- Eomer announces the wedding of Eowyn and Faramir (And Eowyn does, indeed, have some dialogue. It isn't as much as we may hope, but she was never the central figure of the story anyway, so we need to keep our expectations realistic. While she was certainly demoted in the previous chapter, she at least is still given an active place in the story)
- Gimli shows Legolas the Glittering Caves of Helm's Deep, and Legolas guides Gimli around Fangorn Forest.
- Eomer, who had offended Gimli earlier by referring to Galadriel as a witch, makes amends when he sees her, and admits to Gimli he was wrong in his judgment.
- Theoden is buried in Rohan, and Merry mourns him, "Like a father to me, for a time."
- The Hobbits find Bilbo in Rivendell and share their adventures with him.
This chapter makes it clear that, while the drama is over, our characters go on, and that they did not live only for war. War was the enemy, and now that it is defeated, they are free to live the lives they always wished to.
The second chapter is "Homeward bound." The hobbits say farewell to their other friends and head off toward the Shire (with Gandalf). They arrive at Bree, where they stayed so long ago, and where they met Aragorn. They expect a warm welcome, but to no avail. The gatekeeper is very gruff until he recognizes them. Evidently, all is not well.
Butterbur, the proprietor of the Prancing Pony, informs them that, over the past year, robbers and worse have been coming to Bree and the surrounding areas, and that news from the Shire is even worse. It seems as though the hobbits have more to do to wrap up their own story
Butterbur does make an interesting comment at some point. "Some [who came to Bree and started the trouble] were just poor folk running away from trouble." What trouble? Probably, possibly, related to what the Quest was about in the first place. It's difficult to bring down an enemy without causing some collateral damage - and that damage needs to be accounted for somewhere. In the case of our hobbits, while they've been off saving the world, their home has been in dire need.
There are many examples of this throughout time. Somehow, fighting the enemy without causes the enemy within, or at least allows the enemy a chance to strike. It would have been better, maybe, to have just done nothing. But we cannot grow without some pain. Biologically, growth is always about a cycle of destruction and creation (Read the sidebar). Growth always involves leaving an old perception behind.
Obviously, Frodo (and the others) were right to leave the Shire, even if it meant exposing it to this kind of harm. In fact, had they not, they would have not been able to help. They needed to go out on the Quest to acquire the skills required the defend it. The Shire had been kept safe by hidden forces, but now those forces are fading. Merry says to Gandalf, almost casually, "Well, we've got you with us, so things will soon be cleared up." Gandalf says, "I am not coming to the Shire. You must settle its affairs yourselves." The Shire needs heroes of its own.
Mythologically speaking, this is the boon. The boon is what is brought back from the hero's journey. the boon proves the hero completed the quest, as well as improves the lives of the hero's home. The hero did not go on an adventure merely for their own benefit, but for the benefit of all. So what is the boon here?
In our case, the Ring was destroyed and Frodo lost a finger - they've actually returned with fewer things than they came. But they, through their trials, gained knowledge and wisdom and grit. Hobbits are notorious sluggards and pranksters. But now, when our hobbits share their boon, they will be able to become their own heroes. No longer will they need to depend on others for protection, but also no longer will they be able to live in blissful ignorance of the Outside. But that is the price of growth.
In the next chapter we will see, while witnessing another cycle of creative destruction, the Shire receive and accept the boon. We will follow our heroes complete their own quest (not just The Quest).
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