And In The Darkness Bind Him
Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing to do with Middle-Earth. I don't even own my computer! All characters, locations, etc belong to the Tolkien Estate.
A/N: Sorry the last chapter was so short. Hopefully, once you guys start reviewing and giving me more ideas, I can make them longer! I'm sure I can. :) Please R/R!
Chapter II
Aragorn sat in deep thought in front of the dying embers of the campfire- afraid to build a larger one for fear of drawing the enemy to their small camp. Watching each embers' warm red glow fade to orange, and then extinguish completely… it was calming, especially after the events of the past week. The week since Weathertop had been very demanding of him. He had been doing a double watch shift every night. Not to mention caring for Frodo. It grieved him to see the ring bearer suffer so. And yet, he could do so little for the hobbit. The Athelas water was always ready and boiling; he always remained with earshot of Frodo- just in case Frodo needed him in the night, as he so often did. The hobbit would take little to drink, and nothing at all to eat.
He knew how much it meant to Frodo to be independent. Not to rely on the care of others. Although in this situation, he really didn't have much of a choice in the matter. Frodo hated to be such a burden to them all. To worry them all so. Aragorn knew this, and so he tried to make it as easy as possible for the ring bearer.
At that moment, he was dragged out of his thoughts by the sounds of what he presumed to be an ensuing struggle. Leaping to his feet, he unsheathed Andúril and rushed off in the direction of the cries. He found Frodo a good ten feet or more away from his bedroll and warm blankets. He was lying on his side curled up, clutching at his neck and crying. Aragorn rushed to his side and placed a warm comforting hand on the ice-cold body of the trembling hobbit.
"Shh Frodo… It's alright, I'm here now. What happened?" Aragorn heard Frodo's shallow raspy breathing, and pity filled his heart. "Strider… he was after me. He was after the Ring. He attacked me… from the shadows, and I was trying to escape…and… I-" Frodo couldn't hold back his tears any longer. He turned his head over and sobbed into Aragorn's lap.
Aragorn stroked the ring bearers' damp limp curls, trying to comfort him, "Frodo, it's alright. You were hallucinating… just calm down now. Shh…" Aragorn waited for Frodo's chills to subside a little before speaking again. "Frodo, you must get back under your blankets now. It is very chilly tonight, and this cold air is no good for anyone. Especially you. Come now, I will carry you." Aragorn rose to his knees and began to lift the hobbit. Frodo cried out in pain, "Please don't Strider! It hurts so much. Let me lie here. Please. Don't move me. I cannot possibly bear it." Frodo's breathing became erratic as he tried to stifle more cries as they began to rise in his throat. Aragorn carefully lowered the weak ring bearer back to the ground. "I'm sorry Frodo. You must stay warm, I'll go fetch your bedroll." Frodo lay on the ground trying to make the world stop spinning in front of him. He reached his right hand up and touched his aching head. "Eight more days of this," he thought, "there's no way…" the darkness took him again before he could finish his thought. Aragorn returned moments later to find Frodo lying motionless on the ground. He bent over Frodo's face feeling for breath. It was there, however, it was hard to detect, much to Aragorn's dismay. He covered and tucked blankets all around the hobbit. "The poor thing," Aragorn thought, "he finally sleeps. Whatever nightmares haunt him in the dark of his dreams of his tormented mind, can't possibly exceed his pain while awake." Still, as Aragorn looked at the faint rise and fall of Frodo's chest, he could not see the hobbit going on like this for eight more days. Although, to have survived thus far, Aragorn knew that the small hobbit held an inner strength that he had not yet revealed.
TBC…?
A/N: What did you think? Is it terrible? A disgrace to all fanfics? Should I quit while I'm ahead…err, behind…? Let me know please. :) Any ideas about where I could go from here? Like I said, suggestions and constructive criticism are welcome! :)
Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing to do with Middle-Earth. I don't even own my computer! All characters, locations, etc belong to the Tolkien Estate.
A/N: Sorry the last chapter was so short. Hopefully, once you guys start reviewing and giving me more ideas, I can make them longer! I'm sure I can. :) Please R/R!
Chapter II
Aragorn sat in deep thought in front of the dying embers of the campfire- afraid to build a larger one for fear of drawing the enemy to their small camp. Watching each embers' warm red glow fade to orange, and then extinguish completely… it was calming, especially after the events of the past week. The week since Weathertop had been very demanding of him. He had been doing a double watch shift every night. Not to mention caring for Frodo. It grieved him to see the ring bearer suffer so. And yet, he could do so little for the hobbit. The Athelas water was always ready and boiling; he always remained with earshot of Frodo- just in case Frodo needed him in the night, as he so often did. The hobbit would take little to drink, and nothing at all to eat.
He knew how much it meant to Frodo to be independent. Not to rely on the care of others. Although in this situation, he really didn't have much of a choice in the matter. Frodo hated to be such a burden to them all. To worry them all so. Aragorn knew this, and so he tried to make it as easy as possible for the ring bearer.
At that moment, he was dragged out of his thoughts by the sounds of what he presumed to be an ensuing struggle. Leaping to his feet, he unsheathed Andúril and rushed off in the direction of the cries. He found Frodo a good ten feet or more away from his bedroll and warm blankets. He was lying on his side curled up, clutching at his neck and crying. Aragorn rushed to his side and placed a warm comforting hand on the ice-cold body of the trembling hobbit.
"Shh Frodo… It's alright, I'm here now. What happened?" Aragorn heard Frodo's shallow raspy breathing, and pity filled his heart. "Strider… he was after me. He was after the Ring. He attacked me… from the shadows, and I was trying to escape…and… I-" Frodo couldn't hold back his tears any longer. He turned his head over and sobbed into Aragorn's lap.
Aragorn stroked the ring bearers' damp limp curls, trying to comfort him, "Frodo, it's alright. You were hallucinating… just calm down now. Shh…" Aragorn waited for Frodo's chills to subside a little before speaking again. "Frodo, you must get back under your blankets now. It is very chilly tonight, and this cold air is no good for anyone. Especially you. Come now, I will carry you." Aragorn rose to his knees and began to lift the hobbit. Frodo cried out in pain, "Please don't Strider! It hurts so much. Let me lie here. Please. Don't move me. I cannot possibly bear it." Frodo's breathing became erratic as he tried to stifle more cries as they began to rise in his throat. Aragorn carefully lowered the weak ring bearer back to the ground. "I'm sorry Frodo. You must stay warm, I'll go fetch your bedroll." Frodo lay on the ground trying to make the world stop spinning in front of him. He reached his right hand up and touched his aching head. "Eight more days of this," he thought, "there's no way…" the darkness took him again before he could finish his thought. Aragorn returned moments later to find Frodo lying motionless on the ground. He bent over Frodo's face feeling for breath. It was there, however, it was hard to detect, much to Aragorn's dismay. He covered and tucked blankets all around the hobbit. "The poor thing," Aragorn thought, "he finally sleeps. Whatever nightmares haunt him in the dark of his dreams of his tormented mind, can't possibly exceed his pain while awake." Still, as Aragorn looked at the faint rise and fall of Frodo's chest, he could not see the hobbit going on like this for eight more days. Although, to have survived thus far, Aragorn knew that the small hobbit held an inner strength that he had not yet revealed.
TBC…?
A/N: What did you think? Is it terrible? A disgrace to all fanfics? Should I quit while I'm ahead…err, behind…? Let me know please. :) Any ideas about where I could go from here? Like I said, suggestions and constructive criticism are welcome! :)