of places. Arggghh! I want to win the lottery so I can spend all day writing and pay my dear Marigold to beta for me, so she wouldn't have to work either...
Author Reply: And after saying that, GamgeeFest, I read it over again and found you were right. I'm so sorry! I changed it, and thank you for pointing it out for me. You have the eyes of a beta, which is a high compliment.
Andrea
· 24 October 2006
· Chapter 15: In a Room Blazing with Light
His last thought before darkness rolled over him was that he'd take fainting over being sick any day.
Oh dear! I have to agree with Sam. But, whichever of those two possibilities might have occured, they would have reached *me* earlier ;-)
So, I would like to say things are looking good for Frodo, but with all the complications Lord Elrond mentioned and the "can-it-get-worse" contest in mind, I'm not so sure, not at all, dear Budgie!
Peter and Marly? Well, I think I should read much more of your stories :)
Author's reply
I shall have to write a story in which Frodo stays in bed all day, Andrea, and nothing terrible happens to him. I'm sure the novelty would appeal to him... :)
Marly and Peter are OCs from my "Some Nameless Place," which was a blast to write. It was one of those stories where it just pushed and pushed at me. I guess I wanted to see how far it would go - to the disbelief of my readers! I hope you do look it up sometime; it would make the references in this story easier to understand. Enjoy!
Aranel of the Golden Flower
· 24 October 2006
· Chapter 15: In a Room Blazing with Light
what! never mind fainting, I'd have been out of the room at the first mention of anything like that!!
Author's reply
I'm with you, Aranel. Things inside the body should have the decency to stay there. I even got a little queasy visualizing the action to write about it. Wimps, both of us, I'm afraid.
Pearl Took
· 24 October 2006
· Chapter 15: In a Room Blazing with Light
Good thing Elrond was there! Frodo is a tough old hobbit, he'll do fine. And i don't blame Sam for preferring to swoon ;-)
Author's reply
Frodo is cranking open one eye to glare at you, Pearl. He wants sympathy and cuddling and cooing, and you're being matter-of-fact? Somehow I think our dear Ring-bearer is going to be cranky and uncooperative during his recovery. He's so much more fun to write that way... :D
Queen Galadriel
· 24 October 2006
· Chapter 15: In a Room Blazing with Light
Oh...*shudders* poor Sam! I truly sympathize with him here; I know I'd be sick if I watched that. I shy away from my excited little siblings when they beg me to "wiggle my tooth and see how loose it is!" And poor Frodo, on the edge of unconsciousness and in a LOT of pain, still worrying about Pippin.
Yea! Peter and Marly and the boys from "Some Nameless Place!" How wonderful! They're your most delightful OCs, I think, and they'll fare much better here in Minas Tirith than in their own town after all that chaos.
I can't wait to see what happens next! Will all four Hobbits ever be back together again?
God bless,
Galadriel
Author's reply
*urph* I couldn't watch loose teeth wiggle, either, your majesty. Funny, growing up hunting and fishing as I did, I learned to butcher animals and pack up the meat, sometimes soaked head to foot in blood, but I can't watch a surgery being performed on a human. Poor Sam ... he's stronger than he thinks he is. (Good thing, isn't it?)
Elflingimp
· 24 October 2006
· Chapter 15: In a Room Blazing with Light
Well that was interesting!(I made it thru the chapter without fainting myself!) Poor Sam! How brave but in the end he hit the floor,But what about Pippin? will he become Orc dinner? Ill will be waiting for more patiently Thanks!
Author's reply
I'm glad the detail didn't make you pass out, Elflingimp. It made me queasy a few times, envisioning the scene in my head so I could write it. It's back to Pippin in Chapter Sixteen. (You should see the look on his face hearing your comment about 'Orc dinner'... ah, an active imagination is a wonderful thing!)
SurgicalSteel
· 24 October 2006
· Chapter 15: In a Room Blazing with Light
*crows with delight*
Perfect. Absolutely perfect. Frodo with a chest tube and a makeshift pleurevac. Love it!
Author's reply
*whew* *wipes brow* It's such a relief to know I didn't totally mangle Elemmírë's information. I think all doctors and surgeons and medical people have a gene the rest of us don't. I'd be waiting outside the room with Legolas and Mikah and the litter-bearers.
Dreamflower
· 24 October 2006
· Chapter 15: In a Room Blazing with Light
Oh how cool! Peter and his family from "Some Nameless Place"! That's just wonderful!
Poor Sam, having to endure all this--and without Merry, Pippin and Bilbo this time--thank goodness he does have other friends around him, even if not hobbits.
And Frodo--I love him thinking of and worrying about Pippin even though he is just about ready to go under the knife again!
This was a wonderful interlude!
Author's reply
Oooohhh ... I wish I had put in a passage about Sam being all alone during this, against hobbity nature, that is. I might have to steal your idea, Dreamflower.
Marigold was the one who said a long time ago she wanted to see Peter and Marly again, and maybe the couple could come to Minas Tirith after the Quest. See what her innocent remark produced? 'From such molehills are mountains made...'
harrowcat
· 24 October 2006
· Chapter 15: In a Room Blazing with Light
Ooh poor Frodo. I'm not normally squeamish but I felt just like Sam. Keep those complications at bay Elrond - please!
Author's reply
At least Frodo was mostly out of it, Harrowcat. Poor Sam! It is more awful to watch someone you love suffer than to suffer yourself, isn't it?
Elemmírë
· 24 October 2006
· Chapter 15: In a Room Blazing with Light
Gosh, I was so excited to finally read this that I forgot to thank YOU! Thank you for including me in your author's note, Budgie.
Much of the medical detail in this chapter is lifted verbatim from Elemmírë's brilliantly-explained synopsis...
*Blushes* .... and grins
Once again, you're very welcome Budgie and feel free to email me again in the future if need be. To me, it's an honor to be able to help out one of my favorite LOTR fanfic writers and to be mentioned by you ... well, I consider it very flattering. It was by reading your detailed stories along with some of the other authors here that inspired me to start writing down my own ideas and posting them. Thank you!
Author's reply
Reading - then writing - fanfiction is contagious! But unlike nasty viruses, we are making the world a better place! (And thank you for the offer - I just may request help again. I really appreciate having the resource.)
Elemmírë
· 24 October 2006
· Chapter 15: In a Room Blazing with Light
I LOVE IT!!!! This is utterly fantastic! You are so very welcome for the medical help, Budgie!!! Anytime. And you have seriously made my day when I logged on to discover you posted the chapter I've eagerly been anticipating. *squeals in delight*
Roaring elves and faithful Sam. (That's right Sam, 'while there's life, there's hope' as Bilbo's father used to say.)
Peter and Marley have returned! Very cool! (Frodo's going to have deja vu when he wakes--oops, I take that back. I'm glad Frodo got to see them before going under) Although it's sad Peter and Marley were forced to leave Ashville, they will be much better off in Minas Tirith under Aragorn's ministry. I just knew the gold the hobbits left behind would be put to good use one day. :) And now Frodo may have extra-special visitors in the form of Rich and Brion. I can't wait to see the rest of the Fellowship's reaction.
Air is trapped in the tissues of the body.” He pressed down and Sam could hear the faintest popping, crackling sound, like walking over dried straw.
The straw analogy is totally cool and totally Middle-earth. I was wondering what you were thinking of using there instead of "Rice Krispies". LOL!
You used the idea of the sterilized wine bottles!!!! (that one was my personal Middle-earth equivalent favorite from modern-day medicine ... I wonder what SurgicalSteele will think)
Oh, thought Sam, I should have eaten that sea slug instead a’ foisting it off on Mr. Strider … this sickness is paying me back for that bit of wickedness
ROTFL!! Poor dear Sam!
How do you sterilize the sealing wax, my lord? And make those bandages air and water-tight?”
Yes, how do you do that in Middle-earth? I love Elrond's response there and I really like the creativity of how you handled that scene/dilema. Very well done.
Sam’s head was swimming. He held onto Frodo’s hand as if it were his lifeline. “Thor … thora…”
“Opening Frodo’s chest,” Elrond supplied, holding up a long knife to examine it.
Sam swayed and from a great distance, he heard Marley cry out. His legs gave out from under him and he hit the floor with a thud. His last thought before darkness rolled over him was that he'd take fainting over being sick any day.
Oh, poor Sam! I know exactly how he feels. Been there, done that during my first clinical rotation and saw my first tracheotomy in a very over-crowded and super heated room. Except, I smacked my head facefirst against a wall, dislodging my teeth, fracturing my upper jaw, and ended up in oral surgery myself. Not an experience I'd recommend to anyone.
And Elrond's bedside manner, so matter-of-fact, just as anyone who sees this sort of stuff as everyday occurrences. LOL!
Very nicely done indeed, Budgie. I loved every bit of it and you incorporated all those medical details so very well. As always, I can hardly wait to see what you come up with next.
~Elemmírë~
Author's reply
I am so glad the chapter did not disappoint, Elemmírë. I felt so much more confident about writing it with the information you provided - again, you have my thanks. I knew when I first plotted the story that much of the action would take place in an inn, and your idea of using wine bottles as sterilized containers tied in so beautifully - I couldn't have anticipated that. And you even caught the writer's evasion when she couldn't explain something - hah! Good for you!
I have to caution you about tell me personal stories though ... especially interesting ones. They tend to end up immortalized in stories somewhere... *grins*
Larner
· 24 October 2006
· Chapter 15: In a Room Blazing with Light
Yes, I quite agree with Sam.
Our grandmother once declare when I grew up I was going to become a nurse and that my sister would be a teacher. Brother, did she have US mixed up! I couldn't be a nurse if I had to. I've fainted holding dogs to have their temperatures taken!
Author's reply
I wouldn't have been able to hold onto my lunch witnessing such a sight either, Larner. It would be all the more worse knowing it was someone you love. But fainting while holding dogs ... we might have to have a talk on intestinal fortitude!
Bodkin
· 14 October 2006
· Chapter 14: In the Light of the Dying Moon
While I'm deeply relieved that Elrond's sons have retrieved Merry, I am very concerned about Pippin. And now they've discovered he's not Frodo - I'm afraid that makes him very dispensible. Save that hobbit!!
Author's reply
Dispensible... that's a good word, Bodkin. Someone I can see Saruman using that word... poor little hobbit!
lotrgirl1415
· 13 October 2006
· Chapter 14: In the Light of the Dying Moon
PS: Just thought of something after i posted this review.....the orc took Pippin's RIGHT hand....the same hand that Frodo should be missing a digit from....
Do the orcs know about that.....does it have any significance to this story..???
Or am I making a wrong assumption..? It'd be cool if I actually figured something out..lol
xoxox
--Katie
Author's reply
You are not making a wrong assumption, Katie - it would be general knowledge that the Ring-bearer lost his right ring-finger, though the people may not know all the details. The orcs would know this, too. And if 'their' Ring-bearer has all his fingers...
lotrgirl1415
· 13 October 2006
· Chapter 14: In the Light of the Dying Moon
Hello Dearest Budgie-kins,
*wipessweatfromhead* Phew! I was worried there for a second…. Good thing those elves go there when they did...I’d hate to think of what would of happened had they not.
Poor little, hungry Merry…having to eat --what else but-- LEMBAS!
Also Poor Merry because he is so frightened for Pippin. Not knowing where he is or who’s he’s with.
Maybe we should let Merry read this story so he can go and find Pippin, before he is hurt too tremendously.
And of course, Poor Pippin! I wish he could have gotten away at that attempt…and now that mean orc has his little hand in his evil grasp. But if he would of, where would all the angst go? :)
But PLEASE don’t let them hurt his cute little hobbit hand! I’ll cry! :*(
Boy, I feel bad for all the hobbits in this Fanfiction…all hurt-y and sad…*cries*
Poor hobbit-kins! *huggiesforFrodoSamMerry&Pippin*
Can’t wait till the next update.
Keep up the great work BudgieLover…and keep the angst coming!
No galu govad gen
---Katie
Author's reply
Katie dear, your review makes me think I have finally hit the 'angst overload' button. I knew it was there, somewhere. Poor hobbit-kins indeed! Though Pippin would be sidling up to you and looking up with big green hopeful eyes (doubly hopeful if you have food) and the other three would hope for hugs and whatever else they could get. Absolutely time to start the 'comfort' part of this fic!
Ariel
· 13 October 2006
· Chapter 14: In the Light of the Dying Moon
It took me ages to find a spare, quiet moment to finish reading this, but I am glad I finally did. Very tense, very angsty, and a very tight plot - well done, Budgie! Now, when do we get back to Frodo angst? heheheheh!
Author's reply
You know, Ariel, I don't think I've ever seen such polarization in a story as in this one. We have the Frodo&Sam people on one end and the Merry&Pippin on the other, and never the twain shall meet. Strangely enough ... they both want heapings and heapings of angst!
Linda Hoyland
· 13 October 2006
· Chapter 14: In the Light of the Dying Moon
I'm glad Merry is safe now but poor Pippin! I eagerly await more.
Author's reply
Chapter Fifteen is all Frodo, Linda, but we return to 'poor Pippin' in Chapter Sixteen. (And are you ever right ... poor Pippin!)
periantari
· 11 October 2006
· Chapter 14: In the Light of the Dying Moon
ooo i just read the detail about the orcs seeing that Pippin had 5 fingers! sorry i missed that vital detail.
omg...::so excited for i guess Chapter 16 regarding Pippin::
Author's reply
All oversights made in excitement are of course excused! It's very Pippin-ish!
Elemmírë
· 11 October 2006
· Chapter 14: In the Light of the Dying Moon
Hi Budgie!
The twins (and their faithful horses) to save the day! Yeah!!!
Oh yeah, Lammor, hobbits just sneak up on unsuspecting Big Folk and attack them. *snort* I don't think Aragorn or anyone else in Minas Tirith is going to believe that lame excuse for a second.
Being friends with hobbits has taught us the importance of always carrying food.”
LOL!!
Oh my. I sure hope Pippin is found very, very soon.
On that note, I don't really need to tell you how anxiously I'm awaiting the next chapter Budgie, now do I? LOL!! :D
~Elemmírë~
Author's reply
Elemmírë dear, I suspect that Aragorn would believe the accusation of unprovoked attacks, having been the object of hobbity assault more than once. He would probably be the only one, though... :) And no, you don't need to tell me! It would have been a lot longer to Chapter Fifteen if you hadn't been kind enough to help me!
Periantari
· 10 October 2006
· Chapter 14: In the Light of the Dying Moon
This is one of the WIPs i actually dreamt about anticipating an update. lol
and omg! I enjoyed this one a lot. I'm glad that it's back to Pippin since he's in so much danger! But of course i'm biting down all my fingernails anticipating next chapter's which is going to be about Frodo, right? (so angsted out by that storyline that...omg..i just want good healing over there ;)
And yes! i'm glad MErry is out of the fire! So glad that ELladan and Elrohir came--i love those twins very much fro saving Merry!
I loved that bit about them knowing what a hobbit needs when his tummy growls. ;) ::sigh of relief that Merry's safe:: whew!
And Pippin! omg, poor Pippin! I grimaced so much when he fell. :( poor hobbit! i hope the orcs quarrel enough so that help comes for PIppin.
And i adore your Pippin in this story. Simply Adore.
Please have more soon! Very Soon!
Author's reply
I think we both adore Pippin, Periantari. He is so very adorable, as he knows just a little too well. We'll go back to him in Chapter Sixteen - you are right, Fifteen is all Frodo's. I'm so glad you are enjoying it, and looking forward to each chapter!
Andrea
· 10 October 2006
· Chapter 14: In the Light of the Dying Moon
Oh NO!!!
I knew it would happen, but in that situation, which was already the worst I could imagine? Oh dear!
I am really glad that Merry was rescued in the nick of time. The man was about to kill him ... I better stop thinking that over. He's safe now, that's important.
But Pippin! Someone has to find that rope, and quick! And once again you're proven right. Can it get worse? It can ;-)
Thank you for another breathtaking chapter!
Author's reply
Never let it be said that Budgie won't rise to a challenge!
*works feverishly on Chapter 15*
*falls over from exhaustion, angst, and jelly-bean poisoning*
aranel of gondolin
· 10 October 2006
· Chapter 14: In the Light of the Dying Moon
oooooohhhhh , I knew that someone would realise soon that Pippin wasn't really the ringbearer! oooooooohhhhhhhhhhh
Author's reply
Aranel, yup, you were right. Your "ooohhh..." tickled me no end. Thank you for that great response!
Frodo Baggins
· 10 October 2006
· Chapter 14: In the Light of the Dying Moon
OH NO!!! Don't you hurt my Pippin! I believe that actually puts the dear in a more dangerous postition!! Oh, do be careful for him! Or I will come after those dirty, bloody orcs with a vengence only cousins can have! And Hannon le for saving Merry in time. :) That at least, is a relief. :) Namarie!
Yours,
Frodo Baggins
Author's reply
Frodo Baggins, I have this mental picture of your flinging yourself in front of Pippin and holding off those orcs. It must be the Took in you coming out. :)
Queen Galadriel
· 10 October 2006
· Chapter 14: In the Light of the Dying Moon
Okay, head count. Frodo is sort of going to be safe...I hope...right? Merry is rescued (I love it!) Sam is with frodo, and Pippin is in the worst position possible. They've discovered him now, and now they have no use for him. Of course, when did that stop Orcs from tormenting their prey? I can only hope that someone will see the rope, or that the Orcs will start fighting again before they've hurt Pippin too badly to escape, and he'll get away. *tears* Oh, our poor, sweet Pippin! Please help him soon! Please!
God bless,
Galadriel
Author's reply
Your Majesty, you have been so kind with your comments that I am going to do something I rarely do ... and only for special people. You get a spoiler.
I can only hope that someone will see the rope, or that the Orcs will start fighting again before they've hurt Pippin...
No.
(hugs you)
Pearl Took
· 10 October 2006
· Chapter 14: In the Light of the Dying Moon
I feel breathless. The Twins arriving in the nick of time and now the ors with no real reason to spare Pippin.
This is a very tightly written suspense story. Wonderfully done, Budgie!!
Author's reply
Pearl, you always have been and again are so generous. Thank you.