I almost stopped reading this story after the first couple of chapters ... I realized it was the set-up for the rest of the story, but I was in the mood for some action/adventure. Don't know why, but I kept reading and was glad I did. To me the best chapter was when Dawn's rescuers came to Sunnydale to get her. I read that chapter a couple of times cause it was so interesting, well thought out. When I first started reading I was expecting a full scale massive war with Sauron, but I was very happy with what I read and will continue on with the rest of this series. Great story that really deserves the award you won. I also thought that your portrayal of Dawn and Buffy were also extremely good and loved your take on Spike as well.
Thanks for sharing this wonderful story.

Just got back from a Tolkien conference, which is why I haven't replied before - sorry.

I'm so glad that you enjoyed it despite the lack of a full scale war! I'm afraid that here is no full scale war in any of the stories as they all occur post LotR - but there is certainly fighting in Brotherhood!

I am really pleased that you liked the portrayals of Dawn, Buffy and Spike, especially as some people thought I was a bit hard on Buffy in it!

Not only is this an excellent story in its own right. It's part of an excellent series with Brotherhood as its (current) crown jewel. Why current? Because this series is still ongoing and shows every indication of getting yet better.

I am giving this my recommendation in order to try to attract more people to this series. If you are reading this review, you should read this series.

Thank you so much - I really appreciate your recommendation.

(Hurries back to writing Immigrants, chapter nine - I've been away for a holiday!)

Gosh, this epilogue always makes me tear up! The simple way you wrote Buffy and Dawn's 'meetings' and then Buffy's last moments was so beautiful.

Thank you again - I came back and reread that epilogue a few times when I was looking at that last meeting from the other side, so to speak, in Dust; and I have to admit it still gave me a bit of a lump in my throat too.

Later this year, after I finish Immigrants, I intend to go on from that very last sentence, too....

Aw, I have so much love for this fic :)

Thank you {{hugs Luna}}!

Reading a Winter Tale and the many mentions of events in Return of the Key, made me want to reread various chapters of this fic. I really enjoy the reunion of Tindome and her family, and the flirtiness of the twins ;)

Thank you - it's nice to know that you wanted to come back, and that you still enjoyed it.

The twins developed in my mind as I wrote this, of course, as did Rumil and Orophin, as all four are merely hinted at in the books, and the twins aren't in the films at all. And we know now, after Stormy Nights in Imladris that, when Dawn/Tindómë suggested that Faith looked after the twins, she had a pretty good idea what she was offering her!

Cool story

Thank you - I really do appreciate that you let me know you enjoyed it.

Cool story

Thank you - I really do appreciate that you let me know you enjoyed it.

After reading AEMI's Serpent In Paradise, it's impossible for me to enjoy any other LOTR fanfic. The mere thought of Dawn in Arda makes me think of her confronting an elf:

- Who are you?
- Elrohir, son of Elrond.
- And?
- An elf.
- And?
- [silence]
- [nods] By your answers I judge you the product of a corrupt, dark and unenlightened age. Where I grew up, we knew the only good answers to that question. They were Dawn Summers, an individual with inalienable rights, and a human being, integral member of the community of all persons on our planet.

- The wizard will attack me, seeking to make me less than I am because I am more than he, because I am a product of an enlightened age. Will you protect me? Will you protect all that I am? Will you protect me even as I try to become more than I am, to bring this world out of its corruption and darkness?

- I do not ask you to become more than you are, if you do not recognize your obligation towards all thinking beings in Ea, to become more than the product of your upbringing. I do ask you to protect what I am.

Ahh, but feudal lords and pagentry are supposed to be fine things, are they not? Better some shining lord's flag to prostrate yourself to than holding up high the ragged Universal Declaration of Human Rights which after all is only fit to wipe one's arse with.

We're in the 21st century and people still don't believe in progress. [sigh]

**After reading AEMI's Serpent In Paradise, it's impossible for me to enjoy any other LOTR fanfic.**

Oh, how sad. I am sorry that you didn't enjoy this one - but each to his own - for example that one is certainly not to my own taste.

I finally managed to read Return of the Key and I just wanted to pop in and say I enjoyed it enormously! I've no idea how this fic would work for a BtVS fan whose only exposure to LoTR was having once seen the movies; but as an LoTR lover who saw a few episodes of Buffy years ago and has a vague idea of how the Buffyverse works and who the principals are, (ssh! I shouldn't really be here!) I had great fun.

I liked your Giles, Buffy, Spike et al; but it was the writing of the characters of Middle-earth, particularly the Elves and above all my beloved Legolas, which made this fic for me and kept me reading.

I've always enjoyed your Legolas elsewhere and I loved him here - wry, funny, thoughtful, sensitive; preferring never to be called by a title, a friend and a warrior first, yet absolutely the Prince of the Greenwood when required; calm and gentle, and yet perfectly capable of leading the "party of cold-blooded killers" when necessary. Oh, and *completely* buff (the scene when the discussion of Mirkwood silk-weaving causes him casually to strip to his tunic? Do you have *any* idea what that did to my blood-pressure?)

(As for the "You're late..." "You look terrible" exchange, I wanted to laugh, punch the air and cry simultaneously!)

This fic made me smile, and then laugh out loud, in so many places; it's both warm and funny, with real insight into and love for the characters that shines through. Spike's sarcasm and Giles's dry self-deprecation...Elves getting hit on by randy Rohirrim...the interplay between Legolas, Elladan and Elrohir (the chapter in which the Twins and Legolas treat Dawn to a critical read-through of LaCE had me suppressing howls of laughter that would have been most inappropriate for work!) And yet there was also pathos and drama, particularly in that very tense scene where Dawn is attacked by the two Gondorrim thugs and then Rumil and Orophin race in to save the day.

This is a feelgood, witty, well-thought-out and entertaining fic; one of the more enjoyable explorations of Elven culture from a modern-human's point of view that I've read. I'm looking forward to reading some more of the series now! Thank you from one very happy reader.

I'm so glad that you found it - and the time to read it. And I am so glad that you enjoyed it too - thank you for the wonderful review.

I am really pleased that you particularly liked the bits that you did - if you see what I mean - some of them are my own very favourite bits too!

As for **one of the more enjoyable explorations of Elven culture from a modern-human's point of view that I've read.**... does a happy dance and dances Azalais around and around!

This is a wonderful story, and a fitting sequel to Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. I always wished someone would write a sequel to that most wonderful of trilogies. If I read the hints right then Buffy never married, her death is so sad. I'm not sure I would take immortality if it was offer to me. Thanks for the story. :)

Thank you - I am so glad that you enjoyed this, it was such fun to write - well, the angsty bits weren't exactly 'fun'... but it was all a real pleasure.

Wow, just... Wow.

The ending of this story actually had me all choked up and teary eyed.

And that has not happened for all the stories i've read in the last decade or more.

Oh, thank you so much. Although I do apologize for making you teary-eyed...

If you are interested, there are two more completed short stories in the series, and the longest, Brotherhood, is now almost complete - I have just got to get the end few thousand words beta'd and it they be posted within 10 days - so it is OK to start it - it will certainly be finished soon!

This is beautifully written, woven, really, funny and touching. I have not been so thoroughly enthralled by a story in a long time.

Blessings,

Blue

Thank you so much for letting me know that you enjoyed it; and thank you for the lovely compliments, too.

Wombat.

*sigh* So I finished this story late last night while waiting for my new laptop to load things (yay Black Friday!!) and can I just say WOW???

Love it. Highlights:

Your protrayal of Buffy- Spot on with the whole 'Protect Dawn' deal (and sooo annoying, God I forgot how annoying Buffy could get, especially at the end of the series). SO happy you did the spell to fix her, very nice.

Your strategy in having Dawn from 20 years later get pulled into Sunnydale was a brilliant way to show how Dawn's life with Rumil ending up happening in a concise and interesting manner. And to name the kid after Haldir~ sooo cute.

When Dawn started fading I almost wanted to cry; elves fading is such an anguishing thought :(

Them thinking Dawn was dying when she was calling out for Rumil was funny :)

The twins re Willow/Kennedy~ fucking hilarious! I love them.

Legolas being scary serious after Dawn & Rumil leaves- great stuff.

Andrew's journal entries- YOU ARE A GENIUS! ahhh I Looooved them! Love Andrew :D

Radaghast- nice way to bring them back (i forgot about him) and enjoyed the 'window' magic

Spike ending up with Buffy- I liked that! Him being so devoted... Lovely :) I was very happy how long lived people got to be and loved that we got to know a little about their lives. But I honestly almost wanted to cry again as Buffy was getting older and dying! And Spike being there! And then Dawn not able to find her! Did appreciate Dawn's idea to look for Spike instead.

Overall; you are awesome and I bow humbly in your presence :)

Hurrah for a new laptop!

Thank you so much for your kind comments. There was some discussion, as I wrote it, about whether I was right or wrong in my portrayal of Single-Track-Mind!Buffy - I am glad that you think I had it right.

Writing Andrew's journal entries was such fun - it occurred to me that he would have been the most fascinated by elves and, oddly, the one who would probably have a better all round idea what was going on - filtered through his Andrew-ness!

Dawn looking for Spike is a story yet to be written - although the opening chapter is on my hard-drive - but it will not get written for a while - I have to finish Brotherhood (only a few chapters to go...), there is a half written Christmas story, and one or two others before we get to 'Dawn looks for Spike'...

I have just posted the next chapter of Brotherhood - Now I'd better do some off-line stuff, like knitting and icing Christmas cakes!

Wombat! I finally have gotten around to reading the beginning of your series & may I say ‘wow!’?

Since I do not have internet at my new place I’ve gotten in the habit of copying and pasting stories onto Word to read at my leisure at home (This, of course, helps my reputation as a sane woman because Lord knows if I was reading your story in a coffee shop I would have a stupid grin on my face and randomly giggle). So let me make some overall comments thus far on your genius and highlight some favorite parts:

-Love that Dawn chose to tell Anya. SUCH a smart move to choose the sensible and magic knowledgeable person who wouldn’t mind helping ‘Little Dawn’ do something dangerous.

-‘Fuck!’ thought Dawn, ‘It’s God!’ Followed quickly by ‘Oh no! He’ll throw me out for swearing!’: Fucking Hilarious!

-I think its interesting that in almost every story I read about the Els they are portrayed as light-hearted, funny, yet incredible warriors; and I’ve always thought the same thing. I wonder where we all got it from that they have a good sense of humor? Maybe it’s the half-elven thing?

-‘Fuck! They’re either demons or aliens!’ she thought. ‘Try not to look as if you’ve noticed.’ LOL!!! I totally wouldv’e done the same ;)

-“Uh, do you have shrimp around here?” Nice reference to Anya’s shrimp world, I presume?

-(‘These guys can Talk In Capital Letters just as well as Andrew,’ Dawn thought)

- …Legolas suggested, with a smirk – half an hour of listening to the love-struck dwarf later Dawn decided never to trust a smirking elf again.

LoooOOOooove this. Looking forward to reading more :D

I'm so glad that you have got to 'Return' - there are odd 'looks back' to it occasionally in Brotherhood which will make more sense when you have read this one.

I am so chuffed that you like those things about it, too - some of those lines were certainly my favourites as I wrote them.

well told tale. voices dead on, thank you for a very enjoyable read.

Thank you - I am so glad that you enjoyed it and took the time to let me know.