Author's notes: Sauron is not behaving like Sauron. I know. But what can I do to save him? Sauron was just calling to me to make him a victim. ^_^
Any ideas for what tricks to play on Saruman and on the Fellowship?
The Fellowship Of The…Baby?
Eight: Facing Sauron—Who Will Survive?
It was two days ere the Company would set out from Lothlórien and travel on the Great River Anduin to Gondor.
The Hobbits were taking an afternoon nap, all huddled together in a soft, mossy corner; Gaelin among them, for Merry had been playing with the child earlier.
Frodo had taken off his tunic and placed the Ring in its pocket, for he did not wish to touch it and succumb to its temptation; once at Bree—although unintentional—was enough for him.
Bored by the lack of things to do, Gaelin looked around for any of the Big People he could play with, and found none.
Making a sad baby face, he crawled over to explore the things of the Hobbits'. The swords were too heavy for him to lift, and Sam's cooking gear were like the ones he had seen so many times before.
Gaelin sat down on Frodo's tunic, almost starting to cry for attention, when his wandering baby hands felt a bump in the cloth. He froze, then pawed at the bulge, finally getting it out of the pocket with much difficulty.
The baby gave a delighted giggle, for this thing was so yellow (do babies actually know the difference between gold and yellow?) and so shiny. It was round, with a hole in the middle.
A soft hiss came from the thing, and Gaelin laughed. This shiny thing could talk! "Ga eorrrer?" He blew bubbles from his mouth at the thing.
The voice came again, and curious, Gaelin poked his finger through the hole…
***
The visible world all around him dropped away; became of phantom substances. He saw little, but his hearing was heightened.
From the darkness, a great Eye came, shrouded in flames, huge beyond measure. "Ba-aa-gins-ss," it hissed at first, for it knew that the one who held his Ring was a Hobbit.
Then, the Eye noticed the small figure sitting in front of it, staring at it in wonder and amazement, small mouth gaping.
"A child!" Sauron, the Lidless Eye, hissed.
Gaelin cocked his head, unafraid, for he was too young to have been influenced by the world to know much fear. "Eeeh?"
The flames around the Eye blazed higher in wrath, for Sauron saw that here was one who was unafraid of him, and did not cower in his presence as many others have done.
The baby reached out in an attempt to poke the thing before him, but found only empty air, and started wailing, for he wanted someone he could touch to play with.
The Great Eye seemed to shrink back slightly. "I command you to stop this noise!"
Gaelin only cried harder and more noisily. This thing wouldn't play with him! "Ahhhhh!!!"
"Stop it, or I shall consume your soul!" The fire blazed all around it fiercely.
Did Sauron actually think that that was of any use?
***
The Hobbits were startled awake by the sound of Gaelin's cries; Aragorn, Boromir, Legolas and Gimli came running. All looked around but saw no signs of the babe, though the cries were very near.
Frodo felt around and touched something warm and soft where space and air should have been. "Gaelin!" He then realized what had happened. "He wore the Ring!"
The others hurried to them, and Boromir thought he heard something. The Ring called to him; had called to him ever since he first learnt of it in Imladris, always seductive, always with promises of the fulfillment of his desires.
His ears caught some words before Frodo felt for Gaelin's hand and removed the Ring. He reappeared instantly, saw the Fellowship, and stopped his cries. Now they could play with him. He clapped his hands and bounced on his bottom eagerly.
"Is the young one all right?" Gimli asked gruffly.
Sam smoothed back Gaelin's hair, peering at the baby's face. "Yes. Gaelin's fine."
Boromir gazed at Gaelin for a while, then at the Ring in Frodo's hand, recalled what he had heard, and started to laugh. The others stared at him as if he had gone mad.
"What cause do you have to laugh, Son of Gondor?" Legolas demanded. He did not like Gaelin, but the child had just faced Sauron, for Elbereth's sake! "He was frightened by the Dark Lord himself!"
The redhead raised his brows in amusement, before breaking down again. Tears streamed down his face as he gasped for air.
Aragorn frowned. "Boromir, 'tis not proper to mock at the fears of a child."
The Hobbits and Gimli glared at Boromir, who tried hard to compose himself.
"Fears of a child, Aragorn?" he cried. "Amongst the noises, I heard clearly the voice of the Ring!"
"And what did Sauron say?" Gimli demanded sarcastically, unamused.
Boromir looked at them, and doubled over. "Sauron said: 'Someone save me from him! Help me!'"