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!
Shirebound: I'm very glad that I'm not a predictable person. Hehe. Can you guess what I'm going to say next? Thank you!
TrueFan: Oh, I don't know. Gimli could be quite a hunk if he wanted. What? Me a Frodo girl? Ridiculous...........*ahem*
The Fellowship of the Nuts: Heeheehee. Ta for the lovely comments- much appreciated.
ViNguyen: Fantastic name! Frod-si and Leggy take part in my surprise scene coming soon.. I will not say more. *wink wink*
Whoa! 94 reviews already! That is just amazing! Thank you to everyone!
~ Chapter Seventeen ~
Frodo allowed himself to be lowered to the ground. Holding the blanket tightly round him, he dropped to his knees and crawled across to where Gollum was. He was staring at Frodo, gasping for breath and his brow creased into a frown. He was clicking and hissing quietly to himself. Unnerved, the hobbit sat nearby and observed Gollum from a distance.
"Gollum," he said softly. The creature scowled at him but did not speak. Frodo went on in a whisper, moving a little closer. "Gollum.. tell us how the orcs.. came here. Did you lead them?"
"Sss. Leave us alone," came the angry reply. Sam took a step towards him but Aragorn put a steadying hand on his shoulder. This was between Frodo and Gollum for now.
"Did you lead.. the orcs, Gollum?" Frodo persisted. He felt as if his head was been squeezed now and it was hard to focus. He wanted to go to sleep now but he knew that he may never get this opportunity again. Gollum was so ravaged. So shrunken that it was hard to believe that he had once been something quite like a hobbit himself. His skin was tight and the impression of his spine was clearly visible. The glowing eyes seemed so unreal. It was as if they penetrated deep inside you, reading your every doubt and fear. But there was no power left in this wretched creature. No will. Only to own the Ring once more. To fondle his 'precious' in the dark of caves and live out the drab remains of his existence. *But, somehow, as when he had seen Balin, Frodo felt pity for Gollum. And yet that feeling felt out of place in him. This strange animal wanted the Ring, his Ring and nothing more. It held no sway over him.
Gollum was longing to reach out now. He was so close. Though the rope burned and froze him, he could still feel that need, that desire for his precious. And it was his! His own! What right had a filthy Baggins to carry his property? His eyes were fixed on the single chain-link that was visible over Frodo's shirt. He was oblivious to any other form in the room. And the anger was welling in him. He gave the hobbit a dirty look.
"Yes, we did. We led the orcses to the elves with their bright eyes and glowing swords. We did, precious. It was us! We did it. But there are dead elveses and manses on the ground now. You can't take back blood. No, we did it and you can't do anything now."
"Why?" Frodo asked in a low voice. Gollum hissed through his teeth. Sam tried to advance again as Frodo put a hand to his head. "Why?" he breathed. Gollum saw the weakness. Saw the pain in Frodo's face. Now was the chance!
He lunged forward.
"The precious!" he cried, "For the precious!"
Lómelindë grabbed at the rope too late. It came untied from the bed and Gollum and Frodo were locked together. Gimli bounded into the fray and attempted to pull the hobbit free but both were far too engrossed in the fight to heed any aid or injury.
Frodo's hands were pressed over the Ring, his fingers entwined about the chain. Gollum had straddled him and was now trying to force his hands apart, eyes wide with hunger for his precious. Frodo could sense only the being above him, wanting the Ring. He must not have it. His eyes were hard- set as he grappled against his attacker. Hands were pulling at him from behind but he would not let go. This creature had to be killed! Destroyed for endeavouring to take the One Ring from his possession. It was his! His alone! He reached for Sting at his belt. He had one hand entangled in the chain and the other now on the hilt of his sword.
"No!" he yelled. He felt endowed with new strength and he brought the blade free with a sickening ringing of metal.
All of the company were trying to force the pair apart now but it was impossible. They were unconscious to anything but the Ring's siren call now. Sam felt it too. Growing in his mind and he cried out as did the others as the burning letters entered their minds. Then there was a flash of blue as Sting rent through the air and crashed into the floor. Gollum screamed. There was a long slash on his arm now and the spell was broken. He howled in pain and, the rope still round his neck, he fled from the room. Frodo was left on the floor, Sting gripped tightly in his hand and the Ring safely in the other. He was shaking visibly and there were many new grazes and cuts on his face where the fingers had torn his skin. Aragorn was at his side, feeling so guilty at bringing such misfortune. But before the man could come near, the sword was at his throat.
"Don't come any closer!" Frodo hissed. The look in his eyes was completely alien to all of them. He was standing now, dressed only in a long nightgown and still quaking with rage.
"Mister Frodo," Sam said meekly, trying to approach. Legolas and Gimli were coming forward too but Frodo did not appear to recognise any of them.
"Stay away!" he shouted, backing to the door. Lómelindë tried reasoning with him.
"Frodo, do not heed the Ring. Do not let it rule you. You can fight it, Frodo!"
"Leave me alone!" the hobbit almost screamed and then he too ran from the house. They all followed him outside but when they got there, he was gone. There was no sign or sound of him at all.
"We must find him," Legolas said resolutely, "Before his madness overtakes him completely."
"He ain't mad! It's the Ring talking, not Mister Frodo. We have to find him," Sam cried. Tears glistened on his face. When his master looked at him, there had been no affection or memory in those eyes. And after what had happened before.. would Frodo fight the Ring at all now? Or would he let it consume him?
Shirebound: I'm very glad that I'm not a predictable person. Hehe. Can you guess what I'm going to say next? Thank you!
TrueFan: Oh, I don't know. Gimli could be quite a hunk if he wanted. What? Me a Frodo girl? Ridiculous...........*ahem*
The Fellowship of the Nuts: Heeheehee. Ta for the lovely comments- much appreciated.
ViNguyen: Fantastic name! Frod-si and Leggy take part in my surprise scene coming soon.. I will not say more. *wink wink*
Whoa! 94 reviews already! That is just amazing! Thank you to everyone!
~ Chapter Seventeen ~
Frodo allowed himself to be lowered to the ground. Holding the blanket tightly round him, he dropped to his knees and crawled across to where Gollum was. He was staring at Frodo, gasping for breath and his brow creased into a frown. He was clicking and hissing quietly to himself. Unnerved, the hobbit sat nearby and observed Gollum from a distance.
"Gollum," he said softly. The creature scowled at him but did not speak. Frodo went on in a whisper, moving a little closer. "Gollum.. tell us how the orcs.. came here. Did you lead them?"
"Sss. Leave us alone," came the angry reply. Sam took a step towards him but Aragorn put a steadying hand on his shoulder. This was between Frodo and Gollum for now.
"Did you lead.. the orcs, Gollum?" Frodo persisted. He felt as if his head was been squeezed now and it was hard to focus. He wanted to go to sleep now but he knew that he may never get this opportunity again. Gollum was so ravaged. So shrunken that it was hard to believe that he had once been something quite like a hobbit himself. His skin was tight and the impression of his spine was clearly visible. The glowing eyes seemed so unreal. It was as if they penetrated deep inside you, reading your every doubt and fear. But there was no power left in this wretched creature. No will. Only to own the Ring once more. To fondle his 'precious' in the dark of caves and live out the drab remains of his existence. *But, somehow, as when he had seen Balin, Frodo felt pity for Gollum. And yet that feeling felt out of place in him. This strange animal wanted the Ring, his Ring and nothing more. It held no sway over him.
Gollum was longing to reach out now. He was so close. Though the rope burned and froze him, he could still feel that need, that desire for his precious. And it was his! His own! What right had a filthy Baggins to carry his property? His eyes were fixed on the single chain-link that was visible over Frodo's shirt. He was oblivious to any other form in the room. And the anger was welling in him. He gave the hobbit a dirty look.
"Yes, we did. We led the orcses to the elves with their bright eyes and glowing swords. We did, precious. It was us! We did it. But there are dead elveses and manses on the ground now. You can't take back blood. No, we did it and you can't do anything now."
"Why?" Frodo asked in a low voice. Gollum hissed through his teeth. Sam tried to advance again as Frodo put a hand to his head. "Why?" he breathed. Gollum saw the weakness. Saw the pain in Frodo's face. Now was the chance!
He lunged forward.
"The precious!" he cried, "For the precious!"
Lómelindë grabbed at the rope too late. It came untied from the bed and Gollum and Frodo were locked together. Gimli bounded into the fray and attempted to pull the hobbit free but both were far too engrossed in the fight to heed any aid or injury.
Frodo's hands were pressed over the Ring, his fingers entwined about the chain. Gollum had straddled him and was now trying to force his hands apart, eyes wide with hunger for his precious. Frodo could sense only the being above him, wanting the Ring. He must not have it. His eyes were hard- set as he grappled against his attacker. Hands were pulling at him from behind but he would not let go. This creature had to be killed! Destroyed for endeavouring to take the One Ring from his possession. It was his! His alone! He reached for Sting at his belt. He had one hand entangled in the chain and the other now on the hilt of his sword.
"No!" he yelled. He felt endowed with new strength and he brought the blade free with a sickening ringing of metal.
All of the company were trying to force the pair apart now but it was impossible. They were unconscious to anything but the Ring's siren call now. Sam felt it too. Growing in his mind and he cried out as did the others as the burning letters entered their minds. Then there was a flash of blue as Sting rent through the air and crashed into the floor. Gollum screamed. There was a long slash on his arm now and the spell was broken. He howled in pain and, the rope still round his neck, he fled from the room. Frodo was left on the floor, Sting gripped tightly in his hand and the Ring safely in the other. He was shaking visibly and there were many new grazes and cuts on his face where the fingers had torn his skin. Aragorn was at his side, feeling so guilty at bringing such misfortune. But before the man could come near, the sword was at his throat.
"Don't come any closer!" Frodo hissed. The look in his eyes was completely alien to all of them. He was standing now, dressed only in a long nightgown and still quaking with rage.
"Mister Frodo," Sam said meekly, trying to approach. Legolas and Gimli were coming forward too but Frodo did not appear to recognise any of them.
"Stay away!" he shouted, backing to the door. Lómelindë tried reasoning with him.
"Frodo, do not heed the Ring. Do not let it rule you. You can fight it, Frodo!"
"Leave me alone!" the hobbit almost screamed and then he too ran from the house. They all followed him outside but when they got there, he was gone. There was no sign or sound of him at all.
"We must find him," Legolas said resolutely, "Before his madness overtakes him completely."
"He ain't mad! It's the Ring talking, not Mister Frodo. We have to find him," Sam cried. Tears glistened on his face. When his master looked at him, there had been no affection or memory in those eyes. And after what had happened before.. would Frodo fight the Ring at all now? Or would he let it consume him?