He’s not dead; and your heart knew it! Sam berated
himself with every nasty nickname his Da had ever called him. He was a fool
a Ninny-hammer and a meddler. The only thing he had ever been totally sure
of in his entire life was that he was to be with his master. Not once during
the entire quest had he questioned the rightness of it. There was no other
place for him to be. It was just as things were supposed to be.
Now here at the worst possible moment he had faltered.
He had left his masters side taken what was not rightly his and left him
to the orcs. Faithless, oath-breaker…fool; don’t use your mind Samwise it’s
not your best part, follow your heart. This one thing his Da was right about;
it was his heart as knew that Frodo was not gone. He could not see it given
the evidence that lay before him in the pass. Pale and cold as stone he
was when he left him; not a breath had stirred. What else could he have
done?
Take the ring and go on with out him? The thought
was alien and cold in his gut when it came to him. The logic was flawless
he could hear the voices at the council. Companions shall go forth so that
the quest shall not fail. If he was the only one remaining still he must
go on; the quest must not fail. Now the hard truth before him, guilt and
remorse played out in his mind. Frodo was alive but taken by the enemy.
I should never have left him, never should he have been abandoned like so
much carrion for the foul creatures.
The argument played out in his mind as it had every
moment since he was forced to choose. The quest or his Master, the guilt
that the choice caused him was overwhelming and yet Frodo held no contempt
for him. He understood, he agreed and he told him he had been right! No,
never would it be right how could it be? The quest had been saved he had
managed to balance on the edge of the knife. He had strayed and gone after
his master risking all and yet had managed to avoid disaster. It was just
as it was to be…Sam thought long and hard on it many times. If given the
choices again with what he knew then he would do no different. The Ring
had been saved from the enemy because Frodo did not have it. His own stupidity
had saved the mission from failure. He figured it was just as it was to
be.
Now standing with Frodo on the shoulders of Mount
Doom the world collapsing around them the truth was laid bare to his mind.
There was no fault to find things happened just as they were to happen.
He heard Frodo dimly next to him… “I am glad you are here with me. Here
at the end of all things Sam. Sam looked again on the face of his beloved
master…Worn and abused, too thin and ill but again himself and he too was
glad he was with him; even if was only to die by his side. The task was
completed his master was saved from the darkness and Yes it is just as it
is to be……
The End
