THE LONG JOURNEY HOME

"It does you no good pacing back and forth wondering what I’m up to." Lily replied. "All you have to do is come in and ask." Sam then came in the room clasping his hands behind his back. Lily smiled at him and put her hand down on the bed.

"Come Sam, sit here with me for awhile." Lily replied. Sam walked to the bed and sat down beside Lily placing his hands in his lap.

"I’m sorry Lily." Sam replied looking down to the floor. "It seems I’m too curious for my own good sometimes."

"No harm done." Lily said patting Sam’s leg. "Here take a look." Lily said handing one of her papers she was writing on to Sam. Sam looked over it and smiled.

"Why you’re writing your own tale about your stay here." Sam replied putting the paper down in his lap.

"That I am." Lily replied. "Frodo’s book just didn’t seem complete without this story in it so I chose to write it on my own. It’s not finished though." Lily said taking the paper from Sam’s lap. "I’ve only written a few pages so far but it seems as if this story will never come to an end."

Sam looked up at Lily and softly replied, "The best of them never do."

Several months passed and the golden hues of autumn shone throughout the Shire. Lily still sat within her room many nights adding to her story. Merry returned often as he had promised bringing word back from Lily’s family in Bree. Lily in turn would write long letters that Merry would return to her cousin Rowin back at the Prancing Pony. Lily and Merry would often walk along the path through town stopping to carry on conversation with anyone who would listen. Lily made many friends while she stayed in Hobbiton and she became well loved among the children who took joy in following her on her walks. Yet Sam seemed to notice as Merry’s visits came less seldom Lily’s walks seemed to grow shorter. She leaned on her staff more often than usual and she would often stop and stand looking into the distance for hours at a time. When Lily returned she would lay in her bed holding Frodo’s gem in her hand drifting into sleep. She would often seem herself in the morning when she awoke but as the evening drew near she would become her unusual self once again. Many nights passed like this before Sam finally came to Lily one evening while she sat within her room.

"Lily." Sam replied quietly as he walked into the room. "Are you feeling well?"

Lily said nothing for quite some time and then she turned to Sam.

"I am ill." Lily said softly. "I don’t know why, but I feel more weak than I have in all the time I’ve been here."

"You may have been walking too much." Sam replied sitting in a chair by Lily’s bed. "You have been out and about quite often while you’ve been here."

"That may be Sam." Lily said with a sigh. "But I feel strange."

"Just rest." Sam replied placing his hand on Lily’s arm. "You may feel better if you stay inside and rest awhile."

"I’ll do that." Lily replied. "Until I feel better I’ll stay inside."

"Then it’s settled." Sam replied standing back up. "I’ll come for you in the morning to see how you are fairing."

Lily smiled.

"Thank you Sam." Lily said softly. "Goodnight and sleep well."

That month passed quickly and it brought little change for Lily. Every day was the same. She would wake in the morning feeling well but by the evening she would be weak and hardly able to walk even with the aid of her staff. Sam hardly knew what to do. He hoped she would become well as days passed but his hopes always seemed to fade away with the setting of the sun. Merry came by with Pippin the following month and Lily did seem to become her old self again while they were around. A few weeks later however Merry came by with some unexpected news.

"I’m leaving for Rohan in the morning." Merry replied as he came into Lily’s room. "I’m going to see King Eomer but I shall return in the spring." Lily said nothing. She just lay on her bed clutching at Frodo’s gem. Merry let out a deep sigh and turned around leaving the room closing the door behind him.

"She won’t say a word to me." Merry replied coming into the den and sitting down next to Sam. "I told her that I would be back in the spring and she just laid there on the bed holding Frodo’s necklace in her hand."

Sam looked at Lily’s closed door and sighed.

"Wait here." Sam replied. "I shall try to get a word out of her." Sam then stood up and made his way to Lily’s room. He opened the door slowly and peered inside. Lily was still lying on the bed holding Frodo’s gem in her hand staring blankly at the ceiling. Sam came into the room and closed the door behind him. He went to Lily’s side placing his hand on her shoulder.

"Speak to me Lily and tell me what is troubling you." Sam said softly. He looked at Lily and a tear fell from her eye. She let go of Frodo’s gem and let out a sigh.

"So many hardships." Lily whispered. "So many that never seem to end." Lily then rolled over never speaking another word. Sam took in a deep breath and sighed. He turned around and left Lily in her room to her thoughts. He came back into the study and sat in his chair.

"Anything?" Merry asked as Sam sat down.

"She spoke of hardships that never seem to end." Sam replied. "Nothing more."

"What do you suppose that means?" Merry replied. "She has seemed so happy while she has been here."

"I do not know." Sam said looking to the fire. "She seems to be thinking a lot about the past. I’ve often seen her clutching at Frodo’s gem and those are the very thoughts that drew Frodo’s hand to his chest. I can only imagine the gem brings the same peace to Lily as it did to Frodo on those many nights."

"But will she ever be herself again?" Merry asked quietly.

"I can not say." Sam replied. "Only time can give us that answer."

The following week Lily came into the study while Sam sat at the desk writing. She quietly went to the bed and sat down. Sam turned around in his chair and smiled.

"It is nice to see you out of your room." Sam replied.

"I was growing tired of looking at the walls." Lily replied softly. She then turned and looked out the open window facing the garden. "Frodo’s birthday is in two days is it not?" Lily said softly.

"That it is." Sam replied. "What made you think of it?"

"I remember it as the day I awoke seeing Frodo’s face for the first time." Lily replied turning back around. "And I would give so much to see that face once again."

"As would I." Sam said softly. He then sat quiet for a moment and then looked up at Lily smiling.

"Do you feel well enough to ride?" Sam asked standing up from his chair.

"Ride?" Lily replied. "But to where?"

"To the Havens." Sam replied. "Where Frodo set off over the sea."

A tear fell from Lily’s eye as she smiled at Sam.

"Would you really take me there?" Lily asked.

"That I would." Sam replied putting his hand on Lily’s as they lay folded in her lap. "Though you can not see his face you will stand at the very last place his feet fell upon the Shire."

Lily took Sam in her arms embracing him tightly.

"There are no words to tell you how I feel." Lily whispered to Sam through her tears.

"No words are necessary." Sam replied. "We shall set out this afternoon and arrive there on the twenty-second. It’s the least I can do."

"Thank you." Lily replied standing to her feet. "I’ll go and get my pack ready."

"I’ll go and fetch a horse for you to ride." Sam replied. "Once I return I’ll come for you."

"I shall see you then!" Lily replied walking slowly out of the study. Her heart once again seemed happy unlike it had felt in the past weeks. She walked down the hall humming to herself and gathered some things for the journey ahead.

Sam returned a few hours later and came inside to find Lily sitting in the den near the fire. Her eyes were closed and she was singing softly to herself. Sam came to her side and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Are you ready to set out?" Sam replied quietly. Lily opened her eyes and smiled.

"That I am Samwise." Lily replied. "But first I have a favor to ask of you. I need a bottle with a cork."

"A bottle?" Sam said in wonder of her odd request. "Whatever for?"

"You’ll see." Lily replied standing to her feet. Sam went to the pantry and came back holding a clear glass bottle.

"This is all I could find." Sam said with a gentle laugh. But it still lingers with the smell of wine." Sam replied as he handed the bottle to Lily. She placed it in her knapsack and then draped it over her shoulder.

"Come now Sam." Lily replied. "It is time for us to go."

Lily and Sam rode on into the western sky through the afternoon and into the night. They soon came to rest along the path where Sam started a fire to cook their evening supper. Lily sat on the ground near Sam looking out into the distant star filled sky. She sighed and reached for her staff at her side. She stood up and walked out into the field near a large tree. She stood there silent for some time before Sam came to her side handing her a warm cup of tea.

"What is troubling you?" Sam replied sitting on the ground near Lily’s feet.

Lily let out a sigh and then took a sip of her tea.

"Just thinking about the past." Lily said softly. "I have lost so much within these last few years and I think it’s finally all catching up with me."

"You shouldn’t trouble yourself with the past." Sam replied looking up at Lily. "You have so many tomorrow’s ahead of you."

Lily took another sip from her cup and let out a sigh.

"You’re right." Lily replied sitting down on the ground. "Why should I let the past worry me when I now have you."

Sam looked at Lily and smiled.

"That you do dear Lily." Sam replied with a wink. "And you always will."

The following morning Sam and Lily set out once again traveling into the western sky. They rode on throughout the morning and into the late hours of the afternoon before they came to a rest. Sam made a fire and handed Lily some cakes he had baked. She ate at them slowly taking in the cool air around her. They rested for many hours before finally setting off once more. Sam helped Lily up onto her horse and they made way for the Havens. In the late hours of the evening Sam looked over to Lily as she rode along side of him. She kept closing her eyes longing for a bit of sleep and then she finally leaned forward and rested her head upon her horse’s neck. Sam smiled and rode close to Lily taking her reins from her hands. He held onto them leading her horse along the path all through the evening and into the dawning of the next morn. As the sun rose over the horizon the edge of the sea came into view as a cool wind swept through Sam’s hair. The sounds of the sea brushing up along the shore echoed into Sam’s ears as he drew close to the gates.

"We’re here." Sam said softly coming to a stop in the path. Lily lifted her head and opened her eyes slowly. A vast blue sea lay before her eyes as the sun rose shining its golden hues upon its shimmering waters. A veil of mist seemed to cover the land around the shore reflecting the sun within its dew. Birds sang sweetly as they soared high above the sea taking in the warmth of the rising sun. Lily looked to Sam as a tear found its way down her sun-kissed cheek.

"It’s beautiful." Lily whispered.

"That it is." Sam replied taking in a deep breath. "Come, let us ride down to the shore." Sam said handing Lily the reins to her horse. They then rode down the hill and through the gates down to the lonely shore. Sam came to a stop and came down off of his beloved Bill and walked out onto the sand. Lily too came down from her horse leaning heavily on her staff as she followed behind Sam. Sam soon came to the edge of the water standing there in silence looking out into the vast endless sea. The waves rushed in around his feet and he sighed deeply as Lily came and stood at his side.

"This is the very spot." Sam said with a whisper. "Right here is where I left him and here is where I stood until I could see him no more."

Lily looked down to Sam and placed her hand on his shoulder. Sam reached his hand up to hers and smiled. Lily then took her knapsack from her shoulder and placed it down in the sand. She bent down and opened it taking out the bottle that Sam had given her. Lily held it in her hand and reached back inside her bag taking out a rolled up piece of paper. She placed it inside the bottle and then sealed it shut with a cork. Sam watched as Lily walked along the edge of the shore stopping near a large rock. Lily looked out across the crystal blue waters and then closed her eyes. A cool wind blew around her kissing her lips with dew. Lily smiled. She could see Frodo’s face as if she was with him far away in a distant dream. Lily opened her eyes drawing the bottle up to her lips. She left a kiss upon its neck and lifted her arm up casting the bottle out into the sea. She stood there watching as the waves circled around the bottle drawing it further out into the clear waters. A deep sigh passed Lily’s lips and she turned back to Sam who was still standing near the edge of the shore. She came to his side and turned back towards the sea looking out as the sun rose higher in the sky.

"I never suppose it will be found." Lily replied softly. "But if it does I hope it comes to the hands it was meant for."

"And who might that be?" Sam asked looking up at Lily.

Lily smiled and looked down at Sam with a wink.

"As if you didn’t know." Lily replied.

A few hours later Lily and Sam still stood at the water’s edge looking out to the distant horizon. Sam then began singing softly as his words were carried on the wind:

In western lands beneath the Sun

The flowers may rise in Spring

The trees may bud, the waters run

The merry finches sing

Or there maybe ‘tis cloudless night

And swaying beeches bear

The Elven-stars as jewels white

Amid their branching hair

Though here at journey’s end I lie

In darkness buried deep

Beyond all towers strong and high

Beyond all mountains steep

Above all shadows rides the Sun

And Stars for ever dwell

I will not say the Day is done

Nor bid the stars farewell

Sam stood there silently after finishing his song almost as if he was waiting to hear an answer carried back to him on the cool sea air. He then sighed deeply and looked up at Lily.

"Come now, we should make back for home." Sam replied. "The day can not come soon enough when I can have another taste of my Rosie’s cooking." Lily smiled and made her way to her horse. Sam went to Bill and lifted himself upon his back and soon they rode off into the eastern sky.