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Not Without Hope: 1. Chapter One
William Wordsworth (1770–1850)
"Open the gate." The shout drifted up through Gilraen's window.
She heard the commotion as a troop of riders clattered into the yard. Habit still took her feet six steps and half way across the room before she again remembered that visitors were no longer her concern. She stopped and leaned against a heavy post of the bed that jutted out into the center of the room. Figured velvet hangings brushed her face with a feather touch that reminded her of other soft touches in that great bed.
Never again, she mourned, hot tears stinging behind her eyes.
Five months of widowhood felt a hundred times longer than four years of marriage. Before, it would have been her responsibility. She would have run to the window, thrown back the shutters heedless of the weather and wind that rushed into the room and craned to see if, among the newcomers, one beloved dark head was turned laughing up to her window. Throwing on a shawl, she would have hurried to the door, snatching the welcome cup from the tray rushed up from the kitchens. Wrapping her dignity around shoulders considered too young to bear the duties of a great estate, she would offer the hospitality of the house, bidding them in to warmth and food and comfort after their time in the wild. Never again would she kiss the wine of welcome from the lips of her beloved, ignoring the grins of the stable boys as they led away the horses. Her responsibilities now were embodied in the small figure of her son; his face pale, dark hair tumbled over his ears as he slept restlessly in the grip of a childhood fever.
"Mae govannen!" The Sindarin greeting floated up into her room from the courtyard.
Gilraen tried to close her ears, resolutely refusing to hear the rest of the welcomes. She did not want to know who had come. It had nothing to do with her anymore. She could not, and would not, bow to the pressures being brought to bear. Her decision was the right one. She was certain of it. This fortress was her husband's home, and here she would raise Aragorn to follow in his footsteps.
Almost against her will, she drifted closer to the window until she could see through the slats in the shutters into the courtyard below. The yard was a confusion of milling riders and horses. Gilraen was dismayed to see that they were all armoured. Not only did it make it harder to identify the riders, it spoke of a more present danger than was usual this deep in the Angle. She heard her Uncle Halbeleg's voice and picked him out of the group as he pulled off his helm. He was riding next to a man whose armour was chased and decorated. It was not Elladan and Elrohir, then, come with more presents for Aragorn.
She stepped away from the window and turned uncertainly back into the room. Aragorn was sick and she had no intention of renewing the discussions with her Uncle. Gilraen hoped Halbeleg was only passing by and she could use the excuse of Aragorn's fever to avoid him altogether during this visit.
With shutters closed, the room was dim, but the small fire burning in the hearth lent a warm glow to the hangings on the walls and was welcome for chasing away the chill of the cool autumn afternoon. She walked back to the hearth where a small pot sat on a trivet in the coals, gently simmering. Dipping a spoon into the liquid she tasted it. The rose hips and honey could not quite mask the slightly bitter, woody taste of the willow bark, but it would do. Shielding her hands with a towel, she picked up the pot and set it to cool on the stone top of the carved wooden sideboard that stood against the wall.
She went back to the alcove that contained her son's bed and the truckle bed where Carlenna, the nursery maid, slept. Gilraen looped the curtain aside and settled down in a chair to watch over her sleeping child while the tisane steeped. The thin blanket that should have covered him was crumpled and pushed aside. The one pale cheek that she could see was beginning to flush red again along the bone. Holding her hand lightly over his out flung arm, she felt heat radiating off his skin. With a sudden start, Aragorn woke up and cried out for her. Stooping, Gilraen gathered his small body to her and settled back to rock him.
Gilraen held him cradled against her arm, his head lifted to help him breathe. Yesterday's chill had developed into a stuffed and drippy nose. In the night he had been restless, waking frequently and demanding attention. Today he alternated between listless clinging and frantic whining as his fever waxed and waned. By mid-afternoon Gilraen had known he was overtired. She captured him and carried him to his sleeping nook off the bedroom of the suite, ignoring his indignant protests of 'not tired'. Now, as she rocked him soothingly, his eyelids drooped again, lashes dark against his pale cheeks. His glassy, grey eyes flicked open and he twitched and snuffled. Gilraen crooned wordlessly to him and he sank back against her arm with a deep sigh, lids fluttering as he tried to hold them open against his need for sleep.
Gilraen continued to rock him and marveled at the way his two-and-half year old body sprawled over her lap. When did he get so tall?
Spring, 2931
She remembered Arathorn tiptoeing into the room three days late for Aragorn's birth. He stood leaning against the bedpost with a fatuous smile on his face as he watched Aragorn nurse. He reached down to touch his son's cheek with one calloused and gentle finger. Aragorn only sucked harder.
"A fine, strong son," Arathorn commented after a while.
Gilraen smiled up at him. "I told you he would be."
"So you did." Arathorn sat down on the bed next to Gilraen, contrition writ large on his lean face. "I am sorry I was not here."
"Babies come when they will. I am not sorry that you come to find us clean and fair," she confessed. She looked at him, the love in her eyes masking the fear she knew whenever he arrived later than looked for. "As long as you are safely back, come when you will."
Arathorn chuckled and leaned over to kiss her gently. Aragorn wailed loudly, protesting the invasion of his space. Arathorn jumped back. Gilraen put Aragorn against her shoulder, patting him gently on the back until his crying ceased. She held him out to her husband. Arathorn's large hand nearly engulfed the baby's head as he lay snug and secure against his father. Aragorn was not very much longer than his father's forearm, Gilraen saw with surprise.
"My son," Arathorn addressed him in mock severity, with a swift, sweet smile to Gilraen, "I plan to kiss your mother as often as I can. You will have to accustom yourself to it."
Aragorn treated this statement with the contempt it deserved and closed his eyes.
"So, Aragorn," his father continued softly, smiling down at his sleeping son, "even the Chieftain of the Dúnedain is beneath your notice. That is royal behavior indeed, my Areg."
"All babies are so. Calling him 'little king' is no good strategy to remind him of his place," Gilraen teased her husband.
"You think not? But Aragorn is such a long and formal name for such a small boy. Areg." Arathorn tried out the name again, studying his son's face. "Areg. Yes, it suits him."
Mettarë 2931
The Hall below was filled with revelers, but Gilraen and Aragorn waited upstairs to greet Arathorn who had ridden in late. The sounds of the party drifted through the open door to the suite of rooms reserved for the Chieftain. Arathorn came bursting in calling for his son. Nothing could disguise the hurt in his father's eyes as Aragorn screamed and crawled rapidly away from his father to the shelter of his mother's skirts.
"When did he learn to crawl?" Arathorn asked, obviously disappointed in his reception. He stood up reluctantly from his welcoming crouch to his son and pulled the door closed behind him.
"Near nine weeks ago," Gilraen said, regretting the renewed hurt she saw in her husband's eyes as she confirmed how long it had been. She picked up Aragorn and walked over to greet her husband. Aragorn clung to her and buried his face in her dress. Arathorn drew Gilraen close to kiss hello, and Aragorn pushed his father away and screamed. "I am sorry." Gilraen stepped away from her husband and rocked their son in her arms. "He does not remember you. It will be easier as he grows older."
That night, Gilraen had lain in bed on her side with the unaccustomed warmth and comfort of her husband along her back. His hand draped over her and cupped her breast.
"Gilraen?" The soft murmur would not have woken her from sleep.
"Yes, my love?"
"Do you still want more children?"
She rolled over and touched his face, sliding her fingers lovingly over his cheek and down the line of the old scar that ran into his beard. "A foolish question, asked far too late. Of course I want your children. There are too few Dúnedain," she said. "Three more sons and four daughters at least," she added in a serious tone.
"Would you miss being the great lady if you lived in a small house with no servants and no responsibility for the estates for a while?"
The soft glow of the night candle on the other side of the bed curtains gave barely enough light for Gilraen to make out the gleam in Arathorn's eyes. Raising herself upon one elbow, she eyed her husband suspiciously.
"Who has complained of my management?"
"Termagant!" Arathorn drew her into his arms and settled her head against his shoulder. "None would dare." He hugged her gently. "No, love, I hear only compliments to your skills."
"And every one prefaced with 'She is really too young for so much responsibility, but…'" Gilraen groused.
Arathorn laughed. "Not every one. You confound them and delight me. No, listen, I have something else in mind." His voice grew serious again. "You know I do not allow families to share the winter camps. It is too disruptive and too dangerous. But, should a man's family live within an easy distance, I grant him leave to visit often. An old friend, my first swordmaster, has a farm near this winter's camp with a place for you and Areg. It is just a small house, but I believe it will be safe enough. If you could bear seeing me two days out of five…" he trailed off and ran his free hand slowly down her side.
Gilraen smiled and shivered. She rolled herself onto her husband. Ignoring his 'oof' as she landed unexpectedly on his chest, she planted kisses all around his face. "Such hardships you ask of me," she said between kisses. "I will bear them as cheerfully as I may."
Aragorn stirred restlessly in her arms. He snorted, choked and woke from his light doze, whimpering. Gilraen hushed him with soft 'shhs' and settled him higher on her arm. His eyes quickly closed again. Open mouthed, he breathed noisily as he slept. Her eyes traced the resemblances to his father in the shape of his ears and the angle of his cheekbones. He was so like Arathorn.
Winter, 2932
A gale howled around the farmhouse, drafts sneaking in through warped windows as snow formed a thin drift in front of the door. Gilraen leaned into the fireplace, raking fresh coals around the pots to keep them simmering. It would have been foolish for Arathorn to even set out in such weather and she no longer expected him. Her husband would taste her cooking another day. The family still needed dinner, however, and she was proud of her newly mastered skill. She could plan meals for fifty or three hundred, command adjustments to the seasonings, stock the keep for a year, provision an army. These were familiar tasks. Stir the pot herself? She had not since she was barely tall enough to reach the spoon and had haunted her mother's kitchens bothering the cooks.
Aragorn had crawled over to the table and pulled himself to a stand, wobbling a little, with one hand clutching the chair and the other waving about for balance, looking speculatively at a chest by the wall that was just out of his reach.
The door banged open, admitting a sudden gust of wind that swirled around the room. A snow-shrouded figure entered and shoved the door shut against the blast. Shaking the thick coating from his mantle, the man threw back his hood.
"Da!" Aragorn launched himself across the room at a precarious run, leaning farther and farther forward as his momentum carried him closer to the door. Just before he overbalanced into a disastrous meeting with the floor, the man swooped him up and tossed him into the air. Aragorn giggled and screeched in delight as his father caught and held him overhead.
Gilraen stood transfixed, tongs forgotten in her hand, as she watched her husband greet their son.
Letting his mantle drop into a sodden puddle on the floor, Arathorn carried Aragorn over to Gilraen.
"Da." Aragorn said, patting his father's cheek. "Da."
"When did Areg learn to walk?" Arathorn wondered.
"Just now. When he saw you."
Arathorn's smile lit his face.
Spring, 2932.
A hundred shades of green blanketed the fields and forests on the ride back to Arathorn's headquarters in the fortress in the Angle. Bouquets of lilacs sent their heady perfume into the air of the Chieftain's suite, welcoming Gilraen and Arathorn home. After a tense minute, Aragorn remembered his nursery-maid and toddled off happily with Carlenna. She accompanied him, 'oohhing' and marveling at his growth and his new skills.
Arathorn came up behind Gilraen where she stood at the window overlooking the courtyard. He slipped his hands around her and rested them on her flat stomach, drawing her close.
"I am sorry there is no second child," Gilraen said, leaning her head back against Arathorn. Her shoulders drooped. "I should have weaned Areg. I knew it, but I could not."
Arathorn turned her around and held her. "There is plenty of time for more children." He put his hand under her chin and tilted her face up to look at him. His eyes opened wide in mock-horror. "Unless you mean to tell me you have lost your taste for the begetting?" His voice was anxious but he lost the struggle to keep the knowing grin off his face.
Gilraen laughed, though tears gathered in the corner of her eyes. "Never." Not while you live, my love, she added silently.
Arathorn gently wiped the tears from her eyes with the edge of his thumb. "What's this? A soldier's wife does not cry when he leaves."
"You are not leaving until tomorrow. I promise you a smiling face then. Today…" She swallowed against the thickening in her throat, but broadened her smile to lessen his distress. "Today I grieve for the child that could have been and for my own lonely bed this summer. I will miss you all the more because the last months have been sweet." She leaned into his comforting strength, trying to imprint the feel of his body into her memories so she could recall it at will.
Hard muscled arms and thighs, weapon-calloused hands, soft lips: rocking her feverish son, she could still feel them if she tried. She had only seen him five more times. The fighting was constant that year and the next winter's camp farther away with no friendly farmhouse nearby. She remembered his last kiss, tasting of sausage and speaking of love, and the formal leave-taking in the courtyard in front of all where she kept the mien of the soldier's wife. She smiled and waved as he rode away to fight, to keep her, his family and his people safe.
Spring, 2933.
After, she would always hate the scent of lilac. Her arms had been filled with branches of the fragrant purple and white flowers, but they fell from her nerveless hands and lay scattered at her feet.
"Dead?" How could half of me be dead and I not know? "How long ago?" she whispered. She felt the blood draining from her face, fleeing down to seek some warm and secret place where Arathorn still lived to come home to her.
Eyes too old in the ageless face of one of Elrond's sons offered sympathy in her grief. "Nine days," Elrohir said as gently as he could.
Nine days when she had laughed and played with Aragorn. Nine days assuring him that his father was well as she sang him to sleep at night. Nine days wishing her love to the stars when she did not know that her life had already changed. There was a great lump under her breast. She clutched herself with folded arms and could neither breathe nor cry. The sun, as it must, because all the world was shattered, dimmed and she fell into darkness.
Later, she sat numbly in her accustomed place, as her world was re-ordered around her. Arathorn's second-in-command, her own Uncle Halbeleg, would command the Dúnedain until Aragorn was of age to lead them himself. Halbeleg was based north and west of the Angle in the hills near Fornost, and much of the administrative machinery would move gradually over the summer as guards could be spared. The great demesne farms of Arathorn's estates would still be worked, but Gilraen was to return to her parents and Elrohir would take Aragorn to Rivendell.
"No." Gilraen started out of her daze, heart lurching, her voice firm and loud. "You cannot mean to separate us," she added incredulously.
There was a startled pause as the faces around the table turned to her. Some exchanged uneasy glances. Some avoided her eyes as she sought for reassurance from those gathered to decide her fate – and her son's.
"It is best, Gilraen, and safest for Aragorn. Elladan is already making the arrangements. I assure you I will take very good care of him on the way to Rivendell," Elrohir said, breaking the silence. "It has already been decided."
"No. I will not return to my parents. This is Aragorn's home. This is my home." She stood and faced Elrohir, a dawning outrage holding her straight and keeping her voice firm. "Thank you for the offer. In ten years or so, at the usual time, I will send Aragorn to your father for fostering. Until then, he will be raised here, with me. For the rest," she paused and quietly swallowed down the lump she found too often in her throat these days, ready tears misting her vision, "I do not care. Order things as you will." She started for the door of the chamber.
"Gilraen," Elrohir stood and called after her. "Things are not what they were. Aragorn will be safer hidden in Rivendell and he cannot be hidden if you are with him."
"No. He belongs with me." She was adamant. She stared into the eyes turned to her from around the table and her expression dared anyone to contradict her. Satisfied, she moved towards the door.
"Gilraen." Elrohir took three long strides and put his hand on her arm as she reached the door. "If you would listen…"
"No!" she interrupted him. "It is not a matter for discussion. He is my son. We will stay together, here." She stared pointedly at his hand on her arm and he dropped it to his side. With a last defiant look at the stunned faces around the table, she left the room and pulled the door closed firmly behind her. She stumbled a short way down the corridor and leaned against the wall, wiping at the tears that rolled down her cheeks. They want to take my son away? She tried to think of any reason why Aragorn would be better off without her, but her mind shied from the idea. She went to be with her son.
Just over a fortnight later, she had faced Elladan and Elrohir in the reception room of her suite. Aragorn was firmly ensconced in his nook off the inner room, fiercely watched over by Carlenna and a guard from her household levy.
"I have not changed my mind. Aragorn stays here with me." She stood just inside the door and blocked their way into the room.
Elrohir gave her a reassuring smile. "I did not expect that you would, and we have come with no new arguments."
"Then why are you here?" she asked suspiciously.
Elladan stepped forward. "Arathorn was our friend since he was a boy. These last years, he often spoke to us of 'his Areg'. At the proper time, he wanted us to show Areg the things at Rivendell that we had shown him. He loved his son very much."
Gilraen turned her head away and blinked back tears. "I know."
"A boy should remember his father," Elrohir said. "But Areg is very young and may well forget." He held out a carved wooden soldier to Gilraen. "We thought he should have this."
She gingerly took the painted figure and turned it over in her hands. She gasped. It was Arathorn, down to the scar on his cheek and the crink in the badly set finger on his left hand. He was clothed in his fighting Ranger garb, with the Star of Arnor on his breast and a sword that slid out of a loop and fitted into his hand. The jointed arms and legs moved, as did the head. The eyes were sparkling and a half smile curved the lips. The dark hair, as usual, had escaped from the tie at the nape of the neck and a few strands waved wildly.
Gilraen groped backwards into the room and collapsed into a chair. "This is… this is…" Stunned by the craftsmanship and care the figure showed she could not complete the thought.
"A Ranger should have something to fight," Elladan said as her bemused silence dragged on. Smiling, he came up besides the chair and diffidently handed her another carving. "I do not craft men as well as Elrohir."
A snarling warg, in perfect detail and scaled to the man, joined the soldier in Gilraen's lap.
Elrohir knelt and put his hand on hers. "We knew Arathorn well. Let Areg have these. If he breaks them, we will mend them for him, or make them anew."
"If I bring Areg out for you to give these to him - they are truly wonderful gifts," Gilraen looked imploringly from one identical face to the other, "will you swear that you will not try to wrest him from me?"
Elrohir looked up at her, eyes widening. "Take him? No. No one ever wished to take Areg away from you," he said. "We thought you would choose, as we did, to hide him in safety in Rivendell."
"Without me?" Gilraen asked unable to mask the bitterness that crept into her tone.
"If you were known to be there, how could he be hidden? You are well known and cannot just disappear," Elladan argued.
Gilraen shook her head, staring at her hands and the figures in her lap. "We belong together, Areg and I. I will not change my mind."
Her eyes flicked up in time to catch the unspoken agreement that flashed between the twins.
"We will not take your son. We swear it, Gilraen," Elrohir said. He squeezed her hand and stood.
Aragorn stirred restlessly in Gilraen's lap. His eyes cracked open and he gave a soft cry before falling asleep again almost instantly. The arm supporting his head was beginning to ache. She shifted a little to put his weight more solidly on her body. Her glance fell on the basket of carved figures that were Areg's favourite toys. Elrond's sons had been busy. A dozen carved and painted figures – soldiers, animals, orcs, and trolls – had been delivered two at a time all throughout the summer and fall. Aragorn increasingly looked forward to the twins' quick visits. They rode in laughing and rode away again too soon, rarely spending even a night. They never mentioned taking Aragorn away and, she admitted to herself, she looked forward as much as her son to their unexpected appearances. Better Elrond's sons than her own uncle. The news was never good these days, but surely – surely! – things were not yet desperate.
Summer, 2933
Gilraen left her horse with the groom and hurried to the small garden where Halbeleg waited for her, not bothering to change her riding breeches for more formal clothes. Halbeleg stood near the tiny fountain where the paths met in the center. No one would ever mistake him for anything other than a lord of the Dúnedain. He had the dark-haired and grey-eyed colouring and the height that distinguished the Men of Westernesse. He was bigger-boned than Arathorn and habitually gruff, but she knew that Arathorn trusted him implicitly, and the men were pleased that he had assumed command. As she made her way along the flower-bordered paths to the center, he came limping out to meet her and caught her hands in a tight grip. Holding them together in front of him, he inspected her and seemed pleased by what he saw.
"It is good that you ride out and do not brood," he said.
Gilraen gave his hands a squeeze. "The crops need overseeing, and you will want supplies soon enough. I was out with the bailiff estimating the yield of the barley. There is a field that I think should have been left fallow an extra year or perhaps turned into pasture. The grain does not thrive."
"Poor child," he tucked her hand under his arm and led her to a bench in the shade. "You should not have to be worried with such things."
"That is fond Uncle Hal talking, not Chieftain Halbeleg." Gilraen patted his arm as she was formally bowed onto the bench. "I would rather have things to occupy me, and the estates do need care. It took me long enough to convince everyone that I knew my job. I do not intend to relinquish my authority." She settled herself as discreetly as she could in breeches and noted with approval that a pitcher and glasses, along with a plate of sandwiches, were in easy reach at the end of the bench.
"Arathorn would hear no word against you even when he put far too much burden on you." Halbeleg sat down next to her, his right leg straight and stiff in front of him.
"He put no burdens on me that I was unwilling to bear, Uncle, and the house and the estate run smoothly. Your supplies will still come when they are needed." Uncomfortable with the thought that her uncle assumed her care of the estates a job she wanted to be free of and not the solace she found it, she tried to change the subject. "I see you are wounded. Is there aught I can do to ease it?"
"No. I thought it was just a scratch, but it did not close. The orcs are poisoning their blades. However, Elladan sang some songs over it and packed it with herbs and it is healing well now." He took the cup of ale she had poured for him and leaned back against the bench. "You were never raised to deal with ugly wounds, Gilraen. It will do well enough till your healer can see to a new bandage."
Gilraen laughed, her trill ringing out over the garden. "Uncle," she got out at last. "Surely you know your sister better than that? You cannot think my mother would be so lax in my education. I am daughter and wife of the Dúnedain and have changed bandages since I was old enough to hold the basin. I am not so fragile a flower."
"You ought to be," Halbeleg grumbled. "You are still very young and very beautiful."
"Gilraen the Fair," she agreed cordially, eyes dancing with remembered mischief. "I have been called that since the mettarë I was sixteen and the young men scuffled and fought to be my partner. My father ended up insisting I dance every dance with a different partner. I remember how upset you were when I used the name brazenly to bring myself to Arathorn's attention. But I am a mother and a," she looked away to hide the distress that still came too easily at the thought of Arathorn's death. "A widow. My place is here, running things until Areg is old enough to bring home a bride."
"That is far in the future. You deserve more of a life than that." He hesitated and then blurted out, "Arathorn said you wanted many children."
"So we did," she turned back to him with a small smile for his discomfort at this personal information. "He envied you your family. He was hoping for more sons, though. Not that I do not love my cousins, but your son is younger than mine and he has three sisters."
"You should still have those sons, Gilraen, and not bury yourself here. You are just the age to begin thinking about marriage and many men would be happy to take you to wife. You need to meet them again, visit more. You should go home to your parents."
Gilraen stared at her hands clutched in her lap, nearly blind with sudden anger. She did not answer. The silence dragged on for long seconds.
Halbeleg's hand tentatively touched her fingers. "You are not the only one raw with grief," he said quietly. "Arathorn was as close as a brother to me and I curse every time I give an order that he should be giving. But I do what I must do, and so must you, Gilraen."
"I care for my son's estates and I will raise him to his place in the Dúnedain," she said tightly, still not looking at her uncle. "What more would you have me do? I have no wish to marry again."
She heard his exasperated sigh. "You feel that way now, Gilraen, but that will not last. Your grief will fade. You should be ready to take up your place again."
"And Aragorn will be hidden in Rivendell?" She met his eyes at last, but hers were still cold.
"Exactly. You need not be burdened with his education. Master Elrond is best fitted for that. You will have a new family to raise soon." Halbeleg sounded relieved that she understood at last.
Gilraen stood and paced a few steps away and back again. She stopped and faced her uncle squarely. Her voice was low and controlled. "Neither Aragorn nor the estates are a burden to me and I do not understand why you think he will be safer at Rivendell. I will send him to Master Elrond in ten years, when he is of an age to be fostered and educated as our chieftains have always been. I suppose that in ten years it is possible that my grief will fade and I will wish to remarry. Does that satisfy you?"
With a groan Halbeleg levered himself upright to confront her, looking down sternly into her eyes. "No, it does not. The line of kings has to continue and Aragorn is the only heir we have. I'll take no chances. I want Aragorn hidden and Rivendell is the safest place I know."
"Then let me go with him," Gilraen pleaded, breaking her stiff stance and holding out her hands in supplication.
Halbeleg shook his head. "It will be hard enough to keep his location a secret. You can't both just disappear. If you go on with your life, no one will think to look for him and you can turn away all queries lightly. They will know he is safe somewhere if you are not seen to be concerned. Here, with my family, Rivendell, near Lune: he could be anywhere. If it becomes known that you are in Rivendell – and how could we keep that knowledge from spreading? – it will be obvious that Aragorn is there." His voice softened. "I am sorry, Gilraen. Can you not do what is best for Aragorn?"
"Is it best?" Gilraen's voice shook with anger. "I think it is best that Aragorn stay with me, here. I do not believe that Arathorn would think it best that his son grow up knowing neither of his parents."
"Things are bad, Gilraen. He also might have sent Aragorn away to safety," Halbeleg countered.
"Then let me go with him," she pleaded again. "If it is so bad that fleeing to safety is what must be done, surely Arathorn would have sent me with Areg. I could go disguised as his nurse if I may not go as his mother. I do not find the estates a burden to throw off at the first chance, but I am not so enamoured of their care that I will never relinquish them. I will teach Areg to call me by a different name. Please, Uncle, we need to be together."
Halbeleg paused and his lips twitched upwards. "A nursemaid? You? Gilraen the Fair!" His smile broadened and he chuckled and sat down again on the bench. "That is the best joke I have heard in months. How could you think to pass as a nursemaid when all Eriador looks to you and follows your fashions? And what do you suggest I tell people when they ask where you are? That you wandered away into the wild and no one could be spared to look for you?" His chuckles turned into guffaws and his eyes lit with amusement as he looked up at Gilraen. "The requests for leave from my troops would leave me short staffed indeed as they all vied to track you down first, hoping for favor." His laughter gradually died away. He indicated that Gilraen should sit next to him. "Though you may not claim the title, you are royal, Gilraen, and cannot always please yourself. Come. There is no need for you to make such jokes. Sit down. Have some ale and we will discuss this calmly."
"I did not mean it in jest." Gilraen sat down warily, her body sideways on the bench to face her uncle. Keeping her voice soft but determined, she said, "Areg and I should be together."
"Yes, of course, and in normal times you would be," Halbeleg agreed. "I do not want to take him away from you. I want you to send him to Rivendell where he can be safely hidden away from all dangers until he is of age."
Gilraen turned her face to the sky as if she would find counsel written in the clouds, but they remained stubbornly plain, blank slates that nearly covered the endless blue. It seemed such a simple thing, that she and her son belonged together until he was of normal age to be fostered. She sighed and brought her gaze back to Halbeleg. She shook her head firmly. "No. I will not send Areg to Rivendell without me. You will have to rip him from my arms and I will follow you if you do."
Halbeleg started at that, eyes narrowed, and voice hard. "Do not try my patience too far, Gilraen. I am not Arathorn that you can twist me round your finger with your tears or your pleas. You think only of yourself and how much you will miss your son. I will do what I know is best for all the Dúnedain." He reached over, gave her shoulder a quick pat and his voice took on a more normal tone. "I know you loved Arathorn. You are worn out with grief and work and cannot think straight, so I will tell you the good news." She started to speak but he forestalled her with an upraised hand. "I brought Thorlach and his family with me. He has agreed to be my seneschal and oversee the lands and the people here. There, that is one worry lifted from you."
Gilraen sagged back against the bench in disbelief. The administration of the estates was the least of her worries. She straightened again and her voice was icy as she asked, "And if I do not want your seneschal meddling on the estates?"
"Do not be foolish. The estate must have continuity and the supplies from here are vital. I dare not risk any disruption."
"Have you heard nothing that I have said?" Gilraen cried, starting to her feet. "I am not leaving. Aragorn is not leaving. I will manage the estates. I have done so for the last three years and there have been no interruptions of your supplies."
"Yes, you've done well. Very well," Halbeleg said implacably but with a fond smile. "When you remarry you will have estates of your own to manage again."
"Uncle! I swear…"
"No," he again forestalled her protests, "do not swear to things you will regret. You are a beautiful young – very young – woman. Do not swear to me that you will never again marry. I would not have you feel you are breaking an oath when your grief lessens and you wish to start a new family. Sit down," he said more firmly this time.
Ignoring his command, Gilraen strode to the edge of the garden and paced an agitated circuit of the paths while she tried to marshal her thoughts. She saw Halbeleg help himself to a sandwich from the platter. He watched her movements around him in apparent unconcern for her agitation. She even thought he smiled occasionally. But her mind was blank and she found no additional arguments to offer. It seemed such a simple and obvious thing. Aragorn needed her. The thought of her son growing up without her chilled her with a deep unreasoning dread.
She came to a stop at the edge of the garden and leaned against the sturdy grey trunk of a pear tree. It was majestic but had been allowed to grow far too tall to conveniently harvest its fruit. It gave the sweetest pears in the orchard, however, and she had forbidden the bailiff to do more than gently prune it as had Arathorn's mother before her. She looked up along the trunk and a puff of stronger breeze ruffled the branches, showering her with tiny, hard missiles of immature fruit. She shivered and looked out over the familiar land. The cloud cover that had almost obscured the sun all morning was breaking up and wide patches of blue were visible to the west. The breeze was warm and mild, pungently scented with the many herbs that bordered the paths.
In the distance she could see two members of the patrols that ceaselessly circled the estates, keeping off any stray intruders and watching for trouble. Her own household guard was not as well trained and not as well equipped as the Ranger garrison that protected the land. Gilraen carefully counted up the members whom she thought would be loyal to her even in the face of opposition by Halbeleg, and she came to the reluctant conclusion that they would be far too few to be effective. Effective. She grimaced and leaned her cheek against the tree trunk, obscurely soothed by the rough feel of the bark on her skin. She would not, could not, order her guard to their deaths against Halbeleg's men to prevent them from taking Aragorn against her will. She could conjure all too real images of screams, confusion and blood as men she considered friends were cut down in the halls outside her chambers. She closed her eyes. Tears welled out, flowing unheeded down her cheeks.
"Gilraen?" Her uncle's voice was soft and questioning, very near.
Her eyes flew open and she saw him looming in front of her through the blur of tears. She tensed and dashed her hands across her face.
"Do not run. I am too lame to chase you through the gardens," Halbeleg's plea was quiet. "I am sorry, but it must be settled."
Gilraen fought to keep her voice steady but did not succeed. "Aragorn needs me, Uncle Hal. Please, let us be together. Here. Rivendell. I care not. Do not take him away. I must fight you if you try. Ten or perhaps fifteen of my guard would stand for me if I asked them and they would all be dead and the halls awash with their blood and still you would, you would…." She drew in a tremulous breath and her arms ached as she felt her screaming son being torn from her grasp by men with swords darkened and dripping with the blood of friends. There was no relief for her aching lungs. A hard lump seemed to have settled like a stone in her chest. "And Areg… alone. Please...." She felt the renewed sting of hot salt tears on her cheeks and her head swam as she struggled to find the words that would make her uncle understand how wrong his course was. Defeated, she sagged against the tree behind her, mute and helpless.
Halbeleg stood dumbstruck. "You would set your guard against my men?" he got out at last.
"I do not want to, but…" was her strangled reply.
Halbeleg gave a growl of frustration. "It is not safe, even here. Our borders are being pressed hard this spring. This area was Cardolan, Gilraen, not the far west of Arthedain. All this land was overrun once before and could be again. Aragorn will be safe and protected in Rivendell. Loved. He'll have a different name. One that's not royal. And you," Halbeleg's voice softened, "will have a new family; more children. It will not be so bad."
"Do not take my son," Gilraen's moan was barely audible. The only thing solid in the universe was the tree under her hands. Gilraen clutched it, eyes closed, bark crumbling off in her fingers as she shook her head over and over in desperate denial. The silence stretched out unbearably.
Halbeleg again gave a wordless snarl and reached up and shook the tree. Hard fruit peppered them, stinging as they hit unprotected skin. "If, and I say again, if I do not take Aragorn at this time, there would be conditions."
She cautiously opened her eyes, her breath coming in shuddering pants. That Halbeleg was even willing to discuss conditions meant there was hope he would not summarily take Aragorn away. "What conditions?"
"If the situation deteriorates, becomes truly desperate, you will give him up willingly."
"And who is to decide if it is desperate?" she asked.
"I will, if I live."
"If you…" she whispered.
"I have fought for a long time and I have never seen attacks so numerous and so determined. We are hard pressed on many fronts this summer. I wish I knew why. Unless they have heard that Arathorn is dead and think we are leaderless." He shook his head slightly to dismiss the puzzle and continued, "And you will cooperate with my seneschal, giving him his full authority and diminishing your own."
Gilraen bit her lower lip in indecision, but knew she had no real choice. "Very well. I agree to your conditions." Scrubbing at her face with her hands to remove the tracks of tears she breathed a long sigh of relief and essayed a tentative smile. "I believe it will get better. The raids will slow."
Halbeleg held her eyes, his lips compressed into a thin line, until she dropped her gaze and turned away.
"I brought thirty-four men with me. I will leave twenty of them to bolster the garrison here. We will step up the patrols, and hope."
He turned and limped towards the house. He did not look back.
The memory of the scents of the summer garden was replaced with a waft of herbs just starting to scorch. Gilraen came back to the present with a start and checked that Aragorn was deeply asleep in her arms. She carefully slid him into his bed and covered him again with the light blanket. She quickly added water to the pot on the brazier and sniffed at the surface to be sure no burnt smell lingered. Adding another handful of herbs from the basket on the floor, she gave the mixture a quick stir. As she dropped the curtain across the alcove and stepped back into the bedroom, she remembered the willow-bark steeping. If she didn't rescue it soon, it would be too bitter. Smiling ruefully, she put her memories behind her and continued with the few tasks that remained hers.
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Marketing in a box - Real world test case
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{{Note|This is a community entry in the [[Series 40 Webinars - Contribute and Win Competition 2013Q1 with Marketing in a Box]] competition.}}
{{Note|This is a community entry in the [[Series 40 Webinars - Contribute and Win Competition 2013Q1 with Marketing in a Box]] competition.}}
{{Abstract|This article talks about the new Nokia Marketing in a Box service along with a real world test case use of the service and some feedback, bugs & advice.}}
{{Abstract|This article talks about the new Nokia Marketing in a Box service along with a real world test case use of the service and some feedback, bugs & advice.}}
Revision as of 05:23, 17 July 2013
Note: This is a community entry in the Series 40 Webinars - Contribute and Win Competition 2013Q1 with Marketing in a Box competition.
This article talks about the new Nokia Marketing in a Box service along with a real world test case use of the service and some feedback, bugs & advice.
Recently Nokia introduced a new service called Marketing in a Box (MiB) which is composed of a set of tools to help developers with marketing, it extends its previous marketing service which generate promotional banners only. The MiB supports both the Nokia store and WP Marketplace so for the purpose of this article i decided to test it for a real use case with my game Shimmy says which is available on both the Nokia store and WP marketplace.
The Test Case
My App Shimmy says is available on both the WP Marketplace and the Nokia store (it has a new good looking version for the Touch enabled phones and an early old version for keypad phones), lately i've added a facebook fan page for the main character in the game "Shimmy" to add some extra interest to the app and allow user to "like" the page from within the app, it already has some nice looking promotions headers for use in stores and an old youtube video.
Nokia store
I have created 3 assets for the Nokia store version of the app based on the Asha 311 handset, the 3 assets are Video, Facebook tab & Banners.
Banners - I'll start with the promotional banners, below you can see the spotlight banner created with the MiB tool and my own created spotlight banner.
As you can see the automatic banner while it has a clean look is way too simple and not very appealing to the eye and shows only 1 image from your app screenshots with the custom made banner you can do anything you want and since the first impression is everything my advice to you is to invest time in creating a unique and appealing banners (if your on a 0 budget for those marketing graphics banners to your app then the automatic is ok to use) One thing i would like to mention that i think it is nice for some apps to show the Nokia phone displayed in the banner itself but even that can be done with custom banners that will look better with more wow effect, see the below example for a different app of mine called Fireworks Touch (this banner was globally featured on the Nokia store for a week before new years eve)
Beside the spotlight promotional banners you can also create advertise banners suited for Mobile or Web (MMA & Nokia nax for mobile, IAB for web) you can then take those banners and start an Ad campaign at an Ad agency/service such as Nokia nax.
Youtube video - inside this option you can select different keywords, background music and image orders to appear on your video and then connect your Nokia developer account to your youtube account to automatic upload of the video. this is a sample video i created for Shimmy says with the default setting and my selection of keywords and background music while the overall video is good there are some problems that i think worth mentioning.
- Firstly the image that the video uses are take from the screenshots of the app on the store however the screenshot that you upload to the Nokia store are 1:1 in aspect ratio and the phone in the video is portrait so the images have to be stretch and they get distorted, also as a result of the images for the Nokia store being in 1:1 ratio some developers often upload an image which in its center the actual screenshot from the phone resized to keep the aspect ratio and the rest of the space is transparent or white bg.
Here are some examples of screenshots for apps within the Nokia store that will simply not look good at all with the current working of the youtube generator http://store.ovi.com/content/193022 http://store.ovi.com/content/306686 http://store.ovi.com/content/203189 so basically what i want to say is that the lack of option to upload images for the video on the fly is badly missing and should be added asap.
- Secondly the created video is uploaded with near empty description (only link to the Nokia store for the app) and since the entire upload is done automatic you might forget but its extremely important to edit the video description and add keywords so your video will be easily found by search engine etc (a good thing that the automatic video generator tool could do is take the description from the Nokia store and the keywords as well and upload them along with the video)
- Thirdly there is an option to add your own video to embed within the video and since i have an old video for the game (shot on none touch device) i tried to add it but sadly the preview didnt show me a version of the video that includes the embedded video and the processing video screen got stuck on 21% every time i tried to run it (and i tried several times and each time i waited for over 30 min for it to try to finish and i tried youtu.be shortcut format as well).
The Facebook tab - lets start from the end for this one THIS is the end result of the facebook tab, as you can see its still doesnt look good, there are scroll bar and the width doesnt fit exactly (though i tried both of the width option for the facebook tab in the app settings).
Creating the facebook tab on the MiB has its pros and cons, the pros are that its easy to populate the page with text according to the format you are presented,the page is nicely designed and the page is freely hosted on the Nokia developer site, the cons are that the page cannot be edited because it is hosted on the Nokia developer site (i.e. HTML edited and not simply the formatted text), it consist of one single format which doesnt fit everyone and customization isnt possible and sometimes developer.nokia.com wasnt available or too slow which made the tab unavailable.
Even though the MiB tool links you to the facebook developer site on how to create tabs and i am a programmer i had the hardest time figuring out how to add it (who knew that a tab needs to be an app as well)
Tip: This page actually helped me alot to setup the facebook tab properly and add it to my facebook app fan page.
Overall i think the facebook tab option is good because social marketing is only getting bigger and bigger and if this feature continue to grow i can see it being a very important aspect of the tool.
WP Marketplace
Unfortunately at the time i tried to use the MiB tool for my WP version of Shimmy says but when i entered the url the tool refuse to recognize it and marked it with red X
This affected several people (probably the reason is for apps available only for WP8) and the MiB team has been notified so a fix could already be in the works and maybe deployed by the time you read this article (DiBo threads thread1 thread2 thread3)
Advice to Nokia
- Banners cannot be re-downloaded after you completed creating the marketing kit, only during the banners creation section.
- Video creation should accept new images that are better suited for the video and not the general images taken from the store.
- Youtube videos should be playable from the Nokia store app ( to further entice users as to the quality of the app )
- The video generator tool should use the description of the app from the store as the description of the youtube video.
- Embedding a video within a video does not work for me.
- Better explanation how to embed the facebook tab (this link helped me alot http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/26330/How-to-Create-Custom-Tabs-for-Facebook-Business-Pages.aspx)
In conclusion i hope you enjoyed my real world test case use of the Nokia Marketing in a Box and it helped you assess this tool for your own apps and the different workaround that are currently needed to get the best out of it. If you are working with a near zero sum marketing budget or have no marketing experience then definitely use this tool as it continue to grow and released from beta. I'll try to update this article in the future as the bugs and other things change and if i'll have info as to how the addition of the facebook tab and new video helped the marketing of the app.

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Good news for evolution in Britain
The British government recently clarified and extended its ban on teaching creationism in academies, according to a June 18, 2014, press release from the British Humanist Association, which congratulated the government "on its robust stand on this issue."
Wyoming churches endorse NGSS
The Wyoming Association of Churches endorsed the adoption of the Next Generation Science Standards, according to the Casper Star-Tribune (June 16, 2014).
AGU award for NCSE's Scott
Eugenie C. Scott, the former executive director of NCSE and the current chair of its Advisory Council, will receive a Presidential Citation for Science and Society from the American Geophysical Union at a reception in Washington DC on June 17, 2014.
A new Bloomberg poll on climate change
A new Bloomberg News National Poll included (PDF) questions about whether climate change is a threat, whether it is worth increasing energy costs to prevent climate change, and whether scientists are to be trusted about climate change.
Antievolution proposal rejected in South Carolina
The South Carolina state board of education rejected the Education Oversight Committee's proposal to revise the state science standards to require students to "[c]onstruct scientific arguments that seem to support and scientific arguments that seem to discredit Darwinian natural selection" at its June 11, 2014, meeting, according to the Charleston Post and Courier (June 11, 2014).
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Born in Jacksonville, Florida, Robbie began working in film specifically super-8mm producing animations and live action experiments. Since then, he has worked on a variety of projects from cinematographer at the Florida Lightning Research Facility to teaching college level photography and film production. Currently he resides in Atlanta, Georgia and continues to experiment with various film and sound methods for exhibition of installations, film screenings, performance and photography. Robbie's work has been exhibited at Kunst Film Biennale in Cologne, Germany, Museum Do Chiado in Lisbon, Portugal, The International Experimental Cinema Exposition in Denver, Colorado, Scientifical Center Espace Mendès in Poitiers, France, Museum of Contemporary Art Georgia in Atlanta and a variety of solo and group screenings and venues.


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notes to understand it. There's more provocation from rms than "trolled by one person on a mailing list".
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I think Sony made a good choice with using FreeBSD. The FreeBSD kernel is lean and efficient and FreeBSD's UFS2 filesystem offers great responsiveness . I have tried wine gaming under FreeBSD and it was every bit as good as Linux, even running on ZFS (which is much faster than btrfs).
Sony has once again confirmed they're using FreeBSD:
"We would like to clear up a misunderstanding regarding our "direct" and "flexible" memory systems. The article states that "flexible" memory is borrowed from the OS, and must be returned when requested - that's not actually the case.
The actual true distinction is that:
"Direct Memory" is memory allocated under the traditional video game model, so the game controls all aspects of its allocation
"Flexible Memory" is memory managed by the PS4 OS on the game's behalf, and allows games to use some very nice FreeBSD virtual memory functionality. However this memory is 100 per cent the game's memory, and is never used by the OS, and as it is the game's memory it should be easy for every developer to use it.
We have no comment to make on the amount of memory reserved by the system or what it is used for."


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Results 1 to 15 of 21
March 29th, 2012, 12:33 AM #1
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Book Recommendations (specific, its different I promise)
Hi guys,
I've lurked on this forum alot and have probably read 90% of the recommendation threads. I am looking for something new to read and haven't found what I am looking for yet.
However irrationally, I love the Wheel of Time books. I like the massive scope, that the same story line continues over 13 books, and I like the standard fantasy where poor random farmer becomes a king etc.
Any suggestions for something similar would be great
My other books I like alot:
Codex Alera
Enders Game
Fallen Dragon
Night Angel
Stormlight Archive
The Gentleman Bastard
Demon Cycle
I don't like Malazan/Black company, I dunno why but I don't.
I tend to not like books with dwarves, elves, etc. But would be interested in whatever you guys think I would like.
March 29th, 2012, 12:49 AM #2
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- May 2011
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- 993
I personally can't stand the guy, but going from your preferences you should probably try David Eddings -- specifically the Belgariad and Mallorean series. They are big sweeping series with lots of epic-tude.
March 29th, 2012, 12:55 AM #3
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- 6
March 29th, 2012, 08:42 AM #4
Have you read Raymond Feist's Riftwar Saga? His first installment in this sprawling series I feel is the best, although I enjoyed later installments as well. (Magician: Apprentice, Magician: Master, Silverthorn, A Darkness at Sethannon).
March 29th, 2012, 10:39 AM #5
I've read none of these but they seem to fit you're bill from their description.
The Unremembered: Book One of The Vault of Heaven by Peter Orullian
Once We Were Kings: Book I of the Sojourner Saga by Joshua Graham writing as Ian Alexander
Mageborn: The Blacksmith's Son by Michael G. Manning
March 29th, 2012, 10:52 AM #6
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- Nov 2010
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The Sword of Shadows series made the Favorite Fantasy Series of 11 vote (it was a huge thread, tons of votes). I actually really loved that thread, you might want to dig it out if you can. I'd stay away from the Acts of Cain which is on that list -- only the first volume is good imho and we seem to have highly similar tastes.
I'm actually reading the first volume of Sword of Shadows now, seems pretty good.
Last edited by ArtNJ; March 29th, 2012 at 10:55 AM.
March 29th, 2012, 10:56 AM #7
March 29th, 2012, 11:01 AM #8
Can't believe I forget a series I actually have read and love and has all the elements that made me and possibly you enjoy The Wheel of Time:
The Red Wolf Conspiracy (Chathrand Voyages: Book 1 ) by Robert V.S. Reddick
March 29th, 2012, 11:31 AM #9
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The Sunset Warrior Cycle by Eric Lustbader (Eric Van Lustbader). There are five books listed on Amazon. I didn't realize there was a fifth since it was released several years after I read the first four.
The Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe. There are four books.
I read both of those series (quite) awhile ago and hated that they ended. I wanted more.
March 29th, 2012, 11:40 AM #10
This recommendation request is really no different from the MANY threads* that start with something like...
I like Wheel of Time / A Song of Ice and Fire / Mistborn etc
I'm out of fantasy books to read. Help!
Books similar to George RR Martin's A Song of Ice And Fire?
What next after Martin,Rothfuss,Abercrombie,Lynch,hobbs,butcher,,b aker and erickson
Need a new fantasy
If you like ^^^^^ then you might like #####
Martin has spoiled epic fantasy for me!/Is Martin going to ruin my fantasy reading?
March 29th, 2012, 11:49 AM #11
Hmm, I actually like this request because it's a puzzle. You like really large, bestselling secondary world largely pre-industrial epic war series (and some SF ones,) especially those with Chosen Ones and Brandon Sanderson. Except for some of them. You've read "90% of the recommendation threads" which contain oodles and oodles of recommendations for bestselling and big selling secondary world largely pre-industrial epic war series, and you still "haven't found what I am looking for yet," without you really specifying what that key ingredient might be. So really, it could be anything that might interest you, except that it's definitely something.
So, what to pick. Some possibilities, keeping Wheel of Time and your other mentions in mind:
Tad Williams, Memory, Sorrow and Thorn
Robin Hobb, Farseer series
Michael J. Sullivan, The Riyria Chronicles
John Barclay, The Raven series, Ascendents of Estorea duology
Patricia Bray, Sword of Change series
Daniel Abraham, Long Price Quartet, The Dagger and the Coin series
Ken Scholes, The Psalms of Isaak series
Sean Russell, Moontide Magic Rise series
Mickey Zucker Reichert, Renshai series
David Gemmell, Rigante series
Teresa Edgerton, Celydonn series
Lois McMaster Bujold, The Sharing Knife series
David Anthony Durham, Acacia series
Carol Berg, The Bridge of D'Arnath series
Alan Dean Foster, Journeys of the Catechist series
Chris Wooding, Tales of the Jetty Kay series
Kate Elliot, Crown of Stars series
Katherine Kurtz, Deryni series
Felix Gilman, Thunderer series
Alison Croggon, Pellinor series
Jon Sprunk, Shadow's Son series
Lynn Flewelling, Tamir series
Kate Forsyth, Witches of Eileanan series
Kevin Radthorne, Tales of Tonogoto series
Gary Wassner, GemQuest series
Glenda Larke, Stormlord series
Matthew Stover, Heroes Die series
Mark Lawrence, Prince of Thorns series
Liane Merciel, Ithelas series
Elizabeth Moon, The Deed of Paksenarrion series
J. Gregory Keyes, Chosen of the Changeling duology
David Weber, Safehold series
And several thousand other ones. But of course, it's finding the right ones. You might want to check what books Robert Jordan particularly liked when he was with us and what Brandon Sanderson recommends, since you like both of those the most.
Last edited by KatG; March 29th, 2012 at 12:02 PM.
March 29th, 2012, 11:53 AM #12
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I'll second the Chathrand series, I'm about to wrap up River of Shadows, love these books.
March 29th, 2012, 01:41 PM #13
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- Mar 2012
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Looks good too thanks
March 29th, 2012, 03:09 PM #14
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- Sep 2001
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- 926
Anyone remember where that online animated book-recommender is, where you can walk through a web of authors, clicking from one to the next, and they are organized in space based on their similarity to each other? That was a neat tool.
March 29th, 2012, 03:23 PM #15


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Christopher Nolan Gossip
Christopher Nolan gossip, latest news, photos, and video.
More honours for Matthew McConaughey
Wenn, Splash, Kevin Winter/ Getty
Matthew McConaughey received the American Cinematheque Award last night in Hollywood and it was a strong turnout. The timing is great too. Not only because he's winning everything (but the Emmy), but also because Interstellar comes out soon, one of most highly anticipated films of the year. Of over a year. Full Story
Interstellar and Dylan Thomas
Kevin Winter/ Getty
Christopher Nolan and Matthew McConaughey were at Comic-Con this year to present the new trailer for Interstellar. It was a first time for both. Nolan's one of those directors who doesn't give anything away before a film's release. Scripts are said to be hand delivered and actors supposedly have to read them while the person waits outside so that there are never any copies that can potentially be leaked. Full Story
Anne Hathaway's birthday dinner
SPW /Splash News
Anne Hathaway turned 31 last week. She celebrated this weekend with her husband Adam Shulman and some major Hollywood names including Sidney Poitier, Michael Caine, and Christopher Nolan. At least that's what the photo agencies are saying because they were all seen leaving Mr Chow. This is all very… Gwyneth Paltrow, isn't it? There are many similarities between the two (click here Full Story
Superman is super sad you guys
Have you heard about Superman? He's like, totally sad these days. I guess that whole crab fisherman thing didn't work out because he's moping around, sporting a sadness beard. Superman's beard is the saddest beard that has ever bearded. It's practically having its own existential crisis. Full Story
On The Dark Knight Rises
The following review is spoiler-heavy. Please click away if you haven't seen the movie. It was a good movie. I don't think it was a great movie. 7 out of 10. Sorry? And I don't mean about the length although it was certainly too long for my taste, but the length wasn't the problem. Full Story
Ellen Page's Hockey Dates & Christopher Nolan's women
There's a tumblr for everything. Why not a tumblr for this? Ellen Page's Hockey Dates. The Los Angeles Kings played 3 games at home during the Stanley Cup Finals. Ellen was there for each one, each time with a different date. First it was Maeby Funke (she will ALWAYS be Maeby to me, ok???), then it was Alexander Skarsgard, and last night it was this dude I don't recognise. Full Story
Scarjo & JGL?
Jeff Kravitz/Getty
Us Weekly has the exclusive. In the new issue, on stands now, the magazine reports that Scarlett Johansson and Joseph Gordon-Levitt have been dealing with each other. It's early but it's hot. A proper New York flirtation ...while her ex-husband and his piece Blake Lively are doing the same, ish, over in Boston. Full Story
The Dark Knight Rises casting roulette
Written by Sarah Of all the possible titles for Christopher Nolan's third (and very probably final) Batman movie, The Dark Knight Rises > The Dark Victory >>>> The Caped Crusader. There are few projects in pre-production these days under more scrutiny than Nolan's third entry into his Batman franchise. Full Story
Christopher Nolan all class
The Super Bowl dominated entertainment headlines for most of the weekend and, well, let's face it – most people who read People don't care about the Writers Guild Awards anyway. Aaron Sorkin won the award for Best Adapted Screenplay for The Social Network. And Christopher Nolan won the Best Original Screenplay for Inception. Full Story
Leo loves Nolan
While everyone else was at the SAGs on Sunday, Leonardo DiCaprio was at the Santa Barbara Film Festival saluting Christopher Nolan who received the Modern Master Award. Nolan gets no love from the Academy. Perhaps because his movies make so much money? Steven Spielberg had that problem too. The BAFTAs however are well in his favour. Full Story
Actress shortage
According to Deadline, now that he's wrapped up Tom Hardy as the likely villain in The Dark Knight Rises, Christopher Nolan is currently looking for two female leads to play two parts: Bruce Wayne's new love interest and a villain. His list right now includes Rachel Weisz, Naomi Watts, Blake Lively, Natalie Portman, Anne Hathaway, and Keira Knightley. Full Story
Christopher Nolan as auteur
Written by Sarah Christopher Nolan is the only working auteur today. At its simplest level, the auteur theory states that a director is the principal author of a film, despite the inherently industrial nature of filmmaking, in which dozens of parts must work together to create the whole. Full Story
Leo's list
He has worked with the best: Scorsese, Spielberg, Baz Luhrmann, Ridley Scott, James Cameron, now Leo is adding Christopher Nolan to that list. Variety is reporting that he and Nolan will collaborate on the upcoming Inception. Full Story
The Batman wins an award
Not sure which one. And it doesn't matter. All that matters is that this is Christian Bale last night at the Hollywood Film Festival alongside The Dark Knight director Christopher Nolan and it's been a long time because of course he's intensely private, even though he lives in LA, he manages to stay under the radar which just goes to show you it is indeed possible so f&ck off Ben Affleck and the others for complaining about the intrusion when the truth is you go courting it every day anyway. Full Story


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A resource for reliable information about significant people, places, events, and things in Minnesota history.
Portrait of the three Andrews Sisters, from top: LaVerne, Patty, and Maxene, April 7, 1952.
Lithograph interpretation of the Battle of Birch Coulee, 1912.
The Beacon Hill Pavilion, c.1892. the pavilion was built at the top of the Incline as an attraction to increase ridership.
Seventh Avenue West and Eighth Street, Duluth
Front cover of the March, 1926 issue of the Calgary Eye Opener.
Photograph of the children of Anton and Elizabeth Gág, c.1905. Back row (left to right): Stella, Debli, Wanda. Front row (left to right): Howard, Asta, Nelda.
Children being led across the street in a snowstorm, c.1937.
The Eighth Minnesota was mounted during Sully's expedition. Here they fight dismounted at the battle of Killdeer Mountain, July 28, 1864. Every fourth man is positioned in the rear as a horse holder. Oil on canvas painting by Carl Ludwig Boeckmann, c.1910.
The Fournier House, 2008. Photograph by Wikimedia Commons user Elkman.
Photograph of the Gág family home at 200 South German Street in New Ulm. Taken by Anton Gág, c.1890.
Alexis J. Fournier painting "The Glen by Moonlight," c.1890.
Made possible by the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund through the vote of Minnesotans on November 4, 2008. Administered by the Minnesota Historical Society.
Minnesota Historical Society • 345 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55102-1906 (Map) • 651-259-3000 © .
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Linfield loses lead, then game in NCAA playoffs
WHITEWATER, Wis. – An early 17-0 lead for Linfield College melted, then disappeared, and the Wildcats lost 28-17 to UW-Whitewater in the NCAA Division III quarterfinal playoff game.
Linfield's lead was the only thing that melted in Perkins Stadium, where temperatures barely reached the teens. UW-Whitewater quarterback Matt Behrendt threw four consecutive touchdown passes, three to Jake Kumerow, and Linfield's high-powered offense was no match in the second half for the vaunted Warhawk defense.
Linfield quarterback Josh Yoder scored from 3 yards out for a 7-0 Wildcat lead, moments after Yoder connected with Evan Peterson for 39 years to the Warhawk 3-yard line.
On its next possession, Linfield turned the ball over on downs at the UWW 1-yard line, but the Wildcats quickly added 10 points with a field goal by Josh Repp and a 60-yard touchdown pass from Yoder to Peterson.
From there, it was all UWW. Linfield was plagued with second-half turnovers, including one that snuffed a Wildcat drive at the UWW 20-yard line.
The loss ends a record-setting scoring season for Linfield, which has strung the school's continuing national record out to 58 consecutive winning seasons.
More details coming online, and in the Tuesday News-Register.


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yay again for 5 chars
Phoronix: DRM Driver Documentation To Be Better In Linux 3.15
For those looking to dive into the world of DRM kernel graphics drivers, there will be improved documentation coming with the Linux 3.15 kernel...
yay again for 5 chars
I still mourn after this IMHO great project:
Unfortunately, it seems to be stalled/dead since 2012.
Better documentation is always good.
useful things when replying.
However, it's really not quite the same.
It seems to be more like a detailed glossary.
This is not bad at all, but I think it serves a different need.
What I have seen from that book attempt was really, really good already,
which makes it even more sad that they stopped working on it.
Maybe they are still working on it from time to time in a private repository,
as Alan Coppersmith implied back in 2012. But I doubt they still do...


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Latest update : 2011-04-18
Saudi Arabia: women demand equal rights
Women in Saudi Arabia are demanding the right to vote. Online campaigning for US soldier Bradley Manning continues online. And Disneyland Paris releases a tilt-shift video of its theme park.
Saudi Arabia: women demand equal rights
Saudi women will not be allowed to vote in the municipal elections on the 22nd of September. Last month, Saudi Arabia announced it will hold the elections, the second ever in the kingdom, and it is one of the measures taken by the authorities to try and calm the protest movement which has also spread to Saudi Arabia. But by excluding women from the voting booth once again, Riyadh has incurred the wrath of women's rights activists.
The authorities' official line is that they do not have the necessary infrastructure in place to allow women into the polling stations. The strict segregation of the sexes in the Kingdom includes public spaces. But female blogger Eman Al Nafjan feels this is just an excuse and is frustrated at being considered a second class citizen.
Activists have launched an Internet campaign to demand sexual equality and combat discrimination. This site for example is insisting women be given the right to drive and that employment opportunities be created for young female graduates.
And this online video is asking for Saudi women to be granted a full and complete citizenship. It is notably asking for a quota system to be set up to increase women's representation in decision making structures.
On her blog, journalist Mona Kareem is proposing a list of concrete measures to bring this Saudi women's revolution to a successful conclusion. Leading the list is the abolition of the "male guardianship" system, which involves a designated man having legal authority over the woman from the moment she is born.
Online mobilization to free Bradley Manning
The case of Bradley Manning, who is accused of supplying Wikileaks with thousands of confidential US diplomatic cables, continues to be a subject of much online debate. More and more people have been voicing their condemnation over his imprisonment and his conditions of detention, which his supporters say amount to torture.
In a recent open letter, originally posted on the blog of Bruce Ackerman, a specialist in constitutional law, numerous distinguished lawyers have pledged their support for the 23 year old, who has been in prison for nearly one year. The letter has been signed by around 300 legal scholars who believe the current treatment of Manning violates the 5th and 8th amendments of the American constitution which notably protect citizens from cruel and unusual punishment.
The NGO Avaaz, has posted this petition online, addressed to President Barack Obama asking him to put an end to the humiliation and other psychological torture inflicted on Manning. The document has already collected over 470 000 signatures and states that the soldier's conditions of detention are extremely severe, and he is kept in solitary confinement almost 24 hours a day.
There has also been a lot of action on the site set up specifically for this case, which provides a great deal of information on Manning's situation. Web users can also buy a kit from the site to publicly demonstrate their support. The kit includes a T-shirt with his picture on it.
And campaigning for the 23 year old soldier is not just taking place on the web. As these videos, which were filmed at the end of March show, numerous rallies are taking place across the country, on a regular basis, calling for his immediate release.
Justin Bieber's "Baby" becomes most watched video on YouTube
Justin Bieber's first hit, « Baby » is now the most watched video in the history of YouTube. The video clip has been viewed over 513 million times and makes the young Canadian singer the clear leader on sharing sites, as the Lady Gaga track "Bad Romance" which comes in second position has only been watched 366 million times. Justin Bieber is also highly present on social networks. He is notably one of the most popular celebrities on Twitter with just under 9 million followers.
Pick or Skip
A safer Chatroulette and without the perverts and other exhibitionists that taint it … this is what "Pick or Skip" is offering. It is also a random video chat service but contrary to Chatroulette, web users must register on the site to become members and provide details including their name and email address. Users of this free service must also indicate which conversation topics they are most interested in.
Video of the day
If you are a fan of Mickey, Donald and the rest of the Disney gang, then you are going to love this. The Disneyland Paris theme park recently posted this amazing video online, made using the highly trendy "tilt-shift" technique which gives the impression of a miniature model. This clip will no doubt transport children and adults alike into a magical world, and allow web users to discover or rediscover the theme park based in the suburbs of Paris.


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My Aragorn Stories
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The Sword of Elendil: 31. Author's Notes
"Purists might wish for a corpus with fewer contradictions, a canon less amorphous—one that allows them to declare, without equivocation, 'Thus saith Tolkien.' Yet, perhaps the good professor did not intend it to be so....the mythologies of our ancestors are not received in tidy, set form. They are based on oral traditions that took on new flavor as they passed from bard to bard, hamlet to hamlet. Over time, stories changed to reflect the needs and challenges of their tellers. Tolkien knew this; perhaps his greatest gift to us lies in all those unfinished manuscripts, for what we have is a fictional legendry that truly resembles the myths of the real world. And perhaps the greatest tribute to his work is the humble fan's attempt to add her vision to that legendry, for by her efforts, Tolkien's dream of an enduring mythology proves not so fanciful after all."
—erunyauve (erunyauve at lycos.com) 2004
"The Sword of Elendil" is written in the spirit of the above quotation as the story of the young Aragorn finding his way in the world of the Dúnedain after his childhood in Rivendell. The story is for the most part book canon, with some specific exceptions. Generally the exceptions have to do with the relationship between Aragorn and Arwen, which is different enough to qualify as Alternate Universe. My apologies to those who might find this jarring. My intention in "Sword" is to tell the story of Aragorn's coming of age—how he learns to deal with various conflicts and problems facing him as a young man of twenty who has just discovered his true destiny. The matter of Arwen is central to his emotional life, and I have significantly increased the angst level of his feelings toward her as reflective of the kinds of problems a young man might have in this situation.
Certain events are interpreted differently from the standard canon view. I have done this in the spirit of looking for the emotional truth of the story, rather than a rigid reading of the text. For example, "The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen" was written after the death of both. Who is to say that the story as recorded was not adapted to the purpose of the historian?
Most of the poems quoted in this story are the work of the great English poets. Please see the chapter notes for specific information.
My heartfelt thanks to Dwimordene for inspiring me; to Oshun, Pandemonium, and DrummerWench for their friendship and sound advice; and to the folks at the Lizard Council for enduring, and answering, my endless requests for assistance, and to all my readers who have waited for five years for the completion of this tale.
Chapter 1: Prologue
How Narsil, a sword forged by Telchar in the First Age, came into Elendil's hands is never specified by Tolkien, but that it came from Thingol through Beren to Elros does not contradict what is known.
Chapter 2: Arathorn's Son
Tolkien says in The Fellowship of the Ring ("Strider") that Narsil was broken a foot below the hilt. For the purposes of this story it is broken two feet below the hilt.
Tolkien does not say that Elrond took Gilraen and Aragorn to Rivendell against the will of the Dúnedain. But for any fanfic writer dealing with this part of Aragorn's life, there is an immediate problem of explaining how such a secret could be kept. This is my take on the matter.
Chapter 3: Taking Leave
The poem is shamelessly adapted from John Keats' splendid "La Belle Dame Sans Merci."
Chapter 4: At the Meeting Stone
The description of the Angle and the Keep and how the Dúnedain organize their affairs, as well as all the characters beyond the few named in the canon, are entirely my invention, but do not contradict anything that Tolkien wrote, to my knowledge.
Chapter 5: Shadow of Angmar
Ivorwen is of course a canon character and appears in "The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen." There is a fragment in "Peoples of Middle-earth" crediting her with "seeing" a green stone when Aragorn was born. I have made this into a dream.
Chapter 8: Wise Heart
Saelind, Argonui's wife, and the story of the falcons are my invention.
Chapter 9: Harvest Festival
That there was trouble over Arathorn's marriage to Gilraen is told in "The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen." I have recast the story in a more dramatic version.
Chapter 13: The Dagger
To learn more about the terrible incident at Strathen Brethil, see the wonderful tales of Adaneth. The sonnet is shamelessly adapted from the great John Milton.
Chapter 15: The Evenstar
In my Alternate Universe, Arwen has not been in Rivendell since her mother's kidnapping and torture by the Orcs some five hundred years earlier. Because of fear for her safety, Elrond has kept her very existence a secret. Thus Gilraen as well as Aragorn did not know of her until she arrived.
My description of Elven sexual mores violates "The Laws and Customs of the Eldar," according to the views of most canon purists. I find that strict interpretation very cold-blooded, and prefer to see the Elves as much warmer creatures, free of the strictures and rules that bind human society. Aragorn himself shares Elven views, since he was raised in Rivendell.
Chapter 23: The Servant of Mordor
Ahando is entirely my invention, but Tolkien describes in The History of Middle-Earth
the heinous activities of some disembodied Elves.
Chapter 26: Shadow of the Elder Days
In The Sword of Elendil, Maedhros and Maglor are co-foster fathers to Elrond and Elros. See Oshun's inspired work for the source.
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It's hot out there! And if your Golden Retriever or long-haired kitty seems to suffer when the mercury rises, you might feel some temptation to break out your grooming tools and give your pets a full shave-down. We get where you're coming from.
But wait! Put down those clippers! According to experts, you'll be doing your pet a disservice. Here's why:
- While you or I would hate to sport a fur coat in 100-degree weather, your pets' fur coats are actually providing them with heat relief.
"A dog's coat is kind of like insulation for your house," explains Dr. Louise Murray, Senior Vice President of the ASPCA Animal Hospital. "Insulation stops your home from getting too cold in winter, but it also keeps it from overheating in summer—and your dog's coat does the same thing."
Dogs' coats have several layers, and these layers are essential to your dog's comfort in the heat. Robbing your dog of this natural cooling system can lead to discomfort and overheating. And keeping your dog cool isn't the only reason to leave his coat intact, Dr. Murray warns.
- Your dog's coat prevents your pup from getting sunburn and helps protect her from skin cancer.
To protect your pet from sunburn and skin cancer, save longer walks for evenings, and consider applying pet-specific sun block to thinly covered areas like the bridge of your dog's nose, the tips of his ears and his belly, Dr. Murray suggests, noting that pets with thin coats, as well as those with white or light-colored coats, are especially at risk for sun damage.
- There are better ways to manage your pets' coats to keep them cool: trimming and brushing.
"It's OK to trim your long-haired dog's long hair, such as any hair that hangs down on his legs," Dr. Murray says. Just never attempt to clip mats off your pet's coat with scissors, Dr. Murray adds. And if you've got a long-haired kitty, leave her coat intact. Instead, brush her a little more frequently during the hot summer months.
Of course, pet parents should remember to keep pets inside with plenty of water during hot days—hydration is key! For more important information on summer pet care, visit our Hot-Weather Tips. Stay cool out there!
She sweats? Dog's can't sweat, only their paw pads sweat, the rest of their bodies cannot sweat at all!
I had a long-haired lab/Irish Setter mix with hair 7-8 inches long. When he was about 4 years old, I started shaving him the first of the summer and then let his coat grow out as it goes into fall. I always left 1/2 inch of fur, I never shaved him to the skin. He loved it. At 70 lbs, Cherokee would lie on the concrete and let me shave him with a dog shaver. He was a totally different dog during the summers once I started shaving him (we lived in Louisiana-hot and humid).
I appreciate that you believe you're helping your dog, you obviously love her very much. But you're ascribing to her some very human states of emotion that are unlikely. Firstly, dogs don't sweat, they have no sweat glands. It's why they pant. Dogs are not oncomfortable on a hard floor. That's a very human assumption. She likes the feel of the floor, b/c it's cool. The fact that she sleeps in her bed when you've shaven her could actually be b/c she's seeking a level of comfort you've taken away from her. Please consult a trusted vet and perhaps even a behaviorist before continuing this practice of shaving her.
Dogs do not sweat. They pant when hot.
2 of my 4 dogs get shaved down regularly, they see 2 vets, one for holistic and one for traditional treatment, both vets recommend and commend this solution for their comfort in our very hot and humid climate. They are not bald they do not get sunburned and they are 11 and 13 years old.
Stupid people do not take advice. They already know everything. I have heard that dogs and cats' coats keep them insulated. They do not sweat like we do. Wild animals do not get shaved. There must be a reason.
Wild animals do not stay in air-conditioned homes therefore they do not become acclimated to the cooler air-conditioned temperatures like many dogs do. It's hard to compare wild animals to domesticated pets, many of whom are treated like another member of the family. There could be a possibility that today's dog suffers more in the heat because they are use to stable temperatures year round and overheat easier when outside even for short periods of time.


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