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.
QTPie-2488: Sorry I missed your last review! *sigh* Nope, FF never replied. Why? Doesn't Xing like me? Or anyone, come to that. Glad you liked the chap! :-D! Oh yes, btw, I've read your fic, "What If" and it was so heart- wrenching that it made me cry! You are amazing!
MagicalRachel: Ooh, thank you! I'm so pleased. That scene in TTT had the same effect on me- I didn't breathe until Sam was right beside Frodo. Hope I didn't make you cry here! And as for your plot holes- don't worry- they are nothing compared to the mistakes I keep making in my fics. The rope in Lost in Moria, for instance... Thanks again!
CStini: Hehe- 'tis hobbity evilness! Oh, yes, parts of it did come directly from the movie. I was so spellbound by the sight of Frodo and the Nazgûl up close that I just had to include that- but I also wanted to have book elements and completely original elements too. :-D Yeah! Gollum smiles!
Shirebound: Oh, thank you! That "black as..." paragraph was reworded so many times, I'm ecstatic that it came across well.
Bookworm2000: Livejournal.com- 'tis a community of online diaries. Sorry, didn't mean to scare ya :-P I just remember hearing your name cropping up. Ack, I was nice to Gollum! Celebrate my niceness! I freaked you out with Frodo's line? Ooh.
ELveNDestiNy: Congratulations on being the 101st! Thank you so much for your lovely review- you're such a sweetheart. In answer to your question, I always choose my favourite authors by quality of writing. Honestly, they are all fantastic authors who'll get a lot further than me. :-)
~ Forgive me for the length of this chapter, and for it being so very awful (I would've preferred it if I'd managed to make the last chapter a bit better than the others) but I thought Faramir deserved to learn of his brother's fate in this last part and to go over a few topics of interest. Garden of the Moon has been great fun to write. A little more taxing than Memories of Home as I tried to keep quite close to the book, but I hope that it has been a pleasure to read and that I haven't completely put you off LOTR fanfics. You are all great motivators and thank you so much for your wonderful comments.
~ Chapter Fourteen ~
"Sam, I thought you were gone for good," Frodo breathed, putting his back against the stone wall, "I didn't know what had happened or...or where I was...it was like living in a constant dream."
Sam did not like what he was hearing. He felt so terribly guilty at the thought of his beloved master wandering- alone, mind you- with nothing but the Ring for company. He shuddered and Frodo raised an eyebrow, instantly grasping his companion's fear.
"It was none of your doing, Sam," he said astutely, "You found me when it mattered most and I cannot ask more than that."
"I know, Master but- hoy! Where d'you think you're going?"
Both hobbits leapt up as Gollum darted away from his place at the top of the stairs. Sam set off at once, muttering angrily under his breath but Frodo paused a moment. He glanced back over his shoulder to the patch of sullied air where the wraith had been. It must have been lies. The Ring never told anything but lies and now Sam was here, It would be silenced. Yet...in truth, his pain would have ended. He would have suffered no longer if the Nazgûl had taken the Ring...He shook himself. What was he doing? Sam would have been mortified to hear him saying things like this. Frodo quickly cast the thought of the Ring aside and hurried after his friend.
Gollum knew that if they were to get going again, he would have to make a timely escape, as it were. He darted away down the steps, knowing that both hobbits would follow him soon after. How foolish they were to have thought the worst was over. The Master was wrong when he said it mattered most. There would be many more perilous times to come. They had to get going. Suddenly, Gollum felt a heavy hand descend upon his shoulder, pinning him to the ground.
"Alright! Alright! Stop struggling!" Faramir cried. The soldier beside him quickly proffered a length of tattered rope, which the captain used to bind the creature's hands.
"Captain Faramir!"
The ranger glanced up and almost collapsed with relief. He abandoned the hissing and spitting Gollum to embrace the hobbit warmly.
"I thought you were surely lost, Samwise," he said, "When the Nazgûl came down on the wall. But it seems you are unhurt. Is that so? How does your master fare?"
"He's quite well now, sir," Sam replied, beaming. He turned back to see Frodo clambering down the last few stairs. He looked up and smiled when he saw the man crouching next to his companion. For a moment, Faramir was taken aback by the complete contrast in appearance. This halfling was pale and much thinner than Samwise. And his eyes held not the same honesty and openness as his gardener's either. They were an intense blue, the colour of the sea, reflecting many hardships and many dark secrets. If he held your gaze for too long, Faramir was sure it was possible to drown in all the sadness that welled within those eyes.
"So you are the infamous master that has caused us so much trouble," the captain said, rising up to his full height and grinning down, "'Tis a strange fate to suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing!"
Frodo looked a little affronted to be addressed as such but then quickly brushed it off and smiled back.
"I'm afraid that I have not often travelled so high up as to have made your acquaintance. Frodo Baggins at your service."
"I am Captain Faramir, son of the Steward of Gondor and ranger in the gardens of Ithilien. I am honoured to meet you, Frodo. Come, there is much to discuss and we cannot stay in this place for long. Follow me."
Faramir signalled to his men and they swarmed round, bows at the ready, fending off any parting shots from the orcs. But it seemed that most of the enemy had been overcome by darkness and now hung like limp dolls from the towers and archways, the sight of the Nazgûl still imprinted like oil on their eyes.
--
The sewers were rank with the stench of blood that poured down the wells. But Faramir knew their ways well and led the rangers and hobbits down a main tunnel to where it split into two high passageways. He climbed up into what appeared to be a hollowed chamber, with the wreckage of furniture pushed to one side. The rangers did not enter but waited in the sewers, their bows at the ready, eyes alert for any sign of attack. The two hobbits and Gollum were lifted up to join Faramir who dropped down onto a rickety stool and fixed them with an impenetrable gaze. They watched him warily. At last, the captain let out a sigh.
"I know I promised myself that I would ask no more of you, Samwise, but now I can barely contain my curiosity. May I ask your permission to question your master?"
Frodo felt a little out of touch with events, his mind still twisting and writhing from its possession of the Ring, and hesitated a moment when Sam asked him if he minded. He shook his head. Faramir's face took on a kinder expression and he turned to Frodo, saying,
"Then I would ask you, Frodo, what you know of my brother, Boromir."
The hobbit was startled.
"Your brother?" he exclaimed, then quickly pulled himself together, "Er...well, I didn't know Boromir very well. He was a noble man and he knew his purposes. He was a member of a fellowship that I was also part of. He was one of the guardians of..."
"You need not speak of It here," Faramir assured him, "I know what you mean."
Frodo swallowed, having to restrain his hand from creeping up to the chain round his neck.
"Do you know of the intentions of the Fellowship?"
"Not as clearly as I would like. Your Sam here was very good at keeping secrets."
The hobbit cast his friend a warm glance and Sam felt his heart soar.
"Well," Frodo went on, "Your brother said that It should be brought to Minas Tirith and used...as a weapon against the Dark Lord. He was overruled. The task...my task, if you like, is to destroy It. To go into Mordor to the Mountain of Fire- the one place that It can be truly unmade. We set off from the last homely home what feels like many years ago. The journey was long...longer and more arduous than I care to remember. We came to the Falls of Rauros after much of the worst dangers and there our Fellowship was sundered. Boromir...the last I saw of him, he was not quite himself. I do not know what became of him, as I do not know what has become of my other companions. But we were attacked by a great many orcs and Sam and I crossed the river in the hopes of continuing our quest. For all we know, Boromir may yet be at Rauros with the others."
But even as he said this, Frodo grew pale and did not meet Faramir's eyes. The captain knew that his promise had yet to be kept.
"I think that is enough for me," he said quietly, "It is clear that you have great matters to attend to and I shall not hinder you any longer."
"You're letting us go then?" Sam could not help exclaiming. Faramir smiled at him and nodded.
"I am, Samwise. I believe that the choice finally made was a good one. The Ri- _It_ is not a tool we Men and Halflings can freely use. It is an evil thing by all accounts. And what I have learnt of your kind from your gardener, Frodo Baggins, I would say that It is the best of hands. What I shall do is this: there is a route out of the city via this chamber. My men will lead you as far as they may, to the Crossroads at least. Then, I fear, you are on your own."
"What about Gollum?" Frodo asked. Faramir grimaced.
"I have no idea what you would want with that...creature. But he is yours to do with as you will."
"I think the decision lies with Sam now. Gollum is our guide but...he has caused us a great many difficulties here. Seeing as both he and I are under Sam's duress, I have little say in the matter."
He looked across at the hobbit, sitting in the corner and looking a little limp from the river water. He shuffled uncomfortably under the gaze of both master, Man and the wide lamp-like eyes of Gollum himself. Those filthy eyes that had watched Frodo from the first day, who only agreed to guide them for his want of the Ring. And yet...Sam's heart could not help but recognise a good deed when it saw one. Without Gollum, no doubt his master would be lost to darkness, not to mention Middle-Earth. Perhaps, he thought grudgingly, saving the world could counterbalance all those rotten things he had done in the past.
Frodo saw all this pass as clearly as words across his friend's face and he smiled. "I think it'd be best for him to stay with us for now, Captain Faramir," said Sam, "I reckon he still counts as our guide, even after all this."
Gollum stared at the fat hobbit for a long time. He shook his head then looked again. There was a lot about this one he still had yet to discover. Faramir threw up his hands.
"Hobbits never cease to amaze," he sighed, "If that is what you wish, Master Samwise, he is yours to do with as you will."
He took two strides across to the cowering Gollum and picked up the lead. With unconcealed distaste, he passed the rope to Sam.
"Though I wish you would choose a guide that walked on two feet."
He signalled to his men outside and three rangers jumped up onto the platform.
"These men will gladly lead you to the Crossroads. From there on, I bid you a safe journey and all my blessings on your quest."
"Thank you, Captain Faramir. But now that we are gone, what will you do?" asked Frodo.
"I will go looking for my brother, of course. We shall travel north to this place of where you speak, following the river. Perhaps the sons of the Steward shall be reunited!"
"I hope so," the Ringbearer replied, "Farewell."
The men drew back a hatch in the wall of the chamber to reveal a vault of steps that were spilt with sunlight. The rangers ascended first, then Frodo, then Gollum, dragging Sam behind him like an impatient dog. But the little gardener paused a moment in thought before looking back to Faramir with his brows furrowed.
"Captain Faramir, you got it wrong again."
"What's that, Samwise?"
"It's Hobbit, not Halfling. I don't think you'll ever remember!"
Faramir raised an eyebrow.
"How could I ever forget Hobbits?"
~* End *~
QTPie-2488: Sorry I missed your last review! *sigh* Nope, FF never replied. Why? Doesn't Xing like me? Or anyone, come to that. Glad you liked the chap! :-D! Oh yes, btw, I've read your fic, "What If" and it was so heart- wrenching that it made me cry! You are amazing!
MagicalRachel: Ooh, thank you! I'm so pleased. That scene in TTT had the same effect on me- I didn't breathe until Sam was right beside Frodo. Hope I didn't make you cry here! And as for your plot holes- don't worry- they are nothing compared to the mistakes I keep making in my fics. The rope in Lost in Moria, for instance... Thanks again!
CStini: Hehe- 'tis hobbity evilness! Oh, yes, parts of it did come directly from the movie. I was so spellbound by the sight of Frodo and the Nazgûl up close that I just had to include that- but I also wanted to have book elements and completely original elements too. :-D Yeah! Gollum smiles!
Shirebound: Oh, thank you! That "black as..." paragraph was reworded so many times, I'm ecstatic that it came across well.
Bookworm2000: Livejournal.com- 'tis a community of online diaries. Sorry, didn't mean to scare ya :-P I just remember hearing your name cropping up. Ack, I was nice to Gollum! Celebrate my niceness! I freaked you out with Frodo's line? Ooh.
ELveNDestiNy: Congratulations on being the 101st! Thank you so much for your lovely review- you're such a sweetheart. In answer to your question, I always choose my favourite authors by quality of writing. Honestly, they are all fantastic authors who'll get a lot further than me. :-)
~ Forgive me for the length of this chapter, and for it being so very awful (I would've preferred it if I'd managed to make the last chapter a bit better than the others) but I thought Faramir deserved to learn of his brother's fate in this last part and to go over a few topics of interest. Garden of the Moon has been great fun to write. A little more taxing than Memories of Home as I tried to keep quite close to the book, but I hope that it has been a pleasure to read and that I haven't completely put you off LOTR fanfics. You are all great motivators and thank you so much for your wonderful comments.
~ Chapter Fourteen ~
"Sam, I thought you were gone for good," Frodo breathed, putting his back against the stone wall, "I didn't know what had happened or...or where I was...it was like living in a constant dream."
Sam did not like what he was hearing. He felt so terribly guilty at the thought of his beloved master wandering- alone, mind you- with nothing but the Ring for company. He shuddered and Frodo raised an eyebrow, instantly grasping his companion's fear.
"It was none of your doing, Sam," he said astutely, "You found me when it mattered most and I cannot ask more than that."
"I know, Master but- hoy! Where d'you think you're going?"
Both hobbits leapt up as Gollum darted away from his place at the top of the stairs. Sam set off at once, muttering angrily under his breath but Frodo paused a moment. He glanced back over his shoulder to the patch of sullied air where the wraith had been. It must have been lies. The Ring never told anything but lies and now Sam was here, It would be silenced. Yet...in truth, his pain would have ended. He would have suffered no longer if the Nazgûl had taken the Ring...He shook himself. What was he doing? Sam would have been mortified to hear him saying things like this. Frodo quickly cast the thought of the Ring aside and hurried after his friend.
Gollum knew that if they were to get going again, he would have to make a timely escape, as it were. He darted away down the steps, knowing that both hobbits would follow him soon after. How foolish they were to have thought the worst was over. The Master was wrong when he said it mattered most. There would be many more perilous times to come. They had to get going. Suddenly, Gollum felt a heavy hand descend upon his shoulder, pinning him to the ground.
"Alright! Alright! Stop struggling!" Faramir cried. The soldier beside him quickly proffered a length of tattered rope, which the captain used to bind the creature's hands.
"Captain Faramir!"
The ranger glanced up and almost collapsed with relief. He abandoned the hissing and spitting Gollum to embrace the hobbit warmly.
"I thought you were surely lost, Samwise," he said, "When the Nazgûl came down on the wall. But it seems you are unhurt. Is that so? How does your master fare?"
"He's quite well now, sir," Sam replied, beaming. He turned back to see Frodo clambering down the last few stairs. He looked up and smiled when he saw the man crouching next to his companion. For a moment, Faramir was taken aback by the complete contrast in appearance. This halfling was pale and much thinner than Samwise. And his eyes held not the same honesty and openness as his gardener's either. They were an intense blue, the colour of the sea, reflecting many hardships and many dark secrets. If he held your gaze for too long, Faramir was sure it was possible to drown in all the sadness that welled within those eyes.
"So you are the infamous master that has caused us so much trouble," the captain said, rising up to his full height and grinning down, "'Tis a strange fate to suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing!"
Frodo looked a little affronted to be addressed as such but then quickly brushed it off and smiled back.
"I'm afraid that I have not often travelled so high up as to have made your acquaintance. Frodo Baggins at your service."
"I am Captain Faramir, son of the Steward of Gondor and ranger in the gardens of Ithilien. I am honoured to meet you, Frodo. Come, there is much to discuss and we cannot stay in this place for long. Follow me."
Faramir signalled to his men and they swarmed round, bows at the ready, fending off any parting shots from the orcs. But it seemed that most of the enemy had been overcome by darkness and now hung like limp dolls from the towers and archways, the sight of the Nazgûl still imprinted like oil on their eyes.
--
The sewers were rank with the stench of blood that poured down the wells. But Faramir knew their ways well and led the rangers and hobbits down a main tunnel to where it split into two high passageways. He climbed up into what appeared to be a hollowed chamber, with the wreckage of furniture pushed to one side. The rangers did not enter but waited in the sewers, their bows at the ready, eyes alert for any sign of attack. The two hobbits and Gollum were lifted up to join Faramir who dropped down onto a rickety stool and fixed them with an impenetrable gaze. They watched him warily. At last, the captain let out a sigh.
"I know I promised myself that I would ask no more of you, Samwise, but now I can barely contain my curiosity. May I ask your permission to question your master?"
Frodo felt a little out of touch with events, his mind still twisting and writhing from its possession of the Ring, and hesitated a moment when Sam asked him if he minded. He shook his head. Faramir's face took on a kinder expression and he turned to Frodo, saying,
"Then I would ask you, Frodo, what you know of my brother, Boromir."
The hobbit was startled.
"Your brother?" he exclaimed, then quickly pulled himself together, "Er...well, I didn't know Boromir very well. He was a noble man and he knew his purposes. He was a member of a fellowship that I was also part of. He was one of the guardians of..."
"You need not speak of It here," Faramir assured him, "I know what you mean."
Frodo swallowed, having to restrain his hand from creeping up to the chain round his neck.
"Do you know of the intentions of the Fellowship?"
"Not as clearly as I would like. Your Sam here was very good at keeping secrets."
The hobbit cast his friend a warm glance and Sam felt his heart soar.
"Well," Frodo went on, "Your brother said that It should be brought to Minas Tirith and used...as a weapon against the Dark Lord. He was overruled. The task...my task, if you like, is to destroy It. To go into Mordor to the Mountain of Fire- the one place that It can be truly unmade. We set off from the last homely home what feels like many years ago. The journey was long...longer and more arduous than I care to remember. We came to the Falls of Rauros after much of the worst dangers and there our Fellowship was sundered. Boromir...the last I saw of him, he was not quite himself. I do not know what became of him, as I do not know what has become of my other companions. But we were attacked by a great many orcs and Sam and I crossed the river in the hopes of continuing our quest. For all we know, Boromir may yet be at Rauros with the others."
But even as he said this, Frodo grew pale and did not meet Faramir's eyes. The captain knew that his promise had yet to be kept.
"I think that is enough for me," he said quietly, "It is clear that you have great matters to attend to and I shall not hinder you any longer."
"You're letting us go then?" Sam could not help exclaiming. Faramir smiled at him and nodded.
"I am, Samwise. I believe that the choice finally made was a good one. The Ri- _It_ is not a tool we Men and Halflings can freely use. It is an evil thing by all accounts. And what I have learnt of your kind from your gardener, Frodo Baggins, I would say that It is the best of hands. What I shall do is this: there is a route out of the city via this chamber. My men will lead you as far as they may, to the Crossroads at least. Then, I fear, you are on your own."
"What about Gollum?" Frodo asked. Faramir grimaced.
"I have no idea what you would want with that...creature. But he is yours to do with as you will."
"I think the decision lies with Sam now. Gollum is our guide but...he has caused us a great many difficulties here. Seeing as both he and I are under Sam's duress, I have little say in the matter."
He looked across at the hobbit, sitting in the corner and looking a little limp from the river water. He shuffled uncomfortably under the gaze of both master, Man and the wide lamp-like eyes of Gollum himself. Those filthy eyes that had watched Frodo from the first day, who only agreed to guide them for his want of the Ring. And yet...Sam's heart could not help but recognise a good deed when it saw one. Without Gollum, no doubt his master would be lost to darkness, not to mention Middle-Earth. Perhaps, he thought grudgingly, saving the world could counterbalance all those rotten things he had done in the past.
Frodo saw all this pass as clearly as words across his friend's face and he smiled. "I think it'd be best for him to stay with us for now, Captain Faramir," said Sam, "I reckon he still counts as our guide, even after all this."
Gollum stared at the fat hobbit for a long time. He shook his head then looked again. There was a lot about this one he still had yet to discover. Faramir threw up his hands.
"Hobbits never cease to amaze," he sighed, "If that is what you wish, Master Samwise, he is yours to do with as you will."
He took two strides across to the cowering Gollum and picked up the lead. With unconcealed distaste, he passed the rope to Sam.
"Though I wish you would choose a guide that walked on two feet."
He signalled to his men outside and three rangers jumped up onto the platform.
"These men will gladly lead you to the Crossroads. From there on, I bid you a safe journey and all my blessings on your quest."
"Thank you, Captain Faramir. But now that we are gone, what will you do?" asked Frodo.
"I will go looking for my brother, of course. We shall travel north to this place of where you speak, following the river. Perhaps the sons of the Steward shall be reunited!"
"I hope so," the Ringbearer replied, "Farewell."
The men drew back a hatch in the wall of the chamber to reveal a vault of steps that were spilt with sunlight. The rangers ascended first, then Frodo, then Gollum, dragging Sam behind him like an impatient dog. But the little gardener paused a moment in thought before looking back to Faramir with his brows furrowed.
"Captain Faramir, you got it wrong again."
"What's that, Samwise?"
"It's Hobbit, not Halfling. I don't think you'll ever remember!"
Faramir raised an eyebrow.
"How could I ever forget Hobbits?"
~* End *~