Return to Valinor

Samwise Gamgee looked out over the Sea from the stern of Círdan’s graceful Elven ship. The hobbit still did not much trust boats on water, but the seafaring elflord seemed to know what he was about and Sam finally relaxed as best he could on the journey to Valinor.

“We are almost there, Master Gamgee,” spoke Círdan with a tolerant smile. “I think if you look out over the bow rather than the stern you will find a very fair sight indeed.”

“I was hopin’ to see one last glance of Middle-earth,” he strained his eyes for a glimpse of his home, but it had been some days since they had seen the far shore. “It’s gone…” he lamented quietly.

“Look ahead not behind, my friend,” Círdan laughed. “You might see Middle-earth where you least expect it.”

The hobbit looked up at the Elven captain with a bewildered expression, but Círdan’s only answer was to nod towards the bow.

Reluctantly Sam turned from the stern and made his way to the front of the ship and the sight that greeted his eyes amazed him.

“Bless me! Is that Mister Frodo there looking so happy and strong?”

“It is indeed, Master Gamgee. He’s been eagerly awaiting your arrival.”

“And who are these others waiting with him? By Elbereth, they are a bonny lot!”

Círdan put a friendly hand on Sam’s shoulder, “By Elbereth is not far off the mark, my friend. But that is Frodo’s story to tell.”

Sam fairly danced until the ship could finally hove into port and moor at the dock. The Elven captain led the way down the gangplank and the hobbit was right at his heels.

“Mister Frodo!” he exclaimed through happy tears. “I can hardly believe it! Look at you!”

“My dear Sam…” Frodo shook his head tolerantly as in the old days, his eyes also misty with tears. Holding out his arms to his friend, he warmly embraced Sam who had eagerly rushed into them. “I’ve waited for this day for a long time. I’ve missed you, my friend.”

“You’re a sight for sore eyes, Mister Frodo, that’s for sure. What with Merry and Pippin gone, the children scattered all over the Shire and now Rosie…” Sam sniffed mightily. “I feel I hadn’t a friend left in the world…”

“Such devoted loyalty and friendship should never be lonely, Samwise Gamgee,” spoke the lovely elflady standing at Frodo’s side. “You must be part of our family now.”

There was something familiar about her, but Sam could not figure out why that would be. “Do I know you, Lady?” he asked.

Her smile was warm and gentle and she leaned down to kiss him on the cheek, “We have not met, Sam, but Frodo has told me so much about you I feel as if I’ve known you your whole life.”

Bewildered, Sam turned to his friend, “Mister Frodo?”

“Sam, this is Cara… my wife,” Frodo replied. “She is the daughter of Lord Elladan of Rivendell and we have been married these many years.” At Sam’s great wonder he continued, “And these are our children…” First he pointed to two pretty elfmaids, as different as night and day but so obviously a copy of one another in every other way that it was unmistakable that Sam was looking at twins. “This is Elenya,” he brought forth the bright maid, “and this is Isilya,” he introduced the dusky maid.

“The House of Elladan,” Sam mused. “Bless me, I wondered that you all looked so familiar for, miss, you seem just like the lady Arwen,” he bowed to Isilya. “And if you aren’t a picture of the lady Galadriel, my girl,” he then bowed to Elenya, “then I don’t know who is – unless it be your beautiful mother.”

All three elfladies smiled broadly and each maid stooped to kiss Sam’s cheek. “If you will then tell us that you see our dear father in us, Master Gamgee, then we will be pleased beyond measure,” said Isilya.

“Aye, there is some of Mister Frodo in you for sure, my ladies,” he answered. “Somethin’ about the eyes and the sweet smiles. I don’t suppose you have feet like a hobbit?”

Both maids laughed and lifted up their filmy gowns to show their feet. They were graceful and delicate without a strand of hair on top. “I’m afraid not, Master Gamgee,” replied Elenya. “You will have to ask our brothers the same question!”

“Brothers?”

“Meriadoc and Peregrine,” spoke a tiny voice that peeked out from behind Carantaliel. “They are waiting back at Elvenwood with the others.”

“And who is this pretty maid?” asked Sam as the little one shyly came forward and slipped her hand in Frodo’s. Age was difficult to gauge among the First Born, but Sam thought she could not be very old for an elf.

“This is our Elanor, Sam,” Frodo replied as he looked down at his youngest daughter fondly and caressed her head. Young as she was, Elanor was still nearly as tall as her slight father was. While definitely Elven, she most closely resembled a hobbit with her chestnut curls and rosy complexion.

“Elanor…” Sam sighed pensively. “I miss my girl, that’s for sure.”

Putting aside her shyness, Elanor reached out a hand to pat Sam’s shoulder, “Ada said you would be missing your family, Master Gamgee, and we must be your family now.” Then she gave him a big hug, which he returned in full measure, tears once again spilling down his face.

Fondly, Frodo put an arm around his friend, “Come, Sam. There are many others waiting to greet you at home…”


Sam was overwhelmed by his reception at Elvenwood. So many familiar faces among a sea of new ones. He hardly recognized Bilbo who seemed years younger than when he left for Valinor. Gandalf looked the same as ever, though much less careworn. Even Lord Elrond’s expression was filled with laughter and contentment rather than the grim and doom-filled look that was his wont in Rivendell. The Lady Galadriel to no great surprise was as beautiful and serene as Sam remembered her.

The elflord then introduced his wife Lady Celebrían and then the Lord Figwit and his wife Fimbelis and their two sons. Sam remembered the courtier from Rivendell, but had not met him at the time. It was plain that he and Frodo were great friends, but Figwit assured him, “Frodo and I have had many adventures and good times together, Master Gamgee, but no one can take your place in his affections. I hope that you and I may now be friends as well.”

Figwit offered his hand in friendship, which Sam eagerly accepted, “Thank you, my lord. It would be my pleasure.”

“Now, where are those rascals?” asked Frodo good-naturedly, searching the glade for his two sons. “I tell you, Sam, they are determined to live up to their namesakes!”

“Here we are, Ada!” the elflads shouted as they bounded into their presence.

“What mischief have you lads been up to? I daresay something will come crashing down any moment…” He grasped each curly head affectionately and pulled them down to kiss their foreheads.

Meriadoc and Peregrine were as hobbity as hobbits could be despite the fact they were a head taller than their father was and would probably outstrip their mother as well. They favored Frodo greatly, though the younger one had rose-gold hair like Carantaliel. All of Frodo and Cara’s children, however, shared their parents’ bright sea blue eyes.

“Ada, you do us a disservice,” blustered Meriadoc, the elder lad. “We were just… well… what were we doing, Peregrine?”

Glibly, Peregrine answered, “We took Master Gamgee’s baggage to his rooms,” and Meriadoc nodded in agreement.

Their father gave them a skeptical look and told Sam, “I would check your bed before turning in tonight, Sam. Who knows what the pair of them have done to it!”

Both elflads’ faces fell, plainly showing they had been caught, and their elders laughed heartily at them.

Sam’s laugh was the heartiest of them all as he said, “I could not have a better welcome, lads! Now I truly feel at home!”

The celebration lasted well into the wee hours with much feasting and singing and dancing. Sam caught them up with the fates of their now mostly departed friends and their families in Middle-earth including: the still hale King Elessar and his Elven Queen Arwen; Faramir and Éowyn, Prince and Princess of Ithilien; King Éomer of Rohan and his queen Lothíriel, sometimes called “Ani;” and of course, Legolas and Gimli, both still wandering the forests and mountain caves of Middle-earth. Frodo noticed that Figwit did not even flinch at his once-rival’s name.

Later when his friend was off with his sons and daughters to check out Gandalf’s famous fireworks, Frodo had a chance to be alone with Carantaliel.

“Sam seems very happy to be here, Frodo,” she said as she settled into the crook of his arm. “He has missed you.”

Frodo sighed, “Poor Sam… I did hate to leave him. But it was time that he stood on his own two feet instead of waiting to pick me up when I couldn’t stand on my own.”

Tenderly, Carantaliel said, “Perhaps you both needed the time apart to find your own strength without the other.”

“You are my strength, melethnín,” he kissed her softly. She sighed lightly as he released her and they turned their attention again to the revelers. “So many of our friends from home are gone…”

“Gone…” she agreed, “but not forgotten. Their legacy in Middle-earth will always be remembered, though perhaps in the days to come their names may not. Yet, here in Valinor their memory will be evergreen.”

Frodo turned to his Elven wife, deep affection in his azure gaze. “Evergreen,” he repeated. “Yes, they will not be forgotten. Hannon lle, Cara.”

Tenderly she traced his cheek with a long, graceful finger, “No worries, Frodo. No regrets. Today is a happy day…”

“With you, cormamin,” he smiled gently, “every day is a happy day.”


Gandalf feigned absorption in the fireworks he was about to set off, but was really observing Sam who was watching his friend across the glade.

“Don’t he look happy?” Sam murmured.

“He does indeed, Samwise Gamgee,” answered Gandalf. “Now that you are here, his joy is complete.”

Sam was startled that someone had heard him. “Oh!” he jumped. “I didn’t know as anyone was there to hear me, Gandalf, sir.”

The wizard merely smiled and went back to his fireworks for a moment. After he set it off to a chorus of appreciative applause from the onlookers, he asked the hobbit, “Frodo has changed quite a bit since you last saw him, my dear hobbit. Or hadn’t you noticed?”

“Well, apart from looking a good deal healthier and much, much happier, as I said…” he cocked his head to study Frodo. “I don’t see as where he looks much different.”

“Oh, really?” Gandalf replied. “You don’t think he seems… taller maybe?”

“Taller, Gandalf? Beggin’ your pardon, sir, but that’s daft!”

Raising an eyebrow, the wizard asked, “You think so? Have you stood next to him?”

“O’ course I have,” he answered, “and Mister Frodo seems the same as always to me.”

He grinned as he saw Frodo and Carantaliel crossing the glade to join them, happy to see a smile on his friend’s face.

“What are you two talking about over here?” asked Frodo as he put a friendly hand on Sam’s shoulder. Gandalf grinned as he could not help but notice that Frodo was over a head taller than Sam now.

“See?” said Sam. “What did I tell you, Gandalf? Mister Frodo is just the same. I’ve always looked up to him and I always will!”

Gandalf burst out with a hearty laugh, “My dear boy, I stand corrected!”

Looking to one another, Frodo and Carantaliel were mystified by this jovial display. Yet, as the wizard’s laugh was infectious the pair joined in with laughter of their own. Soon the glade was ringing with the merry sounds of their voices and Sam’s was the loudest as he sang:

"The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say."*


Here ends the tale of Frodo Baggins and Carantaliel Tarsulëwen in Valinor. Many adventures they may have still, but hopes are high that they and their family and friends will always find joy and happiness among each other in the Blessed Realm.


-The End-

*The above song borrowed from Tolkien’s Fellowship of the Ring with respect and gratitude as always for the Professor.