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The Silmarillion: P. 16: Valaquenta: "Irmo the younger is the master of vision and dreams. In Lorien are his gardens in the land of the Valar, and they are the fairest of all places in the world, filled with many spirits. Este the gentle, healer of hurts and of weariness, is his spouse. Grey is her raiment; and rest is her gift."

~~~

The Valar had always anticipated the return of Morgoth, even though they had taken away his powers at the end of the First Age of Middle-earth, and had destroyed his fortress of Angband and all of the lands of Beleriand in the War of Wrath, in order to rid the world of him.

Manwe, the High King, was with Varda, his Queen, in their private rooms in their palace on Mt. Taniquetil, when a powerful force suddenly hit him. It temporarily knocked him into a state of sub consciousness, where his own thought was removed, and a strange consciousness entered his mind in place of it. He fought against it, and succeeded in ridding his mind of the intruder, but it managed to leave a clear message in his thoughts before he forced it out.

"You shall perish", were the words that resonated in his mind, and the feeling he was left with was of a hatred so strong and so dark, that he knew instantly that it came from Morgoth. He knew not how this could come to be after the world had been free of Morgoth's menace for so long, since the Valar had thrown him into the Void two full ages ago, but Manwe was also struck by a feeling of inevitability, and therefore was not surprised by the return of Morgoth's evil force.

He then turned to Varda, his beloved spouse, who had been watching him with some feeling of dread and knowledge that something was gravely wrong as he was being tormented by the black thought. "He has returned", Manwe told her, and took her hand. He held it up to his face, where a tear ran down his cheek.

*

Frodo walked about the Isle of Este, taking in the sights and atmosphere of the Gardens of Lorien. The Gardens were named after Este's husband, Irmo, whose name was Lorien also, but who was more generally known as Irmo. The landscape was beautiful. Where the Shire, Frodo's old home, had been lush and pastoral, with its colorful cottage gardens and brightly painted hobbit holes, Lorien was, as was all of Valinor, more cultured and structured. As Frodo discovered, when the Valar had first arranged the landscapes of Middle-earth, they had imagined its symmetry to be perfectly harmonious in all of its elements, but when Morgoth ruined it, out of his malice and his lust to destroy, what resulted was some ugliness mixed with beauty. Thus, on Middle-earth, one would see such things as jagged lava rocks and foul cesspools juxtaposed with smooth, rolling green hills and streams running with clear, fresh water. Dusty, desert wastelands would appear next to majestic, snow-capped mountain peaks. There would be clear blue skies one day, yet thunderstorms and lightning the next, and so on. The Valar had wanted Middle-earth to be as perfectly beautiful as Valinor, but it was the wicked legacy of Morgoth that parts of it had been ruined, and the reality was that Middle-earth had been irreparably marred.

When the Valar had arranged for the separation of the Undying Lands from Middle-earth, they then were able to fix most of the physical problems that Morgoth had created on Valinor, but those on Middle-earth remained behind as part of its unique landscape. On Valinor, one could walk in valleys surrounded by identical, symmetrical mountain ranges on either side, as if one were walking in a vast, green, outdoor corridor. Its lakes were in perfect shapes of circles, eggs, or ovals. Perfectly spaced trees and shrubs would line the lakes in a set order; perhaps a willow next to a clump of bulrushes, next to a lotus plant, and this combination would be repeated in identical order around the entire lake.

Frodo stopped beside a small pond in Este's garden, and decided to go swimming in the clear, inviting water. He looked around, but did not see anyone nearby. Feeling quite alone and safe, and protected from view by the surrounding shrubbery, he removed his clothing as he saw the elves do on Tol Eressea, and slipped naked into the water. It felt warm and soothing on his weary body. The wound in his shoulder from the Witch-king's sword-blade was already feeling somewhat better since he had left Middle-earth, as was the wound in his neck from the spider's sting. He swam with his eyes closed, floating for a while on his back, and then turning to dive under the surface so that he could look down at the bottom. He could not see anything but fine, soft sand carpeting the floor of the pond, and it continued up the sides and onto the banks, surrounding the pond with its fine, white border.

He swam for a while, letting himself be soothed and refreshed by the water flowing over him with its gentle ripples. Presently, he became aware of a figure standing on the bank. Water was in his eyes as he blinked, startled, trying to see who it was. The tall figure was clothed in grey, with a pale blue light shining from her eyes. Frodo could then see that it was Este, who had come to find him. She walked down the slope to the sand and there spread out a grey blanket.

"Good morning, Frodo", she greeted him warmly. "How do you find the water?"

"It is warm and very nice", Frodo replied, a little embarrassed. He could not help but stare at Este in fascination. She reminded him in a way of Galadriel, but without the remoteness of the elf. They both possessed a certain otherworldly quality.

"You are likely wondering why I have come to find you", Este said in her kind voice. "I was hoping that we could begin our healing sessions. If you like, I think this would be a perfect place in which to start".

"I am sorry if I have trespassed", said Frodo, "but I had a feeling that compelled me to get up and explore these grounds as soon as I awoke this morning".

"Do not worry", said Este to soothe him. "It is perfectly all right for you to do so. This is your home for as long as you wish. Here, there are no rules as you may have had back home, which forbade you to trespass, or some other such nonsense. Here, no one is filled with malice toward any other, and there is no need for anyone to commit any crimes; therefore, there is no need for anyone to try to keep anyone else out, or for trespassing. If one desires, one may walk anywhere one chooses. None of the lands here are "owned". They are merely looked after by those who care most deeply about them. These people consider their care to be labors of love, not chores. I am sure that it will take a while for you and your uncle Bilbo to become accustomed to our ways here, but one day you will understand them a little better".

"You seem to know a great deal about us", said Frodo, surprised.

Este laughed. "We, the Valar, are experts at communicating with each other, and with our Maiar helpers. Mithrandir, or Gandalf, as you call him, has been most helpful in telling Irmo and myself all about you. Now, if you are ready, please come out of the water, and I will begin tending to your wounds and your sorrows". She reached down, and gently lifted Frodo out of the water.

Este set Frodo down carefully on the grey blanket. He could feel the warmth of the sand beneath it. He was embarrassed about his nakedness, and he blushed. Este saw this and smiled at him. "Another of our ways that you will become accustomed to in time here is that we are not ashamed of our nakedness. We know that we are all children of the same maker. Also, here on Valinor, we are all old souls, not at all the same as those people of Middle-earth, where you have come from. There, the world is young and fresh for those who are not immortal, and it needs to be populated. Carnal feelings exist, therefore, for the purpose of having children to continue the various species there. But here, no new children will ever be born. For many of us, carnal desire is much lessened. We can take solace, then, in being comfortable with our bodies, and ourselves, and be natural and go about as we wish. Our world of Valinor is continually being populated by new arrivals every so often from Middle-earth, as the elves, and people such as yourself, gradually leave it to come here. We will be connected to Middle-earth until the remainder of the elves come to our shores, but we are all immortal here. You and Bilbo have been given a longer life here than you would have had otherwise. Remember that, Frodo, as it is of fundamental importance. Now, please close your eyes and reflect on what I have just told you, as it will help you to begin your adjustment to your new life here".

With that, Este began to pass her hands over Frodo's body, up and down, without actually touching him. She chanted softly as she did so, and then brought from under her cloak a small vial of sweet-smelling oil, which she began to spread over his upper torso with smooth, caressing strokes.

"You may open your eyes now, Frodo", she said after a while. Frodo opened them and met Este's gaze. The blue light from her eyes shone into his own and transported him to a faraway place. He lost all sense of time and space. When he returned to the present, he felt stronger. Este smiled down at him. "That will be the end of our first session", she told him. "How do you feel?"

"I feel wonderful", he replied. "Bigger, or something like it, if that is possible. It feels strange to say that, but I do not know how else to describe it. Bigger! That's how I feel".

Este laughed. "That is all for now. We shall do this again tomorrow. Now, I must go and find your uncle, so I shall leave you alone to get dressed, and I am sure that you will want to go and eat something".

"Are you going to do the same thing with Bilbo as you did with me?" asked Frodo.

"No, not the same thing", replied Este. "But he is old, and I am going to make him young again". She smiled at Frodo and left in search of the old hobbit.

Frodo was startled by her words. He continued to dress himself, thinking that he had a lot to digest after his session with Este. He felt invigorated, and very hungry. He struggled a bit in getting his trousers back on, as they seemed to stick when he tried to pull them up. "It must be because I am still wet", he thought.

Este found Bilbo in her great room, which served also as a library, as he was poring over one of her books. "Sticklebacks!" he exclaimed. "My eyes have grown so dim that I cannot see well enough to read anymore!" He seemed quite upset by this. Este looked at him compassionately, and put her hand on his shoulder.

"Dear Bilbo", she said. "I have come to help you regain your previous strength and to make you feel better".

"What do you mean?" asked Bilbo. "What can you do? I have grown old and it is not lost on me that I now must spend an eternity as an old man, unable to enjoy the pleasures that I used to, such as reading and writing".

"Dear Bilbo", Este said once more. "I am Este, the Vala of Hurts and Sorrows. I do have the power to rejuvenate you. Please look at me".

Bilbo looked at her with wonder in his old, dim eyes. Blue light shone out of her eyes into his, and he could feel a warm sensation coursing through them and healing them. Presently, she released his gaze from hers.

"Now, try again to read your book", she said.

Bilbo looked down at the book upon his lap. The runes on it stared back at him and they were clear. He looked up at Este, elated. "But this is wonderful!" he exclaimed. Then he burst into tears.

Este put her arms around Bilbo and let him cry. After a while, he stopped, wiped his eyes, and looked up at her.

"I am sorry to seem ungrateful", he said. "I have much to thank you for. I will start by thanking you for restoring my eyesight. I am most humbled".

Este smiled at him. "Bilbo, I find you most engaging. My husband and I are here for just that reason, to heal the wounds of the suffering and the afflicted. Tonight, Irmo will weave a web of sleep and dreams about you that will return you to a former youthful state. Over a period of time, you will find that you will become stronger and more able to enjoy your life. You are immortal now, Bilbo, so you may as well be fit enough to enjoy it!"

Este and Bilbo then looked at each other with glee and burst into laughter.


The following morning, Frodo entered Este's library to find her and Bilbo engaged in conversation.

"Do you have any maps that I can look at here?" Bilbo was asking.

"Maps?" Este enquired in return.

"Yes, yes", replied Bilbo. "Maps. I would very much like to plan a route for exploring, and I will need to see some maps!"

"I am afraid that we do not have any here", said Este. "You see, everyone in these Lands knows where everything is. Nothing ever changes on Valinor, and no one ever dies. The new people who arrive here are shown about by the others, and they quickly find somewhere to live. Most prefer to wander about not knowing ahead of time what they will find until they get there. They wish to have the experience of discovery. They are aware that there is no danger here, and therefore no need to plan a route around it."

Bilbo was very surprised to find that no one in Valinor had any maps at all. "Well, I never!" he exclaimed. Then his eyes became bright as he thought of an idea. "Would you mind if I made some?"

"Made some maps?" asked Este. "Of course I do not mind, Bilbo, but how are you going to accomplish this?"

Bilbo beamed. "If I could gather some supplies - some very large sheets of parchment and a lot of charcoal, paints, brushes and yardsticks - that should do very well for a start", he said. "I have had some experience making maps. I have made a few on Middle-earth, of the Lonely Mountain and the surrounding area. Oh, how I miss my old country! I shall be happy indeed to be able to continue this interest of mine in these new lands".

"Then I shall be pleased to help you arrange this map-making project", said Este. "But first, Irmo and I must finish restoring the rest of your energy, before you can engage on an expedition. Tonight, he will weave his web of youthful dreams about you and you shall find yourself much livelier in the morning".

Frodo was astounded when he heard the news. "How can you become a map-maker, Uncle?" he asked. "Your eyesight is not at all what it used to be."

Este and Bilbo looked at each other and chuckled. Este then told Frodo, "I have restored your uncle's sight. Did I not tell you that I was going to make him young again? Bilbo, why did you not tell Frodo about this?"

Bilbo, still chuckling, replied, "I was just having a little fun. I was going to surprise him when I thought of a way I could do it humorously".

"Bilbo!" Frodo laughed. "You are up to your old mischief again! I should have guessed that something was afoot! Your hair has started to become darker again, and if I did not know better, you look somewhat taller as well!"

Bilbo laughed, and turned to leave the room. "I am going in search of a very large breakfast!" he said. "Then I shall start putting some supplies together for my trip!"

Este went to Frodo and put her arm around him. "He is taller than he was, Frodo", she said, "and he will become taller still. Have you looked at yourself today?"

Frodo was puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"Come and look in the mirror", she said, gesturing toward a large gilt-edged looking glass leaning upon an easel in a corner of the room. She led Frodo to it and let him stare at his reflection. He gazed in amazement at the curly-haired hobbit he saw before him. His clothes were much too small! His hands extended below his shirtsleeves by at least two inches, and his shirt and pants were very tight. His legs were longer and his shoulders broader. He was astonished that he had not noticed this before!

"How do you like your new self?" Este asked him.

"It is wonderful!" he exclaimed. "I did not know that such a thing could happen! I look almost elf-like, I am so very tall and slim!"

Este laughed. "Well, you have a long way to go before you become that tall and slim!" she exclaimed. "But eventually you will become so, I promise you!"

"I do not wish to seem ungrateful", he said, turning to look at Este with an expression of concern, "but why are you doing this? I do not see the need. For Bilbo, certainly I can see the need to restore his eyesight and make him stronger in body, but for me - aside from my illnesses, I do not see - "

"It is for a reason, Frodo", Este replied. "You will need to be of larger stature and be stronger in order to be equal to everyone else who dwells here. You may need to undertake some difficult tasks in your future, and therefore must have some evenness in stature with the elves. I cannot tell you more about your future, as I do not know myself what lies there. I have been asked to prepare you for an adventure".

"Is it to go with Bilbo on his map-making expedition?" Frodo asked. "I can imagine that many unexpected things may lie ahead of us in an uncharted land".

"Yes, perhaps it is that", said Este softly. "Come now, and let us find your uncle".

Bilbo had eaten a very hearty meal which had invigorated him, and was busy packing up some map-making paraphernalia that the elves of Este's household had brought to his room for him.

"I am very excited about my new journey, Frodo", Bilbo said. "I am planning to leave in perhaps a fortnight, or at least as soon as Este and Irmo have finished making me strong enough for all of the traveling I will have to do".

"You know, Uncle", said Frodo, "I think that I will go with you this time, if you don't mind. It will be the first time that we have gone on an adventure together, won't it?"

Bilbo hugged Frodo closely. "Of course I don't mind, my dear boy. You have made me a very happy old hobbit, indeed. Just think! Our first adventure together!"