Al · 2 April 2026 · Chapter 24
Extremely enjoyable story! I love your characters, and the historic tidbits are fascinating. I hope to see updates soon!
In the Court of the High King by Dreamflower
Reviews (205)
KathyG · 23 December 2021 · Chapter 4
I love strawberry pie! I wish I could have some!
KathyG · 7 March 2021 · Chapter 24
It's such a shame that we're never going to get to find out how this story would have ended. It would have been most interesting to see what everyone learned, how the reunions back in the Shire went, and how Frodo was upon their return.
KathyG · 17 September 2020 · Chapter 23
Unless Gondor had access to general anesthetics in some form, surgical intervention was bound to be a horrendous and excruciating ordeal. I don't see how anyone would be able to endure having to be cut into while awake. It's hard enough recovering from surgery when one HAS had a general anesthetic!
TolkienLover58 · 21 October 2017 · Chapter 24
Dear Dreamflower, I have read, and re-read this story, as well as A New Reckoning, The Road to Edoras, and Cado's year, more than once. You are an excellent story teller! Please finish these stories. I have become very fond of all of the characters. I have stories floating in my head, but I do not know how to put them down. Does one write things out on WORD, and then send as a doc....and to whom? Or would an e-mail suffice? Are you and Shirebound friends? I like her stories as well. Since I've not heard from you in awhile, and as I understand it, you are in the southern mid-west, I was wondering it the hurricanes had affected you at all? I do hope you are all right. Thank you for sharing your lovely world with me. It is so comforting to me to escape to a place where I understand the rules and traditions of Life. I am going on 60, and this world seems to me so up-side down. YOUR world is so much kinder and understandable to me. Thank you again. Donna
Author's reply
I have every intention of finishing them; real life and writer's block and a couple of other things have interfered, but they are only on hiatus, and they will be finished if I have anything to say about it! There are many ways of writing your fic. I generally write them out in a document on my hard drive, or sometimes in a document on Google.docs. As to posting, you simply join an archive and then follow the directions to post. Stories of Arda is an archive in which you need approval to post your first story. Go to the "About Us" page and follow the directions. The approval process can take some time. You can also sign up at archives that do not have such a process. I am a co-moderator of Many Paths to Tread, and you might consider posting there while you wait the approval process here. And there are other multi-fandom archives where you can post. You also might consider having someone beta your stories. I would be willing to consider that for you--you can contact me to email me by clicking on my name on my Author Page here. Yes, I consider Shirebound one of my dearest online friends. She's a sweet and delightful person, though I've never met her in RL. I currently live in Oklahoma, which is far from hurricanes, though it does have it's share of nasty weather. Before that we lived on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and I went through any number of hurricanes. Katrina was the last straw for my husband, though, which is why we moved here. I am so glad you enjoy my stories, and I hope to hear more from you. I am about five years ahead of you (just started being eligible for Medicare this year), so I do know what you mean. And it's not really "MY" world--it's the lovely world that JRRT created for us to share; I like my version of it to reflect his feelings about Middle-earth. You are most welcome, dear! and thank YOU for your lovely and thoughtful review!
LivingInME · 20 September 2017 · Chapter 24
I DO so hope you continue this story. You are my favorite author, and I miss ALL of your characters! I think I have read "A New Reckoning", "The Road to Edoras", and "In the Court of the High King", at least 3 times, already. It really is a great story. Please, please find it in yourself to finish it. Thank you for the joy you have brought into my life with these, and all of your stories.
Matt · 14 January 2017 · Chapter 24
I've just caught up the three stories of the "reckoning" cycle and greatly enjoyed them now that SoA allows one to combine all chapters. I note that you've not been able to make progress on "In the High King's Court" since 2014 and hope that you will return your attention to this story at some point along the way. You do such a nice job of showing how the hobbits struggle to adjust to Gondorian society and also how they build friendships and relationships in it. Thanks so much for a great read, with hopes that some day further installments will appear.
PSW · 22 November 2016 · Chapter 24
Enjoyed this one too! Your stories are great fun! :-) Thanks for writing!
Theresa Greenfalcon · 13 July 2016 · Chapter 24
I finally got to read the latest chapter - I can't wait to see more in this story...!
KathyG · 4 April 2015 · Chapter 24
I would so love to see this story finished one day! [hint, hint!]
Tigger · 13 September 2014 · Chapter 24
Hey and yes, I'm still around. It's just been a very stressful year since my last posting over at LiveJournal. Which I really need to go back to, as I really need an outlet where people know I need to vent to people who know I really need people to just listen. Unless I ask for more than that of course. Anyway… For some reason I had the hunch to come over and check out your writing. Not sure why and I really don't care either, as it's been an enjoyable few days re reading some old favourites. Decided to check on this one to see if anything new has happened and realized I'd never left a review. Since that needs to be fixed… :oD You know, it's funny in a way reading about what the truly important portion of the Court this day was considering the amazing news from the Canadian North about the discovery of the wreck of one of the two Franklin Expedition ships. They aren't sure if she's HMS Erebus or HMS Terror, but she's w/out a doubt one of them and in incredibly great shape considering. If you're interested, it's all up over at CBC.ca The details, the photos and, the real biggie, the video from the first dive. As I said, she's in amazing shape considering everything. I really hope someone out there takes the bait you've set out here and runs w/it. Sounds like a story right up Larner's alley, doesn't it? I'm probably now on her most hated person list for sending that Nuzgul her way. :oD Also thought the punishment more than fit the crime regarding the Baker. Not surprised it's a true story from that time period. I've also read so much about that time period over the years due to my own interest and love of it that I'm not at all surprised it's a true story. At least this fits the punishment. I've always wondered how many innocents died due to the Water Test, where if you float, you're guilty of the crime. In some ways our ancestors were very wise and in other ways…Not so much. On that note…I need to go and literally hit my bed. Didn't want to do that before leaving this long overdue review though. :o)
Fiondil · 26 February 2014 · Chapter 24
The description of the baker's punishment sounds very familiar. I'm sure I read it somewhere before as well. Chaucer, maybe? Can't remember. I've done so much reading of medieval life and literature, I can't keep sources straight anymore. Anyhoo... a fitting punishment. It's fun to find real-world cases like that that can be used in Middle-earth without it seeming improbable. I did a similar thing in a case with Finrod and a horse in my "Findaráto Diaries", using a real-world case and its solution. The whole thing about the sea exploration... yes, very important and far-reaching in more ways than one. I bet the hobbits understood its importance. They're a canny lot. Glad to see this story continuing, Dreamflower.
Author's reply
Glad to know I've remembered it fairly accurately. The book I *think* I may have seen it in has been many years missing, but I will have to see if perhaps I can find it in Chaucer. Perhaps that was the book author's source. At any rate, it was not the only such case; humiliation was a very common punishment in those days. They are canny, very canny.
Lindelea · 25 February 2014 · Chapter 24
Fascinating! I love Faramir's love of Ithilien, and yet his sense of duty that takes him where he feels he ought to be. I like Eowyn's involvement in bringing orphans to Ithilien. Perhaps they can become a part of the effort to make the land bloom again? Gardening can be healing. The account of the baker's consequences was very hobbity somehow! ...but I wonder what the Shirefolk made of the second matter. After all, they themselves are in the middle of what people back home would consider a hazardous journey! Will they get extra pay like the sailors, I wonder? *** We have a reprieve. Though the first vet said, "Put her to sleep immediately," the second vet said, "Yes, she's very ill. No, she doesn't seem to be suffering." So we have a little more time to love on her, even though the parting looms ever closer. We took her to the vet on a routine matter, never dreaming they'd discover something much, much worse. *sigh*
Author's reply
That is Faramir, and the thing is, he will also love doing his duty as well. And I am sure they will be a part of all that. For one thing, many of them will go to families who will be trying to reestablish the farms of Ithilien. I thought so! ;) *snicker* I hadn't thought of that. Although it wasn't mentioned, all of them were issued very generous stipends (from the first of the weregild) before they left the Shire, as well as a generous helping of money to cover their expenses at the Embassy. (I know this is one of the hardest things ever. In 38 years we've had to deal with that decision seven times--5 dogs and 2 cats--it's never easy and it always hurts, but the pain is worth it for all the love you give and receive from your furbaby.)
KathyG · 25 February 2014 · Chapter 24
I like how the King handled the case of the cheating baker, and Arwen's thoughtfulness for his and Faramir's comfort! Just out of curiosity--how WILL this approaching exploration of the south be important to the Fourth Age? Do tell! =)
Author's reply
Think of what effect 16th c. explorers like Ferdinand Magellan, Christopher Columbus and Francis Drake had on history and economics in "our" world! A ship that could find a sea route to Khand and Far Harad? It would be amazing! (And no, I'd rather not write fic about this myself--too research oriented, and lack of hobbits. But I'd love to nudge some of the folks who write about Men and Gondorians in that direction!)
Larner · 25 February 2014 · Chapter 24
A most just punishment for the cheating baker, and love that it comes from history! As for the wish to slip the increased pay for seamen intending to seek new routes eastward--well done, my Lords.
Author's reply
I've always wanted to use that historical anecdote in a story, and this seemed like the perfect time as Freddy and the others study how Men administer justice. (And the exploration? That will be far more important to the future of the Fourth Age than most courtiers can imagine!)
shirebound · 25 February 2014 · Chapter 24
I'm enjoying this story so much. And it's details like this that make it such a delight: He sat down with gratitude upon a thin cushion of black velvet. Bless the Queen; one of her first acts had been to see that cushions were made for his chair and for the King's throne. They were not obvious to the audiences in Court, matching each seat in colour and not especially lush, but they made life a lot more comfortable. He sometimes wondered if his father's dour disposition had partly been due to sitting for hours on cold hard stone for so many years.
Author's reply
It just occurred to me that stone chairs would be mighty uncomfortable--and that it would be the kind of thing Arwen would notice! :)
Linda Hoyland · 23 November 2013 · Chapter 23
A most enjoyable chapter. I loved Aragorn's pleasure in Faramir's return and his scene with Arwen and his desire to help his people as a healer. I also loved the Hobbit midwives.
Author's reply
I think he would feel glad to have Faramir back with him, even as he realizes that his Steward also needs to spend time in Ithilien as well. And I like to show Aragorn and Arwen together in quiet domesticity. Mistress Poppy and her apprentice Miss Viola are characters I am very fond of; it's great to get a chance to show them in their element.
Larner · 23 November 2013 · Chapter 23
I love the House of Children being part of the Houses of Healing. And it is wonderful to SS's Serinde and her associates here!
Author's reply
It made sense to me that it would be, since many of the children might need healing of one sort or another. I am so grateful to SS for allowing me to use her characters. I could have made up OCs as healers (and I have for some of them) but having hers just *feels* right. I always make sure she checks out any chapter with them in it, to make sure they are in character.
Fiondil · 22 November 2013 · Chapter 23
Nice to see Aragorn as a healer. Triplets! Oh my! When I was living in China I think I saw more twins in those 2 years than I'd ever seen in my entire life time, and that certainly put paid to China's one-child policy. LOL! Anyway, a nice chapter all around. It's nice to see Arwen and Eowyn as well if only briefly. Hope to see more of them along with Faramir.
Author's reply
LOL! Those triplets kind of hijacked the chapter--they were meant to be a brief throwaway bit. Now they have evolved their own sub-plot! I enjoy showing him as a healer. In "my" universe, that was his main goal growing up: to become a healer among the Rangers (since he didn't know about his true place among them). He still feels it is his vocation, while being a warrior and a King are his duty. Faramir will play a larger role in the next chapter...
shirebound · 22 November 2013 · Chapter 23
It's always good to see Thorongil again. Triplets would astound everyone once it was known, and the poor parents would have no peace. Goodness, I would think so! I don't see any difficulties in Minas Tirith being quickly repopulated, at this rate. :)
Author's reply
*grin* In "my" Middle-earth, twins (and it looks like triplets as well, LOL!) will be on the increase now that Sauron is no more! I love working with SS's characters, and she's so generous about it! Thorongil has more or less become the hobbit healers' liaison in the HoH. His mother's too busy to take the job on full time. So Poppy and Viola have been more or less shadowing him.
UTfrog · 22 November 2013 · Chapter 23
So triplets will make quite a stir in Gondor. Hope the king's guards can catch the poor father when he faints. I also love the midwife who assures her patients get some rest. Great chapter. Thanks.
Author's reply
No space in this story for Mistress Fieniel's backstory, but she would not be the Chief Midwife for the HoH if she was not very good at her job, and knew when expectant mothers actually need to be coddled and when they don't. Mistress Ava is older and has had several pregnancies, and she has no support system at home; and of course with the rarity of multiple births, Mistress Isfen definitely needs to be where the healers can keep an eye on her. The King will see that the father finds out what he needs to know soon!
Larner · 17 November 2013 · Chapter 22
I am glad that they are willing to try this, as it may work to the good one day, and all are better for having learned how much there may be to truly master a new skill or set of knowledge. Hooray for them!
Author's reply
Well, the knowledge that this is something hobbits can master is a help to them, since they know the Travellers learned to use their weapons. Also these three in particular need something to occupy their time--it's going to prove worthwhile for them.
UTfrog · 14 November 2013 · Chapter 22
Good for them. Each of the hobbits is learning a new skill to take back to the Shire.
Author's reply
Yes indeed! New skills will abound.
Fiondil · 14 November 2013 · Chapter 22
A nice little interlude. I bet Merry and Pippin will be surprised and pleased when they get home and are able to join them in sparring.
Author's reply
I think that they will be quite surprised! I am trying to give Jolly, Rolly and Denny a bigger role, and these lessons will give the three of them good contacts among the Guardsmen of the City.
Linda Hoyland · 12 November 2013 · Chapter 21
A most enjoyable chapter.
Author's reply
Thanks!