PSW · 3 October 2021 · Chapter 1: The Bitter and the Sweet
A lovely piece… :-)
Author's reply
Thank you!!
The Bitter and the Sweet by Cairistiona
Reviews (23)
MikoNoNyte · 3 February 2013 · Chapter 1: The Bitter and the Sweet
This was indeed bitter and sweet. I think I've read something similar lately (LJwriters will kill me I swear!) with Aragorn beyond the World. But this was very unique in your choice of point of view. Watching through another pair of eyes as Aragorn arrived, seeing the respect and love granted to a once king (now ghost, come on ... he's dead ya know!) And then finally the release of the watcher's guilt and catharsis! I admit a few tears in my eyes (hides the wet hankie). This was really good Cairi; not just because it IS well written or the point of view but because you can capture out attention in a few opening words and hold us hostage, letting the reader work their way through to the final release with guilt washed away and the final healing that the now dead king can do. *grins* Girl, you are killing me! haha
Author's reply
Hee hee! *hands you fresh supply of tissues* (though I feel I should send you a defribillator!) *g* Glad you enjoyed this, and thank you for the kind words about my writing, as always. This was a stretch for me, but redeeming Isildur had been a plot bunny that came up in discussions with Inzilbeth and I couldn't shake it off my ankle no matter how hard I tried. When you read about Isildur in the whole of Tolkien's writings and not just the appendices (and certainly not how he was portrayed in the movies), he really does come off as a hero doomed by one horridly bad choice. I felt he deserved his moment of absolution!
Tanis · 27 November 2010 · Chapter 1: The Bitter and the Sweet
Oh what a gorgeous tale of redemption, of finding peace at last. Even beyond the circles of the world there is still human need and longing, and it's beautifully portrayed in this story. The imagery of the boat sailing beyond, the passage of time outside of time, the crowd waiting on the shore for this particular boat, and the people who made the journey with their king - astonishingly vivdly painted. How much easier that journey would be if we could harness the faith to believe this is what waits each of us at the end of our journey here in this world. Beautiful story!
Author's reply
Thank you, Tanis! I'm so glad you enjoyed this piece. It would be so much easier to have faith with proof, wouldn't it? But alas, just as we in our lives don't, neither did Tolkien allow it in his subcreation--faith alone has to be the substance of what we hope for. Aragorn had as strong a hope as anyone but I think even he might have breathed a little sigh of relief when the shore hove into view! One of these days I'll write more tales like this one, from different points-of-view, most notably Aragorn's as he reunites with Arwen. I find it a fascinating area that's not covered much in fanfic. Thanks again for the review!
kathu · 21 May 2010 · Chapter 1: The Bitter and the Sweet
Wow! I never thought about Isildurs POV. Beautifully written. I´m amazed. Thanks for sharing this story. Kathu
Author's reply
Thank you, kathu! There's not a terribly lot of Isildur POV stories out there and I thought it'd be fascinating to explore his thoughts when he finally got to meet Aragorn. I'm glad you enjoyed this, and thanks for the review!
Alassante · 22 February 2010 · Chapter 1: The Bitter and the Sweet
This was very touching. *sniffle* I really really like the fact that Aragorn came over on a plain ship with no pomp and fanfare. That seems more true to his nature than anything else he could have done.
Author's reply
Thanks, Alassante... *hands you tissues* I'm glad you enjoyed my take on what might have happened. I've always thought that Aragorn wouldn't have been overly impressed with pomp and circumstance but understood the necessity of it during his life. And I imagine if he had a say in how he arrived on the shores beyond life, it would have been as quietly as possible, but of course, all those adoring family members and friends wouldn't have heard of it. :) Thanks for the review!
LisaG · 27 January 2010 · Chapter 1: The Bitter and the Sweet
Lovely...just lovely! I love that Aragorn came on the ship with his people with no fanfare...he was a king of the people, indeed...this was very much in keeping with his character. The reunions made me tear up, most especially with his father, whom he only knew from stories. And the reunion with Halbarad was joyful...great stuff!
Author's reply
Thank you, Lisa! I'm so glad you enjoyed my take on what might have happened. I couldn't see Aragorn, or really any of the kings, arriving with great fanfare, because once beyond the circles of the world, all would be equal--otherwise you'd have all the kings spending eternity arguing over who's the best, and that won't do! :) And I do think Aragorn more than any of them likely would have preferred a quiet arrival, or as quiet as he could make it... there were simply too many people anxious to meet him (not least of which was his father). So glad it touched your emotions--thanks for the review!
Lily Baggins · 23 January 2010 · Chapter 1: The Bitter and the Sweet
Well, this is beautifully done and no mistake! What a clever story idea . . . I can only imagine how cathartic such a thing would be for Isildur. So gorgeously written and emotional---and we get to see Arathorn! That was a wonderful touch. I so enjoyed this!
Author's reply
Thank you so much, Lily! I'm glad you liked this glimpse of what might have happened upon Aragorn's arrival. I've often wondered what a meeting between Isildur and Aragorn would have been like and this grew out of that. Thanks for the review!
Elentarri · 13 January 2010 · Chapter 1: The Bitter and the Sweet
Beautiful.
Author's reply
Thank you, Elentarri... so glad you liked it!
Ainariel · 9 January 2010 · Chapter 1: The Bitter and the Sweet
Wow. Wasn't planning to cry tonight...but you've got the tears flowing! This was fantastic. I love that you didn't demonize Isildur - really, was he that different from Aragorn? If he had known the dangers (and the true power) of the One, I doubt he would have attempted to master it. Aragorn had the benefit (if you can look at it that way) of knowing what could happen. Some decisions are easier when you know their consequences, after all. The way Aragorn addresses Isildur is perfect - so much is said in those few words, and the reference to the White Tree is spot on!
Author's reply
Thank you, Ainariel! I'm glad you liked this little tale... I do think that Isildur often gets an unfair shake, so I wanted to show his quality in this--his remorse at Gladden Fields was so strong that I felt he likely carried the guilt of his actions for a long, long time. I think it took someone like Aragorn, who was deeply affected, after all, by those consequences, to be the one to finally help Isildur shed some of that self-condemnation. I think Isildur will always carry the scars, though. I think Aragorn likely avoided falling into the Ring's trap because he was not burdened with that sort of unhealthy pride that Isildur had. Isildur is nothing if not a good illustration of "pride goeth before a fall". But he deserves forgiveness nonetheless. Thanks for the review!
Midnight Promise · 8 January 2010 · Chapter 1: The Bitter and the Sweet
Beautiful, absolutely brilliant! You an author who can do everything, and do it amazingly! I am demanding, not asking, for more shots to this theme! (Pretty please? With hot fudge and cherries? Money?) You are so much to use! You have Elendur, Elros, Beren, Luthien - dude, you have EVERYBODY! Especially Arathorn! How you described Aragorn is always awesome, but from a complete outsider's opinion was a new one that I enjoyed greatly. :D This is definitely a top favorite! Awesome job, way to start off a much needed weekend! May Life's Blessings find you! MP
Author's reply
My goodness, thank you, MP! I feel like I have my marching orders now. :D Seriously, I probably will explore this theme a bit more... I'll have to figure out how best to approach it, whether to do it all from everyone else's perspective or from Aragorn's, or a mix... lots to think about. But I'm very glad you liked this story! Blessings back at you. :)
utfrog · 8 January 2010 · Chapter 1: The Bitter and the Sweet
Utterly beautiful. You caught this fateful meeting better than anyone else has. Excellent view of both characters. I also love the meeting with Halbarad. Thank you.
Author's reply
Thank you, utfrog! So very glad you liked this. I'm always relieved to hear that I've captured the characters well. :)
Vilwarin · 8 January 2010 · Chapter 1: The Bitter and the Sweet
It's been a while since a story made me cry so much - but in a good way. The reunions were so heart-warming! Your choice of POV is a very interesting one and bears great potential. Isildur's guilt must have been profound as he slowly began to understand what eveil this one decision had caused, as he watched generation after generation of weary Dúnedain arrive. And it feels very good to believe that he finally received forgiveness.
Author's reply
Thank, Vilwarin! I'm glad this moved you to tears in a *good* way. That was my hope, as I wrote this. I think Isildur likely carried a sense of guilt over his actions far beyond the forgiveness of the Valar... I see him as a man of great quality, and being such, he would be far harder on himself than anyone else would be. That his error created so much heartache and loss would be very hard for him to bear, I think, and forgiveness of himself a long time coming. Thanks again for your kind review!
Silivren Tinu · 8 January 2010 · Chapter 1: The Bitter and the Sweet
Aww, that was so beautiful! *sniff* It really needs a tissue alert, though. ;-) I made it through the reunion of Arathorn and Aragorn, but when Aragorn spotted Halbarad I was a goner. *bg* The next time I'm going to read a Halbarad deathfic, I know exactly what I'll read afterwards. :) I also loved that you wrote this story from Isildur's POV. Somehow, it seemed very fitting. Do I need to mention that I loved it? :D
Author's reply
Aw, thanks, Almut! I would have put a tissue alert on it, but um, I hate those kinds of spoilers! And hey, Tolkien didn't put any warnings at the front of his books so there's my out. *g* I'm glad the story moved you to tears (hopefully in a good way!), and yes, I did sort of want to create a bit of a "sorrow antidote" to Halbarad's death. That it ended up in an Isildur-driven fic sort of surprised me, because I wanted to write one eventually that's strictly between Halbarad and Aragorn, but it seemed to fit. Halbarad would, in my mind, be one of the first people after Aragorn's parents that he would want to see, simply because of the way Halbarad was ripped from his life, and the sheer number of years they'd been apart. I imagine Aragorn also had quite the reunion with Faramir and Eomer as well... but those just didn't fit into the scope of this story. I think I could probably do an entire series on everyone Aragorn finally sees again! LOL Thanks for the review!
Mirach · 8 January 2010 · Chapter 1: The Bitter and the Sweet
Oh, thank you for redeeming Isildur! It seems that the one mistake he made is what everyone remembers about him, and condemn him for it. But he is the one who stole the last fruit of Nimloth, risking his own life, and Aragorn is Isildur's heir - not Elendil's or Valandil's - and he carries that epithet proudly, not with shame. I was thinking about writing a story about him myself to show this other side of him, but you have done it here perfectly! It is fitting that Aragorn doesn't have his own ship - death makes all equal, there are no kings and subjects. Only the nobility of the spirit is left, and that is visible here, also. It is beautiful to imagine Aragorn meet his parents and Halbarad again. And soon Arwen will arrive with the same ship... Ah, I have tears in my eyes, it is so touching. Bittersweet indeed!
Author's reply
Thank you, Mirach! You've touched on exactly the things I wanted to show with this: that Isildur was a worthy man who made one massive mistake, and that in the end, kings and commoners all end up as equals, with Eru as the "king", so to speak... although that analogy doesn't exactly fit perfectly. I like your term "nobility of the spirit" as all that remains... that *does* cover it perfectly. And yes, soon, at least to Aragorn's eyes, Arwen will come. In the meantime, he will have many joyful reunions and first meetings to keep him occupied. Thanks for the review (and yes, go and write your own Isildur story! We need more Isildur stories!)
Inzilbeth · 8 January 2010 · Chapter 1: The Bitter and the Sweet
As I've said to you before, I feel this is the best story of Aragorn's arrival beyond the Circles of the World that I can ever imagine. It's just perfect in every way. Congratulations!
Author's reply
Thanks! And thank you so much for the help... it would have been shot through with holes had you not guided me so well through the canon on Isildur! I'm glad you enjoyed the end result of your labors. :)
Elena Tiriel · 7 January 2010 · Chapter 1: The Bitter and the Sweet
This is heart-warming, Cairistiona! I guessed Isildur's identity as soon as you mentioned Aragorn's resemblance to Elendur.... Did I mention how much I love obscure bits of canon tucked into stories? And his musings seemed so real, so perfectly appropriate. Aragorn is completely in-character, in his own regal but unassuming way. And I really choked up at the end! Isildur's guilt is so intense, and Aragorn's words were so perfect... and Isildur's relief so overwhelming. Beautifully done, Cairistiona! - Barbara
Author's reply
Thank you, Barbara! I'm like you in that I like to tuck in those bits of canon to anchor a story well into Middle-earth (or in this case, the realm beyond the circles of Arda). I'm also very glad you liked Isildur's musings... this is the first time I've tried to write Isildur, so it was a bit of a challenge to get into his head. I'm far more used to getting into Aragorn's! *g* I'm glad the story moved you, and thank you for the lovely review!
Estelcontar · 7 January 2010 · Chapter 1: The Bitter and the Sweet
Yay! You've posted it. As I told you before, I loved this story of yours very, very much. It is the best Beyond the World tale I've ever read. I love it because you managed to make it totally plausible, believable, very touching, and not maudling at all. I liked the use you made of ships, an image so rooted into Tolkien's legendarium. I love the way you managed to give Isildur his due; the way you grounded it into reality with such details as At sea, the boat shakes. On land, the legs. Even here, there was no difference; I love the way you portrayed Aragorn's meeting with his family and kin; I absolutely loved his arriving among his people and their spontaineous homage. It was very telling and very touching. I especially loved the way Aragorn greeted Isildur. To my mind it was spot on. Thanks for writing such a fine version of what awaits Men beyond The Circles Of The World.
Author's reply
Thanks, Estelcontar, both for these kind words and for giving it your usual test-read before I posted it. In many ways, I'm rather glad that Tolkien *didn't* give us much detail about the ultimate fate of Men, because it leaves it very open to interpretation. I definitely tried to make it seem real, and that of course meant a lot of detail about the ship itself. And yes, I had to give Isildur, that much-maligned fellow, his due. Thank you again for the help with this and for this lovely review!
Larner · 7 January 2010 · Chapter 1: The Bitter and the Sweet
So beautiful, and so appropriate! Excellent characterization of them all! Yes!
Author's reply
Thank you, Larner! I'm so glad you liked this... and always glad to hear I nailed the characterization. If I can't get the characters right, then I need to be writing elsewhere, is how I see it, and I would hate to write elsewhere. *g* Thanks again!
Radbooks · 7 January 2010 · Chapter 1: The Bitter and the Sweet
A very moving tale. I liked seeing all of it from Isildur's perspective, I do imagine he would have had that sort of guilt! Nicely done... thanks for sharing this with us! :)
Author's reply
Thank you, Radbooks! I'm so glad you liked this. It was unusual for me to think about a story from Isildur's perspective, since I'm far more comfortable writing from Aragorn's, but the more I thought about it, the more I knew it needed to be told by Isildur, not in small part to better show that guilt. Thank you again for your kind review!
Dreamflower · 7 January 2010 · Chapter 1: The Bitter and the Sweet
This is stunningly beautiful! I love the use of the ship! The imagery of a ship is so integral to all the history of Arda: the ships of the Sun and the Moon, the ship of Earendil, the ships of the Numenoreans, a ship carries with it so much in the way of connotations. Wonderfully evocative and touching, dear!
Author's reply
Thank you so much, Dreamflower! I'm so glad you liked this... and yes, ships are everywhere in Tolkien's world, aren't they. They're symbolic of so many things: rescue, escape, watchfulness, hope, and most of all, going home. I'm glad this moved you, and thank you for the lovely review!
Erulisse · 7 January 2010 · Chapter 1: The Bitter and the Sweet
Truly beautiful and a hope that I think many of us have - to see the ones that we loved in this life after we pass the Circles of Arda. Thank you for these cleansing tears. - Erulisse
Author's reply
Thank you, Erulisse... I'm so glad this touched you and offered a bit of catharsis. I have my own such hopes, and a lot of that went into the writing of this--at times I shed tears of my own, to be honest. Thank you for your kind review.
Elflingimp · 7 January 2010 · Chapter 1: The Bitter and the Sweet
Oh my gosh, for so long I have wanted someone to write a story about what and where Aragorn went after he passed, I didn't think anyone would do it. This is utterly beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing this. Hugs The Imp P.S. Maybe you could write one about when Arwen comes also??
Author's reply
Thanks, Imp! This one's been on my mind for quite a long time, what might have happened when Aragorn and Isildur met at long last. I'm glad you liked it. :) I might tackle Aragorn and Arwen's reunion one of these days, if I can get a clear picture in my mind of it. I like the idea of writing stories set beyond the circles of the world, so it's definitely a possibility, but we'll see how this one flies first. :) Thanks for the review!
shirebound · 7 January 2010 · Chapter 1: The Bitter and the Sweet
I understood why there were no trumpets, no fanfare. It was the love of the people that he had led, and who had the privilege to journey with him at the last, who provided the pomp, the circumstance. What a beautiful, glorious story! How I would love to see this filmed. And Aragorn's words at the end are just perfect.
Author's reply
Thank you, shirebound! I'm so glad you enjoyed this... it's such new territory for me, writing Isildur and about the life for Men beyond the circles of Arda. Part of me is still wondering, "What was I thinking??" *g* And wow, I hadn't thought about it, but it would be amazing to see this on film! *daydreams about casting Isildur and Halbarad* Thanks again for the lovely review!