FantasyFan
· 31 August 2006
· Chapter 36: Late Supper
That palantir remains a very tricky thing.
I’m sorry about Ferdibrand,’ Elessar said then. ‘I saw his burial, or the start of it, at least...
Even for the king it is very hard to interpret what it shows. The truth, but the interpretation of the truth can at times be difficult. Fortunately for Farry, seeing the ruffians hiding in the rocks and waylaying Farry and Ferdi is not subject to much interpretation. I loved the idea of the king bellowing from his tower and running off. Strider has a bit of a protective streak toward his friends too: bet Pippin learned from him.
Idle speculation: I wonder if the king himself could give evidence against the ruffians at any trial, based on what he saw in the palantir? He was an eye-witness, of sorts. There is that business of interpretation though...
Athelas in the hands of the king is almost as good as Ent-draught, they say. Better, because there isn't the pain to accompany the cure. I liked the echo of the other Faramir's call, in the way Elessar finds and brings Farry back. I think we've discussed before exactly what we think athelas can do, and I think here it especially fits in with my previous thoughts of its active ingredient being something like a chelator: binding and removing poision whether of the physical or spiritual type. Here it binds up the "permanent" ink - removing stain, in both senses of the work, from Farry. That's a nice, tangible thing for the youngling to grasp, and makes a visible step toward convincing him that the ordeal is over at last.
And the final cure: food. Food is comfort, familiarity, sustenace, social activity, love. Perfect for hobbits. It is life back to normal. But, Farry will be allowed to stay up for late supper, and in a way this is also an acknowledgement that he must be treated a little different from what he was before. He has survived a terrible ordeal that would have broken many adult hobbits, and he cannot be treated entirely as a baby any more. (At least not until Diamond gets a hold of him.) I know this story was not in your original outline, but it does fit with the character of Farry as we know him from your other stories. He's a little more serious and a little more thoughtful than other lads his age. Having extraordinary experiences like this (as well as having extraordinary hobbits as his parents and closest contacts) must contribute to his character.
Author's reply
I love the image of athelas as a chelator, and that it can bind both physical and spiritual toxins. Your character analysis of Farry is spot on. So often I find you give me insights into my own characters, things that are true about them, that I wrote in, without complete and deliberate thought. The Muse so often surprises me with things like that...
Dreamflower
· 31 August 2006
· Chapter 36: Late Supper
*grin*
This is just so beautifully perfect, it really is! *sigh* If I had time I'd read it again right now, but the DH's alarm will be going off in just a few more minutes.
I love this scene--Strider's like a loving father, who will take care of things and make them all right.
Lovely, just lovely!
harrowcat
· 31 August 2006
· Chapter 36: Late Supper
Yeah! the hands of the King are the hands of a healer. Greatest chapter yet but I've got to run as I am late for work. Will try and come back to comment more fully!
harrowcat
· 31 August 2006
· Chapter 35: Eventide
This tale twists in ever deeper coils (and we love every minute)! Surely this ruffian isn't going to get away! You can't do that to poor Farry!
We thinks that Glen might be wrong about the honour to be shown to our favourite ruffian don't we? I like the way that you use the snow to link these paragraphs.
Pippin is too worried to be very fair about the ponies isn't he? You can'tkeep ponies saddled and bridled 24/7. And I love these hobbitesses! Now there is another story begging to be told!
And well done Sandy! Always able to distract a hobbit with food!
Author's reply
As you know by now, he didn't get away. Though EF sorely begged me to let him.
Thanks!
Larner
· 30 August 2006
· Chapter 36: Late Supper
Bless them all! Late supper it is, and Aragorn has been making certain all is in readiness for them.
I LOVE Aragorn, of course; and rejoice the athelas in the hands of the King has removed that stain as well as the one on the poor lad's heart.
Larner
· 30 August 2006
· Chapter 35: Eventide
Yes, these two lasses deserve sensible husbands at the least.
And if Brawny Guy thinks Sam will let him go so easily, or that slipping under the water will save him in the cold, he IS a fool! I take it the guy is setting himself to die of either hypothermia or drowning? I hope he doesn't truly escape.
As for Red--he almost deserves hypothermia.
Author's reply
Definitely sensible husbands. With their sort about, I don't think ruffians would dare set foot in the Shire. Talk about keeping a frypan handy! (I just flashed back to that Moria scene in the film, Sam and his frying pan. Perhaps a similar incident made it necessary to send these lasses off to the Tookland disguised as lads...)
Perhaps he'd prefer hypothermia or drowning to being hung up in a tree for bird-seed? Or maybe he's an incurable optimist and really thinks he can get away.
We'll see.
MaidenofValinor
· 30 August 2006
· Chapter 35: Eventide
Eeep. The ruffian is too smart. xP He can't get away, he just can't!!
Aww...Rudi is cute.
Haha, I mean, cuter than normal hobbit-y goodness.
I liked this chapter. :) Can't wait for more from you.
Sorry about the short review; I'm trying to get an essay done. xP
Author's reply
You're right. He can't. (The author is exhausted, and even though the Birthday Person is dropping hints, this story is just about done.)
Awww. Glad you like Rudi. I'm rather fond of him myself. And when he grows up he's going to marry a, um, spitfire. And he deserves her. LOL!
Hope you got the essay done. I've been playing hookey tonight from what I *ought* to be writing, myself.
So must get up extra early in the morning to try and catch up.
Which means I'd better hit the pillow now.
Toodle-oo!
cookiefleck
· 30 August 2006
· Chapter 34: In which a Took considers justice
Loved your clever and devious Sam in this chapter. (And I just love Sam, period, so am glad you wrote a bit more of him than usual into the story.) Thanks!
Author's reply
Nice to meet you!
Have you read anything by Rabidsamfan? She writes a wonderful Sam.
And I've had a bit of fun with him in the past, too, in stories like "Frogs" and "All's Well That Ends Well" and "Truth" and "To See Justice Done". (The latter is where I give him a great deal of the credit for Aragorn sparing Beregond. Hmmm. Wonder what JRRT would have made of that.) He is such an interesting character!
Anyhow, thanks for stopping by.
Pearl Took
· 30 August 2006
· Chapter 35: Eventide
A bit of a rest from difficult topics and unpleasant talk. A very nice breather :)
Author's reply
Yes, for the most part it is clear sailing ahead. Just one more little unpleasant piece of business (Red and brawny man's final fate), but that is a small fish in a relatively large body of calm water, at this point in the story.
Whew. Made it through. Wasn't sure I could manage, and I'm certainly glad to be in the part that I enjoy writing the best, the hobbity part.
Ruffians. Someone else can have them. I certainly don't want 'em!
Pearl Took
· 30 August 2006
· Chapter 34: In which a Took considers justice
Sorry I'm late getting to this chapter, I missed the notice somehow :-(
Justice indeed. Though it always has amazed me that even in such places the crimes still get committed - always the hope of not getting caught I suppose. I'll admit that I've aways been a bit uncomfy with proved, known tortourous murderers being "peacefully" put to sleep after they gleefully inflicted such angony on their victims. Or simply incarcerated in a modern American prison, which while not the most pleasant of places, isn't really all that bad. But, there is always the fact that no matter what is done to the criminal, it will never bring back the ones they destroyed.
What a mess evil always causes and leaves in its wake.
Author's reply
Aw, well, thanks for stopping by anyhow. Sometimes I don't get notices, and sometimes I don't even get reviews until I read them on site! (But then it's always a pleasant surprise to discover one, sort of like having an unexpected gem winking at me.)
I have a morbid fascination with justice, I think, which is one reason EF can tempt me into writing this sort of fare. Lawyers in the family, and oh my, the stories they can tell...
Yup, evil is. But Good wins in the end, you know.
Dreamflower
· 30 August 2006
· Chapter 35: Eventide
Well, Brawny is desperate, but I don't think he's got much chance of getting away alive now.
And Merry and Pippin are not far from the Bridge now. I love the ostler's daughters, and Pippin's comment on it! You'll have to show us more of these nameless lasses someday.
And meanwhile, back at the Great Smials, they toodle along in (relative) ignorance...
Author's reply
I just love those lasses. They remind me of what my late brother called "uppity women". (He married one.)
Poor Brawny. I almost pity him. Almost.
demeter d
· 30 August 2006
· Chapter 34: In which a Took considers justice
Greetings, Lindelea. Real Life has required me to cut down on reading time. I just got this new, but have skipped chapters. the last i read was Farry's rescue and the young ruffian's repentant death. i will have to catch up.
I just had to camment on this, tho. We know that our Sam is too good-hearted to really do such things. But I have heard of too many real bad guys who think that every one thinks as they do. I am sure that these two you have drawn for us would believe that Sam would do that. They were certainly intending too. I hope that Sam's tale helps them think, at least a little, about how they have been treating their victims. Well written. And, from what I have heard and read, only too real, in history and even now.
Author's reply
Ah, that Real Life. I understand. I had several months of no reading and almost no writing time, and I'm sure that when the summer break ends I'm going to have to cut back again.
But for this last week of summer, I'm indulging myself. Whew.
So glad you took the time to drop by.
You're right. Too real. It's why I stopped reading "true crime" and murder mysteries. Even gave up such mild fare as Agatha Christie for months, though I have revisited one or two of her books this summer.
Bodkin
· 30 August 2006
· Chapter 34: In which a Took considers justice
I reckon it's not bad for Tolly to know that a swift death is much kinder than some of the things that could be done to those two. And, actually, since Red is definitely ... disturbed ... it's probably the best outcome for him anyway, as he could never be readjusted to normal life. Then, Brawny has had plenty of chances - and chosen to be part of Porky's team. And, in many ways, this is a very mild torment for those who marked Farry up like a side of beef.
Come on, though! Stop doing a Sam on the poor reader! Have Pippin and Merry reached the bridge yet? Have the hands / athelas of the King done their job yet? Has Ferdi remembered that Farry is in the hands of villains?
Author's reply
Stop "doing a Sam"? There's one I haven't heard before.
Y'know, perhaps it *is* better for Tolly to know a little something about Men's punishments, especially after he had pity on those two earlier men. (Wonder what their story was? One of them was a good talker, at least, if he was able to convince a suspicious Took.)
Disturbed. Such a gentle term to describe someone like Red. I'm glad I'm not one of those writers who keeps letting the nutcase get away, for sequel material. (Have been reading the Sharpe series. The nutcase keeps getting "killed"--at least Sharpe and the reader are meant to think so, to hope so, and then he comes back in a later book to haunt Sharpe.)
Author Reply: p.s. just one more thing being juggled: What *is* Ferdi going to name his little lass? Especially now that he can't say anything?
It's all in the next chapter or two, pending time to type it in.
Thanks!
MaidenofValinor
· 29 August 2006
· Chapter 34: In which a Took considers justice
Eeeww. The bit about the tongue creeped me out.
I can't help but chuckle at the mean-ness of what Sam's doing. Torture them, buddy. They deserve it.
Author's reply
Sorry about that. In truth, the whole concept creeped me out. However, I am assured by my historical consultant that such punishments were meted out in past times. I certainly hope they aren't used in present times. But people even today do pretty barbaric things.
Whew. I'm glad to be getting back to lighter topics soon!
But I'm glad you can chuckle in the middle of all the nastiness. Who'd've thought that Sam had it in him?
Thanks!
Dreamflower
· 29 August 2006
· Chapter 34: In which a Took considers justice
Oh, yes! Talking about it is plenty sufficient, I think. And Sam knows it--I'm rather glad it's Sam doing the talking, rather than Rangers. We tend to think of Sam as an old softy, but in reality, he was nothing of the sort--he'd never have survived to do what he did otherwise. And any pity he might have felt for these two would die a-borning, knowing they'd had more than one chance to turn themselves around, yet did not.
An excellent touch to make the more tortuous penalties those which were meted out in the East--very right! I'm glad you went in that direction.
Those two ruffians are pretty hard of heart, and it's not going to occur to them that maybe it's nothing but talk, because after all, it's the kind of thing *they* do to others--especially Red.
Poor Tolly, though. While Pippin might be glad to know the monsters had to suffer through this conversation, I'm not sure he'd be happy to know that Tolly had to listen to it.
Author's reply
Talking about it is very sufficient. I just can't imagine the Rangers being so, um, uncivilized. Although something in me wants them to stoop to a little trickery of their own, to add to the ruffians' misery, just a bit. I'm sure that they detest child-stealing as much as the lords of the Easterlings and Far Harad (where I didn't write it, but I imagined the lords staking out a condemned man over an anthill, or in the desert, or something similar). *shiver* I watched too many scarey movies in my wasted youth.
Thanks for your wise and considered advice! (Do you think the Rangers might make the ruffians *think*...?)
I think Tolly was intended to listen to the conversation. He did, after all, let two Men go, earlier, who had penetrated the Bounds of the Shire for whatever reason--if they'd made it all the way to Tookland, their motives were highly suspect. The hobbits cannot afford to be soft-hearted. (Most of the time, anyhow.) The Rangers, hopefully, can tell the difference between a wanderer who lost his way from someone deliberately violating the Edict.
Larner
· 29 August 2006
· Chapter 34: In which a Took considers justice
The imagination is a worse torture than what is done to the body. Sam is being very wicked, and he knows it. But I suspect it will in the end make it easier for these two, who will face a swift death after all, and not have THAT to look forward to over days of pain.
And I don't blame Tolly, either for the retching or the insistence on hearing it all to the end.
Will see you probably the week of the fifth, I think.
Author's reply
Sam is indeed being wicked. He's not just your average garden-variety hobbit; he's been tempered in the fiery furnace. He is not cruel by nature, but I can see him taking it on himself to make sure the ruffians get a little extra punishment, for Farry and Pippin's sake.
Looking forward to seeing you! (I hope!)
harrowcat
· 29 August 2006
· Chapter 34: In which a Took considers justice
Woah Lindelea! I think the warning is very justified. I am not sure how a gentle soul like yourself is writing this stuff but it IS very fitting to the story. I am glad that I haven't had breakfast yet. But at least I finally got online to read it. My internet connection is playing up, darn it!
Author's reply
Well, thank you for the compliment. "Gentle soul" is very much how I think of myself (or even "timid", LOL), most of the time. I have a few "bad influences" in my life, one of them the Birthday Person, who delights in reading graphic murder mysteries and real-life murder novelizations, as well as horror (such as Stephen King), and sometimes talks about her latest find over coffee. I suppose it is only to be expected from someone who majored in Medieval Torture at University.
O excuse me, for she'll correct me if she reads this: The major was in Medieval Studies. All the reading and papers to write were torture. (Or so she likes to say...)
Sorry to hear about your Internet connection. We have a very slow dialup, and sometimes have trouble connecting, and staying connected, so I sympathise.
MaidenofValinor
· 28 August 2006
· Chapter 33: In which a well-earned rest is interrupted
who’d sent his mustered hobbits
Mmmm, hobbits are much better with mustard.
YAY. The King, the King, the King!!
Haha. Oh, so mysterious.
Your plots twists confuzzle me.
It's like YAY THEY FOUND FARRY....
oh, wait...he's like....mysteriously unconcious?
I am glad to see they decided to give the ruffian a proper burial.
xD
Author's reply
Mustard, now why didn't I think of that?
Too many plot twists in this one, definitively.
But thanks!
Pearl Took
· 28 August 2006
· Chapter 33: In which a well-earned rest is interrupted
Marvelous!! All Right!! WOO HOO!!! Strider knows!! The hands of the King are the hands of a healer!! Most excellent!!
(is that enough exclamation points? LOL!)
Author's reply
Very nice distribution of exclamation points. Quite encouraging!
harrowcat
· 28 August 2006
· Chapter 33: In which a well-earned rest is interrupted
Duh! Come on Pippin! You at least should know how the King get to know what is happening! I did wonder if the healing hands of the King were somehow going to be involved. And the Kings' justice to I trust. I am glad that our favourite ruffian gets an honourable burial. But what is Diamond going to say when she eventually finds out!!!
Author's reply
Well, remember that he's been under a lot of stress and up all night.
Hmm. Sounds familiar.
I too am wondering about Diamond... If she finds out before Pippin tells her, he'll be in deep water. But if he's the one to tell her...
FantasyFan
· 28 August 2006
· Chapter 33: In which a well-earned rest is interrupted
Elessar is at the bridge. I wonder if he saw Farry's spirit beginning to wander? If so, it really is a matter of life or death, if they arrive in time for the healing hands of the King to call him back. Or was he watching in the Palantir? Can a hobbit die of grief, I wonder, like an elf? Farry has been through shock after trauma, but the last one, seeing his rescuer cut down because of him, might have just been too much.
The height of irony, that the dead young ruffian is to be buried in Ferdi's unneeded grave. Pippin will have some words to say, indeed, and I wonder if the hobbits can be made to understand? They don't understand the magnitude of the crime to start with, so how can they understand the enormity of what the youngling had to go through to reject the course the other ruffians had set for him? Maybe they can understand the simple truth of putting your own life in the way of danger to another, and that is all they need. Regi, though might get the whole story out of him - he's already suspicious. Pippin's clever plans though, might be thrown into disarray for the need to get Farry to Aragorn. And Diamond's no fool - she'll figure out something is amiss pretty soon too.
Those Quick Post ponies have certainly proved their worth over the years, haven't they?
Author's reply
Elessar will tell why he came to the Bridge, and very soon. I think the post ponies ought to make the trip in about four or five hours at the most, if I'm remembering right from my study of the Pony Express, while writing "Down and Out".
Why, it's even possible that Pippin, Farry and Merry will be back in Tuckborough by the dawning...
I know that a hobbit can die of grief, because that's the solution I came up with, to JRRT's assertion that hobbits seldom marry twice. But dying of grief at loss of one's other half is different from Farry seeing his one protector among the ruffians gasp his last. No, I think that Farry's grief is just part of a whole picture, a lot of which has to do with the way Red keeps coming back like a bad nickel. But can I make that clear in the story, without tromping all over the plot like an elephant?
Feeling very dull and tired today, and have no coffee in the house. (By choice. But at the moment, it seems rather like the King's Edict. Very annoying, when you get right down to it.)
UnicornsTears
· 28 August 2006
· Chapter 33: In which a well-earned rest is interrupted
I did a little judicious editing because I knew you were on vacation - are you back? I wasn't sure how much web access you have. We can talk about it on Weds. Same time, same Starbucks?
This has been *such* a birthday present! Better than Smeagol's any day.
Author's reply
Thanks, I am back.
(You thought I posted from a campground? Yes, a lot of them do have electric hookups. No, this one did not. We even had to feed coins into the shower to get water. Ai!)
Same time, same Starbucks. (And I'm hooked on coffee again, after four days of cadging coffee from fellow campers. We offered to share our PG Tips in exchange but for some reason they preferred their coffee.)
Need chocolate. You got any?
And I'm really not sure this Strider-at-the-Bridge works. Can't he pretty-please step into the Shire? I know, I've been stubborn about the Edict in past stories, but really, I'm tired. And I have four more loads of laundry to do.
And twelve chickens to cut up for the freezer. Why don't you come and help?
Bring coffee.
Bodkin
· 28 August 2006
· Chapter 33: In which a well-earned rest is interrupted
It is a Good Thing, I think, that the young ruffian who saved Farry should be honoured by the Tooks. Not that it makes much difference to him now - but because it'll do the Tooks good to know that there is good in men. And that it's not all in noble men of high descent, but that there are ruffians and ruffians.
And I'm not surprised that Farry has gone into shock now that the pressure's off. Another good thing that the King has ridden to the bridge, too - and I just hope that getting Farry there (instead of the King meeting them halfway) will be enough. (Otherwise the old men-banned-from-the-Shire edict will take on a rather bitter irony.)
Next chapter, please.
Author's reply
Y'know, I think that Edict business is really a bother. But I have decided to write as if it really matters that Elessar honour his own Edict, and that somehow fate or Providence or whatever you want to call it honours him for his, um, honorableness?
I had thought of him showing up at Hoard Hill, and really, it would have been easier, but EF challenged me to make it work this way. I surely hope it does. I do not want to rewrite this story. (Actually, I hate rewriting in general, anyhow.)
OTOH, if I lose patience, there just might be a notice in the story summary that the story's been rewritten.
I mean, is it stupid for Elessar to observe his Edict in life-or-death situations?
Or is it opening a can of worms for him to step over the border every time there's an emergency?
(Considering these hobbits and all their fans, who keep writing angst for them, there'd be an awful lot of emergencies.)
Am weary. Can you tell? Holidays take a lot out of one.
Dreamflower
· 28 August 2006
· Chapter 33: In which a well-earned rest is interrupted
Poor Farry, in serious shock, is in need of the hands of the King! How fortunate that Aragorn was in the north! I'm guessing he made use of the Orthanc stone--I'm surprised Pip didn't think of that, or Merry--but they are rather distraught at the moment.
I'm glad Pippin left instructions to give the youngster a decent burial, and once they know the explanation, the Tooks will understand.
This was a wonderful twist I wasn't expecting--but I'm very glad to see it, as it means the story will be longer...
Author's reply
Poor Farry. I suppose if serious shock isn't believable we could throw in a little slow poison for the king to have to deal with. But really, shock ought to do it, don't you think? Don't need any more plot twists. Need to get this story finished so I can go on to more belated birthday gifts.
But I think that Farry is going to be severely traumatized by this evil, considering his tender years, and the King might as well nip it in the bud, as not.
I wonder if shock could be deadly to a 10yo hobbit child? After all, hobbits live a pretty sheltered life, when not being wooed away on adventures or such.
Larner
· 28 August 2006
· Chapter 33: In which a well-earned rest is interrupted
Well, how would he THINK Strider would know? Between Palantiri and his foresight, I truly think Aragorn would be aware when Faramir Took needed his presence and aid as the King Returned.
Really, Pippin, sometimes you babble!
Glad that they are going to honor the boy, for he deserves it.
Author's reply
Um. I bet Strider doesn't flaunt the Palantir in front of his guests, especially Pippin, so that they don't think of it all that often. That's just a guess, though.
But you're right, Pippin does sometimes babble. It seems to fit. *g*