Dark Lord Frodo

by Aria Breuer

All the powers of the dark lord will soon belong to Frodo! Muahahahahah! Or so Frodo thinks when he takes on the mantle of dark lord. Will it be enough? Can Frodo be redeemed? Featuring Frodo Baggins, Samwise Gamgee, Merry Brandybuck, and Pippin Took.

11. One Step More

11:

One Step More

Word Count: 491

Frodo cleaned out Bag End. It was nice to be home again and have friends to count on. What he didn't account on was meeting his dark lord self once more, through one unpolished mirror.

"Come on, Frodo," Dark Lord Frodo pleaded in the mirror. "You need me. You can't go on alone. I can show you great wonders, things you can hardly imagine. Don't you want that?"

"I have everything I need," Frodo said, calm but testy. "Right here. Why isn't that enough for you? It's plenty for me."

"You'll regret this action. All your life, until the Ring is vanquished from your mind, you will still have me around," Dark Lord Frodo said. "Without me, you're nothing. How do you think Gollum survived all those years inside a cave? The darkness is in you, too."

"I often think of Sméagol, but his actions were caused by me and not by fair chance." Frodo looked away, a tear shedding down his cheek. He wiped the tear off with a sleeve. "We each served our purpose on the quest. The Ring nearly took my life away, but here I am: alive and well." He gazed at the mirror. "I no longer need you hounding me."

"Even for a little moment longer," Dark Lord Frodo chided. "There is a task I need you to do for me, so I can regain my throne and reveal who you truly are. Inside you are always a dark lord."

"Then show me," Frodo said, nearly fearing he said something wrong.

"As you wish. Here it is," Dark Lord Frodo said.

Frodo shielded his eyes, as the world transformed from swallowing darkness to light. He jumped back in shock. He was in Lothlórien, the Golden Wood. And there was the fair haired elf lady, Galadriel.

"You did well, Frodo Baggins," Galadriel said with a smile. "Very well indeed. The darkness has abated at last."

"What?" Frodo was stunned. "I'm free."

"Your dark lord self will return from time to time, and each time you must vanquish him," she warned. "That is the nature of these mirrors." She showed him the polished mirrors, including one that half done. "Dark Lord you did not finish polishing this mirror. So, it must be up to you to do this. When you are done, return to me." She handed to him a brush, already dressed in golden liquid.

"This will work?" Frodo asked, cleaning off the rest of the mirror.

"It should undo what the darkness nearly did to you." Galadriel nodded. "I wish you luck, Frodo Baggins."

Taking the Lady's advice, Frodo scrubbed the mirror. To his surprise, his dark lord self helped him in this task. It seemed as if the darkness was leaving him at last. And finally, the mirror was polished. Frodo saw himself then: a decent, kind hobbit with wounds that were healing. For this time, he hoped, the darkness was leaving him for good.