Via Dolorosa or The Way of Sorrows by Antane
harrowcat · 15 July 2007 · Chapter 60: Dreams Come True
But my tattered hopes were woven into new cloth and so I hope the rest will come untrue where I will journey next, where the memories won’t be so sharp and cut at me until I am bleeding, but will be dulled by time, darkness dispelled by Light. You do have a wonderful way with words Antane - beautiful.
Author's reply
Thank Frodo. I'm just translating. More to come in a bit. Namarie, God bless, Melinyel, Antane :)
Larner · 11 July 2007 · Chapter 60: Dreams Come True
Lovely, Antane.
Author's reply
Hantanyel, dear Larner for all your kind words! Namarie, God bless, Antane :)
Larner · 10 July 2007 · Chapter 59: Harthad Uluithiad
Yes, he was Hope Unquenchable, and so brought Endurance away from death that when the time came he might walk on to healing and renewal. And that love lit both Middle Earth and Aman.
Author's reply
Wow - what a beautiful way of seeing and saying that! Namarie, God bless, Antane :)
Larner · 10 July 2007 · Chapter 58: Claim
I see you went movie-verse here. But to watch that odd, awful struggle in either version was so odd and terrible; and to see the Ring claim Frodo must have been more than he could bear. But the means of release was there at hand.
Author's reply
I read an interesting essay on this moment from a fan site - http://www.frodolivesin.us/id349.htm. I have often wondered how much free will Frodo had left - certainly not as much as he thought he had and this essay addresses it. I think you would enjoy it and the other essays there. She's very much a Frodo-holic. :) Namarie, God bless, Antane :)
harrowcat · 10 July 2007 · Chapter 58: Claim
Did you watch us both topple over the side? Did you have to beg me not to let go? Did you have to look into my eyes and see my terrible longing to do just that, to join it instead of you? That is another thing I cannot bear to ask you. The torment of not knowing is not as bad as would be seeing the fear and memory of the hurt I caused you then return to your eyes if I did ask. Another clever weaving of movie into book verse Antane. And good reasons not to ask.
Author's reply
Hantanyel, dear harrowcat! Seemingly good reasons at least, though he would see love no matter what too. Namarie, God bless, Antane :)
Armariel · 27 June 2007 · Chapter 52: Blessings
Lovely songs, and really like the hopeful tone of the letters now. It's like the sun starting to come out of the clouds. ~~~{~@
Author's reply
Hantanyel, my dear! It is still a dark and stormy night for our beloved Ring-bearer but you are right, there are some breaks in the clouds. Namarie, God bless, Antane :)
harrowcat · 26 June 2007 · Chapter 57: Carried
You have used the many themes of being carried beautifully here Antane but the thing that really touched me was this... the pain of loss and longing for the Ring is worse than the agony of losing you
Author's reply
Isn't that terrible to think that? Love does cure all ills, but this time it will be Divine Love. Frodo needs to learn to be carried by his Creator instead of his Sam. He was/is already, but doesn't realize it yet. Namarie, God bless, Antane :)
Larner · 25 June 2007 · Chapter 57: Carried
Love lightens burdens.
Author's reply
Indeed. Sacrifice is not sacrifice when it is love. Namarie, God bless, Antane :)
Queen Galadriel · 25 June 2007 · Chapter 57: Carried
Oh, Antane, this is one of the best ones yet. You carry me still at times, when I’ve fallen asleep in the study, back to my bed. You lay me so gently down just as you did near the Fire, and kiss my brow and wish me a peaceful sleep. Other times when the dreams become too much and I half-wake gasping and choking, thinking I am still there amidst the terrible ash and smoke, you carry me out to the air, into the garden and lay me down among the flowers and the soft soil and I can breathe easier then. Oh! This is the nature of love, always strong enough to carry, or at least to hold on...or so I hope. It’s terrible that it was roused again when Smeagol tried to take the Ring away from me. I had already nearly attacked you and I did attack him and that was the only thing that gave me any strength. Why couldn’t I have had it earlier so you wouldn’t have needed to carry me? No, it only came when I was in danger of losing my treasure, the same thing that I was expending, that you were expending, all strength and blood and sweat and tears to lose. That is madness. Yes, madness, but madness wrought by Sauron and not by Frodo himself, which is what he must come to understand. ...just like you had been as a lad when I used to carry you as a lark and your laughter rang clear in the clean air as you protested and fought to get down, but I wouldn’t let you. *chuckles* Okay, you've inspired me now, Antane. I hope there is someone there to carry you back to bed when your head nods against a book. How light will you be when I can do that again? I think you will be made of nothing but light by then, but still I think I will feel your warm weight in my arms as well, your head against my shoulder and a smile on your face. Oh, now that is so Sam it makes me want to cry. A perfect way to end this chapter. God bless, Galadriel
Author's reply
Hantanyel, ammelda! Yes, very Sam, and that hope and those dreams and visions will sustain him until that warm weight is felt again and never let again. And I inspired you? Or Sam did? :) *cheers and hugs* Namarie, God bless, Melinyel, Antane :)
Larner · 25 June 2007 · Chapter 56: One Step More
Yes, that day will come. And hope unquenchable will meet endurance beyond hope with his hope restored, and joy will fill Tol Eressea as the Elves watch with wonder the delight of mortal reunions.
Author's reply
Just as Sam's memories of the Shire helped keep him on his Road during the Quest, his 'memories' of the future with his brother is keeping him going until the glorious day they will hold each other again in more than their hearts. Hope Unquenchable indeed. Hantanyel, dear Larner! Namarie, God bless, Antane :)
Larner · 25 June 2007 · Chapter 55: The Wheel of Fire
Rejoice, Sam, for he knows fully well how much that love still encompasses him.
Queen Galadriel · 25 June 2007 · Chapter 49: Alone
I remember you saying you were going to revise this, so I came back and read it again. Ugh! Orcs are terrible things! Unspoiled, indeed...*shudders* Maybe Shagrat's presence wasn't an altogether bad thing. God bless, Galadriel
Queen Galadriel · 25 June 2007 · Chapter 56: One Step More
Oh, such a moving chapter. Yes, Frodo did indeed leave a lot out of the Red Book, a lot of pain and nightmarish memories. A sweet image with the tears. :*( But the bit about the Elvish grammar at the end made me smile. How like our Frodo to think of that! God bless, Galadriel
Author's reply
Hantanyel, ammelda! Namarie, God bless, Melinyel, Antane :)
harrowcat · 24 June 2007 · Chapter 56: One Step More
I am running out of words to describe how this piece makes me feel Antane although I am glad that you are not! This was perfect - you held me as I cried and carefully gathered my tears and fed them back to me, turning that expression of torment into a gift to moisten my lips.
Author's reply
I loved that part too. :) I was so moved when I discovered it - such a tender expression of love. Did you ever read The Claiming of the Ring from west of the moon site? It has a very similar event. It's very intense and dark, rated R actually for violence, but also very loving. I recommend it highly. Unfortunately the author never finished it but don't let that stop you. Probably should have a hankie or two handy though. http://www.west-of-the-moon.net/servlet/GenStoryListing?authorID=56 Hantanyel for your continued support, dear harrowcat! It is so appreciated. :) Namarie, God bless, Melinyel, Antane :)
harrowcat · 23 June 2007 · Chapter 55: The Wheel of Fire
I have this image of Frodo as a leaky vessel - but Sam continues to pour in love. I felt all the love you wrapped me in as much as you put your cloak around me when I gave away all else and dared in my despair to be taken. I am clothed in your love and Merry’s and Pippin’s and Bilbo’s, Aragorn’s and Gandalf’s. I am dressed finer than any king. Just so, as St Paul says - over all these [virtues] put on love!
Queen Galadriel · 23 June 2007 · Chapter 55: The Wheel of Fire
*cries* Why do I almost always find myself trying to write a review without any words to describe what I would say? I guess all I can do is write the parts that moved me most: Frodo's description of the fire eating away at him; Sam's memory of how weak they both were and Frodo licking the blood from his own skin so desperate was he for any moisture (especially because blood tastes terrible and is more likely to make you want more water than quench your thirst); Sam's holding Frodo, so afraid his dearest master/friend/brother would slip away but knowing nothing else to do; the tear-smeared "I love yous". Heartbreaking, just heartbreaking. God bless, Galadriel
Queen Galadriel · 18 June 2007 · Chapter 54: Captured
Ah, so somehow a record of these memories of Frodo's must have been found and that's how they got into the movies! (Clever!) I feel like I just keep repeating and repeating things like this, but the imagery in this chapter is wonderfully vivid, and again, Frodo's pain is almost palpable. Poor dear, remembering these nightmares and clouded realities and too ashamed to even ask! If he *would* ask, he might--no, would--find reassurance. Love the little detail about the heat making closeness rather uncomfortable--something I, in your place, probably wouldn't have thought to include. God bless, Galadriel P.S. I *will* catch up on your fluffy stuff, I promise (can't wait, in fact!) but I think I have a tiny, timid h/c plot bunny nudging me, but it's such a little thing I dare not break the mood.
Author's reply
Hantanyel, ammelda! Glad you enjoyed. The more I thought about it the more it seemed that the Ring would give him nightmares like this so vivid that he couldn't figure out later what was real and what wasn't since the movie versions of things and people (Faramir at least) are much more threatening than the way they really were. I look forward to your fluffy reviews, but no, we don't want to scare away that little plot bunny do we, Precious? No, Precious, no we don't. Namarie, God bless, Melinyel, Antane :) Namarie, God bless, Antane :)
Larner · 6 June 2007 · Chapter 54: Captured
The Ring still obscures Frodo's vision. Good way to work the movie and book-verses together here--blurring the division between dreams and nightmares. Frodo will heal, and Sam will heal knowing that is true for Frodo as well.
Author's reply
A belated but hearfelt hantanyel, dear Larner! I've thought that much of what the movie added or changed could indeed be nightmares given by the Ring to torment Frodo - the terrifying flight to the Ferry, how threatening Faramir was, being manipulated into attacking Sam and sending him away, trying to kill Gollum - but so real that Frodo wouldn't know what was real and what wasn't. Namarie, God bless, Antane :)
harrowcat · 5 June 2007 · Chapter 54: Captured
Oh there is so much in this. Your phrase 'drowning in darkness' is so evocative. And I love the way that you meld the book and the film by making the bit where Frodo sends Sam away into something that he is not sure happened and won't ask. Am thinking about the names of those stars btw. Not something I know a lot about even though I love stargazing when I am not in murky London.
Author's reply
Another belated but heartfelt hantanyel, dear harrowcat! As far as melding book and movie, see my reply to Larner. Glad you are thinking of those star names. :) Namarie, God bless, Antane :)
Queen Galadriel · 15 May 2007 · Chapter 53: Holding onto Hope
There is such a note of desperation in Frodo's portion of this, I'd almost say conveyed more by the sentence structure than by the actual words themselves. Yes, holding onto hope, but at times the hold was so tenuous, and sometimes it slipped altogether. It's a good thing that Sam, Hope Unquenchable, was there at such times, never allowing Frodo to tumble into the abyss of black despair devised for him by his enemy. And of course Sam's part of this rends my heart. So much grief and yet such love and remembered happier times... God bless, Galadriel
Author's reply
I love the way you said that, ammelda, about Sam's presence. Indeed. Namarie, God bless, Melinyel, Antane :)
harrowcat · 15 May 2007 · Chapter 53: Holding onto Hope
When you want to do a non-angsty tale (*g*) I would love to hear Frodo telling little Sam some tales of those stars. Spotted a typo - think you meant how not who. I think you knew who very beloved you were by all of us. Loved this as usual Antane.
Author's reply
Hannon le, my dear! I'll have to fix that typo. :( I've thought of doing some stories based on Sam's memories spread out through these tales like here and in Love Letters. There's much to be mined there. I've done a little bit of research on the constellations seen in the Shire and their names - that would make a neat story. I know some are mentioned when they meet Gildor. What stars do you see in the summer sky, being so much closer to the Shire than I am? I wouldn't want to put anything wrong in. Namarie, God bless, Antane :)
Larner · 14 May 2007 · Chapter 53: Holding onto Hope
Ah, the peace of knowing the love continues; and love the idea of the Elves (particularly Galadriel) looking with wonder at the Light of this small mortal.
Author's reply
Hannon le, dear Larner! I thought that was kinda neat too. :) Namarie, God bless, Antane :)
Queen Galadriel · 6 May 2007 · Chapter 52: Blessings
Oh, I forgot the note! Translator's note: Due to the structure and some of the words in this poem (many of which have no real English equivalents), I have had to restructure it and substitute what words come nearest to the original ones. The modern tone results from this. :) This is so lovely and gentle. The love expressed, and the way it is expressed...wow. That's all I can say. God bless, Galadriel
Armariel · 6 May 2007 · Chapter 52: Blessings
What a lovely poem.....*sigh* Your smile says you'll share your hope when mine is gone. Your touch says you'll be with me when I can't go on alone. The look in your eyes says you'll love me, No matter what I do. ..... ~~~{~@
Larner · 6 May 2007 · Chapter 52: Blessings
A sweet moment of mutual reassurance, reassurance neither truly needs to hear, but that both need to speak.