Chapter 4: The Shores of Valinor
"Wake up Master Samwise!"
Sam sat straight up, "Cirdan?"
"Yes, Master Samwise. We've arrived."
Sam lept out of bed, "We have? He began to climb up on deck, staggering as quickly as his hobbit legs could move him.
"Calm down, little one. You don't plan on venturing onto the shores of Valinor in your bed gown do you?"
Sam blushed crimson. "Oh, no sir." He climbed back down and sought for his tunic and breeches. He pulled his cloak of Lorien around his shoulders, fastening tightly but gently, the elven brooch. He sighed and gave himself a lookover in the mirror. "I- I look just as I did- when- when I set out from Lorien."
"Maybe that's what he needs," answered Cirdan giving an approving look, "A little reminder."
"No," Sam whispered, taking off the cloak and folding it neatly, "I don't want to remind him of his pain."
"Then what do you plan on doing?"
"I will see him one last time, if he doesn't remember me, then I will leave him to his happiness."
"You are too humble and noble, Sam. You are willing to give up your friendship, your own happiness, for his?"
Sam nodded.
"That is either very foolish, or all too kind." Cirdan felt he loved the race more than he ever did. He vowed never to think ill of any hobbit ever, though he had never before. "Or it is both."
Sam was barely paying attention. "Are we on shore?"
"We'll be docking shortly." Cirdan stood and retreated to the deck.
Sam stood silent infront of the mirror for a long time after that. "He will remember me. He will remember. He will."
*He is lost.*
"No! No he's not. He is happy."
*He is lost. You must find him.*
"I cannot remind him of his pain."
Silence. It seemed, for the moment, Sam had won the arguement.
"Master Samwise! We've docked!"
"Coming, Cirdan, coming."
He took one last look in the mirror and whispered to himself, "Coming, Mr. Frodo, coming."
"No," he said to himself. "I won't call him Mr. Frodo. He is Frodo, my friend, NOT my master. With that he ran as quickly as his stout hobbit legs could carry him.
On deck there was enough hustle and bustle for a small hobbit to get lost in. He broke his way through the mass crowds of elves to the ramp. The land of Valinor opened up around him like a dream. Light poured through the lands so pure and soft. The white, sandy beaches stretched out to his left and right. Elven homes dotted the seascape and the blue sea waters lapped up to kiss the cliffs of the land. In the distance golden forests grew tall and ancient, like the woods of Lorien. The sounds of elven music filled the air, the sea sang, the wind sang, everything was alive and new yet old at the same time. If this was indeed a dream, Sam wished never to awaken.
"Well Samwise Gamgee, it's good to see you again."
Sam's mouth moved wordlessly *Gandalf*. Then she spun around and was face to face with the old wizard. Sam almost fell to his knees trembling. "Gandalf! It's really you! Good old Gandalf!" He wrapped his arms around the wizard. Gandalf laughed and knelt to embrace the hobbit.
The sound of Gandalf's laughter was better than any elven music to touch Sam's ears. Yet there was another's laughter he yearned even more to hear. He tried to push that from his mind for now.
Sam could not believe his eyes. He had dreamed of this for so long. None of his dreams seemed fit to describe the beauty of the land. He was deeply humbled to see all of the elves, and the Lady Galadriel again, and Lord Celeborn, and Lord Elrond. They each gave him a fine welcome. After a moment of being in their company Sam laughed to himself.
"What is it, Sam?" asked Gandalf.
"Nothing Mr. Gandalf just-"
Gandalf raised his brows. Sam had to laugh again, how he missed him so. He had almost forgotten Gandalf's mysterious ways, how he knew things before they were said. He had almost forgotten- almost.
"Nothing just- All my childhood I've dreamt about elves. And when I was just a hobbit-lad I was always askin' Mr. Bilbo to tell me stories about them. And now- now I'm in the elven home, in Valinor, to stay. I'm living with the elves, Gandalf. It all seems but a dream."
At Bilbo's name the wizard became suddenly serious. "Sam."
Sam felt his heart wrench again. *No not more bad news. I couldn't take any more*
"Didn't Cirdan tell you that- he and Frodo-"
"-Forgot?" Sam whispered, it was the first time he had to finish one of Gandalf's sentances.
"Yes, my boy."
Sam shook his head, "Yes he did, but I don't believe him. I can't. Not until I see Frodo again."
"There are ways to make him remember, my boy, don't fret. And if anyone can, you can, Samwise."
"No." Sam answered pulling away from Gandalf's comforting hand. "If he's forgotten me, then he's forgotten the Quest and the Ring."
"Yes that's true."
"Well I don't want to remind him of those things. Those things, Gandalf, that hurt him so much. I will see him again and if he's forgotten then I shan't see him after."
"You are a stubborn- foolish-" Gandalf paused and the wizard's expression softened, "I can't argue with you. You would be the only one who could make him remember. If you decide not to then I must believe your decision is in best interest."
Sam was shocked. Never had Gandalf confided in him such. He bowed his head to hide his shock. He watched his feet sift along the white sand. A hand was laid gently on his shoulder.
"Is that what your heart says, Samwise?" came the gentle caress of the Lady Galadriel's voice.
Sam sighed, "I guess." He shoved his hands in his pockets and kept his eyes on his feet.
"You've always had a true heart. If only you could get your mind to listen to it. Hope remains while the company is true."
Sam looked up at the Lady as she smiled warmly down on him. He could not help but smile weakly back. They walked for a while, silent, along the shores. Sam felt the healing power of the sea engulf him and quell his sobbing heart. The Lady moved smooth along the sand and Gandalf stood at Sam's side. Sam needed only one other to make this the happiest moment of his life. Not quite the welcome he had expected, though he couldn't help but be thankful for the Lady and Gandalf.
"When will I see them?" Sam asked at length.
"Whenever you wish, Samwise," Gandalf answered. "Bilbo has not been hurt so much by the Ring. He is a bit better off."
Sam nodded.
"Wake up Master Samwise!"
Sam sat straight up, "Cirdan?"
"Yes, Master Samwise. We've arrived."
Sam lept out of bed, "We have? He began to climb up on deck, staggering as quickly as his hobbit legs could move him.
"Calm down, little one. You don't plan on venturing onto the shores of Valinor in your bed gown do you?"
Sam blushed crimson. "Oh, no sir." He climbed back down and sought for his tunic and breeches. He pulled his cloak of Lorien around his shoulders, fastening tightly but gently, the elven brooch. He sighed and gave himself a lookover in the mirror. "I- I look just as I did- when- when I set out from Lorien."
"Maybe that's what he needs," answered Cirdan giving an approving look, "A little reminder."
"No," Sam whispered, taking off the cloak and folding it neatly, "I don't want to remind him of his pain."
"Then what do you plan on doing?"
"I will see him one last time, if he doesn't remember me, then I will leave him to his happiness."
"You are too humble and noble, Sam. You are willing to give up your friendship, your own happiness, for his?"
Sam nodded.
"That is either very foolish, or all too kind." Cirdan felt he loved the race more than he ever did. He vowed never to think ill of any hobbit ever, though he had never before. "Or it is both."
Sam was barely paying attention. "Are we on shore?"
"We'll be docking shortly." Cirdan stood and retreated to the deck.
Sam stood silent infront of the mirror for a long time after that. "He will remember me. He will remember. He will."
*He is lost.*
"No! No he's not. He is happy."
*He is lost. You must find him.*
"I cannot remind him of his pain."
Silence. It seemed, for the moment, Sam had won the arguement.
"Master Samwise! We've docked!"
"Coming, Cirdan, coming."
He took one last look in the mirror and whispered to himself, "Coming, Mr. Frodo, coming."
"No," he said to himself. "I won't call him Mr. Frodo. He is Frodo, my friend, NOT my master. With that he ran as quickly as his stout hobbit legs could carry him.
On deck there was enough hustle and bustle for a small hobbit to get lost in. He broke his way through the mass crowds of elves to the ramp. The land of Valinor opened up around him like a dream. Light poured through the lands so pure and soft. The white, sandy beaches stretched out to his left and right. Elven homes dotted the seascape and the blue sea waters lapped up to kiss the cliffs of the land. In the distance golden forests grew tall and ancient, like the woods of Lorien. The sounds of elven music filled the air, the sea sang, the wind sang, everything was alive and new yet old at the same time. If this was indeed a dream, Sam wished never to awaken.
"Well Samwise Gamgee, it's good to see you again."
Sam's mouth moved wordlessly *Gandalf*. Then she spun around and was face to face with the old wizard. Sam almost fell to his knees trembling. "Gandalf! It's really you! Good old Gandalf!" He wrapped his arms around the wizard. Gandalf laughed and knelt to embrace the hobbit.
The sound of Gandalf's laughter was better than any elven music to touch Sam's ears. Yet there was another's laughter he yearned even more to hear. He tried to push that from his mind for now.
Sam could not believe his eyes. He had dreamed of this for so long. None of his dreams seemed fit to describe the beauty of the land. He was deeply humbled to see all of the elves, and the Lady Galadriel again, and Lord Celeborn, and Lord Elrond. They each gave him a fine welcome. After a moment of being in their company Sam laughed to himself.
"What is it, Sam?" asked Gandalf.
"Nothing Mr. Gandalf just-"
Gandalf raised his brows. Sam had to laugh again, how he missed him so. He had almost forgotten Gandalf's mysterious ways, how he knew things before they were said. He had almost forgotten- almost.
"Nothing just- All my childhood I've dreamt about elves. And when I was just a hobbit-lad I was always askin' Mr. Bilbo to tell me stories about them. And now- now I'm in the elven home, in Valinor, to stay. I'm living with the elves, Gandalf. It all seems but a dream."
At Bilbo's name the wizard became suddenly serious. "Sam."
Sam felt his heart wrench again. *No not more bad news. I couldn't take any more*
"Didn't Cirdan tell you that- he and Frodo-"
"-Forgot?" Sam whispered, it was the first time he had to finish one of Gandalf's sentances.
"Yes, my boy."
Sam shook his head, "Yes he did, but I don't believe him. I can't. Not until I see Frodo again."
"There are ways to make him remember, my boy, don't fret. And if anyone can, you can, Samwise."
"No." Sam answered pulling away from Gandalf's comforting hand. "If he's forgotten me, then he's forgotten the Quest and the Ring."
"Yes that's true."
"Well I don't want to remind him of those things. Those things, Gandalf, that hurt him so much. I will see him again and if he's forgotten then I shan't see him after."
"You are a stubborn- foolish-" Gandalf paused and the wizard's expression softened, "I can't argue with you. You would be the only one who could make him remember. If you decide not to then I must believe your decision is in best interest."
Sam was shocked. Never had Gandalf confided in him such. He bowed his head to hide his shock. He watched his feet sift along the white sand. A hand was laid gently on his shoulder.
"Is that what your heart says, Samwise?" came the gentle caress of the Lady Galadriel's voice.
Sam sighed, "I guess." He shoved his hands in his pockets and kept his eyes on his feet.
"You've always had a true heart. If only you could get your mind to listen to it. Hope remains while the company is true."
Sam looked up at the Lady as she smiled warmly down on him. He could not help but smile weakly back. They walked for a while, silent, along the shores. Sam felt the healing power of the sea engulf him and quell his sobbing heart. The Lady moved smooth along the sand and Gandalf stood at Sam's side. Sam needed only one other to make this the happiest moment of his life. Not quite the welcome he had expected, though he couldn't help but be thankful for the Lady and Gandalf.
"When will I see them?" Sam asked at length.
"Whenever you wish, Samwise," Gandalf answered. "Bilbo has not been hurt so much by the Ring. He is a bit better off."
Sam nodded.