She stood at the edge of the riverbed, staring out into the water. Her face was pale, her eyes clouded with worry. Suddenly, she felt a presence behind her. She stiffened, nervous, not wanting to turn around; she feared it was orcs, or worse.
"Marigold," a voice behind her said. The voice belonged to Frodo. She sighed with relief and spun around to face him.
"Frodo!" Marigold cried. "You had me scared half to death! Where have you been?"
"I was telling the others that I was heading to Mordor," Frodo explained. Marigold noticed something in Frodo's eyes; something was troubling him. She squinted slightly and stared hard into his eyes.
"Frodo?" began Marigold. "What troubles you, my friend?" Frodo looked away, avoiding her gaze. "Frodo.. are you alright?" Frodo looked up at her. He held the ring in his hand, the chain coiled around it. Marigold looked down at it, raising her eyebrows. It almost seemed to her that Frodo was offering it to her. She looked into Frodo's eyes, puzzled. After a few moments, Frodo spoke.
"Will you take this ring, Marigold?" he asked. "Will you take it to Mordor?" Judging by Frodo's tone, Marigold had a feeling he was testing her. She looked down at the ring again, coiled up in the chain in Frodo's palm. It seemed to speak to her.
"Marigold.." it whispered. "I see you, Marigold.." Marigold furrowed her brow and closed her eyes, hearing the ring call to her in her head. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes. Without saying anything, she began to reach for the ring. Frodo watched her, his fingers twitching, ready to close them around the ring when he felt the need to. Marigold eyed the ring, her eyes shining with greed. Her breathing quickened as her hand got closer to the ring, the ring's voice repeating her name over and over in her head. Suddenly, her hand stopped. She closed her eyes tightly and took another deep breath. After a few moments, she opened her eyes again and quickly went for Frodo's hand. Before Frodo could make a move, Marigold grabbed Frodo's hand and closed his fingers around the ring. Then she backed away.
"Marigold.." muttered Frodo. He looked up at her. His eyes twinkled, and he smiled. "I knew I could trust you." He slipped the ring into his pocket. Then he took her hands. Their eyes met. Marigold smiled.
"The power of love will always overpower the forces of evil, no matter how great the threat is," said Marigold softly. Frodo nodded.
"Indeed, it will," he said. With that, they swept each other up in a loving embrace, each wishing they could stay frozen in that moment until the end of eternity.
"Marigold," a voice behind her said. The voice belonged to Frodo. She sighed with relief and spun around to face him.
"Frodo!" Marigold cried. "You had me scared half to death! Where have you been?"
"I was telling the others that I was heading to Mordor," Frodo explained. Marigold noticed something in Frodo's eyes; something was troubling him. She squinted slightly and stared hard into his eyes.
"Frodo?" began Marigold. "What troubles you, my friend?" Frodo looked away, avoiding her gaze. "Frodo.. are you alright?" Frodo looked up at her. He held the ring in his hand, the chain coiled around it. Marigold looked down at it, raising her eyebrows. It almost seemed to her that Frodo was offering it to her. She looked into Frodo's eyes, puzzled. After a few moments, Frodo spoke.
"Will you take this ring, Marigold?" he asked. "Will you take it to Mordor?" Judging by Frodo's tone, Marigold had a feeling he was testing her. She looked down at the ring again, coiled up in the chain in Frodo's palm. It seemed to speak to her.
"Marigold.." it whispered. "I see you, Marigold.." Marigold furrowed her brow and closed her eyes, hearing the ring call to her in her head. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes. Without saying anything, she began to reach for the ring. Frodo watched her, his fingers twitching, ready to close them around the ring when he felt the need to. Marigold eyed the ring, her eyes shining with greed. Her breathing quickened as her hand got closer to the ring, the ring's voice repeating her name over and over in her head. Suddenly, her hand stopped. She closed her eyes tightly and took another deep breath. After a few moments, she opened her eyes again and quickly went for Frodo's hand. Before Frodo could make a move, Marigold grabbed Frodo's hand and closed his fingers around the ring. Then she backed away.
"Marigold.." muttered Frodo. He looked up at her. His eyes twinkled, and he smiled. "I knew I could trust you." He slipped the ring into his pocket. Then he took her hands. Their eyes met. Marigold smiled.
"The power of love will always overpower the forces of evil, no matter how great the threat is," said Marigold softly. Frodo nodded.
"Indeed, it will," he said. With that, they swept each other up in a loving embrace, each wishing they could stay frozen in that moment until the end of eternity.