The Fellowship spent several months in Gondor and had a wonderful time. Frodo introduced me to the rest of the Fellowship and we spent most of our time talking about past memories of the war, both good and evil. Frodo told many stories of his experience in Mordor, as did Sam who was the only companion who traveled with him to that desolate place. A few days before we left for Rivendell, Lord Aragorn sent some of his men to search for other evil creatures that had survived the war and to deal with them properly, which meant death. Thankfully, none of Aragorn's men were killed in this excursion because the orcs and trolls and goblins were generally too afraid to fight back and were scattered everywhere.
Finally, the day came in late August when we said good-bye to many of our new friends and headed towards Rivendell. Saying farewell to Lady Arwen was harder than I expected it to be, but I promised to return there one day and visit and she promised to visit Frodo and I in the Shire very soon.
After many good-byes, we set out to Rivendell. It was fairly easy going with the horses Lord Aragorn had given us and we entertained ourselves by singing songs of far away places. At night we built a fire and took food out of our packs that Lord Aragorn had graciously given us, and I sang them elvish songs of trees and water and nature. I sang to them the story of Beren and Luthien, which made them all hang their heads with sorrow.
The last night before we reached Rivendell, Frodo sat up and took watch that night while the others slept. Even though the war was over and the Ring destroyed, there were still evil creatures that possibly could be lurking about. I couldn't sleep and decided to join him.
"Hello, my dear," I whispered as I sat beside of him.
"Berythna, you should be sleeping," he answered as he wrapped his arms around me.
"I know, but I couldn't. Not without you beside of me."
He smiled and I laid my head on his lap and closed my eyes. I was very tired from the day's journey and wanted nothing more than to curl up in his arms and sleep. I felt him stroke the side of my face and I gazed back up into his beautiful blue eyes. Slowly, he bent down and kissed me. Just before I fell asleep, I heard him whisper, "I love you." I was too tired to respond.
The next afternoon as we rode along, I suddenly heard Gandalf cry out, "I can see the House of Elrond. We are almost there!"
We all gave a shout for joy and by early evening when the sun had just started to set, we rode down the path that Frodo had used to journey to Mordor only months before. We were received by singing elves at the gate and there stood Lord Elrond himself. He did not stay in Gondor much longer after the wedding of his daughter. Nevertheless, he welcomed us with a smile and as Frodo and I dismounted our horse, I saw him embrace Bilbo who was standing only a few feet across from Lord Elrond.
"Back from your little journey already?" I heard Bilbo exclaim.
"Yes, uncle. And when I get the time, I will tell you all about it."
"I hope you took good notes so that I can write it in my book."
"Uncle, you remember Berythna, don't you?"
"Well of course," he answered as I approached the older hobbit. "Hello my dear. How are you this fine evening?"
"Very well, Bilbo. Thank you," I replied.
"Uncle Bilbo, Berythna is my wife now."
I saw the surprised look on Bilbo's face as Frodo mentioned this.
"Your wife? Well, not going to be an old bachelor like your Uncle Bilbo, eh? Well that's quite all right. I definitely approve of your choice in a wife." He then looked at me and took my hands. "Congratulations my dear. You have yourself a fine boy here for your husband. Welcome to the family."
"Thank you, Bilbo."
"Welcome Frodo, Samwise, Pippin, Merry, and Gandalf," Lord Elrond suddenly spoke. "Welcome back to Rivendell. Your Quest has been fulfilled beyond all hope. Because of this, there will be a great feast tonight in the main hall. Well done."
Everyone cheered at this, especially Pippin, and when our horses had been tended to and our food packs had been dealt with, all six of us travelers gathered in the main hall for a feast. There was music and dancing and plenty of food. Even Pippin sighed in satisfaction at the end of the evening. Afterwards, we all gathered around the fire and many of the elves told stories of far off places. They were good stories about great warriors and the evil they defeated. There was even a story about Bilbo and Frodo and their part in the history of Middle-Earth. Then, Glorfindel rose and began to speak of the story of the mortal Beren and his elven bride, Luthien, and told of their adventures with Sauron and the great wolf.
Soon after that tale another song began, and I could see Frodo's head nodding a bit beside of me, so I excused ourselves and led Frodo up to my room. I carefully laid him down on the settee as he was practically asleep on his feet and then wandered outside to marvel at the beauty of Rivendell. I'd lived here for as long as I could remember and I wondered how life would be in the Shire. It wouldn't have the grace and beauty that this place held, but I was willing to go anywhere with my husband.
We stayed in Rivendell for many weeks until finally one night, I found Frodo standing out in the courtyard where the council of Elrond had taken place. He looked somewhat sad and anxious as he stared out at the sun fading behind the trees and I slowly approached him.
"Hello, my dear," I whispered as I lightly touched his shoulder.
"Berythna," he answered as he turned and smiled at me. "My dear wife." He took me in his arms and held me.
"What is wrong?"
"Nothing, my dear. I just have a yearning to see the Shire again, that's all."
"Do you want to leave soon?"
"Yes, I do. I know it's going to be hard to leave your home. I know that feeling more than ever, but I have a desire to see my home again. We can come back to Rivendell, of course, but I really should be getting off home."
"No, I don't think I'll ever come back here again. The elves are leaving soon and I cannot bare the thought of being here without them."
"I'm sorry. You may stay if you want and wait until the elves decide to leave. I will wait for you."
"No, I am your wife now and I will follow you wherever you go."
"I was thinking of leaving at the beginning of next week. I have already discussed this with Merry, Pippin and Sam and they all agree that it's time to go home and pick up the pieces of our past."
"Then we shall leave at the beginning of next week."
The last week we were in Rivendell was one of the saddest times of my life so far. Frodo and I visited all of our old haunts and did the things we did before the war. Our lives were so much happier now that we knew we were going to be together for the rest of our lives. As we strolled through the woods of Rivendell, I painfully said goodbye to the fading trees, the falling autumn leaves and to the beautiful waterfalls and hills. This parting was going to be harder than I thought.
The day finally came when I said goodbye to the place I had called home for most of my life, and began to journey to the place of my birth. Gandalf decided to come with us and we were all very thankful for that. Our going was easy and nothing very mentionable happened during our ride to the Shire, except for one incident that occurred at the beginning of October.
We were passing a place called Weathertop and it looked so grim in the late evening light. Frodo and I were riding in the cart that had been a parting gift from Lord Elrond, when Frodo suddenly cried out in pain, holding his left shoulder. All the others stopped their horses and turned to look back in alarm.
"My shoulder," he whispered. "This is the anniversary of the day I was stabbed at this very place. I cannot even look upon it, it is still so dreadful to me."
"Then don't look, my dear," I replied as he buried his head in my shoulder.
"Let us move from this place quickly." I heard Gandalf say. "There are too many painful memories here for us all."
After that, we began to pick up speed and then finally settled down for the night some miles away from Weathertop, even though we could still see it when we looked east. We took a cheerless meal by the fire and I attended to my husband who was too much in pain to even eat.
That night as I lay beside of Frodo, I could hear him moan and cry out in pain the entire night. Sam came over and tried to comfort him the best he could, as did I, but neither of us succeeded. I spent the rest of that miserable night laying beside of my husband as I cried myself to sleep.