Sam hurried through the streets of the celestial elven city, looking for a familiar face somewhere among the millions of Elves perusing the streets and standing around talking to each other.

“Galadriel!” Sam cried. “Galadriel!” He couldn’t see the Elf Lady anywhere. OR any of his other Elf friends for that matter.

Suddenly a voice from behind him said, “Sam? Is there trouble?”

The hobbit turned to see his friend Meldamiriel standing behind him. “Mel, I didn’t see you come up,” Sam said. “I was looking for Galadriel.”

“She’s not in the city today. She went to visit an old friend on the other side of the island. Why do you need her? Maybe I can help,” the girl said.

“Well, it’s Frodo. He’s been acting rather odd the last few days, if you follow me,” Sam told her.

“Odd? What do you mean?” Mel asked, turning her dark brown eyes to the road that led to Frodo and Sam’s house.

“He’s been talking about wanting to see Bilbo again, and saying that I can’t follow him anymore,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. “And he’s not eating much anymore. I’m really worried, Mel.”

Mel stood there for a moment, staring into space, then she knelt down and put a hand on Sam’s shoulder. “You go stay with him, Sam. I’ll go fetch Gandalf and Galadriel.”

“What’s happening Mel?” Sam looked scared. He knew what she was going to say, but he didn’t want to admit he believed it.

“He’s dying, Sam. He’s an old hobbit after all,” Mel replied, wiping a tear off Sam’s face. “Don’t cry, you will see him again.”

“I don’t want to lose him,” Sam whispered.

“You’re not losing him. Think of it, Sam. He’s going to a better place than even here. He won’t even have nightmares anymore. And he’ll be able to see his parents again, and tell them about all that’s happened,” Mel explained, thinking, “It is I who will be losing him.”

Sam smiled. “He’ll love that,’ he said. “He’s missed them a lot.”

“You’ll be following after him soon enough,” Mel replied.

“But,” Sam said, frowning. “Are you sure there is such a place?”

Mel smiled. “What does your heart tell you? Iluvitar loves all his creations, and if they accept him, as you and Frodo have, he will not disappoint them.”

Sam smiled at this. “Thank you, Mel.”

“Now you have to go to him, Sam. I’ll be along in a moment.”

Sam hurried back down the road, and Meldamiriel stared after him for a moment. Then she headed down the road, hurrying towards the lane that led to the other side of the island. She would miss Frodo once he was gone. She herself would never see him again. And that made her sad. She had never seen anyone die before, and it scared her.