Title: No Longer
Author: Aerwen Telcontar
Rating: G
Summary: We all know that Aragorn hunted Gollum and caught him some time in 3017 (or close), but what was the capture actually like? This one's the longest of my fics so far, but only by a small fraction.
Disclaimer: I do not own Aragorn (shoot!!), Gollum, Middle-earth, or any of Tolkien's other stuff. I don't get any form of payment, except the (very) occasional review.
Feedback: I appreciate all reviews!!!
The Ranger hid in the marsh, concealing himself in the plants. Silent and still was he, hunting the creature that skulked in the Marshes.
This Ranger was not only one of the Dúnedain. He was Aragorn, son of Arathorn, and he was hunting Gollum, the creature that had come into possession of the Ring five centuries ago. Aragorn had been hunting him for many a year, and now he was so close to the creature's capture. Gollum was only meters away from him. Timing. I must be precise, Aragorn reminded himself.
The thought caused him to reminisce to his previous attempts to capture Gollum. He had been much younger then, with less stealth and very little to no knowledge of the finer points of Gollum's senses and feelings. Now, he had a better understanding of how sensitive Gollum's sight and hearing were. Something that Gandalf the Grey had told him when they first began to hunt for Gollum returned to the Ranger as he watched the creature scan the landscape:
"There is not much I can tell you about Gollum, Aragorn. Experience shall be your teacher, and you could ask for no better."
Experience had indeed remained true to Gandalf's words. Aragorn learned more and more of Gollum's mind each time he came into contact with the creature. This time would be different. Much different.
Aragorn put his full focus on Gollum. He knew that he would have to time himself perfectly in order to hold Gollum captive. His muscles ached for movement after many a long hour of crouching. To Aragorn's great dismay, Gollum fell into one of his fits of schizophrenia. "We hatess the nassty lightses, precious! They burns our eyeses out! We go to shut our eyeses," he said.
"No! No, no, no! We musst fill our insidesss, precious! They is crying! Crying, precious!"
"We doesn't want to see the nassty lightses before the moon shows her nassty face, precious!"
"We's starving, precious, STARVING!"
The creature began to cry loudly. Aragorn flinched at the magnitude of the sound. He knew that this was his moment. He sprang from his hiding place and bound the creature's hands and feet. "The nassty Ranger has been following us, precious, yess, preciousss, watching us for yearses, preciousss," said Gollum.
"I have hunted you for many a year, as you say. No longer! You are coming with me this time."