TITLE: Said the Spider
AUTHOR: Sanguinary
COPYRIGHT: June 14, 2002
DISTRIBUTION: Want? Ask. Sam'll get you if you don't.
RATING: PG 13
CATEGORY: Horror, Vampires, some slashy subtext
SERIES: Barren
SPOILERS: Two Towers
DISCLAIMER: Sam, Frodo, Shelob and Mordor not mine.
FEEDBACK: Spawns more vamp!Hobbits: Sanguinary_515@hotmail.com
SUMMARY: Sam feels the call of Shelob. But will he let his master become a dinner for the
ancient spider? Does he have a choice?
~
Sam felt the presence before he knew what it was he felt.
Since he had been turned into a vampire, his five senses had improved. But now he was beginning
to realize that he had a sixth sense as well. He had felt it before, warning him when Frodo was
going to leave without him. But it had been a faint tingling at the back of his neck then. Now
it was a full-fledged prickling up and down his spine.
Frodo walked in front of Sam, shivering in the cold night air. His master's dirt smeared face
was turned away from him, staring at the long climb before them. Sam stayed a bit behind Frodo,
knowing that his physical presence disturbed Frodo. Normally, he would have been saddened by
that fact. But the presence of a new mind on the edge of his awareness had disturbed him even
more.
It came from all around him. Sam could sense the hatred and hunger, radiating from the valley
below and the caves above. A mind touched his for a moment and Sam almost lost control of the
beast inside of him.
// come into my parlour...//
The thought touched his mind and then disappeared, making Sam question whether he had felt it
or not. Something was certain though, there was another creature besides Sauron's armies in
this mountain, something dark and evil as him though.
They continued to walk until Sam could feel the sun rise. Clouds covered the sky, blocking out
all light but he could feel the pull of the burning ball of light hidden somewhere in the
darkness. He sniffed the air and realized that the scent of acidic sweat hung on the air,
coming from Frodo. His master was exhausted but he refused to rest.
"Let's rest."
Frodo looked at Sam emotionlessly and nodded. They found an opening in the wall with some light
shelter. They sat down and Sam set their packs together just inside the opening. Frodo inched
into the opening as deep as he could go and curled up into a ball. Within a few moments, he was
sound asleep. Sam's heart ached and he wished he could have been curled up beside Frodo's body.
Sighing, he propped his body against the wall and closed his eyes, waiting for sleep to take him.
//Come to me...//
His eyes snapped open and Sam looked around. The thought was stronger and it seemed more of a
command than a request. Without thinking about it, he got to his feet and began to walk up the
stairs again. His brain seemed oddly detached from his surrounding, almost as if it was floating
behind him.
After a long climb, he finally came to a huge cavern in the rock face. He sniffed the air and
drew back as if slapped. Something rotting and dark, and more over, purely evil, radiated from
that cave.
//Come to me//
Unwilling, he walked into the cave. It was pure darkness with no light from any source but Sam's
new eyes allowed him to see where no other living creature should have been able. His feet
carried him deep into the cave, to a huge opening where he couldn't tell where the roof began.
It was then that he spotted that creature that had been contacting him.
It was a spider but unlike any spider Sam had seen before. As a gardener, Sam had seen a great
deal of eight legged creatures, but none had been taller than he or as evil looking as the one
in front of him.
Sam's knees gave out and he collapsed in a quivering heap of dead flesh. The giant spider
towered over to him, clicking her mandibles.
//Where is the other?// the evil mind touched the edge of Sam's consciousness //Where is my
servant?//
"Who?" Sam managed to croak out.
The Spider came closer and sent Sam a mental image of a hideous bowing creature fawning before
Her black presence. A figure that Sam easily recognized.
"Gollum," He spat, though no moisture left his mouth, and looked up at the Spider, "Dead."
The Spider sent a wall of hatred towards Sam, causing him to cry out in pain. //How?//
"Staked."
//By who?//
"My... master," He said though clenched teeth. Her presence overpowered him and forced Sam to
speak only the truth, no matter whether he wished to or not.
//You are like him.// The Spider drew closer. //You will replace him. Bring your master to me.
I will feed upon his dying body and you will remain as my servant.//
Sam rose to his knees and stared into the eight glittering eyes. The mind pressed down on him.
"No." he whimpered.
//Yes//
His voice was stronger, "No."
One giant leg smashed down in the dirt beside his head. //You will bring you master to me.//
The sheer power of Her command ground Sam into the dirt. Precious tears washed down his face,
leaving streams of dirt in their wake. "Please..." he pleaded.
//Bring him. Tomorrow.//
Unable to look at the beast anymore, a tortured, "Yes." made it's way out of his throat.
Defeated, he scrambled away from the Spider and fled the cave, her hideous mind echoing within
his.
Sam didn't remember traveling down the stairs again, he only came to his senses when he reached
the opening where he had left Frodo.
He found Frodo sleeping in the corner of rock where he had left them. His master's face was
pale and he breathed shallowly. Something in Sam's heart broke and he reached out, desperate to
touch the pale skin with his fingers. But as his fingers hovered over the sleeping face, lost
in dreams of a better place and time, a wind stirred in the dead land and whistled though the
empty stone corridors. Frodo's eyes snapped open and Sam withdrew his hand quicker than the
hobbit eye could follow.
"Frodo?" He asked quietly, approaching but no getting to close, "How are you?"
He licked his lips, "Thirsty."
Sam retrieved the half-full canteen from his pack nearby and tipped the water into Frodo's
mouth. His master swallowed twice before falling into a coughing fit. Sam quickly took the
water away and brought his hand up to pat Frodo's back. But Frodo shrunk away from Sam and with
another cough, cleared his lungs.
"Can you walk?" Sam tried to hide the hurt expression that had struggled to the forefront.
Frodo nodded and got to his feet. He picked up his pack and began to walk up the long stairs
again. Sam picked up his own pack and followed after a moment, part of him feeling something
akin to hatred towards his master.
Maybe it wouldn't be so hard to feed him to the Spider.
As they climbed higher up the stairs, Sam's mind went under the Spider's control ago, slowly
this time. As his free will ebbed away, he began to regret his choice to lead Frodo into danger.
But by the time he realized what his choice meant, his body was not longer his to control.
It belonged to the great spider, Shelob.
They finally arrived at the mouth of the cave. Frodo looked into the gaping darkness silently.
"Are you sure this is the way?"
Sam felt Shelob move his head; "Gollum's scent leads right into the cave." The words sounded
normal but Sam hoped that Frodo would notice a difference, any difference. But if Frodo noticed
a thing, he did not show it. Instead, he strode into the darkness and Sam followed at his heels.
His eyes adjusted at once to the darkness but Frodo's weak hobbit eyes couldn't piece the
darkness. "Follow my voice." Sam said quietly and began to lead Frodo into the interior of the
cave.
How long they walked, Sam wasn't sure. All he knew what that he was no longer in control of
anything he did or said. He was a captive in his own body, trapped by the powerful will of the
spider.
They emerged into a huge empty cavern, the same cavern Sam had met Shelob in before. The giant
spider was still there, waiting for them.
//Good work my servant. You shall be rewarded.// She sent him a mental image of the Ring on
Frodo's hand. Sam was sickened to the stomach. The spider believed that Sam craved the same
thing as Gollum. But if she had bothered to probe his mind further, she would have seen his
obsession lay with something else.
The great mind released her grasp on Sam's body and turned her power towards Frodo. Sam reeled
back and screamed to Frodo, "Pull out the Lady's glass!"
Frodo reached inside his cloak and drew out the glass. For a moment, it just glowed softly and
then it burst into bright light, blinding everything.
Sam screamed in pain as the light lit the cavern and burnt his skin like the sunlight. Dimly,
he heard Shelob shriek with pain and flee deeper into the darkness. The same urge to flee was
surging though Sam's body but he refused to let himself leave his master's side. He had lead
Frodo into this pit and he would lead him out.
Throwing his cloak over his face, he called out, "Follow me!" and walked towards the scent of
fresh air. For a moment, Frodo hesitated and then followed.
The period of time between them entering the cave and exiting it was immeasurable to Sam. When
they finally emerged into the open of Mordor, Sam fell to his knees and stared at the sky.
Beside him, Frodo stumbled, but did not fall. Swaying, he managed to say on his feet. They
stayed like that for a few moments before Frodo turned to Sam. He looked at Sam with an
expression that was indescribable.
Sam tried to find the words to explain what he had done but he couldn't find them. His tongue
felt heavy and wooden. He opened his mouth to explain and paused, trying to put what he felt
into words.
"I heard her mind." Frodo said softly, not looking away from Sam. "I know what she promised
you. Why didn't you take it?"
"I don't want the ring." He said in a hushed voice, "It's not what I want."
For a moment, they just stared at each other. Then, Frodo stepped forward and touched the side
of Sam's face. The heat of Frodo's body flowed into his cold companion. Sam could feel the
heartbeat throb though Frodo and pulse gently at his cheek. And as quickly as the touch had
come, it left.
"I can't touch you." Frodo looked away this time, "I don't hate you. I just can't touch you."
Sam got to his feet and shouldered his pack. "Let's go." He said, his voice husky. And he lead
the way this time so Frodo couldn't see the red tears that ran down his face.
~fin~
AUTHOR: Sanguinary
COPYRIGHT: June 14, 2002
DISTRIBUTION: Want? Ask. Sam'll get you if you don't.
RATING: PG 13
CATEGORY: Horror, Vampires, some slashy subtext
SERIES: Barren
SPOILERS: Two Towers
DISCLAIMER: Sam, Frodo, Shelob and Mordor not mine.
FEEDBACK: Spawns more vamp!Hobbits: Sanguinary_515@hotmail.com
SUMMARY: Sam feels the call of Shelob. But will he let his master become a dinner for the
ancient spider? Does he have a choice?
~
Sam felt the presence before he knew what it was he felt.
Since he had been turned into a vampire, his five senses had improved. But now he was beginning
to realize that he had a sixth sense as well. He had felt it before, warning him when Frodo was
going to leave without him. But it had been a faint tingling at the back of his neck then. Now
it was a full-fledged prickling up and down his spine.
Frodo walked in front of Sam, shivering in the cold night air. His master's dirt smeared face
was turned away from him, staring at the long climb before them. Sam stayed a bit behind Frodo,
knowing that his physical presence disturbed Frodo. Normally, he would have been saddened by
that fact. But the presence of a new mind on the edge of his awareness had disturbed him even
more.
It came from all around him. Sam could sense the hatred and hunger, radiating from the valley
below and the caves above. A mind touched his for a moment and Sam almost lost control of the
beast inside of him.
// come into my parlour...//
The thought touched his mind and then disappeared, making Sam question whether he had felt it
or not. Something was certain though, there was another creature besides Sauron's armies in
this mountain, something dark and evil as him though.
They continued to walk until Sam could feel the sun rise. Clouds covered the sky, blocking out
all light but he could feel the pull of the burning ball of light hidden somewhere in the
darkness. He sniffed the air and realized that the scent of acidic sweat hung on the air,
coming from Frodo. His master was exhausted but he refused to rest.
"Let's rest."
Frodo looked at Sam emotionlessly and nodded. They found an opening in the wall with some light
shelter. They sat down and Sam set their packs together just inside the opening. Frodo inched
into the opening as deep as he could go and curled up into a ball. Within a few moments, he was
sound asleep. Sam's heart ached and he wished he could have been curled up beside Frodo's body.
Sighing, he propped his body against the wall and closed his eyes, waiting for sleep to take him.
//Come to me...//
His eyes snapped open and Sam looked around. The thought was stronger and it seemed more of a
command than a request. Without thinking about it, he got to his feet and began to walk up the
stairs again. His brain seemed oddly detached from his surrounding, almost as if it was floating
behind him.
After a long climb, he finally came to a huge cavern in the rock face. He sniffed the air and
drew back as if slapped. Something rotting and dark, and more over, purely evil, radiated from
that cave.
//Come to me//
Unwilling, he walked into the cave. It was pure darkness with no light from any source but Sam's
new eyes allowed him to see where no other living creature should have been able. His feet
carried him deep into the cave, to a huge opening where he couldn't tell where the roof began.
It was then that he spotted that creature that had been contacting him.
It was a spider but unlike any spider Sam had seen before. As a gardener, Sam had seen a great
deal of eight legged creatures, but none had been taller than he or as evil looking as the one
in front of him.
Sam's knees gave out and he collapsed in a quivering heap of dead flesh. The giant spider
towered over to him, clicking her mandibles.
//Where is the other?// the evil mind touched the edge of Sam's consciousness //Where is my
servant?//
"Who?" Sam managed to croak out.
The Spider came closer and sent Sam a mental image of a hideous bowing creature fawning before
Her black presence. A figure that Sam easily recognized.
"Gollum," He spat, though no moisture left his mouth, and looked up at the Spider, "Dead."
The Spider sent a wall of hatred towards Sam, causing him to cry out in pain. //How?//
"Staked."
//By who?//
"My... master," He said though clenched teeth. Her presence overpowered him and forced Sam to
speak only the truth, no matter whether he wished to or not.
//You are like him.// The Spider drew closer. //You will replace him. Bring your master to me.
I will feed upon his dying body and you will remain as my servant.//
Sam rose to his knees and stared into the eight glittering eyes. The mind pressed down on him.
"No." he whimpered.
//Yes//
His voice was stronger, "No."
One giant leg smashed down in the dirt beside his head. //You will bring you master to me.//
The sheer power of Her command ground Sam into the dirt. Precious tears washed down his face,
leaving streams of dirt in their wake. "Please..." he pleaded.
//Bring him. Tomorrow.//
Unable to look at the beast anymore, a tortured, "Yes." made it's way out of his throat.
Defeated, he scrambled away from the Spider and fled the cave, her hideous mind echoing within
his.
Sam didn't remember traveling down the stairs again, he only came to his senses when he reached
the opening where he had left Frodo.
He found Frodo sleeping in the corner of rock where he had left them. His master's face was
pale and he breathed shallowly. Something in Sam's heart broke and he reached out, desperate to
touch the pale skin with his fingers. But as his fingers hovered over the sleeping face, lost
in dreams of a better place and time, a wind stirred in the dead land and whistled though the
empty stone corridors. Frodo's eyes snapped open and Sam withdrew his hand quicker than the
hobbit eye could follow.
"Frodo?" He asked quietly, approaching but no getting to close, "How are you?"
He licked his lips, "Thirsty."
Sam retrieved the half-full canteen from his pack nearby and tipped the water into Frodo's
mouth. His master swallowed twice before falling into a coughing fit. Sam quickly took the
water away and brought his hand up to pat Frodo's back. But Frodo shrunk away from Sam and with
another cough, cleared his lungs.
"Can you walk?" Sam tried to hide the hurt expression that had struggled to the forefront.
Frodo nodded and got to his feet. He picked up his pack and began to walk up the long stairs
again. Sam picked up his own pack and followed after a moment, part of him feeling something
akin to hatred towards his master.
Maybe it wouldn't be so hard to feed him to the Spider.
As they climbed higher up the stairs, Sam's mind went under the Spider's control ago, slowly
this time. As his free will ebbed away, he began to regret his choice to lead Frodo into danger.
But by the time he realized what his choice meant, his body was not longer his to control.
It belonged to the great spider, Shelob.
They finally arrived at the mouth of the cave. Frodo looked into the gaping darkness silently.
"Are you sure this is the way?"
Sam felt Shelob move his head; "Gollum's scent leads right into the cave." The words sounded
normal but Sam hoped that Frodo would notice a difference, any difference. But if Frodo noticed
a thing, he did not show it. Instead, he strode into the darkness and Sam followed at his heels.
His eyes adjusted at once to the darkness but Frodo's weak hobbit eyes couldn't piece the
darkness. "Follow my voice." Sam said quietly and began to lead Frodo into the interior of the
cave.
How long they walked, Sam wasn't sure. All he knew what that he was no longer in control of
anything he did or said. He was a captive in his own body, trapped by the powerful will of the
spider.
They emerged into a huge empty cavern, the same cavern Sam had met Shelob in before. The giant
spider was still there, waiting for them.
//Good work my servant. You shall be rewarded.// She sent him a mental image of the Ring on
Frodo's hand. Sam was sickened to the stomach. The spider believed that Sam craved the same
thing as Gollum. But if she had bothered to probe his mind further, she would have seen his
obsession lay with something else.
The great mind released her grasp on Sam's body and turned her power towards Frodo. Sam reeled
back and screamed to Frodo, "Pull out the Lady's glass!"
Frodo reached inside his cloak and drew out the glass. For a moment, it just glowed softly and
then it burst into bright light, blinding everything.
Sam screamed in pain as the light lit the cavern and burnt his skin like the sunlight. Dimly,
he heard Shelob shriek with pain and flee deeper into the darkness. The same urge to flee was
surging though Sam's body but he refused to let himself leave his master's side. He had lead
Frodo into this pit and he would lead him out.
Throwing his cloak over his face, he called out, "Follow me!" and walked towards the scent of
fresh air. For a moment, Frodo hesitated and then followed.
The period of time between them entering the cave and exiting it was immeasurable to Sam. When
they finally emerged into the open of Mordor, Sam fell to his knees and stared at the sky.
Beside him, Frodo stumbled, but did not fall. Swaying, he managed to say on his feet. They
stayed like that for a few moments before Frodo turned to Sam. He looked at Sam with an
expression that was indescribable.
Sam tried to find the words to explain what he had done but he couldn't find them. His tongue
felt heavy and wooden. He opened his mouth to explain and paused, trying to put what he felt
into words.
"I heard her mind." Frodo said softly, not looking away from Sam. "I know what she promised
you. Why didn't you take it?"
"I don't want the ring." He said in a hushed voice, "It's not what I want."
For a moment, they just stared at each other. Then, Frodo stepped forward and touched the side
of Sam's face. The heat of Frodo's body flowed into his cold companion. Sam could feel the
heartbeat throb though Frodo and pulse gently at his cheek. And as quickly as the touch had
come, it left.
"I can't touch you." Frodo looked away this time, "I don't hate you. I just can't touch you."
Sam got to his feet and shouldered his pack. "Let's go." He said, his voice husky. And he lead
the way this time so Frodo couldn't see the red tears that ran down his face.
~fin~