Chapter 6

A Journey's End

An impenetrable mist hung in a great cloud and appeared to be a thick sodden canopy just off the bow of the ship and it sliced it as it entered. Swallowing the ship whole, the mist engulfed it and hung upon its deck in an endless gloom. The dampness penetrated through, and chilled Sam down to his aged old bones and he found himself shivering. Clutching his cloak that covered his green weskit, he brought it tighter around his shoulders and tucking his arms into it, and slowly made his way across the wet deck.

Through the mist, Sam could just make out two, tall, dark-forms standing huddled together at the starboard side. Their dampened cloaks clung upon them and they appeared more buriers of the dead, than the elves he knew he traveled with. They whispered quietly among themselves and gave no notice of Sam when he walked pass them, heading to the bow the ship. Being in this thick gloom to where one could not see beyond a foot in front of you, set Sam's heart to fear. There was no reason to be frightened, he kept telling himself. Soon his journey's end would be at hand and he would be with his master. The minutes of time seemed unmoving while he stood with his hands upon the railing. Sam craned his neck and tried to peer through the mist unsuccessfully.

Slowly the mist began to lessen and Sam could see beams of light breaking slowly through the fog.

The beams of light became stronger piercing holes through the dense mist and the whiteness of them made Sam raise his arm to protect his eyes. Thousands of white bright rays exploded through the fog as lightening through darkness on a stormy night. The Ship took on a glow that seemed to gather energy from it. The beams of light began to sparkle and glisten while Sam fought to block out the brightness with his hands shielding his eyes against them. His eyes burnt and watered trying to peer through the spaces between his fingers. Then in one motion the rays fused together as one bright light and it poured upon them when the ship broke free of the fog. Sam felt something inwardly changing him as if no pain, heartbreak or death could enter within this magnitude of light that enveloped him. Gone was the pain of his aching joints and sore knees and Sam felt renewed of spirit and strength.

Sam rubbed and wiped his eyes desperately trying to focus his sight to get his first glimpses of the Grey Havens and his master waiting for him.

Sam could hear the elves that came up from behind him while they called out cheering, "Upon the shores, they wait for us. I see them there."

Sam forced his eyes open widely and peered out straining to see the distance shores ahead of them. But the whiteness that surrounded him blurred his vision and he could only make out the line of the shore.

"Do you see a hobbit upon those shores?" begged Sam to the elves that stood behind him.

"Yes, there is more than just one," commented the elf that stood directly behind Sam.

Sam's heart leaped knowing Mr. Bilbo was with Frodo waiting for him and he almost willed himself from the ship to the shore to see them.

Sam kept his eyes fixed upon the shore while time moved ever so slowly inching its way there.

While his frustration and anticipation grew within him just standing and waiting for the ship to get close enough so he could see them, Sam listened to the elves as they described to him of what they could see.

When Sam thought that he could not wait a minute longer, Frodo came into his view and Sam shouted and waved his arms about, "Mr. Frodo, Frodo," he called out all the louder, "Frodo!"

He could see his master clearly with his long grey cloak and thick, dark-curls blowing in the wind. His youthful face smiling and carefully preserved just as Sam had remembered him. Frodo had not aged a day, nor would he in the undying lands of the Grey Havens.

When the ship turned into port, so did Sam, he followed the railing around to starboard side so he would not lose sight of his master standing there waiting for him. Behind Frodo stood Gandalf, Lord Elrond and his wife, Celebrain with their two sons, Elladan and Elrohir and from their side stood a smaller figure cloaked in grey. Sam smiled knowing this was Mr. Bilbo Baggins.

Sam rushed from the ship when the plank was lowered and climbing down from it and into Frodo's waiting embrace.

"Sam," Frodo's welcoming voice rang into his ears and the strength of his arms around him.

Frodo pulled him away from him so he could look directly into his eyes and Frodo could see in Sam a life time of joy that reflected in his eyes and the lines of age upon his dear face. "Sam," Frodo's eyes filled with joyful tears, "Time has been so kind to you."

"Now don't go making fun of me, just yet, Mr. Frodo," Sam murmured and shuffled his feet upon the ground feeling a little embarrassed of his elderly looks. "I've aged a bit since our parting."

"It is not the age that I see in you, Sam, but a life time of happiness that is upon your face," Frodo replied softly.

Guilt spread through Sam and he lowered his eyes to the ground and wishing his could have concealed it from his master, knowing now what he did about Frodo.

Sam raised his eye slowly and shyly up to meet Frodo's gaze. He could clearly see within Frodo's eyes a release of all pain that had once taken hold of his master. Sam saw a complete sense of peace and care freeness that was never quite there before in all the

years that Sam had known him. Frodo was as he should have always been before so much tragedy had touched him. The Grey Havens and the elves had healed Frodo from a soul that had endured too much pain and Frodo was finally free of all those hurts that he had known.

From behind Frodo came a loud chuckle from the wizard draped in white robes and long white beard. "Do you have greetings for an old friend," stated Gandalf bending to one knee.

"Gandalf!" declared Sam and he rushed over to greet him and put his arms around him.

Gandalf lightly patted Sam shoulder and then pulled back to gaze into his eyes. "Even though age has changed your face, my dear hobbit, your heart is ever steadfast."

Sam looked up from over Gandalf's bent form to see the stern eyes of Lord Elrond who crossed his arms in front of himself, speaking slowly and clearly, he stated, "Not even the separation of time has changed your presences here; for you were ever so much in our minds. Welcome to the Grey Havens, Master Gamgee." Then a slow smile of greetings raised Lord Elrond's lips.

Then from behind Sam, came Frodo's voice, asking, "I have another for you to meet."

Sam stood up and walked over to Celebrain because he had never met her before and waited for Frodo to introduce them. After a long pause, Sam turned around and standing directly in front of him was a lass whose eyes were unforgettable as the sky on a cloudless day and she could see him clearly gazing into Sam's eyes. He could feel the blood rush from his face to his toes and he felt faint of heart gazing upon her. His knees suddenly buckled and he rocked in his stance.

The lass grabbed his hands to steady him, and Sam suddenly whispered, "Minderell?"

To Frodo's shock, he turned to Sam suddenly saying, "How could you have possibly known of her, Sam?"

Gaining his senses back, Sam's eyes fell to his feet yet again, feeling very ashamed of himself and with his right hand Sam pulled Frodo's small book from his pocket of his green weskit and handed it to him.

Seeing his old book, Frodo looked up towards Sam exasperated and smiled, "Is there anything that you do not know of me, Samwise Gamgee?"

Sam shrugged his shoulders and shuffled his feet upon the ground.

Frodo looked at the book he held in his hands and knowing the words that he kept upon their pages, raised his eyes to Minderell. He grasped her hand gently, lightly giving them a confident squeeze and kissed her cheek smiling.

Sam caught the affections shared by the two and it made him happy. Looking at the two standing together, Sam felt that both his eyes were suddenly opened and he could finally see clearly and he reveled in it, smiling. Gentle arms would forever hold his master and speak soft words of love to him and from him. Sam blessed the valor for giving Frodo the greatest gift more precious than life itself, Frodo would have a life of love that would span for all time—What was taken from him and done unto him was healed and put back.

For what ever reason that Sam could think of, he did not understand how this could be. She had died—or did she? Was it Tom Bombadil's magic mushrooms that farmer Maggot gave to his daughter that healed her blindness and put her into such a deep sleep that it only appeared to be death. Then Sam thought of the time when Frodo and he spent the night in the woods and saw the elves leaving for the harbor for the Grey Havens and perhaps Minderell was among them. There are things in the world that are meant to be and things that happen for a reason. They are not clear to everyone that bears witness to them, but none the less is sound when your eyes are both open and then you can see it clearly. There are possibilities of this world that close-eyed people could never understand nor ever care to see, but it is there as long as both your eyes can see it.

Lord Elrond and his wife Celebrian returned to the hobbits after greeting the elves that had come ashore, and he requested that they follow him into his home.

There sitting propped up against many pillows was Bilbo Baggins with a teacup in one hand and a whistling teakettle upon a large silver tray on the table next to him. Bilbo raised his cup to Sam. "Care for a cup of tea, Samwise?" asked Bilbo and gestured him to sit next to him.

Sam sat down upon the chair and took the cup of tea and smiled his greeting toward Mr. Baggins. "Thankee kindly," he paused and took a sip, then added, "I guess that I am home."

Bilbo looked at Sam's aged old face and Bilbo chuckled knowing he was still 30 years older than Sam.

The end…..

A/N:

Thank you all for reading this very short story. I know this is an AU moment for my ending, but I wanted Frodo to live happily ever after. It had always bothered me that after everything that Frodo went through, that there was not something more for him in the Grey Havens. Well, I guess my wild imagination took over and created it….YIKES!

There are some things that time can not mend. There are some hurts that go too deep that has taken hold.' These words that Frodo spoke have always made me feel so sad for him. So taking that, I made this story.

Until next time…..