This is a really good story.

I know this is an old fic, but I felt the need to review it. This is, in a word, brilliant. The structure is lovely, the dialogue well thought out. It ties in well with the end of Return of the King, I can actually imagine the canon characters saying that. Fantastically done, kudos.

This story's short and basically describes one event - Legolas discovering a very personal bit of Gimli's history. But it's stuffed full of lots of undercurrents (friendship, sea-longing, love of all different sorts, how experiences change people, differences between races - and similarites! - just to name some), and there's both humor and sadness, love and loss, wisdom and innocence, lightness and Serious Issues, making it all a literary equivalent of a multi-fruit smoothie! :D

Just to name a few of my favorite points:

For example, the "tum-dum-di-tum" reminded me of Winnie-the-Pooh stories :) and Pooh stories carry a lot o' wisdom around with all those innocent characters, and that is somewhat like Elves (who seem both old and young) and especially sun-searching-in-midst-of-snowstorm Legolas.

Another example is the line about Legolas laughing at how he'd never known how true it was that all streams lead to the ocean, because the sea-longing obviously is a source of unquiet - an "ache" as you put it, and yet he still has joy enough to laugh. He can still find solace in Middle-earth, not only in the world itself (running all day nearly alleviates the longing) but also in its people, who are his friends.

Yet another intertwining of humor and sadness, joy and loss: "The beard wound...down to the feet - artistic license, he supposed." We smile at the artistic license itself, at the Dwarf who carved it, and at Legolas for thinking this, even as we admire the carving for the image it presents, at once august ("bearing that of a queen") and intimate (mother-child relationship). And then a moment later we find out that the carving is a tribute to two dwarves long gone, and moreover, that they were very dear to one whom _we_, the readers, hold dear. *sigh*

Finally: "It was hard to think of the right words." We know it's a struggle, that the contrast in fates of the Firstborn and the other races is a sensitive subject for our beloved characters. And then comes Legolas's "Would you mind terribly if I was to remember you in song?'" Let me get the killjoy part of me out of the way right here: I think it should be "if I were to remember you in song" - it's subjunctive here, so even though in modern English "if I were" isn't usually heard, it fits in with the language patterns Tolkien use. Uh...you can blame all my English teachers for that one. Still, to me this is the best line of the fic. I laughed at how innocent and childlike Legolas must have seemed at that moment - the perplexed/hesitant expression, the hesitant tone...and yet simultaneously you remind readers that death and separation do hover. Yet, with Gimli's response and the last line "Bain still smiled down upon her child," we get the sense that even death cannot overcome love (of any sort, between lovers, friends, parents and children, etc.) and life.

Packing so much into so few words is something I have a problem doing (as you can see by this review - d'oh!). Fantastic!

Beautiful and insightful.

Very nice story. You treat strongly and concisely with Legolas' sea-longing, find the right pitch for Legolas and Gimli's friendship and put in a very nice Elven misconception. I really like how your story remains simple, retaining a clarity and directness that can get lost in unnecessarily long and elaborate writing.

Plus, it's always nice to get to see Gimli written as having pre-fellowship past.

Great job.

If i say i didn't have tears in my eyes after reading this, i would be lying.
Thankyou for your fresh and original approach on EVERYTHING.
Im off to read more of your gems.
A Fan.
Tinkoo*

Well that was a lovely little story, Legolas being Elvish and Gimli being his generous self. I liked it I did.
More please
Rose

Very sweet! Why haven't I reviewed all your stories yet! Oh, by the way, in my other review, I mean UPDATED several stories. haha. You must've thought I was pretty odd.

Anyway, I love this story. The whole stone and song thing is an interesting take on the Elf/Dwarf difference. And did you know 'bain' means good in Sindarin? I'm thinking you did (: Odd name for a Dwarf, though...

-Samantha

aww, that was a wonderful story.

What happens at dinner? Turn this into an adventure, please, there aren't enough Legolas and Gimli adventure stories around.

OOh, very very different Gimli than I'd read before. Widower. That would explain why he was free to go with the Fellowship. And Legolas, trying to run beyond the sea longing, run until he almost dropped, that really got to me. Best of all, that little throwaway thought that he was no longer Legolas (Greenleaf) though still Thranduilion. Something melancholy in the whole thing that really appealed to me.

Wow!

This was wonderful, I'm so glad I stumbled across it! It was sad and happy all at once and a lovely idea. I'm rambling... it left me with a warm happy feeling anyway, and I shall read it again.

:)

that's such a sweet story. i like the emotion you put into it. it really shows how different elves and dwarves are, but also the friendship of legolas and gimli. you're a great writer!

Hi! the darned server just ate my review without posting it, so let me just say that I immensely like this story. It is beautiful and sad, and very quiet. I like the subtle way you describe the effect of the sea-longing on Leglas ("but as soon as he stopped he'd smelt it"), the exchange between Legolas and Gimli in front of the caves and the idea of the difference of Dwarves remembering by stone figures because they are not immortal while elves, who are eternal, remember with song.

This is a great fic! Thank you!

Aislynn

This is beautiful and touching. Although I have a hard time imaging Gimli as having buried a wife and child before the quest. But the feelings are intense and come over true and really well written. I also like the start, the way you describe the influence of the Sea-Longing on Legolas, that his runing almost made him forget... only then to feel it again. "But as soon as he stopped he smelled it" - this is great. The exchange betwen Gimli and Legolas in front of the statues is great too!

This is a great short story! Tank you!

Aislynn