Reviews (346)

Author's reply

Yes, Frodo and Sam between them would care for one another in spite of themselves, and I'm certain when they were with Aragorn they'd do the same for him. Three brothers watching out for one another, and at times resenting what is seen as nagging or overcaution, but at the same time glad for one another's caring. Yes, immovable object and irresistable force facing one another down. Thanks so much, Antane.

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Yes, someone would have had to put the title and the missing rings together sometime, and it made sense to me it would be the youngest one, who'd tend to take the title literally and begin putting together the facts that would begin the questions. And someone had to have put a frog in the punchbowl when Bree's answer to Hyacinth Took and Lobelia Sackville-Baggins was likely to be present. I had to find someone who would take care of bringing the old biddy down a peg or two, didn't I? (Grinning) I like to think that there were Rangers with a decided sense of humor and the absurd, and that as Gilfileg was at hand--well, he fit the bill, I thought. I truly like Gilfileg ever since he rode into The King's Commission. I'm so glad so many appreciate the Ranger's safe house. It only made sense to me to have such a place. Unlike Ronica, Petunia hasn't spent all her life being conditioned to seeing the Rangers as unapproachable, and she's met Eregiel now, of course, and knows he's okay. That she'd make the next step and begin seeing all as people she might trust to give her good information I think would be natural; and I doubt any lass like Ronica would let someone else take such an adventure on her own. But now the family will know there are at least two dependable Rangers about, and in time the whole town will come around as more and more of the King's Men, whether in Ranger garb or the black and silver of the King's messengers, will be an accepted part of everyday life.

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And I am glad you do, Surgical Steel. Thank you. I do think they would have kept one there, after all, even if Serilinde and Halbarad didn't rule over it.

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I am glad you like Ronica--she's my answer to a Pippin in the Breelands, I suspect. And I'm trying to find ways to tie this story to Stirring Rings as well, obviously. The Rangers of Eriador would have needed a place where they could come for healing, or from which they could keep watch on the doings of suspicious newcomers, I'd think, a place I'm certain even Gandalf would have remained in ignorance of. But between them I suspect Arathorn and Aragorn would find such an establishment necessary and desirable. And if Lindor might have been one of the quiet advisers as to how the defense of the Breelands might be carried forward, it could help explain how it was there was an effective defense in Bree where there had been none in the Shire.

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Yes, Ronica reminds me of a certain cousin who helped Pippin get into some very odd difficulties, I think. Something about glue in the shampoo bottle and poor Lobelia and a coal scuttle? Petunia does have more Baggins to her than Begonia has, and perhaps a bit of Took as well. She's indeed beginning to piece it together, and isn't really happy once she begins understanding what the picture might be. But she's better guarded, I think, than she realizes. Thanks for the review.

Author's reply

Yes, their bravery is rewarded; but Petunia is beginning to realize there are some things far more horrible than she dreamed existed beyond the boundaries that have protected her so far. Of Delphie's children Persivo and Petunia have the strongest Baggins blood, I think, or so it seems at the time; but Alyssa is more observant than others realize, and even Begonia may prove to have unplumbed depths.

Author's reply

Yes, Frodo's actions have brought about amity among so many who previously lived in as much ignorance of one another as was possible, and Aragorn unites many. The idea of the realization they are all interdependent must have been a shock to all the folk of the Free Peoples, and realizing the true identities of Strider must have been even more so. And I agree about how Frodo would likely have reacted. The world has changed indeed.

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Yes, the idea that that Strider has become the King must have been tremendously confusing. And these have a good deal to learn.

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Oh, I'm glad you liked Glorinlas. I introduced him in "Reunion," and felt he would in the end be the one who should begin to let Bartolo's family know Frodo isn't seen as just any Hobbit. And Bartolo does know his wife and family, after all. And now I guess I get to go to the other site and catch up on Thomas and Rebecca? Nice!

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Bartolo probably doesn't want to know the full details as much as Persivo does, I fear, for Persivo does have more Took blood and thus more of a heritage of curiosity. If he fully understands what Frodo did, Bartolo might actually have to admire him, something he doesn't really want to do, and so he's in an unenviable situation at the moment. But he secretly admires Frodo in spite of himself, and unconsciously ties that to his natural love for his son. And he doesn't want his son to ever be seen as secondary to anyone, particularly that perverse Baggins!

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Now that the two kingdoms are reunited there needs to be a review to bring their laws in line with one another, and so the laws of the lesser lands that make up the new kingdom need reviewing as well. And am so glad you like seeing Bree becoming part of Arnor once more, even if it does so kicking and screaming all the way. Heh! Thanks for the review.

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It will be impossible to keep everything from them, Alvric will find; and actually I think he disagrees with Frodo's desire to keep the Shire in ignorance of what he did. Yes, Delphie is definitely right. Those who deal with Hobbits will soon have a bewildering series of relationships thrown at them, I think; it's part of dealing with Hobbit nature, I think. And for the folk of Bree to accept that the Rangers are more than they've thought them to be would be shocking, although it's a shock they need if they are to survive the coming of the new age, after all. These aren't just dangerous vagabonds, but protectors, and the Men closest to the new king. "My heavens! How might we have offended them by our treatment of them in the past, and will we suffer for it now that they're gaining power? But they aren't at all like we'd thought or as we'd be in their position...." Thanks so much for your response, Kitty.

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Oh, there are a couple of characters I've imagined as superb dancers I'd love to see get together to perform--my version of Frodo, and David Daniel Louis. One day more folk will wish to see David dance, I hope. If our own creations are indeed reflected in Paradise it will be wonderful for all of us, I think.

Author's reply

I remember reading a snippet of something Tolkien said about beards being almost unheard of with Elves (except, of course, with Cirdan, who may well have had a bit of Maia or some other thing to his nature leading him to be able to cultivate such a feature--it's always interesting to speculate, I find); and how those with Elvish blood might also have difficulty growing beards. And, so I imagined when writing "The Ties of Family" that Aragorn might have been delayed in growing a beard, and it gave a good reason for why, in the films, Aragorn had that measly stubble through so much of it all, having a full beard only when he was crowned King at last. So the idea slipped into this story. Had to make one correction to the genealogies, for which I'm grateful to Dreamflower; and the idea that if Aragorn was known in Bree as Strider, then how would others among his people been known has occupied me for quite some time. And I think I will finally write a story on the identity of "Silver Sword," now that I've had time to think about it for a time. It's too bad about the Cadfael Experience closing down, for I'd have enjoyed it, I think. Last time I wanted to go through the York Dungeon they had the sound effects up so loud my friend's daughter, who has a true musician's ears, couldn't bear it and we gave it a miss, although we did go through the Jorvik Experience once more, and climbed Clifford's Tower, where I read the braille displays to her (all written in primary, letter-for-letter braille, and didn't match the print material, and with no capitol indicators, which I'm told is common in British braille compared to American). I don't have any stories on this site set to notify me, for I usually catch it when an author adds a new chapter or story, or the connection's on the fritz again, and I wouldn't know until the next time I'm back online again anyway. As for Mount Saint Helens--it erupted while we lived in Seattle, well over a hundred miles north and some ways west of the eruption site. We were visiting in Tacoma during one of the eruptions, thirty miles southwest of Seattle, and could see the plume of ash high in the atmosphere, although we cannot see that particular mountain from Tacoma, Mount Rainier being far more prominent. In one eruption ash was so heavily blown southwest to Vancouver, WA, and Portland, OR, that drivers couldn't see and it reportedly did a good deal of damage to the carburators of vehicles; ash has been found far north into Canada, far south into northern California, and eastward through Idaho. It's amazing how far it can be blown by upper-atmospheric winds. One time as I was flying southeast out of Seattle-Tacoma Airport when all was exceptionally clear, at one point we could see all the Cascades northward into British Columbia to Whistler, then south through Washington to Baker, Rainier, and Saint Helens, then past Mount Hood and Jefferson in Oregon all the way to Lassen and Shasta in northern California. I've had that chance only once in all my years of being able to fly out of the region to see almost all the snow-covered shield volcanoes in one flight. The pilots and crews who do the flights regularly must have stories to tell.

Author's reply

Well, as long as the children are there, I had to allow them to ask their questions and make their observations--children will often ask and tell things no one else would willingly allow into the open. As for Frodo keeping his beloved privacy--not going to be possible once the Bracegirdle children are done with their probing, I fear. And you're the second tonight to comment on how the genealogy makes ones head spin--but we're told the Hobbits were famous for it, so it had to find its way into conversation as much as it found its way into Frodo's letter, don't you think? Heh! Author Reply: By the way, I find I tend to think in terms of braille at times, and the only difference between a B and an L is the addition of a dot-3 to the former to make the latter. I suspect that was what I was thinking at the time I described poor Otho's pedigree. Thanks for the heads up.

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Yes, a Hobbit's fascination with genealogy and family ties would be rather difficult for outsiders to fully appreciate, I suspect. It did take me a bit of time with the family trees in the Appendices to figure out precisely what relationships each would hold, and where the particular parents of Delphie and Bartolo fit into the relationships we know. As for your comment on people'ss blind spots--you're right--a very fascinating study, I've found. There is much food for talk on all sides at this dinner--and Bartolo even managed to compliment the chef, something I doubt he usually does outside his own home. Author Reply: Oh, and btw--as a friend pointed out to me in a private post, it was "Longo" and not "Bongo"--although having Bungo and Bingo Baggins in the same generation was a bit much, don't you think? And after having called his hero in this tale "Bingo Bolger-Baggins" for much of the writing of LOTR, for the Master to have given the name in the end to Bilbo's younger uncle was interesting, making him a "Chubbs-Baggins" instead. Decided it was a bit too alliterative in the original, I understand. I find I like simple "Frodo Baggins" better in the end myself.

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So glad you liked it, Linda. I doubt I'd mind staying in such a place myself, as long as they didn't host an invasion of Black Riders or questionable Southrons, of course. (Heh!)

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Well, for a very late Christmas gift and an extraordinarily early birthday gift (as the great day isn't until April, after all), my daughter and son-in-law bought me a new, very slightly used HP laptop. We found it at a pawnshop near one of our military bases, and we suspect someone got one for graduation and then found he never used it, so gave it up. So I'm able once more to take my work with me. Then over the weekend the Kid came over and got EVERYBODY online, getting the cobbled-together drone server back up and running and going on from there. I'm tickled pink. We have two laptops and three desktops now able to access the Web, all at the same time, although if the Kid doesn't stop turning off my email client before it finishes downloading the mail and gets the mailbox at Hughes emptied properly I'll cream him! Yes, Bartolo has a great deal to think on, and a good deal of resentment he's held toward Frodo for years to work through. And I also doubt Frodo's intentions to keep it quiet as to what he managed to do as quiet as he wishes to, and in the end in spite of his intentions his cousin by marriage will know far more than either wants about Frodo's business. Alvric will do his best to follow Frodo's wishes, but won't be able to keep from letting things slip past him anyway, of course. Author Reply: By the way--sorry to hear things are stressful. Hope all calms down for you soon. But then it sometimes seems all I do is move from one stressful situation to another constantly as well, so know how it can go.

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I suspect both Bartolo and Persivo found themselves learning a great deal from Alvric, probably more than Bartolo looked to learn. Bartolo is intelligent, but resentful; and all too often resentment has a way of causing us to blind ourselves to much we should be able to perceive. He's most likely going to thaw, but not in ways he'd intended, I fear. Well, Barliman did suggest Alvric's presence could be of service to Denra Gorse, and as Gandalf pointed out the innkeeper could see through walls at need. But there is likely to be a cost. As for feeding hungry Hobbits, well, Alvric is becoming experienced, of course. And they are gaining a bit of polish on this trip that may well prepare at least some of them to visit other places one day. Thanks so much for the feedback, Bodkin.

Author's reply

Yes, the baddies do show up from time to time; the folk we love to hate? So glad you like the children, although at the moment Begonia and Alyssa are still a bit lacking in awareness outside themselves, although that will be remedied in time, I'm certain. And yes, Bartolo's going to have to accept the awful truth that Frodo Baggins respects him--a bit of a hard pill to swallow, but a remedy he must have if one day he is to find he reciprocates the feelings. And it's fun to twit folk like Bartolo. Heh!

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Yes, all present are beginning to learn from one another, and Persivo and Alvrid do have a great deal in common, I think. Thanks for the feedback.

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So glad you like the family, French Pony. I find I rather like them, too, although at the moment both Begonia and Alyssa are a bit vacuous--although they ARE young yet, and haven't had to do much to deal with others as yet.

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School does that, doesn't it, French Pony? Yes, Merry knows his cousin Frodo, and will find a way to manipulating him to do what's right in spite of himself. And I love evaluating letters and all. Sorry for responding to this one so late, but it came while the server was down once more. I hate computers at times!

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Now you know precisely why Denra finds Bender so obnoxious. Bender's not certain just who these King's Men Alvric speaks of are, although once he realizes they're those disreputable Rangers how he'll react is anyone's guess. But he's not done with pursuing Denra as yet, that's for certain. Bartolo is finally beginning to understand just what Persivo and Frodo have been on about wording for, and now he sees his role on Frodo's committee to improve language in contracts more seriously, and is likely to actively be useful, at least. And I do suspect Persivo will be very important to the Shire once he's an adult in his own right and practicing law within and without the Shire. Yes, it's definitely ironic that Bartolo is dealing with Frodo, but that's what he's been brought to through the fact he's the one Hobbit at the moment who can write contracts outside the Shire whom Frodo can trust and send. And I suspect Frodo's getting a bit of private satisfaction out of the fact he's managing to make Bartolo truly useful to himself. And you're right about the Rangers NOT being restricted to avoiding WHY the Travellers left the Shire. How long it will take them to reveal more we'll have to see, of course. Thanks so much for the feedback.

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Yes, Frodo embodies natural nobility, and it's a great deal of what we love about him. Persivo and his father are only just beginning to realize just why the northern Dunedain have held respect for the Hobbits of the Shire for so many years, and why they acceded to Gandalf's request to guard the borders of the Shire once his concerns made themselves felt about that ring Bilbo found.