Comments | mithen: Clarity of Purpose, Chapter 26

mithen

Clarity of Purpose, Chapter 26

May 13, 2015 22:48

Title: Clarity of Purpose, Chap. 26
Chapter Summary: The Fellowship enters Nurn, the eastern part of Mordor.
Relationship: Thorin/Bilbo
Characters: Thorin Oakenshield, Bilbo, Arwen, Aragorn, Denethor, Theoden, Gimli, Dis, Legolas
Fandom: Hobbit/Lord of the Rings. Begins in 2968, twenty-six years after the events of "Clarity of Vision" and fifty ( Read more... )

ch: bilbo baggins, series: clarity of vision, fandom: the hobbit, ch: thorin oakenshield, p: thorin/bilbo

Comments 10

nausicaa83 May 13 2015, 14:28:08 UTC

New chapter, new chapter! *happy dance*

It's like you paint beautiful pictures with every sentence. I could see everything so easily in my mind, as if I were there. I love every new location. *_____*

“And the horse-demons of Rohan are the sworn servants of the men of Gondor, bound by unclean oaths to fulfill all their evil lusts and--”

This made me burst into laughter. :D

mithen May 16 2015, 12:42:59 UTC

It's like you paint beautiful pictures with every sentence. I could see everything so easily in my mind, as if I were there. I love every new location. *_____*

Oh, that makes me so happy to hear, thank you! I really enjoyed collecting pictures of places I thought these would look like and studying them...

This made me burst into laughter. :D

JUST IMAGINE THEODEN'S FACE, poor baby! He is so appalled!

shirebound May 13 2015, 14:40:05 UTC

I'm always so happy when good folks are aided in times of hunger and fear, and find allies unlooked-for. What a serendipitous meeting.

mithen May 16 2015, 12:45:09 UTC

Yes, exactly, thank you! I've always wondered about the people of Nurn and it was really satisfying to write them a little...

navaan May 13 2015, 18:08:52 UTC

Another long awaited and wonderful chapter. I love how you've taken this party far beyond the parts of this world that we're used to seeing (and cropping up in other fantasy books ;P).

“This can’t be Mordor,” he said. “It’s...pretty.”

I loved this line. Not just because it's Bilbo stating the obvious in this very innocent and Hobbity way of his, but because it's said about a part of the world that Middle Earth people would be thinking of part of the evil that is all of Mordor and letting me as reader rejoice at the complexity of this world that doesn't always give us what we expect. :D Honestly so happy just from this already. Culture clash and discovering the truth about different cultures! Yay!

Another lovely bit of worldbuilding! And I loved the new Gimli/Legolas banter, Theoden very regally putting his foot in his mouth. And now of course I'm impatiently waiting for them to get to the most dangerous part of their mission.

mithen May 16 2015, 12:49:34 UTC

I loved this line. Not just because it's Bilbo stating the obvious in this very innocent and Hobbity way of his, but because it's said about a part of the world that Middle Earth people would be thinking of part of the evil that is all of Mordor and letting me as reader rejoice at the complexity of this world that doesn't always give us what we expect.

Yessss, thank you, that's it exactly that I wanted to capture! I thin it's casually stated in a throwaway line somewhere that the food for the troops comes from Nurn, and it's just like...what kind of society could one possibly build there? What kind of people would be there? It's just fascinating to consider...

I'm kind of blanching at the next section because--big battle scenes and a lot of angst and worry, oh no! Not my strength! But it's also got some moments that I absolutely cannot wait to write--Dis and Denethor kind of steal the show for me...

starsandsea May 13 2015, 18:11:15 UTC

“This is Nurn,” said Denethor. “A fertile land, where the food that fuels Sauron’s armies is grown. The people of this land have been enslaved by Sauron and his followers for more than five thousand years.”

Bilbo blinked. “That’s...a long time,” he said.

“Nurn means ‘grief’ in Sindarin,” said Denethor. “Yes. It is a long time.”

Oooh, I really liked that, it seemed very... real? If that makes sense?

Gimli tapped his axe with a knowing look. “I might not mind,” he said.

“Arrows can silence more orcs than an axe,” said Legolas with a blandly innocent look. “For every one you slew, my arrows would find three or more.”

Hee! And Thorin stepping in to restrain them both!

“That’s one for me, friend Legolas!” called Gimli as he pulled his axe free of the fallen orc’s breastbone.

“You only got the kill because I was focused on making sure he could not hurt the human,” said Legolas, his expression nettled.

Gimli shook his finger at him, grinning. “No excuses, elf!”

Hee! *hearts them both*

Denethor (whose eyebrows rose dramatically at ( ... )

mithen May 16 2015, 12:55:39 UTC

Oooh, I really liked that, it seemed very... real? If that makes sense?

Ah, yes, I think so! I liked it too, and I wasn't sure why!

Eeee, Denethor! *hearts him*

Imagining him being all austere and severe-looking and trying to look "not-bloodthirsty" cracked me up!

That... that is strange! But one of the things I love about this story is how you're fleshing out all the apparent 'evil' places and the people there, it's been so fascinating! :)

It's been so fun! I'm just sorry that this was the last new place... *sniffles*

Oh! *flails and frets and hearts Bilbo and Thorin* Oh gosh, I hope they can make it there okay...

Argh, I've just started writing their final trek and it's SO HARD, nooo. I don't want to make them do it!

ilovetobefree May 13 2015, 20:08:51 UTC

Bilbo blinked. “That’s...a long time,” he said.
It is :(

“That’s one for me, friend Legolas!” called Gimli as he pulled his axe free of the fallen orc’s breastbone.
“You only got the kill because I was focused on making sure he could not hurt the human,” said Legolas, his expression nettled.
Gimli shook his finger at him, grinning. “No excuses, elf!” .
Nice banter :)

“But he said they were of Gondor, and Rohan,” stammered the young man. “And the Yrch-lords say the men of Gondor drink the blood of the people of Nurn from the skulls of the yrch.”
Poor boy.

“Well, they don’t look like they eat very much,” muttered Bilbo, tightening his belt, but he couldn’t help but smile at the joy on the children’s faces as they tasted the lembas.”
:)

“Though you may be from the cursed lands to the west, yet I do believe you wish the Dread Lord ill. So I say, be welcome in Manishtashnu,” he said, spreading his arms wide, “And let us consult to see what aid we can give each other.”
Nice welcome. :)

Bilbo closed his eyes for a moment and let the ( ... )

mithen May 20 2015, 03:14:59 UTC

I was so happy that I finally got to write some Gimli/Legolas interaction! They're so much fun, and they're really not getting enough time in this story.

Memories of the Shire become increasingly important as we start to reach the end of this story. There what gets Bilbo through everything, I think… I'm just glad Thorin is there to help him remember it.

Yes, things get kind of dark from here. I'm a little worried! But we have to get through it to get to the happy ending… Thank you for sticking with me!