The Sea Calls Us Home

By: Elemmírë

Summary: A short Frodo fic inspired by my own recent travels/adventures on the ocean. Movie-verse

Disclaimer: The Lord of the Rings does not belong to me, nor am I making any profit off either its story or characters.

Author’s Note: If any of you ever get the opportunity to sit on the deck of a ship and listen to ‘Into the West’ while staring at the ocean, I highly recommend it. I listened to it several times on my MP3 during my cruise vacation and was moved to write this, as I sat on deck watching the sea flow by.

This was also inspired by a bit somewhere in the extras of the ROTK: EE. I believe it was Fran Walsh (or perhaps Peter Jackson) who spoke of the song ‘Into the West’ as originally supposed to be sung by Galadriel to Frodo. I've always personally imagined the second half of that song as being sung to Sam by Frodo.

Early the morning after the Elven ship had left the Grey Havens, Frodo stood atop a wooden crate that had once contained Elven wine. The highly polished wooden rails of the ship were of the same height as he and he could not see over them otherwise. … And he needed to see over them.

Frodo clutched onto gleaming handrail and gazed out upon the open sea. Watching the small waves ebb and flow, crashing and foaming against the hull of the great ship mesmerized him and he was beginning to feel a sense of peace come over him at long last. The calming sounds of the water and waves soothed him in such a way the traumatized hobbit had not felt in a very, very long time. Frodo continued to gaze out at the infinite expanse of water that was dotted with small, bubbling white caps and let the sense of peace settle over him like a warm, soft blanket. He knew he still had a long way to go until he was fully healed.

However much to the worry and concern of Bilbo, Gandalf, Elrond, along with many others, Frodo spent every day thereafter staring out at the ocean from the rising of the Sun, until the ascension of the Moon. He talked very little--even to his beloved uncle--and spent every day thus, until the ship bearing the last of the Eldar from Middle-earth reached the Straight Road.

The Elves were quick to note that the blue of the deep waters matched that of the Ring-bearer’s blue eyes, their highlights and shadows of varying hues reflecting both sea and sky in their greatly sorrowed and pained depths.

One evening during a most spectacular sunset of brilliant colors, the Lady Galadriel came to sit on the deck next to the little hobbit. Frodo had tears streaming down his pale, almost luminescent cheeks and without a word she guided him to settle down on the smooth wooden planking beside her. She lay his head in her lap and lightly stroked his soft, dark chestnut curls until he was soothed into sleep.

That night, Frodo’s dreams were at last peaceful. He dreamed of happier times spent with his parents; he dreamed of a younger Bilbo that he’d never known; and he dreamt again of Sam’s future children, as well as Merry and Pippin’s.

He felt a song enter his mind unbidden and he was bathed in a golden warmth that reached to all parts of his body and what was left of his ravaged spirit. It was being sung by Lady Galadriel; her voice sounding more clear and resplendent to him the closer she got to the Undying Lands.

* * * * *

Frodo never forgot the Lady’s song. It was to him, the most beautiful and eloquent song he’d ever heard. Though her Elvish voice had an almost haunting and sorrowful quality to it, it was yet full of hope as well.

After gathering quill and ink, he’d committed it to paper and over the years, Frodo finished the Lady’s song. He wrote the second part of it in honor of Sam’s coming.

Into the West.*

Many years later when Samwise Gamgee chose to sail West with Lord Celeborn and any remaining Elves in Middle-earth that wished to join them, the little gardener heard the song in its entirety that first night onboard the ship. He too, felt a peace he’d never known … not even with his beloved and darling Rosie. Sam knew as he stared out over the seemingly infinite expanse of blue waters (that so matched his dearest master and friend’s eyes) that Frodo Baggins had finally found the peace and healing he’d long sought after, in the magical, timeless land of the Elves.

*Words and music by Fran Walsh, Howard Shore and Annie Lennox.

Performed by Annie Lennox.