After his morning walks, Frodo came alone to Elrond’s library. Surrounded by so many books and so much history and knowing that he was a small part of it himself gave him peace to continue writing. He chose the spot this particular day to write of Rivendell and the call he had received there. He tried to remember what it was like for him in the days the Elf-lord had fought to heal him from his wound, but there was still a veil over that time that he could not pierce. He shrugged, contenting himself with what he did know. He smiled as he remembered Sam holding his hand after he had woken and expressing joy over seeing him well again.

“All that time you held my hand, my dearest Sam,” Frodo murmured. “Four nights watching over me. I wish I could remember that at least, but I don’t need to. I already know what it feels like. You spent so many more nights doing that. Even now I can feel it.” The pangs of loss were no longer so sharp but had begun to mellow into fond remembrance and contented looking forward to their physical reunion. The grief of their separation at the Havens had faded enough for the Ring-bearer to realize that Sam had not left his side after all. He held out a hand and closed his eyes. The strong presence he sensed of his beloved guardian was no mere memory. Somehow his Sam was near.

“So near,” Frodo murmured as he immersed himself once more in the past. He remembered sitting at the Council and the dreadful weight of the doom that he saw rushing toward him and the equally fierce longing to avoid it and stay in peace with Bilbo at the Elven haven. He heard the call come again within his heart to not run away but to embrace that he was chosen. The Voice he had heard was clearer now than it had been then, or perhaps he understood the call better now that he had endured the terrible cost of saying yes to it. As though watching another person, dearly loved but separate from himself, he looked within the heart of the frightened hobbit who had said that, without knowing all the ravages he would suffer because of it, though he had known enough to have such fear. He marveled then as now to hear such brave words as the call was assented to and how brave the hobbit had been. He also now knew how blessed he was also by the Powers who assisted him and who continued to do so.