Authors Note: Okay, it's the last chapter and it took me forever (or it
felt like that) to get right! The ending was so, so hard, and I decided to
keep the meeting short and sweet. I hope it's okay.
I'd just like to say thanks to anyone who has reviewed this story. It means an awful lot to me. Sorry if I annoyed any purists by changing the bit about Elanor getting the book from Sam. It was intentional. Thanks to lizmybit for pointing it out.
*Shameless plug time* If you like this, perhaps you'd like to check out some of my other work? I have all sorts!
Thanks again for the support,
Love Daisy.
Chapter Eight- The Final Farewell
Sam had lost count of how many days he had been journeying, but he knew that he was not far from the Tower Hills of the Grey Havens. He dimly recalled coming here with Frodo, and could picture the grand white ship and the sounds of the Sea.
During the last leg of their journey Merry and Pippin had grown silent, rarely speaking. They knew that the parting would be painful, and their hearts felt heavy as every step brought them closer to the place where Sam would leave them.
At last the white towers came into view, and Sam's heart leapt at the sight of them. Past those towers was the land where Mister Frodo was waiting for him, and he would be seeing him again. But Merry and Pippin felt downhearted at the sight of the towers, and although they were happy for Sam, they felt sorry for themselves because they knew that they would be leaving their friend forever.
"Come," Sam said suddenly. "Ride beside me."
So Merry and Pippin rode on either side of Sam, and this encouraged him, for he did not want to say goodbye to his two friends either, and he wished that they could come with him.
"But they can't. They're not Elves nor Ring Bearers neither. They won't be allowed," he thought to himself sadly.
And so they rode to the gates of the Grey Havens and were greeted by Círdan the Shipwright, his beard as long and his eyes as keen as they had been when they last saw him. A little boat, smaller but no less beautiful that the one Frodo travelled in, was waiting in the water.
"All is ready for your departure, Master Samwise," he said, bowing to them.
Then it dawned on Merry and Pippin that their friend really was leaving, and it was time to say goodbye. They wept, with sadness but also happiness that Sam was going to see Frodo again and live in peace at last.
Sam embraced them both and then said, "Do you remember what old Gandalf said to us when Mister Frodo was leaving? 'I will not say do not weep, for not all tears are evil'? Well, now I say it to you my dear friends. For this is it, and old Samwise Gamgee is sailing over the Sea."
He embraced them tightly again, and then turned his back and followed Círdan to the quay where the white ship was waiting for him. As he was boarding the boat a faint cry suddenly came from the top of the Downs. Merry and Pippin turned their heads in surprise and shielded their eyes against the evening sunlight. On top of the hill was a figure riding a black pony. Its cries were just audible, and as it went into a furious gallop down the side of the hill it could be heard calling, "Oh stop! Please wait, don't go yet!"
As it came closer, Merry and Pippin could see that it was a hobbit rider, but the hood was cast over his or her face so it was not possible to see who it was. Sam had also seen the rider, and had stepped from the boat in astonishment.
The rider drew level with Merry and Pippin and scrambled from its pony in haste.
"Oh, where's my Da? Please don't say he's gone, please!" It was a female voice, and the words were punctuated by sobs. She turned her head upwards to look pleadingly at Merry and Pippin, and they saw that it was Elanor Gamgee, her eyes wide, hair disheveled and her face streaked with tears.
"Elanor!" Merry said in surprise. "Whatever are you doing here?"
"Where's my Da? Have I missed him?" She burbled frantically, ignoring Merry's question. She looked about her, and her eyes first rested on the white ship, then the Shipwright and then lastly on her old Da, standing on the quay staring at her in disbelief.
"Oh Da!" she cried, her voice choked with tears.
Sam did not speak, he only held out his arms. She ran to him and they hugged tightly. Sam's eyes glistened with tears as he looked down at his daughter's face.
"Elanor? How did you get here?" He asked, holding her at arms length and looking at her face.
"I'm sorry Da. I know you didn't want a goodbye, but I couldn't let you go without at least trying. I got your letter two days ago, and I borrowed one of Uncle Nibs' ponies and rode like the wind," she confessed, looking down at the floor.
"I'm mighty glad you did," Sam said, hugging her again. "You're lucky I went to Buckland before I came here, otherwise you'd have missed me. I know I said I didn't want a goodbye, but now you're here I think I was wrong. A letter can't make up for a proper farewell."
Elanor did not speak, she was so relived that she had caught him in time.
"But now I must go," Sam said, pulling out of the embrace. "The ship is waiting for me."
Elanor swallowed hard. She did not want him to leave, but she knew that he had made up his mind, and nothing she had to say could change it.
"Now Elanor. I explained this in my letter but I think I'd rather ask you to your face," he said to her, straightening up from their hug. "Do you know my book? Well, it's our book really. Mister Frodo's and Bilbo's and mine. And now I'm passing it on to you. You have always had a way with words and I know I can count on you to keep it well. "
"You know you can Da," Elanor replied. "I'll make sure everything is how you would want."
"Good girl," Sam said, smiling at her. "You go back with Merry and Pippin. They'll look after you. Take care." He kissed her on the cheek, and then turned and walked back towards the boat.
Elanor looked after him, tears running down her face. Merry and Pippin came and stood beside her, and they slipped their hands into hers as Sam boarded the ship. Sam turned and looked upon their faces, smiling through his tears.
"I'll never forget you," Elanor mouthed quietly, looking upon her father one last time.
"None of us will," Merry added softly.
"Farewell, Samwise the brave," Pippin added, raising his hand in parting.
They stood on the hill and watched as the boat left the quay and sailed out onto the Sea. They watched as it sailed toward the horizon, slowly getting smaller and smaller until it finally disappeared. They stood for a long time together, until it began to grow dark. Then they turned their backs to the Sea and rode quietly back to the Shire. Elanor was glad she did not have to ride back alone, and Merry and Pippin were also glad, for they still had each other.
As the boat sailed out onto the Sea, Sam looked back at the lands he had left and at the three lonely figures standing on the hilltop. When they had become nothing but a pin prick on the green hills of the Shire he turned his head and did not look back again. Instead, he looked ahead and stared over the white-topped waves and Sea mist, listening to the call of the gulls and the soft roaring of the waves.
After he had been in the boat for a long while, he fancied that he heard beautiful singing, fairer than he had ever heard before. Sam stood and looked forward, and he saw the white shores and green hills of the fair land that he was sailing to. Then he could see a tiny wooden jetty and a little figure standing at the end.
And so for the first time in many, many years he saw Frodo, with his cloak wrapped around his shoulders and the breeze tousling his hair as he looked out over the Sea, waiting for Sam to arrive. Sam felt as if they had never been apart, and his heart leapt and his face broke out into a grin as he ran from the boat up the wooden jetty. As he ran he felt the years lift from his shoulders and forgot his sadness and troubles. Then he was there, and he flew into the arms of his dear Master Frodo.
"Oh Frodo, it's you, it's really you. It's been too long," Sam choked, pulling back and looking at Frodo through eyes blurred with tears.
"Yes it has, dear Samwise. I had begun to fear that you would not come," Frodo replied, his blue eyes looking deep into Sam's.
"I would never leave you. I promised I would not forget you, and I always keep my word." Sam said sincerely.
Then they both laughed and hugged fiercely, and Sam laid his head on Frodo's shoulder and wept, not in sadness but in joy, for at last he had Frodo back, and he would never leave him again.
*
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THE END
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*
I'd just like to say thanks to anyone who has reviewed this story. It means an awful lot to me. Sorry if I annoyed any purists by changing the bit about Elanor getting the book from Sam. It was intentional. Thanks to lizmybit for pointing it out.
*Shameless plug time* If you like this, perhaps you'd like to check out some of my other work? I have all sorts!
Thanks again for the support,
Love Daisy.
Chapter Eight- The Final Farewell
Sam had lost count of how many days he had been journeying, but he knew that he was not far from the Tower Hills of the Grey Havens. He dimly recalled coming here with Frodo, and could picture the grand white ship and the sounds of the Sea.
During the last leg of their journey Merry and Pippin had grown silent, rarely speaking. They knew that the parting would be painful, and their hearts felt heavy as every step brought them closer to the place where Sam would leave them.
At last the white towers came into view, and Sam's heart leapt at the sight of them. Past those towers was the land where Mister Frodo was waiting for him, and he would be seeing him again. But Merry and Pippin felt downhearted at the sight of the towers, and although they were happy for Sam, they felt sorry for themselves because they knew that they would be leaving their friend forever.
"Come," Sam said suddenly. "Ride beside me."
So Merry and Pippin rode on either side of Sam, and this encouraged him, for he did not want to say goodbye to his two friends either, and he wished that they could come with him.
"But they can't. They're not Elves nor Ring Bearers neither. They won't be allowed," he thought to himself sadly.
And so they rode to the gates of the Grey Havens and were greeted by Círdan the Shipwright, his beard as long and his eyes as keen as they had been when they last saw him. A little boat, smaller but no less beautiful that the one Frodo travelled in, was waiting in the water.
"All is ready for your departure, Master Samwise," he said, bowing to them.
Then it dawned on Merry and Pippin that their friend really was leaving, and it was time to say goodbye. They wept, with sadness but also happiness that Sam was going to see Frodo again and live in peace at last.
Sam embraced them both and then said, "Do you remember what old Gandalf said to us when Mister Frodo was leaving? 'I will not say do not weep, for not all tears are evil'? Well, now I say it to you my dear friends. For this is it, and old Samwise Gamgee is sailing over the Sea."
He embraced them tightly again, and then turned his back and followed Círdan to the quay where the white ship was waiting for him. As he was boarding the boat a faint cry suddenly came from the top of the Downs. Merry and Pippin turned their heads in surprise and shielded their eyes against the evening sunlight. On top of the hill was a figure riding a black pony. Its cries were just audible, and as it went into a furious gallop down the side of the hill it could be heard calling, "Oh stop! Please wait, don't go yet!"
As it came closer, Merry and Pippin could see that it was a hobbit rider, but the hood was cast over his or her face so it was not possible to see who it was. Sam had also seen the rider, and had stepped from the boat in astonishment.
The rider drew level with Merry and Pippin and scrambled from its pony in haste.
"Oh, where's my Da? Please don't say he's gone, please!" It was a female voice, and the words were punctuated by sobs. She turned her head upwards to look pleadingly at Merry and Pippin, and they saw that it was Elanor Gamgee, her eyes wide, hair disheveled and her face streaked with tears.
"Elanor!" Merry said in surprise. "Whatever are you doing here?"
"Where's my Da? Have I missed him?" She burbled frantically, ignoring Merry's question. She looked about her, and her eyes first rested on the white ship, then the Shipwright and then lastly on her old Da, standing on the quay staring at her in disbelief.
"Oh Da!" she cried, her voice choked with tears.
Sam did not speak, he only held out his arms. She ran to him and they hugged tightly. Sam's eyes glistened with tears as he looked down at his daughter's face.
"Elanor? How did you get here?" He asked, holding her at arms length and looking at her face.
"I'm sorry Da. I know you didn't want a goodbye, but I couldn't let you go without at least trying. I got your letter two days ago, and I borrowed one of Uncle Nibs' ponies and rode like the wind," she confessed, looking down at the floor.
"I'm mighty glad you did," Sam said, hugging her again. "You're lucky I went to Buckland before I came here, otherwise you'd have missed me. I know I said I didn't want a goodbye, but now you're here I think I was wrong. A letter can't make up for a proper farewell."
Elanor did not speak, she was so relived that she had caught him in time.
"But now I must go," Sam said, pulling out of the embrace. "The ship is waiting for me."
Elanor swallowed hard. She did not want him to leave, but she knew that he had made up his mind, and nothing she had to say could change it.
"Now Elanor. I explained this in my letter but I think I'd rather ask you to your face," he said to her, straightening up from their hug. "Do you know my book? Well, it's our book really. Mister Frodo's and Bilbo's and mine. And now I'm passing it on to you. You have always had a way with words and I know I can count on you to keep it well. "
"You know you can Da," Elanor replied. "I'll make sure everything is how you would want."
"Good girl," Sam said, smiling at her. "You go back with Merry and Pippin. They'll look after you. Take care." He kissed her on the cheek, and then turned and walked back towards the boat.
Elanor looked after him, tears running down her face. Merry and Pippin came and stood beside her, and they slipped their hands into hers as Sam boarded the ship. Sam turned and looked upon their faces, smiling through his tears.
"I'll never forget you," Elanor mouthed quietly, looking upon her father one last time.
"None of us will," Merry added softly.
"Farewell, Samwise the brave," Pippin added, raising his hand in parting.
They stood on the hill and watched as the boat left the quay and sailed out onto the Sea. They watched as it sailed toward the horizon, slowly getting smaller and smaller until it finally disappeared. They stood for a long time together, until it began to grow dark. Then they turned their backs to the Sea and rode quietly back to the Shire. Elanor was glad she did not have to ride back alone, and Merry and Pippin were also glad, for they still had each other.
As the boat sailed out onto the Sea, Sam looked back at the lands he had left and at the three lonely figures standing on the hilltop. When they had become nothing but a pin prick on the green hills of the Shire he turned his head and did not look back again. Instead, he looked ahead and stared over the white-topped waves and Sea mist, listening to the call of the gulls and the soft roaring of the waves.
After he had been in the boat for a long while, he fancied that he heard beautiful singing, fairer than he had ever heard before. Sam stood and looked forward, and he saw the white shores and green hills of the fair land that he was sailing to. Then he could see a tiny wooden jetty and a little figure standing at the end.
And so for the first time in many, many years he saw Frodo, with his cloak wrapped around his shoulders and the breeze tousling his hair as he looked out over the Sea, waiting for Sam to arrive. Sam felt as if they had never been apart, and his heart leapt and his face broke out into a grin as he ran from the boat up the wooden jetty. As he ran he felt the years lift from his shoulders and forgot his sadness and troubles. Then he was there, and he flew into the arms of his dear Master Frodo.
"Oh Frodo, it's you, it's really you. It's been too long," Sam choked, pulling back and looking at Frodo through eyes blurred with tears.
"Yes it has, dear Samwise. I had begun to fear that you would not come," Frodo replied, his blue eyes looking deep into Sam's.
"I would never leave you. I promised I would not forget you, and I always keep my word." Sam said sincerely.
Then they both laughed and hugged fiercely, and Sam laid his head on Frodo's shoulder and wept, not in sadness but in joy, for at last he had Frodo back, and he would never leave him again.
*
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THE END
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*