Henneth Annûn Story Archive

Good catch! I haven't seen this particular turning point addressed before, I don't think.

The contrast between elven and dwarvish styles of travel is a nice way into the division between Our Heroes, establishing their ways of moving in the world with a nice touch of levity: 

Dwarves did not wander; they chose a destination, they elected a path, and they overcame aught that stood in their way.

Loved that line! I  also loved the bit about living cities. Naturally their roads shift! I think that did more to highlight the distinct perspectives Legolas and Gimli inhabit than anything else.

I had a little difficulty keeping track of Legolas's mental projection of a way back to Mirkwood and the Lonely Mountain, but mostly because the way you describe doesn't go over ground I normally use in my own stories. Once oriented, it was easy enough to follow, and it helped establish that Legolas has been thinking about this with some care. 

Like Gimli, I was not sure why Legolas was so set on returning home, or so tempted to do so, rather. While it was good to be reminded that yes, Legolas is a prince, and in feudal worlds, that isn't just an entitlement to do what you want or some annoying social convention but a responsibility - it didn't suffice as an explanation for Legolas's mood and anxiety. The real explanation, and its particular association with another of the Fellowship, blew me away. It makes perfect sense, yet most of the time, one never gets a sense, in the books or in fandom, that anyone had considered this possibility. Awesome!

Good thing Gimli has fewer illusions, being a Dwarf. Excellent use of the devastation of Khazad-dûm to ground his perspective and the complete lack of hold that certain kinds of desires have on him. 

Thanks for a lovely story, Thundera!

Dwim