Epilogue - In Safe Keeping
Sam was at Frodo's side instantly, untying the rope that bound his hands. Frodo stirred weakly and looked at Sam in confusion. Hadn't he just seen - "Sam?!"
Sam gathered Frodo into his arms and held him, fighting back his tears as he kissed Frodo's forehead. "Mr. Frodo! It's me! It's your Sam. I'm here to take you home -"
Frodo was at a loss for words. He buried his face in Sam's chest, sobbing as Sam stroked his hair. "Can you walk, Mr. Frodo? We need to leave this place before he wakes up." Sam looked over at his fallen foe, who wasn't moving.
"I-I think so," Frodo stammered. He leaned against Sam as they made their way up the path and out onto the main road. It was not a long walk to Bag End as walks in a place like the Shire go, but it seemed a journey of a thousand miles.
Finally stumbling across the threshold of Bag End, Sam eased Frodo down onto the sofa and promptly locked the door. As soon as Frodo was sound enough, he would see to it that the whole affair came to the notice of the shirriffs. But for now, it was obvious where he should be.
It only took a moment for Sam to heat the teakettle and bring out a steaming cup for Frodo. "It's just herb tea, with a light sedative. You need to rest, Mr. Frodo. Just rest and let your Sam take care of things." He carefully touched a cold, damp cloth to the bruises on Frodo's face. "Mr. Frodo," he said softly, "why didn't you tell me?"
"I couldn't, Sam." Frodo's breathing had calmed and he lay still on the sofa, allowing Sam to tend his injuries. "I was afraid - "
"What were you afraid of?"
"I was afraid you might think that I - that I encouraged -"
Sam was aghast. "I would never have thought any such thing, Mr. Frodo! How could I possibly - "
"I know now. I was a fool, Sam." Frodo's eyes were fixed on Sam's. "I never encouraged him, not in the slightest. I had no interest in - in - him."
Sam looked at his master quizzically. There was an odd catch in Frodo's voice as he had spoken the last part.
"All - all I want -" Frodo stammered as a fresh wave of tears rose to the surface. "Don't leave!"
"I'm not goin' anywhere." Sam said with conviction, again enfolding Frodo in arms. "Just try an' make me."
As Frodo calmed somewhat, Sam persuaded him to drink the tea, and it began to have its intended effect. He blinked, bleary eyed at Sam and started to say something.
"What is it, Mr. Frodo?" Sam leaned in close as Frodo whispered, "All I want, all I need is you, here with me." The next was barely audible as Frodo sank gratefully into sleep. "I love you, Sam."
"I love you too, Mr. Frodo," Sam whispered, but Frodo was already asleep in his arms. "I promise I won't leave. You're in safe keeping, Mr. Frodo. You always will be as long as I have breath to promise."
Sam was at Frodo's side instantly, untying the rope that bound his hands. Frodo stirred weakly and looked at Sam in confusion. Hadn't he just seen - "Sam?!"
Sam gathered Frodo into his arms and held him, fighting back his tears as he kissed Frodo's forehead. "Mr. Frodo! It's me! It's your Sam. I'm here to take you home -"
Frodo was at a loss for words. He buried his face in Sam's chest, sobbing as Sam stroked his hair. "Can you walk, Mr. Frodo? We need to leave this place before he wakes up." Sam looked over at his fallen foe, who wasn't moving.
"I-I think so," Frodo stammered. He leaned against Sam as they made their way up the path and out onto the main road. It was not a long walk to Bag End as walks in a place like the Shire go, but it seemed a journey of a thousand miles.
Finally stumbling across the threshold of Bag End, Sam eased Frodo down onto the sofa and promptly locked the door. As soon as Frodo was sound enough, he would see to it that the whole affair came to the notice of the shirriffs. But for now, it was obvious where he should be.
It only took a moment for Sam to heat the teakettle and bring out a steaming cup for Frodo. "It's just herb tea, with a light sedative. You need to rest, Mr. Frodo. Just rest and let your Sam take care of things." He carefully touched a cold, damp cloth to the bruises on Frodo's face. "Mr. Frodo," he said softly, "why didn't you tell me?"
"I couldn't, Sam." Frodo's breathing had calmed and he lay still on the sofa, allowing Sam to tend his injuries. "I was afraid - "
"What were you afraid of?"
"I was afraid you might think that I - that I encouraged -"
Sam was aghast. "I would never have thought any such thing, Mr. Frodo! How could I possibly - "
"I know now. I was a fool, Sam." Frodo's eyes were fixed on Sam's. "I never encouraged him, not in the slightest. I had no interest in - in - him."
Sam looked at his master quizzically. There was an odd catch in Frodo's voice as he had spoken the last part.
"All - all I want -" Frodo stammered as a fresh wave of tears rose to the surface. "Don't leave!"
"I'm not goin' anywhere." Sam said with conviction, again enfolding Frodo in arms. "Just try an' make me."
As Frodo calmed somewhat, Sam persuaded him to drink the tea, and it began to have its intended effect. He blinked, bleary eyed at Sam and started to say something.
"What is it, Mr. Frodo?" Sam leaned in close as Frodo whispered, "All I want, all I need is you, here with me." The next was barely audible as Frodo sank gratefully into sleep. "I love you, Sam."
"I love you too, Mr. Frodo," Sam whispered, but Frodo was already asleep in his arms. "I promise I won't leave. You're in safe keeping, Mr. Frodo. You always will be as long as I have breath to promise."