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.
Hmsgirl: Gah? You don't think Frodo needs help? I can't believe I've got the brass to torture him so much! But then again, what am I saying? I am evil! Mwa ha ha- *looks worried*
Shirebound: Heh, glad you liked Sam's line, I'm really enjoying writing him. The novel? Well, I'm kind of forcing my way through two, but fanfics are a lot easier. :-)
Cstini: Of course! They're Frodo and Sam, like...like...like bread and butter. I need to get them back together again. Right? I'm walking dangerous ground now...
MagicalRachel: Thought you might like that. :-) Yeah, I guess I did write it with you in mind. Hmm, come to think of it, I can't see you dying either. Ah! I feel so honoured! Choosing me over banana milkshake. When we take over Fanfiction.net and all other fanfic sites and become rich internet kings, that's what we can drink every day. *eyes roll as ideas formulate in brain*
Bookworm2000: I couldn't love Sméagol! Evil...evil little ragamuffin, he is. He's been living in my basement for a month now! I'm sick of feeding him table scraps! Ta for the link, btw, such a cool picture! Go Andy Serkis! Arg, but I have to update or you'll reveal where I live. I've already got my hands full with the Gondorian warriors camped outside. I haven't been outside in weeks!
ViNguyen: Ta- I'm updating now- does this count as soon? :-)
Holly Wood: Yay! Building sympathy! Don't worry- I don't think I'll be able to stop writing all weekend. My friends at school are demanding I finish a chapter of both my novels and someone is even threatening me that if I don't, they'll come round to where I live. Eep!
I'm so sorry that I haven't updated in...forever. But I finished my novel and am now embarking on a strange and frightening quest of yet another one. No promises of frequent updates, but I swear to try harder.
~ Chapter Nine ~
Faramir and Sam dashed through the trees in dark directions. Mist gathered about their feet and mud oozed up on either side. Still they had to travel silently, rustling like shadows through the undergrowth as the orcs drew steadily closer. A cry went up from near the front and the men halted immediately. There was another frantic scream and the sound of a fight. There was laughter. Then silence. Faramir tightened his hand convulsively round Sam's wrist and the hobbit winced. But he said nothing. He knew as well as those around him the strength of the orcs. He had seen them closer than he would have ever liked. Although he was sick of hiding, he would rather do that than face an orc.
The laughter returned, further away this time and out of their path. Faramir hissed an order to the ranger in front and it passed along the ranks until all of the party were on their feet and running again. Sam thought he heard the sound of footsteps behind him but the roar of the waterfall smothered the sound. He felt the prickle of water on his skin and the next thing he knew, Faramir had taken him through a dark passageway and into safety.
Sam slept for an age, only dimly aware of the hushed voices around him. He was no longer forced to sleep in the storeroom but neither, it seemed, did Faramir trust him. Every time he woke and looked out from his uncomfortable position, curled between the rocks, he could be sure to see the captain's eye fixed on him, watching him intently.
"What he expects a hobbit's going to do against a lot of Big Folk, I don't know," he grumbled. He sighed, "Especially one who's stupid enough to go and lose his master."
After that thought, he could not get back to sleep. It was all he could do to try and stave off the images of Frodo, lying injured or...worse... _No_, Samwise Gamgee, there isn't nothing worse than injured. Frodo will be alright and we'll get on to-
"...Mordor and get rid of that wretched Ring..."
Faramir jerked out of his half-sleep.
"What was that?" he demanded.
Sam put a hand to his mouth, as if making to lock it shut. He shook his head. Faramir stood up and slammed his fist down on the table.
"Look here, you little spy!" he shouted, "Two of my men were killed while out looking for your friend! Still you won't tell me anything at all! Well, I'll drag it out of you if I have to!"
"I swore an oath!" Sam yelled back, clambering upright, "And I ain't going to break it! You can...you can kill me but I still won't answer you. An oath, Captain Faramir, an oath!"
The man put up his hands in defence. He sighed,
"Alright! Alright. So I take it that whatever I do, I won't be able to get an answer from you. But...Samwise, you do understand why this important to me, don't you? I mean, Boromir was my brother and..."
Faramir looked down and then turned away, striding down some unseen corridor. Sam honestly wished he could tell him. At least something. Frodo had seen little and told him even less but what he did recall was the mad light that had come to the man's eyes. Sam, a ninnyhammer he may be, knew that he needed Faramir for protection. But if the same thing happened to him if he saw the Ring... Then he would be completely and utterly alone.
~
Distantly, Frodo could see smoke on the horizon. Fires were burning readily, but he could not yet see what was the source. From so far away, he could not yet make out any figures or buildings. Perhaps it was just a campfire...But then why was he so drawn to it? Why did he feel such a sudden urge to go there? It mattered now more than anything in the world.
Frodo stopped dead in his tracks. How could he even be thinking this? What had happened to him? It was as if he had lost all willpower. The Ring's dominion over his mind was terrifying.
"I shan't listen to you!" he cried.
There came no answer but Frodo felt the anger of the Ring. It was almost stifling. The hatred It emanated was so intense that it almost brought him to his knees. The horizon wavered before his eyes.
*Do not disobey me!*
"Alright!" he sobbed, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please stop!"
And the anger melted away like snow, leaving the little hobbit feeling cold all over. A shudder ran down his spine. He sat there for a long time, hands folded in his lap, eyes fixed on the ground before him. The Ring hung innocently, almost patiently, round his neck. And Frodo knew in that moment that he had no mastery over It. His will could not contend with that of the Ring's.
"Oh Sam," he breathed, tears running down his cheeks, "Look what I've gone and done."
He had a frightening feeling that the Ring was snarling at him, tugging at It's chain in It's eagerness to reach the horizon. Involuntarily putting a hand to his neck, Frodo sighed and got to his feet. Then, with one laborious step after another, he began the last journey South towards the billowing smoky sky.
Hmsgirl: Gah? You don't think Frodo needs help? I can't believe I've got the brass to torture him so much! But then again, what am I saying? I am evil! Mwa ha ha- *looks worried*
Shirebound: Heh, glad you liked Sam's line, I'm really enjoying writing him. The novel? Well, I'm kind of forcing my way through two, but fanfics are a lot easier. :-)
Cstini: Of course! They're Frodo and Sam, like...like...like bread and butter. I need to get them back together again. Right? I'm walking dangerous ground now...
MagicalRachel: Thought you might like that. :-) Yeah, I guess I did write it with you in mind. Hmm, come to think of it, I can't see you dying either. Ah! I feel so honoured! Choosing me over banana milkshake. When we take over Fanfiction.net and all other fanfic sites and become rich internet kings, that's what we can drink every day. *eyes roll as ideas formulate in brain*
Bookworm2000: I couldn't love Sméagol! Evil...evil little ragamuffin, he is. He's been living in my basement for a month now! I'm sick of feeding him table scraps! Ta for the link, btw, such a cool picture! Go Andy Serkis! Arg, but I have to update or you'll reveal where I live. I've already got my hands full with the Gondorian warriors camped outside. I haven't been outside in weeks!
ViNguyen: Ta- I'm updating now- does this count as soon? :-)
Holly Wood: Yay! Building sympathy! Don't worry- I don't think I'll be able to stop writing all weekend. My friends at school are demanding I finish a chapter of both my novels and someone is even threatening me that if I don't, they'll come round to where I live. Eep!
I'm so sorry that I haven't updated in...forever. But I finished my novel and am now embarking on a strange and frightening quest of yet another one. No promises of frequent updates, but I swear to try harder.
~ Chapter Nine ~
Faramir and Sam dashed through the trees in dark directions. Mist gathered about their feet and mud oozed up on either side. Still they had to travel silently, rustling like shadows through the undergrowth as the orcs drew steadily closer. A cry went up from near the front and the men halted immediately. There was another frantic scream and the sound of a fight. There was laughter. Then silence. Faramir tightened his hand convulsively round Sam's wrist and the hobbit winced. But he said nothing. He knew as well as those around him the strength of the orcs. He had seen them closer than he would have ever liked. Although he was sick of hiding, he would rather do that than face an orc.
The laughter returned, further away this time and out of their path. Faramir hissed an order to the ranger in front and it passed along the ranks until all of the party were on their feet and running again. Sam thought he heard the sound of footsteps behind him but the roar of the waterfall smothered the sound. He felt the prickle of water on his skin and the next thing he knew, Faramir had taken him through a dark passageway and into safety.
Sam slept for an age, only dimly aware of the hushed voices around him. He was no longer forced to sleep in the storeroom but neither, it seemed, did Faramir trust him. Every time he woke and looked out from his uncomfortable position, curled between the rocks, he could be sure to see the captain's eye fixed on him, watching him intently.
"What he expects a hobbit's going to do against a lot of Big Folk, I don't know," he grumbled. He sighed, "Especially one who's stupid enough to go and lose his master."
After that thought, he could not get back to sleep. It was all he could do to try and stave off the images of Frodo, lying injured or...worse... _No_, Samwise Gamgee, there isn't nothing worse than injured. Frodo will be alright and we'll get on to-
"...Mordor and get rid of that wretched Ring..."
Faramir jerked out of his half-sleep.
"What was that?" he demanded.
Sam put a hand to his mouth, as if making to lock it shut. He shook his head. Faramir stood up and slammed his fist down on the table.
"Look here, you little spy!" he shouted, "Two of my men were killed while out looking for your friend! Still you won't tell me anything at all! Well, I'll drag it out of you if I have to!"
"I swore an oath!" Sam yelled back, clambering upright, "And I ain't going to break it! You can...you can kill me but I still won't answer you. An oath, Captain Faramir, an oath!"
The man put up his hands in defence. He sighed,
"Alright! Alright. So I take it that whatever I do, I won't be able to get an answer from you. But...Samwise, you do understand why this important to me, don't you? I mean, Boromir was my brother and..."
Faramir looked down and then turned away, striding down some unseen corridor. Sam honestly wished he could tell him. At least something. Frodo had seen little and told him even less but what he did recall was the mad light that had come to the man's eyes. Sam, a ninnyhammer he may be, knew that he needed Faramir for protection. But if the same thing happened to him if he saw the Ring... Then he would be completely and utterly alone.
~
Distantly, Frodo could see smoke on the horizon. Fires were burning readily, but he could not yet see what was the source. From so far away, he could not yet make out any figures or buildings. Perhaps it was just a campfire...But then why was he so drawn to it? Why did he feel such a sudden urge to go there? It mattered now more than anything in the world.
Frodo stopped dead in his tracks. How could he even be thinking this? What had happened to him? It was as if he had lost all willpower. The Ring's dominion over his mind was terrifying.
"I shan't listen to you!" he cried.
There came no answer but Frodo felt the anger of the Ring. It was almost stifling. The hatred It emanated was so intense that it almost brought him to his knees. The horizon wavered before his eyes.
*Do not disobey me!*
"Alright!" he sobbed, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please stop!"
And the anger melted away like snow, leaving the little hobbit feeling cold all over. A shudder ran down his spine. He sat there for a long time, hands folded in his lap, eyes fixed on the ground before him. The Ring hung innocently, almost patiently, round his neck. And Frodo knew in that moment that he had no mastery over It. His will could not contend with that of the Ring's.
"Oh Sam," he breathed, tears running down his cheeks, "Look what I've gone and done."
He had a frightening feeling that the Ring was snarling at him, tugging at It's chain in It's eagerness to reach the horizon. Involuntarily putting a hand to his neck, Frodo sighed and got to his feet. Then, with one laborious step after another, he began the last journey South towards the billowing smoky sky.