Thank you for making me cry!

WOW this is better than I expected it, mainly because every pshycho analysis made on his character was exactly what I imagined to have been the elements which molded Ellidyr, but you also added fears I had not imagined. Like his other reason for abandoning the companions was his fear to come to like them and become vulernable. The guy did have honor and sense of rightousness, however he may have shunned and scorned these traits. remember he saved Taran's life, though he calls it a "small debt"...so very "I'm afraid to like you so I'll mock you." (smile)

I love the observations he makes of Taran, his jealousy of him having three father figures - that is exactly what I had thought when he scornfully rebuffed Taran's hand in friendship and said "Your friendship to Gwydion is no shield to me. Let him favor you all he chooses. But hear me well in my company you will take your own part." This goes so well with the feelings you portrayed "That even a boy of no family had a mighty lord watching over him made Ellidyr’s own lack of a loving father the more embarrassing."

And I must admit the thought of Taran being Gwydion's bastard is very

Although we already suspect Ellidyr's history of neglection from his quirks and Dallben's own comments to Taran about how lees fortunate the prince is to the assistant pig-keeper, the details in this fic broke my heart, it makes me so sorry for him. All he wanted was a hug!

I LOVE also Elly's jealousy of Adaon and Taran's brotherly friendship, this line killed me. "In fact, Ellidyr had yet another reason to loathe the pair of them when he realized that the pig-boy looked up to the dreamer as to an adored older brother." It butchered me, ripped my heart out completely.

And this one. "No human being had ever touched him that way. No one had touched him kindly, in an attempt to alleviate his pain. It was such a new sensation that it scared him half out of his wits." Once I returned to life you killed me off again.

That Ellidyr sees Taran's gentle "healing" nature much like Adaon's and compares his treating Islamach with Adaon's treating of him took my breath away. Almost died again.

Some of his sarcastic jeers made me laugh, particularly when he called Tal :) (hehe) Chief Purveyor of Moonshine. And this "bards were only good for singing the praises of famous warriors, who, needless to say, would soon prominently include himself" However arrogant made him somewhat endearing, and made me chuckle.

There were many lines so colorfully expressed, well everything is, but some made me want to reread them a couple of times. But I have to say, this one may be my favorite, portraying Elly's guilt and grief at Adaon's death. "Prisoned somewhere in earth, those gentle, capable hands would never heal anyone again." Aww (sniff)

Honestly I can only admire your ability to convey a character's inner most feelings so eloquently, almost poetic. I hope I can learn to write like this one day.

In short I LOVE YOUR ELLY-DEAR!

Apologies, to start with, that it's taken me so long to get to this one. But I am here now.

"...trussed hand and foot like a fowl ready for roasting."

- - great simile, I love it. Eilonwy would be proud. Or jealous she didn't think of it first.

The insight that Ellidyr tends to think of himself as a victim is really interesting, especially from someone who tends to solve problems with sheer brute strength. Interesting combination, isn't it? And the emphasis on his severely neglected childhood reminds us that he's not just a bad seed... that there's a reason he's so impossible, and seems to only be capable of looking out for himself. Maybe an excuse for his cruel behavior - maybe not. But it is a reason.

It must've been really difficult to write such harsh, hateful things about Adaon, and Taran, and co. I can't imagine it's very pleasant to spend much time inside Ellidyr's head! He's either scathing and just plain mean, or bitterly self reproachful. Tough to get through, either way. I commend you.

I also really like the way you highlight Ellidyr's envy of Adaon for being a beloved only son (though, we know for a fact that Taliesin would've been a good father to a dozen sons, if he'd had them), and even his jealousy of Taran, an orphan, with Coll, Dallben, and Gwydion to raise him. And later on, you bring up his jealousy of Taran and Adaon's friendship - without him realizing that either of them would've been just as willing to be his friend, if he'd let them. So sad. And yet... can he really help being the way he is, considering the emotional neglect and abuse he suffered as a child?

"Was the lad some bastard of Gwydion’s?"

- - you know, this never occurred to me, but I can definitely see how someone who didn't know Gwydion very well might come to this conclusion. I wonder if people other than Ellidyr have speculated on this topic.

Also a great insight is the way that Ellidyr refuses to use people's names. Another symptom of his profoundly self-centric world view. And it's just so tragic and awful that it takes Adaon's death - one of the few people to show Ellidyr pure, unselfish kindness - to make him even examine this habit. *sniffle*.

Yet, it seems almost too harsh, to me, for Ellidyr to call himself as bad a traitor as Morgant. Certainly there are aspects in common between them - a certain selfishness and heedless lust for glory. But Ellidyr is far from sinking so low as to ally himself to Arawn. Despite his faults, despite his selfisnhess, despite his cruelty, he's ... still just a boy wanting to be accepted and praised. Whatever good there is in Morgant is buried far deeper than it is in Ellidyr. Which *ahem* does become extremely obvious, shortly. Morgant just wants power. Ellidyr still wants to be a hero, though he doesn't quite know how.

"Just as the question “What have I done” had earlier beaten against his brain, now he found himself asking:

What can I do?"

- - - absolutely fantastic.

I said earlier that this must have been difficult for you to write. I don't mean that to suggest that it shows in the writing - on the contrary, it's graceful and well done, just as your work always is. But it just must've been difficult to write.

very, very good. sad, but good

Ah, Ellidyr, if only you had understood before! Your epiphany comes nearly too late, and your soul recourse is death, but it is a death from which life springs. Proud son of Pen-Llarcau, fearing pain, you denied yourself the very source of all joy-empathy and trust! Yet your sacrifice shall rectify all previous wrongs and earn you a place of honor, which you so desperately sought, in the hearts of men and women forever.

Adaon45, again you tease delicate strands of hope out of a hopeless tangle of grief and despair. While Ellidyr's story ends sorrowfully, you focus on the nature of his death: a sacrifice by one for the good of many; indeed, it is the good of all. You give depth to a character many of us disliked, providing for us an explanation for his development into the scowling, derisive, haughty youth we loved to hate. And if I may say so, you do so more convincingly than certain other female authors do with characters of similar disposition.

Thank you for giving Ellidyr a chance to explain to us his actions and take responsibility for is my hope that all of us who read this story will look upon those whom we ourselves dislike with more empathy than we might previously have done so. Thanks!

Delightful! I haven't read the Black Cauldron in years but this meshes very well with my memories and fleshes out Ellidyr beautifully. Hat's off and thank you!

Oh my gosh! I must scold you for just one thing - next time you write something this wonderful, TELL ME! I might have missed this, and that will not do!

I have enjoyed your other stories, but this one - oh! It really hooked me. My jaw dropped about halfway through and I've yet to pick it up. This was such an excellent character study, and so good of you to focus on the unliked and unlikeable Prince of Pen-Llarcau. I really think you served Ellidyr well. He is so flawed, so complex, and you truly did a masterful job of getting into his head.

Your writing gets better with each installment, and I lingered over more than a few of your sentences, just to drink fully of them.

"Glory, renown - these were weapons he could wield against his father's neglect."

On Ellidyr's use of demeaning nicknames: "What a convenient way of ignoring the humanity of those whom he thought of less as people than as obstacles on his path to glory."

"Prisoned somewhere in the earth, those gentle capable hands would never heal anyone again."

And this one. "- an oblivion only to be replaced by the endless night of the Cauldron warrior." Endless night - my God! Perfect.

So much good stuff to chew on here: the question of honor and what makes a man honorable, Ellidyr's fear of responding to kindness lest he be hurt again, his fear of the power and wisdom he recognizes in Adaon, his bewilderment at Gwydion's choices, his jealousy and agony as he sees in Taran what he could have been had he also received love, companionship and mentoring, and his horror at seeing in King Morgant what he would become should he grow to manhood. So many complicated threads to pull together, and you did it without snarling a thing.

Loved the flashback to the Morva debate, when Ellidyr notices Adaon's tension as he stares at the fire. Ellidyr saw something that even Taran did not in that instant. And I know that Adaon is your first love. You still manage to give him a brief, shining moment here.

Great job. I guess it's time I put you on my favorite's list, lest I miss another wonderful tale from you!

Wow - what a great job! You went so in depth into the character that you've created a pretty powerful piece. I was really very moved. I always knew Ellidyr was a misunderstood character, but you've done a fantastic job of exploring 'why'. Keep it up!

WOW.

Of course it's only to be expected that when you moved away from Adaon-centered fic you'd immediately move on to something that would still feature him glowingly! :)

This is my new favorite. Ellidyr is a tragic character; so much more dimensional than your average villain. It's easy when reading the book to simply despise him offhand for being such a jerk, while, as is so often the case in real life, a true understanding of him leads one to sympathy and compassion...yet another example of Alexander's genius, and the richness these books have to offer the adult reader able to pick up on such subtleties. You've drawn Ellidyr out with such sensitivity. I think this is another one Lloyd himself would very much enjoy!

Man, I have to start writing again before you and PrydainViolet use up all the good story ideas...:P