Sunlight spread over the grasslands of Gondor spreading dark shadows behind
the soldiers as they searched through the grass. Two solemn grey eyes
watched them from above.
"They will not find him."
Aragorn sighed softly.
"They will not find him because he is not dead, Peregrin is not dead."
Aragorn turned to face the Elf Lord, pain seizing through his temples making him wince.
"How can you tell, there is no understanding of what Sauron would do to him."
"No, but Sauron does not have full control over Frodo yet, it is Frodo's body, he needs some compliance from Frodo to do anything. He would not be able to force Frodo to murder his cousin."
Aragorn sighed again and turned back to the window.
"If he is not dead then where is he? There are no hidden caves or places he could hide Pippin within Gondor's boundary's and Mordor and Rohan are both too far."
Feeling the pain seize him again Aragorn moved away from the window and slumped in the small chair next to Sam's bed. In it the small hobbit lay unconscious, his eyes moving rapidly under their lids, hair soaked with sweat. All night Sam had tossed and cried out, at dawns break he finally calmed himself and lay still. Rubbing his temples he allowed his mind to wander back to the strange events of last night. The sensations he could remember were of falling and claustrophobia, being smothered. Feeling a touch on his arm he jumped to face Elrond, the elf's face showed concern, exhaustion lined his eyes and Aragorn could believe again the extraordinary length of the Elder's life.
"Aragorn you were shaking. Do you remember any more?"
He had woken to find Gandalf and Elrond standing over him, concern bright in both their eyes. They had spent some time questioning him about the events of the night before. Although he knew that there was more lying beneath the surface he did not want to disturb his thoughts yet, the time would come.
*Perhaps I fear the knowledge that would bring this situation to an end, but the lake seems undisturbed it would be wise not to rouse the Keeper just yet, if anything were to help it will be remembered. *
"No, I know there is more, but now is not the right time."
Seeing the elf nod he turned back to Sam's bedside and pushed the hair away from the hobbit's face, his skin felt like liquid fire under his hand, pulling away sharply he turned to Elrond.
"How long has he been this way?"
"Ever since the time you were carried in."
Lifting a small cloth he dipped it in to a pitcher of water and began to bathe the hobbit's face. Aragorn felt his mind begin to drift and his eyes to close.
*The water is cool is it not? *
*Yes, my Master*
*We do not want to chill poor Samwise do we? *
*No Master*
*Change it. Build me a fire, Boil the water over it and wash his skin clean of its impurity's. Wash it until he is as pure as I am*
*Yes, Master*
Opening his eyes Aragorn picked up the cloth and dropped it in to the water, going to the door he called over one of the servants.
"I need a fire lit, now"
The girl looked nervously to the girl on her right, ducked her head and hurried off.
"You!"
The other girl looked up stunned at tone of his voice.
"You, I want the bathing tub brought here now!"
"Y..Yes, Your Highness"
The girl ran quickly after her friend, Aragorn turned to face Elrond who stood framed against the light, watching him.
"What is wrong?"
The Elf Lord did not answer.
"I asked you a question!"
Silence greeted him, feeling his blood boil; King Elessar wrapped his hand around the smooth pommel of his sword and with one swift move had it balancing against the Elf's neck.
"Will you cut my throat if I do not answer you in the way you wish?"
Pressing it closer Aragorn leaned toward him.
"I may yet."
*******************************
The wind was cool against his skin, caressing his hair away from his face. Allowing himself a moment's peace he closed his eyes, the air around him glowed with peace, all trace of war had at last begun to fade from the soil, even the Men he now walked with did not disturb he tranquillity with the blackness of their task. Feeling the breeze wash over him again he turned back toward the city. There was a shadow lying deep beneath the earth, slowly he watched as it seeped in to the field, like blood clogging the soil drowning the plants that grew, one by one they shrivelled and died.
"Legolas!"
Snapping his eyes open Legolas looked down in to the concerned eyes of Gimli.
"My friend you were shaking, is there something wrong?"
Reaching down Legolas lay his hand over the Dwarf's shoulder and looked behind him. The white city still shone in the light, the flags flying again, there was no shadow and no despair.
"Come now, our search here is over, there are no hidden bodies in this field. Pippin lives."
Gimli's sharp eyes closed in agreement, together they made their way back to the city gates but one sight stopped Legolas in his stride. Hiding close to the city walls, in full sunlight, lay a small plant, withered and broken, next to it lie another and another and another for as far as the eye could see. Bending down he snapped the plant's stem in two and out of it flowed a liquid, not clear or green as was natural but red, blood itself ran freely from the plants stem, running over his fingers and staining his clothes. Dropping the plant with a cry of horror he pressed down in to the earth with his fingers. Liquid pooled around them. Standing up he let out a cry, Gimli fell back on to the path. The Men of Gondor ran toward the cry, many fell to their knees and prayed to their God's. For around the city walls blood saturated the ground, and it was spreading.
"They will not find him."
Aragorn sighed softly.
"They will not find him because he is not dead, Peregrin is not dead."
Aragorn turned to face the Elf Lord, pain seizing through his temples making him wince.
"How can you tell, there is no understanding of what Sauron would do to him."
"No, but Sauron does not have full control over Frodo yet, it is Frodo's body, he needs some compliance from Frodo to do anything. He would not be able to force Frodo to murder his cousin."
Aragorn sighed again and turned back to the window.
"If he is not dead then where is he? There are no hidden caves or places he could hide Pippin within Gondor's boundary's and Mordor and Rohan are both too far."
Feeling the pain seize him again Aragorn moved away from the window and slumped in the small chair next to Sam's bed. In it the small hobbit lay unconscious, his eyes moving rapidly under their lids, hair soaked with sweat. All night Sam had tossed and cried out, at dawns break he finally calmed himself and lay still. Rubbing his temples he allowed his mind to wander back to the strange events of last night. The sensations he could remember were of falling and claustrophobia, being smothered. Feeling a touch on his arm he jumped to face Elrond, the elf's face showed concern, exhaustion lined his eyes and Aragorn could believe again the extraordinary length of the Elder's life.
"Aragorn you were shaking. Do you remember any more?"
He had woken to find Gandalf and Elrond standing over him, concern bright in both their eyes. They had spent some time questioning him about the events of the night before. Although he knew that there was more lying beneath the surface he did not want to disturb his thoughts yet, the time would come.
*Perhaps I fear the knowledge that would bring this situation to an end, but the lake seems undisturbed it would be wise not to rouse the Keeper just yet, if anything were to help it will be remembered. *
"No, I know there is more, but now is not the right time."
Seeing the elf nod he turned back to Sam's bedside and pushed the hair away from the hobbit's face, his skin felt like liquid fire under his hand, pulling away sharply he turned to Elrond.
"How long has he been this way?"
"Ever since the time you were carried in."
Lifting a small cloth he dipped it in to a pitcher of water and began to bathe the hobbit's face. Aragorn felt his mind begin to drift and his eyes to close.
*The water is cool is it not? *
*Yes, my Master*
*We do not want to chill poor Samwise do we? *
*No Master*
*Change it. Build me a fire, Boil the water over it and wash his skin clean of its impurity's. Wash it until he is as pure as I am*
*Yes, Master*
Opening his eyes Aragorn picked up the cloth and dropped it in to the water, going to the door he called over one of the servants.
"I need a fire lit, now"
The girl looked nervously to the girl on her right, ducked her head and hurried off.
"You!"
The other girl looked up stunned at tone of his voice.
"You, I want the bathing tub brought here now!"
"Y..Yes, Your Highness"
The girl ran quickly after her friend, Aragorn turned to face Elrond who stood framed against the light, watching him.
"What is wrong?"
The Elf Lord did not answer.
"I asked you a question!"
Silence greeted him, feeling his blood boil; King Elessar wrapped his hand around the smooth pommel of his sword and with one swift move had it balancing against the Elf's neck.
"Will you cut my throat if I do not answer you in the way you wish?"
Pressing it closer Aragorn leaned toward him.
"I may yet."
*******************************
The wind was cool against his skin, caressing his hair away from his face. Allowing himself a moment's peace he closed his eyes, the air around him glowed with peace, all trace of war had at last begun to fade from the soil, even the Men he now walked with did not disturb he tranquillity with the blackness of their task. Feeling the breeze wash over him again he turned back toward the city. There was a shadow lying deep beneath the earth, slowly he watched as it seeped in to the field, like blood clogging the soil drowning the plants that grew, one by one they shrivelled and died.
"Legolas!"
Snapping his eyes open Legolas looked down in to the concerned eyes of Gimli.
"My friend you were shaking, is there something wrong?"
Reaching down Legolas lay his hand over the Dwarf's shoulder and looked behind him. The white city still shone in the light, the flags flying again, there was no shadow and no despair.
"Come now, our search here is over, there are no hidden bodies in this field. Pippin lives."
Gimli's sharp eyes closed in agreement, together they made their way back to the city gates but one sight stopped Legolas in his stride. Hiding close to the city walls, in full sunlight, lay a small plant, withered and broken, next to it lie another and another and another for as far as the eye could see. Bending down he snapped the plant's stem in two and out of it flowed a liquid, not clear or green as was natural but red, blood itself ran freely from the plants stem, running over his fingers and staining his clothes. Dropping the plant with a cry of horror he pressed down in to the earth with his fingers. Liquid pooled around them. Standing up he let out a cry, Gimli fell back on to the path. The Men of Gondor ran toward the cry, many fell to their knees and prayed to their God's. For around the city walls blood saturated the ground, and it was spreading.