THE FINAL FAREWELL

"For all you have taught me and brought me to be I thank you." Sam whispered as he drew his hand away. He then looked to Gandalf his face wet with tears. Gandalf put his hand on Sam’s shoulder bringing a smile to his saddened face. Sam looked back to Bilbo as a ray of sunlight broke through the trees, shining its warm glow upon Bilbo’s face. A soft gentle breeze filled the air and all grew silent. Many eyes shifted to the path that led to the woods and Sam’s too soon followed. There standing in the middle of the path was Frodo. Sam came away from Gandalf’s side running to Frodo as he opened his arms welcoming him within his embrace. Sam fell into Frodo’s outstretched arms bringing them both down to the ground where they sat lost within their sorrow. All who had come to bid Bilbo farewell left the woods allowing Sam and Frodo to be alone. As time passed on they left each other’s embrace and stood before Bilbo as he lay at peace within his silver tomb. All was silent within the woods for no words could seem to find their way past Frodo’s lips. He looked to the sky that was now beginning to turn a crimson orange hue as the sun sank down the sky. Many memories passed through his mind and the words of a song long forgotten found their way to his heart once again. He then leaned over Bilbo leaving a gentle kiss upon his brow.

"A star shall shine upon our meeting once again dear Bilbo." Frodo said softly as he drew his lips away from Bilbo’s face. Frodo then looked over at Sam who was drying the tears from his eyes.

"That was beautiful Mr. Frodo." Sam whispered softly.

"Thank you Sam." Frodo said drawing a faint smile to his lips. "Come now, let us go." Frodo replied as he began walking away. "I have bid my farewell."

*******

Many dawns had passed and many evenings fell as Frodo sat within the confines of his room. He was lost within the pages of a story last read when Sam had given it to him thirty years before. The writing had long begun to fade but the memories within the words still held true to the day they were lived. Frodo then came upon the writing of a hand not his own. They were Lily’s words. Her memoirs of the Shire. The memories that he wished he had only been able to share with her before his passing over the sea. So long it had been since he last gazed upon her smiling face and shared song with her before the roaring fire. His hand wandered to his neck searching for her necklace that was no longer there. He closed his eyes as tears came forth releasing his pain from deep within. Frodo drew his hands to his face muffling his cries within them. Indeed he felt as though his need for healing would come to no end. His suffering seemed never ending. Yet he knew one thing. Sam was still with him. Frodo took his hands away from his face and looked out his window to the moonlit sky. Stars danced within the darkness as the moon shimmered upon the leaves of the mallorn near his window. Frodo stood to his feet and made his way from his desk to the open window looking down to the garden below the windowsill. Small golden star-flowers wavered in the soft breeze gently kissing the lilies that grew among them. Bushes filled with crimson red and snow white roses lay sleeping under the light of the crescent moon. A smile came to Frodo’s face. Sam had planted them there after first arriving in Eldamar so he could be reminded of his garden back home at Bag End. But Frodo would notice Sam often lingering within the garden long after its tending just to sit among the flowers that bore the same names of his beloved Rose and Elanor, and of their dear friend Lily. Frodo closed his eyes as the cool night air touched his face. He drew in a breath and soft words echoed into the night. Words from ages long past spoken by Sam after Frodo had pulled him into his boat on the river Anduin.

"I made a promise Mr. Frodo." The soft words replied. "A promise…don’t you leave him Samwise Gamgee, and I don’t mean to…I don’t mean to."

The words seemed close, even to this day. So close in fact that it seemed as though Sam was uttering them once again at Frodo’s side. Frodo opened his eyes and slowly turned away from the window. His face became wet with tears as he looked into the tear filled eyes of his life long friend who stood at his side.

"Oh, Sam!" Frodo cried out taking Sam into his arms. "It was your voice that I heard and not the memory of the distant past."

"That it was." Sam replied through his tears as Frodo embraced him tightly. "I made a promise long ago not to leave you Mr. Frodo and I could not bare to stay away from you yet another day. Not now when you need me the most."

"That I do." Frodo replied. "These days have been lonely without Bilbo here and you. My only companion has been within the pages of Lily’s story and my own. Memories of old that I can only dream were anew."

"I am here now." Sam said falling back from Frodo’s grasp, placing his hands upon his shoulders. "And I mean not to leave you again. Not now or ever Mr. Frodo."

"It is comforting to know that I shall always have you at my side." Frodo replied softly. "And I thank you for wanting to hold that promise made so long ago until the very end."

"And I shall." Sam said with a smile. "You will see."

*******

Months drew by and the days began to grow long as Frodo found himself once again lost among the pains of his past. He held fast to his gem many evenings as he sat before the fire in his room with Sam at his side. Sam still kept to his promise not to leave Frodo and it seemed his need for him to be near his side grew more with the passing of each day. Sam would often notice Frodo reaching to his neck with his hand when the other clutched at his gem. He seemed to be searching for something that was not there. Clinging to the memory of the gift that Lily had left for him before his passing over the sea. The one thing that had long ago filled him with life and merriment. Perhaps the very thing that prolonged his pain and need for healing since it tore at him so after he cast it away into the sea. Yet this evening Frodo became distant and he drew himself away from Sam sitting near the fire softly humming to himself. Sam stayed with him long into the night until the fire faded and Frodo found his way to the comfort of his bed. When sleep had finally befallen Frodo, Sam left his side quietly slipping out of his room and into the hall. There he found Gandalf sitting in a chair next to Frodo’s door, smoking his pipe.

"Good evening Samwise." Gandalf replied as Sam closed the door. "It has been some time since I have found you alone without Frodo at your side."

"That is has." Sam spoke softly as not to wake Frodo. "He sleeps now as should I."

"You may." Gandalf said standing from his chair. "But I would like a word with you before you venture off into the comforts of your room. Come walk with me a moment Sam."

Gandalf then made his way down the hall and Sam followed closely behind. They walked down the long corridor until they came into Elrond’s great hall that overlooked the sea. There Gandalf came to stand near a window looking out into the dark night.

"All the pain of your past has left your heart dear Sam." Gandalf began. "Have you not yet found your peace within this place of healing?"

"I have." Sam spoke softly coming to Gandalf’s side. "For many years now my heart has been light, free of all the memories of the past. But I have not yet chosen to leave this world. I can not. Not yet anyhow. I made a promise to you and Mr. Frodo that I shall not break."

"One that was spoken so many years ago." Gandalf replied. "Don’t you leave him Samwise Gamgee I said to you before your journey began. And all these years later you still vow to hold that promise true?"

"That I do." Sam said looking up to Gandalf. "I can not pass on and leave Mr. Frodo alone. The pain that would come to his heart would never allow him to find the end to his healing. He said himself that I am the only thing he has left in this world and I don’t mean to take that away from him."

Gandalf stood silent as he gazed out the window taking in a deep breath. He then turned away looking down to Sam as he kneeled down before him, placing his hands upon his shoulders.

"That day for him may never come Samwise." Gandalf replied looking deep into Sam’s eyes. "He has been hurt so deep that I think he may never find what it is he truly needs to be healed. Frodo has lost so much within his life and in a way it seems as though he has lost life itself. He is just moving on through time as a shadow of forgotten memories that never seem to fade away. His only thought has been of that necklace he wore around his neck before you came to Eldamar."

"Lily’s necklace." Sam whispered. "The one that bore her mother’s ring."

"Yes." Gandalf replied. "He spoke of her often through the years while you still stayed within the Shire. His love for her was deep. Deeper than the many fathoms of the sea before you dear Sam. In his heart he knew he could never have Lily as his own and it pained him so knowing that. Together with the wounds of his past and the ones held within his heart he knew that he must leave the Shire. He would never find peace there he said. As the days drew on as he dwelled here with us he seemed to have found his healing. He spoke of you often and he knew he would stay among us until you arrived and years passed with you in his company once again."

"So he held on just for me." Sam replied softly.

"That he did Sam." Gandalf said. "He never left my side, not for a moment. Frodo told me time and time again. And I don’t mean to leave his. Not if I have to wait another hundred years. He needs to hear it from you Sam. You need to tell him that he can go on without you and that Lily will be there waiting for him when he does. Maybe then he will find he no longer has the need for healing."

Sam looked to Gandalf his face wet with tears. He leaned on his staff trying hard to keep himself standing as his heart grew heavy. He so longed to spend many more years with Frodo but he knew the time had long drawn by when Frodo should have passed on.

"Sam?" Gandalf muttered bringing Sam away from his thoughts.

"In the morning." Sam whispered. "I have not the heart to tell him now."

"So be it." Gandalf said patting Sam lightly on the shoulder. "I shall see you with the ‘morrow Samwise. Sleep well."

Gandalf then made his way down the long hall, leaving Sam alone among his tears as he stood within the shadows of the moonlight.

*******

As the evening drew on Sam made his way to his room hoping to catch some sleep before the rising of the sun. Yet as Sam lay upon his bed his mind filled with many thoughts keeping him from finding rest. He could hear the sound of the sea far below his window, rushing in to the shore and pulling away with the rise and fall of the moon. He thought of Frodo and the words that he so longed not to say with the coming day. Sam sighed deeply sitting up on his bed peering out the window to the shores of Eldamar below. He then came down from the bed reaching for his staff that lay against his chair. He took it in his hand and made his way to the door opening it slowly. As the door creaked open Sam looked out into the hall to see if anyone was watching. Not a soul stirred within the halls as Sam quietly made his way out of his room and down the long corridor to Elrond’s great hall. Sam walked through the darkness guided by the light of the silver moon shining in through the many windows along the way. He soon came to the doorway that led outside to the path that fell down the hill to the shore below. Sam’s feet fell heavy upon the grass as he made his way down to the shoreline glistening with the shadows of the stars high above. Sam stood near the waters edge as the swells of the sea came in around his feet cooling his body with their every touch. He seemed lost within a dream as he looked out over the endless waters shining under the light of the moon hanging among the shimmering stars. Sam closed his eyes as a soft voice from the past echoed within the night bringing with it the image of Lily’s tender face in his mind…

"Sam." Her voice whispered drawing tears to Sam’s eyes.

"I’m here." Sam replied softly to the voice within his heart.

"I never thought I would see you again." She said with a faint hush. "So many dreams have filled my mind while you have been away."

"As they have within mine." Sam whispered to himself.

"I’ve seen him often in my dreams." Lily’s voice spoke quietly.

"Frodo?" Sam replied.

"Yes." The voice answered carried within the wind. All then became silent as Sam felt the waters drawing in around his feet once more.

"This will bring him comfort Sam." Lily’s faint voice replied. "He needs it now more so than I."

Sam then opened his eyes as he felt something come against his feet. He looked down to the shore and there resting on the pearlescent sand was a bottle sealed with a cork. Sam fell to his knees and took the bottle within his hands holding it up into the light of the moon. Inside a golden band caught the moonlight as Sam wept heavily drawing the glass vessel to his chest. Sam rose to his feet and looked high into the sky whispering a soft "thank you" to the stars within the heavens. He held tight to the bottle as he made his way back up the shore and onto the path towards home. It was time to give back to Frodo what he so longed to have…the end to his healing and his dear sweet Lily.

Silence filled the air as Sam came up over the hill and through the doors leading into Elrond’s hall. He walked slowly through the candlelit corridors until at last coming to rest before Frodo’s door. There he paused, gazing down at the bottle he held within his hand. The glowing lights of the candles shone within the glass as they danced along the golden band. Sam then looked to Frodo’s door and sighed deeply as he reached for the knob turning it slowly. The door opened without a sound as Sam quietly made his way into the room. Sam closed the door gently and then walked towards Frodo as he lay sound asleep within his bed. He went to Frodo’s bedside and lit a candle that sat upon his side table. When the warm glow filled the room Sam stood looking at Frodo as he lay on his back with his hands behind his head. Frodo then came over onto his side facing Sam as he still slept, reaching up to his chest and taking his gem within the grasp of his hand. A smile passed over his lips as he breathed in deeply seemingly lost in a dream. Sam had not the heart to wake him so he sat in the chair that stood at Frodo’s bedside. He was there for what seemed like hours watching as Frodo took in each breath and releasing it once again past his lips. He looked down into his lap as he fingered at the bottle that lay across his legs. Sam pulled the cork from the neck and turned the bottle over shaking the necklace inside out into his open hand. The band still held a bright golden luster and the chain its silver gleam. Sam then placed the bottle on the floor and looked to Frodo as he still lay sleeping. Sam’s eyes filled with tears as he wondered if his healing would need to begin again if Frodo should pass on. He glanced down to the necklace within his hand and then to Frodo reaching over to his forehead. Sam gently brushed away his curls that had fallen over his face. Frodo’s eyes opened and looked to Sam as the candlelight shone upon his face. A tender smiled came to his lips as he took Sam’s hand away holding it within his own.