by Sally Gardens
Chapter Twenty-eight: The Road Ahead
It was a beautiful night.
The party had ended, the guests gone home, the lights gone out on the Hill and in Hobbiton below. Frodo walked with Molly, side by side, down the road that had carried him to so many unexpected destinations. The silver stars glimmered in the distance on the Water, the air was mild and scented with wildflowers and grass, and all was right with the world.
Of course he knew better. There would always be October, and March—but let October take care of itself, and March. Tonight was Midsummer, and tonight he felt very much glad to be alive and in the world, walking home with Molly.
Molly.
Baggins.
His wife.
Frodo glanced sidelong at her. "You don't really mean to put me in that bath, do you?"
"Mmm, no," she pensively replied. "It'd be too much work to draw up a bath at this late hour. I'll just have to take you for a dip in the stream, instead."
Even in the night he could see the gleam in her eye.
And the night too shall be blessed and without fear.
He was glad of the night for hiding what must surely be a furious crimson flood upon his face.
And thinking of that stream, and that swim, he wondered, suddenly, for the first time: Would he...? Would they...? Would there be...?
Was it too much to hope?
A glimmer of blue-white light caught his eye, and Frodo looked up.
Elen estellë; elen Eärendil.
Star of hope; star of Eärendil.
And he saw, clearly, as clearly as he had once seen for Sam, that there would be children: not nearly as many as Sam and Rose's ever-growing brood, but enough for Frodo, and enough for Molly; enough to heal their hearts.
Softly, in the starlight, Frodo began to sing:
The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Though not the same, it carries on,
And I must follow while I can.
Pursuing it with steadfast feet
Through many turns along the way,
Knowing in the darkest street
Shall come at last the break of day.
The Road goes ever on and on,
Ever-changing, ever-true.
The Road behind me now is gone;
The Road ahead I must pursue.
Molly slipped her left hand into Frodo's right, her fingers interlacing with his so that no gap remained.
Frodo smiled and let out a quiet, contented sigh. It was a fine night to begin a new journey.