A/N - Thank you for the wonderful feedback! I have been so shocked and surprised by the positive reaction my serious ficlets have received! I love you all! Oh... and Ailsa - you asked for Frodo/Sam angst. I know this isn't quite as angsty as you, but..... I don't torture hobbits for a living! :)
This is set during TTT....... BOOK version! Just so you know!
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Marshes. Gates. Climbin'. Walkin'. We keep on goin' blindly following that little footpad. Him, me... and Mr Frodo. It wasn't supposed to be this way. We were all supposed to go. But Mr Boromir, with all due respect to him, ruined everything. He tried to take the Ring, and so Mr Frodo ran scared.
And I followed 'im. I'm followin' him to the ends of the earth, to the end of all things.
But it's not gettin' any nearer, and that's the worst thing. The waiting. Wonderin' how long we've got before we're discovered.
I almost got us found today. I lit a fire, thinkin' that, while we were still in habitable places, Mr Frodo could rest and I could cook us something tasty with them coneys that Slinker captured. But I didn't put that fire out and the smoke plumed high and got us spotted. I am the biggest ninnyhammer, as my dear old Gaffer would call me, and I deserve everything I get. But not Frodo.
We got found by Mr Boromir's brother. And he told us that Mr Boromir was dead. Frodo ain't copin' well. Another life lost 'cause of his Ring. But if he didn't have it then it'd be in the hands of the enemy, and we'd all be perished. Or worse, Stinker'd 'ave it.
Yes. Stinker. Gollum. Or, if you like, Sméagol. He's leadin' us. Says he knows ways that no one else knows. I don't trust him any better than I could cook 'im. He keeps mutterin' bout 'She'. Who's She? Can't be any good, that's for certain.
Bein' captured ain't turnin' out that bad though. We's gettin' fed and watered, and this Faramir's giving us the best news he knows. An' he seems a likeable enough member of the big folk. Like Boromir but...... prouder somehow. He has a terrible sadness that just penetrates everything he says. But he's helpin' us and that's all that matters. He don't trust Stinker either - 'specially once Mr Frodo told 'im where we be goin'.
He knows something. Somethin' about Stinker, about where we're headin'. And he won't tell. Just gives warning. But beggin' his pardon an' all, how're we supposed to heed his warnin' when we've got to go to Mordor and this seems the only way. He's not tellin' us.
I wish we were there already, and it was all over. Then we could get back to the Shire and do what hobbits are supposed to. I would give anything to see me old Gaffer again, and my sisters and Rosie. I wonder if she's thinkin' of me. I wonder if they think I'm still alive.
Well.... I am. Just. We both are.
An' while I live I'm not gonna think about what could've happened back home. We've gots to get this Ring in the mountain first. I've got to get Frodo through this. Then, if we finish and make it out alive I'll start wonderin' properly.
If we get out alive.
Frodo's fadin'. You can see it in his eyes.
The Ring's startin' to take 'im.
And there's nothin' his Sam can do about it.
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A/N - Well if you made it this far....... you could write me a review! :)
There will be a RotK follow up soon.