Chapter Four

Healing and Absolution

There was cool lush grass beneath him. The sunlight shown down through the brightly colored autumn leaves on the trees to warm him. There was nothing to do but drowse the afternoon away and languor in warmth of peace and contentment. Frodo felt something small and feather light fall onto the bridge of his nose. He barely gave it a thought, just brushed what ever it might be away. A moment later, two more objects came to rest lightly upon his face. One on his closed right eye: the other on his lips. His nose twitched as it caught the barest sweet floral scent before he blew the object on his lips away and brushed off the other one from his eye. When he felt the delicate touch of several more objects fall on his face and he grimaced in mild annoyance. Then he heard it: the sound of a barely suppressed giggle. Frodo lay perfectly still for several long moments enduring what was now a steady rain of ghostly touches. Then all at once, his upper body sprang up off the grass. His arms and hands thrust forward reaching for his "attacker". Swiftly he grabbed hold of his prey, pulling her into his lap and heard how she shrieked in surprise.

~~~~~

Linwe walked with silent steps, across the grass, to where Frodo lay beneath an immense tree. Her arms were laden with a large bundle of wild flowers. She had no particular plan for the flowers, she just felt like picking them. She came to stand near Frodo and found him to be dozing. He did not so much as twitch as she knelt down on the ground next to him.

Linwe set her flowers down next to her, then picking up one of the stems she started to pull the petals from the blossom, gathering them in a neat pile on her lap. As she proceeded to pluck petals from blossoms, with the new intent of maybe making some sachets for her wardrobe with them, she studied Frodo’s features while he napped. They were now free of lines of worry and concern. After two days this was still a new site for Linwe. Since the moment they had first seen one another in the Cotton family house, Frodo’s face had always been lined from the hardships of the quest.

Linwe found herself reflecting upon the events of the last several days and the healing that had been part of the Valar’s gift to Frodo. It had all started easily enough, with a question and another journey.

~~~~~

"Frodo seems to be doing well," Merenwen spoke to Linwe while she observed him. The two were walking in a garden and had spied Frodo sitting beneath a tree next to a pond while reading. Three days had passed since they had all arrived in the Undying Lands.

"He is better," admitted Linwe, "His spirits have improved daily since we left Middle Earth. But, Merenwen, I thought that once we were here he would be even better than he is now. I thought his nightmares would end, but he had another last night. I thought we were leaving all of that behind us."

Merenwen brushed a stray bit of hair from her face and frowned thoughtfully. " Frodo has nearly acquired all of the healing he will ever receive. The effects of the poison in his blood have been greatly lessened and will be lessened still more, but he will never forget all that he went through. He will still have nightmares. The difference is that they will no longer effect him as they have in the past, he is no longer a danger to you and he is no longer dying."

Linwe bit her lower lip and frowned. No one had told her that she should expect more healing than Frodo was receiving but what with all the hardship of having to leave behind all they knew and most everyone they loved, she had come to expect more from this near mythical place. "How much longer will it be before he is as well as he can be?"

Merenwen smiled, understanding her friend’s efforts to suppress her impatience and disappointment: "Just a few more days. The day after tomorrow we will be leaving for a brief journey. There are those who wish to meet you. It is they who will aid in Frodo’s healing more than anyone else is able to."

~~~~~

They had ridden for two days. Being mindful to Linwe’s delicate condition, their pace was slow and easy so as not to jostle her too much. The party that had made this journey consisted of Linwe, Frodo, Bilbo, Merenwen, Gandalf, Lady Galadriel, and Lord Elrond. They had ridden through lands of both cultivated and untamed beauty, upon a road that climbed upward in a gentle spiral around the mountain.

The burden that had been placed in Frodo’s hands the night of his thirty-third birthday lessened even more. For the first time since in nearly three years, Frodo felt so light of heart as to be inspired to sing. His song was one that Linwe had heard Pippin sing once. When Pippin sung it, it had been with a feeling of sadness and that had made Linwe weep. Now as Frodo sang it, the words and gentle melody carried a feeling of hope. Linwe found herself weeping again but this time with happiness and hope.

"Welcome, friends, to the palace of Manwë," declared Lord Elrond.

The end of their two day journey found them standing before a structure of such breath taking beauty which was beyond Linwe’s ability to describe. Linwe closed her eyes a moment, and then looked again. "Pinch me, Frodo. I am sure I must be dreaming."

"I will wake you as soon as I do, love," said Frodo without taking his eyes from the vision before him.

"Never could I have even dreamed such a wonder as this," breathed Bilbo.

Where nature ended and cut stone, crystal and forged precious metals began was impossible to say even for those who had built the soaring wonder. Wide, majestic steps rose up an entrance. It was a seemingly impossible creation of the clearest crystal and mithril made up a pair of doors. As Linwe gazed in wonder, the doors opened wide out from the dim shadows of the space and beyond stepped a woman far lovelier than any Linwe had seen before. Even lovelier than the Lady Galadriel. To Linwe’s left she heard Bilbo gasp and looked to see his old eyes widen in wonder.

The woman made her way down a series of steps, coming towards them. Her movements were so graceful as to make her appear as though she were nearly gliding on air. Her glossy hair was dark and hung in long, loose, curls and sprigged with small flowers. She wore a sleeveless gown made of layers of a silky sheer fabric, in varying shades of vibrant spring time green. The woman’s gaze fell on Frodo, Linwe and Bilbo, then smiled and spoke with a rich warm voice filled with joy. "At last, my children, you have come home!"

~~~~~

The following hours went by in a bemused glow to Frodo, Linwe, and Bilbo, which made the passing of time seem blissfully longer while it was truly so little time. Together, with their friends, they were ushered into a vast hall filled with all of the Valar and many of the Eldar. They learned that the one who greeted them was Yavanna Kementari, Queen of the Earth, Giver of Fruits. Yavanna presented them to the rest of the Valar, introducing each Lord and Queen in turn. The last, of whom, they were introduced to, was Varda Elentari, Lady of the Stars and her husband Manwe, High King of Arda.

It was all any simple hobbit of the Shire could do, to keep his or her composure when meeting beings of such lofty stature. Linwe registered giving a graceful curtsy before the illustrious gathering and. She heard herself utter appropriate replies to the welcoming remarks directed at her, but she observed it all as though she were a bystander watching all that went on before her.

At some point she found herself seated between Frodo and Bilbo, on a low upholstered bench. Food and drink were placed within easy reach of the diminutive guests. Then Yavanna Kementari stepped forward to tell a tale that was a surprise to more than just the Hobbit guests.

Yavanna spoke in a voice clear and strong so that all might hear her words however her attention was directed solely on Frodo, Linwe, and Bilbo. "My children, for that is what you are to me, the time has come for certain truths to be revealed to you. The moment is here for you learn of the origins of yourselves and all of your kindred.

"In the beginning all of this world was sung into being by myself and my kindred. We sang of creation of beauty and harmony, but there was one among us who would sing of discord and shadow. It was only the Wise and Revered Ilúvatar, creator of the Valar, who was able to full see, hear and understand what we sang into being and all its promise. Only Ilúvatar could see the full extent of the malice spread by he who now remains nameless.

"Seeking counsel from no one, our Revered Father, considered the visions of what would come if the darkness of the nameless one were to go on unstopped. In time he saw a means of overcoming. Ilúvatar called upon me. He asked that I do as my husband, Aulë, maker of Dwarven kind, had done, and make another race of beings to live in Middle Earth.

"I was told that it was vital that I say nothing to anyone of my efforts, not even my husband was to know, for the people that I was to create were to be an innocent race, free of the desires of power that had corrupted the Elder and the Younger children of Ilúvatar. Ilúvatar envisioned a people that revered and honored the simplest beauties of this world. A people carefully sheltered from the other races of Middle Earth to nurture and preserve their inherent innocense.

"I did as I was asked to. I made and watched over my creation, as I would a delicate sprout sprung from a seed. I chose fertile rich soil for my creation. I guided them without revealing who and what I was. They grew and flourished according to the design of Ilúvatar, knowing nothing of Eldar or the race of Men, nor even of the Valar.

"In time Ilúvatar spoke to me again. I was told that in time there would come one who was the hope for all of Middle Earth, and there would be five others who would support the one and be an inspiration to Edain and Eldar so that they would be ready to meet their destiny. In further preparation for these six, I inspired my people to move and settle in a new land, named The Shire.

"Frodo, you were the one on whom all hope rested. Bilbo, Samwise, Meriadoc, Peregrin, and Linwe were the five born to nurture, guide, and comfort you."

Linwe watched as Yavanna knelt before Frodo, reaching out to touch his face tenderly. Now was the moment Linwe had been waiting for. Now was the time when Frodo would be set to rights. Linwe watched, deeply touched as tears welled up in Yahvanna eyes and spilled down her cheeks. "My dear, Frodo, son of my heart. I am full of pride for what you have accomplished and I grieve for all you have suffered. It was the very purity of your heart and strength of spirit that made you the only possible choice for such a dreadful task. But that which made you the world’s best hope also made you vulnerable to great pain. I can never fully take away your suffering, my child, some part of it must always remain with you. The suffering you must always carry with you is to be used as a tool to help you let go of one burden that is not yours to carry.

"Frodo Baggins, you are not responsible for the suffering of those who stood by you through your ordeal. Everyone, including your beloved, Linwe, has done what they were born to do. Do not demean their own heroism by placing upon yourself the burden of their suffering. Each of them had the choice to take up a task for the hope of the world or to turn away from destiny."

Linwe understood that was what Frodo needed more than anything. Choosing to remain in Middle Earth would have most assuredly meant Frodo’s death, but a death he may have been willing to go to peacefully if he could have felt free of guilt for the suffering of others. Linwe watched as tears coursed down Frodo’s cheeks. Each tear was a bit of pain he was finally allowing himself to be free of. As any true mother would, Yavanna pulled Frodo to her, holding him close, supporting him as he cried out his pain. She only let go when Frodo’s tears had subsided.

Shimmering like a fading dream, Linwe recalled being told of gifts the Valar chose to bestow on herself, Frodo and Bilbo. She and Frodo were given back twenty years of their physical life. It was a gift of time and energy to keep up with and enjoy their children and even their grandchildren. For Frodo and Linwe who through the power of the ring and the bond between them had not aged in appearance since their thirty-third birthday, and the only immediate proof of this gift was a faint tingling. Bilbo was offered and accepted the health and vitality of a hobbit nearly half his age. "I’ve looked after Frodo as though he were my own son," said Bilbo with a smile, "I think it is only proper that I be here to enjoy the duties and privileges of grandparent-hood." Linwe and Frodo felt that by having this one dear family member in their lives longer was another truly generous gift.

~~~~

Linwe paused in her flower plucking: it had only been three days since Yavanna had told them the truth. Frodo was now free of the effects of the poison that still lingered in his blood. In this blessed place it no longer could prey upon him. Frodo still had nightmares of all he had been through, but they now lacked the strength to pull him neither back fully into the torment of the original moment nor make him a danger to himself or others.

Linwe sighed with contentment. Frodo looked so peaceful lying there on the lush green grass of Yavanna’s garden. ‘Too peaceful,’ she said to herself. A wicked smile curled up the corners of her mouth and she picked up a single flower petal from her lap, held it over Frodo’s face, then taking careful aim, let it fall.

~~~~~

Frodo tightened his hold on his squirming and giggling prey. "Wife! Why do you disturb me?" he demanded in his gruffest voice.

"Because you have lounged long enough. Now unhand me, you brute."

"I don’t think I will do anything of the kind. I believe I would prefer to keep you right where you are." Frodo kept his eyes on her face noticing how even in early pregnancy she had a new glow.

Linwe impulsively took Frodo’s face in her hands and kissed him soundly. When she was done kissing, she just looked at the face she still held in her hands and smiled.

"What are you smiling for?" asked Frodo with a smile of his own. "What is going on inside that pretty head of yours?"

Linwe paused for a moment and then answered, "I was just thinking that you now look like a Hobbit who has remembered how to laugh and be happy."

Frodo smiled. "And so I am."

Author’s Note- There you have it, my own speculation in regards to the origins of hobbits. I researched this matter. I read the Silmarillian. I asked a friend who is pretty well versed in Tolkien. There seems to be very little said about how Hobbits came to exsist beyond they popped up in the neighborhood of Mirkwood and later moved to The Shire. I felt I had two options before me at this point. I could continue researching. Which would mean my buying books that I did not have and could not get at the library or I could just say the heck with it and follow through with writing this according to my own ideas and speculations. Well I did not really have the money for more books so I opted for setting aside my research and getting on with the writing.

Some of you out there might be far more knowledgeable the matters, people and places that I wrote about in this chapter and perhaps you find fault with what I have written. Please know that I intended no disrespect in any in advertent strays from what is canon. And remember that though I have done my best to stay as near to canon as possible this story is still ‘alternative universe’ so a few small lapses should not really mean all that much.

Acknowledgments

 - To Rhapsody, thank you so much for your help and your friendship. (((HUGS)))