Chapter 3
The Undying Lands
Mr. Frodo awoke every morning to the smell of fresh mountain air and sunshine pouring in through the open window. His room was decorated highly of gold and silk, with jewels on the headrest of his bed. And everyday when he awoke he knew that this day would be perfect. He would never go hungry, never be tired, and never feel weary again.
Here in the city of Redell, the water flowed constantly through the city and everything glittered with gold. It really was paradise, where there would be no evil and no troubles, for the rest of his days. Here he lived with the elves. The queen Galadriel and the king Elrond lived here and took care of all the Undying Lands. With Galadriel and Elrond's gift of foresight, they could see the past present and future if all of Middle- Earth.
Galadriel often talked with Frodo about the world of men. Frodo always wondered why she spoke of things. They didn't matter any longer. It was all in the past. But she was not only talking about the past; she often talked about the future of his best friend Sam Gamgee. Everyday he wished he could spend time with the people he loved, his friends, Sam, Merry, and Pippin.
Frodo often spent long hours talking with Gandalf about his adventure into Mordor and his experience at Mount Doom.
His finger had healed fully and now and it had grown back to its full length. Although his wound across his chest would never heal fully, the pain had ceased to come back since they had passed into the Undying lands.
Frodo sat up wide-awake in his bead made of gold and silk and looked out onto his balcony overlooking Redell. The city was peaceful for it was an early hour of morning. The swans glided elegantly across the lake, ignoring the sound of the distant waterfall. The city reminded Frodo of Rivendell and Lorein, both the past homes of the elves. But surly this was the elf's paradise. Everything they could ever want was right at their fingertips.
Bilbo walked out from his bedchamber down below.
"Good morning my boy, cone and have some tea if you will." He cried giving a hearty laugh.
"Early morning tea never spoils you does it Bilbo." He hurried back into his room and dressed. Running down the stairs quickly, he entered the room of Bilbo Baggins.
"Come my boy, sit down." he said gesturing him a stool. On the table were cookies, cakes, and tea just brewed.
Bilbo sat down around the gleaming table. His face was young again and his eyes gleamed with delight. Frodo himself had grown young too. He looked the same as he did before the great adventure. He felt new and young, ready for another adventure, but in his heart, he knew that Gandalf would not grant him one.
"So my lad, tell me of your adventure, I want to know everything." His eyes grew wide just like a child Bilbo told his adventure stories to.
"Everything? Why that would take years." said Frodo. "I could not possibly tell you everything, too many memories, the pain is too great." Frodo looked down at his feet. The hair was neatly groomed and laid flatly against the texture of his feet.
"Well tell me what passed in time after the coming of Rivendell."
"After we left Rivendell with the 9 companions of the ring, we tried to go through the Mountain Pass, but Saruman's powers were too strong against us. He tired to bring down the mountain, so we had no other choice but to go through the Mines of Moria, the dwarf kingdom of Gimli's brother. The mines were a dreadful place, full of death... and fear. The journey grew more dangerous and could only end in death. As we passed through the mines, we entered a chamber of the tomb of Gimli's brother. It was there that we became noticed intruders. Pippin had awaked the evil that lay beneath us in the tunnels and we ran, and fought, for all our life was worth. But something lay beneath the shadows that only Gandalf knew of. For the dwarfs had dug too deep and awoken a thing of night, and fire. It had more power that all the orcs and goblins combined. As we passed over a bridge, Balrog arose...and Gandalf fell to his death.
Frodo was frightened. It was not the first time he had cried, but it was a time he'd never forget.
"But he's here with us now!" said Bilbo
"Yes, I know, but I thought his days were over and that without his guidance, I would never see the Shire again."
"But it is in the past now and everything is all right."
"Yes, I know, but there is a feeling inside me that says that evil is not done. Something is coming Bilbo, I can feel it."
Frodo and Bilbo sat together for hours talking merrily about the Shire life, their relatives and wealth. There, the days passed quickly by, as if in a dream,
"Bilbo if I may, I must go for a walk, do you care to join me?"
"No my lad, I much care to stay in my bed and dream of impossible things." He gave a deep laugh and Frodo left and walked among the luscious green trees on the sidewalk made of gold. The city was small, so much as to walk through it in as less than an hour. He walked a short distance and stopped in front of the dwelling of his good friend, Gandalf. He knocked patiently on the hard wood door, but no answer came. He opened the door quietly to find no one in the room. Papers were lying everywhere and Gandalf was nowhere to be found. Frodo went out with a stern look on his face. Where could he be? Frodo ran at a slow jot to the majestic palace of the Queen Galadriel. The guards stood there with uncertain eyes.
"I am here to speak to the Queen." Said Frodo.
They led him in slowly, to a hall filled with a blue tint, with glowing lanterns on the side, and a marble staircase leading up the middle. It was there that Queen Galadriel sat. She looked up, as if waiting for his arrival and said, "I welcome you Frodo Baggins."
"My lady, I have come with questions worth asking to you."
"I know what you shall ask, and I will tell you," Her words were silent and her lips did not move. She spoke to his mind and he understood, although he could not do the same.
"Come "she said leading him down a long hallway, with waterfalls and streams flowing through the very center of it. She walked with great silence, as all elves did, graceful, and free. She led him to a place he had seen before. A large basin was in the middle.
"It is Galadriel's mirror, you have seen it before, and now I bring you to it again." She dipped a large pitcher in a nearby stream and poured the clear water into the basin. Frodo stepped up to the basin and looked down. The water shivered but he only saw his reflection. He looked away to see Galadriel looking intensely into the water. He looked back down and things appeared. He was Sam with his children reading them a story although he couldn't make out what it was. He then saw evil. He saw Sam fighting helplessly all alone with no one to help him. He was Saruman leading a band of orcs and goblins towards Sam. But then it all stopped. He looked up at Galadriel and stared at her.
"What does this mean?" he asked.
"This is what shall pass if your friend Sam does not fight. The evil one will send his armies out after him to kill him and to kill all of Middle- Earth."
"Can't we help him, is there nothing we can do?" cried Frodo with despair in his eyes.
"Yes there is something we can do. Although neither you nor I can go, there are some that can. The ones who choose freely to go, with their own will. They and only they shall go, and no one can force them."
"But what can I do? I want to help him, he needs me!" he cried.
"Yes there is something you can do, I will allow you to write to him explaining the danger and urging him to fight. But I warn you, you must not sign your name, not just yet."
"How will it get to him? It would take months to travel there."
"I will send someone that will be his companion there in Middle-Earth. You must not worry Frodo Baggins.
Frodo left the palace and wandered back to his bedchamber. He pulled out a off-white piece of paper and wrote
Be of ware Samwise Gamgee for a new evil is arising that now only you are aware of. Be aware of this danger and always stay on your guard. For the people of Middle-Earth need your assistance for only yours you can give.
And with that he sealed it in a blue envelope for blue was the color of the elves. He delivered it to Galadriel and went to bed under the starlit sky.
((
The Undying Lands
Mr. Frodo awoke every morning to the smell of fresh mountain air and sunshine pouring in through the open window. His room was decorated highly of gold and silk, with jewels on the headrest of his bed. And everyday when he awoke he knew that this day would be perfect. He would never go hungry, never be tired, and never feel weary again.
Here in the city of Redell, the water flowed constantly through the city and everything glittered with gold. It really was paradise, where there would be no evil and no troubles, for the rest of his days. Here he lived with the elves. The queen Galadriel and the king Elrond lived here and took care of all the Undying Lands. With Galadriel and Elrond's gift of foresight, they could see the past present and future if all of Middle- Earth.
Galadriel often talked with Frodo about the world of men. Frodo always wondered why she spoke of things. They didn't matter any longer. It was all in the past. But she was not only talking about the past; she often talked about the future of his best friend Sam Gamgee. Everyday he wished he could spend time with the people he loved, his friends, Sam, Merry, and Pippin.
Frodo often spent long hours talking with Gandalf about his adventure into Mordor and his experience at Mount Doom.
His finger had healed fully and now and it had grown back to its full length. Although his wound across his chest would never heal fully, the pain had ceased to come back since they had passed into the Undying lands.
Frodo sat up wide-awake in his bead made of gold and silk and looked out onto his balcony overlooking Redell. The city was peaceful for it was an early hour of morning. The swans glided elegantly across the lake, ignoring the sound of the distant waterfall. The city reminded Frodo of Rivendell and Lorein, both the past homes of the elves. But surly this was the elf's paradise. Everything they could ever want was right at their fingertips.
Bilbo walked out from his bedchamber down below.
"Good morning my boy, cone and have some tea if you will." He cried giving a hearty laugh.
"Early morning tea never spoils you does it Bilbo." He hurried back into his room and dressed. Running down the stairs quickly, he entered the room of Bilbo Baggins.
"Come my boy, sit down." he said gesturing him a stool. On the table were cookies, cakes, and tea just brewed.
Bilbo sat down around the gleaming table. His face was young again and his eyes gleamed with delight. Frodo himself had grown young too. He looked the same as he did before the great adventure. He felt new and young, ready for another adventure, but in his heart, he knew that Gandalf would not grant him one.
"So my lad, tell me of your adventure, I want to know everything." His eyes grew wide just like a child Bilbo told his adventure stories to.
"Everything? Why that would take years." said Frodo. "I could not possibly tell you everything, too many memories, the pain is too great." Frodo looked down at his feet. The hair was neatly groomed and laid flatly against the texture of his feet.
"Well tell me what passed in time after the coming of Rivendell."
"After we left Rivendell with the 9 companions of the ring, we tried to go through the Mountain Pass, but Saruman's powers were too strong against us. He tired to bring down the mountain, so we had no other choice but to go through the Mines of Moria, the dwarf kingdom of Gimli's brother. The mines were a dreadful place, full of death... and fear. The journey grew more dangerous and could only end in death. As we passed through the mines, we entered a chamber of the tomb of Gimli's brother. It was there that we became noticed intruders. Pippin had awaked the evil that lay beneath us in the tunnels and we ran, and fought, for all our life was worth. But something lay beneath the shadows that only Gandalf knew of. For the dwarfs had dug too deep and awoken a thing of night, and fire. It had more power that all the orcs and goblins combined. As we passed over a bridge, Balrog arose...and Gandalf fell to his death.
Frodo was frightened. It was not the first time he had cried, but it was a time he'd never forget.
"But he's here with us now!" said Bilbo
"Yes, I know, but I thought his days were over and that without his guidance, I would never see the Shire again."
"But it is in the past now and everything is all right."
"Yes, I know, but there is a feeling inside me that says that evil is not done. Something is coming Bilbo, I can feel it."
Frodo and Bilbo sat together for hours talking merrily about the Shire life, their relatives and wealth. There, the days passed quickly by, as if in a dream,
"Bilbo if I may, I must go for a walk, do you care to join me?"
"No my lad, I much care to stay in my bed and dream of impossible things." He gave a deep laugh and Frodo left and walked among the luscious green trees on the sidewalk made of gold. The city was small, so much as to walk through it in as less than an hour. He walked a short distance and stopped in front of the dwelling of his good friend, Gandalf. He knocked patiently on the hard wood door, but no answer came. He opened the door quietly to find no one in the room. Papers were lying everywhere and Gandalf was nowhere to be found. Frodo went out with a stern look on his face. Where could he be? Frodo ran at a slow jot to the majestic palace of the Queen Galadriel. The guards stood there with uncertain eyes.
"I am here to speak to the Queen." Said Frodo.
They led him in slowly, to a hall filled with a blue tint, with glowing lanterns on the side, and a marble staircase leading up the middle. It was there that Queen Galadriel sat. She looked up, as if waiting for his arrival and said, "I welcome you Frodo Baggins."
"My lady, I have come with questions worth asking to you."
"I know what you shall ask, and I will tell you," Her words were silent and her lips did not move. She spoke to his mind and he understood, although he could not do the same.
"Come "she said leading him down a long hallway, with waterfalls and streams flowing through the very center of it. She walked with great silence, as all elves did, graceful, and free. She led him to a place he had seen before. A large basin was in the middle.
"It is Galadriel's mirror, you have seen it before, and now I bring you to it again." She dipped a large pitcher in a nearby stream and poured the clear water into the basin. Frodo stepped up to the basin and looked down. The water shivered but he only saw his reflection. He looked away to see Galadriel looking intensely into the water. He looked back down and things appeared. He was Sam with his children reading them a story although he couldn't make out what it was. He then saw evil. He saw Sam fighting helplessly all alone with no one to help him. He was Saruman leading a band of orcs and goblins towards Sam. But then it all stopped. He looked up at Galadriel and stared at her.
"What does this mean?" he asked.
"This is what shall pass if your friend Sam does not fight. The evil one will send his armies out after him to kill him and to kill all of Middle- Earth."
"Can't we help him, is there nothing we can do?" cried Frodo with despair in his eyes.
"Yes there is something we can do. Although neither you nor I can go, there are some that can. The ones who choose freely to go, with their own will. They and only they shall go, and no one can force them."
"But what can I do? I want to help him, he needs me!" he cried.
"Yes there is something you can do, I will allow you to write to him explaining the danger and urging him to fight. But I warn you, you must not sign your name, not just yet."
"How will it get to him? It would take months to travel there."
"I will send someone that will be his companion there in Middle-Earth. You must not worry Frodo Baggins.
Frodo left the palace and wandered back to his bedchamber. He pulled out a off-white piece of paper and wrote
Be of ware Samwise Gamgee for a new evil is arising that now only you are aware of. Be aware of this danger and always stay on your guard. For the people of Middle-Earth need your assistance for only yours you can give.
And with that he sealed it in a blue envelope for blue was the color of the elves. He delivered it to Galadriel and went to bed under the starlit sky.
((
