harrowcat
· 31 December 2007
· Chapter 7: VII. The Captain's New Clothes (AU, Faramir)
Oh brilliant Raksha - particularly as I am in exactly the same position! A dear, kind lady from church has gifted me with a white velour jogging suit, a white shirt and a, hideous, brown cardigan. As I am a large lady she has found out my correct size and will expect to see me wearing them!
Author's reply
Beware of kind ladies bearing gifts - you might have to actually wear them! You and Faramir now have something in common; strained smiles and kind ladies who mean well. Sounds like your gift-giver is a dear person; though.
Glad you liked the story.
harrowcat
· 31 December 2007
· Chapter 8: VIII. Gone Amiss (Aragorn)
Great stuff Raksha. We see so little of his reactions to Boromir's death. Just as well that it didn't fall to him to tell Denethor
Author's reply
Thanx for reading and reviewing, harrowcat! I'm glad you liked the piece. Aragorn's sorrow after Boromir's death is almost the last time we see the human in the Returning King; and I always thought it a great scene.
Linda Hoyland
· 28 December 2007
· Chapter 8: VIII. Gone Amiss (Aragorn)
You captured Aragorn's emotions beautifully here in this moving drabble. I can well imagine that Aragorn would dread telling Denethor the sad news.
Author's reply
I personally think poor Aragorn would rather face a Balrog than bring the news of Boromir's death to Denethor, especially under these circumstances - it had to hurt.
Aragorn certainly had a bad day; it's the only time that Tolkien paints him as confused and self-doubting; though thankfully his emotional crisis didn't last very long.
Linda Hoyland
· 28 December 2007
· Chapter 7: VII. The Captain's New Clothes (AU, Faramir)
This was just delightful.You should write comedy more often.I loved the idea of Faramir's aunt sending the M-e equivalent of a reindeer pullover! Faramir is so sweet to suffer the gifts for the sake of his men.
Author's reply
I would love to write comedy more often; but the Comedy Muse is even more fickle than her sisters. This is AU!Faramir; and he isn't as practical as his true LOTR counterpart, who would have insisted on not going out to ambush the Haradrim wearing orange with his Ranger greens.
Branwyn
· 27 December 2007
· Chapter 8: VIII. Gone Amiss (Aragorn)
The thought of having to bring news of Boromir's death to Denethor must have been especially horrible. I like that Aragorn realizes that he will have to explain how he survived unharmed when Boromir was slain, because that is exactly what Denethor asks Peregrin. Very nicely done!
Author's reply
It's a sad thing in any case to have to report to someone that their son is dead, but when he was under one's own command and one's own performance that day was less than stellar, it makes it so much harder. And Aragorn had known Denethor, and been treated like a son by Boromir's grandfather. Brrr! Lucky for Aragorn that Denethor was dead when Isildur's Heir came to Minas Tirith.
Thanx for the review, Branwyn!
Branwyn
· 27 December 2007
· Chapter 7: VII. The Captain's New Clothes (AU, Faramir)
The prompt for this fic is a calendar illustration of Faramir in a hideous orange and green outfit. Back in the 70s, I loved those Hildebrandt calendars, but in retrospect, many of the costumes look just plain bad. This fic gives a clever explanation of why Faramir would ever don orange leggings.
Author's reply
I couldn't think of any other reason why Faramir would be caught dead in orange leggings. Unless he lost an ill-advised bet with Mablung and had to pay up by wearing orange and perhaps doing a vaudeville routine while slaughtering Haradrim...The Hildebrandts had their strengths and weaknesses in drawing/painting; but costuming wasn't always their strong point. (though I liked the wedding dress in which they attired Arwen for the midsummer marriage)
Grey Wonderer
· 27 December 2007
· Chapter 8: VIII. Gone Amiss (Aragorn)
Oh, I like this very much! I do think Aragorn would have blamed himself in some ways. I also like his feeling of loss. Very powerful.
Author's reply
Aragorn showed a lot of emotion in that chapter; he did seem to blame himself, and that blame is not totally unjustified - I really liked the expression of emotion, it showed Aragorn's human side, that he wasn't just a Dunedain Superman.
Thanx for the review, Wonderer!
Jay of Lasgalen
· 26 December 2007
· Chapter 5: V. Undivided (Elrohir & Elladan)
I love this, and can't imagine how I missed reviewing it when I first read it!
The twins' anger and sorrow and grief is so vividly portrayed, but I love their closeness, and the chaste embrace at the end. Beautiful!
Jay
Author's reply
Thanx much for your review, Jay; coming from a Peredhil aficionado of your caliber, it means a lot. I usually don't write the Twins; because I find it hard to get into even halfElven heads, but they spoke to me about this moment, if that's possible. I could see them clinging to each other in grief and revenge as well as in happier days.
Larner
· 26 December 2007
· Chapter 8: VIII. Gone Amiss (Aragorn)
It would have been a terrible thing to have to come to Minas Tirith, hat in hand: "I've come to claim the Winged Crown and Throne--and, by the way, your son is dead, Denethor." After the resentment Denethor had known before Thorongil left Gondor before it would have been too much.
Even in what Denethor says to Gandalf, insisting he won't bow to this ragged stranger from the north of a lineage long bereft of lordship we can see the resentment is still there. He could have given Pelendur a run for his money, I think!
Author's reply
I could see Aragorn being horrified at the prospect of coming to Gondor and confronting the father of the comrade who died under his leadership; especially since Aragorn had known the younger Denethor and had been Ecthelion's protege at the time when Boromir was born.
Denethor certainly wouldn't bow to Thorongil or Aragorn; part of the resentment is surely personal. We don't really know whether Pelendur's decision was the best for Gondor as he saw it, or motivated by less noble concerns.
Thanx for reading and reviewing, Larner!
Larner
· 26 December 2007
· Chapter 7: VII. The Captain's New Clothes (AU, Faramir)
Some of the pictures in the calendar that year were SO gross! You did a wonderful job of justifying it! Ivriniel the colorblind! Heh! NOW we know how that picture got done!
Linda Hoyland
· 10 September 2007
· Chapter 6: VI. Summer's Lease (Éowyn & Faramir and friend)
This is just delightful. How I would love to see Faramir in that fountain !
Author's reply
Thanx, Linda. Wasn't Eowyn just about the luckiest lady in Gondor (except maybe for Arwen, but then Aragorn is not about to prance around in the Fountain by the White Tree on a hot summer day)? Just thinking of a ringside seat to semi-nekkid Faramir and Legolas makes me want to...well, a cool drink comes to mind.
Glad you liked the piece.
Linda Hoyland
· 10 September 2007
· Chapter 5: V. Undivided (Elrohir & Elladan)
I'm not usually a fan of the twins,but this is a wonderful depiction of the unique closeness twins share.Their grief for their mother is heartrending. I also like your explanations of why no one in the family when with Celebrian.
Author's reply
Well, Elrond still had several generations left of Isildur's Heirs to foster! And Arwen wasn't ready to leave the world she knew.
I think the twins would have been broken-hearted, and blamed themselves to some extent.
Thanx for reading and reviewing a Twins-centric piece!
Linda Hoyland
· 10 September 2007
· Chapter 4: IV. The Blessing of the Waters (Elrond)
Sad,beautiful and poetic.
Author's reply
Thanx for commenting, Linda; I'm glad it came out sounding somewhat "poetic"; there's a poetic streak in most Elves.
Armariel
· 10 September 2007
· Chapter 6: VI. Summer's Lease (Éowyn & Faramir and friend)
What a lovely collection of ficlets! I think I like the last one best--drat, why aren't I Eowyn? heheh....and the piece with the twins is moving also...and the one with Faramir and the children, really nice! And the bit with Galadriel and her bridegroom--heheh--yessss!!! gotta love it! All are a delight...hope to see more soon!
~~~~{~@
Author's reply
Thanx for reading and reviewing, Armariel.
Why aren't I Eowyn either? Sigh. That's why we have fanfiction.
Galadriel and Celeborn must have celebrated a wedding night in the manner of most newlyweds; with expectations and discovery; though the psychic connection might have been amplified due to their being Elves and all.
You'll see at least one more within the next week or so...
Larner
· 9 September 2007
· Chapter 6: VI. Summer's Lease (Éowyn & Faramir and friend)
Ah--how very sensual! And love how she has come to fully appreciate the beauty of her husband!
Author's reply
Who wouldn't appreciate the beauty of that particular husband?!
I'm glad you thought it sensual; I was aiming for a bit of that.
Thanx much for reviewing, Larner.
Larner
· 9 September 2007
· Chapter 5: V. Undivided (Elrohir & Elladan)
Ah, a wonderful look at a most needed return to childhood for these two, who need rest to deal with their pain and impending loss. And I believe the orcs of Middle Earth indeed learned to fear their names.
Author's reply
I think the sorrow of Celebrian's children at her condition and then her loss must have been terrible; and the twins perhaps the most, since they had seen her after the Orcs had savaged her. Oh yes; the orcs will learn to fear Celebrian's sons. The sad thing is that I think Elrohir and Elladan are losing most of their joy in life along with their mother by devoting themselves to killing.
Larner
· 9 September 2007
· Chapter 4: IV. The Blessing of the Waters (Elrond)
Alas that she endured so much; and I rejoice that in the end he found he could bless the very water that divided them, knowing that it brought her to healing. I'm approaching that part in my own tale, and regret that I must deal with that grief.
Author's reply
I've always admired Elrond; he seems to be both idealistic and pragmatic, and is always kind, but not a pushover. As a healer and as someone whose parents had gone to the West, I saw him sending Celebrian away in love, with hope, and therein came his blessing the waters that would bring her to those who could fully heal her.
Thanx for reading and reviewing!
Calenlass Greenleaf
· 9 September 2007
· Chapter 5: V. Undivided (Elrohir & Elladan)
Ties in well with the previous vignette.
Calenlass
Author's reply
I actually wrote them at different times; writing Undivided several months before The Blessing of the Waters. Glad you appeciated the tie-in.
Calenlass Greenleaf
· 9 September 2007
· Chapter 4: IV. The Blessing of the Waters (Elrond)
I never knew why Tolkien ended Celebrían's story in Middle-Earth this way. It always seemed so sad.
And I bless the waters: the Bruinen for the joy we found
there, and the Great Sea itself, that will take her far from danger into the
West and the healing that I could not give her.
May it be so.
----
Short, but it tells much. I enjoyed reading it.
Calenlass
Author's reply
It was very sad; but at least Elrond could hope for reunion with Celebrian.
Elrond has always been associated with water - the Sea that took his parents away for ever and sundered him from his brother, the waters of Rivendell. I think Elrond is broad-minded enough to see the healing side of waters, as well as their more tragic effects.
Thanx for reading and reviewing, Calenlass!
Chibi-Kaz
· 20 June 2007
· Chapter 3: III. Silver and Gold (Galadriel)
Ah! I loved Chapter 3. So many times, you see Galadriel depicted as a frigid bitch, or Celeborn as weak next to her. But this was simple and clever, and gave their marriage an entirely different spin. Loved it.
Author's reply
I would never think of Galadriel as frigid!
Oh, I'm glad you liked the drabble; I've never tackled Elven sexuality before; and I certainly was a bit wary in choosing that famous couple!
Thanx for reviewing, Chibi-Kaz!
Elena Tiriel
· 18 June 2007
· Chapter 1: I. Daybreak (Faramir)
Hi Raksha!
Oh, I can *feel* the lightness in the air and in his heart! This is beautiful! Thank you!
- Barbara
Author's reply
You're welcome, Barbara - I see it as a day when joy was bubbling up in everyone's heart, if only for a little while; and Faramir would have felt it quite keenly, as someone who had fought the Shadow and been personally preyed upon by it.
shirebound
· 18 June 2007
· Chapter 1: I. Daybreak (Faramir)
he looked for the first time upon a dawn free of Shadow
What a magnificent moment.
Sorry, that was me. Forgot to log on!
Author's reply
It had to be one of those great historic moments; and the sense of relief and joy must have been overwhelming.
shirebound
· 18 June 2007
· Chapter 2: II. Family Jewels (Faramir)
I am not Maglor; Faramir remembered; feeling the warm weight of his own little Jewel safe in his arms. I survived my father‘s Doom with a clean heart. And I can forgive.
This is a very healing and lovely piece.
Author's reply
I felt terribly sad for Maglor; the only survivor, but broken inside, and unable to return to the West for the healing he needed. Faramir managed, probably not easily, to retain a "clean heart", and I think he had enough compassion to forgive Denethor, especially after he'd become a father himself.
Thanx for reviewing, Shirebound!
Anonymous
· 18 June 2007
· Chapter 1: I. Daybreak (Faramir)
he looked for the first time upon a dawn free of Shadow
What a magnificent moment.
Nesta
· 18 June 2007
· Chapter 3: III. Silver and Gold (Galadriel)
She certainly did that. I think he may have spent the next couple of millennia wondering precisely where he went wrong.
Author's reply
Yes, well, Galadriel wasn't exactly 'the little woman' type. They seemed to regard each other fondly enough in FOTR, and have mutual respect; and Celeborn seemed to be quite happy with his Noldor warrior-princess. I still want to know why Celeborn didn't leave M-e with Galadriel...