Last Riding of Samwise Gamgee

The Last Riding of Samwise Gamgee

This is my first Lord of the Rings fan fiction and I really hope that you enjoy it. Poor Sam, the last of the Ring bearers, if only for a little while, was left to continue to rebuild The Shire after Frodo and Gandalf leave for the 'Grey Havens' and although it is suggested that one day his chance to join his friend may come this never comes to pass in the actual novel. Whilst watching the films again recently, for the first time in a number of years, the idea for this came to me, and as is the case with so many stories just had to be written! I hope in this that I have managed to capture the characters just so, I still wanted the essence of Tolkein to run through this story... although I know that I could never do his true writing genious justice, and that is not what I have strove to do with this. This is my perpective on how Sam came to eventually join Frodo in the 'Grey Havens', and I know that my own writing style will be evident throughout, just enjoy this story for what it is and please let me know what you think! REVIEW!! Please! :D

He was alone now… well as alone as a Hobbit of the Shire could ever be. Rosie had passed on many years since, his children had all grown up and left Bad End to start new lives of their own, as all children inevitably must one day. Merry and Pippin had moved on to join King Elessar, to take their place within the great Kingdoms of Rohan and Gondor from where it was known that they would not make a return journey to the Shire. They were old now, still young at heart, but they had had their fill of adventure. Although Sam had not been feeling quite himself lately, plagued and tormented by dark dreams of times long passed his generally prosperous mood had been dampened, not enough to cause sore distress, but still to cause sorrow enough which Hobbits were not themselves by nature accustomed to. People were beginning to talk, about how each year he appeared to grow a little older, although not quite as old as he maybe should, and his spirits a little less merry. It was during these darker moments that he would often find himself talking to Frodo, when he was alone, and there was nobody else around to hear, for there was nobody else left in the Shire now who knew of the true story of the great ring of power and Frodo and Bilbo's final departure from the Shire, and he thought often that he could hear his old friend reply, in the rushing of the wind and the rustling of the tall grasses, just outside the window from where he had first heard Gandalf's initial conversation with Frodo about the ring, now so many years ago.

"I can't do this anymore Mr Frodo."

"Oh Sam, be strong, for you are still needed, and may be still for a good many years, although your time still may come."

And so life had continued, as Sam had often mused e had heard his old friend speak 'for a good many years', until age finally caught up with him, and the old occasional itch which had for too long afflicted him turned into an unpleasant burning whenever he thought of Frodo and the ring, a fit which could not be calmed nor controlled, and he was so tired, oh so very tired, and his soul so very heavy.

And then one evening it was finally that Frodo came to him in a dream, his image as clear to Sam as it had been the last which he had seen of his friend before Frodo has passed over the sea.

"Mr Frodo?"

"Yes Sam, it is me. For how you have suffered my dear friend… and yet you have lasted a great deal longer with your burden than me. Although you too were a ring bearer, if only for a short while, and I have not forgotten just how heavy a burden that can be."

"Is it time?", and with this Frodo smiled.

"Yes my dear Sam it is time. I have asked too much of you already, and yet you have been strong and that work id now done. But I know for how long since the Shore has been lost for you, for how many years you have hoped for this day, yet never quite believing that for you it may come. No it is your turn my dearest friend."

And in his sleep Sam smiled.

"But I can not make the journey alone Mr Frodo."

"No Sam, nor do you have to, for it is not a journey to be made alone. I'll be there, and whenever you feel the hand of loneliness take you or the grip, of sleep tempt you, just think of me, of the adventure which awaits you across the sea, and that will see you through. You're family may not understand, for they are still young, but adventure id in their blood, and who knows what lies in store for them in years to come, for the third age of evil id over, the fourth age of Middle Earth is still yet to begin."

"Where will I se you?" Sam asked.

But he knew that he didn't have to ask that question, Frodo was gone, the dawn began to break and he awoke to the golden glow of the sunlight cascading in, illuminating Bag End with a light it had not seen in as many tears… since the last generation of Baggins' had departed.

"Where the land meets the sea and both become as one, in a month to this day, for there is still much for you to do my dearest friend."

And Sam knew hat this would be both the longest and shortest of months which he had eve spent, yet after which he would finally be free, and if only for a moment the load of his burden, that which he had carried in silence for so many years, was lifted, and he had a brief glimpse of freedom.

… He set out three weeks and five days to the day that Frodo had appeared to him, not as young as he ha once been he estimated that it could take him twice as long to make the journey since the last time he had accompanied Frodo on their final journey together before his friend made sail for the 'Grey Havens' with 'the Last Riding of the Keepers of the Ring'. It had been an emotional farewell which Sam had himself bade to everything which he had once considered familiar and held dearer still. Travelling alone was by no means how it had once been, amongst friends, but he was reminded of Frodo's words and encouraged by these, and so the journey did not appear quite so evil. Indeed it brought back many happy memories, of youth, and companionship, of Frodo, Gandalf, Aragon, Legolas, Gimli, Merry and Pippin, even Boromire, for even he had not been completely overtaken by the power of the Ring, and even by the end there was still enough good left within him to uphold the vows of the Fellowship… but it had been too late to save himself. Boromire had died, and Sam had realised a long time ago that they had all given up much and lost something of themselves in the quest to destroy the Ring, to have given up on life itself as Boromire had dine, the merriment and carefree nature of all Hobbit's, or home, The Shire, that which he had fought so hard to save, as Mr Frodo had done… it had changed and re-shaped them all in some way. Their Fellowship was ended, although as Sam walked he realised that the bonds of their friendship could never be broken, and they were all eternally bound, by promise and companionship, to each other, for the rest of their days.

…and so it was that Sam continued, his spirits much restored until two nights had passed, whenst sleep evaded, and the outline of the Harbour, and the last ship which would carry Sam from Middle Earth came into view.

"My dearest Sam."

"Mr Frodo?" Sam spoke as his old friend came ashore to greet him, for he could not be sure that it was he at first, although his heart had told him that it was so. Kinder to him than it had been to many in some respects, the years had still aged Sam, and yet here was My Frodo stood before him, not looking a day older than the last which he had seen of his oldest and most dearest of friends.

"It is time." Frodo smiled, embracing his old friend, as the two finally boarded the small ship together.

"And I'm ready Mr Frodo." Sam sighed, almost wistfully. "Yes I'm quite ready now."

And so it was that as the little ship made sail, Sam caught his final glimpse of Middle Earth, from afar, and the last of the Ring bearers, the final member of the 'Keepers of the Ring' left Middle Earth, and made sail for the 'Grey Havens', whence the fourth age of Middle Earth, although still in it's infancy, was now set to really begin.