Chapter Twenty-Two: Freedom

It’s gone, Sam, it’s gone at last. I woke up this morning and for the first time I didn’t hear the hated whisper from the Ring. It could last no longer here, not with so much light and strength and peace - all you tried to give me, all I wanted so badly to accept, but I couldn’t, not completely because it was still around me, still in me. But it’s gone now. It has let me go and I have let it go. I so long to see you again and to have you see me whole and healthy again. I don’t want your last memories of me to be of a broken soul. I am free now, dear Sam, I am finally free. I ran to the dark room as fast as I could fly and fell down on my knees before the red light and murmured my thanks to Iluvatar over and over again.  I knew it was only through Him that I had been healed.  Oh, Sam!  I can't wait for you to discover Him too!

* * *

Something wonderful has happened, hasn't it, my dear?  I felt it as I was waking, like the crest of a wave of joy breaking over me.  I have not felt you so clear since you left like I did this morning.  You felt clean if that makes any sense, even cleaner than you did a few months ago when I felt something like this too.  You felt like you always did before the Ring came but even better.  Is that it?  Has it finally let you go?  Oh, my dear, I can't wait to come to celebrate that with you!  I hope you know somehow that I am celebrating right here, right now.  Oh, thank the Powers! I could dance, in fact I think I will and I don’t care who thinks I’m cracked. I am cracked no more and neither are you! I love you, my treasure, so much.