When Frodo woke next, he was surprised that it was late in the afternoon. Bilbo and Boromir both sat by his bedside and smiled to see him wake. The younger Baggins touched where the spider had stung him and winced that it was still tender. Boromir sprang up and applied some salve to the area. “Lord Elrond thought you may be in need of this after you woke,” he said as he rubbed the ointment in. The area was red but was not so much as it had been earlier.

Frodo sighed. “It’s the 13^th, isn’t it? My illnesses follow me still.”

“Gandalf said this may be your last,” Bilbo said, as he brought a cup of tea to his heartson.

Frodo sat up and drank. “I would wish that be so. Thank you both. I’m sorry that I was so ill.”

“What do you remember?” Boromir asked. “My brother always encouraged the men under his command who suffered to speak of it if they could.”

Frodo did not speak at once and when he did, it was slowly, reluctant to burden his uncle especially, but also needing someone to know, someone to hear, so it was not just himself facing the darkness. “I was back in the Tower. It’s the third time now that I have returned there. It’s so real. I remember everything just as it was. The terrible smells, the horrible dreams, the red light, the sight and sound of the Orcs, the feel of their whips, the terror and despair that I felt and how sick I was. I was so alone, bereft of everything. I don’t know how I did not go mad. I thought I would. To be troubled still perhap means I did.”

Bilbo was barely aware of the tears that streaked down his cheeks as he silently took Frodo into his arms. The younger Ring-bearer did not weep this time but simply held on.

“Did you hear Elrond call to you?” Bilbo asked.

“No, was he here earlier? All I heard were Orcs. And there was a creature of flame and someone with a Ring of Fire.”

“Yes, we were all here. Boromir, Elrond, Gandalf, and I.  But you could not see or hear us. Oh, my dear boy....”

Frodo held on tighter. “It’s all right now, Uncle. I’m sorry. Sam came to me shortly afterwards and I was no longer alone and the Ring was not lost and we made it Mount Doom with it. It is gone forever now.” For once, that did not bring the sharp thrust of pain and longing it had before that at times left him breathless with loss and shame. “Perhaps one day I will be rid of it as well. Because of the Lady who came.”

“You remember her?” Boromir asked, intrigued..

“Yes, though I do not know who she was. Light against all my darkness, though she was full of grief herself. She came to me and wept with me saw all my dark places and I was there with her. I think I can go there myself now if I bring the memory of her light with me. I had Sam with me the first time and that was enough. And he is still with me and so is she. She did not judge me. I wonder how she is. And then another Lady came and helped sleep.”

Frodo’s voice trailed off and he rested comfortably in Bilbo’s arms. In the lengthening shadows, his soft inner light glowed brighter. “He shines almost as an Elf-child would,” Boromir said in quiet awe. “I’ve noticed that before but not so bright as now.”

Bilbo smiled. “He has ever been thus. Our own Elven hobbit. The Powers have blessed him in the same measure he gave himself to them. And they will heal him in like measure. He may be a broken little bird now, but one day he will soar with the eagles.”

“Let it be so.”

“It will be. I have no doubt of that now.”

Bilbo kissed the top of Frodo’s head, closed his eyes and slept with him. Boromir wrapped a blanket around them both and then left the home.