Frodo's eyes fluttered open, his brain could not distinguish, for the
moment, where he was or what was going on before him. His head lolled but
he found something soft and warm under his chin. His eyes roved to see a
mass of sandy curls before him and he breathed in the foreign scent of
something--- fair. There was nothing foul or tainted about this scent. It
did not choke him, or make him cringe, or make his stomach lurch. It was
pleasant and his brain could not register this type of thing.
It took another moment for him to realize he was moving. Someone was bearing him up the mountain as a child on the back of his father taking a ride that too young legs, could never find the strength to travel. He sighed and felt his body slacken again. This wasn't all that bad, he could find nothing wrong with this but things registered so slowly and the world moved so fast he found it hard to understand.
He came aware to a dull ache in his head and it burned so, as the sore flesh throbbed in protest to the jolting and his mind swirled with the constant motion. He found his hand fall limp and dangle in the constant motion. He moaned slightly and turned his head to try and dull the pain.
"Shh, Mr. Frodo, everythin's alright. I found a path an' we're gettin' close now."
That voice he knew that voice. Frodo found himself saying something he did not even think of before it came to his lips and dribbled out like a child trying to speak his first words, "Good Sam."
Time moved so strangely. Frodo looked at the strange rocks and the red sky as it all mixed before his line of vision. Even the slightest movements pained his head so and each flash of white pain Frodo seemed to lose himself to some dark numbness, falling deeper.
Despite Sam's best efforts to run smoothly as not to jolt his master he knew he could not. His feet were cut and bleeding and his body ached with each movement. Even the road was rough and wove around the sharp stones. He wanted to move fast, something told him that time had already run out and he was chasing some foolish hope that did not even exist. Around every sharp turn he thought he could see it skit and fly and always be beyond reach. It teased him and he knew he would never catch it. It would just fade away like everything else. This made Sam grit his teeth and tighten his muscles. He forced his feet faster but a low moan escaped Frodo's lips and he tried to make his steps more even.
"Now if only I were as graceful as an elf. Maybe I'm not much help to me master after all. It is my fault he hit his head. I know that wound is still open, oh curse this land! If we weren't here, in this wretched place! He'd find help. But no, what am I thinking now? If we weren't here he wouldn't have that wound to begin with. Oh terrible fate let that be hope I really am chasing not just another lie in this land of lies! Land of Deceit!" Sam lifted an arm and ran his sleeve along his eyes then tucked it back away to hold Frodo tighter to him.
Suddenly he felt Frodo squirm and he stopped and set his master down as gently as he could. His breath came in great gasps. He had traveled long and hard since morning broke, if this dismal darkness could be morning. Frodo braced the ground with trembling hands and coughed. Sam pat his master's back and reached a trembling hand to the wrap around his head. Blood had soaked through it now and dried all along it until the color almost matched that of Frodo's hair. Frodo grimaced at Sam's gentle touch and his arms collapsed under him.
He gripped his elbows and held tight to himself shivering on his side. He curled his knees to his chest and trembled, eyes wide with pain and fear. He could not let Sam hear! He felt another cough rise in his throat and he tried to gulp it down again. "Gol-" Frodo began strangling himself with his hands, "gol- goll-" He wrapped his hands around his throat and wrung them tightly as if in an attempt to strangle the life out of himself.
"Mr. Frodo!" Sam cried not heeding the strange sounds of the strangled coughs.
Sam gripped Frodo's hands and pried them from his throat. Frodo trembled again his body shaking with each suppressed cough. He couldn't say it! He wouldn't say it!
"Don't let him take me-" Frodo whimpered his voice a small shred of a whisper. He gasped and let his body fall limp in Sam's arms.
Sam felt his heart flop as he gathered his master and held him tight. "Oh master! I can't fight this for you! I would fight! I hate myself for being bound to this world when you are in danger in another!"
Frodo turned his half-opened eye's to Sam and Sam perceived that his countenance became relaxed and almost happy. "You- you understand- it isn't on Mount Doom that I shall fall fighting- it's in my mind- but I'm glad you can't fight Sam- if you don't fight- you don't fall- I don't want you to fall Sam- please don't let yourself fall-"
Sam lifted his master once more and continued on the journey. "We must keep going, Frodo. We're so close."
Frodo did not hear for once more he was swept away to the dark confines of his mind where he stood face to face with a creature terrible to behold. "You're not me!" He cried with a terrible screech that echoed in his mind as he lunged at the creature with all the strength he once had and tore at it crying tears of love and loathing. He felt himself held back and when he looked up a claw wrapped around a chunk of his hair as he was pressed to the ground, his knees collapsing under him. His eyes were forced to look up straight into the darkness and another claw gripped at his arms so tightly that it cut his flesh like blades. Frodo whimpered and struggled against it.
"No, no beloved Frodo! You preciouss little thing, don't hurt uss now preciouss."
Frodo jerked like a trapped animal and tried to pull his arm from the iron grasp. He said nothing for there was nothing to say to this wretch. It wanted control over him. It wanted everything he loved. It wanted to consume all that was good in the world. It would feed off of him and then Sam and all that he loved. No he could not let this happen! Not Sam! Frodo pulled again and spun around. He was still bound but he found himself on top of the creature and digging his elbows into its stomach. Through clenched teeth the screamed a determined yell and drove the back of his head against the creature's chest.
"Achsss!! Now preciouss we are not being obedient! What happened to our lovely little Frodo? Our obedient little rat to kick!"
Frodo felt blind rage, fill him. "I'm not under your power any more Gollum!"
"Now preciouss we'ves sstill got some venom yess!"
Frodo felt his neck being dragged as if the weight of the Ring increased ten fold. His eyes shot open and he felt himself dig into Sam's body and his back tremble with the weight. Sam's steps faltered and he slowed significantly. "Mr. Frodo please don' do that- it- hurts-" Sam gasped as Frodo's elbows dug into his back. A determined yell wrenched through Frodo's teeth as he kicked savagely like a caged beast.
Frodo's foot swung out and knocked the back of Sam's leg. It caved under the force of the blow and both hobbits tumbled to the ground. Sam struggled to regain his feet as he felt himself fall backwards onto the last person he'd wish to distribute any of his weight on.
"Oomph!" Frodo grunted as the wind was knocked out of him and he felt his whole body being driven into the rock-hard ground. He felt caught between the hammer and the anvil again and his head fell back again with another blow to the already sore flesh. This seemed to drive him back from the darkness of his mind and his eyes shot open to see Sam struggling to his feet a thousand "sorries" pouring from his lips. Frodo could not really come to understand the words but it did not matter.
"Mr. Frodo! Me dear! Oh I'm a bumbling oaf! I couldn't keep my footin'-" Sam's voice was suddenly cut off by a scream that tore from his own throat as his hair was snatched in a strong, boney hand and jerked back in one quick motion. Once again Sam was thrown to the ground and it took him all the longer to regain his footing or his eyesight.
When he came to he saw a dark, wretched creature standing over the cowering form of his master. Before he could cry out it lept on him in one swift motion and the two strove on the ground in a knot of limbs. Sam could hear the struggle and he called for his master hoping that if Frodo heard his name he would somehow find strength. It was a strange hope but Sam held to it all the same.
"Frodo! Frodo Baggins! Frodo fight!"
Gollum was thrown to the ground and he writhed like a spider, arms and legs flailing like eight instead of four and eyes gleaming with a dark endless light as the madness consumed him. His hands and feet met the ground again and in one spring he was upon Frodo who had gotten to his knees and struggled to stand. He was thrown a few feet back and it sent his mind reeling.
"Preciouss! Preciouss! Give uss our preciouss!" Gollum hissed in Frodo's ear before he opened his mouth to display the rows of sharp teeth and snapped at the tip of the ear. Frodo ducked and as Gollum used all of his force to thrust his head out he tripped over him and fell forward. Frodo caught Gollums feet and dragged him backward in an attempt to swing him away. His strength failed him but Gollum did not manage to regain any balance with his feet bound and fell to the ground hitting his jaw with a hiss.
"Nassty hobbitses! Cruel masster! Wicked trickses uss masster!" Gollum shrieked.
"Oh we will show you a wicked trickses!" Frodo called anger smouldering in his eyes. After all this creature wanted the Ring, HIS PRECIOUS! Frodo drew Sting and waved it under Gollum's nose drawing closer his other hand to this breast.
Sam blinked and rubbed his eyes. This could not be his master for Sam thought he had seen a great lord standing tall and robed in white raiment and crowned with a ring of stars. Frodo's voice seemed strong and boomed in a commanding tone that made even Sam's heart falter. Gollum inched away on his backside whimpering. Frodo's pale hand pressed against his chest as if attempting to conceal a great wheel of fire the blazed beneath his white robes. His eyes shone and bore down into the creature's very soul and Frodo stopped in that moment. His eyes sought that wretched Gollum and Frodo's hand lowered the sword. There was a soul. Something left and Frodo could not condemn it. For there was something left in him as well. Striving to survive. And he did not want to die. There was something dark and something light in each of them and the two rivals stood on that mount for what they were. Sam's vision cleared and Frodo was no longer a great lord and Gollum was no longer a dusty wisp of a shadow filled with a dark poison like evil itself was poured into him. Sam saw two creatures and he felt a small twinge of pity in his heart that he quickly tried to drive away.
Frodo blinked and few times, one hand gripping Sting's hilt and the other held tight to his breast. Sam came forward and stood beside his master. "Mr. Frodo?"
"Oh Sam I thought he'd kill you!" Frodo spun around and wrapped his arms around Sam, dropping Sting to the ground with a clatter. Sam almost faltered again not even expecting his master to turn with such speed but he immediately returned the embrace. His eyes caught Gollum who seemed to be weighing the situation in that twisted mind of him. Two pairs of eyes fell on the sword lying on the ground and Sam pulled away from Frodo. He put his foot on Sting's hilt as discreetly as he could and told Frodo to go on. Frodo embraced Sam again, eyes full of tears but both knew this was the end. This was how things must be.
"We will meet again Samwise and next time it will be all the better for there will be light where we travel next! Farewell dear Samwise, brave a loyal friend!"
"And you master! Farewell to you!"
Frodo sucked in his breath and turned from Sam's embrace. Slowly but strongly he began his accent up the mountain to the end of all things. Sam then turned to Gollum and growled under his breath. "My master may have shown you mercy, you stinking thing, but I shall not!" Sam lifted Sting and advanced on the cowering creature....
~~~
Frodo saw the opening to the Cracks of Doom loom up in his vision. He closed his eyes and kept his steps strong and did not slouch or crawl. Whatever happened he would keep his honour till the end. He wanted them to say Frodo stayed strong till the very end of the journey. He wanted them to say he died fighting. Although all of his mental coaxing he did glance back and barely made out the two dark figures against the red Mordor sky. "Please, Sam, show him mercy. If you truly understand, if you truly care about me and understand my pain you will show pity to this creature who shall become just the dust and ash when it is over...like me.."
It took another moment for him to realize he was moving. Someone was bearing him up the mountain as a child on the back of his father taking a ride that too young legs, could never find the strength to travel. He sighed and felt his body slacken again. This wasn't all that bad, he could find nothing wrong with this but things registered so slowly and the world moved so fast he found it hard to understand.
He came aware to a dull ache in his head and it burned so, as the sore flesh throbbed in protest to the jolting and his mind swirled with the constant motion. He found his hand fall limp and dangle in the constant motion. He moaned slightly and turned his head to try and dull the pain.
"Shh, Mr. Frodo, everythin's alright. I found a path an' we're gettin' close now."
That voice he knew that voice. Frodo found himself saying something he did not even think of before it came to his lips and dribbled out like a child trying to speak his first words, "Good Sam."
Time moved so strangely. Frodo looked at the strange rocks and the red sky as it all mixed before his line of vision. Even the slightest movements pained his head so and each flash of white pain Frodo seemed to lose himself to some dark numbness, falling deeper.
Despite Sam's best efforts to run smoothly as not to jolt his master he knew he could not. His feet were cut and bleeding and his body ached with each movement. Even the road was rough and wove around the sharp stones. He wanted to move fast, something told him that time had already run out and he was chasing some foolish hope that did not even exist. Around every sharp turn he thought he could see it skit and fly and always be beyond reach. It teased him and he knew he would never catch it. It would just fade away like everything else. This made Sam grit his teeth and tighten his muscles. He forced his feet faster but a low moan escaped Frodo's lips and he tried to make his steps more even.
"Now if only I were as graceful as an elf. Maybe I'm not much help to me master after all. It is my fault he hit his head. I know that wound is still open, oh curse this land! If we weren't here, in this wretched place! He'd find help. But no, what am I thinking now? If we weren't here he wouldn't have that wound to begin with. Oh terrible fate let that be hope I really am chasing not just another lie in this land of lies! Land of Deceit!" Sam lifted an arm and ran his sleeve along his eyes then tucked it back away to hold Frodo tighter to him.
Suddenly he felt Frodo squirm and he stopped and set his master down as gently as he could. His breath came in great gasps. He had traveled long and hard since morning broke, if this dismal darkness could be morning. Frodo braced the ground with trembling hands and coughed. Sam pat his master's back and reached a trembling hand to the wrap around his head. Blood had soaked through it now and dried all along it until the color almost matched that of Frodo's hair. Frodo grimaced at Sam's gentle touch and his arms collapsed under him.
He gripped his elbows and held tight to himself shivering on his side. He curled his knees to his chest and trembled, eyes wide with pain and fear. He could not let Sam hear! He felt another cough rise in his throat and he tried to gulp it down again. "Gol-" Frodo began strangling himself with his hands, "gol- goll-" He wrapped his hands around his throat and wrung them tightly as if in an attempt to strangle the life out of himself.
"Mr. Frodo!" Sam cried not heeding the strange sounds of the strangled coughs.
Sam gripped Frodo's hands and pried them from his throat. Frodo trembled again his body shaking with each suppressed cough. He couldn't say it! He wouldn't say it!
"Don't let him take me-" Frodo whimpered his voice a small shred of a whisper. He gasped and let his body fall limp in Sam's arms.
Sam felt his heart flop as he gathered his master and held him tight. "Oh master! I can't fight this for you! I would fight! I hate myself for being bound to this world when you are in danger in another!"
Frodo turned his half-opened eye's to Sam and Sam perceived that his countenance became relaxed and almost happy. "You- you understand- it isn't on Mount Doom that I shall fall fighting- it's in my mind- but I'm glad you can't fight Sam- if you don't fight- you don't fall- I don't want you to fall Sam- please don't let yourself fall-"
Sam lifted his master once more and continued on the journey. "We must keep going, Frodo. We're so close."
Frodo did not hear for once more he was swept away to the dark confines of his mind where he stood face to face with a creature terrible to behold. "You're not me!" He cried with a terrible screech that echoed in his mind as he lunged at the creature with all the strength he once had and tore at it crying tears of love and loathing. He felt himself held back and when he looked up a claw wrapped around a chunk of his hair as he was pressed to the ground, his knees collapsing under him. His eyes were forced to look up straight into the darkness and another claw gripped at his arms so tightly that it cut his flesh like blades. Frodo whimpered and struggled against it.
"No, no beloved Frodo! You preciouss little thing, don't hurt uss now preciouss."
Frodo jerked like a trapped animal and tried to pull his arm from the iron grasp. He said nothing for there was nothing to say to this wretch. It wanted control over him. It wanted everything he loved. It wanted to consume all that was good in the world. It would feed off of him and then Sam and all that he loved. No he could not let this happen! Not Sam! Frodo pulled again and spun around. He was still bound but he found himself on top of the creature and digging his elbows into its stomach. Through clenched teeth the screamed a determined yell and drove the back of his head against the creature's chest.
"Achsss!! Now preciouss we are not being obedient! What happened to our lovely little Frodo? Our obedient little rat to kick!"
Frodo felt blind rage, fill him. "I'm not under your power any more Gollum!"
"Now preciouss we'ves sstill got some venom yess!"
Frodo felt his neck being dragged as if the weight of the Ring increased ten fold. His eyes shot open and he felt himself dig into Sam's body and his back tremble with the weight. Sam's steps faltered and he slowed significantly. "Mr. Frodo please don' do that- it- hurts-" Sam gasped as Frodo's elbows dug into his back. A determined yell wrenched through Frodo's teeth as he kicked savagely like a caged beast.
Frodo's foot swung out and knocked the back of Sam's leg. It caved under the force of the blow and both hobbits tumbled to the ground. Sam struggled to regain his feet as he felt himself fall backwards onto the last person he'd wish to distribute any of his weight on.
"Oomph!" Frodo grunted as the wind was knocked out of him and he felt his whole body being driven into the rock-hard ground. He felt caught between the hammer and the anvil again and his head fell back again with another blow to the already sore flesh. This seemed to drive him back from the darkness of his mind and his eyes shot open to see Sam struggling to his feet a thousand "sorries" pouring from his lips. Frodo could not really come to understand the words but it did not matter.
"Mr. Frodo! Me dear! Oh I'm a bumbling oaf! I couldn't keep my footin'-" Sam's voice was suddenly cut off by a scream that tore from his own throat as his hair was snatched in a strong, boney hand and jerked back in one quick motion. Once again Sam was thrown to the ground and it took him all the longer to regain his footing or his eyesight.
When he came to he saw a dark, wretched creature standing over the cowering form of his master. Before he could cry out it lept on him in one swift motion and the two strove on the ground in a knot of limbs. Sam could hear the struggle and he called for his master hoping that if Frodo heard his name he would somehow find strength. It was a strange hope but Sam held to it all the same.
"Frodo! Frodo Baggins! Frodo fight!"
Gollum was thrown to the ground and he writhed like a spider, arms and legs flailing like eight instead of four and eyes gleaming with a dark endless light as the madness consumed him. His hands and feet met the ground again and in one spring he was upon Frodo who had gotten to his knees and struggled to stand. He was thrown a few feet back and it sent his mind reeling.
"Preciouss! Preciouss! Give uss our preciouss!" Gollum hissed in Frodo's ear before he opened his mouth to display the rows of sharp teeth and snapped at the tip of the ear. Frodo ducked and as Gollum used all of his force to thrust his head out he tripped over him and fell forward. Frodo caught Gollums feet and dragged him backward in an attempt to swing him away. His strength failed him but Gollum did not manage to regain any balance with his feet bound and fell to the ground hitting his jaw with a hiss.
"Nassty hobbitses! Cruel masster! Wicked trickses uss masster!" Gollum shrieked.
"Oh we will show you a wicked trickses!" Frodo called anger smouldering in his eyes. After all this creature wanted the Ring, HIS PRECIOUS! Frodo drew Sting and waved it under Gollum's nose drawing closer his other hand to this breast.
Sam blinked and rubbed his eyes. This could not be his master for Sam thought he had seen a great lord standing tall and robed in white raiment and crowned with a ring of stars. Frodo's voice seemed strong and boomed in a commanding tone that made even Sam's heart falter. Gollum inched away on his backside whimpering. Frodo's pale hand pressed against his chest as if attempting to conceal a great wheel of fire the blazed beneath his white robes. His eyes shone and bore down into the creature's very soul and Frodo stopped in that moment. His eyes sought that wretched Gollum and Frodo's hand lowered the sword. There was a soul. Something left and Frodo could not condemn it. For there was something left in him as well. Striving to survive. And he did not want to die. There was something dark and something light in each of them and the two rivals stood on that mount for what they were. Sam's vision cleared and Frodo was no longer a great lord and Gollum was no longer a dusty wisp of a shadow filled with a dark poison like evil itself was poured into him. Sam saw two creatures and he felt a small twinge of pity in his heart that he quickly tried to drive away.
Frodo blinked and few times, one hand gripping Sting's hilt and the other held tight to his breast. Sam came forward and stood beside his master. "Mr. Frodo?"
"Oh Sam I thought he'd kill you!" Frodo spun around and wrapped his arms around Sam, dropping Sting to the ground with a clatter. Sam almost faltered again not even expecting his master to turn with such speed but he immediately returned the embrace. His eyes caught Gollum who seemed to be weighing the situation in that twisted mind of him. Two pairs of eyes fell on the sword lying on the ground and Sam pulled away from Frodo. He put his foot on Sting's hilt as discreetly as he could and told Frodo to go on. Frodo embraced Sam again, eyes full of tears but both knew this was the end. This was how things must be.
"We will meet again Samwise and next time it will be all the better for there will be light where we travel next! Farewell dear Samwise, brave a loyal friend!"
"And you master! Farewell to you!"
Frodo sucked in his breath and turned from Sam's embrace. Slowly but strongly he began his accent up the mountain to the end of all things. Sam then turned to Gollum and growled under his breath. "My master may have shown you mercy, you stinking thing, but I shall not!" Sam lifted Sting and advanced on the cowering creature....
~~~
Frodo saw the opening to the Cracks of Doom loom up in his vision. He closed his eyes and kept his steps strong and did not slouch or crawl. Whatever happened he would keep his honour till the end. He wanted them to say Frodo stayed strong till the very end of the journey. He wanted them to say he died fighting. Although all of his mental coaxing he did glance back and barely made out the two dark figures against the red Mordor sky. "Please, Sam, show him mercy. If you truly understand, if you truly care about me and understand my pain you will show pity to this creature who shall become just the dust and ash when it is over...like me.."