A Prologue

They could only cling to one another. Not long ago, wind filling the ships sails had pushed them so far out to sea that their friends, whom they had left standing on the shore, were no longer visible. When distance had diminished Sam, Merry, and Pippin, from view, Frodo turned to Linwe and just looked at her. For so many months he had been constantly telling himself and her that he must leave. For months he built himself up for the torture of actually taking those first steps that would take him away from her forever. For eight days he had traveled with his heart growing heavier, believing he was slipping further away from her. Then in a few brief moments all of his resolve and the need for it had been torn away. She was there. She was in his arms. He would never have to spend another day without her for so long as he lived. That was enough to overwhelm him, to take his breath away, but that was not all there was for him to learn in that moment. For she was with child. Their child. So many months of dreaming, longing, and heart breaking loss were now replaced with this bright hope of new life barely begun.

But all of this joy, wonder and awe, had to be set aside. He was leaving and his dearest friends were there to see him off. He watched as she said her good byes. They loved her, as a dear cousin, friend, rather like a sister, and as he could tell for two of them, as an ideal to help them in choosing whom they would one day wed themselves. She was soon done saying her goodbyes and went to stand at the foot of the walk leading onto the ship. He then took his turn.

Goodbye to Merry who he took to his heart as a younger brother at a time when Frodo felt bereft of family. Goodbye to Pippin, the younger brother he and Merry had shared. Goodbye to Sam, though younger than Frodo, came to be like an older and wiser brother. Too soon it seemed Frodo found that he must turn away from them. His heart was heavy. But then his eyes fell on her and he felt a surge of hope and happiness. He went to Linwe and put his arm around her. Together they went aboard the waiting ship.

"Together. Was he really so blessed?" He thought to himself

They stood at the rail, waving until the last possible moment. Until dear family was no longer in sight. Then Frodo turned to his beloved Linwe. The reunion that had been interrupted before, now resumed. All of the joy and wonder he had set aside earlier came flooding through him once more. All he could do was look at her, then when that was no longer enough, he tried to kiss her, but even this was not enough so they held one another tightly, and watched as Middle Earth shrank down to a smudge on the horizon, then disappeared.