Chapter 8: Old Wounds
Needless to say after that moment Frodo and Sam were inseparable, though none dared try separate them. If the magic of the Valor could not break their bond none there could, not even Gandalf. Even ushering Sam off to bed was a chore.
"They're like two stubborn children. A bond as deep as brothers." Gandalf later spoke with the elves.
"Their friendship goes far beyond that. It is friendship in its purest form. Their bond can never be broken, we have seen that," said Elrond.
Gandalf huffed. "Like two stubborn children," he muttered again.
Elrond chuckled to himself, "Grant it to them, they've been seperated for quite some time. I don't think they'd want to leave eachother's side for fear it might happen again."
"You never truly know what you have until it is taken away. Rarely do you have the chance to get it back." added Celeborn.
Galadriel saw the two walking along the beach in a state of complete bliss. She smiled a warm smile, "They've always known what they had. Such a friendship is hard to come by. So pure. If anything they've known this, deep in their hearts. But to have something taken away that you cherish most can cause a deep wound, only having it back can heal it."
Gandalf ruffled his brows, "So it must be. Sam has a healing power for Frodo greater than the power of the Valor. I've said it so many times now but Hobbits have never ceased to amaze me. You can learn all there is to know about them in a month and still after a hundred years they can surpsise you."
"And what of Frodo's wounds?" asked Elrond, "Their memory will soon return to him."
Gandalf frowned even deeper, "Let them enjoy what they have. If Frodo's wounds return to him then we will do what we must for him."
The Lady closed her eyes, the picture of the two hobbits still walking together along the shores stayed in her mind. Her eyes flashed open again as if struck with a vision. "The journey is not over."
Celeborn took the hand of his wife, "The road goes ever on."
Gandalf raised a brow at Celeborn, "So it does."
~~~
"Do you ever miss them, Sam?" Frodo watched his friend gaze out over the sea.
"I do," Sam admitted, "But I'll never regret my decision. They've got their own lives now, their own families."
Frodo laughed, "Yes you told me about your grandchildren." Then he thought about it and laughed harder, "A thousand times if you like to count."
"I don't," Sam chuckled, "But I'll try for one million if you won't be mindin' it."
"Of course not, Sam!" Frodo patted his friend on the back. They stood silently for a while watching the glistening sea, listening to the gulls cry. The song of the Valor hung in the air and sea.
"Is this eternity?" asked Sam.
Frodo pondered for a while, "Does it not live up to your expectations?"
"Oh yes it does! All the more! More than I could have ever dreamed possible. But-" he sighed.
Frodo laughed again, "What more could you want? Does nothing please you?" Frodo said this jokingly but Sam seemed to take offense.
He blushed up to his ears, "No- I just-"
"Oh, Sam!" Frodo laughed, "What is it?"
Sam could not help but smile at Frodo's mirth. It was a laugh he wished to hear for so long. Even before Frodo left him, he could not remember the last time he heard Frodo laugh. "A garden," Sam said bluntly.
"A garden is all you need for peaceful bliss in eternity?" Frodo grinned down at the blushing gardener, "Sam you are a gardener to the end. The best Gardener in the Shire will become the best gardener of Valinor! And all of the Valor will praise the gardens of Samwise Gamgee!" Frodo reached out to embrace his friend and caught him by surprise.
Sam staggered a moment then held Frodo tight. He was still blushing. He didn't know what to say to that. He couldn't very well protest.
Frodo stepped back, "I will ask the Lady, surely she would agree to a little plot for Samwise Gamgee."
Sam smiled ear to ear. Frodo laughed again, "Does that please you?" Sam just shook his head to hide his scarlet face.
~~~
That evening Sam got his wish from a very pleased Lady Galadriel. She laughed when Frodo told her of the events of that day and set aside a good amount of land for the gardens of Sam Gamgee. Sam could not be more pleased. Frodo sat quietly watching him pour his heart and soul into his work. He tilled and churned the soil. It was so fresh and full of potency he knew the plants would grow well there. Galadriel had some elves assist her in gathering seeds as Sam made some humble requests for certain flowers. The Lady showed him where to find such flowers and sent some elves to help him. Sam was beaming.
Frodo laughed and shook his head, completely content with watching Sam sort the seeds. Even after the elves left Sam worked long into the evening. When he turned finally satisfied with a days work, though it could hardly be called work, not to Sam, and not in that place, and not with Frodo sitting beside him. When Sam stood, stars were glistening in the grey sky, the sun's last rays were flickering. He saw Frodo still sitting, legs crossed, but his head hung. He was in a deep sleep. Sam laughed.
He went over and sat next to the sleeping Frodo, watching the stars as they first began to peep from the blanket of night. He could not tell how long he sat there, but time never did pass as its wont in that place. He did not feel tired, the crisp sea air filling the night with cool breeze and the endless chirp of crickets singing a blissful song. Sam looked out upon his garden which was now just neatly turned soil, grey and silky fine. But underneath, Sam knew, there was life to be brought forth. He thought of his gardens up at Bag-end and his son's gardens as well. His eyes twinkled as bright as the stars themselves.
The crash of the sea, the cry of the gulls, the chirp of the crickets, and the soft whistle of the winds combined into a great song that sang of the beauty of the silvery night as it fell upon the lands of the Valinor. Everything there was a part of some great song entwined in a rhythmic beat and soft melody. Even his dear friend's breathing, soft and untroubled.
Sam found himself lulling to sleep as the gentle song caressed him into dreams. He saw that with each night his dreams and reality blurred all the more, bleeding together in one great state of bliss. Often he could not tell the difference between his dreams or reality, but this did not trouble him for both were a pleasant state of being. All the evils that befell him faded away like mist over the sea. He often forced himself to remember the Quest in every detail possible. He would not forget. He would never never forget.
With these last thoughts Sam thought he could finally let sleep take him. But something quickly changed about the night song. The crash of the sea waves and cry of the gulls stayed ever gentle, the chirp of the crickets and whistle of the wind stayed blissful. But something changed. He pulled himself from sleep and was fully awake. Then he noticed it, Frodo's breathing had gotten suddenly laboured. His eyes clenched with fear or pain. Sam jumped to his feet. Frodo had his hand clenched to his breast and his breathing got all the more laboured coming in gasps.
"Frodo?" Sam said in a meek voice just above a whisper.
Frodo did not respond, he was deep in sleep still, but his breaths came in terrible gasps and persperation formed on his brow. His eyes were clenched tight, his right fist wringing his shirt just at his chest, the little stone trying to escape the desperate grasp. Sam knelt and held Frodo's left hand, it was icy cold.
"It was real. The ring, the darkness, the shadow. The eye, the fire, the icy pain. So cold." His voice raced, faster and faster, "So cold. The ring, the eye, the fire. Darkness and shadow. Darkness and shadow." Frodo's fist twisted the chain holding the stone.
Sam panicked. "If I don't do something he'll strangle himself." Quickly Sam unclasped the chain and slid the stone from Frodo's grasp. He held it up now trying to focus on Frodo. "Frodo please wake up. It's just a dream, Frodo, please. I'm here, Sam's here."
Frodo's eyes snapped open, they had little time to focus. "The ring! It's mine!" He hissed snatching the stone and chain from Sam's trembling hand. Frodo looked about wildly and finally realized that it was a dream. That what he held so tightly in his hand was no ring and before him stood a very shaken Sam, no orc, nor eye, nor wraith. At that realization Frodo collapsed.
"It seemed so real, Sam!" he cried. "It seemed so real! So real!" Sam held the trembling Frodo. At length he looked up, "Tell me it wasn't real, Sam. Please, tell me it was just a dream."
Sam had no answer for this. He was silent and Frodo sobbed all the more. All Sam could do was question in his mind, "When will it end? Will either of us find peace? When will it end?"
Needless to say after that moment Frodo and Sam were inseparable, though none dared try separate them. If the magic of the Valor could not break their bond none there could, not even Gandalf. Even ushering Sam off to bed was a chore.
"They're like two stubborn children. A bond as deep as brothers." Gandalf later spoke with the elves.
"Their friendship goes far beyond that. It is friendship in its purest form. Their bond can never be broken, we have seen that," said Elrond.
Gandalf huffed. "Like two stubborn children," he muttered again.
Elrond chuckled to himself, "Grant it to them, they've been seperated for quite some time. I don't think they'd want to leave eachother's side for fear it might happen again."
"You never truly know what you have until it is taken away. Rarely do you have the chance to get it back." added Celeborn.
Galadriel saw the two walking along the beach in a state of complete bliss. She smiled a warm smile, "They've always known what they had. Such a friendship is hard to come by. So pure. If anything they've known this, deep in their hearts. But to have something taken away that you cherish most can cause a deep wound, only having it back can heal it."
Gandalf ruffled his brows, "So it must be. Sam has a healing power for Frodo greater than the power of the Valor. I've said it so many times now but Hobbits have never ceased to amaze me. You can learn all there is to know about them in a month and still after a hundred years they can surpsise you."
"And what of Frodo's wounds?" asked Elrond, "Their memory will soon return to him."
Gandalf frowned even deeper, "Let them enjoy what they have. If Frodo's wounds return to him then we will do what we must for him."
The Lady closed her eyes, the picture of the two hobbits still walking together along the shores stayed in her mind. Her eyes flashed open again as if struck with a vision. "The journey is not over."
Celeborn took the hand of his wife, "The road goes ever on."
Gandalf raised a brow at Celeborn, "So it does."
~~~
"Do you ever miss them, Sam?" Frodo watched his friend gaze out over the sea.
"I do," Sam admitted, "But I'll never regret my decision. They've got their own lives now, their own families."
Frodo laughed, "Yes you told me about your grandchildren." Then he thought about it and laughed harder, "A thousand times if you like to count."
"I don't," Sam chuckled, "But I'll try for one million if you won't be mindin' it."
"Of course not, Sam!" Frodo patted his friend on the back. They stood silently for a while watching the glistening sea, listening to the gulls cry. The song of the Valor hung in the air and sea.
"Is this eternity?" asked Sam.
Frodo pondered for a while, "Does it not live up to your expectations?"
"Oh yes it does! All the more! More than I could have ever dreamed possible. But-" he sighed.
Frodo laughed again, "What more could you want? Does nothing please you?" Frodo said this jokingly but Sam seemed to take offense.
He blushed up to his ears, "No- I just-"
"Oh, Sam!" Frodo laughed, "What is it?"
Sam could not help but smile at Frodo's mirth. It was a laugh he wished to hear for so long. Even before Frodo left him, he could not remember the last time he heard Frodo laugh. "A garden," Sam said bluntly.
"A garden is all you need for peaceful bliss in eternity?" Frodo grinned down at the blushing gardener, "Sam you are a gardener to the end. The best Gardener in the Shire will become the best gardener of Valinor! And all of the Valor will praise the gardens of Samwise Gamgee!" Frodo reached out to embrace his friend and caught him by surprise.
Sam staggered a moment then held Frodo tight. He was still blushing. He didn't know what to say to that. He couldn't very well protest.
Frodo stepped back, "I will ask the Lady, surely she would agree to a little plot for Samwise Gamgee."
Sam smiled ear to ear. Frodo laughed again, "Does that please you?" Sam just shook his head to hide his scarlet face.
~~~
That evening Sam got his wish from a very pleased Lady Galadriel. She laughed when Frodo told her of the events of that day and set aside a good amount of land for the gardens of Sam Gamgee. Sam could not be more pleased. Frodo sat quietly watching him pour his heart and soul into his work. He tilled and churned the soil. It was so fresh and full of potency he knew the plants would grow well there. Galadriel had some elves assist her in gathering seeds as Sam made some humble requests for certain flowers. The Lady showed him where to find such flowers and sent some elves to help him. Sam was beaming.
Frodo laughed and shook his head, completely content with watching Sam sort the seeds. Even after the elves left Sam worked long into the evening. When he turned finally satisfied with a days work, though it could hardly be called work, not to Sam, and not in that place, and not with Frodo sitting beside him. When Sam stood, stars were glistening in the grey sky, the sun's last rays were flickering. He saw Frodo still sitting, legs crossed, but his head hung. He was in a deep sleep. Sam laughed.
He went over and sat next to the sleeping Frodo, watching the stars as they first began to peep from the blanket of night. He could not tell how long he sat there, but time never did pass as its wont in that place. He did not feel tired, the crisp sea air filling the night with cool breeze and the endless chirp of crickets singing a blissful song. Sam looked out upon his garden which was now just neatly turned soil, grey and silky fine. But underneath, Sam knew, there was life to be brought forth. He thought of his gardens up at Bag-end and his son's gardens as well. His eyes twinkled as bright as the stars themselves.
The crash of the sea, the cry of the gulls, the chirp of the crickets, and the soft whistle of the winds combined into a great song that sang of the beauty of the silvery night as it fell upon the lands of the Valinor. Everything there was a part of some great song entwined in a rhythmic beat and soft melody. Even his dear friend's breathing, soft and untroubled.
Sam found himself lulling to sleep as the gentle song caressed him into dreams. He saw that with each night his dreams and reality blurred all the more, bleeding together in one great state of bliss. Often he could not tell the difference between his dreams or reality, but this did not trouble him for both were a pleasant state of being. All the evils that befell him faded away like mist over the sea. He often forced himself to remember the Quest in every detail possible. He would not forget. He would never never forget.
With these last thoughts Sam thought he could finally let sleep take him. But something quickly changed about the night song. The crash of the sea waves and cry of the gulls stayed ever gentle, the chirp of the crickets and whistle of the wind stayed blissful. But something changed. He pulled himself from sleep and was fully awake. Then he noticed it, Frodo's breathing had gotten suddenly laboured. His eyes clenched with fear or pain. Sam jumped to his feet. Frodo had his hand clenched to his breast and his breathing got all the more laboured coming in gasps.
"Frodo?" Sam said in a meek voice just above a whisper.
Frodo did not respond, he was deep in sleep still, but his breaths came in terrible gasps and persperation formed on his brow. His eyes were clenched tight, his right fist wringing his shirt just at his chest, the little stone trying to escape the desperate grasp. Sam knelt and held Frodo's left hand, it was icy cold.
"It was real. The ring, the darkness, the shadow. The eye, the fire, the icy pain. So cold." His voice raced, faster and faster, "So cold. The ring, the eye, the fire. Darkness and shadow. Darkness and shadow." Frodo's fist twisted the chain holding the stone.
Sam panicked. "If I don't do something he'll strangle himself." Quickly Sam unclasped the chain and slid the stone from Frodo's grasp. He held it up now trying to focus on Frodo. "Frodo please wake up. It's just a dream, Frodo, please. I'm here, Sam's here."
Frodo's eyes snapped open, they had little time to focus. "The ring! It's mine!" He hissed snatching the stone and chain from Sam's trembling hand. Frodo looked about wildly and finally realized that it was a dream. That what he held so tightly in his hand was no ring and before him stood a very shaken Sam, no orc, nor eye, nor wraith. At that realization Frodo collapsed.
"It seemed so real, Sam!" he cried. "It seemed so real! So real!" Sam held the trembling Frodo. At length he looked up, "Tell me it wasn't real, Sam. Please, tell me it was just a dream."
Sam had no answer for this. He was silent and Frodo sobbed all the more. All Sam could do was question in his mind, "When will it end? Will either of us find peace? When will it end?"