Disclaimer: AU Story. My second large fic because it gave me so much
pleasure writing the last. I do not own any of the characters or places in
this story- both belong to the genius, Tolkien. I know; I torture the
characters but I will do my very best to save them. Hope you enjoy!
~ Chapter Six ~
Frodo did not want to be blindfolded but he saw that it was fair this way. But the dark frightened him so now. It reminded him of the nightmares that flowed in his head. The fortress of Barad-Dûr, the wraiths on their horses and now, more recently, the walls of Moria. He hardly dared close his eyes these days. And when Rúmil came to him, he backed away. The others gave him concerned looks and Pippin started looking a little guilty. So, taking a deep breath, Frodo let the cloth wind around his face. It was as bad as he expected. There were lurking figures in the darkness, watching him with glowing eyes. For the time being, they held back, staring at him and the hobbit was content to focus his mind on picturing the scene outside.
The Fellowship were led through soft ferny ground. There was the sound of running water beside them- the scent of green in the air. It was an odd smell. Filled with life, spicy and yet sweet at the same time. Frodo had a vague memory of it and someone's voice, warm and familiar telling him-
"Time is a wondrous thing, Frodo. It shapes our very world. Lets mountains rise and the seas roll. It strengthens forests and cures the sick. It heals our hearts, too, my lad. Breathe it in! Can you smell it? Yes. Time smells like old pine needles. It is the smell of time passing."
He could not remember who said it. Bilbo perhaps, or Gandalf. Or maybe on of his parents. It was just a stray thought but it gave him joy to remember it.
They walked on and on, passing through sunlit glades and under thick canopies. Many miles they walked and soon, Frodo felt the figures in the shadows begin to grow.. restless. He flinched as he saw something dart from one side of his vision to the other behind his eyes. Gimli, behind him, sensed this and put a steadying hand out to him.
"You alright, Frodo?" he asked. He felt very worried for Frodo and after what the hobbit had done for him, he felt compelled to do something in return.
"Yes," came the muffled reply, unsure, "I'm fine."
But he was not. Frodo was becoming more and more scared as he sensed the day coming to an end around him. 'No' he thought. He willed the sun to stay in the sky- keep the creatures at bay. But soon, the cold evening breeze passed through the trees. He shuddered and took in a sharp breath. The nightmares were all around him. Gimli was there again, his voice drifting through the darkness to him.
"Frodo, are you sure that nothing is bothering you?"
"I'm fine," he answered. He could tell no one about the nightmares. It gave way only to more worrying. Hadn't he been the cause of enough now?
"We shall rest here for the night," Haldir said and Frodo bumped into Pippin. They had stopped. The shadows leapt up and he gasped. Thankfully, it went unnoticed. He went to undo the blindfold but restraining hands stopped him.
"I am afraid that we cannot allow you to take these off yet."
"Oh, this is ridiculous!" Frodo heard Boromir mutter. But the elves appeared to ignore it. 'Oh, save us, no,' he thought. He could not bear to sleep like this. It would drive him mad. But he forced himself not to protest. He had done too much damage for that and he doubted Haldir would listen to him, anyway. He called out meekly to Sam who was at his side in an instant.
"Here, Mister Frodo," he said softly.
"Good. I- I just needed to find you. I don't want to be alone here. Not that it makes a difference, eh?" he tried to laugh but it sounded weak.
"I understand, Frodo," Sam said, "I'll be here if you need me."
"Thank you, Sam."
For Frodo, it was an eternity of darkness. A hundred times he saw Gandalf fall, feeling that pit open up in his stomach. Feeling that despair take a firm hold on his heart. Then the wraiths came. On beasts of the air now. He lay in a half-conscious state, not being able to tell the real from the dreams. He would not let himself cry out. Not tonight. But the nightmares wound around him- pulling tighter and harder. He was flying. On Smaug the dragon's broad back. A roaring filled his ears and flame lit up his darkness. The Eye of Sauron blazed at him. Voices came and went in the roaring too, screams of distress, shouting his name, pleading for his aid. But he could not come to them. At last, he could bear it no longer. He was gripped with fear so intense that he tore the cloth from his eyes and gazed out onto the night ridden woodland. He felt calm fall like rain around him. The real world. It was all so real. Frodo burst into tears of relief. He no longer cared about the elves and their stupid traditions. Even in his own mind he could not escape the Ring's call. He felt a hand on his shoulder and started, jumping round- fire lighting in his eyes. He saw to his surprise that it was Haldir. His face was shining in the starlight- his golden hair framing his beautiful face with light. The elf was taken aback by Frodo's ferocious gesture but then saw the tear streaked cheeks and wide, terrified eyes.
"Forgive me, Frodo. I did not understand. I am so very sorry," Haldir said, bending down to embrace the hobbit. Frodo gripped his arms and nodded.
"It's alright, Haldir. I- I just- Haldir, you must not tell anyone of this. The nightmares, I mean. I cannot be the source of anxiety all the time."
The elf looked doubtful. But he sighed and relented.
"Alright. I will keep this secret. And Frodo- you do not have to wear the blindfold when you rest. I will not press that on you."
"Thank you," the hobbit said, "Thank you very much. I'm sorry that I have caused you so much distress these past nights."
"No, Frodo. I owe you the apology. I was being unjust. You have passed through countless dangers with your companions. I was wrong to try and separate you."
Frodo smiled, brushing away the last of the tears and made to lie back down. But Haldir stopped him. He met Frodo's eyes and said sternly,
"But there was one thing, Frodo, that was wrong. We elves of Lórien do see what is happening in the world. We see the darkness and feel it growing stronger every day. I know that you would understand how this feels. I know what you bear, Frodo and it is a heavy burden indeed. We feel the darkness like you do. We feel it tearing this land apart and hear His voice as he tries to destroy all the goodness in this world. Every moment, the elves hear and sense Him becoming stronger."
Frodo gripped his arm.
"I know. I feel the darkness in my heart every waking hour. Haldir, I cannot even close my eyes."
~
I enjoyed writing that the very most. I hope it comes out as well as it feels.
~ Chapter Six ~
Frodo did not want to be blindfolded but he saw that it was fair this way. But the dark frightened him so now. It reminded him of the nightmares that flowed in his head. The fortress of Barad-Dûr, the wraiths on their horses and now, more recently, the walls of Moria. He hardly dared close his eyes these days. And when Rúmil came to him, he backed away. The others gave him concerned looks and Pippin started looking a little guilty. So, taking a deep breath, Frodo let the cloth wind around his face. It was as bad as he expected. There were lurking figures in the darkness, watching him with glowing eyes. For the time being, they held back, staring at him and the hobbit was content to focus his mind on picturing the scene outside.
The Fellowship were led through soft ferny ground. There was the sound of running water beside them- the scent of green in the air. It was an odd smell. Filled with life, spicy and yet sweet at the same time. Frodo had a vague memory of it and someone's voice, warm and familiar telling him-
"Time is a wondrous thing, Frodo. It shapes our very world. Lets mountains rise and the seas roll. It strengthens forests and cures the sick. It heals our hearts, too, my lad. Breathe it in! Can you smell it? Yes. Time smells like old pine needles. It is the smell of time passing."
He could not remember who said it. Bilbo perhaps, or Gandalf. Or maybe on of his parents. It was just a stray thought but it gave him joy to remember it.
They walked on and on, passing through sunlit glades and under thick canopies. Many miles they walked and soon, Frodo felt the figures in the shadows begin to grow.. restless. He flinched as he saw something dart from one side of his vision to the other behind his eyes. Gimli, behind him, sensed this and put a steadying hand out to him.
"You alright, Frodo?" he asked. He felt very worried for Frodo and after what the hobbit had done for him, he felt compelled to do something in return.
"Yes," came the muffled reply, unsure, "I'm fine."
But he was not. Frodo was becoming more and more scared as he sensed the day coming to an end around him. 'No' he thought. He willed the sun to stay in the sky- keep the creatures at bay. But soon, the cold evening breeze passed through the trees. He shuddered and took in a sharp breath. The nightmares were all around him. Gimli was there again, his voice drifting through the darkness to him.
"Frodo, are you sure that nothing is bothering you?"
"I'm fine," he answered. He could tell no one about the nightmares. It gave way only to more worrying. Hadn't he been the cause of enough now?
"We shall rest here for the night," Haldir said and Frodo bumped into Pippin. They had stopped. The shadows leapt up and he gasped. Thankfully, it went unnoticed. He went to undo the blindfold but restraining hands stopped him.
"I am afraid that we cannot allow you to take these off yet."
"Oh, this is ridiculous!" Frodo heard Boromir mutter. But the elves appeared to ignore it. 'Oh, save us, no,' he thought. He could not bear to sleep like this. It would drive him mad. But he forced himself not to protest. He had done too much damage for that and he doubted Haldir would listen to him, anyway. He called out meekly to Sam who was at his side in an instant.
"Here, Mister Frodo," he said softly.
"Good. I- I just needed to find you. I don't want to be alone here. Not that it makes a difference, eh?" he tried to laugh but it sounded weak.
"I understand, Frodo," Sam said, "I'll be here if you need me."
"Thank you, Sam."
For Frodo, it was an eternity of darkness. A hundred times he saw Gandalf fall, feeling that pit open up in his stomach. Feeling that despair take a firm hold on his heart. Then the wraiths came. On beasts of the air now. He lay in a half-conscious state, not being able to tell the real from the dreams. He would not let himself cry out. Not tonight. But the nightmares wound around him- pulling tighter and harder. He was flying. On Smaug the dragon's broad back. A roaring filled his ears and flame lit up his darkness. The Eye of Sauron blazed at him. Voices came and went in the roaring too, screams of distress, shouting his name, pleading for his aid. But he could not come to them. At last, he could bear it no longer. He was gripped with fear so intense that he tore the cloth from his eyes and gazed out onto the night ridden woodland. He felt calm fall like rain around him. The real world. It was all so real. Frodo burst into tears of relief. He no longer cared about the elves and their stupid traditions. Even in his own mind he could not escape the Ring's call. He felt a hand on his shoulder and started, jumping round- fire lighting in his eyes. He saw to his surprise that it was Haldir. His face was shining in the starlight- his golden hair framing his beautiful face with light. The elf was taken aback by Frodo's ferocious gesture but then saw the tear streaked cheeks and wide, terrified eyes.
"Forgive me, Frodo. I did not understand. I am so very sorry," Haldir said, bending down to embrace the hobbit. Frodo gripped his arms and nodded.
"It's alright, Haldir. I- I just- Haldir, you must not tell anyone of this. The nightmares, I mean. I cannot be the source of anxiety all the time."
The elf looked doubtful. But he sighed and relented.
"Alright. I will keep this secret. And Frodo- you do not have to wear the blindfold when you rest. I will not press that on you."
"Thank you," the hobbit said, "Thank you very much. I'm sorry that I have caused you so much distress these past nights."
"No, Frodo. I owe you the apology. I was being unjust. You have passed through countless dangers with your companions. I was wrong to try and separate you."
Frodo smiled, brushing away the last of the tears and made to lie back down. But Haldir stopped him. He met Frodo's eyes and said sternly,
"But there was one thing, Frodo, that was wrong. We elves of Lórien do see what is happening in the world. We see the darkness and feel it growing stronger every day. I know that you would understand how this feels. I know what you bear, Frodo and it is a heavy burden indeed. We feel the darkness like you do. We feel it tearing this land apart and hear His voice as he tries to destroy all the goodness in this world. Every moment, the elves hear and sense Him becoming stronger."
Frodo gripped his arm.
"I know. I feel the darkness in my heart every waking hour. Haldir, I cannot even close my eyes."
~
I enjoyed writing that the very most. I hope it comes out as well as it feels.