Every tale must have their staging areas, and it was time for this one. Nonetheless, even within the pace of a placeholder, you still managed to pull forth a great deal of information about the players and fill out the characters just a bit more. That's the mark of a fine author.
- Erulisse (one L)
Author's reply
Hello, Erulisse. I have the feeling that I'm not getting too many reviews as yet because much of what we are reading here is 'staging', setting up the situations among the various groups of Elves and the Valar as they struggle to come to terms with what has happened with Feanaro's exile, and of course, none of them can foresee the destruction of the Trees. The Darkening itself and the flight of the Noldor which follows are not what interests me as a writer, though I do address it in this story. I am more interested in the possible actions and reactions of the other people of Aman, both before and after the Darkening. All this 'staging' is necessary to appreciate what is to come later on. Thanks for your remarks. I am very gratified that you understand what I am trying to do here.
Larner
· 22 October 2010
· Chapter 15: Muina Hostalë
Hopefully the realization that they are Ingwe's secret council will help Inglaure to accept the apparent demotion once their parents are back.
Lovely to see Ingoldo getting his due! Heh!
Author's reply
Hopefully so, Larner. And as for Ingoldo.... that remains to be seen, of course. This story isn't over by a long shot and he can still cause a lot of mischief. Thanks for reading and reviewing. I greatly appreciate it.
Tari
· 19 October 2010
· Chapter 13: Betrothal
I wonder how far Ingoldo will go also. He is a mean, vicious excuse for an elf who has a lot of nerve accusing someone else of being a social climber.
Author's reply
Hi Tari. We'll see in future chapters what happens with Ingoldo. He really is a piece of work and it's all because he is jealous of his brother and the fact that he is High King and not Ingoldo. Envy is one of the deadliest of sins indeed.
Thanks for reading and reviewing. I greatly appreciate it.
Tari
· 18 October 2010
· Chapter 12: Family Council
Things are getting very interesting indeed.
Author's reply
I'm glad you think so, Tari. Thanks for letting me know. I appreciate it very much.
6336
· 18 October 2010
· Chapter 14: News from Vanyamar
Well first thought is 'Oh, what a tangeled web we weave when first we practice to decieve'.
Ingoldo and through him, Melkor, is starting to influence how Ingwe's family interacts with others. Poor Camenedil, all he wants is to be left alone to study the plants of Aman and now he is imbroiled in the dealings of Ingwe's court, something he thought he had left behind him long ago.
Now we are adding Finderato to the mix, I think he will be good for the twins, he seems to be very mature and even if they don't need his advice he will be there for moral support.
Huggs,
Lynda
Author's reply
That's very true, Lynda. And we will see later on what fate has in store for Cemendil. And Findaráto will be very good for the twins. For all that he is very much younger than they, he does have an air of maturity that the twins may lack at this stage. Hopefully Findaráto's presence will help them mature as well. Thanks for reading and reviewing. I appreciate it very much.
Sunny
· 18 October 2010
· Chapter 14: News from Vanyamar
I wonder if Axantur's self-appointed position as "gatekeeper" will cause trouble down the road, and ensure that important messages won't reach the persons they are meant for? At least Findaráto squashed his self-importance this time.
Ingwë's rather offhand way of announcing the upcoming betrothal was quite amusing - as was Elindis' reaction! :-) And I expect Findaráto's presence in Vanyamar may be useful in foiling Ingoldo's plans - as well as being a support for the twins and Intarion.
Author's reply
Who knows Sunny? Axantur is one of those people in a particular power structure who milks it for all its worth, but I think Findaráto will be whispering in his atar's and his uncle's ears about him, so they will be alerted.
And we will see how Findaráto fares among his Vanyarin kin soon enough. *grin*
Thanks for reading and reviewing, Sunny. I truly appreciate it.
Larner
· 18 October 2010
· Chapter 14: News from Vanyamar
Poor Cemendil--being dragged into the midst of intrigue in spite of himself. Love the announcement of the betrothal and the insistence of those who intend on supporting it in spite of Ingoldo and his wife.
Author's reply
We will see how Cemendil fares later on< Larner. And Intarion has a lot fans in his extended family who are rooting for him and Lirulin. They'll make sure the betrothal will go as planned. Thanks for reading and reviewing. I really appreciate it.
Larner
· 18 October 2010
· Chapter 13: Betrothal
Excellent! The marriage is now afoot, and Ingoldo is decidedly distracted from other mischief. Now--to see perhaps what Olorin might be doing for his lord!
Author's reply
Thanks, Larner. I'm glad you enjoyed this chapter. We probably won't actually see what Olorin is up to, though we may hear about it later. Thanks for reading and reviewing, Larner. I appreciate it very much.
Erulisse (one L)
· 18 October 2010
· Chapter 14: News from Vanyamar
So Finderato gets to join the Twins and discover some of the ins and outs to conspiracy. That should serve him well in his own future in Ennor . I look forward to the next chapter, and I see with great clarity why Cemendil wanted to leave the council and study non-human things - much less likely to stab you in the back. It does make me wonder what Ingoldo could potentially have offered him to, in essense, betray his otorno.
Absolute power destroys (not just corrupts) absolutely (as Feanaro will experience). I don't think that Ingoldo would have the power to govern, as much as he may want the chance to try.
- Erulisse (one L)
Author's reply
Yes, we'll be seeing Findarato in Vanyamar soon enough. And we will see how Cemendil fares later on. As for Ingoldo and his bid for power... that remains to be seen. Thanks for reviewing, Erulisse. I really appreciate it.
6336
· 15 October 2010
· Chapter 13: Betrothal
I take it the Twins are at the stage where ellith are just some one Emme makes them dance with, but past the ew, ellith stage!
Typical adolescents when it comes to girls and their feelings though.
Hm, I wonder what Manwe wants Olorin to watch for.
I wonder how Ingoldo would have reacted to the betrothal had Ingwe been there and what his reaction will be now, short of disowning Intarion I am not sure what he can do, other than make his sons and future daughter-in-laws lives truly miserable.
I know, I know, wait until Monday!
Huggs,
Lynda
Author's reply
You guess right, Lynda. *LOL* I guess neither one of them has found the right elleth yet. Of course we know that Ingalaurë will not survive long enough for that, though Ingwion will eventually become betrothed to Olwë's daughter, Olwen, but that's another age away.
We'll never know how Ingoldo would have reacted to the betrothal had Ingwë been there, though we will see how Ingwë reacts to Ingoldo's intransigence in a future chapter.
And Monday isn't all that far away, so just be patient. *grin* Thanks for reading and reviewing. I greatly appreciate it.
Rhyselle
· 15 October 2010
· Chapter 13: Betrothal
Wow! What a lot of drama this chapter. I'm so pleased to see Ingwion and Ingalaure settling in as Regents, and their increasing comfortableness in meeting with Lord Manwe. They certainly would not have asked a potentially overly-inquisitive question the first time they met in their new positions!
Ingoldo makes me mad and nervous at the same time. Knowing from EI1 and EI2 just how awful a person he is, I find myself even more discomfited by him. He and his wife, Tinwetariel, are the most selfish of the elves of your stories that I can think of--in many ways, even more selfish and arrogant than Feanor. Ingoldo and Tinwetariel share a trait with Feanor that saddens me... none of them seem to care for the best interests of their children, only for their own goals. Any other parent would be thinking of how the betrothal fulfilled their child's happiness.
I do worry, along with Ingwion, that Ingoldo WILL find a way to prevent the marriage from taking place.
It will be interesting to see what happens next!
As always, well done, my friend. :) Your chapter postings are lovely milestones in my weekly schedule, and even if the chapter content is sad or dark, it still makes me very happy to see the notice come up in my inbox that one has been posted. :)
Author's reply
Hi Rhyselle. I'm glad to hear from you. It's been a while. And I'm glad you look forward to my chapters and am enjoying reading this story. It's good to know.
I guess Ingoldo and Tinwetariel are a rarity in Elvish society, but if Fëanáro could be that way, I don't see why some few others might act the same way towards their children. With Ingoldo, of course, much of it is rooted in jealousy for Ingwë's position, which he thinks belongs to him. And he wants Intarion to follow him in goverment rather being a loremaster or, now it seems, a wine merchant. He's very disappointed in his one and only offspring, and it's a good thing he only has the one child.
Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing, Rhyselle. I really appreciate it and hope to see more comments from you in the future as I've always enjoyed your insightfulness.
Tari
· 13 October 2010
· Chapter 10: The Twins and Námo
Ingwion is beginning to mature and step into the role of leader. He has much more understanding of what needs to be done than does his poor twin. I think his father will be proud of him.
Author's reply
Hi Tari. Yes, Ingwion is beginning to come into his own. Ingalaurë will eventually shine as well. He just needs to get out from underneath Ingwion's shadow. I know that Ingwë is very proud of both his sons and his daughter whatever their abilities or lack thereof.
Larner
· 12 October 2010
· Chapter 12: Family Council
Excellent plan. And now I'm caught up once again. Real life has been--interesting.
Author's reply
Glad you think so, Larner. And I'm glad you were able to find the time to read and review. I appreciate it very much. I know how real life can make things interesting for anyone.
Larner
· 12 October 2010
· Chapter 11: Deceptions
I agree that the ruse wasn't necessarily a proper means of seeing to it Intarion attended as well, but am glad that Findis managed to do what had been indicated in the letter, and that the lovers will be able to spend some time together today.
Author's reply
It was a bit cruel of Findis, but it works out in the end. I think, however, Valandur will think twice before letting his wife "handle the details" in the future. *grin*
Larner
· 12 October 2010
· Chapter 10: The Twins and Námo
Having a family council at Ilmarin would definitely get them around Ingoldo's interference! Heh!
Author's reply
Which was the whole idea. *grin*
Larner
· 12 October 2010
· Chapter 9: The Twins at Ilmarin
Perhaps a bit intimidating, but Namo won't eat them! Heh!
Author's reply
No, he won't, but they don't know that. *grin*
Larner
· 12 October 2010
· Chapter 8: Olwë
At least the two of them have one another, and may rejoice in their mutual love. Love the description of their throne room.
Author's reply
That's true, Larner, and their bond will prove important in the future. I'm glad you loved the description of the throne room. Thanks for letting me know. I greatly appreciate it.
Ellynn
· 12 October 2010
· Chapter 12: Family Council
Very well written - it's an excellent plan. But as Miles Vorkosigan (character from SF books by Lois McMaster Bujold) says - no battle plan has survived the first contact with the enemy.
I'm sure you'll complicate things too (for all good writers do that), and I am looking forward for more. :)
Author's reply
Thanks, Ellyn. I'm glad you think it's an excellent. Whether or not it works, remains to be seen. And Miles wasn't the first to say that. That's an old truism that every warrior knows. *grin* As to complications, that also remains to be seen. They may not be what you normally would expect. *grin*
Thanks for reading and reviewing. I greatly appreciate you taking the time to do so.
Aiwen
· 11 October 2010
· Chapter 12: Family Council
I'm enjoying the politics. Keep up the good work.
Author's reply
Thank you for letting me know, Aiwen. I really appreciate it.
Siiw
· 11 October 2010
· Chapter 12: Family Council
This is not as much a review as it is a question.
What if, after reading this story and especially a reply to it, a writer was inspired to write a story of their own about one of the characters? For example, if a reader got a very strong mental image of what a certain Maia does in his free time, apart from writing in that book? Would that reader have permission to post that story?
Author's reply
Hi Siiw. I am assuming that your are referring to Eönwë, and thus the answer to your question would be a qualified "no". Eönwë is Tolkien's invention and is therefore canon. Thus anyone is free to write a story about him. There is one caveat to that. His role as Oathkeeper is strictly my own invention. So, you could write a story about Eönwë without mentioning that aspect of his character and you would not need anyone's permission (expect possibly Tolkien's, but as he's dead, that's an entirely different issue). If you wanted to incorporate the Oathkeeper aspect of Eönwë's character into your story then you wouldn't necessarily need my permission to do so, though an acknowledgment that you are borrowing my version of Eönwë from me would only be polite. I know other authors who have used the Oathkeeper aspect of this Maia in their own stories. As long as they've given a nod in my direction, that's okay with me. You'll be surprised how many people actually think that aspect of his role is canon. *grin*
Now if you wanted to write about a completely original character, say, for example, Maranwë, Lord Námo's chief Maia in my universe, then, of course, you would need permission from the author to do so.
I hope this answers your question.
Sunny
· 11 October 2010
· Chapter 12: Family Council
Hopefully the planned distractions will work - and if so, it will certainly be interesting to see Ingoldo and Tinwetariel's reactions - if they react like Amarië's mother when she learned _when_ Finrod and Amarie's wedding would take place it is likely it is a full success. ;-)
(Hope Eönwë stocks up on ink and pens - wouldn't surprise me if he will need them!)
Author's reply
Hi Sunny. Well as to that, it remains to be seen. *grin*
I think up til now, Eönwë hasn't had much to do in the way of recording the oaths of the Eldar, since life has been very good, but I'm sure he's going to be surprised how busy he will be in the near future. *grin*
Thanks for reading and reviewing. I am glad you are still enjoying this story.
6336
· 11 October 2010
· Chapter 12: Family Council
I like Tam, he is just as devious as the rest of them.
Yes, I do rather think that Ingoldo and Tinwatariel will be a little 'exercised' at the announcement of Intarion and Lirulins betrothal, to say the least!
Huggs,
Lynda
Author's reply
Hi Lynda. I'm glad you like Tam. I rather like him, too. I only regret that I didn't know of his existence when I was writing Elf, Interrupted; I would have included him into the story, if only as a cameo. Oh well...
And we will see shortly just what Ingoldo's and Tinwetariel's reactions to the betrothal annnouncement will be. *grin*
Thanks for reading and reviewing. I greatly appreciate it.
The Maiar were known by their scent? Hmmmm...I think I'd have a tough time with this. I have good ears and eyes, but my nose is lousy since an auto accident when I was a tween. Oh well, I love the Maiar anyway :-) I can't wait to hear what will occur when they reach the halls at Taniquitel.
- Erulisse (one L)
Author's reply
Hi Erulisse. I imagine that with so many gardens surround the homes of the Eldar and the Valar and all, even the Elves would have trouble discerning that a Maia was near-by. *grin* I'm glad you're looking forward to the next chapter. Thanks for letting me know. I really appreciate it.
Tari
· 8 October 2010
· Chapter 9: The Twins at Ilmarin
Námo seems to make most elves quake in their shoes. How sad. I don't think he's half as bad as they think he is. It appears that the twins are doing allright, and Indil has to be in her glory being left in charge.
Author's reply
Well, as Námo would point out, he does the "Doomsman" bit deliberately, and unfortunately he does get something of a bad rep with the Noldor later on, but we all know better, don't we? *grin* I'm sure Indil is doing just fine on her own. Probably is glad to see the twins gone for a few hours so she can do a blitzkrieg on their bedrooms. *grin*
Thanks for reading and reviewing, Tari. I'm glad you are enjoying the story so far.
6336
· 8 October 2010
· Chapter 11: Deceptions
Well I hope Vanyamar is still there when they get back too, I am sure there is a lot of mischief Ingoldo could get up to if he tried really hard. Ingwion should have made the caveat that any decisions made would have to be O.K.ed by he and his brother when they returned.
Hm, I am very glad Findis is on the twins side, she could be very dangerous otherwise.
Ah, well, onward and upward to Ilmarin we go!
Huggs,
Lynda
Author's reply
Hi Lynda. I'm sure the twins won't be away long enough for Ingoldo to get into much trouble. *grin* And as for Findis... well she is half-Noldorin and we all know how sneaky and crafty the Noldor are. *LOL*
Thanks for reading and reviewing. I appreciate it very much.