An Acceptance

It was only hours later when Gandalf returned atop one of the Great Eagles, landing right in the courtyard where Raina was still waiting.

He carried the body of Sam, motioning for Raina. In a shock, she scurried forward and found Frodo, half-unconscious, lying on the cold stone floor beside the Eagle. She gaped down at his figure, tears spilling as she heard his breathing, his almost steady heartbeat, and she scooped him up, and padded after Gandalf hurriedly.

**

“He will be asleep for several days,” Gandalf had said, but Raina remained at his bedside.

He had been given the finest single room in the entire castle portion of Minas Tirith, and Raina sat there, watching Frodo with an unnatural patience for him to wake. It had been far too long since she had seen him, and she was not going to give up a second that she could have with him. It was often that Faramir sat with her; neither said anything, rather, they were just happy to be together.

Finally, somewhere around a week later, he finally woke. It was one of those times when Gandalf was in his room as well, standing over Raina with a curious look in his eye.

It was then did Frodo finally blink his eyes open. A smile spread across Raina’s face slowly, as if her heart didn’t trust itself to truly accept that he was back, for fear of being crushed once more.

He sat up and looked at Raina and Gandalf, awe written all over his face. He started laughing, still in shock.

“Raina? Gandalf?” he asked incredulously, laughing nonetheless.

Tears started falling down her cheeks as she stood.

“Oh, Frodo,” she laughed through the tears, moving onto his bed to give him a bear hug.

“Frodo!” Merry cried, bursting into the room, Pippin right behind him. Raina had to force herself to let go of him and get off his bed to make way for the Hobbits.

Gimli ran in next, waving his arms happily as he ran over to Frodo’s side as well.

“Gimli!” Frodo cried happily.

Then Legolas came in, standing next to Raina with a grin on his face.

“Aragorn,” Frodo breathed, shaking his head in disbelief.

Raina bit her lip and rested her head on Legolas’s chest, who wrapped his arm around her as she cried. Everyone was speaking at once, before Sam came in next.

The two travelers exchanged a knowing look before Sam was attacked by Raina with hugs and kisses, thanking him over and over again for taking care of Frodo, for doing what she could not, for bringing him back alive. For so many things, that she could not remember in the end. But none of that mattered. They did the impossible. They had destroyed the Ring. They had created a Fellowship, eternally bound by love and friendship, and they were now together again. It was over. They had saved Middle Earth.

Raina looked around through her tears of joy. She would forever remember this moment, this year, as the best time of her life, with her best friends. Or rather, her family.