Chapter 48: A Hobbit Honored

Aragorn met with Frodo in his private quarters as the people gathered for the celebration of the Ring’s destruction.

“I wish you wouldn’t do this again, Aragorn,” the hobbit said. “I deserve it even less now.”

The king smiled at his friend. “Indulge me, please, this once more, mellon nin, I beg you.”

Frodo sighed. “If my king wishes.”

Aragorn laughed gently. “I do so wish.” He knelt and tightly hugged his dear brother. “Hannon le, tithen min.”

Frodo hugged him back. He had forgotten how good it felt to have those strong arms around him. “Gandalf said I could hold you if I needed help with the pain.”

The king tightened his embrace. He knew very well that his brother was not speaking of physical pain that his healer’s touch could ease. “You can hold me anytime you need to, for as long as you need to, gwador nin.”

Frodo sighed again, this time in relief. “Hannon le.”

The kneeling king and standing hobbit held each other for a long time, until Frodo felt strong enough to break away. Aragorn smiled and was gladdened to see his little friend smile back genuinely. They walked out together into the sunlight.

The Ring-bearer watched in silence as Aragorn and Arwen knelt down to him. As the gathered multitude did as well, even Merry and Pippin, he looked around uncomfortably, his unease growing to horror and shame as Sam knelt as well and looked up at him, eyes shining with love and pride.

“You did it,” he said.

Frodo looked down at him. He didn’t respond. He couldn’t. As before, an accident had destroyed the Ring. He wanted to scream out that at the end, he hadn’t wanted to destroy it, that he had wanted to keep it for himself. He didn’t want these people think he had done something honorable. Sam, Merry and Pippin rose and the others began to as well, but Frodo cried out, “Wait!”

He knelt down in front of Sam and looked up to him. It was the younger hobbit’s turn to be embarrassed. From where they knelt, Gandalf, Gimli, Legolas, Aragorn, Arwen, Faramir and Boromir smiled at Frodo’s gesture. Merry and Pippin knelt back down with a grin of pride and love for their cousin and friend.

“What are you doing, dear?” Sam asked quietly, distinctly uncomfortable as the others remained kneeling as well, according Sam the same honor.

“What I should have done the first time,” Frodo said. “You deserve this honor, Sam, not me.”

“I only did what I promised to do. You’re the hero here.”

Frodo’s eyes did not waver from Sam’s face. “No, Sam, you are. You saved me. I would not have survived either time without you.”

Frodo remained kneeling for a long while, but felt he had only paid the smallest fraction of his debt to Sam. He would keep paying his friend back for the rest of his life and he wondered if even that was long enough. He doubted it.