Whew! What a relief, and what a tender, gentle chapter. I love Merry wheedling Aragorn into things (and Aragorn allowing it), and Gandalf reminding Merry that the King has returned.
Author's reply
Thank you so much, shirebound! Yes, those hobbits sure have Aragorn wrapped around their little fingers, lol. But thank goodness Gandalf is still stern yet kindly.
Mysterious Jedi
· 26 August 2007
· Chapter 4
Good so far. I can't wait to read more! Sorry I can never think of good things to write in reviews. I love the drama, hurt/comfort kind of fiction, with the whole remaining Fellowship. This looks very promising!
Author's reply
Thank you so much for reading, Jedi! I'm glad you are enjoying my story. Thanks for commenting!
Larner
· 21 August 2007
· Chapter 4
Food in a belly that's been mostly empty for days. Poor Merry--he must be scared stiff. But Pippin is actually doing very well for the condition he was in.
Well described.
Author's reply
Thank you so much, Larner! This is my first time going into detail about the injuries Pippin received, so I hope everything is realistic.
Dreamflower
· 21 August 2007
· Chapter 4
Oh dear! Is it some unnoticed internal injury? Or is he sick? Oh my!
Author's reply
Hmmm...what is wrong with Pippin? Stay tuned to find out ...
Thanks for reading, dreamflower!
Antane
· 21 August 2007
· Chapter 4
Dear me! Poor Merry! Yes, Strider, come quick!
Namarie, God bless, Antane :)
Author's reply
Thank you for reading and commenting, Antane, I'm glad you stuck with me so far.
Poor Merry AND poor Pippin!
Grey Wonderer
· 21 August 2007
· Chapter 4
A cliff-hanger! Uh-oh. Now I have to wait until the next chapter to see if Pippin just over-did it or if there is something wrong with him. I'm almost as worried as Merry must be. This was a lovely chapter!
Author's reply
Thank you GW! You know we can't just fix our hobbits once and for awhile, there have to be a few twinges here and there!
shirebound
· 21 August 2007
· Chapter 4
it takes a special kind of bravery to set watch over your loved ones as they struggle to survive their injuries. Now that I'm awake, I can keep watch with you, over Frodo and Sam
That's just lovely. You write Pippin as such a perfect blend of irrepressible tween and newly-forming adult.
Omigosh, what's happening now?? Eeeeee!
Author's reply
Thank you so much, shirebound! Yes, Pippin did a lot of growing up on the Quest, and it's sometimes hard to remember that technically, he's still just a child.
And what IS happening now? Stay tuned...
Larner
· 11 August 2007
· Chapter 3
Oh, how wonderful--and the joy in Merry is so believable.
Author's reply
Thank you, Larner. I could hardly wait to get to writing this part, because Merry had been through so much and I wanted to give him some relief.
Thanks for commenting!
Antane
· 11 August 2007
· Chapter 3
See, Merry, while there's life, there's hope and your vigil and hope have been rewarded. Good for you! *celebrates with you*
Namarie, God bless, Antane :)
Author's reply
I could feel Merry's energy as I wrote this. Thank for reading and commenting, Antane!
shirebound
· 11 August 2007
· Chapter 3
The next day, Merry rejoiced all day long
And so am I! Yay, what a joyous chapter indeed. A wonderful reward for Merry's terrible nightmare.
Author's reply
Thank you, shirebound! I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for commenting!
Grey Wonderer
· 11 August 2007
· Chapter 3
Merry's excitement is catching! I was so excited by the end of this that I really do wish that we had another chapter. I want to see how well Merry does in keeping his own energy in check when he is allowed to be with Pippin. I loved this part.
(("Oh, Pippin," Merry murmured. "You were ever so brave, and I'm so very proud of you. It's time to come back to me now. Sam and Frodo still sleep, and will for some time yet, but you have to wake up. You need to keep your Merry from going crazy here. No one else will laugh at my jokes the way you do, Pippin. No one else has the patience. Strider says that you're healing nicely, and that when you wake up I'm to help you with your exercises. I never thought I'd say this, but I could do with some endless Tookish chatter about now." Merry stroked Pippin's cheek with his fingertips. "I swear I'll never tell you to be quiet again, if only I could hear your sweet voice."))
LOL I hope Merry knows what he's in for!
Author's reply
He he.. yep, I wonder how long it'll be before Merry thinks "Remember when there was peace and quiet around here"...
Seriously, I'll try to have another chapter up shortly. Thanks for reading, GW!
Grey Wonderer
· 31 July 2007
· Chapter 2
I love the way Merry and Aragorn worry about each other as well as the three injured hobbits. I like the fact that each of them knows exactly how tired the other must be. It really is true that waiting can be the hardest thing of all and poor Merry certainly had his share of waiting to do. I look forward to more of this one.
Author's reply
Thank you once again. I enjoyed how the interaction between Merry and Strider worked out, I think it's quite believable. Two friends comforting each other in a time of vigil over loved ones. It was actually quite enjoyable to write, even though I'm putting Merry through quite the worrisome time.
Grey Wonderer
· 31 July 2007
· Chapter 1
Poor Merry. You have written this so very well. I like the use of the movie verse here with both Merry and Pippin at the battle and then the return to the book with Pippin killing the troll. This is very, very, good.
Author's reply
Why, thank you, GW! I appreciate the kind words. The angst was just dripping out of me when I wrote this!
elanor winterflowers
· 30 July 2007
· Chapter 2
What very fine dialogue! It was crisp and believable and moved things along very nicely. I almost always get into trouble when dialogue drives my story, but you do an excellent job here! I hope Pippin wakes up soon. Between this story and "The Blessing" I'm starting to feel like he's terminally unconscious!
Well done! :)
Author's reply
Thank you, elanor! Your comments mean a lot to me.
I know what you mean; "The Blessing" is killing me! Poor Pippin; the lad sure goes through a lot in some of our stories, doesn't he?
I seem to be drawn to angst, for some reason; it flows really easily for me. I envy Grey Wonderer, who can do humor so well. I would like to be able to do something a bit more light-hearted, but that sort of story just doesn't come to me very easily.
Larner
· 30 July 2007
· Chapter 2
Oh, how too easily can I see this! Poor Merry. And Aragorn's not the only one needing rest, obviously.
Author's reply
True, Merry needs rest just as badly. I feel more sorry for him than I do the injured hobbits; at least they're all unconcious, with no awareness as to the hurts of their loved ones.
Thanks for reading, Larner!
Antane
· 29 July 2007
· Chapter 2
While there's life, there's hope, Merry! Keep at it.
Namarie, God bless, Antane :)
Author's reply
Exactly, Antane! My sentiments exactly.
Thanks for commenting.
shirebound
· 29 July 2007
· Chapter 2
It's lovely of Strider to take the time to smoke with Merry, and tell him that Pippin probably hears his voice. And quite impertinent (and delightful) of Merry to tell the king he needs to rest! (Which he does.) :)
Author's reply
Thank you, shirebound! One of the things I love about the hobbits is that they don't stand on ceremony. Merry knew Aragorn as Strider, and that's how he continues to talk to him!
Thanks for commenting!
elanor winterflowers
· 14 July 2007
· Chapter 1
I so loved Gandalf here! Thank you so much for that.
It has always been interesting to me that the Professor skirted dealing with all these physical injuries and various characters' reactions to them. Did he simply not have the heart, after WWI, or were grief and injury in detail just not a part of his vision? Or are we modern folk more concerned with such things for the sake of realism? Certainly those of us who are deeply engaged with his characters cannot seem to avoid wondering about it all.
Merry is nicely drawn here--passionate and vigorous in the struggle, and just as passionately bereft in the aftermath. I always think of him as a hobbit of so many feelings he can barely contain them. You've done a good job of that here!
Author's reply
Thank you so much, Elanor! Sometimes, Gandalf is hard for me to write; I struggle with his manner of speech at times. It's a fine line between grumpy old man and wise Maiar! But he didn't have any speech here, so it was easier for me.
I wonder about that too, with the injuries. I just think it wasn't really part of his vision... other things were more important to the story for him than the recovering hobbits. Barely a word is said about Pippin's injuries...only that he had spent quite a bit of time in bed, and that he was somewhat injured. I chose to add to his injuries here.
Thank you so much for reading and commenting!
Larner
· 14 July 2007
· Chapter 1
Ah, full of angst. And reason indeed for Merry to be worried, of course.
Author's reply
Thank you for commenting, Larner. Yes, poor Merry doesn't really know what to feel, I'm afraid. I'm sure it's like this for anyone who has sat in a hospital waiting room wondering about the condition of a loved one.
shirebound
· 14 July 2007
· Chapter 1
Ohhh, poor Merry! What an agonizing time of waiting and despair and almost-hope this must have been for him. How lovely of Gandalf to be so tender and understanding. I'm eagerly looking forward to the next chapter!
Author's reply
Thank you for reading and commenting, shirebound! I tried to imagine what it must have been like, to be the healthy one when all of your friends are so badly hurt. And the struggle between the need for hope and the tendency toward despair is realistic, I think.