- STICKS AND STONES -
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Status: Complete
Quick Summary: Frodo musing over Saruman's words to him at Bywater.
Disclaimer: I wish I could write something sparklingly-interesting and witty here to illustrate my point, but I can't, so I'll just have to say simply that no characters/scenes/locations/anything-but-the-word-order belongs to me. It is all property of J.R.R. Tolkien or Peter Jackson and team.
Spoilers: Ok, kind of the entire book!
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"I will not wish you health or long life for you will have neither. But that is not my doing, I merely foretell."
The words circle around in my head, completely against my own will. Your speech is poison for those who will listen, and though you are gone, the poison remains, should we let it. I tell myself repeatedly that this was your revenge - to wear me down in spirit through wondering and worrying if I let it, but still that does not help. Your words spin, contort and drive me to despair.
"You will have neither."
I am feeling weaker by the day. My life seems to be ebbing slowly away from me, even as I speak. And then, in March, I fell ill... I am not healthy, not by a long shot. As for the long life - it is barely more than a year and already I feel far older than even my reclaimed 51 years. No, I must not let myself think like this, or your poison will claim another victory.
"I merely foretell."
Huh, you never foretold anything. Maybe you can't foretell, and that was again the wicked barb of your voice. Maybe the Istari don't have that gift. But Gandalf foretold, many times... and he said that you were the more powerful... maybe you do speak the truth.
Arwen's gift - that route is open to me, should I wish to take it, but is there any point? I am mortal, but what would that mean in the Undying Lands? Will I become like the Elves, be immortal and live in Valinor until the changing of the world, or will I still die? My path is beyond the circles of the world; surely even the Elves don't have the power to change that. Did you know, Saruman, that I had this choice, did that feature in your prediction?
"That is not my doing" you say, but you have been a liar for many of the years now past. Your bitter words torment me; they rip at my soul and sanity. Will this worry drive me to an early grave?
Or am I already destined there?
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End
---
Status: Complete
Quick Summary: Frodo musing over Saruman's words to him at Bywater.
Disclaimer: I wish I could write something sparklingly-interesting and witty here to illustrate my point, but I can't, so I'll just have to say simply that no characters/scenes/locations/anything-but-the-word-order belongs to me. It is all property of J.R.R. Tolkien or Peter Jackson and team.
Spoilers: Ok, kind of the entire book!
---
"I will not wish you health or long life for you will have neither. But that is not my doing, I merely foretell."
The words circle around in my head, completely against my own will. Your speech is poison for those who will listen, and though you are gone, the poison remains, should we let it. I tell myself repeatedly that this was your revenge - to wear me down in spirit through wondering and worrying if I let it, but still that does not help. Your words spin, contort and drive me to despair.
"You will have neither."
I am feeling weaker by the day. My life seems to be ebbing slowly away from me, even as I speak. And then, in March, I fell ill... I am not healthy, not by a long shot. As for the long life - it is barely more than a year and already I feel far older than even my reclaimed 51 years. No, I must not let myself think like this, or your poison will claim another victory.
"I merely foretell."
Huh, you never foretold anything. Maybe you can't foretell, and that was again the wicked barb of your voice. Maybe the Istari don't have that gift. But Gandalf foretold, many times... and he said that you were the more powerful... maybe you do speak the truth.
Arwen's gift - that route is open to me, should I wish to take it, but is there any point? I am mortal, but what would that mean in the Undying Lands? Will I become like the Elves, be immortal and live in Valinor until the changing of the world, or will I still die? My path is beyond the circles of the world; surely even the Elves don't have the power to change that. Did you know, Saruman, that I had this choice, did that feature in your prediction?
"That is not my doing" you say, but you have been a liar for many of the years now past. Your bitter words torment me; they rip at my soul and sanity. Will this worry drive me to an early grave?
Or am I already destined there?
---
End