"To Eternity"
by Mainecoon
Disclaimer: These characters are used without permission. Kenny Loggins' "The Real Thing" is butchered without permission but for the sake of a very noble cause: to have Frodo sing it. So don't sue me or you'll have packs of screaming protesters and Tolkien geeks at your door.
~*#*~
"Don't make this harder for me than it is, Sam," Frodo said. The cold wind rushing over the dock pulled the hobbits' hair into their faces. Sam's eyes were downcast and covered in shadow.
"I'm sorry, master," Sam replied. Frodo could hear tears in his voice.
"Sam, look at me." When Sam made no move to comply, Frodo gently reached his hand under Sam's chin as if to force him. Sam jerked away from his touch. "Samwise," Frodo said again, this time more firmly.
Sam slowly looked up. When his eyes met Frodo's, tears spilled freely down the younger hobbit's cheeks. He threw his arms around Frodo's neck and sobbed quietly. "Please don't go," he begged in a choked whisper. "You can still come back, stay with me and Rosie and all in Bag End."
Frodo stood as still as he was able to. It took almost more willpower than he possessed to keep himself from returning Sam's embrace. "No, Sam," he answered. "It hurts too much. My heart has been hurt in a way that can never heal. I can no longer love our land for what it is. Where you feel peace, I feel dread. I see the laughter of our people and I wish to weep. I feel imprisoned by the smallness of the Shire, yet tinier than a speck of dust when I remember how enormous is the world outside it. Do you understand, Sam?" Frodo pulled himself out of Sam's arms, but only so far that they stood with their foreheads touching. "I am no longer a part of the land that made us. I cannot sing hobbit songs or dance hobbit dances or even smoke a pipe without thinking of what we did, and what we saw, and what we felt, and knowing how much greater a thing it is than anything that has ever been done before. After the Ring, nothing matters anymore to me. I can't care, Sam. And that hurts."
"That's it, then. You have to go?" Sam looked straight into Frodo's eyes, so deep Frodo felt as if Sam would give him his own soul if he thought his master might be healed with it.
"Yes." Frodo brushed Sam's tears away with the back of his hand. "But… maybe it won't be forever. We can't know, Samwise. Besides, you were a Ringbearer, too. You'll join me someday. You've got to."
"I don't want to leave you, sir."
"And I don't want to leave you, but I must. I love you, Sam. Always know that."
Sam nodded. "I will. But…"
"What is it, Sam?"
Sam looked away for a moment. "I… I would ask one last thing, sir…"
"Yes?"
Once more Sam looked into Frodo's eyes. "Just… one last time… hold me."
Though Sam didn't know it, there was nothing Frodo would rather have done. He fell into Sam's arms. Those elves and men who saw them were awed by a strange light that seemed to surround the two hobbits. It was not a light that glowed exactly, but rather a light that shone through in the hearts of those who saw them. Never before or since had any eyes upon the docks at the Gray Havens beheld two friends who cared so deeply for each other. Many turned away, shamed by how petty such love made them feel. Others, mostly elves, looked on in reverence. For the elves, the joy they felt from the power of the hobbits' bond was mixed with sorrow, for they knew that they could never feel such love. They could, if they were lucky, find one friend with whom they could share their souls - but the kind of love between Frodo and Samwise was reserved for mortals. Yet the elves envied these two, knowing that one day both would be made immortal in their blessed Valinor.
Those who had resented the idea of sharing their sacred deathless paradise at once abandoned all harsh thoughts. Such love was worth preserving for eternity.
At last, a bell tolled to announce the imminent departure of the white ships. Frodo and Sam parted reluctantly, gradually growing further away until only their hands remained clasped together.
"Good-bye, Samwise."
"Good-Bye, master Frodo."
One hand released the other. "Go home to Rosie. Go to the Shire and teach them what strength they have in them. Keep the Red Book, and most of all, remember to love!"
"And you, sir. Remember to never forget your pain here. That's what my Gaffer always told me: pain makes joy all the sweeter."
Frodo smiled. "And how right he was!" He leaned over and kissed Sam's head. "Good-bye, Samwise."
"Good-bye, master Frodo."
Frodo turned to follow the procession onto the boat. Sam went to join Merry and Pippin to watch it set off. Frodo came to stand at the back of the ship. They watched each other, not waving, not making any motions at all: just memorizing each other's faces. The three hobbits watched the ship until the white sails could no longer be seen on the ocean. Sam moved only when Merry went to him and touched his shoulder.
"Time to go, old chap," he said softly.
Sam took a deep breath, and wiped the last tears from his eyes. "Right," he answered. "Coming."
Together they turned their ponies. Pippin had gotten a slight head start, but he slowed his mount and walked beside them. Sam looked back over his shoulders towards the purple horizon. "Good-bye, Frodo," he whispered. Merry heard him, and had to try hard to fight back tears.
They rode in silence back to the Shire.
~*#*~
Frodo's Song
[Based on "The Real Thing" by Kenny Loggins]
As he watches the shores of Middle-Earth dissappear into the haze of nightfall, he sees for the last time the gently sloping ground he knows continues on to become the hills of the Shire, the Misty Mountains, endless lands beyond that he has never seen, and too many he has.
Samwise, I know what you're thinking.
You and I have much to say.
And you've been going crazy
Trying to understand,
But it's impossible to explain.
I never thought I'd say good-bye,
But you're staring at the sea this windy night,
And you stand there in the dark and wonder why.
I did it for you, and the Shire,
And because I'm hurt and tired.
My joy's an imitation.
I have pain that I'm trying not to show you.
I did it for you, and for me,
And because I still believe in all we worked for,
So you can never give up. You've got to follow your heart,
'Cause that's the real thing you need in love.
You're so afraid your life is over,
And nothing I can say will change your mind.
I'm not trying to be selfish.
I'd never treat you cruel.
Just hold on to me and cry.
I'll always hold you in my soul,
And I'm never going to leave you all alone.
But I won't sing songs of long roads anymore.
I did it for you, Middle-Earth,
The land that cradled me at birth,
But smiles are imitations.
I have pain that I'm trying not to show you.
I did it for you, and for me,
And because now that we're free my life is through here,
So you can never give up. You've got to follow your heart,
'Cause that's the real thing you need in love.
There's a silver boat to take you when you're ready.
You will always have a way across the sea.
And is there somewhere there for me?
I'm ready to believe.
I did it for you: my best friend,
And because our love can't end.
It's not an imitation.
These are tears I was trying not to show you.
I did it for you, and for me,
And because I still believe in all we loved for,
So you can never give up. You've got to follow your heart,
'Cause that's the real thing you need in love.
...end...
by Mainecoon
Disclaimer: These characters are used without permission. Kenny Loggins' "The Real Thing" is butchered without permission but for the sake of a very noble cause: to have Frodo sing it. So don't sue me or you'll have packs of screaming protesters and Tolkien geeks at your door.
~*#*~
"Don't make this harder for me than it is, Sam," Frodo said. The cold wind rushing over the dock pulled the hobbits' hair into their faces. Sam's eyes were downcast and covered in shadow.
"I'm sorry, master," Sam replied. Frodo could hear tears in his voice.
"Sam, look at me." When Sam made no move to comply, Frodo gently reached his hand under Sam's chin as if to force him. Sam jerked away from his touch. "Samwise," Frodo said again, this time more firmly.
Sam slowly looked up. When his eyes met Frodo's, tears spilled freely down the younger hobbit's cheeks. He threw his arms around Frodo's neck and sobbed quietly. "Please don't go," he begged in a choked whisper. "You can still come back, stay with me and Rosie and all in Bag End."
Frodo stood as still as he was able to. It took almost more willpower than he possessed to keep himself from returning Sam's embrace. "No, Sam," he answered. "It hurts too much. My heart has been hurt in a way that can never heal. I can no longer love our land for what it is. Where you feel peace, I feel dread. I see the laughter of our people and I wish to weep. I feel imprisoned by the smallness of the Shire, yet tinier than a speck of dust when I remember how enormous is the world outside it. Do you understand, Sam?" Frodo pulled himself out of Sam's arms, but only so far that they stood with their foreheads touching. "I am no longer a part of the land that made us. I cannot sing hobbit songs or dance hobbit dances or even smoke a pipe without thinking of what we did, and what we saw, and what we felt, and knowing how much greater a thing it is than anything that has ever been done before. After the Ring, nothing matters anymore to me. I can't care, Sam. And that hurts."
"That's it, then. You have to go?" Sam looked straight into Frodo's eyes, so deep Frodo felt as if Sam would give him his own soul if he thought his master might be healed with it.
"Yes." Frodo brushed Sam's tears away with the back of his hand. "But… maybe it won't be forever. We can't know, Samwise. Besides, you were a Ringbearer, too. You'll join me someday. You've got to."
"I don't want to leave you, sir."
"And I don't want to leave you, but I must. I love you, Sam. Always know that."
Sam nodded. "I will. But…"
"What is it, Sam?"
Sam looked away for a moment. "I… I would ask one last thing, sir…"
"Yes?"
Once more Sam looked into Frodo's eyes. "Just… one last time… hold me."
Though Sam didn't know it, there was nothing Frodo would rather have done. He fell into Sam's arms. Those elves and men who saw them were awed by a strange light that seemed to surround the two hobbits. It was not a light that glowed exactly, but rather a light that shone through in the hearts of those who saw them. Never before or since had any eyes upon the docks at the Gray Havens beheld two friends who cared so deeply for each other. Many turned away, shamed by how petty such love made them feel. Others, mostly elves, looked on in reverence. For the elves, the joy they felt from the power of the hobbits' bond was mixed with sorrow, for they knew that they could never feel such love. They could, if they were lucky, find one friend with whom they could share their souls - but the kind of love between Frodo and Samwise was reserved for mortals. Yet the elves envied these two, knowing that one day both would be made immortal in their blessed Valinor.
Those who had resented the idea of sharing their sacred deathless paradise at once abandoned all harsh thoughts. Such love was worth preserving for eternity.
At last, a bell tolled to announce the imminent departure of the white ships. Frodo and Sam parted reluctantly, gradually growing further away until only their hands remained clasped together.
"Good-bye, Samwise."
"Good-Bye, master Frodo."
One hand released the other. "Go home to Rosie. Go to the Shire and teach them what strength they have in them. Keep the Red Book, and most of all, remember to love!"
"And you, sir. Remember to never forget your pain here. That's what my Gaffer always told me: pain makes joy all the sweeter."
Frodo smiled. "And how right he was!" He leaned over and kissed Sam's head. "Good-bye, Samwise."
"Good-bye, master Frodo."
Frodo turned to follow the procession onto the boat. Sam went to join Merry and Pippin to watch it set off. Frodo came to stand at the back of the ship. They watched each other, not waving, not making any motions at all: just memorizing each other's faces. The three hobbits watched the ship until the white sails could no longer be seen on the ocean. Sam moved only when Merry went to him and touched his shoulder.
"Time to go, old chap," he said softly.
Sam took a deep breath, and wiped the last tears from his eyes. "Right," he answered. "Coming."
Together they turned their ponies. Pippin had gotten a slight head start, but he slowed his mount and walked beside them. Sam looked back over his shoulders towards the purple horizon. "Good-bye, Frodo," he whispered. Merry heard him, and had to try hard to fight back tears.
They rode in silence back to the Shire.
~*#*~
Frodo's Song
[Based on "The Real Thing" by Kenny Loggins]
As he watches the shores of Middle-Earth dissappear into the haze of nightfall, he sees for the last time the gently sloping ground he knows continues on to become the hills of the Shire, the Misty Mountains, endless lands beyond that he has never seen, and too many he has.
Samwise, I know what you're thinking.
You and I have much to say.
And you've been going crazy
Trying to understand,
But it's impossible to explain.
I never thought I'd say good-bye,
But you're staring at the sea this windy night,
And you stand there in the dark and wonder why.
I did it for you, and the Shire,
And because I'm hurt and tired.
My joy's an imitation.
I have pain that I'm trying not to show you.
I did it for you, and for me,
And because I still believe in all we worked for,
So you can never give up. You've got to follow your heart,
'Cause that's the real thing you need in love.
You're so afraid your life is over,
And nothing I can say will change your mind.
I'm not trying to be selfish.
I'd never treat you cruel.
Just hold on to me and cry.
I'll always hold you in my soul,
And I'm never going to leave you all alone.
But I won't sing songs of long roads anymore.
I did it for you, Middle-Earth,
The land that cradled me at birth,
But smiles are imitations.
I have pain that I'm trying not to show you.
I did it for you, and for me,
And because now that we're free my life is through here,
So you can never give up. You've got to follow your heart,
'Cause that's the real thing you need in love.
There's a silver boat to take you when you're ready.
You will always have a way across the sea.
And is there somewhere there for me?
I'm ready to believe.
I did it for you: my best friend,
And because our love can't end.
It's not an imitation.
These are tears I was trying not to show you.
I did it for you, and for me,
And because I still believe in all we loved for,
So you can never give up. You've got to follow your heart,
'Cause that's the real thing you need in love.
...end...