Chapter 29: Iluvatar’s Child

He does not break the crushed reed, nor quench the wavering flame. Isaiah 42:3

Frodo lay awake for a long time that night, his back to Sam, Smeagol, Faramir and the rest of the men. Sam watched him worriedly as did the Ranger captain. Frodo had barely eaten anything and drank little. He had not said two words together since thanking Sam for what little food he forced himself to eat to please his friend. Besides glancing up once at Sam when he had accepted the plate from his guardian, he had not looked at anyone so great was his shame in attacking Sam. The younger hobbit did not say anything for a long time, deciding that if his master was going to be stubborn about all that, he was going to show him that the Ring-bearer didn’t even know the first thing about being stubborn. He took his beloved friend into his arms from behind. Frodo lay unresponsive at first. He tried to pull away but Sam’s grip only tightened, then he began to sing softly another beloved lullaby from childhood.

"The shadows surround us,

The darkness is creeping,

The bright evening stars are hid from our eyes,

But close now your eyes, dear

It’s time now for sleeping,

And when morning comes, I’ll be nigh."

Sam didn’t see the tears that began to again streak down Frodo’s cheeks silently as the Ring-bearer grieved for all that was dying inside of himself. As the tears began to fall harder, the hobbit’s frame began to shake. Sam turned him around so the two faced each other. He wiped at his master’s tears as he continued to sing.

"My treasure, my dear one,

I’ll love you forever,

Naught you could say, naught you could do

Could break the love binding

Our hearts together;

For I will forever love you."

Frodo looked into his beloved friend’s eyes, crying ever harder, now from being so moved that Sam’s love had never faltered.

"O slumber in peace now,

Forget all your sorrow,

Lay down all your burdens till dawning of day

Though night surrounds us,

Soon comes a fair morrow,

To drive fear and shadows away.

"My treasure, my dear one,

I’ll love you forever,

Naught you could say, naught you could do

Could break the love binding

Our hearts together;

For I will forever love you."

Frodo buried his head in his guardian’s chest and wrapped his arms around him and sobbed for all he had lost and all he had never lost. Sam held him tightly, stroking his curls and continuing to murmur the song. As Frodo listened, he tried to concentrate simply on being a hobbit. He had lost so much on the first Quest that had had little chance to renew itself before he was called to go out again and now he was losing what little he had regained and even what little he had been able to hold onto the first time. He did not want to fail again. He wanted to be found worthy this time, to either be strong enough to let the Ring go or to make the sacrifice he couldn’t last time. He prayed more for the former than the latter for he did not wish to die or have Sam watch him die, but he knew, oh how well he knew, how tightly the tendrils of the Ring were wrapped around his soul. He grieved for that, for the loss of himself and wished he hadn’t been chosen for this burden. He felt such a fragile vessel to be entrusted to carry such a terribly strong and potent evil. He continued to pray for strength even as he wondered why his supplications to Elbereth had gone unanswered this time.

Then after a time, when all his tears were spent and a soft, unexpectedly warm breeze dried the last of them, he felt calm come to him and settle deeply into his troubled heart and soul, speaking words to him there he did not hear but was soothed and strengthened by. Somehow, he knew his prayers had been answered after all. He didn’t know the name for what he felt, but the Elves would have recognized it as the peace of Iluvatar.

As Sam watched his master fall into sleep and the light spread out from him, his breath caught in wonder. He stroked Frodo’s cheek gently, then became aware of Faramir watching them. "Isn’t he just so beautiful, Captain?" the gardener breathed.

The Ranger had to agree. Even Smeagol was caught mesmerized by the peacefulness that now lay deep upon Frodo’s features. How they all wished it would remain. How they all feared and grieved that it wouldn’t.

A/N: The lullaby was, of course, another wonderful one from Her Majesty, the queen. My thanks to my sister, Annagorn (Aragorn's undocumented sister) with her help as to how Iluvatar would communicate with His child.