Frodo struggled, fumbling the silver chain around his fingers. His eyes
clenched shut tight. His fingers found the ring. Touched its cool, smooth
surface. He could see it, burning in his mind. All was so clear now. The
ring, the fire, the power. He ran his fingers along the cool, soothing
surface. He was trembling. Some part of him still protested, but it was
silenced. Just then a sound broke through his dreams.
"Don't let go, Frodo! Oh please, sir! Hold on! Just hold on!"
"Sam?"
"Don't leave me! Come back! Oh please don't leave me all alone! Come back!"
Frodo felt torn and as both forces in him were about to tear him in two he woke. His eyes searched about frantically, the ring still grasped between his fingers, the chain in tangles. He was breathing ragged, so drained, so weak. He tried to turn his head when he heard the cries again.
"Come back to me! Don't go without your Sam, don't leave me! I'm coming!"
Frodo turned and saw Sam, still asleep by his side, dreaming. He was screaming in his terrible tormented nightmares. Frodo stirred and whispered to Sam, his voice lost of all light and life.
"S-Sam, here, S-Sam." He tried to soothe the fevered hobbit though his own voice was trembling.
The younger hobbit stopped screaming but he whimpered in his sleep, still tormented, tossing his head frantically from side to side. He murmerred lightly his words barely audible, "I-I made- promise- Mr. Frodo- promised that I- I- promised-"
"It's alright, Sam. You- you saved me. You br-" Frodo tried to cease the terrible gasping of his voice, "brought me back."
Sam calmed and Frodo could hear his breathing slow. It was shallow and raspy but not so frantic and gasping any longer. Frodo sighed and lay back. He wouldn't go back to sleep, back to those deceitful dreams.
"You haven't won yet," he muttered, speaking to the Ring.
Frodo could not enjoy the silence, constantly reminded of Sam's danger as he heard the uneven, shallow breaths shattering through the silent air. Frodo cringed with every breath, wincing by his own intake of breath, like sharp knives pricking at his chest. But his heart broke with each pathetic struggle of life from Sam. After another moment he could take no more and knew he had to help Sam.
Frodo rolled over to his side and muffled a cry of pain. His sight blurred yet he knew his destination. He dragged his limp body towards the canteen. It was still full and he brought it to Sam's lips. Sam began to drink and his thirst was evident. In sleep his mind could not protest and his body knew what it needed.
"Good, Sam. Yes dear, drink. All you need," Frodo soothed pushing back the hobbit's curls. He examined Sam's face, his cheeks sunken slightly. Frodo sighed. He lifted one of Sam's limp hands and checked the skin between his thumb and finger. It was pinched in slightly and Frodo shook his head. A definate sign of dehydration that was cause for great alarm.
Frodo let Sam drain the canteen and as he was about to pull it away from Sam's lips he heard a faint sigh. He looked down and saw Sam looking wearily up at him.
"Can you see me?" Frodo whispered.
Sam nodded slightly, "Blurry. What- a-about- you?" He motioned to the canteen.
Frodo smiled and lifted the empty canteen to his lips pretending to take a huge gulp then set it down. Sam smiled slightly and nodded. "Thank you- Mister- Frodo-"
"Just get your rest, Sam."
"N-no," Sam whispered, his voice a small raspy shred, greatly slurred. "Got to- got to go- orcs-" Sam tried to turn but moaned and coughed.
"No orcs. Not yet anyway. Just take your rest, Sam."
"N-" Sam began again but his strength was wasted and he sagged falling back into dreams.
Frodo sighed and realized that he would need to refill the canteen once more. He felt his body shiver and twitch at the thought of another journey. He would surely die if he tried. But he had to. Sam saved him, though nonintentionally this time, but held him to life, kept him always one small step ahead of madness, just his very precense was saving him and for that Frodo owed him his life. Now he needed to save Sam. With that last resolve Frodo clambered to his feet and gripped the canteen tightly in his fist. He began again the long, tortorous journey back to the stream for water. How Sam managed to drain a canteen meant to last for days so quickly Frodo couldn't guess but the whole long journey to the stream and back Frodo tried to convince himself it was a good sign. Sam's body was accepting the water and his mind did little to protest. He even regained control over his muscles, his eyes did not stray or cross and seemed to focus just a little more. Just a little was good enough. ___________________
Frodo didn't know how he made it to the stream and back alive. He kept his hopes alive and his mind set on the one task and now that it was done his strength was gone. When he returned Sam still slept where he was left. He seemed a bit more peaceful now, his breathing not so labored. Frodo's had gotten worse though, and he fell to his knees gasping. His shoulders heaved and his breath was cut short. His thoat contracted stopping the air from reaching his lungs. Blackness clouded his vision, he couldn't breathe. The canteen fell to the ground, darkness ensued.
~~~
Frodo looked around. The small cave that was their meager form of protection was filled with blackness. It must have been night in those bleak lands. He sat up and searched for Sam frantically. He saw the canteen on the ground and snatched it up. He bounded towards the wall where he had left Sam. Amazingly Sam was still asleep, very calm, very still. Frodo knelt by his side and stroked the young hobbit's fevered brow. He drew in an unsteady breath as Frodo opened the canteen.
"Here you are, drink up," he whispered.
Sam opened his eyes and stared at Frodo almost shocked. "You are not my master."
"Of course I am, Sam." Frodo tipped the canteen to Sam's lips and poured some of the cool liquid into his mouth.
Sam spat it in Frodo's face. "You are not my master!" he shouted.
"No, Sam! Don't waste the water!" Frodo almost sobbed at the thought of yet another back breaking trip.
Sam's eyes smouldered, "You can't fool me! You dark wretched creature! You are not my master! You are not Mr. Frodo! He died! And you killed him!"
Frodo trembled, "No, Sam, I am. I am Frodo."
"You cannot be my master! You let him die! You are weak, and you will break! You dissapoint me, you dissapoint us all! And you will be our doom! Fool! How could they have ever trusted the likes of you with such a burden! You'll just fail! Fail miserably because of you're own weakness!"
Frodo trembled, eyes wide with fear burning with tears. Sam's words hurt so much Frodo could feel them digging into him. He choked, "Please. Sam, I didn't- mean to- it's just- it calls me- it-"
Sam spat at him again, "Shut up! Just shut up! You lying fool! You are too filled with your own self-pity to care about any of us! Let me die! Let me die now! What use will it be to live in a world that you have destroyed because you were too weak!" Sam raged, "Away with you! Be gone you dark wretch! Slink away like the Gollum that you are! You will betray us! You will succumb to the ring!"
Frodo fell to his knees sobbing, "Never, never!" Sam's words hurt so much. He could feel them burn into him, pierce his very soul. Oh, how it hurt, he felt his throat constrict, his eyes sting.
Sam stood, much taller than he ever was, his shadow stretched over Frodo. "Yess! You will! Use it! Use it!"
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'll fail! I'll fail! But I have to fight it! I won't use it!"
"You will die if you don't! Use it!"
Frodo clamped his hands over his ears shaking his head violantly. "No, never!"
There was a drumming, the earth trembled. Drums. Drums. Sam turned. "Orcs!"
Frodo looked up everything was spinning. The world reeled and knocked him down. The sound of Sam's voice still loud in his ears.
"You will betray us!"
"No," Frodo murmerred.
"You will! You will!"
"I won't!"
His voice suddenly changed.
"Orcs! Orcs, Mr. Frodo! We've got to get out! We've got to- got to-"
Frodo opened his eyes. A dream. Just a dream. But Sam was still shouting. He bolted upright and saw Sam stuggling in sleep shouting and crying. Frodo struggled to his feet and ran to Sam's side.
"Shh, Sam, there aren't any orcs."
Sam did not cease, he cried louder gripping Frodo, "Run! Leave me!"
Frodo was about to protest when he heard it as well. Drums. Beating. The rhythmic thud of metal shod boots above them. "Shh, Sam, they won't find us if we're quiet." Sam whimpered his eyes rolling back. He tried to look up but his muscles could barely obey.
"Shh, Sam." Frodo was gripping Sam's shoulder supporting him with his other arm. Both waited for the march above them to silence. Frodo caught his heart in his throat. What if they were found? Sam in his condition, he'd die, if he wasn't killed first. Frodo looked down at the trembling hobbit, frightened and confused. He caught Sam's eyes roll back, his body sagged but he stayed conscious.
"Come, Sam," Frodo sat him upright. "Drink for me."
He held the canteen to Sam's mouth and he drank, just a bit. After a few gulps he clenched his lips and a few drops slid down his jaw.
"Now Sam, more, please. Just a little bit more."
Sam shook his head, "You-"
"I've had some."
"Liar-"
Frodo smiled affectionately, "Oh dear Sam, you're right, ok." He had to admit he hadn't had any water since his last trip to the stream. He drank it down thankful for the blessed liquid.
He pulled the canteen away and handed it back to Sam, "Now you."
Sam lifted a hand to grip it but his arm fell limp at his side. He looked up at Frodo with pleading eyes, "What-"
Frodo tilted the canteen to Sam's lips again, "Shh, don't strain yourself."
Sam sat up almost choking on the water, "Strain *myself*!?" He coughed.
Frodo closed the canteen and listened intently. The drums pounding above them silenced and he felt his strength give way again. He tried not to let on. "You almost dehydrated yourself, fool," Frodo murmerred.
Sam averted his eyes, "I-" He saw the canteen in Frodo's hands. "I thought that was empty."
Frodo shook it, the water sloshed about in it. "I refilled it."
Sam's eyes widened but he could find nothing to say. He became suddenly aware of something wet on his head. He tried to lift a hand to it but his arm just twitched slightly. His head lolled and he struggled to keep awake. "My- my head."
Frodo put his hand to the cloth wrapped around Sam's forehead. He untied it and dipped it back in the cool water. His fever had gone down significantly but he was still warm. He tied it back around as Sam's head drooped and rested on his breast.
"Sleep now," Frodo whispered and eased Sam back down.
He looked out at the bleak lands before him despair filling him. The ring still whispered in his mind. His dream was right. He was no longer Frodo. His old self gripped desperately to that broken body to save Sam. Once Sam was well he would become weak and incoherent again. He already felt himself letting go. The ring consuming his mind. He hoped Sam would be well in time to save him from himself. From the ring's temptations. His hands trembled, creeping to his neck. He bit down on his lip and shoved his hands back into his pockets. His body shook and he lay down next to Sam's sleeping form. He looked at the young hobbit, feeling a smile tug at his lips.
"As long as I've got you, Sam, I won't let go. Hold me to this world, keep me to my quest."
"Don't let go, Frodo! Oh please, sir! Hold on! Just hold on!"
"Sam?"
"Don't leave me! Come back! Oh please don't leave me all alone! Come back!"
Frodo felt torn and as both forces in him were about to tear him in two he woke. His eyes searched about frantically, the ring still grasped between his fingers, the chain in tangles. He was breathing ragged, so drained, so weak. He tried to turn his head when he heard the cries again.
"Come back to me! Don't go without your Sam, don't leave me! I'm coming!"
Frodo turned and saw Sam, still asleep by his side, dreaming. He was screaming in his terrible tormented nightmares. Frodo stirred and whispered to Sam, his voice lost of all light and life.
"S-Sam, here, S-Sam." He tried to soothe the fevered hobbit though his own voice was trembling.
The younger hobbit stopped screaming but he whimpered in his sleep, still tormented, tossing his head frantically from side to side. He murmerred lightly his words barely audible, "I-I made- promise- Mr. Frodo- promised that I- I- promised-"
"It's alright, Sam. You- you saved me. You br-" Frodo tried to cease the terrible gasping of his voice, "brought me back."
Sam calmed and Frodo could hear his breathing slow. It was shallow and raspy but not so frantic and gasping any longer. Frodo sighed and lay back. He wouldn't go back to sleep, back to those deceitful dreams.
"You haven't won yet," he muttered, speaking to the Ring.
Frodo could not enjoy the silence, constantly reminded of Sam's danger as he heard the uneven, shallow breaths shattering through the silent air. Frodo cringed with every breath, wincing by his own intake of breath, like sharp knives pricking at his chest. But his heart broke with each pathetic struggle of life from Sam. After another moment he could take no more and knew he had to help Sam.
Frodo rolled over to his side and muffled a cry of pain. His sight blurred yet he knew his destination. He dragged his limp body towards the canteen. It was still full and he brought it to Sam's lips. Sam began to drink and his thirst was evident. In sleep his mind could not protest and his body knew what it needed.
"Good, Sam. Yes dear, drink. All you need," Frodo soothed pushing back the hobbit's curls. He examined Sam's face, his cheeks sunken slightly. Frodo sighed. He lifted one of Sam's limp hands and checked the skin between his thumb and finger. It was pinched in slightly and Frodo shook his head. A definate sign of dehydration that was cause for great alarm.
Frodo let Sam drain the canteen and as he was about to pull it away from Sam's lips he heard a faint sigh. He looked down and saw Sam looking wearily up at him.
"Can you see me?" Frodo whispered.
Sam nodded slightly, "Blurry. What- a-about- you?" He motioned to the canteen.
Frodo smiled and lifted the empty canteen to his lips pretending to take a huge gulp then set it down. Sam smiled slightly and nodded. "Thank you- Mister- Frodo-"
"Just get your rest, Sam."
"N-no," Sam whispered, his voice a small raspy shred, greatly slurred. "Got to- got to go- orcs-" Sam tried to turn but moaned and coughed.
"No orcs. Not yet anyway. Just take your rest, Sam."
"N-" Sam began again but his strength was wasted and he sagged falling back into dreams.
Frodo sighed and realized that he would need to refill the canteen once more. He felt his body shiver and twitch at the thought of another journey. He would surely die if he tried. But he had to. Sam saved him, though nonintentionally this time, but held him to life, kept him always one small step ahead of madness, just his very precense was saving him and for that Frodo owed him his life. Now he needed to save Sam. With that last resolve Frodo clambered to his feet and gripped the canteen tightly in his fist. He began again the long, tortorous journey back to the stream for water. How Sam managed to drain a canteen meant to last for days so quickly Frodo couldn't guess but the whole long journey to the stream and back Frodo tried to convince himself it was a good sign. Sam's body was accepting the water and his mind did little to protest. He even regained control over his muscles, his eyes did not stray or cross and seemed to focus just a little more. Just a little was good enough. ___________________
Frodo didn't know how he made it to the stream and back alive. He kept his hopes alive and his mind set on the one task and now that it was done his strength was gone. When he returned Sam still slept where he was left. He seemed a bit more peaceful now, his breathing not so labored. Frodo's had gotten worse though, and he fell to his knees gasping. His shoulders heaved and his breath was cut short. His thoat contracted stopping the air from reaching his lungs. Blackness clouded his vision, he couldn't breathe. The canteen fell to the ground, darkness ensued.
~~~
Frodo looked around. The small cave that was their meager form of protection was filled with blackness. It must have been night in those bleak lands. He sat up and searched for Sam frantically. He saw the canteen on the ground and snatched it up. He bounded towards the wall where he had left Sam. Amazingly Sam was still asleep, very calm, very still. Frodo knelt by his side and stroked the young hobbit's fevered brow. He drew in an unsteady breath as Frodo opened the canteen.
"Here you are, drink up," he whispered.
Sam opened his eyes and stared at Frodo almost shocked. "You are not my master."
"Of course I am, Sam." Frodo tipped the canteen to Sam's lips and poured some of the cool liquid into his mouth.
Sam spat it in Frodo's face. "You are not my master!" he shouted.
"No, Sam! Don't waste the water!" Frodo almost sobbed at the thought of yet another back breaking trip.
Sam's eyes smouldered, "You can't fool me! You dark wretched creature! You are not my master! You are not Mr. Frodo! He died! And you killed him!"
Frodo trembled, "No, Sam, I am. I am Frodo."
"You cannot be my master! You let him die! You are weak, and you will break! You dissapoint me, you dissapoint us all! And you will be our doom! Fool! How could they have ever trusted the likes of you with such a burden! You'll just fail! Fail miserably because of you're own weakness!"
Frodo trembled, eyes wide with fear burning with tears. Sam's words hurt so much Frodo could feel them digging into him. He choked, "Please. Sam, I didn't- mean to- it's just- it calls me- it-"
Sam spat at him again, "Shut up! Just shut up! You lying fool! You are too filled with your own self-pity to care about any of us! Let me die! Let me die now! What use will it be to live in a world that you have destroyed because you were too weak!" Sam raged, "Away with you! Be gone you dark wretch! Slink away like the Gollum that you are! You will betray us! You will succumb to the ring!"
Frodo fell to his knees sobbing, "Never, never!" Sam's words hurt so much. He could feel them burn into him, pierce his very soul. Oh, how it hurt, he felt his throat constrict, his eyes sting.
Sam stood, much taller than he ever was, his shadow stretched over Frodo. "Yess! You will! Use it! Use it!"
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'll fail! I'll fail! But I have to fight it! I won't use it!"
"You will die if you don't! Use it!"
Frodo clamped his hands over his ears shaking his head violantly. "No, never!"
There was a drumming, the earth trembled. Drums. Drums. Sam turned. "Orcs!"
Frodo looked up everything was spinning. The world reeled and knocked him down. The sound of Sam's voice still loud in his ears.
"You will betray us!"
"No," Frodo murmerred.
"You will! You will!"
"I won't!"
His voice suddenly changed.
"Orcs! Orcs, Mr. Frodo! We've got to get out! We've got to- got to-"
Frodo opened his eyes. A dream. Just a dream. But Sam was still shouting. He bolted upright and saw Sam stuggling in sleep shouting and crying. Frodo struggled to his feet and ran to Sam's side.
"Shh, Sam, there aren't any orcs."
Sam did not cease, he cried louder gripping Frodo, "Run! Leave me!"
Frodo was about to protest when he heard it as well. Drums. Beating. The rhythmic thud of metal shod boots above them. "Shh, Sam, they won't find us if we're quiet." Sam whimpered his eyes rolling back. He tried to look up but his muscles could barely obey.
"Shh, Sam." Frodo was gripping Sam's shoulder supporting him with his other arm. Both waited for the march above them to silence. Frodo caught his heart in his throat. What if they were found? Sam in his condition, he'd die, if he wasn't killed first. Frodo looked down at the trembling hobbit, frightened and confused. He caught Sam's eyes roll back, his body sagged but he stayed conscious.
"Come, Sam," Frodo sat him upright. "Drink for me."
He held the canteen to Sam's mouth and he drank, just a bit. After a few gulps he clenched his lips and a few drops slid down his jaw.
"Now Sam, more, please. Just a little bit more."
Sam shook his head, "You-"
"I've had some."
"Liar-"
Frodo smiled affectionately, "Oh dear Sam, you're right, ok." He had to admit he hadn't had any water since his last trip to the stream. He drank it down thankful for the blessed liquid.
He pulled the canteen away and handed it back to Sam, "Now you."
Sam lifted a hand to grip it but his arm fell limp at his side. He looked up at Frodo with pleading eyes, "What-"
Frodo tilted the canteen to Sam's lips again, "Shh, don't strain yourself."
Sam sat up almost choking on the water, "Strain *myself*!?" He coughed.
Frodo closed the canteen and listened intently. The drums pounding above them silenced and he felt his strength give way again. He tried not to let on. "You almost dehydrated yourself, fool," Frodo murmerred.
Sam averted his eyes, "I-" He saw the canteen in Frodo's hands. "I thought that was empty."
Frodo shook it, the water sloshed about in it. "I refilled it."
Sam's eyes widened but he could find nothing to say. He became suddenly aware of something wet on his head. He tried to lift a hand to it but his arm just twitched slightly. His head lolled and he struggled to keep awake. "My- my head."
Frodo put his hand to the cloth wrapped around Sam's forehead. He untied it and dipped it back in the cool water. His fever had gone down significantly but he was still warm. He tied it back around as Sam's head drooped and rested on his breast.
"Sleep now," Frodo whispered and eased Sam back down.
He looked out at the bleak lands before him despair filling him. The ring still whispered in his mind. His dream was right. He was no longer Frodo. His old self gripped desperately to that broken body to save Sam. Once Sam was well he would become weak and incoherent again. He already felt himself letting go. The ring consuming his mind. He hoped Sam would be well in time to save him from himself. From the ring's temptations. His hands trembled, creeping to his neck. He bit down on his lip and shoved his hands back into his pockets. His body shook and he lay down next to Sam's sleeping form. He looked at the young hobbit, feeling a smile tug at his lips.
"As long as I've got you, Sam, I won't let go. Hold me to this world, keep me to my quest."