Chapter 4 – Part 1 The Healing of Lórien
Chapter 3 – Part 2 The Ring of Doom
Chapter 3 – Part 1 The Ring of Doom
Chapter 2 – Part 3 Unexpected Surprises
Chapter 2 – Part 2 Unexpected Surprises
Chapter 2 – Part 1 Unexpected Surprises
Chapter 1 – A Staircase of Stars
by Silent Draco
Chapter 4, Part 2 – The Healing of Lórien
Sam now babbled, unseeing, soaked in tears and sweat. “Watchers, and then Her, that great beast, an’ she slew Frodo me thought, an’ almost got me, but her Ladyship’s glass and Sting, they showed her! An’ Gollum ye stinker, ye’ll not escape me, but I can’t let Him have it, so I hadst to take it off poor Mr. Frodo ye see? An’ it weighed naught and then felt like a great grain sack. So off we goes to find them Doom Cracks or what, an’ it spoke to me. It said we could clean all this land, toss Him out on ‘is ear, and makes it all a garden of lovely things, an’ … it lied, I knew it, but it whispered that I’d be the bestest ever, even more that old Mister Colman, bigger and better than her Ladyship’s, an’ grow all matter of things an’ flowers an’ …” Sam’s voice flattened to a dry rattle, and continued shrilly:
No Westman’s weed and Elanor seed,
Will never whet the whistle!
So add some strands of fever-weed
And mix with bogland thistle!
So raise the ghagroth and old red bogwash,
Sow plot with togriizsh, liriath rotted,
Add ratsbane, copper, and the huru-ghash!
Mix life with death and death besotted so!
Estë gathered the strands of incense like a flail in her right, and smote Sam’s breast and head, calling in a loud voice, in a tongue known and used only by the Valar:
Avaunt, depart, and trouble not again
No beasts and birds, nor Elves, Dwarves, Hobbits, Men!
I draw thee forth and bind ye in the cell,
Maia and Vala adamantine shell!
For far is journey set aside for blight:
Ye forth shall go beyond the Gates of Night.
Unto the Void and chaos shall ye go,
Eternally, with Master, in his woe!
As Estë and the healers chanted, the air and incense thickened, grasping the dry, wrathful voice from Sam and pulling forth something unclean, stem and root, from the depths of his heart. Sam screamed, then groaned and fell senseless to one side.
In the Name of Eru Illuvatar,
In the Names of Manwe and Varda, Elder King and Great Queen of Arda,
And in my own Name and self,
I call ye forth from this mortal, and into the jar of adamant.
I bind thee within and seal against all sense, touch and mind.
Ye shall be expelled beyond the Gates of Night,
To suffer endless sorrow in the Void with your Dark Master.
Begone and trouble not Arda!
So command I, Estë, Lady of the Valar!
As she finished, words and voice rising and filling the cottage with power, the unclean thing was forced into the jar. The lid slapped down, glowed red for a minute, then faded with no sign of opening or thread. “Goralie, of thy goodness take two guards, and convey this with all careful haste to Mandos immediately. The unclean thing must be expelled from Arda.”
Estë patted Sam’s cheek gently, until his eyes fluttered. Holding the cup of marithian close, she spoke softly, “Master Samwise, awaken! Take two sips; this is a potent elixir of my own making, and will begin healing you.” Sam took two small sips, and opened his eyes wider, shutting them again against the dim light. “L-Lady Estë, did I fall an’ hurt meself? Me ribs, like the day that pony kicked out in the north meadow, but more.” Pushing up, Sam asked for just one more sip. “Like the miruvor that Mr. Gandalf gave us all them years back, but … more and deeper, if ye know?” Then his face fell and he asked quietly, “Great Lady, did – did I say aught? Did it …?” and tears formed at the corners of his eyes.
She leaned over and wiped his eyes with her sleeve. “Yes, it did, to its folly. We drew it forth, like you would draw a boil with hot poultices, and expelled it into an adamant jar blessed by Varda. I sealed the opening so nothing may gaze or force its way in or out. Fear not! We called forth all the unclean and evil power, and Mandos shall expel it beyond the Gates of Night. Now, eat lightly and drink a bit more. Then we shall bring cool water to drink and a hot bath, with salves to ease aching joints.”
Sam looked, wide-eyed, as Estë drew a deep breath. “That was always his way. Use force and his daunting on those too weak to resist, but always to drain and weaken others. Other fragments of Him may be trying to gather, to find a way to suborn the Free Peoples or his remaining servants. Gimli’s folk would be new-come, still rejoicing and with few cares in the light of the Enemy’s downfall. This was one of their first findings, I imagine, and it probably whispered an idea to Gimli. Just another oddity, a bit of whimsy. The small cuts, more than one I imagine, let it enter.”
She paused a moment, then spoke plainly. “You bore the Master-Ring for a short while, so it knew your presence, your flavor. It sensed your goodness, steadfast and loving heart, and courage; it loathed you for everything it was not. Since you had borne the Master-Ring, you were tempted a small amount, so your spirit also had at least a small puncture or tear from it – sufficient for a fragment of Him to grasp and burrow in. When you handed over your offices and family leadership, but more when your Rosie passed away, it found the unguarded tear in your heart and dug harder. You were no longer whole. Is that when you began having the dreams and sudden rages?” Sam nodded, slowly. “Aye, Lady. ‘Twas when Rosie got so sick, and passed away. Me an’ the lads were at hammer an’ tongs. I’d think I was right and they were being fools, so I’d show ‘em proper. ‘Twas that thing working on me, like a big tick or one o’ them worms, I warrant. That … ‘twas time, an’ Mr. Frodo had reminded me before he and old Mr. Bilbo went to the Havens, that I’d need healing too.”
“It was more than anyone could expect, Sam, but rest easy! You (like your master) are far tougher than anyone would expect. You bore and fought a peril that would have laid waste to most heroes of Men, and many among Elves. It was love and courage that saved you. We vanquished and removed the fragment, but only you can finish healing; to start forgive yourself for the evils it forced on you. We honor and freely forgive you, Samwise the Steadfast. In my Name and by the Name of Varda, be healed of all woe and horror.” Estë kissed him on the brow, rose, and quietly walked out, skirts swirling about her feet.
Sam sat for a time, deep in thought, as the leafy shadows stretched across the window and the light dimmed. He felt around inside his head and heart, but nothing reached back at him. He stretched and blew out a deep breath. “Me old Gaffer would say, ‘Sam ye ninnyhammer, th’ lass is right. Beat on yerself so, an’ I’ll whack ye more for larnin’! Now quit lollygagging and finish yer work!’ Lady, thank you for removing that thing. I’ve been a ninnyhammer, and a fool, but I loved me Rosie something special, and Eleanor and Frodo and Young Sam an’ all the rest. And Merry and Pippin, and Mr. Frodo of course; at the Field of Cormallen and Annuminas … aye, every one o’ them loved me too, are me friends, or thought me brave and strong. An’ they’re good and great folk, and right about big things, so … aye, time to ‘larn meself’ that I’m whole now, and good. But,” ye yawned hugely, “Mr. Bilbo is right about needin’ me rest from big talking and things. P’rhaps I just close me eyes a bit.”
Goralie was on watch that evening, in case. He heard Sam talking and half-thinking to himself, and relaxed as the Halfling sighed and rolled into blankets, dropping into deep and dreamless sleep. “The Second Song has its odd pauses and flourishes,” he murmured. “May this phrase have a slower tempo, and some long-sought rests.” This was the first of several meetings with the Healers. In time, all pains were refined to calm joys and thankfulness.
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Chapter 5 to come!