Here's to the Night
Sam sat. He sat and watched, and waited. Frodo was asleep, and they would continue their journey to Mordor in the morning. Gollum was nowhere in sight; probably off alerting the enemies to their whereabouts. He didn't trust that sneaky, slimy thing at all. But did he really have a right to make judgement? After all, there were two sides to every coin, weren't there? Even to his. It was just Sam's luck that he'd seen Gollum's other half. The vicious side that cared only for it's Precious Ring. The one that hated them both. He sighed, watching Frodo's chest rise and fall as he slept. No need to wake him right now. He needed his rest, for the trip had been long and Frodo's burden had been heavier than his could ever be. Turning his head, Sam stared into the fire they had built, watching the flames leap and dance. His mind traveled back to Hobbiton, back to the tavern they both had frequented. He had loved Rosie, sure as the sun. But. He just found himself loving Frodo more. What Gandalf had said still haunted him; 'Don't you lose him, Samwise Gamgee.' He didn't intend to. Frodo meant too much to him, not only as Ringbearer, but on a more deeply personal note. He was pretty sure he loved Frodo. Not just as a friend, but.It was hard to explain. One minute he wasn't sure, and the next he was willing to die for Frodo.Not that he didn't feel like that all the time. Maybe, lodged somewhere in his head, there was a memory of him and Frodo being more than friends. Maybe it was just a touch or word. Something. They had been sitting outside.They were both only in their thirties. Still considered children. They'd been drinking, and Frodo had been saying something about... What had it been? Legends, yes. That was it.
'"And so that's how they say the sun came about." "So.The sun was some wizard's ball and he tossed it too high?" ".I suppose." They didn't say anything for a few minutes. Then.., "Sam?" "Hm?" "Do you believe in love at first sight?" The question had startled him abit. Frodo never questioned things like love. "Well.I suppose I do, Frodo." He loved his friend, didn't he? "If there is such a thing, than I love you, Sam." His heart skipped a few beats. "Really?" "Yeah, really. I love you." Rolling over onto his side, Sam watched Frodo. He was smiling back at him. Raising the mug he held in his hand, he nodded slightly. "Here's to the night, Sam. When we discovered love." Smiling, Sam did the same. "To the night, then." And, still watching each other, they drank.'
Sam sighed at the memory. To think. They had been so carefree than. Innocent and young. They would never be that way again, though. Never, for as long as they lived. Leaning forwards, over Frodo's sleeping body, he kissed his forehead, for the first time since that night almost thirty years ago feeling that same love. The once upon a time, first-sight love. And, despite the perils that lay behind them, and the uncertainties that paved the road ahead, Sam smiled. It was that night all over again.
Sam sat. He sat and watched, and waited. Frodo was asleep, and they would continue their journey to Mordor in the morning. Gollum was nowhere in sight; probably off alerting the enemies to their whereabouts. He didn't trust that sneaky, slimy thing at all. But did he really have a right to make judgement? After all, there were two sides to every coin, weren't there? Even to his. It was just Sam's luck that he'd seen Gollum's other half. The vicious side that cared only for it's Precious Ring. The one that hated them both. He sighed, watching Frodo's chest rise and fall as he slept. No need to wake him right now. He needed his rest, for the trip had been long and Frodo's burden had been heavier than his could ever be. Turning his head, Sam stared into the fire they had built, watching the flames leap and dance. His mind traveled back to Hobbiton, back to the tavern they both had frequented. He had loved Rosie, sure as the sun. But. He just found himself loving Frodo more. What Gandalf had said still haunted him; 'Don't you lose him, Samwise Gamgee.' He didn't intend to. Frodo meant too much to him, not only as Ringbearer, but on a more deeply personal note. He was pretty sure he loved Frodo. Not just as a friend, but.It was hard to explain. One minute he wasn't sure, and the next he was willing to die for Frodo.Not that he didn't feel like that all the time. Maybe, lodged somewhere in his head, there was a memory of him and Frodo being more than friends. Maybe it was just a touch or word. Something. They had been sitting outside.They were both only in their thirties. Still considered children. They'd been drinking, and Frodo had been saying something about... What had it been? Legends, yes. That was it.
'"And so that's how they say the sun came about." "So.The sun was some wizard's ball and he tossed it too high?" ".I suppose." They didn't say anything for a few minutes. Then.., "Sam?" "Hm?" "Do you believe in love at first sight?" The question had startled him abit. Frodo never questioned things like love. "Well.I suppose I do, Frodo." He loved his friend, didn't he? "If there is such a thing, than I love you, Sam." His heart skipped a few beats. "Really?" "Yeah, really. I love you." Rolling over onto his side, Sam watched Frodo. He was smiling back at him. Raising the mug he held in his hand, he nodded slightly. "Here's to the night, Sam. When we discovered love." Smiling, Sam did the same. "To the night, then." And, still watching each other, they drank.'
Sam sighed at the memory. To think. They had been so carefree than. Innocent and young. They would never be that way again, though. Never, for as long as they lived. Leaning forwards, over Frodo's sleeping body, he kissed his forehead, for the first time since that night almost thirty years ago feeling that same love. The once upon a time, first-sight love. And, despite the perils that lay behind them, and the uncertainties that paved the road ahead, Sam smiled. It was that night all over again.