Reviews (879)

Author's reply

Oh, I suspect that Faramir came to respect and honor each of our four, and was glad to be able to name each one a friend. And am so glad you like the depiction of Ioreth. I suspect that she and Faramir have known one another for a long time, and he's learned over the years how to redirect her with the minimum of fuss! I rather like her, you know.

Author's reply

I may one day do just that, although I have one more short story I'm committed to at the moment and I SO need to get things moving with both Stirring Rings and the Tenant! Aargh! They're coming to me in sentences again! And I do love our beloved young Steward as much as anyone else. Competence, the gift to see the hearts of those he meets as did his father but with greater compassion, the ability to see to the heart of a difficulty, tenacity, and a joy in life itself, particularly now that the security of his realm is confirmed as much as possible. He and Ioreth would, I think, enjoy a history of sorts, and he would know well that he could get her back on track fairly easily. And to see how practical yet romantic Faramir manages with this practical but equally romantic Hobbit was a delightful challenge, and now I've written conversations with all four! And of course there would be mention of cousins--Merry is a Hobbit after all! Heh!

Author's reply

Tolkien himself stated that he learned more from Merry than Merry realized he'd told; that he'd learn more than he'd hoped to find out only seems possible! It will take a week or two before he truly begins questioning Eowyn herself! So glad you enjoyed it!

Author's reply

I'd think the Ents would be most appreciative of our Faramir. Heh! Yes, one to get all the facts, and to deal patiently and efficiently with even Ioreth! So glad you like it.

Author's reply

Oh, I'm SO glad you like it. And you'd set more plotbunnies loose here when I still haven't finished this month's challenge for the challenge site? AAARRRGGGHHHHHHHHH! I'm honored! Heh!

Author's reply

So glad you did, Linda. I'd like to expand on it some--not enough room in a drabble to get in all I'd intended....

Author's reply

Oh, I've done him once in a while--I like him in "Seasonal Help", and I did have him think twice on Aragorn in "Thoughts on the Heir of Isildur." I feel this might have been more effective had I written something more than a drabble; but I'd think that after half a year of searching, trials, and losses, finding himself facing gate guards and wondering whether they will be willing to allow him to finally enter the valley of Imladris must have felt rather like an anticlimax for him. I may eventually expand on this; and I do feel that Jay's story for Linaewen might well allow for some most interesting encounters closely following this scene.... Heh!

Author's reply

I'm so glad you do, Virtuella. It was inspired by Imhiriel's desire to see stories told from the POV of creatures or objects that ordinarily cannot speak for themselves. Some of ther resulting stories are wonderful indeed!

Author's reply

Oh, not such a coincidence after all--Jay's story was also written for Linaewen's birthday, and I found it posted there on HASA just as I went to post mine! Linaewen wished for an adventure of Boromir's during the journey to Imladris, you see. And it wasn't foolish at all, or so it turned out.... Thanks for the feedback.

Author's reply

And I thank you so again. If anyone deserves to know healing through fulfilling her profession, I figure it was Nerdanel! Thank you so very much!

Author's reply

Oh, thank you, Alassante! Imhiriel wished stories from the points of view of usually voiceless things, and this was what came out of that. How joyful the Throne of Gondor must have been to once again fulfill its proper function.

Author's reply

It's NEVER too late to comment on any story, Soledad--you know this! And am honored you appreciate how I wrote this beginning to the friendship between these two. And I am thinking on Dreamflower's plotbunny! Heh!

Author's reply

Thank you SO much, Esquire of Rohan! And I'm glad Beruthiel posed the challenge for her birthday.

Author's reply

This is a poem that easily adapts from culture to culture, or so I'd believe. And that in the Shire it should focus on a lost harvest just seemed so right! Am glad you agree. That Gandalf was first stricken as is indicated in the text, but then rallied and made the answer he did always indicated to me that almost before the first shock wore off he detected some hint of falsehood in the Mouth's presentation of Frodo's possessions and Sam's sword; and as I've thought on these things I was certain it had to do with the fact that Sam's sword shouldn't be there with what were plainly Frodo's things. I'd not thought of just Pippin's presence at the battle as having had such an effect on Sauron and his minions, but it does make a lot of sense, now you and one other have pointed that out. But to try to trade the freedom of the folk of western Middle Earth for the life of one hostage is indeed an act of desperation--desperation and hubris--and we know fully well Sauron had hubris in spades!

Author's reply

Oh, thank you, Grey Wonderer--and I'm so honored that you nominated this for a MEFA. Thank you so much! This was a birthday gift for Beruthiel on HASA--I hope she enjoys it also. She'd wished for an encounter between Pippin and Faramir during this period, and this is what came out! Thank you again!

Author's reply

Well, you don't need to grieve much, as Grey Wonderer just nominated it! Ooh, the idea that Pippin's presence might have helped confirm in Sauron's mind that the Ring was with the army is such a wonderful one! Come on--write it out! I'm so glad you liked the letter and conversation. Faramir needs to feel wanted and respected now, and needs to know he will be important to the new King-elect. Thanks so, Linda.

Author's reply

Oh, I'm so glad you feel this way, Raksha! Thank you so very much! Yes, the new Steward and the future Thain do have much to share with one another, I think. And I suspect those who had served most of their lives in the Citadel would have greatly loved Faramir, and would have done all they could to make certain he did not return to overwhelming reminders of the stern and rather inflexible character Denethor had at last become, but would instead have tried to suit the place to the preferences they were aware Faramir entertained. It is HIS residence now, after all; and I suspect a good few of the servitors felt a degree of relief to think of themselves as serving someone capable of the warmth and humanity Faramir embodied after the stiffness of his father's rule. I see the Steward's personal rooms as being probably mostly stark white and black, and draperies and upholstery being once opulent and a bit overwhelmingly dark at the same time, but all going gradually a bit ratty, similar to the description given of the rooms in which the Old Took spent his declining years. Thanks so much, Raksha.

Author's reply

Sneaky, sneaky! Love it! I'm so glad you liked the adaptation and how it was used. And Faramir is falling deeper under the charm of Hobbits--I think he's already much impressed by what little he's seen of Frodo and Sam--and now he's met the Took of Tooks! I'd think that Aragorn would have good memories of Denethor from their earliest acquaintance, and would have grieved for the growing estrangement as Denethor fell more deeply under the influence of envy and resentment and perhaps anxiety as to his own future roll should Thorongil indeed prove to be Isildur's Heir and return to claim the Crown and Throne. And Faramir needs to know that the father he loved was loved by others, and with reason. Oh, love the description of Gimli as the drama king! And he did believe he had reason for grief, after all--am SO glad he was wrong! Thanks so!

Author's reply

Beruthiel wished to see interaction between Pippin and Faramir in this time period, and this is what came out. I'm so glad you like it! Aragorn deserves a Steward who will be able to be his friend, and I do believe Faramir fit the bill; and Aragorn needed also to share his good memories of Denethor from the days they were first serving together under Ecthelion, in the days before envy destroyed Denethor's ability to honor this mercenary. As this story is primarily about Faramir and Pippin's growing relationship, I felt that to go into too much detail on Sam and Frodo would perhaps overshadow the focus of the story. Sorry bout that, Antane. But you KNOW how much I love that relationship as well. Now--I've had Faramir have a long conversation with Sam, Frodo, and Pippin; now to find one between him and Merry to detail! Heh!

Author's reply

Thank you so, Endaewen. Beruthiel had wished a birthday fic in which Faramir and Pippin conversed between the battle of the Pelennor and the army departing for Mordor, and this just came out! Thanks again!

Author's reply

It's one reason why I have Faramir himself wondering if he's not better off at the moment not knowing for certain, and I'm certain he'd wish for the distraction of the talk with about anyone to help keep his imagination from going a bit crazy at that point. Having spent a few days in the hospital recovering from a pretty nasty operation, I know how hard it is to keep the mind still when you can do little or nothing for yourself. Balstador would have come to know Faramir well over the years, I'd think; and undoubtedly wished to make things more comfortable for his beloved son of the late Steward. I'm certain that he'd want to see to it that enough was changed to reflect Faramir's own tastes to help Faramir accept his new role and to distract from the knowledge that his father carried him from this wing to what was intended to be a fiery death, and that his father had been overwhelmed with despair as a result of the Enemy's manipulation of the information presented Denethor by the Palantir. Aragorn FINALLY has a Man he can speak with who is as close to equal in rank as possible, and a friend to help fill the gap left by the death of Halbarad; someone who also had reason both to love the Denethor he first knew and to grieve that that Denethor had been aged by grief, worry, and the long struggle with Sauron's will. And Gimli did indicate he was certain Pippin was dead and IIRC mentioned tearing at his beard--it was fun to imagine he might have literally done so! Heh! And indeed he was apparently just in time to save our favorite Took! Thanks so much for the comments, Kitty.

Author's reply

Tolkien referred to the mounted warriors from Dol Amroth who accompanied their Lord Prince Imrahil to Minas Tirith as the Swan Knights, so I felt comfortable using the title of "knight" as it was a term that those in Gondor apparently were familiar with. But if there is an adaptation for Rohan, it would indeed be "Rider" there. I just decided that the rhyme probably originated along the southern coast of Gondor for my purposes and went with it. I've used the adaptation of the carter's or lynch-pin as the Shire's version of the poem in another story, although I'll admit I can't think which to save my life--perhaps "The Ties of Family." And Pippin has truly begun growing up with a vengeance. He now knows what a true battle is like; has proven himself to a number of folk, including himself; and I believe that he truly at this point wished to do whatever he could to help Frodo and Sam as best he could. Thank you so much, Harrowcat!

Author's reply

Thank you, Shirebound. Yes, I think Pippin was beginning to appreciate just how important in the scheme of things he was at this point. And he was now willing to put all that he'd learned, as the farmer's son and the Thain's heir and as a member of the quest and as a guardsman within Gondor, together and to work for the good that was possibly attainable. Thanks again for the feedback.

Author's reply

I'm so glad you think so, Dreamflower! You know how I like adapting nursery rhymes! Heh! I've sort of experimented with this one before, although I don't remember in which story. And I did think that the healers would take Aragorn's admonition not to tell Faramir the details of his father's death until he was fully up and about and had responsibilities to help steady him and tie him to life fully once more very seriously, and would worry that Pippin might spill the beans precipitously. For them all to see how, as Pippin continued to mature, he was aware of the need to do what he could to assist rather than blindly babbling must have been heartening. Thanks so for the feedback.

Author's reply

Yes, a worthy one in his own right Eldarion proves, I find. And it was wonderful to think of such an act once Elessar's reign was over, the coming together at last of all the peoples who'd come from Numenor at last in cooperation and developing amity rather than enmity. And I'm thrilled it makes you wish to reread Lesser Ring! Thank you! Author Reply: Yes, a worthy one in his own right Eldarion proves, I find. And it was wonderful to think of such an act once Elessar's reign was over, the coming together at last of all the peoples who'd come from Numenor at last in cooperation and developing amity rather than enmity. And I'm thrilled it makes you wish to reread Lesser Ring! Thank you!