Years ago, I frequented under a different name, and found your stories through an author called Littlefish. I'm so glad to have found you again, as your stories are always so beautifully written, and this one was no exception. I thought your portrayal of Boromir was spot on: he is a valiant man who is tempted by the Ring, and this story does a fantastic job of exploring his thoughts just prior to his fall.

Beatifully written. Thank you!

A great story, as expected from you.

It is dark and you feel the hopelessness from Boromier and the dangerous thoughts lingering. The writing style and form match the theme perfectly and I belive you also fullfilled the challenge.

Also, I think this is a worthy followup to Beyond the Mountain Passes.

All in all, well done D

I can't believe I never submitted a review for that story: honestly, it is one of the best I have ever read! I like every line of it and the last one is simply perfect. Thank you for that wonderful fanfiction!

P.S: I hope that you will write more stories about that pairing, because your portrayal of Boromir and Legolas is awesome, AND I absolutely adore it when these two characters interact with each other.

Beautiful! You captured the essence of each character perfectly, and the struggles of both. I love the fact that this is an interaction between a Man and an Elf with their duty in common, but the ending shows how different Men and Elves can be. Great interaction, amazing contrast, and wonderful literary language. I especially lonve the ending sentence-it definetly makes one think of Boromir's ending, approaching so swiftly..

Wonderful story! I loved the descriptions and the literary language you used. Thank you for such a wonderful story!

I really liked how you connected Boromir and Legolas and gave them common ground in the plight of their homes, I never thought of that connection before. I loved their character interaction and this peak into Boromir's motivation.

I really liked how you delved into Legolas's character; I think very often, especially in the movies, he's dismissed as the "pretty elf," but here you showed him to care very much for the quest with emotions as deep as anyone else's.

Best!

-claire

Woo hoo! Cage match - point, Legolas! Awesome confrontation, Thundera. Legolas in his political hat is all too rarely observed in the wilds of fandom, and very rarely does he get to play for stakes this high, or this personal. An excellent follow-up to "Beyond the Mountain Passes."

Nor was it truly ever so near to one man and his duty...

This made my heart race. As with the fic I just read of yours, you pulled me in and I could not get lose. I could barely turn to say hi to people coming in.

I'd say if anyone was merciless in this fic, it was you. XD Lovely fic, and I am very glad I took the time to read it.

I'm guessing that Legolas is the compassionate/merciless one in the story. :) Wow, I would NOT want to be in Boromir's place! I particularly liked Legolas's comparison of Gondor and Mirkwood. The two realms truly are similar in their endless war with Sauron that has led to their slow decline. I had not thought of the two characters as sharing anything in common, but I see that they indeed do. I hope Legolas, in his intensity to preserve his realm and save the fellowship, didn't push Boromir over the edge. "The edge of a knife" is a perfect illustration for the tension here. Well done, as always.

Mia _

Wow. That dialogue was intense. Beautiful oneshot. I think you described their emotions perfectly. Brava! :)

Golly gosh, this story had me biting my lip as I read through it. A wonderful argument, this one having no mirth, sadly.

The trials of Boromir have always haunted me and I enjoy re-reading my Tolkien for pleasure every few years (as I love them so). Here in your story entitled "Stay But A Little" you have touched upon a few raw nerves and made us all think even more.

My sadness for Boromir remains always, as his was a life of duty and trial and at the last (after his doom descended upon him) of great bravery and desire for others to survive and go on to fight for all of Middle earth.

Your argument, here played out by two men of noble blood, is unusual because I can clearly hear Legolas also admitting desire for the Ring in a way. Duty for the sake of others rules both their lives, but they are still young and desire can overpower judgement.

Sadly, we all know of Isulder's Bane that became Boromir's Doom, here is a fine story of compassion and pride. That the White City is only a shadow of the once beautiful Osgiliath that now lies in ruins at the river is very true, Gondor is merely a clever fortress, a pile of stones that is the last refuge in a way, for the remaining peoples. But it is Boromir's home, that he has fought for all of his life to serve and protect for the future.

Mirkwood is the birthplace of Legolas and he feels no less love for it than Boromir does for Gondor I would think, but here in your story you suggest that love for all of the living and the myriad folk that be sing in Legolas and that perhaps Boromir has been raised to love his own folk first before others.

But then, the Eye of the Great Enemy lives in a terrible tower only across the river from Osgiliath (it's sister city in many ways, long ago), no doubt Boromir has always been aware in some way of it's gaze, upon his home, upon his people. And upon himself.

So very sad. Another fine argument you have posed, I salute your deep talent, I applaud your story telling abilities, I somehow enjoyed this torture as a fine tale and I wish to say thank you for writing and sharing such a fine piece of work. Well done, that author there!

Wow! Beautifully written. That was an insightful and believable exchange between Boromir and Legolas. Their identical fears for their people and their different approaches to the quest and the protection of their homes is just beautifully realized.