Ch. 7 - Only a Mountain

The waves crashed gently against the shore. How long had it been? He could not remember. But his heart was lighter than it had ever been. As he turned towards the sea, the light silvered on the crest of the mountain. Skipping a beat, his heart slowly settled down. It was only a mountain, a slip of land pushed upwards towards the sky.

Frodo smiled. In ages past, he would have felt an answering pain in his shoulder. But those days were long past. Now, he could acknowledge the thought and pass on; he could smile at mountains and rings.