LOTR lover
· 20 February 2007
· Chapter 1: Visitors
Oh, daw, this made my week. What a great story! Poor Ithilden! Outlaws, a woman in labor, his annoying brother Eilian and his equally annoying brother Legolas! I loved Eilian's running commentary and very young Legolas's eager but clueless behavior.
And your OC Alitha is a terrific character! Poor woman, not realizing she was in labor and probably had been for some time--thank the Valar for the royal brothers' timely appearance. I loved her utterly besotted attitude toward her baby--I was the same way when my children were born.
This little gem of a story is definitely going on my Favorites list.
LOTR lover
Author's reply
Thank you for these kind word, LOTR lover. Poor Ithilden indeed. I tried to spin things out of his control as much as possible, but he just refuses to believe it and keeps on barking orders, even when no one listens. Eilian was rolling his eyes, I'm sure. And Legolas is still convinced he did nothing wrong. LOL.
I figured Alitha had been in labor off and on for a couple of days. You know how it is. I have only one child, and when I went into labor with him, I didn't realize that's what it was because it was early. I went out to lunch and then shopping at a mall with a friend, but had to keep stopping and leaning against something. My friend finally suggested I go to the doctor, who in turn told me to go to the hospital. I needed an elf!
yanic
· 20 February 2007
· Chapter 1: Visitors
What a great perspective to see these characters through! I loved the sibling bantering, it was hysterical.
"Her laugh sounded hysterical even to her own ears. None of the fantasies she had ever had about elves had included their presence at the messy, painful human experience of giving birth." Did I ever feel for her in this spot! Surrounded by beautiful elves, about to give birth! Which was actually a good thing, as Ithilden was able to be a midwife, but still! What a story! thanks for the treat!
Author's reply
Thanks, Yanic. Writing from the woman's perspective was interesting, and was more or less the challenge I wanted to work with in this story. She quickly pegs them as brothers though. Maybe she has some of her own. :-)
I can't say I'd want to give birth in these circumstances. But then she decides her baby is more beautiful than the elves anyway, so go, Mama Alitha!
Dot
· 20 February 2007
· Chapter 1: Visitors
Oh daw. You fabulous thing, you. Thank you so, so much. This is absolutely wonderful. I’ll have a smile on my face all day :-)
(I’ll write a proper review after work.)
I love Ithilden.
Author's reply
Ithilden is so flattered he's blushing. :-)
Jay of Lasgalen
· 20 February 2007
· Chapter 1: Visitors
Lucky Dot! Lucky Alitha too, come to that. What with the outlaws and the early birth, things would have been very different if the Thranduilionnath hadn't arrived.
I always like to see the three together, with their arguing and banter. I love Alitha's thought here: 'Brothers, Alitha thought. They have to be brothers.'
I laughed at the baby peeing the moment he was born. My son did the same thing! And you called him Ithilden - well, what else could his name be?
A lovely story. Thank you Daw, and happy birthday to Dot for next week!
Jay
Author's reply
I want you to know I've been very restrained about posting this story. I've had it done for over a week, and it was killing me to sit on it.
Alitha was indeed lucky. And it was fun to try to guess how she'd interpret elven behavior, especially before they switched into Common.
Karenator used to be a labor and delivery nurse and she suggested that detail about the peeing. She says it's pretty common, and as a matter of fact, my son did that too. What a shock to poor Ithilden! LOL.
harrowcat
· 20 February 2007
· Chapter 1: Visitors
And this is a lovely story Daw. I would love to see a follow up where the grown baby meets these Elves again and realises that the tales his mother tells him are true!
Author's reply
Oh geez. Just what I need. Another plot bunny. I can see that event tucked away in another story though, even if it's not the focus. Good idea. Thank you!
Radbooks
· 19 February 2007
· Chapter 1: Visitors
Wonderful story, Daw! I loved how Althia was so startled that she sloshed water on Ithilden... it's what he deserved for sneaking up on her! :) He can be so abrupt and stern - as his brothers are so quick to point out - but I enjoyed seeing the tender side of him as he took care of Althia later in the story - when she had the baby and then making sure that they could stay right where they were. You know that side of him is there, you see it with his wife and I remember him writing songs, I think? in one story so it's nice to see it come out even in the midst of a very tense situation.
Very, very well done and I'm certainly glad that you write these birthday presents for people, I really miss your stories.
Author's reply
Thanks, Radbooks. I think elves might sneak up on humans even without meaning to because to them, humans have such dull senses. But I also thought Ithilden might not be sure about Alitha and especially her husband. Maybe they were part of the outlaws. So he probably did sneak a little and, as you say, deserved what he got. :-)
He does write songs, yes. Sometimes I forget that about him.
Larner
· 19 February 2007
· Chapter 1: Visitors
Oh, I find I like your Ithilden, and hope this son of the moon finds the healer is gentle on him. Heh!
And I could see every moment of the story. Wonderful imagery.
Author's reply
Thanks, Larner. I particularly appreciate the comment about imagery. I tend to be a very Plain Jane writer so I have to work at imagery.
Socket
· 19 February 2007
· Chapter 1: Visitors
My hero, Ithilden! I'm completely in love with him. Not even I would have thought that midwifery was among his talents.
Daw, I love your stories so much. Thank you for adding another precious gem to the collection. The repartee among the three brothers was wonderful, as was the image of young Legolas, eager to bathe a baby. It's always such a pleasure to return to your wonderful world.
Author's reply
LOL. Ithilden didn't think midwifery was among his talents either! And he'd have preferred to keep it that way. He had what you might call a stressful day, and he was even on vacation at the time, coming home from a visit to relatives, not commanding the troops.
I picture elves as loving babies, though, even a kid like Legolas, who wants to play with human baby Ithilden. :-)
Manderly
· 19 February 2007
· Chapter 1: Visitors
What a delightful little tale and after reading it, it only reminded me how much I have missed your stories, Daw!
Ithilden certainly is not having a good 'I shall rule Arda' day. First an arrow slices open his thigh, gets ridiculed (veiled of course, but still ridiculed) by his two younger brothers, practises his skills as midwife to a mortal and then gets christened by the baby he has just delivered. Things just got slightly out of his control and we all know how he feels about being in control. But in the end, even he must admit that things turned out rather well.
Loved the running commentaries from Eilian, with nifty bits of input by Legolas. I imagine Ithilden was just aching to bang their heads together, if only he was mobile.
I must go back and re-read it and giggle some more!
Thanks Daw for another entertaining tale of the brothers three.
Author's reply
Thank you, Manderly. I've missed these guys too. So much so that I sat in a cafe at breakfast making notes for another story. I'm finished a draft of my current novel, so I have to let that sit anyway. At the moment, it feels fatally flawed, but maybe that feeling will pass.
Anyway, you're so right. Ithilden is not having a good day. No one listens to him! No one jumps when he flicks his finger!
And his brothers feel free to comment. As Alitha thinks, "Brothers. They had to be brothers."
mistry89
· 19 February 2007
· Chapter 1: Visitors
Lovely to see the brothers worki ..... um, together, like this - all displaying their personalities at their most extreme - or worst, depending upon your outlook :)
Thank you!
Author's reply
worki ..... um, together, like this
LOL. They're trying, or maybe trying one another's patience is more accurate. I'm sure Ithilden was glad to turn Legolas back over to Thranduil and send Eilian off to his patrol.
erunyauve
· 19 February 2007
· Chapter 1: Visitors
>>The newcomer barked something at the elf in the window. It sounded like, "It's ill then," which Alitha could only assume meant, "Move, you stubborn ass!"
It was a lovely change to see our favourite elves through the eyes of a human. And Ithilden is wonderful in this story - I had a good laugh at Elian's comment that he was a force of nature.
Author's reply
Glad you liked it, Erunyauve. Dot's an Ithilden fan, so he gets center stage in this birthday gift story. It was fun to try to show these three as a stranger might see them.
meckinock
· 19 February 2007
· Chapter 1: Visitors
OMG I'm still laughing. Ithilden's threats and Legolas's passive-aggressive responses. I'm still laughing at Ithilden threatening to pitch Legolas into the pigpen.
Author's reply
Legolas wishes to repeat that he "DID NOTHING WRONG."
He must have driven Ithilden crazy though, given that he acted like a kid and not a warrior.
French Pony
· 19 February 2007
· Chapter 1: Visitors
Taemas probably will be amused, but not for a very long time. "Amused" will have to wait until after he throws his shit fit and declares that he is never never ever leaving his wife and (now) kid alone overnight, never ever ever.
Ithilden reminded me so much of that episode of Star Trek where Worf has to deliver a baby in the bar: "Congratulations, you are fully dilated to ten centimeters. You may now give birth." "THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING!" Come to think of it, there are times when Ithilden reminds me a lot of Worf in general. He takes himself so seriously, yet he has such a knack for getting into bizarre and awkward situations.
It must have been an extraordinary day out, if Legolas, Eilian, and Ithilden were all hanging out in the woods, enjoying some sunshine, and one of them was not about to be put on report. Definitely one of the more memorable moments in Legolas's life.
I loved the idea that even goats have learned not to mess with Mama Pig. That says a lot about Mama Pig.
Author's reply
When Taemas comes, he'll have Alitha's mother with him too, and she's going to want an explanation. Because Mama Pig is not the only Mama you don't mess with. Mama's in general are like that.
You made me laugh about Worf. I never saw that episode but now I want to! I suppose if you gave him the grace and beauty of an elf, he might be like Ithilden, now that you mention it.
Thanks, Pony.
Elflingimp
· 19 February 2007
· Chapter 1: Visitors
Oh! that was just a beautiful little story and Legolas sure was being a little brat! LOL
Author's reply
Legolas sure was being a little brat!
Hey! He says he did nothing wrong! LOL. He's at a bad age. He's sure he's far more competent than his stodgy older brother realizes. Poor Ithilden.
meckinock
· 19 February 2007
· Chapter 1: Visitors
This was brilliant, Daw. Absolutely magnificent. I was laughing through the whole thing. It was genius to tell the entire story from Alitha's POV. The interplay between Ithilden, Eilian, and Legolas was hysterical, and doubly so because we're seeing it through the eyes of this stranger. It was great in the beginning when they were speaking Sindarin and she was trying to work out what they were saying to each other. Ithilden is so wonderfully stubborn-ass elf Ithilden, and Legolas - muttering to himself - is wonderfully adolescent!Legolas. And Eilian with his snide little side commentary. The sniping was gorgeous. Gorgeous. And the action - nothing like trying to deliver a baby with bad guys shooting arrows at the windows that you can't get your little brother from standing in front of. Talk about suspense. I loved it that Ithilden reversed himself at the end and decided Alitha and her husband were lawfully present. Wow. This was awesome.
And happy birthday, Dot!
Author's reply
Wow. Thanks, Meckinock. Really wow.
OK. Pulling myself together. The POV part was what I decided to play with this time. In my notes for future stories, this one is just "the three brothers from an outsider's pov." And this is what came of it. It was tricky. Nilmandra had to keep pushing me to stay close to Alitha because I was most interested in the elves (no surprise).
Poor Ithilden. LOL. No one was doing what he said!
JustMe
· 19 February 2007
· Chapter 1: Visitors
As always, another wonderful story. I know I have told you this at least a million times already, but your stories are so realistic that if I close my eyes I can envision every detail. You make each character have a personality that is unique and believeable. Your attention to detail is amazing and it is actually a pleasure to read your stories. Thank you so much for sharing your story with us!
Author's reply
Wow. Thank you, JustMe. I'm particularly happy about that "attention to detail" thing, because I worry that I speed events along too fast and leave out most details.
Thank you so much for sharing your story with us!
Thank you for sharing your reaction with me. You can't know how much I appreciate it.
amokeh
· 19 February 2007
· Chapter 1: Visitors
OoooOOOOoooo!!! daw wrote a new story!!! Why do I feel like it's *my* birthday, too? ;) This was wonderful - it's always such a delight to visit your world, and seeing the brothers interact like, well, brothers was a joy. Thanks so much for sharing this with us here. :D
Author's reply
Thanks, Amokeh. I enjoyed the chance to write about these characters again and have the brothers just being older, middle, and younger brothers. Well, and valiant heroes too, of course. :-)
Ninna
· 19 February 2007
· Chapter 1: Visitors
Lovely! I love your stories, especially when all 3 brothers are together...what a treat!
Author's reply
Thank you, Ninna. One of the pleasures of writing about young Legolas is that his family is smaller and more likely to be together, and that's very satisfying for me too.