Two

The road home was long and filled with emotion and bittersweet partings.

By the time the dwindling Fellowship neared the Gap of Rohan they had buried King Theoden in Edoras. Legolas and Gimli had gone their way to visit the Glittering Caves and Fangorn.

The remaining travelers visited the ruins of Isengard , now, already becoming a garden spot due to the swift and dedicated work of the Ents, then bid farewell to Treebeard.

Now Aragorn was soon to return to his throne and wife in Gondor.

This distressed Frodo because, selfishly, he told himself, he needed Aragorn’s empathetic company and counsel. It seemed that more than the others the King knew how badly Frodo was really feeling despite the brave front he put on. Frodo felt he could tell Aragorn things he could say to no other. Even...even... about..... Cirth Ungol. The truth that not even Sam knew and Frodo would never tell him. If Sam knew he would blame himself and Frodo didn’t want to burden Sam anymore than he had already.

At times Frodo had almost told Aragorn but could never bring himself to say the words. So, Frodo assumed , all blame for Frodo’s suffering was laid upon the effect the Ring had had on him.

Oh, and it had nearly destroyed him! Its scars ran deeper than any other . It still filled his mind and ate away at his heart. He still regretted that he had claimed it and not really succeeded in destroying it himself. And he still craved it and loathed it at the same time. That would be more than enough to drive anyone mad.

But there was more....

Aragorn watched Frodo closely and regretted that he must leave him.

Frodo looked well. TOO well. He had taken to keeping himself fastidiously clean. As if the imbedded filth of Mordor and the poison of the Ring could never be cleansed from his person. He looked princely in his grand, yet somber Gondorian clothing and would not allow a spot to stain them. And at every chance Frodo washed his hands and face and sought out all opportunities to bathe the rest of himself in seclusion.

Frodo looked regal, and immaculate and immeasurably sad.

Aragorn found Gandalf at his side.

“He will never be the same.” Gandalf said.

“No. And he keeps much to himself. He has not told all of what befell him, I fear. It worries me that I must leave him. Watch him, Gandalf.”

“I have been, and I will. You must return to your duties as King. Frodo will be in good hands. He has friends that will never desert him. And he has me. And Elrond who is also much aware of our Ringbearer’s pains.”

Aragorn nodded.

“Yet, will all that be enough?”

“My dear, Aragorn, I do not think there is anything or anyone in Middle Earth that will be powerful enough to cure all that ails Frodo. And that is the greatest tragedy of this great war. And one that far too few will ever acknowledge or even notice.”

“Yes. Watch him, Gandalf.” Aragorn repeated.

Gandalf rested his arm on the King’s shoulders reassuringly.

“Go. Return to your land and your bride.”

Aragorn would not depart till he had a last talk with Frodo.

Frodo was standing apart from the group of travelers, as he did far too often, and seemed lost in thought as he gazed of into the West.

Aragorn knelt down beside him.

“What are you thinking of, my friend?”

“The sea. When other things do not fill my mind it is what I often think of. It’s freshness. None of the taint of anything that has ever come upon our world.”

“Still this world has become a good place now. And in no small way is this because of all you endured.”

Frodo shook his head.
“I played only a small and very flawed role in all that has happened.”

“Frodo. Will you ever credit yourself with what it is you have done?”

“I only did what I could. Others did far more than I.”

“No, Frodo. No. No one did more than you.”

Frodo tried to meet Aragorn’s eyes but had to turn tearfully away.

‘That is not true.” he murmured.

Aragorn gripped Frodo’s shoulders and turned him to face him.

“In all your pain, allow yourself this one thing. That what you set out to accomplish was done. Not one of us did anything without flaw or error. But we did what we needed to do and Sauron is defeated. The Ring was destroyed. You carried it through horror, and thirst, starvation and pain. You got it to the brink of the fires of Mount Doom and it WAS destroyed. And that could never have been done by anyone other than you. It is why you were chosen.”

Frodo could not speak.

“Will you allow yourself this one comfort, Frodo?”

“I will try.” Frodo managed to say, at last.

Aragorn watched him steadily and with unabated concern.

“Is there anything else you would tell me before I must leave?”

Frodo looked as if on the brink of saying something but then he pulled it back within himself.

“Only that I will miss you, Aragorn. Otherwise I will be fine.”

Aragorn did not believe the last part of Frodo’s statement in the least. But he respected Frodo’s dignity and that whatever it was that troubled him he could not yet reveal.

“I will miss you, Frodo. Be well. Be happy.”