THE ROAD GOES EVER ON

-2-

Sam and Frodo had been sitting in the room for hours when they heard a soft knock come upon the door. It was Gandalf.

"I have brought you your things Samwise." Gandalf replied coming into the room. He went to Sam and handed him his pack. Sam took it within his hands and held it close to his chest.

"Supper will be ready within the hour." Gandalf said smiling. "I will come for you then."

"Thank you Gandalf." Frodo replied. "We shall see you soon."

"That you shall." Gandalf said with a smile as he left the room. Sam then placed his pack in his lap and opened it up.

"I have something for you Frodo." Sam replied pulling a stack of papers from his pack. He placed them in Frodo’s lap smiling.

"This is Lily’s book." Frodo replied. "The one I made for her."

"It is." Sam replied. "But look." He said untying the leather cord that held the pages together. "There has been more added to your story."

Frodo pulled the leather cord away from the pages and looked through them. They were yellow and worn with age but the writing was still as clear as the day it was last written. Frodo then noticed where his writing ended a new hand had brought a pen to the paper.

"It’s her story." Frodo replied looking up to Sam. "Of her stay in the Shire."

"She said your story just didn’t seem complete without it." Sam replied. "But her hand fell still and it was never finished."

Frodo continued reading and when he came to the last page he sat the papers down in his lap. He dried the tears from his eyes and looked to Sam.

"But it was finished dear Sam." Frodo replied. "It came to an ending that drew tears to my eyes."

"And mine." Sam replied. "For she will always have her place in the Shire and here." Sam said putting his hand over his heart.

"That she will." Frodo replied smiling. "For now and all time."

Gandalf soon returned for Sam and Frodo and he walked with them back to the great hall. There laid out before them was the most glorious feast Sam had seen since he was in Ithilien. Two chairs sat empty side by side across from Bilbo who had already fallen asleep in his chair. Frodo went to the table and pulled out a chair for Sam. He came and sat down then Frodo sat at his side. Gandalf then went to the front of the table and stood with Elrond and Galadriel.

"And here we are." Elrond began as Gandalf came to his side. "So long it has been since we all stood within each others company, but at last he has come." Elrond replied taking his glass from the table and holding it out. "The last of the ring bearers. May you at last find your healing." Everyone then raised their glasses and drank to Sam’s arrival.

Hours later the meal finally came to its end. Sam was sitting quietly in his chair smiling as Frodo sat talking with Gandalf. Bilbo was still sleeping in his chair, never waking for a moment to have a bite to eat. Frodo then looked away from Gandalf and to Bilbo smiling. He then stood up and went to Bilbo and placed his hand upon his shoulder. Bilbo opened his eyes and Frodo took his hand and helped him up from his chair taking him away to his room. It was then that Sam got up from his chair and sat down beside Gandalf.

"What a wonder it is." Sam began. "I can’t understand a thing about Mr. Frodo. He looks as though he hasn’t aged a year since he has been here." Sam replied looking to Frodo as he walked away.

"That he hasn’t." Gandalf replied taking his pipe from the table. "He’s twelve years older than you and he looks young enough to be your son dear Sam." Gandalf said with a laugh. Frodo then came back and sat down next to Sam smiling.

"Sharing secrets are we?" Frodo replied patting Sam on his back. "You know it’s hard keeping anything from me."

"That it is." Gandalf replied. "But we were sharing nothing of the sort. Sam was just asking questions of you is all."

"Was he now?" Frodo said laughing. "You always seem to be poking your nose into things. That is how you ended up going with me to Mordor if you remember right."

"I remember." Sam replied looking at Gandalf. "And I remember being pulled right through the window in your study I do."

"As do I." Gandalf replied. "You should have seen the look on your face. Cutting grass indeed!" Gandalf laughed.

"But what was it you wanted to know dear Sam?" Frodo replied. "I’m an open book."

"Well I seem to be puzzled with how you look." Sam said softly. "I myself am just over one hundred but you still look not a day over fifty."

Frodo smiled and then placed his hand over his chest. Gandalf looked to Frodo and nodded his head. Frodo then took Lily’s necklace out from under his shirt and held it in his hand.

"It’s this." Frodo replied.

"Lily’s ring?" Sam said with a confused look. "But how?"

"It is one of the lesser rings." Gandalf replied. "It is only second to the Great Rings, the Rings of Power, the one and of the seven and nine. It was made in Eregion long ago. It was then that many Elven-rings were made, magic rings as you call them, and they were, of course, of various kinds: some more potent and some less. The lesser rings were only essays in the craft before it was full-grown, and to the Elven-smiths they were but trifles - yet to my mind dangerous for mortals."

"But you said they were all accounted for." Sam replied looking at Gandalf. "Did you not say Sauron took the Nine Rings and the lesser works of the Mírdain; but the Seven and the Three he could not find."

"That I did." Gandalf said looking to Sam. "But even we do not know how many of these lesser rings were made or if Sauron truly did find and take them all."

"But I don’t understand." Sam replied

"Nor did we at first." Elrond said standing from his chair. "Years passed and as they did Frodo often sat near the shore fingering something that hung around his neck. I never took notice until ten years went by and Frodo seemed as though he was not aging."

"I felt as if I was aging on the inside." Frodo replied. "But I did not seem to notice it on the outside until Elrond confronted me. He asked me if there was anything I had on me that I had brought from the Shire and that is when I showed him Lily’s ring."

"The ring so much resembled the one that Frodo bore to Mordor that I began to wonder if it was indeed one of the lesser rings since we knew it was not any of the seven or the nine."

"Then as the years continued to pass by and Frodo did not age we knew it must indeed be one of those rings." Elrond replied.

"But why is he not aging?" Sam said quietly.

"All of those rings dear Sam had the ability to make their wearer pass by through life without aging. That is why when the One Ring was in Bilbo and Frodo’s possession they held their age well. And all of the seven and nine including the one could render their wearer invisible. The lesser rings could not, just as this one can not do but it has made Frodo hold his age, yet there seems to be more power behind it than what we may know." Elrond replied. "Frodo has been quite well while he has been wearing it and has not yet been burdened with his past wounds as he was while in the Shire."

Sam fell silent for a moment and then looked to Frodo with tears in his eyes.

"Lily." Sam said softly. "She was well until she…" Sam then grew silent not speaking another word.

Frodo then took the ring within his hand looking at it. He then looked at Gandalf and sighed.

"You remember her do you not Gandalf." Frodo replied.

"That I do." Gandalf replied. "I have heard you speak of her often over these years."

"She passed away the year after I left." Frodo said quietly. "Sam told me that she had become weak and ill soon after I came here. He said that her wounds never really healed."

Gandalf looked to Elrond his heart heavy. Indeed he knew the true answer behind her weakness.

"The ring had kept her well." Gandalf replied quietly. "She had worn it until she left it for you had she not?"

"That she did." Frodo replied looking down at the ring again.

"She grew weak on our journey back to Bree." Frodo replied. "It was the first time she had during her stay with me. She didn’t have the ring then, she had left it for me back at Bag End."

"And when she returned to the Shire a few months later she looked worn for her young age." Sam added. "It seemed as though time had passed over her quickly."

"It may have." Gandalf replied. "While she possessed the ring it kept her young and well. Without it she finally felt the true burdens suffered from her injuries. All the time that had passed while she bore the ring finally caught up with her once she was without it."

A deep sigh then passed Frodo lips as tears fell from his eyes.

"She unknowing gave her life away by leaving me this ring." Frodo replied. He then pulled the necklace up over his head and held it within his hand. He sat in silence staring at it for some time before letting it fall from his hand and onto the table as he stood up walking away, leaving it behind.

*******

About an hour later Sam came to Frodo’s room and gently knocked on the door. There was no answer. He knocked again and then Frodo softly told him to come in. Sam opened the door and came inside finding Frodo lying on his bed. He was looking up at the ceiling with his hands folded upon his chest. Sam came to his side and opened his hand showing Frodo Lily’s ring.

"You left this behind." Sam said quietly.

Frodo looked to Sam’s hand and sighed. He took the ring and held it in his hand as it caught a ray from the setting sun. It shimmered brightly casting a reflection on the wall.

"It pains me Sam knowing Lily would have still been well if she had not left me this ring." Frodo replied. "She may have even still been alive today."

"Maybe." Sam replied. "But we shall never know. Leave it in the past and look forward to what is yet to come. She gave this ring to you not knowing what powers it held but she did know it would help heal you while she was away."

"And it did." Frodo replied. "In more ways than one. I have not been burdened with my pains from the past since. My only thoughts have been of Lily and you while I have stayed here waiting for the day when you would come. But now that you are here and I know she is gone I feel as if I don’t need this anymore Sam. She is with me here and always will be." Frodo said putting his hand to his heart.

Sam smiled and sat in the chair that was next to the bed. Frodo then sat up in the bed and looked out the window at the setting sun. As it fell below the horizon the sun cast its golden and crimson hues upon Frodo’s face. He then turned away and looked to Sam. Sam was softly singing a tune to himself that he had not heard before. It was Lily’s farewell song.

"What is that you’re singing?" Frodo replied. "It is beautiful."

"Something I wrote for Lily." Sam replied. "It’s my farewell song I sang when I last traveled to her resting place with Merry by my side. I’ve gone there every year since planting flowers around her grave. It seems to resemble the gardens back home nowadays."

Frodo smiled and then looked over at the table next to Sam. The bottle that contained Lily’s letter was sitting upon the table. He came down from the bed and took the bottle in his hand. He sighed and pulled out the cork and took out Lily’s letter. He placed the letter on the bed and then looked at Sam.

"There is something I must do." Frodo replied. "Will you come with me?"

"That I will." Sam said getting up from the chair. He followed Frodo out of the room and down a long corridor that lead outside.

When they came outside Frodo began making his way down to the shore. The moon was now hanging in the sky shimmering upon the crystal waters. The stars began to litter the darkened sky as Frodo came down to the sand standing silent near the water’s edge. The soft sound of the water rushing against the shore filled Frodo’s ears as the clear sea rushed in around his feet. Frodo still held the bottle within one hand and Lily’s necklace in the other. Sam came and stood at his side as Frodo opened his hand revealing Lily’s necklace. He undid the silver chain and pulled the ring away. It shone within the moonlight as he held it up to his lips leaving a kiss upon the golden band. He then placed the ring inside the bottle closing it tight with the cork. Frodo stood for a moment holding the bottle close to his chest and then he lifted his arm throwing the bottle into the water. Sam was silent as he watched the waves gently pull the bottle further out into the sea until it finally disappeared under the light of the moon. Frodo then turned to Sam and put his hand on his shoulder.

"I’m so glad you are here with me now." Frodo replied. "Here at the end of all things."

"I am with you." Sam replied smiling. "And you’re with me. And our journey has finally come to its end."

"That it has." Frodo replied leading Sam back up the shore. Sam then stopped and looked back out to the sea.

"But what of the ring? Why get rid of it Mister Frodo?" Sam replied softly.

"It would trouble me now that I know it kept Lily well." Frodo replied. "I thought I was healed but there is more healing that needs to be done. Come now Sam let us go home." Frodo then made his way back up the shore with Sam at his side. Frodo fell back in step and stood silently on the path taking in a deep sigh. Sam continued walking up the path as Frodo turned around looking out over the moonlit sea.

"Goodbye dear Lily and farewell." Frodo whispered softly. He then turned back to the path. Sam was standing there with a smile upon his face.

"Saying goodbye?" Sam replied as Frodo began making his way back up the path. Frodo came to Sam’s side and turned around taking one last look at the still waters.

"That I was." Frodo said looking back at Sam with a tear in his eye. "That I was."