Disclaimer: AU Story. Why don't I own Lord of the Rings? *sigh* Well, until
maybe the Tolkien family takes pity on me, I do not own any of the
characters or places mentioned in this story. Please don't sue me! I know I
am cruel to them but I swear I will try to save them. Hope you enjoy!
Rosie: Am I cruel or am I cruel? Hehehe.
Note: This is an important chapter. A kinda thorn among the fluff.
~ Chapter Sixteen ~
Frodo did not wake again for many hours. He remained perfectly still, his breathing becoming shallower and his fever growing worse. Aragorn tended him with herbs and drink. But there was little he could do but sit and watch, as Frodo seemed to get fainter and weaker. Sam kept constant vigil and refused to leave his companion's side. Time passed hazily with each member of the Fellowship in turn taking a watch with Sam. The one thought though that preyed on them all was that of going on. How could they? With Frodo so sick. Sam was strongly against the notion but Aragorn and Boromir glanced at each other, concerned for both the Ringbearer and the quest. They had to go on sooner or later.
"Sam?"
"Mister Frodo! Oh, at last! Aragorn, come quickly, Frodo's awake!"
Frodo struggled to sit up but Sam pushed him back firmly. "No," he warned, "You'll have to wait before trying to get up."
Frodo smiled at him. It was a small smile but it made Sam swell with relief. He squeezed his master's hand and beamed back. But then Frodo's tone changed and he closed his eyes again.
"Sam.. I need to tell you something- before I pass out again.." he had to take deep breaths before continuing, "Bring Aragorn and Legolas here, would you?"
Obediently, the hobbit jumped to his feet and fetched the two of them. Legolas fell to his knees beside the bedroll.
"Oh, Frodo, please forgive me. I tried so hard to find you and I wanted to help you. I am so sorry," he cried, bending down to envelope Frodo in a tight hug.
"Sorry? Legolas.. you saved me! You brought me back to the Fellowship. I am.. in your.. debt," came the hoarse reply. Legolas drew away from him. He could feel Gandalf's eyes on him and he looked up. The wizard was nodding his head. 'See?' he mouthed.
"But," Frodo went on, "There is something I must tell you.. All of you. There was a.. dwarf who attacked me."
"Yes, Legolas told us that. Was it he who poisoned you?" Aragorn asked.
"..Yes. But you don't understand.. the dwarf was.. Balin."
Legolas and Aragorn's faces became white.
"Balin? What on earth would he be doing giving you poison?" the ranger questioned softly. He could see Sam getting redder and redder and his brow creasing with anger. "Balin is dead, Frodo," he said, "There has been no word from him for months."
"He joined with the.. orcs, Aragorn. He had.. no choice. He said it.. was his life.. or mine. Cold as stone."
There were tears in his eyes and he stared fixedly at the cavern roof, determined to finish.
"Mister Frodo-" Sam ventured.
"He said that.. it was the drink of the- of the shadows. Belladonna. Balin wanted.. so much to kill me. Said I would be cold as stone within- within the hour," he gasped at the very memory and tried to hold back the tears. He bit down hard on his lip as the darkness swilled at the corners of his eyes. He dug his nails into Sam's hand. "But I don't want to die."
It was too much for Sam to watch his friend in so much pain.
"You can sleep now, Mister Frodo. Can't he, Aragorn?"
Aragorn looked at Legolas. The elf nodded and he acknowledged Sam.
"Rest, Frodo. You have done well," Legolas said. Frodo closed his eyes as another wave of agony washed over him. He wanted to stay awake and stay with his friends but then it hurt so much. Every muscle was pounding and his head was throbbing. He could no longer collect his thoughts and nothing would emerge from his mouth. Everything seemed to push down on him. Crushing the air from his lungs.
"Ah! It kills-" was all he could manage. He lunged out with his free hand, fingers outstretched to Legolas' neck. They grabbed at something and suddenly the pain reached an excruciating peak. There were hands all around him, trying to calm him or hold him down. Someone was holding back his head and pouring cold liquid into his mouth. Sour, herby water that burned his dry throat. But it appeared to settle his stomach and expand his lungs.
"Frodo, can you hear me?" said a voice somewhere in the mists.
"Yes," he answered.
"What do you feel?"
"Pain. It- it's everywhere. Inside me. And.. I feel so weary.. all the time."
"Alright, Frodo. It will be alright now. Sleep in peace."
Then the voice seemed to melt out of existence. The faces wafted away. Instead of falling he stayed here, among the clouds and mist. It was as if his body had been detached from his mind and now he was just floating there. No memories. No thoughts. And then the Ring hove into sight. A band of flame that twisted and turned towards him. He tried to back away but where could he go? It came closer and closer, getting smaller and smaller. The fire erupted before him and Frodo felt the Ring tumble into his grasp. He closed his fingers round it and let everything drift away.
"We have no more time. Frodo will not last through the night. We have to get him away from here. We need herbs and more water but we can spare no more," Aragorn cried.
"Then what do you suggest we do?" Boromir asked, "Frodo is dying. He is not even capable of staying awake for more than five minutes. Stay here or face the mines?"
"No!" shouted Sam, "Mister Frodo isn't up to it."
"Quiet!" Gandalf called. He strode forward into the circle. "Legolas, give Frodo the Ring. He will need to draw strength even from that. We have no more time. Frodo is weakening and we must aid him in his greatest hour of need. I am sorry, Samwise, but we must move on. It is for Frodo's own good that we get him out of here as soon as possible. We will take the right hand tunnel. Every night I have gone to sit at the junction and every time it comes up as my answer. So today we will pack up and head down to wherever it may lead. Our quest is still at hand."
Rosie: Am I cruel or am I cruel? Hehehe.
Note: This is an important chapter. A kinda thorn among the fluff.
~ Chapter Sixteen ~
Frodo did not wake again for many hours. He remained perfectly still, his breathing becoming shallower and his fever growing worse. Aragorn tended him with herbs and drink. But there was little he could do but sit and watch, as Frodo seemed to get fainter and weaker. Sam kept constant vigil and refused to leave his companion's side. Time passed hazily with each member of the Fellowship in turn taking a watch with Sam. The one thought though that preyed on them all was that of going on. How could they? With Frodo so sick. Sam was strongly against the notion but Aragorn and Boromir glanced at each other, concerned for both the Ringbearer and the quest. They had to go on sooner or later.
"Sam?"
"Mister Frodo! Oh, at last! Aragorn, come quickly, Frodo's awake!"
Frodo struggled to sit up but Sam pushed him back firmly. "No," he warned, "You'll have to wait before trying to get up."
Frodo smiled at him. It was a small smile but it made Sam swell with relief. He squeezed his master's hand and beamed back. But then Frodo's tone changed and he closed his eyes again.
"Sam.. I need to tell you something- before I pass out again.." he had to take deep breaths before continuing, "Bring Aragorn and Legolas here, would you?"
Obediently, the hobbit jumped to his feet and fetched the two of them. Legolas fell to his knees beside the bedroll.
"Oh, Frodo, please forgive me. I tried so hard to find you and I wanted to help you. I am so sorry," he cried, bending down to envelope Frodo in a tight hug.
"Sorry? Legolas.. you saved me! You brought me back to the Fellowship. I am.. in your.. debt," came the hoarse reply. Legolas drew away from him. He could feel Gandalf's eyes on him and he looked up. The wizard was nodding his head. 'See?' he mouthed.
"But," Frodo went on, "There is something I must tell you.. All of you. There was a.. dwarf who attacked me."
"Yes, Legolas told us that. Was it he who poisoned you?" Aragorn asked.
"..Yes. But you don't understand.. the dwarf was.. Balin."
Legolas and Aragorn's faces became white.
"Balin? What on earth would he be doing giving you poison?" the ranger questioned softly. He could see Sam getting redder and redder and his brow creasing with anger. "Balin is dead, Frodo," he said, "There has been no word from him for months."
"He joined with the.. orcs, Aragorn. He had.. no choice. He said it.. was his life.. or mine. Cold as stone."
There were tears in his eyes and he stared fixedly at the cavern roof, determined to finish.
"Mister Frodo-" Sam ventured.
"He said that.. it was the drink of the- of the shadows. Belladonna. Balin wanted.. so much to kill me. Said I would be cold as stone within- within the hour," he gasped at the very memory and tried to hold back the tears. He bit down hard on his lip as the darkness swilled at the corners of his eyes. He dug his nails into Sam's hand. "But I don't want to die."
It was too much for Sam to watch his friend in so much pain.
"You can sleep now, Mister Frodo. Can't he, Aragorn?"
Aragorn looked at Legolas. The elf nodded and he acknowledged Sam.
"Rest, Frodo. You have done well," Legolas said. Frodo closed his eyes as another wave of agony washed over him. He wanted to stay awake and stay with his friends but then it hurt so much. Every muscle was pounding and his head was throbbing. He could no longer collect his thoughts and nothing would emerge from his mouth. Everything seemed to push down on him. Crushing the air from his lungs.
"Ah! It kills-" was all he could manage. He lunged out with his free hand, fingers outstretched to Legolas' neck. They grabbed at something and suddenly the pain reached an excruciating peak. There were hands all around him, trying to calm him or hold him down. Someone was holding back his head and pouring cold liquid into his mouth. Sour, herby water that burned his dry throat. But it appeared to settle his stomach and expand his lungs.
"Frodo, can you hear me?" said a voice somewhere in the mists.
"Yes," he answered.
"What do you feel?"
"Pain. It- it's everywhere. Inside me. And.. I feel so weary.. all the time."
"Alright, Frodo. It will be alright now. Sleep in peace."
Then the voice seemed to melt out of existence. The faces wafted away. Instead of falling he stayed here, among the clouds and mist. It was as if his body had been detached from his mind and now he was just floating there. No memories. No thoughts. And then the Ring hove into sight. A band of flame that twisted and turned towards him. He tried to back away but where could he go? It came closer and closer, getting smaller and smaller. The fire erupted before him and Frodo felt the Ring tumble into his grasp. He closed his fingers round it and let everything drift away.
"We have no more time. Frodo will not last through the night. We have to get him away from here. We need herbs and more water but we can spare no more," Aragorn cried.
"Then what do you suggest we do?" Boromir asked, "Frodo is dying. He is not even capable of staying awake for more than five minutes. Stay here or face the mines?"
"No!" shouted Sam, "Mister Frodo isn't up to it."
"Quiet!" Gandalf called. He strode forward into the circle. "Legolas, give Frodo the Ring. He will need to draw strength even from that. We have no more time. Frodo is weakening and we must aid him in his greatest hour of need. I am sorry, Samwise, but we must move on. It is for Frodo's own good that we get him out of here as soon as possible. We will take the right hand tunnel. Every night I have gone to sit at the junction and every time it comes up as my answer. So today we will pack up and head down to wherever it may lead. Our quest is still at hand."