Sitting down slowly Lord Elrond looked at the friends clustered in the
room. Next-door Merry and Pippin were sitting with Sam, telling him of
their adventures. The had been instructed not to ask any questions of Sam,
not about Mordor or what had happened last night. It could trigger a
response that they could not handle.
Already Elrond had decided that despite Frodo's denial everything was not fine, something was terribly wrong.
"You could see it in his eyes, he was afraid." Aragorn's voice drifted in to his thoughts.
"Frodo Baggins has always been a terrible liar, this could help us." Gandalf said, holding a pipe to his mouth the wizard took a deep breath, his brows knitted deep in thought.
"Legolas, could you feel anything?" Elrond asked the elf.
Legolas stood to one side, back against the wall; he met Elrond's eyes openly.
"I could feel nothing out of place, before He was there, not physical, but a presence. This time there was nothing"
"Why would Frodo be so afraid of us?" Gandalf queried.
"He would not! We are his friends, he knows he has nothing to fear from us!" Gimli exclaimed.
"He never asked." Aragorn murmured.
"Never asked? About what?" Gimli looked at the Aragorn in surprise.
"He never asked about Sam." He answered, knowing that it was the biggest reason they had to fear yet.
******************
Feeling sleep heavy on him Frodo lie unmoving under the covers, part of him was deeply aware of Sauron plotting in the back of his mind. As He did Frodo saw snatches of memories, tortures held at Barad Dûr. Frodo watched helplessly as the blood ran freer than water, while the screams tore through him, but even as he tried he could not wake up.
As the hours slipped past Frodo learned many lessons, Sauron, he realised, only spoke in the Black Tongue. As he listened, he learned the language fully and, more importantly, he learned about Sauron's downfall, they were, Frodo realised, more alike than either thought.
Neither had desired power, but it had been thrust upon each and in the end neither found that they wanted to give it up. Frodo could have become as black as He was, given time. The Ring was Sauron's ultimate triumph and in the end his downfall.
Sauron had been very close to returning fully when the Ring was destroyed. Barad Dûr had collapsed in flames. He had been in contact with the Palantir at the end; the flames had consumed him and shattered the Palantir at once locking him away.
He had been sent back to the shadows, back to Morgoth. His was the ultimate evil. Frodo saw that compared to the power of his master Sauron was as weak as Frodo himself.
That was where he would end, with Melkor.
******************
"Sam. Sam was the reason Frodo faced Sauron, maybe he can help Frodo now" Gandalf suggested, breathing deeply on his pipe he let the some drift in to the air. Watching him Aragorn looked to Elrond.
"Sam has only just begun to recover, he needs more time. Seeing Frodo might trigger his memories"
"At some time both will have to face what has happened, now may be best while we are all here together" Elrond said, his dark eyes looking in to Aragorn's and saw the concern there.
"Let us talk to Samwise and let him decide what he wants to do" Standing, the elf turned to the heavy door and opening it moved in to the hall beyond.
*****************
"…And Merry was just lying there, I don't think I've ever been so frightened." Pippin whispered.
"Come on Pip, I've seen you more scared than that before, remember when…"
"How are you feeling Samwise?" Elrond intoned as he walked closer to the small group.
Sam sat up feeling his arm tremble as supported himself, the linen under his hands was soft and smooth, ever since waking he had run his fingers over it, revelling in the feel of it.
"I'm, I'm feeling much better, how is Mister Frodo?" His dark eyes were wide with concern.
"He tells us he is feeling much better"
Sam snorted, "He always says that when he don't want no one to worry bout him, please Mister Elrond, Sir, let me see him…I need to talk to him" Sam looked up feeling fear gnaw in to his belly, all evening he had been hearing whispered snatches of conversation in the back of his mind, soft and in words he could not understand. He knew Frodo wasn't well, but he would never admit to it.
Looking down Elrond met Sam's eyes, there was fear in them too, but of a different kind. Maybe he will be able to see what we cannot* Turning to look at Gandalf, Elrond nodded quickly.
Aragorn stepped forward and scooped the hobbit up in his arms, *he is almost as light as Frodo was* Aragorn thought in worry, feeling guilt rise up again.
Turning to the doors he motioned for Legolas to accompany him. *I can only hope that this is the right thing to do*
***************
"Frodo!"
"Frodo wake up, they are back…they bring someone else with them"
The words whipped through his mind, tearing him away from the horror of the torture chambers at Barad Dûr.
Snapping his eyes open Frodo watched as the door opened in front of him.
"Frodo? Are you awake?"
"Aragorn? Yes please come in, I was just napping," he whispered, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes Frodo saw Aragorn carry something else in with him, someone very close to him.
*No, please…he'll see, he'll know! * Frodo fought to keep his face happy as Aragorn sat Sam on the large bed.
Sam smiled gently, but knew in an instant something was wrong. Frodo's face was white, his eyes filled with shock and fear…hiding, he was trying to hide something from him.
"I'll let you two catch up for a while," Aragorn said smiling. His eyes watched both of them carefully, neither had moved at all.
"I'll be back soon," He said then shutting the door behind him he turned to Legolas.
"I felt something in there. As if something dark were hiding behind a bright light, I cannot see it, but it is there"
"Sauron?"
Legolas looked at Aragorn's face. "I cannot tell, but the light is growing dimmer"
Turning back to look at the doors to Frodo's chamber, Aragorn hoped that Sam could help Frodo get rid of whatever was causing so much fear in him.
*************
Sam looked over to Frodo, reaching out for his hand Sam saw Frodo's eyes widen in shock when he saw them.
"Sam, what happened? They were…"
"I don't know Mister Frodo, I fell asleep yesterday, and when I woke up this morning it was all gone," Sam said with a whisper.
"Sam, I'm sorry. I never meant for you to get hurt." Frodo grasped his friend's hands and bowed his head as tears slipped out from under his eyelashes.
"Oh, now there, T'werent none o your fault, I grabbed hold of those handles on my own. I knew what would happen."
Frodo pulled away and looked Sam deep in the eye.
"But Sam, I put you in terrible danger, what you went through last night…I nearly lost you…"
Sam clutched his master's hand in his own and looked up in confusion.
"Lost me? Mister Frodo what're you talking about, I just fell asleep is all, I had a couple of nightmares but I weren't in no danger"
Confusion flashed across Frodo's face as Sam spoke,
"Sam I know what happened, I heard you calling me…you told me about how you knew what the Eye of Sauron looked like and how you fell in to somewhere dark and you were not alone."
Frodo felt suspicion slide through his veins like ice water, His voice silent now, listening.
"I don't remember none o' that Mister Frodo, the nightmares I had were about the Shire, and all o' the things that could've happened while we been away."
Frodo looked in to Sam's face, the gardener was almost as bad a liar as he was, so he looked for some sign that Sam was lying, that he was trying to hide all of the memories of last night from him. Sam's eyes were open, he saw fear reflected in there, fear for his master.
Feeling bile rise up Frodo turned away as he saw Sauron's trickery laid bare.
"Sam, I'm tired, I think that I've been imagining all of this. Perhaps the Ring put me under more pressure than I had realised" Laughing softly Frodo took Sam's hand and squeezed it gently.
"Oh Mister Frodo, what have you done?" Whispered Sam as he saw the desolation in Frodo's eyes.
"Please Sam, I just need to rest." Turning away he lie down on the soft linen, feeling his tears soak in to the soft fabric.
Sam moved away to the edge of the bed and slid down.
"As long as you're sure," Sam whispered
"Please…" The muffled whimper drove a knife through his heart.
This was why Lord Elrond had sent him to see Frodo, Sam realised. They had all known that something was not right, but they needed Sam to find out what.
Turning the handle on the door Sam slipped outside, the stone floor cold under his feet, shivering he pulled the door shut and turned to meet Legolas.
"Something terrible has happened…please, Legolas, please…I need to talk to Gandalf…Frodo has done something terrible"
Sobbing Sam fell in to the elf's arms.
"Oh Frodo, what have you done…"
Already Elrond had decided that despite Frodo's denial everything was not fine, something was terribly wrong.
"You could see it in his eyes, he was afraid." Aragorn's voice drifted in to his thoughts.
"Frodo Baggins has always been a terrible liar, this could help us." Gandalf said, holding a pipe to his mouth the wizard took a deep breath, his brows knitted deep in thought.
"Legolas, could you feel anything?" Elrond asked the elf.
Legolas stood to one side, back against the wall; he met Elrond's eyes openly.
"I could feel nothing out of place, before He was there, not physical, but a presence. This time there was nothing"
"Why would Frodo be so afraid of us?" Gandalf queried.
"He would not! We are his friends, he knows he has nothing to fear from us!" Gimli exclaimed.
"He never asked." Aragorn murmured.
"Never asked? About what?" Gimli looked at the Aragorn in surprise.
"He never asked about Sam." He answered, knowing that it was the biggest reason they had to fear yet.
******************
Feeling sleep heavy on him Frodo lie unmoving under the covers, part of him was deeply aware of Sauron plotting in the back of his mind. As He did Frodo saw snatches of memories, tortures held at Barad Dûr. Frodo watched helplessly as the blood ran freer than water, while the screams tore through him, but even as he tried he could not wake up.
As the hours slipped past Frodo learned many lessons, Sauron, he realised, only spoke in the Black Tongue. As he listened, he learned the language fully and, more importantly, he learned about Sauron's downfall, they were, Frodo realised, more alike than either thought.
Neither had desired power, but it had been thrust upon each and in the end neither found that they wanted to give it up. Frodo could have become as black as He was, given time. The Ring was Sauron's ultimate triumph and in the end his downfall.
Sauron had been very close to returning fully when the Ring was destroyed. Barad Dûr had collapsed in flames. He had been in contact with the Palantir at the end; the flames had consumed him and shattered the Palantir at once locking him away.
He had been sent back to the shadows, back to Morgoth. His was the ultimate evil. Frodo saw that compared to the power of his master Sauron was as weak as Frodo himself.
That was where he would end, with Melkor.
******************
"Sam. Sam was the reason Frodo faced Sauron, maybe he can help Frodo now" Gandalf suggested, breathing deeply on his pipe he let the some drift in to the air. Watching him Aragorn looked to Elrond.
"Sam has only just begun to recover, he needs more time. Seeing Frodo might trigger his memories"
"At some time both will have to face what has happened, now may be best while we are all here together" Elrond said, his dark eyes looking in to Aragorn's and saw the concern there.
"Let us talk to Samwise and let him decide what he wants to do" Standing, the elf turned to the heavy door and opening it moved in to the hall beyond.
*****************
"…And Merry was just lying there, I don't think I've ever been so frightened." Pippin whispered.
"Come on Pip, I've seen you more scared than that before, remember when…"
"How are you feeling Samwise?" Elrond intoned as he walked closer to the small group.
Sam sat up feeling his arm tremble as supported himself, the linen under his hands was soft and smooth, ever since waking he had run his fingers over it, revelling in the feel of it.
"I'm, I'm feeling much better, how is Mister Frodo?" His dark eyes were wide with concern.
"He tells us he is feeling much better"
Sam snorted, "He always says that when he don't want no one to worry bout him, please Mister Elrond, Sir, let me see him…I need to talk to him" Sam looked up feeling fear gnaw in to his belly, all evening he had been hearing whispered snatches of conversation in the back of his mind, soft and in words he could not understand. He knew Frodo wasn't well, but he would never admit to it.
Looking down Elrond met Sam's eyes, there was fear in them too, but of a different kind. Maybe he will be able to see what we cannot* Turning to look at Gandalf, Elrond nodded quickly.
Aragorn stepped forward and scooped the hobbit up in his arms, *he is almost as light as Frodo was* Aragorn thought in worry, feeling guilt rise up again.
Turning to the doors he motioned for Legolas to accompany him. *I can only hope that this is the right thing to do*
***************
"Frodo!"
"Frodo wake up, they are back…they bring someone else with them"
The words whipped through his mind, tearing him away from the horror of the torture chambers at Barad Dûr.
Snapping his eyes open Frodo watched as the door opened in front of him.
"Frodo? Are you awake?"
"Aragorn? Yes please come in, I was just napping," he whispered, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes Frodo saw Aragorn carry something else in with him, someone very close to him.
*No, please…he'll see, he'll know! * Frodo fought to keep his face happy as Aragorn sat Sam on the large bed.
Sam smiled gently, but knew in an instant something was wrong. Frodo's face was white, his eyes filled with shock and fear…hiding, he was trying to hide something from him.
"I'll let you two catch up for a while," Aragorn said smiling. His eyes watched both of them carefully, neither had moved at all.
"I'll be back soon," He said then shutting the door behind him he turned to Legolas.
"I felt something in there. As if something dark were hiding behind a bright light, I cannot see it, but it is there"
"Sauron?"
Legolas looked at Aragorn's face. "I cannot tell, but the light is growing dimmer"
Turning back to look at the doors to Frodo's chamber, Aragorn hoped that Sam could help Frodo get rid of whatever was causing so much fear in him.
*************
Sam looked over to Frodo, reaching out for his hand Sam saw Frodo's eyes widen in shock when he saw them.
"Sam, what happened? They were…"
"I don't know Mister Frodo, I fell asleep yesterday, and when I woke up this morning it was all gone," Sam said with a whisper.
"Sam, I'm sorry. I never meant for you to get hurt." Frodo grasped his friend's hands and bowed his head as tears slipped out from under his eyelashes.
"Oh, now there, T'werent none o your fault, I grabbed hold of those handles on my own. I knew what would happen."
Frodo pulled away and looked Sam deep in the eye.
"But Sam, I put you in terrible danger, what you went through last night…I nearly lost you…"
Sam clutched his master's hand in his own and looked up in confusion.
"Lost me? Mister Frodo what're you talking about, I just fell asleep is all, I had a couple of nightmares but I weren't in no danger"
Confusion flashed across Frodo's face as Sam spoke,
"Sam I know what happened, I heard you calling me…you told me about how you knew what the Eye of Sauron looked like and how you fell in to somewhere dark and you were not alone."
Frodo felt suspicion slide through his veins like ice water, His voice silent now, listening.
"I don't remember none o' that Mister Frodo, the nightmares I had were about the Shire, and all o' the things that could've happened while we been away."
Frodo looked in to Sam's face, the gardener was almost as bad a liar as he was, so he looked for some sign that Sam was lying, that he was trying to hide all of the memories of last night from him. Sam's eyes were open, he saw fear reflected in there, fear for his master.
Feeling bile rise up Frodo turned away as he saw Sauron's trickery laid bare.
"Sam, I'm tired, I think that I've been imagining all of this. Perhaps the Ring put me under more pressure than I had realised" Laughing softly Frodo took Sam's hand and squeezed it gently.
"Oh Mister Frodo, what have you done?" Whispered Sam as he saw the desolation in Frodo's eyes.
"Please Sam, I just need to rest." Turning away he lie down on the soft linen, feeling his tears soak in to the soft fabric.
Sam moved away to the edge of the bed and slid down.
"As long as you're sure," Sam whispered
"Please…" The muffled whimper drove a knife through his heart.
This was why Lord Elrond had sent him to see Frodo, Sam realised. They had all known that something was not right, but they needed Sam to find out what.
Turning the handle on the door Sam slipped outside, the stone floor cold under his feet, shivering he pulled the door shut and turned to meet Legolas.
"Something terrible has happened…please, Legolas, please…I need to talk to Gandalf…Frodo has done something terrible"
Sobbing Sam fell in to the elf's arms.
"Oh Frodo, what have you done…"