Blue Jedi Hobbit: Oh, no! I'm not that good as an author. I'm not even an author yet! I keep stumbling on writing. But still, thanks for your review!

Aelfgifu: Frodo deserves what he gets?? Oh, you're mean! :)

Warning: AU, violence

Chapter 29

Merry clenched his eyes tightly. It had been hours since he was left tied down to a tree. Nobody, neither Sam nor Strider, had treated him badly at first. But that changed after Merry told them he really didn't know the whereabouts of the person they were looking for, Frodo.

He had been lying on the ground, crushed and beaten down, after those slaps. He then told them about the ruffians and how they had broken into the room where he, Pippin, and Frodo had been staying. They were sleeping at that time, Merry told Sam.

"Sleeping?" said Sam as if to himself. "So Mr. Frodo was all right?" Tears were threatening to spill out. He had come to believe his master was tormented and starved. But it turned out that Frodo was staying the night in a room, warm, full, and sleeping peacefully.

Sam was so thankful he was almost hysterical with joy. How he had been worrying so far ---

"Yes, we were all sleeping tightly, including your beloved master. Of course after all the lessons I had to give him, he was too exhausted to stay awake," commented Merry.

Feeling like just being kicked in the stomach, Sam looked unbelievingly at the sneering creature in front of him. He couldn't believe that. Merry had to ruin everything, his happiness and relief toward Frodo's condition. Sam felt his temper raise suddenly.

Red eyed, Sam approached Merry.

"Lessons? What lessons?"

Merry grinned evilly.

"What? You cannot expect someone who took Bilbo's ring could walk away just like that," snorted Merry.

"Took? Walk away? Frodo INHERITED that ring! And he was supposed to bring it to a safer place other than the Shire. The enemy has started to pursue it. Remember the menacing riders on their gigantic beasts? You were asking that at that time, Merry. And this is the answer!"

Merry laughed mockingly.

"How can you be so naïve as to believe it easily that Frodo was going to such a place? Don't! He might have decided to bring the ring to somewhere else and use it for himself."

What a nonsense. Sam refused to take in anything Merry had told him. But Merry sharply added,

"And who is 'the enemy'that tried to take the ring away from him? Sam - come on. I know you love your master more than anything in Middle Earth. But don't let that block you from seeing the truth. I know loyalty and love often prevent people to see it. Especially the servants. They tend to always believe in their master and follow everything he says."

That touched a sensitive spot in Sam's heart. Merry had spoken as if he were Frodo's slave who had no mind of his own. The words also successfully made him regret ever being born into his family - a family of servants! His father had always been Bilbo's gardener and his mother helped clean Bag End and cook for Bilbo and Frodo. So it was understandable that Sam became Frodo's gardener.

But hey, regret! Regret? Sam felt guilty at once. It had never crossed his mind before. He loved his family, for Valar's sake! He loved his father, his mother, and all his siblings. He wouldn't want to exchange them with any other families in the Shire. He didn't care what his family did or what they were. What evil mind had come to him just now! He shouldn't have let Merry poison his thoughts. Was it the same thing Merry had done to Mr. Frodo, poisoning his mind? Sam felt giddy to think about it.

But what else was it that Merry had said? It was something about Sam's being loyal, too loyal, to his master so that he would do whatever Mr. Frodo told him to. Merry ridiculed him as being a fool!

An image of Frodo with his soft smile came to his mind. Ah, Merry could say whatever he wanted to say, but to Frodo, Sam was more than just a gardener. Sam knew that. Mr. Frodo always referred him as his best friend.

Suddenly Sam felt he missed Frodo a lot. It had been too long since Merry took him away. Sam didn't care if his dear master saw him differently. He just wanted Frodo to return.

"It's all because of you!" Sam reached down and snatched Merry's chin, jerking the twisted hobbit's head back.

"I knew from the very beginning that you and Pippin are untrustworthy. Both of you are pure thieves!" Sam remembered their encounter at Farmer Maggot's corn field.

"No more than your Mr. Frodo."

Sam pulled his hand. He squinted at Merry.

"It won't work, Merry. I'm not a brainless servant. I will not follow your word game. It is YOU who will follow my game. You will stay put thinking about whatever you have done to your own cousin, repenting it!"

Helped by Strider, Sam secured Merry to a tree with a good length of rope. Smirks left Merry's face as he was being tied up. He tried to look at Strider's eyes, who had been silent so far. The man felt a bit guilty after beating the hobbit down and Merry knew this.

"Ranger-" he tried to draw Strider's attention but his plea was cut off when Sam thrusted a cloth inside his mouth and kept it there by tying another length of cloth over Merry's lips around the head. After making sure that Merry couldn't move at all, Sam and Strider left him.

Unexpectedly, big rain started to pour. Nobody had an idea to release Merry. He was left there, tied and soaked all over. Merry tried to call out but his voice was overcome by the rain. In the end, he could only gasp desperately against the attack of water, struggling to breathe, like a fish that was wriggling at the side of a river.

***

"I told you he would pay."

Ted turned around sharply to meet a pair of cold, dark eyes of Saruman. Ted screamed, both in anger and despair.

"Release him! Release him from the evil magic! He is innocent. He has done nothing wrong!"

"Oh yes, he has. Or rather, YOU have! You keep your hard head against me, and Frodo will suffer more!"

Ted blew up. Taking a long branch from the gound, he swung it to Saruman's direction. It swept over empty air as the wizard skillfully ducked.

Saruman pointed his right forefinger at Frodo and a heart-wrenching scream from the hobbit's lips tore the night. Frodo arched his back until his body was half-lifted from the ground, and smashed it back. His eyes were tightly shut. He was still unconscious.

"Stop it!" Ted shrieked and ran to Frodo. The branch slipped off his grip. He scooped up the awfully light and limp form and started to dash away. Oh, he had to be hurry. He should find anyone who could get rid of the magic. Anyone.

"Hang on, Little one," Ted whispered. "Fight it if you can."

"You are not going anywhere!" Saruman thundered. "You are not going to defy me again --- or else!"

Ted tensed, frozen in his place. He knew Saruman could do mean things even from a distance.

"Don't," asked him faintly, his jaw tightening. This was all beyond his reach. He felt completely helpless and humiliated at the same time, being forced to do what he didn't want to do.

Frodo groaned slightly.

"Put him down," commanded the wizard. Ted gazed at him doubtfully.

"What? You want to try me again?"

There was nothing Ted could do but comply. He lowered Frodo on the ground but stayed close. Saruman clicked his tounge impatiently.

"Get away from there."

"What are you going to do?" Ted demanded. Saruman ignored him. The wizard walked to Frodo and pushed Ted cruelly from the hobbit's side.
TBC