Disclaimer: AU Story. The fourth large LOTR fic! My word, not another,
surely? The characters are not mine. The settings are not mine. The plot
is, however, my creation. I hope you find this an enjoyable read.
CStini: Ah *taps side of nose* that's for me to not know and you to not find out. Heh- to be honest, I'm not quite sure where they are. Yes, poor li'l Sam. OK, I'll go torture Frodo for ya. *sounds of Sam trying to smash down the door* Ulp.
QTPie-2488: Yay! You like! I will try and solve the mystery of Frodo in this chapter for you- if I'm able, at least
Skye: Thank you for all your reviews! But Charlie Brown scream? That would intimidate the orcs no end! Please don't kill Gollum just yet- at least, not till I finish the story- then I'll package him up and send him to you via email- hehehe. Sorry to have ruined your good mood with my torture! I'll try and keep Fazzi being a nice character. I still think he was well potrayed in the movie, just not enough of his nicer side.
Shirebound: Phew, I'm glad it worked. :-) I'm really pleased that people like how I'm writing Sam- I don't want to hurt him too much!
ViNguyen: Was Fazzi evil? I don't think it was intentional. Arg! My precious! *leaps down well after Ring* ...ow...
Holly Wood: Li'l insecure Sam- gotta love him. Don't worry, I ought to be able to unravel the plot in this ensuing chapter. :-)
Hmsgirl: Ah, I get it. Me, I can't abide wrists. *shudder* Just a weird hatred. I'll try not to include biting anymore, though. *falls off chair laughing* Go you! I wish they'd use that in a MasterCard ad!
MagicalRachel: Glad you liked that line- I thought it had a certain Sammish sentiment to it. I really didn't mean to make Fazzi nasty! But the thing with him knowing about the Ring was intentional. Sorry if this is weird and scary but I wanted to give him a purpose. He doesn't know Frodo's carrying It, though, so that ought to be fun. Mwa haha! All bow to the Mistress of Darkness and Hobbit Torturing! *sounds of Sam banging on the door- me whimpering* Eeek! OK, time to put up some more barricades. Of course you're special! I don't see what that's got to do with receiving email from an evil person, however...*polishes broomstick*
Bookworm2000: That's it exactly. If you've read Lost in Moria, you'll guess that I like Frodo being lost and frightened in the wilderness. Arg! No! Don't set anybody _else_ on me! Samwise has already discovered where I live and I'm worrying that Frodo could turn up on the Nazgûl anyday now. *reads rest of review* AAAAAAH! *runs away and hides under the sofa*
And we say thank you for the 60 reviews-
For giving them to me...
~ Chapter Seven ~
Frodo kicked up and sent Gollum springing backwards. Both of them were exhausted from struggling, but each was as determined as the other. The Ring drove them mercilessly.
"Leave me...be!" Frodo gasped.
"No, precious," Gollum hissed, "We have It, we haves It. Can't lose It now, precious."
He lunged again, his thin fingers grasping at the hobbit's collar. But Frodo kicked again and rolled deeper into the bushes. His wrists were chafed raw by the ropes and he desperately fought to free his hands. One came free and then the other. Gollum was coming towards him, eyes gleaming, seeing only the Ring and all the power it inaugurated. They watched one another, trying to decipher the next move. Frodo could hear the echo of It's song beginning to grow in his mind but he shook himself and it fell away like water.
"Sméagol," he said angrily, "You don't want to fight me."
Gollum spat at him furiously and then laughed.
"Oh yes we do. If that's what it takes."
Frodo could feel his heart pounding. He could sense the garden drawing close about him. It came to him how much this truly mattered. Everything depended on this. He had to keep the Ring. It was his!
Gollum sprang, catching him offguard, knocking the breath from him. His hands were around his throat, the thumbs digging into his throat.
"It...is...ours!"
Suddenly, there was a great cracking sound. The two of them froze. There it was again. The breaking of wood. The disturbance of the air. Someone called out. Gollum disappeared like smoke into the underbrush. Frodo was almost too tired to move, but he managed to curl up under a damp log. A pair of feet passed by moments later, wrapped in ugly skin boots. Another pair followed, at a limping pace. They were orcs, no doubt left over from the attack. They paused and sat down on the fallen tree, blocking out any light that might have reached the concealed hobbit.
"My feet are killin' me," one croaked, "And I dunno where we're goin' either. Where you leadin' us?"
"Back to Saruman, where we belong. This was a waste of time and we've gotta go back and report. I hate this filthy place," spat the other, kicking at a pile of leaves.
"These trees ought'a be cut down. Then it'd be flatland for miles around. Good for marchin' on. Marchin'. Garn, my feet are killin' me!"
"Shut your face, you windbag! You wanna stay 'ere the rest of your mis'rable life? Come on, let's get goin'."
--
When Frodo dared to come out from his hiding place, it was late in the afternoon. Grey cloud had gathered above Ithilien, obliterating any sunlight. A thin fog settled over the higher branches of the trees as he stumbled out from under the log and stood, looking round in bewilderment. He felt utterly alone. As if it was only him against this bleak wilderness and all the world beyond. What chance had he?
This brought back sickening memories of Boromir. What if he had been right all along? He should have just given him the Ring and let the wiser, stronger people of Middle-Earth deal with this. Now he was alone, miles from anywhere and anyone he loved...
Sam.
Frodo looked wildly round. He could not go anywhere without Sam. He would sooner die than leave him behind. Was he still with the orcs? Was he...killed in the attack? He raked a trembling hand through his hair as the fingers of despair began to tug at his coat. Whether back or forward, he could not go without Sam. Sam was the only thing left that was keeping him alive. The only thing left that protected him from Gollum. Frodo began running down the embankment and into the silver carpet of leaves. He went deliriously into the thicket of thorns and brambles, calling for his beloved friend, in the desperate hope of finding him.
Sam.
"Sam! Sam!" he yelled. Golden pinprick eyes watched him from the increasing shadow. Claws scampered across the cracked earth. Frodo ran faster, spinning round, ever searching.
"Sam, where are you?"
He tripped on his own feet and sprawled flat on the earth. Only...only it was not earth. But stone. A great plain of stone blocks set into the earth; the remains of a road. Frodo looked up from where he lay and found himself in the presence of statues. Grey, unseeing eyes looked down on him, their faces cold. Old kings were still standing by the roadside. Their weathered hands still clutched at hole-ridden sceptres. And there, lying on the stones before Frodo, was a great head. On his brow was a crown.
".and the crownless again shall be king."
Frodo sat up unsteadily and leant against a stone pedestal near the edge of the clearing. He thought of Aragorn. Gimli, Legolas, Merry, Pippin and Boromir... They were out there somewhere, still fighting, still buying time. For him.
It was a task he had accepted. With Sam or without, he would have to go on eventually. Or they would all die in vain. Taking a deep breath, he clambered upright and pressed his face to the cold stone of the statue beside him. He wished to all the people that looked to him now that he could come back and find Sam.
"If the Lady Galadriel could grant me one wish," he whispered, "It would be to come back to Ithilien and find Sam."
~
The tables turn...
CStini: Ah *taps side of nose* that's for me to not know and you to not find out. Heh- to be honest, I'm not quite sure where they are. Yes, poor li'l Sam. OK, I'll go torture Frodo for ya. *sounds of Sam trying to smash down the door* Ulp.
QTPie-2488: Yay! You like! I will try and solve the mystery of Frodo in this chapter for you- if I'm able, at least
Skye: Thank you for all your reviews! But Charlie Brown scream? That would intimidate the orcs no end! Please don't kill Gollum just yet- at least, not till I finish the story- then I'll package him up and send him to you via email- hehehe. Sorry to have ruined your good mood with my torture! I'll try and keep Fazzi being a nice character. I still think he was well potrayed in the movie, just not enough of his nicer side.
Shirebound: Phew, I'm glad it worked. :-) I'm really pleased that people like how I'm writing Sam- I don't want to hurt him too much!
ViNguyen: Was Fazzi evil? I don't think it was intentional. Arg! My precious! *leaps down well after Ring* ...ow...
Holly Wood: Li'l insecure Sam- gotta love him. Don't worry, I ought to be able to unravel the plot in this ensuing chapter. :-)
Hmsgirl: Ah, I get it. Me, I can't abide wrists. *shudder* Just a weird hatred. I'll try not to include biting anymore, though. *falls off chair laughing* Go you! I wish they'd use that in a MasterCard ad!
MagicalRachel: Glad you liked that line- I thought it had a certain Sammish sentiment to it. I really didn't mean to make Fazzi nasty! But the thing with him knowing about the Ring was intentional. Sorry if this is weird and scary but I wanted to give him a purpose. He doesn't know Frodo's carrying It, though, so that ought to be fun. Mwa haha! All bow to the Mistress of Darkness and Hobbit Torturing! *sounds of Sam banging on the door- me whimpering* Eeek! OK, time to put up some more barricades. Of course you're special! I don't see what that's got to do with receiving email from an evil person, however...*polishes broomstick*
Bookworm2000: That's it exactly. If you've read Lost in Moria, you'll guess that I like Frodo being lost and frightened in the wilderness. Arg! No! Don't set anybody _else_ on me! Samwise has already discovered where I live and I'm worrying that Frodo could turn up on the Nazgûl anyday now. *reads rest of review* AAAAAAH! *runs away and hides under the sofa*
And we say thank you for the 60 reviews-
For giving them to me...
~ Chapter Seven ~
Frodo kicked up and sent Gollum springing backwards. Both of them were exhausted from struggling, but each was as determined as the other. The Ring drove them mercilessly.
"Leave me...be!" Frodo gasped.
"No, precious," Gollum hissed, "We have It, we haves It. Can't lose It now, precious."
He lunged again, his thin fingers grasping at the hobbit's collar. But Frodo kicked again and rolled deeper into the bushes. His wrists were chafed raw by the ropes and he desperately fought to free his hands. One came free and then the other. Gollum was coming towards him, eyes gleaming, seeing only the Ring and all the power it inaugurated. They watched one another, trying to decipher the next move. Frodo could hear the echo of It's song beginning to grow in his mind but he shook himself and it fell away like water.
"Sméagol," he said angrily, "You don't want to fight me."
Gollum spat at him furiously and then laughed.
"Oh yes we do. If that's what it takes."
Frodo could feel his heart pounding. He could sense the garden drawing close about him. It came to him how much this truly mattered. Everything depended on this. He had to keep the Ring. It was his!
Gollum sprang, catching him offguard, knocking the breath from him. His hands were around his throat, the thumbs digging into his throat.
"It...is...ours!"
Suddenly, there was a great cracking sound. The two of them froze. There it was again. The breaking of wood. The disturbance of the air. Someone called out. Gollum disappeared like smoke into the underbrush. Frodo was almost too tired to move, but he managed to curl up under a damp log. A pair of feet passed by moments later, wrapped in ugly skin boots. Another pair followed, at a limping pace. They were orcs, no doubt left over from the attack. They paused and sat down on the fallen tree, blocking out any light that might have reached the concealed hobbit.
"My feet are killin' me," one croaked, "And I dunno where we're goin' either. Where you leadin' us?"
"Back to Saruman, where we belong. This was a waste of time and we've gotta go back and report. I hate this filthy place," spat the other, kicking at a pile of leaves.
"These trees ought'a be cut down. Then it'd be flatland for miles around. Good for marchin' on. Marchin'. Garn, my feet are killin' me!"
"Shut your face, you windbag! You wanna stay 'ere the rest of your mis'rable life? Come on, let's get goin'."
--
When Frodo dared to come out from his hiding place, it was late in the afternoon. Grey cloud had gathered above Ithilien, obliterating any sunlight. A thin fog settled over the higher branches of the trees as he stumbled out from under the log and stood, looking round in bewilderment. He felt utterly alone. As if it was only him against this bleak wilderness and all the world beyond. What chance had he?
This brought back sickening memories of Boromir. What if he had been right all along? He should have just given him the Ring and let the wiser, stronger people of Middle-Earth deal with this. Now he was alone, miles from anywhere and anyone he loved...
Sam.
Frodo looked wildly round. He could not go anywhere without Sam. He would sooner die than leave him behind. Was he still with the orcs? Was he...killed in the attack? He raked a trembling hand through his hair as the fingers of despair began to tug at his coat. Whether back or forward, he could not go without Sam. Sam was the only thing left that was keeping him alive. The only thing left that protected him from Gollum. Frodo began running down the embankment and into the silver carpet of leaves. He went deliriously into the thicket of thorns and brambles, calling for his beloved friend, in the desperate hope of finding him.
Sam.
"Sam! Sam!" he yelled. Golden pinprick eyes watched him from the increasing shadow. Claws scampered across the cracked earth. Frodo ran faster, spinning round, ever searching.
"Sam, where are you?"
He tripped on his own feet and sprawled flat on the earth. Only...only it was not earth. But stone. A great plain of stone blocks set into the earth; the remains of a road. Frodo looked up from where he lay and found himself in the presence of statues. Grey, unseeing eyes looked down on him, their faces cold. Old kings were still standing by the roadside. Their weathered hands still clutched at hole-ridden sceptres. And there, lying on the stones before Frodo, was a great head. On his brow was a crown.
".and the crownless again shall be king."
Frodo sat up unsteadily and leant against a stone pedestal near the edge of the clearing. He thought of Aragorn. Gimli, Legolas, Merry, Pippin and Boromir... They were out there somewhere, still fighting, still buying time. For him.
It was a task he had accepted. With Sam or without, he would have to go on eventually. Or they would all die in vain. Taking a deep breath, he clambered upright and pressed his face to the cold stone of the statue beside him. He wished to all the people that looked to him now that he could come back and find Sam.
"If the Lady Galadriel could grant me one wish," he whispered, "It would be to come back to Ithilien and find Sam."
~
The tables turn...