Comments | azalaisdep: The Gates of the Kingdom

azalaisdep

The Gates of the Kingdom - fic for the 3_fan exchange

Jan 01, 2011 11:48

This year (well, last year, technically, now!) I chickened out of yuletide again, but did pitch in to the very enjoyable and low-stress 3fan_holidays run by the estimable celandineb . I was assigned an LoTR fic (on the exchange's general theme of "celebration") to write for thrihyrne , who specified that she loves both Dwarves and the Rohirrim - I don't write Dwarves a great deal apart ( Read more... )

lotr, 3fan, fic

Comments 12

curiouswombat January 1 2011, 20:24:08 UTC

A real pleasure to read this again.

azalaisdep January 1 2011, 20:27:39 UTC

Thanks again for the beta! :-)

rakshathedemon January 1 2011, 22:49:43 UTC

A very well-written account of the making of the new Gates - quite Tolkienish and also credible; a pleasure to read. I love the sense of inclusion and alliance among the free peoples of the West.

azalaisdep January 1 2011, 22:58:42 UTC

Thanks, Raksha! I particularly wanted to get across the "sense of inclusion and alliance" (despite the cultural differences!) - hence the altered inscription on these new gates, which unlike the Doors of Durin need no password for friends to enter, but stand open to "all free folk of good will."

Delighted you find it Tolkienish since that's always one of the aims!

mrowe January 2 2011, 14:00:42 UTC

So this is what you needed the mithril research for:) Well wrought!

azalaisdep January 2 2011, 18:45:56 UTC

Thanks! I'm glad the metalbashing meets with your approval :-)

Well done! julifolo January 2 2011, 18:24:45 UTC

And you also poked a character. My zoo has been quiet for a few days short of 15 months, hurrah. Thanks.

What a great story to wake them up. Grinning.

Re: Well done! azalaisdep January 2 2011, 18:46:43 UTC

Ahha - always pleased to wake up recalcitrant characters to be written by Julie!

And you poked the last speaking character in the last scene! julifolo January 2 2011, 19:36:59 UTC

Which is Boromir doing something specific as he gets the gates fixed as Elessar & Arwen are away to Rohan to see Theoden home & have their last bits of time with Elrond. He, of course, does this without consulting with the King. This isn't the first (or last) time he goes ahead and Does It, without checking ( ... )

Re: And you poked the last speaking character in the last scene! azalaisdep January 2 2011, 21:37:32 UTC

Now, of course, you've pointed out that I've woefully underestimated the time it would take for such a task,

Well, only if you decide to go for full-on gates of mithril and steel which have to be cast in the Ered Nimrais and then carted down the West-Road for hundreds of leagues - I'm sure temporary oak-and-iron gates could be constructed much more quickly by some local blacksmiths (though you might still need winching equipment to get them up).

Given that the LoTR Appendices do say it was Gimli and the Dwarves who cast the steel-and-mithril gates, and that can't have happened till a year or two after the Ring War at the absolute earliest, I think postulating some more temporary, but still solid, gates which could be got up quicker is entirely reasonable.

And yay for S&K! I'm dying to know what Boromir's up to...

wormwood_7 January 3 2011, 22:33:36 UTC

This was lovely, and excellently written.
I also love the feeling of mutual inclusion, acceptance and respect. The inscription on the gate is very poignant, Pass unhindered, all free folk of good will.
Food for thought.
Thanks for sharing :)

azalaisdep January 3 2011, 23:20:31 UTC

Thank you so much! I thought the inscription through very carefully, because I wanted to point up both the similarities and the differences to the Doors of Durin - no password will be needed here for friends to pass. (Although the Gates can still, of course, provide an impenetrable barrier to foes should there be need!)

I'm glad you enjoyed it.