Reviews (121)

Author's reply

Oh, I know--I made many such mistakes in my earliest stories, Eirinn. I hope to correct them someday, but am still struggling to finish "Stirring Rings" and then "Or Perchance" and "The Tenant from Staddle." Too many stories are taking too long to write, it seems. Thanks so!

Author's reply

At last appear to be back online with no further problems. Am SO tired of computer hassles. It's wonderful for me to consider how things might have happened with Frodo and Sam as they chose to accept the Gift at the last. And I find I keep imagining Frodo seeking to slip away once more, and once again being foiled. Then, that Frodo and Sam's passing from Arda beyond its bounds might have led to the White Tree's fruiting on both sides of the Sundering Seas is somehow satisfying, I find. I do try to reflect real life when I can, and am so glad such is found acceptable by so many. I had one opium vial I kept here. In China they manufactured some beautiful bottles of finest porcelain and sometimes silver for those accustomed to using opium on a regular basis; but here in our little Victorian seaport town most of what was imported came in these small bottles sealed with the glass globule. So glad you enjoyed this story, and hope one day you have the chance to read Lesser Ring. Just posted my latest, which I think you'll find shortly.

Author's reply

Oh, I'm so glad you appreciate it, my Lady. Frodo at the end is able to be himself not just as he was but as he was intended to become as well; and I do agree the two are halves of the same whole in many ways. And I think that for Frodo the ability to dance among the stars would be his ideal way of leaving Arda. Thanks so much for letting me know what has moved you most.

Author's reply

If you find yourself moved to write a short story regarding Frodo and the spider bite, do feel free to indulge yourself. I'd be glad to see what it sparks. There is a species of spiders in South America that lays its eggs just below the surface of the skin of the host. A blister appears over the egg, and as the spiderling grows before it's ready to face a hostile world it feeds on the flesh and blood of its host; then one day the skin splits and the spider emerges. This has inspired a few horror stories and movies, as you can well imagine; and I borrowed this in part from "The Religion" and sort of did my own take on it for this story. I doubt Bilbo Baggins would ever lose his sense of humor, or lose his desire to reassure Frodo that all will be well. And I think that even as he prepared to leave Frodo he'd find a way to make his younger cousin laugh. Frodo tended to be far too solemn and needed reason to remember how to laught, I think.

Author's reply

It's a very difficult thing for those who have been independent throughout their lives to realize suddenly they are now unable to do much for themselves. My late husband grew quite despondent over this often during his last few months, and I've seen it in others as well. Trying to maintain ones sense of dignity as one sees oneself losing control of muscles and sphincters and even the ability to breathe properly is most disconcerting; yet so often it is part of dying. And I do believe Frodo would want Sam to live fully here, now that life was opening up for him again; and that Rosie would be the one to fully appreciate just what Frodo was planning and its implications. And am glad you appreciate the final letters. Thank you so much for the feedback.

Author's reply

I just deleted the empty one. Having done that a few times myself, or having written wonderful reviews only to hit the back instead of the post button I know how easy such things are to do. As I've said before, it was reading "A Small and Passing Thing" that sparked me to begin writing fanfiction myself, and even this moment is almost taken from her work, although I've significantly changed a good deal of it as well. Lindelea has done so marvelous word pictures in it, and the one you've indicated has to be one of the best. So glad you agree with Esmeralda. She has her younger cousin and former fosterling pegged, doesn't she? And love your invocation of Bilbo's comments here. It certainly fits! To accept a grace ordinarily given only to Elves I think Frodo needs to interact with them about it; and so Glorfindel, while on his return from the Havens with news about the ship being built, finds Frodo and helps him understand how to better use the power of the gem he wears; and then Frodo and Galadriel discuss the choice and what it means and how it might affect him. The emptiness left within him in the wake of the Ring's destruction must have been terrifying to face at times. Bilbo has already become synonymous with madness and eccentricity; Frodo was being gossiped about as being "cracked" even before the Party. Yet there are those, those whose evaluation truly means something, who know that Bilbo wasn't the least bit crazy--unless he was "crazy like a fox." And the same ones will recognize that Frodo is also intelligent and caring and will miss him terribly. Those who count know the real Frodo and Bilbo, and honor them as they deserve. I had a kidney stone, and then a case of endometriosis that nearly cost me a kidney and did end up forcing me to have an emergency hysterectomy. Both times I was given morphine. I didn't particularly appreciate it either time, and hate what some painkillers did to me and some other meds that aren't supposed to have psychological effects but did anyway. But, then, I'm a good deal older than you are and so have had more chance for things to happen from time to time. Your own turn is coming, I'm sorry to say, but such is life. Your Niquil story is hilarious. I can do first aid, but tend to hyperventilate if I see hypodermics. I know--I'm pathetic.

Author's reply

I am terrified of needles, and so my mother verbally instructed me as to how to remove splinters, and I became so good at it I was made the family splinter remover, for I could do it with as little discomfort to others as possible. So I see it with Rosie, the one confident enough to communicate to the rest of her family that the needle or fine blade isn't going deeper than the surface and will release the pressure and the infection, helping the person get better. So here I've projected part of my own experience onto Rosie. Frodo knows that the only thing he's likely to feel is a brief increase in the pressure and the pain that's already there, followed by the release of it as the wound empties; but Sam, who's never done this before and is afraid of possibly making things worse (he's heard Aragorn, Elladan, Elrohir, and Elrond all say that probling the wound could paralyze his master, after all, and he's not certain just what probing means, probably), is too tentative to do it right and too inexperienced to know precisely how deep to press. I suspect the Ring, while he carried it, finding that an exaggerated form of modesty and a degree of vanity for his accepted good looks were already there in Frodo's makeup, exaggerated these qualities to the point that he cannot bear to have most others see him as he is now--I suspect he sees the scars as more than just scars but as physical defilement. The idea of them on himself makes him feel ugly beyond belief, a situation the Ring Itself would probably find highly amusing; and he's certain they will horrify others equally. Yes, he needed Rosie's perspective--the first person who tells him as it is, that these aren't disfigurements but are instead proof positive of worthy intent and add to the love and respect she feels for him. At least it may help him get back a bit of perspective in considering them in the future. I've been afraid of using mind- and mood-altering drugs and medications, for I hate to think of losing my self-control. When I've found medications affect my ability to function fairly soberly I've refused to take them again. I have needed to have morphine twice, and I found I didn't particularly care for it. It didn't (in me) relieve the pain so much as it made me less responsive to it and able to sleep until my resting body could then deal with the source of that pain better so that when I woke up I felt considerably better. The second time they had to give me two pain pills and two valiums to help deal with the extreme pain I was in and to help relieve my fear of the needle so they could do the blood tests necessary to try to figure out what I was suffering with and to allow me to accept the morphine. My doctors have NEVER found me an easy patient, you see--not since I was quite small. Frodo managed to retain only enough to put him out for a few hours, and may have had a bit of a hangover afterwards. But he'll be all right in the end. The dreams and imaginings narcotics can cause disturb me more than anything else in my very limited experience with such things.

Author's reply

I certainly agree with you about Sam and his heart feeling torn. Frodo himself doesn't fully understand what he wants, and Sam doesn't feel free to ask him to cling to life solely for his sake. There were times as my husband was in his final illness he wished the end would just come and be done with it; then he would be defying it with all he had in him just a short time later, insisting he be able to see as much as he could before he went. Had Frodo been accepting the athelas draught during this time he'd probably be nowhere near as confused and in as much discomfort and all as he is; but having become convinced by Budgie that the draught's benefits were psychosomatic, he stopped taking it and found the digestive problems are back at full force. Frodo, of course, isn't certain what it all means, if this weakening is just due to not having been able to keep much of anything down or if he's seriously ill or what; and he's about given up. It takes the night on the hill and a secret visit from Elladan to appreciate that he still holds the choice and can remain if he wishes, and to find a small reason at least to remain, one which will give him time to marshall his slowly returning strength to defy the memories the next time they return. I have seen similar things in birds. Now and then a bird will find its way into my house into the upper story of the sun room wing. Three times I've found a bird only a hair's breadth from dying of frustration, unable to find its way out. Feeling totally trapped it has given up to the point at last I can take it in my hands and bring it to the window. There at last, realizing it is now where it is meant to be, it will manage to find the reserves within it to grasp once more at life and actually fly to freedom again. I see Frodo in that state right at this point in the story. As for half-laughing--even at our weakest there often is a part of us that steps aside and looks down at what we do to ourselves and laughs at our own absurdities, and I see that in Frodo there in the study as he falls against the door--that objective side of himself that wants to take the rest of himself and, as Sam is also tempted to do, wants to whack some sense into the hyper-emotional self that has taken over and gotten the whole self into this situation. I strongly remember one situation when the Kid, then only sixteen, snapped out of an emotional highjacking to look down at me, physically clinging to him to keep him from running off and doing something VERY stupid and dangerous, and laughing at the both of us. It's there in most of us with imagination, I think you'll find. So, there are a few foods even you can't eat. There is such for everyone, you'll find. I just tend to be more verbal about it than many others, but then I do have IBS, acid reflux disease, and a few similar conditions that make it physically more likely that if I defy my own tastes and eat things anyway it will be regretted fairly quickly. And it's fun to figure out what our characters will and won't like. To make them real we have to give them likes and dislikes, after all.

Author's reply

Having had my own computer problems, how can I complain about others? Sam knows Frodo now, and how he'll try to hide his condition. Of course he wants Budgie prewarned. Yes, he's like a parent now, and understands Frodo may need some supervision if he pushes himself to hard. And my own mother did the same to me, as I did with my kids. Freddy's been somewhat under the Shadow, having fought in the resistance and been imprisoned. He has a better idea of the type of effects what Frodo's been through will have than Budgie does. He also knows Frodo better, and grew up also hearing Bilbo's stories. He knows that there are things out there that they don't see in the Shire; and is more likely to believe in giant spiders and Morgul wounds and the like. Budgie is too practical and too apt not to believe what he's not seen himself. The experience with the memories taking over would be frightening, particularly if it so strongly triggers the pain as well. And if Frodo might be experiencing angina at the moment or possibly as heart attack as well, that would make the whole thing even worse. I certainly agree with the difference between the two sets of parents; and just stating blankly "I refuse to believe" will get you nowhere in dealing with the person trying to explain what happened. Sara is trying to accept without prejudgement, which in the long run will get him a LOT farther--once he can convince Merry to talk, at least. I, too, found myself wanting Frodo to explain to Narcissa, but he's not ready to do so as yet, unfortunately. But she will understand in the end in spite of him, at least. I go to the Chinese restaurant, and I'm served fried rice with my meal. I pick out the chicken and the vegetables and leave that mound of rice there on my plate. Is it that bad, you ask? For me, YES!!! And so it goes for poor Frodo as well, poor Hobbit. Mouth full of laundry starch! Can't stand the taste or the texture.

Author's reply

Isn't technology wonderful? First thing you do when you start working with computers is learn how to swear in several languages, including in my case Basic, dBase, and now am looking for words in Sindarin! Heh! My laptop's power supply just died, and as I write on it predominantly it's cramping my style and making it longer before I get chapters written. Disasters tend to bring out either the best or the worst in folks, and in this case mostly the best. You're right--it's wonderful that Tolkien indicated all would work together now. And there is finally a friendship growing between Bard and Frodo, one which might have begun when they were much younger but foundered for years due to the failed relationship between Frodo and Pearl and Bard's eventual marriage to her; but now they're able to see beyond Pearl to the great individual each is and learning to respect one another as is right and proper. Why rice? Well, primarily because that's how I feel about it. I can't bring myself to eat rice unless it doesn't taste a thing like rice. I can occasionally stand Spanish rice, but it had best be more meat than rice or I'll want to rid my stomach of it. We do tend to project real life into our stories, after all; and the conflict between hating rice and it being one of the easiest dishes to digest was just too good to miss, don't you agree? Having touched on these characters here and in "The King's Commission" I had to expand on them in "The Acceptable Sacrifice," you know. Now we feel as if we truly know them. Personally, I can't imagine Bartolo having warned Frodo of why he wished to know if Frodo had a coin. Not in his nature. But, as you say, it's made right in the end. Glad to see you back, my lady!

Author's reply

Yes, it probably is just as well you're reading "Reconciliation" as well so you don't get tempted to go give Paladin and Eglantine a swift boot to the behind. I've wanted to do so myself a few times. In reading about the verbosity of Hobbit legal papers, it was fun to imagine what kind of backlog would build up in the Mayor's office during Will's imprisonment. That Frodo would think of the nearest possible haven of lawyers sufficiently related to him he could call on them to aid him in sorting this mess out and understanding it all seemed logical; and so the Tooks get called upon to bring in the aid he needs. People will see Merry and Pippin out there in their mail and with shields and swords and helms and ponies gathering more ruffians and escorting them out of the Shire; they'll see Sam in their villages indicating how the Shiriff houses are to be dismantled and the bricks saved, seeing to the rebuilding of homes and inns and mills; they'll see Sam replanting trees and gardens and seeing to the preparation of ruined fields and orchards and all. But how many will realize that Frodo's part in this is also vital--that the cleaning up of the backlog and review of the contracts, sales agreements, deeds, and so on is necessary both to the well-being of the Shire and to finding out how things got into the state they did? Frodo's part in this is important, but most folk in the Shire will never appreciate that, again giving the greater of their admiration to what the other three are doing. Frodo needs Sam's confidence and optimism--and mothering. Your supposition on what was said certainly fits. Sam no longer questions that he is capable of exercising authority at need; and having been accepted as he's been by the King himself as well as the worthies of Gondor and Rohan, he's not going to slip back into hiding in the background and appearing to be the unimportant gardener at Bag End any more. He's finished one job, and now faces another, and will see it done, and well done at that. Have a good trip, and we'll hear from you when you return.

Author's reply

We see the beginning of the story from Bilbo's point of view, and then move out to a more general one. I suppose I could have made that a prologue; but I didn't and I don't feel like changing it now. To see the decision made known on Arwen's request I felt was vital to this story; and for those in the North I felt the one to make it known was Olorin. As such, Gandalf gets pulled out of himself for a moment, then sent back to make the announcement. Bilbo, of course, doesn't mean to eavesdrop, but with his condition of falling off asleep every few minutes what choice does he have? Particularly as if he half-dozes he actually has a chance to find out what's happening, whereas when he takes part in conversations he falls fully asleep and loses track of everything? Yes, Frodo is almost overwhelmed to find the Shire was overrun while they were gone; and now he's convinced by Will to take over. I've seen Will as wanting to get Frodo to take over his job for years; now he has his chance, for even Frodo has to accept Will isn't up to it now. And the brothers of the heart do find themselves ready to work together on the restoration of the Shire.

Author's reply

I looked through also and didn't find any comments, so assumed that was what you were doing. It was years ago I found myself in the commissary behind a nun who must have been a chaplain or something on the Navy base where I was shopping. Juices from the hamburger I was buying had dripped through the bars of the shopping cart down onto a box of sanitary napkins I was purchasing, and I made without thinking a most indelicate comment on the state of that proposed purchase to the poor lady. Then I was terribly embarrassed for having blurted out such a thing. Tony didn't let me live it down for years. Bilbo's joke was inspired by that memory, I KNOW. We will say some of the most perverse things at times, you must realize. As for the journal entries--I was a teacher for many years and have seen my own share of such things. Plus I know what I used to do to while away moments when I was doing creative writing and I didn't know what I wanted to write as in those days I wouldn't share my own stories with others. I would write all kinds of odd things in mirror writing, would do my own version of braille representation with comments on those who sat around me (I taught myself the Braille alphabet when I was just ten), and so on. My fifth grade teacher despaired of me at times. And that Frodo's stationery box is proving practical today is wonderful. Thank you for letting me know about this--it's always an honor when we find life follows art which is following life, you see.

Author's reply

I am so glad you liked it, Endaewen. To want to do something ineffible such as dancing among the stars as one passes seemed so in keeping with Frodo's nature; as well as the companionship of Sam here. And am honored you've read so much so quickly.

Author's reply

Oh, I'm so glad you enjoyed it. To be able to bring Frodo through the pain of realizing how much the Ring stole from him, physically and spiritually, and to see him in the end able to laugh and know simple fellowship again, to see him brought full circle back to fulfillment and joy as he accepts what he knows must come, and that it be done in joy and such blessed delight-- And Aragorn being at least partly aware of it, now feeling more certain that the future will come for those who follow-- Am so glad you have appreciated how much I found I wanted to put into this.

Author's reply

Sam obviously was coming to the realization that Frodo was failing in one way or another even in LOTR, as he seemed to expect Frodo was going to retire to Rivendell as Bilbo did--and, in that case, Sam undoubtedly expected to be able to at least visit him and perhaps finally bring him back home at the end. The realization he was going West instead was such an obvious shock to him, but one he accepted as best for Frodo. In this case I find myself inferring that the withdrawal Frodo was going through undoubtedly had a physical as well as a psychological aspect to it, that Sam would let Frodo go that easily. So I increased the physical aspect of what Frodo was experiencing. That others didn't realize how ill he was would indicate he was staying more and more isolated within Bag End, and that Sam, Rosie, and Frodo were being highly closed-mouthed about how ill he was becoming. As I tell in the author's notes, I was inspired by a documentary show on the effects of spider and tick bites, and this was too good an opportunity to let slip. If spider bites can lead to heart problems, skeleto-muscular disorders, digestive system breakdown, creeping tissue necrosis, and even auto-immune problems, then what could Shelob's bite have led to? Frodo's physical health was degrading, and he was suffering from very strong depression as part of his post-traumatic stress disorder. Having watched my husband's health degrade over the last two years of his life, I could see how each problem (clinical depression runs in my husband's family) would exacerbate the other. (Real life experiences found their way strongly into this one.) I described the volcano glass in my LONG story The King's Commission, and wanted to use it symbolically here (caddis fly larvae and woolly bear caterpillars made it into my first story, so why not volcano glass, right?) And so Frodo and Galadriel came to use the bowl as a symbol for what he had come to. I'm so glad you liked that, and the conversation between Frodo and Galadriel. To help him realize he DESERVED the chance for happiness, and that there could possibly be a happy result to all he'd been through was so necessary. Man, am writing another book here! Thank you so very much for the feedback, and I'm so very glad you appreciated this story.

Author's reply

Yes, I know. That Sam and Frodo would be given the same gift as Aragorn--to know their time had come and thus have some control over how they would offer back their lives in peace and content and pleasant anticipation I have felt was imperative, a part of the reason the two were granted the grace to go to Aman. That they would do it laughing, choosing a place where they could feel the spiritual kinship they knew with Aragorn most strongly, knowing he would someday follow their example as he was allowed, also seemed to follow. With the coming of Sam the last wounds of the Ringbearer have been healed. He never got every good thing he ever wanted; but in the end all the good he'd known and sacrificed for others to know fulfillment was fulfilled for himself. And for all he'd lived a rather monkish life on Tol Eressea, he yet died a Hobbit, surrounded by the love and beauty he'd always known and sought and evoked in others. Am so glad you love the carol--it was so right for this chapter! Hope you enjoy the last chapter, too. Author Reply: Yes, I know. That Sam and Frodo would be given the same gift as Aragorn--to know their time had come and thus have some control over how they would offer back their lives in peace and content and pleasant anticipation I have felt was imperative, a part of the reason the two were granted the grace to go to Aman. That they would do it laughing, choosing a place where they could feel the spiritual kinship they knew with Aragorn most strongly, knowing he would someday follow their example as he was allowed, also seemed to follow. With the coming of Sam the last wounds of the Ringbearer have been healed. He never got every good thing he ever wanted; but in the end all the good he'd known and sacrificed for others to know fulfillment was fulfilled for himself. And for all he'd lived a rather monkish life on Tol Eressea, he yet died a Hobbit, surrounded by the love and beauty he'd always known and sought and evoked in others. Am so glad you love the carol--it was so right for this chapter! Hope you enjoy the last chapter, too.

Author's reply

Ooh, I want to so go back to York and Banbury once more! I miss them so! Lucky, lucky you--did you go to the conference? Wish I could have done so. I try to keep my stories consistent with one another, so decided to look at the same scene from a different point of view, and am glad you appear to have appreciated it. As for Ungoliant--wellllllll, I'd always wondered what became of her, at the same time I couldn't figure out why that spider bite might keep reopening--and then it hit me! Once a Maia IIRC, Ungoliant wouldn't easily fade away; so where might she have gone? And she couldn't have returned openly to Aman, so if she found herself in one who managed to get onto the threshold of the Undying Lands as a stowaway of sorts, what might she have done? A perverse sort of guess and image of what MIGHT have happened, of course. I hope you appreciated the might-have-been. Anyway, hope you enjoy the last chapter, too. Good to have you back and hope you enjoyed your time in Jolly Old. /Larner sighs and looks at her depleted bank balance and pouts.

Author's reply

Yes, it would be Merry who would receive that confession indeed. And I think it would be fearful, for he's giving up his very identity as a Hobbit of the Shire, which has been part of him all his life. I think Frodo was aware he was changing, and I know I'd be terrified of it, that I'd lose all my sense of self in it. So glad you appreciate it.

Author's reply

Whichever were to come, the result was the same, losing one another until reunited in the future after death. For Frodo, not being certain of how the healing would come, of wondering how the changes he was already aware of might be manifested in the end, must have been frightening. But I've always felt Frodo would have done his best to make certain Sam was prepared as much as possible, even with suits and handkerchiefs and the pocket watch, to take over the role of Master of Bag End when the time came. Thanks so much for continuing to follow the story.

Author's reply

Yes, the acceptance is made by both Frodo and Sam, I think. Am glad you liked it so.

Author's reply

He used to joke he was dying of everything. He had blood vessel disease from years of uncontrollable high blood pressure followed by diabetes; he then had heart disease, a triple bypass, a bout of heart attacks the summer before he died; a spate of ministrokes that damaged the breathing centers in the brainstem and the portion of the nerve centers that receives or interprets the information sent from the ankles to tell when one is standing upright--and since he had been blinded in an accident when a young man, he couldn't rely on vision to correct for the lack of accurate information from his legs and feet. Also had only partial feeling in his right thumb as a result of another ministroke. Three years before he died his kidneys failed and he went on peritoneal dialysis. It was truly only the last year that was really bad for him, however. Suddenly we found ourselves on a daily seesaw, and I lived with a PDR in hand, trying to help sort out whether the day's symptoms indicated another stroke, another heart attack, a possible infection, or the side effects of any one or combination of two or more of the many pills and so on he had to take daily. Depression was quite common, sometimes for physical reasons, sometimes as an effect of one or more of the drugs. It was rather hairy at times. I began reading LOTR again during the last weeks, IIRC, and I had been looking forward to the release of the movies, which were due out the following December. I was also very involved on the discussion board for a court case I follow. That and my work with my blind students got me through it all. T. was quite a guy, and I miss him terribly at times, but often feel him looking in on me to remind me to get my bod to bed. I think I'd better do so now, in fact. Luv ya, sweetheart. He still nags me, I find.

Author's reply

I lived through my husband's last illness, and saw the debilitation and the false hopes as well. There were a few times when he considered going more quickly, but he always hung in there anyway. But the depression that accompanies the worst bouts of pain cannot be described easily. I suspect in Frodo's case there was the feeling of lack of worth as well as an unwillingness to leave his identity as a Hobbit of the Shire that may have led him to dismiss the idea of going West at the moment and added to the attempts at suicide. But I suspect it was more a matter of momentary desperation and temporary loss of coherent thought brought on by the nights of sleeplessness and recurrent nightmares and severe depression that accompany such experiences that would induce the feelings anything would be better NOW than what he was going through. The chance to go to the Undying Lands was still in an uncertain future; the pain and overwhelming anxiety and temporary madness they brought on were happening in the moment. I have experienced repeatedly throughout my life a form of temporary anxiety that is almost impossible to describe and that leaves me desperate to move. I have found out over the years it is always brought on by physical discomfort that is sufficiently minor that in the moment I am not consciously paying attention to it, but which on a subconscious level is so stimulating my amygdala that I physically cannot remain still. I've found it can be brought on by earrings fastened too tightly, by having my back just a bit out, by having a mild sore throat and an oncoming bout of strep throat, by being physically too warm, and other such stimul. Trying to describe it beyond this is so very hard to do, but I feel as if my skin is crawling right off my body. A relative who used to do illegal drugs described a similar feeling, but highly exaggerated by the effects of the chemicals in his body, that he would often experience when he was starting to come down. Knowing how I'm truly ready to crawl right up a wall when it happens to me, I can begin to imagine how he felt. A couple times he came close to causing himself serious harm while in such states. I can easily see how someone as sick as my husband was or as Frodo was could find himself wanting to end it NOW. Thanks for sticking with it--it DOES get better.

Author's reply

Yes, I was aware of that reading. Frodo is filled with self-doubt, and needs reassurance, although until his body is better I doubt he'll believe it. Tolkien himself commented that it was that last spring illness that sparked Frodo's awareness that he would not recover, that finally paved the way for his realization he must leave Middle Earth. And it is a sad time for Frodo, coming to terms with the realization that his only hope lies now in the West, not here surrounded by those he loves.

Author's reply

You haven't read the last two chapters as yet, have you? I think you will find them beautiful.