Disclaimers: I do not own The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. They belong to J.R.R. Tolkien and J.K. Rowling. All other canon material belongs to their respected owners. All original material belongs to me, the authoress of this fanfiction story.
*.*.*
Bethany sighed. Disgruntlement fixed her. She wanted nothing more to do with this place. This prison. She just wanted out. But how was she to get out?
She looked around, spotting a window high up on the wall across from her cell. Moonlight shown its silvery glow down to her cell. The full moon was on the horizon, something she could hardly miss.
She leaned her head back against the wall. Goosebumps shown up on her arms. She shivered, her teeth chattering as she observed her surroundings. There was no way to get out, was there?
"Frodo, hurry! Save me, please?" Bethany asked, hoping against hope that Frodo would turn up and save her. Even that would have been something.
She waited and waited. The only thing she received from the bottom of her cell door was a tray filled with food and water. She grabbed the food, scarfing it down. She did her best not to choke on her water, finding it delectable. She was hungry. She wanted more food!
When she was all done, she moved her tray back outside her cell, through the little door below her cell door. No food came back or water. It was the last food and drink she was see that evening. Or so she thought as she observed her surroundings yet again.
She sighed, realizing Frodo wasn't coming to save her. What was he doing? Was he trapped, too? Did he get free? What was going on? Why didn't he save her? Did he care about her? Did anyone?
She leaned her head back against the wall, lost in her thoughts. The skeletons were so quiet, quiet that they didn't move. Bethany imagined the skeletons dancing or eating her. Shamefully, neither of those things happened. No. Instead, she was going to die here.
She sighed, wondering, "Frodo must be having a better time than me. Unless… he's stuck in the same situation I'm in…" she sighed, relaxing against the wall, "…no! No, he's probably having a better time than me."
.
Frodo looked up. The cell door opened up, bringing in a vampire woman with flaming red hair, skin white as snow, and dressed in a red dress. Frodo huffed, grimacing at the thought of more women showing up in his cell.
"Um… now miss, I…" Frodo was interrupted by the woman, who shoved him down onto the bench. Frodo gulped, as the woman climbed on top of him, "…I'm… I'm sorry. I'm married." Frodo said, hoping to shoo her away.
The woman teased him, her finger brushing against his jaw and the side of his neck. "Who are you married to? You won't remember her after this." She leaned in, biting down on the side of his neck, and drinking some of his blood.
Frodo gasped. For a moment, he wanted to move. The vampire woman pinned him down. He caved, closing his eyes and finding his thoughts drawing to other matters. He could see blood, lots of blood, and his ability to bite down on his wife's neck.
His eyes snapped open. His irises turning a brighter blue color. Something had triggered in himself. He wanted to be a vampire. He wanted more than anything to seduce his wife. Even as the vampire woman stopped drinking his blood, kissing his wound to heal it, Frodo found himself feeling more alive.
At that, he charged at top speed towards the cell door, even as the vampire woman closed and locked the cell door.
The vampire woman smirked, telling him, "Do you think these tests are over? You've proven you cannot forget your wife, no matter how hard we try to break you. We're going to have to do something similar to your wife, or worse." She cackled, walking away from his cell. Frodo slammed against the cell door in vain, for he wanted his wife so badly.
His eyes returned to their normal color, leaving Frodo dismayed. "Oh, what are you doing to my poor Bethany?" She sagged against the floor, leaning his head against the cell bars. There was no escape, was there? Oh, what were they doing to her, to his Bethany?
.
Bethany awoke to a skeletal tap to her shoulder. She opened her eyes, wondering if the skeletons being animated was just a dream. She looked up. For a moment, she could see skeletons looking down at her… looking… down… at her.
"Ahhh!" Bethany stood up, backing away from the skeleton as they moved towards her.
The skeletons didn't stop. Instead, they moved forward, their bony arms and legs crunching against the stone-cold floor. Some skeletons clothes were torn and the colors faded. However, their spears and swords were ready. They wanted to strike her down, before the night was over.
Bethany rushed towards the cell door, banging at the cell door's latch, in an effort to escape. She looked back at the skeletons as they approached her, forcing her down to the floor in minutes.
She cried, surprised when the skeletons grabbed her. The skeletons picked her up off the ground in a hurry, throwing her against an old bed whose mattress was firm and whose springs were old. She lay there, shaken, for she hadn't expected the blow to be so forceful.
She trembled, her lip trembling fast from the force of the blow. She stared at the skeletons, even as they performed a bone dance in front of her. She looked at them, unable to comprehend what happened to her. Instead, she found herself closing her eyes, finding the bed a better place to be at right now.
Horrid dreams captured her vision. They were dreams of skeletons dancing to and fro about her cell. By the time she woke up, the skeletons retreated against the wall. She sighed, wondering if it was best to move.
Now, more than ever, she wanted Frodo. But could she sit up and move? Well, that was another question.
.
Frodo banged his head against the cell door. What a horrid night! How much time had he and Bethany been stuck here? This was ridiculous! If only he could get out of here!
Creak!
Frodo opened his eyes. It was strange. His cell door opened all by itself. There were no guards on this side of the dungeon. It was as if the guards had vanished.
"No way!" Frodo stood up, watching the guards vanish. His mouth gaped open. "Did I do that?" Frodo smirked, laughing. He must have completed his tasks! How else would the cell door open and the guards vanish? He chuckled, slowly stepping over the threshold.
It worked. He made his way outside his cell, right as the cell door closed behind him. It was as if the cell was waiting for its next prisoner.
Frodo smirked, delighted. "Now, where are you, Bethany? My sweet Bethany. Where did you go?" He scoured through the prison, hoping to find his wife and tell her the news. That is, if he knew where to look for her.
.
Bethany sighed. The bone dance ended for what seemed like an hour ago. She pounded her head against the bed. All she wanted to do was leave. To find Frodo. It could have been so simple…
Creak!
…wait a minute!
Bethany sat up, surprised to see her cell door opened by itself. She looked around. The guards watching her cell from the hallway and the door vanished before her very eyes.
Bethany giggled. She knew it was a test! An act of true love! There was no way she could forget Frodo. But how was she to get out of here? Could she be brave enough to pass the skeletons?
She sighed, daring to step through the cell's doorway and find Frodo. She moved off the bed, sneaking her way past the skeletons. She looked down at them, seeing them watching her. She gulped, fearing the worst. She looked at the cell door as it banged at the doorway. It was another test, but one she had to pass: getting outside her cell.
"Eh… here I go!" Bethany cried, calming down with some breathing exercises. To her surprise, the cell door slammed against the door frame. She charged forward, tripping over a skeleton's foot. She stumbled her way towards the door, finding it a relief that the cell door's door frame saved her from a fall.
She grabbed the cell door's latch, surprised the door stayed ajar. She looked at the door as it closed by itself, nearly not letting her escape. She sighed, telling the cell door, "I want to leave. I want to find Frodo. He's my husband and I love him. Don't you see it? Don't you want me to see him? I love him. I love Frodo. This was a test, wasn't it? An act of true love?"
The cell door rattled. At last, she released the cell door's latch, watching the cell door open for her. She sighed, rushing outside her cell, as the cell door closed behind her.
She sighed. She couldn't believe it! She was free! And she did it on her own! She breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe she was brave! Now, where could she find Frodo? Surely, he must be here!
"Frodo? Frodo!" Bethany cried, her gut telling her to go in one direction after her husband. "Frodo? Frodo Baggins! Where are you?"
.
Frodo slid against one of the cavernous walls. He stopped down the cavern tunnel, hearing his beloved's voice. For a moment, he thought she was close. No. She was close! As close as ever. He had to do something.
"Bethany! Bethany, this way!" Frodo cried, seeing his wife stopping at the opposite end of the tunnel. Bethany smiled, overjoyed to see him.
"Frodo!" Bethany ran towards him, stopping upon seeing a fiery line appear in the air between her and Frodo. Frodo stopped, too, unable to cross the barrier. Bethany looked at him, asking him, "Frodo, what is this?"
"I don't know," Frodo said, plainly. "I think it's our line! A sign of true love! It has to be! Ehh!" He jumped back as a fiery blast shot from the line. Frodo had an idea. A crazy idea, but one that might work. "Bethany, run towards me! You have to!"
Bethany nodded, feeling offended. She walked towards him, jumping back by another fiery blast. Bethany shook her head, telling him, "We go together! Frodo, it's the only way." She inched down the tunnel, finding the line was starting to fade on her end.
Frodo shook his head. "Bethany, I can't."
"Yes you can!" Bethany told him. "I know you want people to save you, but sometimes it's okay if we work together. Frodo trust me. We run towards each other." The line started to fade more on her end. "Frodo, trust me."
Frodo looked at her, teary-eyed. "If we have to. But I don't think… it'll work." He watched the fiery line fade a little on his end. He sighed, knowing Bethany was right. They had to meet, if they wanted to be together.
Frodo didn't want to do this. He didn't think it was possible. The fiery line grew longer, smacking him in the heart. He gulped, understanding Bethany was right. How did he not see that?
"Frodo, come on!" Bethany told him, daring to keep moving.
Frodo found himself at a crossroads. This was it, wasn't it? This was the moment whether he could prove he was Bethany's true love. Her twin flame and his. Frodo nearly didn't want to believe it. They came all this way for a act of true love. And now… now they had to prove it.
"Um… hmm," Frodo said, hesitant. He turned his gaze towards an open window. There were other couples, including the light red dragonoid Parker Dooley performing the same trial with his wife, Eliza Bowler-Dooley. They had trouble getting towards each other, but eventually found their way, reuniting with a hug and a kiss.
Frodo sighed, wanting to prove this love to his true love. If Parker and Eliza could do it, then they could do it. But how was Frodo to get to Bethany?
Frodo turned and faced Bethany, nodding to her. "Go! I'll catch up!"
Bethany nodded, rushing towards him. "Ahhh!" She was blocked by an iridescent barrier. Only half the fiery line had melted inside Bethany, causing her to glow a golden-white.
Frodo stared at her in distraught. What did he do? "Whhaaah! NO! Why can't you go on?"
Bethany cried, trying to get towards him, but blocked by the iridescent barrier. "Frodo, I can't go! You have to come towards me. Prove to me that our love is true! I seem to have done it on my end. What about you?" She tried to get past the iridescent barrier, but found herself blocked. She wept, feeling herself as a failure.
Frodo hesitated. Was his love for Bethany true? Were they meant to be together? He sighed, daring to do the one thing that would prove their love: walk away. And he did. He walked away from the tunnel. For a moment, nothing happened. Then he felt a pull. A pull he couldn't ignore.
It was beckoning him to come to Bethany. The more Frodo tried to run, the stronger the pull came. There was no denying this.
"Oh no!" Frodo said, finding his way back to the tunnel and to Bethany, who was still blocked by the iridescent barrier.
Bethany looked at him, telling him, "Oh, so you decided to leave or to stay?"
Frodo snarled, "I don't know what this is! Grr!" He clasped his head with his hands, unable to contain himself. He couldn't escape, nor could he leave her side. The more they were apart, the worse the pull felt. He had no choice. But then, he realized that no matter what he did, all roads led him back to Bethany.
He couldn't decide whether he loved this pull or hated it. No. He loved it! He loved her!
And so, he took a step towards her, finding the fiery blast grow stronger. The fiery blast touched his heart, making him gasp. He sighed, feeling Bethany's warmth on his heart. It calmed him down.
He made another step towards his beloved, finding the fiery blast was helping him reach her. He charged forward, right where the iridescent barrier was located. The fiery blasts wrapped around him, falling on him to do what he should have done a long time ago: touch his wife's hand.
He pressed his hand against the barrier, finding Bethany wince in pain. Bethany looked at him, staring at him, even as he encouraged her to touch his hand. "Go on! Touch it, Bethany! Touch my hand. It's okay! You can trust me."
Bethany gasped. The fiery blast wrapped around her, making her feel alive. Her hand touched the barrier, right where Frodo's hand was located. Bethany looked at him as the iridescent barrier fell apart, reuniting Frodo with his true love.
At that, Frodo's hand held her hand, holding it there until they hugged and kissed. Frodo smiled, the moment Bethany held onto the back of his head, feeling his curly dark brown hair. It was soothing, one that comforted them.
"You're all right. We're safe now. We're safe," Frodo said, smiling at her.
"For a moment, I thought you were going to leave me!" Bethany cried, embracing him. They released, leaving Frodo to hold onto her more. "I thought you were leaving me."
Frodo sighed. "I thought so, too." He shook his head. "Somehow, the pull we share is too strong. We can't be parted."
"That was an act of true love? All of these tests are true love tests," Bethany said, concerned.
Frodo sighed, nodding to himself, "It would seem that way. They led us back together."
Bethany nodded, understanding. "Where are the others? How did we get here? What sort of prison… is this? This is the Underground Prison!"
Frodo sighed. "I knew you'd figure it out. Yes, it does seem that way." He pointed out Parker Dooley to Bethany, "There's Parker. It would seem our friends and companions are down here, too."
"Parker?" Bethany asked, spotting Parker from the window. She looked at Frodo, telling him, "We'd better go off. We'd better find them. They could be in danger!"
Frodo held her back, telling her, "And tell them what? You don't understand this prison. It's not as simple as you think. What we're seeing there, from that window, could be another area of this prison that's further away. We may not be near them."
"Oh," Bethany understood. "Do you think we'll find them?"
Frodo shrugged. "I don't know. But we need to find them, if they're down here, too." He took her hands, admitting to her, "Look, all I know is that we're together. That's what counts." He looked around, telling her, "Come on. We need to find the way out of this cell. Out of this prison. I have a feeling that's more important right now. Our friends will catch up to us." He shrugged a second time, "Who knows? They may be doing their own quests down here."
Bethany nodded. "Let's go!" She said, taking Frodo's hand and guiding him down the tunnel, in the same direction she took.
"Turn left!" Frodo said, showing her the way.
"Why?" Bethany asked.
Frodo smirked, saying to her, "I have a good feeling about it. Come on. We should be home soon. If we…" his thoughts were interrupted, the moment he and Bethany turned left.
On the way out of the tunnel, he and Bethany came to a room, with red and white rugs covering the floors, glass windows against one wall, and a lit fireplace against the opposite wall. Sitting at a long dining room table were a whole bunch of villains. Maleficent was with them, as was Darth Freya and Sandria Wolff.
What were they doing here?