CMEM-07: Preview to The Gift of Ilúvatar

[elenya]

It's passed time I posted something for Celebrate Middle-earth Month or CMEM-07. Looking back, it was Frodo and Sam Appreciation Month that kick started me into writing an epilogue to All That I Had. That was back in August, and you might be forgiven for thinking that the project had died a death. Instead, I have been working slowly but steadily on it. I need to finish it in first draft before I send it out for beta. I hope you enjoy this preview, and that layne67 will accept it as a small birthday gift, with apolgies for it being so late.


Title: The Gift of Ilúvatar (preview)
Category: Slash
Pairing: F/S
Rating: R
Disclaimer: I make no money from these stories. These beautiful characters are sadly not mine; I merely borrow them because I love them. With grateful thanks to JRR Tolkien for providing us with such a richly imagined world to play in.


Want to read on? Find it here.

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Comments

[gamgeefest.livejournal.com]

This is fantastic! I can't wait for the rest!

[elenya54.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you enjoyed it. I'm not sure how long you're going to have to wait. Sometimes it takes me a long time staring at the screen, walking the dog, and general musing to get a scene to take shape. Sometimes I spend an hour writing one or two sentences and then delete them. Still, this is Frodo and Sam, so you'll be pleased to hear there's no gratuitous use of the f-word. ;) :D

[gamgeefest.livejournal.com]

LOL! I will be able to read without cringing! Squee! :D

You write the same way I do. It can take me forever to get even a sentence written. I'll be patient. Just knowing there's F/S slashiness coming is enough to keep me happy.

[mariole.livejournal.com]

Aw, how very sweet and beautiful. I love your trips to Middle-earth... and beyond. :) Cheers.

[elenya54.livejournal.com]

((((Mariole))))

Thanks, love. :) I'll wait until it's finished, if that's OK, before I send you the draft, so you can get a complete overview, then maybe snip it up into sections for beta.

[mariole.livejournal.com]

I always prefer to finish things, too. I'll be here when you're ready. :)

[aliena-z.livejournal.com]

Hurray! Thanks for sharing; 'can't wait for more! Feedback by e-mail, to avoid spoilers.

[elenya54.livejournal.com]

:) I'll reply to your email tomorrow. I've been out this evening and it's now 3.20am... :D I think it's time I went to bed.

[elenya54.livejournal.com]

Of course, when I say tomorrow, I mean later today. :D

[lbilover.livejournal.com]

I squeed out loud when I saw your post. This was beautiful, Elenya, and I'm so anxious to read more. Thank you for this preview- it really brightened a drear Saturday here.

[elenya54.livejournal.com]

It's been dreary here, too. So a good day to make me stay in and get this posted. Mind you, it was nearly a disaster. I managed to delete the entire epilogue - which didn't have the last 6,000 words backed up :eek: - while extracting this section. It was with great difficulty I stayed calm, but luckily I'd converted the whole thing into HTML before I realised it would be better to work on just this scene, add extra text in word and then convert that to HTML. The HTML document with the entire epilogue was still open... :) I can tell you, it was a bad moment. All backed up now!

[blackbird-song.livejournal.com]

I really love the way you've characterized Legolas and Gimli, here. You have Gimli's earthiness as a lovely contrast to elven reticence, and yet there's the undeniable deep affection that Legolas has for his unexpected friend. I do so love the picture of Gimli falling asleep in the crook of Legolas's arm!

The contrast of hobbit pairs is wonderful, as is seeing how Legolas and Gimli react to them. In addition to normal character variations, you point up the difference both between a pairing of hobbits raised essentially as equals and one that is not, and a pairing of healthy, whole hobbits vs. one including a member who is more fragile. One feels even more poignantly for Frodo and Sam, and hopes that they will find more sure footing on Tol Eressëa.

I'm very much looking forward to seeing more of this story. Seeing how you explore the relationship between Legolas and Gimli, whatever it is and however secondary to the story it may be, will be fascinating. I've always wanted to see them written the way that you have captured them in a fan-fiction about this time in their lives.

Thank you so much for letting us see this preview!

Catherine

[elenya54.livejournal.com]

Thank you, Catherine. It's fun writing Legolas and Gimli. I've not seen many fics that involve both of them (probably my hobbitcentric fault), an obvious exception being ghyste and her hilarious TE tales. I think her Legolas possibly influenced mine, with his inability to deal with the lustiness of hobbits. :D

[addie71.livejournal.com]

Thank you for sharing this beautiful preview.

[elenya54.livejournal.com]

Thank you for reading and commenting, Addie. :)

[annwyn55.livejournal.com]

What a wonderful beginning! For a minute there I wondered if you were going to give us elf/dwarf *g* and I had to back out and take a gander at the pairing again. That being said, I love your characterisation of Legolas and Gimli and their friendship. It was awesome to see the difference between Frodo/Sam and Tom/Barard through their eyes too. That insight made me grin widely. The whole story made me very happy.

And thank you again for sending me that comforting snippet. I desperately want more, but I shall be good and wait patiently. ♥

[elenya54.livejournal.com]

I can promise, no interspecies. :D Glad you enjoyed. :)

[i-o-r-h-a-e-l.livejournal.com]

I list cmem posts that I can find. I hope you don't mind me linking this. :)

[elenya54.livejournal.com]

I hope you don't mind me linking this. :)

Not at all. :)

[(Anonymous)]

((((Elenya)))))
Oh, this has been worth waiting for! You've treated all these wonderful characters with your usual sensitivity and love, and have made them come alive - I can't wait for more. You know how much I value the gift of your writing, but I'll repeat myself anyway: Thank you dear. You've made this hobbit-lover very happy. More feedback by e mail.
Elaine x x

[elenya54.livejournal.com]

Thank you, Elaine. I'm glad if I've managed to send a little happiness your way. :)

[layne67.livejournal.com]

omg I've only just seen this.

*inserts major squeeeeee*

Thank you thank you thank you dearest Elenya. This is absolutely wonderful. I've really missed reading your works and now I've got this as a birthday gift!

*feels faint*

It's so good to see Legolas and Gimli ( esp Legolas! ) again. I'm glad to see them bantering easily with each other and, oh, they saw Sam and Frodo together! That was so sweet and beautiful.

Sam pulled Frodo closer, and freed one of his hands to stroke his master’s face; his words were almost inaudible even to Legolas, murmurs of love and comfort. Frodo relaxed, his eyes closing, face tilting as one would to the warmth of the sun, and Sam bent to him, cupping his head as their mouths met

This is just the preview, right? There'll be more, yes? I can't wait to read about Frodo and Sam living together happily in TE and I'm looking forward to the reunion as well!

Thank you again, Elenya. I love this very, very much and the epilogue will be a very welcomed addition to my ATIH book *hugs you tight*

[elenya54.livejournal.com]

This is just the preview, right?

Yes, just a preview; more shocked!Legolas and hobbity goodness to come. :)

[elycia.livejournal.com]

EXCELLENT! I've been eagerly hoping you'd write more on this theme after the glimpse you gave us of Legolas interacting with Tom and Barard just prior to the journey. Thanks for the preview, and PLEASE alert us here when the story goes up so we don't miss it!

*settles in to wait as patiently as possible*

[elenya54.livejournal.com]

Thank you, Elycia. :)

PLEASE alert us here when the story goes up so we don't miss it!

I'll post notification and a link to it here in my LJ. It's still progressing slowly, but a scene that's been eluding me for the past week has just fallen into some semblence of order.

[frodosweetstuff.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for posting this! It is wonderful, the Legolas and Gimli story that frames it and of course the Frodo/Sam part in the middle. I'm glowing just like Frodo did after reading this lovely description. I can't wait for you to post the entire Epilogue!!!!

Thank you!! This was a delight to read!

[elenya54.livejournal.com]

Thank you, Steffie. I'm glad you enjoyed it as you can take credit for kick starting the epilogue into existence. :)

[frodosweetstuff.livejournal.com]

Yay! I am happy I am in part responsible for its existence!! What can I do to help you finish it??? :)

[elenya54.livejournal.com]

What can I do to help you finish it??? :)

How about pay me megabucks, so I can stay at home to write fiction instead of having to go to work? :D