She was there when I came ashore

So bright and beautiful

There was no shadow in her

Save in memory that my heart saw

It was past and the light shone through it

Had conquered it and

Exulted at the victory achieved over it

The light pierced me with understanding

Of how hard won it was through much darkness

A long lasting black night

Had driven her here just as it now drove me

But for her the dawn had come and would never fade

Her wounds were no more

Yet I knew from how my heart wept

That they once were near to mine

Yet now the light lived, thrived, and silently shouted its life

I wished to weep as well for its beauty

And be near it always

But she had not come for me

I stood by alone while she embraced her mother

Even though Bilbo stood at my side

And Gandalf not far behind

This was to be my home now

But would it be home

The light seemed unreachable

Even though it was near enough to touch

Would it wish to touch something as defiled as I was

Would it ever be mine

Or it would be forever so near but never my own

She looked then at me, lost and broken

Sad she was not to see her daughter

But she already knew I had come in place

Of that treasure so long missed

And she knew why

I flinched at that, so needful of her cleansing light

So afraid it would turn away

She saw the phial I held close

The gem around me neck that I fingered

She touched both in silent recognition

And then knelt before me and held her hand over mine

“I offer my service

To continue what my family has already done”

As she gathered me into her arms

I wept bitterly and without control at such a blessing

I hung on afraid I would utterly swept away if I did not

She wept with me

“Now I understand”

She said it almost to herself

“Now I understand”

It was a long time before I knew what she meant

But in time as she wrapped her spirit around mine

And spread her light around my darkness

As she pierced the shadows

And I was no longer afraid my defilement

Would spoil the beauty of her light

As she held me and told me of her torment

I knew she understood mine

She heard me words from me I could not speak to anyone else

I understood then as she gently probed my wounds

And drained the evil away

As the rents in my heart mended

And my spirit become whole again

That the fruit of her wounds was

So I could see that I could heal of mine

And so she could see in the easing of my agony

The worth in her own suffering

The realization of filled us both with dreadful awe

I knew I could never repay all she had given me

But she considered the bitter cost now sweet

We are bound together in a way nothing would ever sunder

First in agony, then in triumph over it

Sam was right

The Shadow is only a passing thing

Her victory over darkness gave birth to my own