Disclaimer: No copyright infringement is intended, fic is for fun.
Scene: How Frodo realised where his heart belonged.
A Vision
A great splash went up, and the water foamed as Frodo's arms flailed out to cut through the waves surging over him. A rush filled his ears, and a part of him realised it was the sound of his own blood thundering through his veins.
The hobbit had shut his eyes instinctively, but now, as the water settled back, and he stopped moving downwards, he opened them, to see the stream of bubbles marking his path down, and the deep blueness all around.
Looking up, he could see the dappled pattern the filtered sunlight cast on the surface of the stream. It was far above him, which meant the pool was deeper than he'd thought. A lot deeper in fact. Didn't he remember swimming in here as a youngster? And diving to the bottom which was only a few feet away to pick up stones? And what was that shadow moving towards him?!
He opened his mouth to take in a breath, and only just stopped in time to prevent himself sucking in water. The shadow seemed to flow up from out of the darkness to either side of him, and before his eyes it swirled into an almost human shape. Two arms grew from the centre of the mass, and a head twisted up, features forming as Frodo stared in a mixture of horror and amazement.
The eyes of the thing were blacker than black, blacker even than the rest of the creature. They fixed Frodo was a calm stare, and he felt compelled to look into them.
His world was filled with silence. Even his heartbeat was drowned out by the overwhelming lack of noise. He could see only the deep pits of the Being's eyes, shining darker somehow, the longer he looked, until it was almost painful.
Gradually, Frodo began to see shapes moving in the blackness that filled his vision. They were only shadows, but in his mind's eye they became people and objects, valleys and mountains, until his mind was painted with wonderful colours and images of beauty and splendour. A golden tree stood next to a silver tree in an open courtyard, and shining leaves grew on their shimmering branches. A hill stood, looking out over a coastline, and on this a greater tree reached up to the heavens. The thing in the water was trying to show him something.
What is it? Where is this? Frodo asked, his mind forming the words his mouth could not. He desperately wanted to be a part of the wonder of this place. Just seeing it, his heart was filled with a hope he hadn't felt since coming into possession of The Ring.
The scene shifted. This time he could see havens, in which stood a magnificent ship. Its sails were the purest white, and they stood against a sky which blazed red with the departing sun. Sea-birds wheeled and cried over the waves, which broke in a mass of foam on the shore. Deep inside, Frodo felt something pulling him there. With all his heart he wanted to step onto that ship, because he knew it would take him to the place with the gleaming trees and the serenely joyful people who danced beneath them.
Suddenly the images vanished, and Frodo found himself blinking heavily as if ridding his eyes of sleep. The dark shadow being was gone, and the water was the clearest blue. The surface was some two feet above, and Frodo's lungs were burning. He kicked off from the bottom and was relieved when his head found free air, and he was able to take a deep breath.
The air was sweet and warm, and the water was refreshingly cool as Frodo swam slowly to the bank. He pulled himself out of the water and looked around for the horse which had startled him. It was nowhere in sight, and its hooves couldn't be heard, no matter how hard he strained his ears.
Frodo lay back on the grass, letting the green-filtered sunlight dry his clothes and hair. He watched the gently swaying leaves, and knew that this was one of the last days he'd spend in Middle-Earth. The aching inside him had gone, and he knew that the empty space in his heart would soon be filled by the place he'd just seen, and the beauty it held.
He knew something which few of Middle-Earth ever know. He knew with a certainty so strong it was rare, that the Undying Land of ancient myth could be reached by him. He knew that he had to say goodbye to all the people he loved, and all the things he loved, until he could leave knowing that he'd enjoyed The Shire as much as any Hobbit might. He knew that all he had to do was to board the Elven ship, and let it take him over the sea.
After a little while, Frodo stood, dusted himself off, and looked out over the stream to the where the forest stretched out as it had done for thousands of years. He raised his hand in a salute to all the trees and woodland creatures, to all the things he'd known and would never know. After whispering goodbye, he turned for home.
The trees rustled in farewell as he passed.
A/N: I don't think this needs another chapter, but if you have any suggestions, please tell me! This was a little exploration piece into feelings, and I'd appreciate knowing what you think of it!
Scene: How Frodo realised where his heart belonged.
A Vision
A great splash went up, and the water foamed as Frodo's arms flailed out to cut through the waves surging over him. A rush filled his ears, and a part of him realised it was the sound of his own blood thundering through his veins.
The hobbit had shut his eyes instinctively, but now, as the water settled back, and he stopped moving downwards, he opened them, to see the stream of bubbles marking his path down, and the deep blueness all around.
Looking up, he could see the dappled pattern the filtered sunlight cast on the surface of the stream. It was far above him, which meant the pool was deeper than he'd thought. A lot deeper in fact. Didn't he remember swimming in here as a youngster? And diving to the bottom which was only a few feet away to pick up stones? And what was that shadow moving towards him?!
He opened his mouth to take in a breath, and only just stopped in time to prevent himself sucking in water. The shadow seemed to flow up from out of the darkness to either side of him, and before his eyes it swirled into an almost human shape. Two arms grew from the centre of the mass, and a head twisted up, features forming as Frodo stared in a mixture of horror and amazement.
The eyes of the thing were blacker than black, blacker even than the rest of the creature. They fixed Frodo was a calm stare, and he felt compelled to look into them.
His world was filled with silence. Even his heartbeat was drowned out by the overwhelming lack of noise. He could see only the deep pits of the Being's eyes, shining darker somehow, the longer he looked, until it was almost painful.
Gradually, Frodo began to see shapes moving in the blackness that filled his vision. They were only shadows, but in his mind's eye they became people and objects, valleys and mountains, until his mind was painted with wonderful colours and images of beauty and splendour. A golden tree stood next to a silver tree in an open courtyard, and shining leaves grew on their shimmering branches. A hill stood, looking out over a coastline, and on this a greater tree reached up to the heavens. The thing in the water was trying to show him something.
What is it? Where is this? Frodo asked, his mind forming the words his mouth could not. He desperately wanted to be a part of the wonder of this place. Just seeing it, his heart was filled with a hope he hadn't felt since coming into possession of The Ring.
The scene shifted. This time he could see havens, in which stood a magnificent ship. Its sails were the purest white, and they stood against a sky which blazed red with the departing sun. Sea-birds wheeled and cried over the waves, which broke in a mass of foam on the shore. Deep inside, Frodo felt something pulling him there. With all his heart he wanted to step onto that ship, because he knew it would take him to the place with the gleaming trees and the serenely joyful people who danced beneath them.
Suddenly the images vanished, and Frodo found himself blinking heavily as if ridding his eyes of sleep. The dark shadow being was gone, and the water was the clearest blue. The surface was some two feet above, and Frodo's lungs were burning. He kicked off from the bottom and was relieved when his head found free air, and he was able to take a deep breath.
The air was sweet and warm, and the water was refreshingly cool as Frodo swam slowly to the bank. He pulled himself out of the water and looked around for the horse which had startled him. It was nowhere in sight, and its hooves couldn't be heard, no matter how hard he strained his ears.
Frodo lay back on the grass, letting the green-filtered sunlight dry his clothes and hair. He watched the gently swaying leaves, and knew that this was one of the last days he'd spend in Middle-Earth. The aching inside him had gone, and he knew that the empty space in his heart would soon be filled by the place he'd just seen, and the beauty it held.
He knew something which few of Middle-Earth ever know. He knew with a certainty so strong it was rare, that the Undying Land of ancient myth could be reached by him. He knew that he had to say goodbye to all the people he loved, and all the things he loved, until he could leave knowing that he'd enjoyed The Shire as much as any Hobbit might. He knew that all he had to do was to board the Elven ship, and let it take him over the sea.
After a little while, Frodo stood, dusted himself off, and looked out over the stream to the where the forest stretched out as it had done for thousands of years. He raised his hand in a salute to all the trees and woodland creatures, to all the things he'd known and would never know. After whispering goodbye, he turned for home.
The trees rustled in farewell as he passed.
A/N: I don't think this needs another chapter, but if you have any suggestions, please tell me! This was a little exploration piece into feelings, and I'd appreciate knowing what you think of it!