Poor Mel!! Arwen is so...convincing! Well written and I like the chapter title...I often pull it from mid to end of the chapter. You are writing Galadiel very well...like the doubt she now faces as most think her so powerful. Looking forward to more!

Author's Response: Thank you very much, though I might have to postpone the next chapter ... I'm currently having it betaed and it would be impolite to continue posting now while she looks it over. But I will continue this, I promise! And I hope you won't desert me until then ;-)
I am glad that you like Galadriel, I somehow grew on her and her husband during the writing process and wanted to portray that she depends on Celeborn the same way that Celeborn depends on her; now without him for the first time in millenia she is a little bit insecure but determined...

Tough to read as far as it pained me...but your discriptions were wonderful and provoked revultion and sympathy. Sometimes as writers we must write things that a re difficult to read (I know!) but you handled it and the warning very well. If someone is not comfortable with it, they can skim through and get the jist. I, for one, am--as always--anxious for more :)
~G

Author's Response: THANK YOU! Wow, I'am relieved ... anyway, it really was the only direction the story could go, the explanation comes later ;-) Thank you for always being so supportive; this being first fanfiction, I am quite nervous concerning the reaction of my readers and you were always so perfect in saying exactly what I needed, you're wonderful!

Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!! From tears to smiles :) Will patiently (if I must) wait for more and to pass the time I will return the favor as I have a couple more chapters back from my beta...off to post something for you :)
~G

Author's Response: Then thank you very much, my friend! Already read and enjoyed it ;-) I wanted to make Lindir somewhat excentric: he is very understanding, empathic and judicious but his alter ego is very spontaneous and ... very ill-tempered as soon as he or someone he loves is attacked. I hope I managed to portray him like this.

For as many part as this story has, you do a wonderful job at keeping it all in order and it reads smoothly :)...There is only one part I hope to see more of soon and that is of our dear Lindir (and of course...Haldir) ;)
~G

Author's Response: Thank you, I spent weeks on this part of the story so far and reread it countless times to get it into shape, so I'm very glad that it paid off somehow! And Haldir and Lindir will get some chapters as well, although this story really focuses on the happenings surrounding Erestor, not on the relationships between the involved elves ;-) Hope you'll keep reading nonetheless, the next chapter about Lindir and Haldir is due on Tuesday, so it's not too long ;-)

Ah! Please do not get me wrong! The chapter was well written and concise which scenes like this aught to be. You did a great job to remind us what a psychopathic bastard he is. My only creative point is this: With what Erestor experienced--especially as a virgin or nearly one--it is highly unlikely that he would have felt any pleasure there after. The pain would have been to great in that area. He might have found some pleasure in other forms of touching, though. Just a author to author note.

Non con is very tough to write and equally tough to read. You did just fine but it will darken your out look. I even had problems writing the abuse in Captain's Daughter because of how it affected my mood.

Author's Response: You're so nice :)
I really wasn't too contrite about the feedback. I am glad you find that the writing was appropriate for the content but I myself think that someone can be the greatest of painters but still the result will be worth nothing if the subject is offensive, if you get my meaning ;-)
Still I somehow didn't want to delete this scene - for reasons I do not understand completely myself. I can only repeat that it just felt wrong to do so.

And you're probably right with your remark. I don't know, I didn't really think too much when writing this and later on I kinda didn't feel like changing anything. It's usually not like me to leave obvious crudities just like this but ... well ... I don't know. I guess it's a black and stained page in the history of The Bitter Glass series and it's as if it is supposed to be that way. The little dark side of me that I brought out in morbid fascination before I adjudged it as being ugly and locked it away again for good. Changing it would be like denying it and I probably wouldn't want anything to be altered even if someone volunteered to do it for me.

... ;-) Gods, that was an awful amount of self-reflection, sorry (*sheepish grin*). Uhm, but yeah ... that's me.

I never had too much problems about reading abuse in fictional stories and I was somewhat surprised that it is so different when one writes it. One cares much more for the characters then, I guess. So I really understand your trepidation when writing the abuse of the captain's daughter.
I myself am just glad now that I can move on to the other chapters and leave this one behind.

hmm...I swear I left a review when I read this yesterday...Well I'll try again! Now some one need to burst in and stop the damn bonding and take that slimey piece of orc....sorry--got carried away. Now, since I would hate for the twins to become kinslayers and Erestor already has more guilt than he can handle, I happily offer my Erkenbrand or better yet, Lady Cynwen to do the job. You know how they feel about creepy, perverted, abusers of the young and innocent!! Now there had better be some happiness coming around the bend or....well, I don't know...I will think of something! *wink*

Author's Response: ;-) great idea! I'd take Cynwen ... much scarier ;-) if only she was born yet ... *sigh*

And keep in mind that Fiondil is no sane elf, not really. In his eyes he was trying so hard all evening and Erestor simply ignores all his efforts, repaying him with contempt. If anyone asked him he would deny that he ever abused his husband and he would *believe* that to be true. Yes he sometimes punished him, but that was all for Erestor's benefit in the end, his husband is much younger after all and still needs to learn his place.
I guess that's what makes him so creepy, you never know what triggers him and when he'll let an infringement go (like he did when Erestor blackmailed him into letting the twins go).

But I'm working on the rescue-thing ;-), just give me some time! And *please* don't do something you'll later regret after the next chapter ... it's not worth killing off some of your wonderful protagonists to get back at me! I promise!!!

hmmm... how did I miss these chapters? Well, cool I have some great reading material for tonight! This chapter was great and I would not want to oppose Glorfindel right now...

Author's Response: Me neither. I mean Glorfindel killed a balrog and Fiondil is just a comparatively young elf...
Fiondil really had no other choice but to seek refuge in flight. Have fun reading! I'm taking myself to bed now... ;-)

*smiles contentedly* Thank you :) Of course it goes without saying that I want Erester happy, too but I am guessing that is a given~

Author's Response: You are very welcome! And yes, I will see all of them happy before Gates of Dawn is over. Promise.

Don't I know it! The only one's not directly pissed at those Silvan elves are the Valar though I am sure Manwe will be pissed about the Eagles. Now I have no such pledge to protect the first born, so I would be happy to bash a few elvin sculls together!
Nice update ;)
~G

Author's Response: Yeah, Erestor's abduction did not go quite as planned. They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind, as the saying goes ;-)

For elves such a situation is even more dire as they quite literally forfeit their life. They might not even be allowed to return to Aman when the elves finally leave for the west. It is a bit shortsighted, I guess, but history shows us that greed makes people act that way...

Thanks for the review, I am glad you liked it!

PS: you are welcome to do some bashing, it's nice to see that I'm not the only one tending to violent "head-cinemas" ;-)

Author's Response: Yeah, Erestor's abduction did not go quite as planned. They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind, as the saying goes ;-)

For elves such a situation is even more dire as they quite literally forfeit their life. They might not even be allowed to return to Aman when the elves finally leave for the west. It is a bit shortsighted, I guess, but history shows us that greed makes people act that way...

Thanks for the review, I am glad you liked it!

PS: you are welcome to do some bashing, it's nice to see that I'm not the only one tending to violent "head-cinemas" ;-)

Didn't see that coming! Nice update but poor Lindir! It looks like it's going to get a little rocky.
~G

Author's Response: ;-) Yeah, me neither ... I was already some chapters ahead when suddenly I realised that if I wanted to abduct a seer I would have to have spies everywhere and for a long time to know how and when to catch him unawares. So I had to rewrite everything ... actually that did happen a lot ... So I'm really glad you liked it!