CHAPTER FOUR - DESPERATION
It was Bill Ferny; the twisted man that had sold them Bill the pony back in Bree. What reason had Ferny for capturing him? How had he found him? How had he lured him from Rivendell so easily?
"I suppose you're wondering how you got here then half-ling? I'm quite proud of scheme really, even if it was Saruman's in design. Saruman was using the palantir to spy on you and even if he couldn't get a clear link with you, he could still input simple thoughts into your mind, such as hearing a noise outside in the woods."
Noticing they were approaching the meeting of the Bruinen and the Grey Flood, Ferny stopped speaking and drew the raft towards the East Shore with an ease of practise. He had done this many times before. Once the raft had been secured, he dragged the hobbit off the boat and tied him to a nearby tree. He settled near the site of a well used fireplace in a grove of birch and struck flint against the side. A bright spark of flame appeared in the darkness and quickly became quite large.
"Anyway." Ferny was delighted to have someone to boast about his ingenuity to, and since the half-ling was a captive audience, he might as well make use of him.
"You put up quite a fight once you realised I wasn't some other half-ling you kept mumbling about. It was your cloak that deceived you, it caught on some low lying brush and you became tangled in it. I caught you easily then and knocked you over the head, placing some young deer I'd caught earlier in your place. It was Saruman's idea to try and fake your death you see, he said it would make our escape easier. The elves would be so upset about you and their trees, they'd forget about any clues that didn't fit the explanation."
Ferny looked up.
"You're dead as far as they're concerned half-ling. Dead and buried. No one knows you're here and no one's coming after you."
He laughed at settled into the crook of the tree, watching the obvious distress of the half-ling turn into absolute terror. It was quite entertaining.
*** Frodo watched for Ferny to fall asleep. He squirmed against his bonds, trying to at least loosen them of sorts. They would not give at all. Every time he moved, they dug into his skin, blistering his wrists and ankles. He tried to crawl along the ground but the rope binding his wrists to the tree was tight, with no slack. He tried to lie down, maybe a good nights sleep would refresh him enough to escape tomorrow, but he couldn't even lie down.
He cuddled against the tree frame, trying as best as he could to not panic. He thought of his friends, dependable Sam, loyal Merry, loving Pippin and the resourceful Strider. He hadn't known him for long, but he was fond of the man. He even thought of Lord Elrond, his calming presence and healing touch. He thought of Gandalf, him and Bilbo blowing smoke rings on a summer's afternoon. Oh, Bilbo. He hoped he was alright. He wondered what his funeral had been like.
Frodo Baggins had died that night in Rivendell. He was a nobody, just a passing face to be lost in the crowds. What was the point in escaping anyway? Where would he go? He couldn't go back to the Shire, they probably thought he was dead anyway, galloping off so soon after buying a home in Buckland. Everyone at Rivendell thought he was dead, so why cause them further pain? He could start a new life somewhere and live out his life in peace. He had nothing of value that Saruman could want, he was certain he'd lost the ring somewhere before meeting Ferny.
The Ring no longer seemed important to him, it was just so piece of jewellery that everyone made too much fuss about. Why, if Saruman asked him where it was, he would tell him. It was of no concern to him, he was just a small hobbit. What could anything he did possibly have any affect on anything in Middle Earth?
When unconsiousness came for him, he opened up to it with welcoming arms.
*** Several days ride away, Saruman of Many Colours broke away from his palantir. The half-ling was so easy to manipulate now he was out of range from that elven magic, it was almost boring. Once he found out where the ring was and what the elves intended to do with it, he would send his newly formed band of uruk-hai after it. They wouldn't stand a chance.
Ferny was a constant pain, but once he had the half-ling, he would be of no further use. He had great plans for the half-ling, if he was right, (which he usually was) he could become formidable indeed with the hobbit's help. If the hobbit resisted, then there was an entire defenceless country filled with possibilies. That could be a way to convince the half-ling to help him. Yes, that was possibility indeed.
***
Back at Rivendell, someone else was in a state of desperation. Legolas Greenleaf sat on one of the balconies of Rivendell and looked at the stars. He could have saved Frodo, he knew he could. Why had he held onto Estel and refused to let him go? Even if Legolas had not been able to find Frodo, surely Estel could have. Why, if he had, Frodo would still be alive today.
His heart was breaking and now he understood why some elves died of grief, it was so painful and yet the victim never cared. The pain seemed incomparable to what Frodo must have been through because of him. Legolas had hardly known the hobbit, yet after all he'd come through, he had been condemned by one of the elves he sort sanctuary from.
A tear slipped down his cheek and landed on his tunic, followed by another and another, until they became a continuous stream. Once he would have been ashamed to cry in such a public place, when anyone could see him; now he cared not at all.
*** Lord Elrond stepped back from the window. He'd been watching Legolas long enough he thought, yet still he worried. Legolas was spending far too much time alone and in tears, and he worried for the young prince's health. It was not good for an elf to be consumed by grief.
Estel entered the room and noticing the furrow of concentration on Elrond's face, he said:
"What is it ada?"
Elrond looked up at him.
"I worry for Legolas. Will you go to him and see that he is alright? He is up on the high balacony, the one you used to love when you were a child."
"Yes ada, I will go."
Elrond could still see the pain of Frodo's death in Estel's eyes, but he had accepted it and was trying his best to move on. He wondered if his daughter had anything to do with it.
*** Legolas wiped his tears on his sleeve as he heard Aragorn's approach, but Aragorn did not enter the balcony, he just stood there.
"If you are going to stand there all night my friend, you may as well come out here and look at the stars."
Aragorn emitted a sly grin, which lasted only an instant.
"What troubles you so Legolas? Why do you isolate yourself from everyone?"
Legolas looked around at Estel and said nothing, he and Estel had been friends for years, he would be able to see it in his eyes.
Aragorn was shocked and voiced it so. "You are not to blame, Legolas. It was an accident, it was nobody's fault."
Legolas sighed. "If it were not for me, Frodo would still be alive now. I killed him, Estel and I beg you not to try to convince me otherwise. I know that Lord Elrond has sent you here."
Legolas could see the hurt in Estel's eyes at his last remark, but feelings seemed to matter less and less to him, even those of his friends and kin.
Aragorn rose and left, hurt and confused by Legolas's words. He would seek Gandalf's council for this, he would know what to do.
It was Bill Ferny; the twisted man that had sold them Bill the pony back in Bree. What reason had Ferny for capturing him? How had he found him? How had he lured him from Rivendell so easily?
"I suppose you're wondering how you got here then half-ling? I'm quite proud of scheme really, even if it was Saruman's in design. Saruman was using the palantir to spy on you and even if he couldn't get a clear link with you, he could still input simple thoughts into your mind, such as hearing a noise outside in the woods."
Noticing they were approaching the meeting of the Bruinen and the Grey Flood, Ferny stopped speaking and drew the raft towards the East Shore with an ease of practise. He had done this many times before. Once the raft had been secured, he dragged the hobbit off the boat and tied him to a nearby tree. He settled near the site of a well used fireplace in a grove of birch and struck flint against the side. A bright spark of flame appeared in the darkness and quickly became quite large.
"Anyway." Ferny was delighted to have someone to boast about his ingenuity to, and since the half-ling was a captive audience, he might as well make use of him.
"You put up quite a fight once you realised I wasn't some other half-ling you kept mumbling about. It was your cloak that deceived you, it caught on some low lying brush and you became tangled in it. I caught you easily then and knocked you over the head, placing some young deer I'd caught earlier in your place. It was Saruman's idea to try and fake your death you see, he said it would make our escape easier. The elves would be so upset about you and their trees, they'd forget about any clues that didn't fit the explanation."
Ferny looked up.
"You're dead as far as they're concerned half-ling. Dead and buried. No one knows you're here and no one's coming after you."
He laughed at settled into the crook of the tree, watching the obvious distress of the half-ling turn into absolute terror. It was quite entertaining.
*** Frodo watched for Ferny to fall asleep. He squirmed against his bonds, trying to at least loosen them of sorts. They would not give at all. Every time he moved, they dug into his skin, blistering his wrists and ankles. He tried to crawl along the ground but the rope binding his wrists to the tree was tight, with no slack. He tried to lie down, maybe a good nights sleep would refresh him enough to escape tomorrow, but he couldn't even lie down.
He cuddled against the tree frame, trying as best as he could to not panic. He thought of his friends, dependable Sam, loyal Merry, loving Pippin and the resourceful Strider. He hadn't known him for long, but he was fond of the man. He even thought of Lord Elrond, his calming presence and healing touch. He thought of Gandalf, him and Bilbo blowing smoke rings on a summer's afternoon. Oh, Bilbo. He hoped he was alright. He wondered what his funeral had been like.
Frodo Baggins had died that night in Rivendell. He was a nobody, just a passing face to be lost in the crowds. What was the point in escaping anyway? Where would he go? He couldn't go back to the Shire, they probably thought he was dead anyway, galloping off so soon after buying a home in Buckland. Everyone at Rivendell thought he was dead, so why cause them further pain? He could start a new life somewhere and live out his life in peace. He had nothing of value that Saruman could want, he was certain he'd lost the ring somewhere before meeting Ferny.
The Ring no longer seemed important to him, it was just so piece of jewellery that everyone made too much fuss about. Why, if Saruman asked him where it was, he would tell him. It was of no concern to him, he was just a small hobbit. What could anything he did possibly have any affect on anything in Middle Earth?
When unconsiousness came for him, he opened up to it with welcoming arms.
*** Several days ride away, Saruman of Many Colours broke away from his palantir. The half-ling was so easy to manipulate now he was out of range from that elven magic, it was almost boring. Once he found out where the ring was and what the elves intended to do with it, he would send his newly formed band of uruk-hai after it. They wouldn't stand a chance.
Ferny was a constant pain, but once he had the half-ling, he would be of no further use. He had great plans for the half-ling, if he was right, (which he usually was) he could become formidable indeed with the hobbit's help. If the hobbit resisted, then there was an entire defenceless country filled with possibilies. That could be a way to convince the half-ling to help him. Yes, that was possibility indeed.
***
Back at Rivendell, someone else was in a state of desperation. Legolas Greenleaf sat on one of the balconies of Rivendell and looked at the stars. He could have saved Frodo, he knew he could. Why had he held onto Estel and refused to let him go? Even if Legolas had not been able to find Frodo, surely Estel could have. Why, if he had, Frodo would still be alive today.
His heart was breaking and now he understood why some elves died of grief, it was so painful and yet the victim never cared. The pain seemed incomparable to what Frodo must have been through because of him. Legolas had hardly known the hobbit, yet after all he'd come through, he had been condemned by one of the elves he sort sanctuary from.
A tear slipped down his cheek and landed on his tunic, followed by another and another, until they became a continuous stream. Once he would have been ashamed to cry in such a public place, when anyone could see him; now he cared not at all.
*** Lord Elrond stepped back from the window. He'd been watching Legolas long enough he thought, yet still he worried. Legolas was spending far too much time alone and in tears, and he worried for the young prince's health. It was not good for an elf to be consumed by grief.
Estel entered the room and noticing the furrow of concentration on Elrond's face, he said:
"What is it ada?"
Elrond looked up at him.
"I worry for Legolas. Will you go to him and see that he is alright? He is up on the high balacony, the one you used to love when you were a child."
"Yes ada, I will go."
Elrond could still see the pain of Frodo's death in Estel's eyes, but he had accepted it and was trying his best to move on. He wondered if his daughter had anything to do with it.
*** Legolas wiped his tears on his sleeve as he heard Aragorn's approach, but Aragorn did not enter the balcony, he just stood there.
"If you are going to stand there all night my friend, you may as well come out here and look at the stars."
Aragorn emitted a sly grin, which lasted only an instant.
"What troubles you so Legolas? Why do you isolate yourself from everyone?"
Legolas looked around at Estel and said nothing, he and Estel had been friends for years, he would be able to see it in his eyes.
Aragorn was shocked and voiced it so. "You are not to blame, Legolas. It was an accident, it was nobody's fault."
Legolas sighed. "If it were not for me, Frodo would still be alive now. I killed him, Estel and I beg you not to try to convince me otherwise. I know that Lord Elrond has sent you here."
Legolas could see the hurt in Estel's eyes at his last remark, but feelings seemed to matter less and less to him, even those of his friends and kin.
Aragorn rose and left, hurt and confused by Legolas's words. He would seek Gandalf's council for this, he would know what to do.
