Sorry it took me so long! Here it is! Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews!
I was asked a while ago about what has happened to Gandalf. You shall find out soon enough and there is seven, not counting Frodo and Boromir since he is dead.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Flash of fire, screams of the dying, blood, and more blood upon the ground. The smell of burning flesh and wood. The taste of death. Friends, enemies, all lost within the devouring flames. All lost...
The dark lord snapped out of his visions at the sound of the door opening. The orcs came forth once more, a tall man struggling to walk in between them. They approached his throne and forced the man kneel before him.
"Do not make the future king of Gondor and Men bow before me," the dark lord ordered.
The orcs hauled the man to his feet and let him go. He stood before the dark lord, beaten but not defeated.
"Frodo?" Aragorn asked in surprise.
"Yes. I am glad to see they have not hurt you more, Aragorn," Frodo said stepping down until he was on a step near eye level with Aragorn.
"How are you here? What has happened to Sauron?" Aragorn asked.
"I killed him and Saruman. I now have control of all within Mordor," Frodo said.
"What about the others, are they all right?" Aragorn asked.
"They are well at the moment. You shall see them presently. But for now old friend, I need to speak with you of a matter of great importance," Frodo said.
"You have changed," Aragorn remarked.
He was not as sensitive as elves, but living among them had sharpened the senses he did have. He could feel something horrible was wrong, and it chilled his blood.
"So I have, for the better. Now, my friend, down to business. I need your help," Frodo started.
"For what?" Aragorn asked.
"To save our home. To save Middle Earth. To bring peace to all the realms," Frodo said.
"And how do you propose to do that?" Aragorn asked.
Frodo knew he could not use the same tactic against Aragorn that he had used with Legolas. Legolas was of a race that depended upon emotions, which is why an elf could die from grief. But Aragorn was a man of logic, with knowledge of magic, but his ways were of logic. Frodo was going to have to persuade him with words, not emotion or images.
"I plan to use the Ring to restore order," Frodo said vaguely.
"Like Sauron did? By blood shed and war?" Aragorn said calmly, "Then what makes you any better then Sauron himself?"
"I would not suppress the people, only make them see that by coming under one rule, our world would survive. It would end bloodshed and war, not make more of it," Frodo countered.
"And under whose rule? Your own?" Aragorn asked.
"Unless you would take my place," Frodo suggested lightly, his hand toying ever so slightly with the chain on which the ring hung.
Aragorn looked at him silently, his mind debating the fact. He of course knew what Frodo spoke of, for Elrond had spoken of it. To bring Middle Earth under one rule may be the only way to save it, but it would destroy the peoples' wills, for no change would come. With out change, there was no life. And yet, Frodo was offering him the power to rule, he could let there be change, but not too much. But that wasn't right either, the people should decided how they wish to change, not let someone else make that decision. And would Frodo really give up such power. Not in this state he wouldn't.
"No, it is not my place to rule those that should be free," Aragorn answered at last.
:"Then whose place is it? For you are the only one equal enough at one point to accept the ring, Isildur's heir," Frodo said.
"It is not mine nor yours, dear friend," Aragorn said.
Frodo was quickly growing tired of this. He decided to finally lay the last card against Aragorn and see if he could bring doubt to the man's heart.
"This is your chance to finally take what is rightfully yours. This is also the chance to finally be bonded to her who has been above you for so long. You can now be more than worthy of her for you would now be above her," Frodo said.
Aragorn backed away a bit, but only a step. How could Frodo have known of that? He had never spoken of to anyone other than Legolas and Gandalf. His heart hurt at the thought of his long desired love. The position was beginning to become tempting, and for a moment, he felt weakness in the face of it. But one look into those crazed blue eyes pulled him from it. Arwen loved him, no matter what position he held. Only Elrond's price held her from him, and if he accepted, he would lose her no matter what.
"No, I rather earn my way to my birthright, then have it handed to me," Aragorn said.
Cold anger rose in Frodo, "I shall give you more time to consider, Aragorn. Use it well, for things are soon to change."
The orcs then seized Aragorn by his arms and led him away.
I was asked a while ago about what has happened to Gandalf. You shall find out soon enough and there is seven, not counting Frodo and Boromir since he is dead.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Flash of fire, screams of the dying, blood, and more blood upon the ground. The smell of burning flesh and wood. The taste of death. Friends, enemies, all lost within the devouring flames. All lost...
The dark lord snapped out of his visions at the sound of the door opening. The orcs came forth once more, a tall man struggling to walk in between them. They approached his throne and forced the man kneel before him.
"Do not make the future king of Gondor and Men bow before me," the dark lord ordered.
The orcs hauled the man to his feet and let him go. He stood before the dark lord, beaten but not defeated.
"Frodo?" Aragorn asked in surprise.
"Yes. I am glad to see they have not hurt you more, Aragorn," Frodo said stepping down until he was on a step near eye level with Aragorn.
"How are you here? What has happened to Sauron?" Aragorn asked.
"I killed him and Saruman. I now have control of all within Mordor," Frodo said.
"What about the others, are they all right?" Aragorn asked.
"They are well at the moment. You shall see them presently. But for now old friend, I need to speak with you of a matter of great importance," Frodo said.
"You have changed," Aragorn remarked.
He was not as sensitive as elves, but living among them had sharpened the senses he did have. He could feel something horrible was wrong, and it chilled his blood.
"So I have, for the better. Now, my friend, down to business. I need your help," Frodo started.
"For what?" Aragorn asked.
"To save our home. To save Middle Earth. To bring peace to all the realms," Frodo said.
"And how do you propose to do that?" Aragorn asked.
Frodo knew he could not use the same tactic against Aragorn that he had used with Legolas. Legolas was of a race that depended upon emotions, which is why an elf could die from grief. But Aragorn was a man of logic, with knowledge of magic, but his ways were of logic. Frodo was going to have to persuade him with words, not emotion or images.
"I plan to use the Ring to restore order," Frodo said vaguely.
"Like Sauron did? By blood shed and war?" Aragorn said calmly, "Then what makes you any better then Sauron himself?"
"I would not suppress the people, only make them see that by coming under one rule, our world would survive. It would end bloodshed and war, not make more of it," Frodo countered.
"And under whose rule? Your own?" Aragorn asked.
"Unless you would take my place," Frodo suggested lightly, his hand toying ever so slightly with the chain on which the ring hung.
Aragorn looked at him silently, his mind debating the fact. He of course knew what Frodo spoke of, for Elrond had spoken of it. To bring Middle Earth under one rule may be the only way to save it, but it would destroy the peoples' wills, for no change would come. With out change, there was no life. And yet, Frodo was offering him the power to rule, he could let there be change, but not too much. But that wasn't right either, the people should decided how they wish to change, not let someone else make that decision. And would Frodo really give up such power. Not in this state he wouldn't.
"No, it is not my place to rule those that should be free," Aragorn answered at last.
:"Then whose place is it? For you are the only one equal enough at one point to accept the ring, Isildur's heir," Frodo said.
"It is not mine nor yours, dear friend," Aragorn said.
Frodo was quickly growing tired of this. He decided to finally lay the last card against Aragorn and see if he could bring doubt to the man's heart.
"This is your chance to finally take what is rightfully yours. This is also the chance to finally be bonded to her who has been above you for so long. You can now be more than worthy of her for you would now be above her," Frodo said.
Aragorn backed away a bit, but only a step. How could Frodo have known of that? He had never spoken of to anyone other than Legolas and Gandalf. His heart hurt at the thought of his long desired love. The position was beginning to become tempting, and for a moment, he felt weakness in the face of it. But one look into those crazed blue eyes pulled him from it. Arwen loved him, no matter what position he held. Only Elrond's price held her from him, and if he accepted, he would lose her no matter what.
"No, I rather earn my way to my birthright, then have it handed to me," Aragorn said.
Cold anger rose in Frodo, "I shall give you more time to consider, Aragorn. Use it well, for things are soon to change."
The orcs then seized Aragorn by his arms and led him away.