Silmaril Awards 2018 - Most Faithful Friend Award Presentation

And....it's finally time! You guys TOTALLY blew the voting round out of the water (there were over two hundred votes!), and now it's time to reveal who you picked as the winner of this year's Most Faithful Friend award - but I won't be the one presenting it! Just like last year (when I hosted the Strangest Character Award), I'll be handing over the presentation of the award to one of the most faithful friends in all of literature, Sam Gamgee. I'm only here to chronicle the going-ons ;).

Let's travel to the Green Dragon to see the presentation, shall we?

      The Green Dragon was very full that night.

      There were almost more people there than the Dragon had ever seen, except for at the celebration of the end of Sauron, with all the races of Middle Earth gathered together for the ceremony. Shouts rang out as cups were passed around, and one could barely hear one's own thoughts, much less anyone else's voice. 

      Samwise Gamgee sat at a table near the back, with a pint of the Dragon's best ale in front of him, looking around nervously. "Well, there's nothing for it, Sam," he muttered to himself, looking at his still-full mug. "You did it last year - and the year before that - you can do it again."

      Drawing in a deep breath, Sam stood up and shoved his way through to the front of the Green Dragon. "Excuse me, excuse me," he said to the hobbits sitting at the front-most table. "Would you mind if I borrow this table for a mo?"

       "Not at all, my good hobbit!" Shouted one of them, while another looked towards the serving counter and shouted, "it comes in pints?"

      "Much obliged," Sam said, already a little out of breath. Tucking his green cloak into his belt, Sam climbed up onto the table and faced the rowdy crowd. Everyone quieted once they saw him, and Sam cleared his throat.

      "Um...hullo, friends from Middle Earth and afar." He cleared his throat again, and gave a nervous laugh. "As you can see, as I'm bein' here, they've asked me to present the Most Faithful Friend award again. Can't say as to why, as Mister Frodo is the Most Faithful Friend, bless his soul, but I'll do what's asked of me, mind you."

      "Hear, hear!" a hobbit from the back shouts, draining his pint.

      Sam's face flushed, and he shifted on the table. "Well, nothing for it, Sam," he whispered to himself again. Then he took a deep breath. "I should probably get on to announcing the winner now, otherwise I'm bound to muddle something up, I'd wager. Let's see, where did I leave that scroll..." After a moment of rummaging in his pockets, Sam found the tiny scroll, bound with a golden ribbon and seal.

      All of the Green Dragon seemed to be holding its breath as Sam pulled out the scroll, which was emitting its own glow. As soon as Sam held it up, the seal melted away and the scroll unrolled in his hand as if it had a will of it's own. "Now there's something Samwise Gamgee, make no mistake," Sam whispered to himself.

      Not daring to touch the floating scroll, Sam leaned close to the paper to make out the sprawling letters. "The nominees for this year's Most Faithful Friend awards are the followin'

      "Bree from The Horse and His Boy" "Hwin from The Horse and His Boy" Sam got a little misty here, and had to wipe a tear from his eye. "Ah, glad to see that people think a horse can be a faithful friend. I still remember old Bill..." He gulped, and then continued.

      "Rose Red from The Lunar Chronicles, and Iko from The Lunar Chronicles - I think I remember those two from last year, I do - and Little John from Robin Hood. Now I don't know the most of these folk personally, but they must be a fine bunch if they was nominated for this here award."

       There was a polite smattering of applause, and Sam cleared his throat before reading the large print at the bottom of the scroll.

      "And this year's winner of the Most Faithful Friend award is - Little John from Robin Hood!"
     
      Whoops rang out around the Green Dragon as a very tall man, who'd been sitting near the back, stood up, looking a little sheepish as he walked up to Sam. "I wasn't lookin' for no award, my good Hobbit," he said, "was only doing my best to help Robin Hood, I was."

      "And a very good friend that makes you, old chap!" Shouted another from the back, who had a feather in his green cap and his feet up on the table, raising his mug of ale into the air.

      The bartender brought an ornately carved box to Sam, who opened it to pulled out a shining green-and-gold award. "Well, Little John, here's your lifetime Silmaril award for bein' a Faithful Friend. You've earned it, I'd wager, seein' as you won the people's votes by a landslide."

 
    Samwise hung the Silmaril award around Little John's neck, and the Green Dragon burst into applause. A few of the Merry Men leapt onto the tables and start dancing, and many of the Hobbits joined in. "Hurrah for Little John of Nottingham!" 

      "And that 'ud be the end of this year's  Most Faithful Friend Silmaril award presentation," shouted Sam, from where he was still standing on the table. "Thank you all for coming! An' for those who keep askin' - yes, it does comes in pints. 

      Have a fine evening, good folk of Middle Earth and the beyond!"

A fine end to the Most Faithful Friend award, I must say ;). I hope you all had fun with that! Nearly half of the other Silmaril Award winners have already been announced, and the rest are quickly coming - here's the full schedule, if you want to see them all...

Monday, Sept. 17 – Least Competent Henchman
Tuesday, Sept. 18 – Most Mischievous Imp
Wednesday, Sept. 19 – Strangest Character 
Thursday, Sept. 20 – Most Loyal Friend 
Friday, Sept. 21 – Silver Tongue
Monday, Sept. 24 – Wisest Counselor
Tuesday, Sept. 25 – Most Nefarious Villain
Wednesday, Sept. 26 – Most Epic Hero
Thursday, Sept. 27 – Most Epic Heroine
Friday 28, Sept. – Most Magnificent Dragon

Thank you all for making the Silmaril Awards so successful this year, I had so much fun! I can't wait to do it all again in 2019, it'll be blast. But until then - keep being epic! <3 

~ Savannah Grace

i hope you all enjoyed this year's Most Faithful Friend award!

did anyone guess that Little John would win?