Disclaimer: I don't own any of Tolkien's characters or locations sigh. Mel is mine though.
A/N: There, I'm updating again in one week! I just hope to get more reviews …otherwise my hands will suddenly develop keyboard stiffness lol. Just kidding. If anyone lurks, drop me a line and tell me what you think!!! I welcome suggestions and constructive criticism!
Danceingfae: This chapter should answer (some) of your question about the Nazgul. And btw, this ain't over by a long shot!
Dy: Hope this is soon enough smiles
~ Chapter 9. Dreams and Desires ~
We made our way through the dark forest at a rapid pace, stopping only when it was absolutely necessary. The air was humid and unpleasantly cold for the time of the year. I recalled the serenity and clean air of Lothlorien and ached for it with every fibre of my being.
The sky was barely visible through the domed crown of the giant trees and the stillness was ominous. One could hear nothing except the muffled sound of the horses' hooves against the bare ground. No birds, no beasts, just a sinister silence. Nothing grew on the soil which was scattered with dead roots that looked like deformed, clawed, rotted limbs.
I could tell that my companions shared my bleak mood since they walked with bowed heads, the burden of responsibility heavy on their shoulders.
Our rendezvous with Legolas and his company of soldiers was still four days away. If nothing else, we would be more protected and our chance of reaching our target before being waylaid by the Enemy would increase, albeit marginally.
We had agreed that Gollum would have to accompany us for urgency's sake. Gandalf knew the approximate location of the cave, but the time constraints had forced us into accepting Gollum as a companion to the end. None trusted Gollum to take us the longest possible way around, making it possible for our pursuers to catch up. Yet he understood that if they did catch up, his chance of survival was slim and his opportunity of being anywhere closer to the Ring than he already was would be gone forever.
Both Aragorn and Gandalf listened intently to the faintest of sounds, glancing around worriedly more often than not. Now and again, my eyes met Aragorn's as he repeatedly glanced in my direction. Eventually he felt he had to explain.
'How are you faring, Mel? Forgive me, but I could not help noticing that you seem troubled.'
'I'm just tired, I guess.' I replied, feeling thankful when he did not press me any further. It occurred to me that Aragorn felt awkward admitting that he was in fact looking out for me. At the same time, it was clear that he did not intend to stifle me with unwanted attention nor make me feel watched and uncomfortable. He said little but he seemed to understand more of what I did not say and acted accordingly.
This man, dressed austerely in murky travel-worn clothing, had an air about him that demanded respect, yet he never spoke or acted in a haughty manner. The way he carried himself, the air of calm poise that he exuded had made me understand why anyone would agree to follow this seemingly brooding Ranger to the ends of the world. Power and his people's devotion would come to him naturally, without him ever having to seek it.
'They're close, yesss, precious, they are…and getting ever closer' Gollum's jeering words jolted me out of my reverie.
'Shut your mouth, Smeagol' Gandalf snapped at him 'You'll be the first to be slain if they catch up. What good do you think you will be once they get the Ring?'
Gollum spat at the wizard and muttered something under his breath.
'What did you say?' Aragorn had been the only one who had discerned what Gollum had mumbled and I detected raw anger simmering in his eyes.
He took a step towards Gollum, his body tense and ready to inflict punishment but the next moment he composed himself and forced to relax.
'One more word like that and I will tie you to this tree and leave you' he warned 'and you shall be the first to learn just how close they are…'
Gollum stared expressionlessly, his eyes narrowed, then, as Aragorn started to turn, he leapt at the Ranger's throat with lightning speed and a vigor that left us petrified. Before any of us could react, Gollum had sunk his teeth into his quarry. I closed my eyes instinctively fully expecting to be splattered with blood gushing from the Ranger's punctured jugular. But Aragorn darted instinctively and managed to deflect the creature preventing him from causing fatal damage. Instead of grinding his teeth into Aragorn's throat, Gollum had bitten deep into the Ranger's lower arm. We were horrified to hear the unmistakable crunch as fangs met bone and Aragorn let out an agonized cry.
Gandalf leapt off his horse and was by Aragorn's side in an instant. I was still bolted to the spot, too shocked to react. Gollum was lying flat on his face and temporarily presented no threat. With a quick movement, Aragorn had twisted around and backhanded him, justly sending him into oblivion for at least a few hours.
I glanced disgustedly at the injury Gollum's teeth had inflicted as Aragorn pulled up his sleeve with a wince.
'Looks worse than it is' Aragorn remarked trying to sound unruffled but I saw his jaws grit as he fought to ignore the pain.
'This could be dangerous' Gandalf warned as he examined the arm.
'I know' Aragorn said calmly.
The skin was tattered and no doubt pieces of it were still lodged between Gollum's teeth. It was not a clean bite. The creature's fangs had ground all to easily through skin and muscle tissue but meeting the resistance of the bone, had skated alongside it shredding the flesh into bloody strips that hung sickeningly. I never imagined Gollum could wreak such devastation with his teeth alone.
'It looks horrible' I managed to babble not taking my eyes off Aragorn's arm. 'Is he going to be all right?' I asked stupidly.
'Aragorn has healed a great many wounds.' Gandalf said 'He has the skill to care for this one too.'
The sight of Aragorn's blood made me queasy and they must have noticed because Gandalf immediately ordered me to keep an eye on Gollum.
The wizard helped Aragorn clean the wound and spread some ointment on it while I stood next to Gollum, my yes never leaving the creature sprawled on the ground, ready to cuff him in case he woke up and tried another one of his stunts again. I hoped it would not come to that, but after seeing the damage he had inflicted I realized that I would not hesitate to protect myself, more out of an instinct of self-defense.
What the Ring must have done to Smeagol to turn him into this utterly heinous being….
The Ring…I tried not to think about it… I had been around it for a few days and I had seen visions and nightmares that had chilled my blood…
We were all being affected…Or so Gandalf had told me. Since that time I had found myself constantly monitoring my every reaction, doubting every last thought or word I said. I watched my companions carefully for the same signs, trying to guess if their words or actions were in any way influenced by the evil presence of the Ring. Aragorn was not a violent man, yet somehow his reaction to Gollum's abusive words had provoked the creature into attacking him. Was Aragorn's unexplained aggressiveness the trigger that had Gollum off? None of us could answer these questions. And then again, wasn't doubting one another a direct consequence of having the Ring in our midst?
'We have to move on' Gandalf told me. 'This place is not safe.'
I helped the wizard haul the unconscious Gollum onto his horse and we started off again.
That night Gandalf prepared a concoction out of leaves he carried in a pouch hidden in his gray robes.
'You better have some too, Mel' he offered a cup full of the pungent smelling liquid. 'You need your strength.'
Whatever it was, it tasted vile and it almost amused me to watch Aragorn's grimace as he dutifully drank it as well
'You need to rest tonight' Gandalf told Aragorn.
'No, I am better.' Aragorn protested 'Besides, you and Mel cannot watch the whole night. There's Gollum as well. He's not learned his lesson, I fear'
'We will make do for one night. This place seems secluded enough' Gandalf said glancing around the cave.
'Don't worry' I added 'we will deal with Gollum, if need be.'
'You saw just how treacherous he can be.' Aragorn warned but did not oppose me.
'I'll be careful, but let's hope it will not come to that'
I saw Gandalf half-smile in the corner of my eye. Aragorn tried to smile as well but it visibly took much effort on his part. He settled down and wrapped himself in his cloak without protesting further. He was a sturdy man yet his injury seemed to have been more serious than I initially thought.
My fears were confirmed later that night. Gandalf had watched for three hours and I was trying to figure out how to keep track of the hours when I heard Aragorn moaning in his sleep. I walked over to where he slept, stepping over Gollum's heavily tied and gagged body in the process. He wasn't sleeping and he followed me inquisitively with his eyes. I purposefully ignored him.
Aragorn was tossing his head and his body shivered. I took the two blankets wrapped around my shoulders and covered him. At the same time, I wanted to check if he had a fever. As I stooped over to touch his forehead, he grabbed my wrist and started twisting it while a dagger was stuck at my throat. Sick or not, he was very much in command of his senses.
I must have cried out in pain, because he released me instantly and sat up shaking a mist from his grey eyes.
'I am so sorry, Mel.' He apologized profusely 'I thought..'
'It's all right' I said trying to sound casual. 'I'm glad you did that, it means you're not all that sick'
The swift motion must have caused him great pain because he flinched visibly.
'I wanted to see if you had a fever.' I explained. 'You were thrashing about in your sleep.' I dared not touch him again for fear of appearing too familiar.
'Thank you for your concern, Mel.' Aragorn said gravely. 'Have I hurt your hand?'
'Not at all. Would you like more tea?' I offered instead.
'I think not.' Aragorn shook his head and smiled. We both hated Gandalf's concoction and healer or not, Aragorn was only human after all.
'Have some water then.' I handed him his water pouch and watched as he struggled a bit but finally managed to drink.
'Thank you, Mel.' He said softly. He probably appreciated that I didn't jump to help him drink instead had let him do it on his own. I know I would have.
'Well, back to sleep you go' I urged.
'I am better now, Mel.' Aragorn protested 'As for these, I no longer need them' He motioned towards the blankets pooled around his body 'Besides, I will not have you get sick as well.' He lifted the blankets with his good hand and offered them to me. I took them without further protest.
'I shall watch a while. You go to sleep' he said.
'Not tonight, Aragorn' I declined gently but firmly ' I don't know much about healing but I know bites like that can be very dangerous. Besides, you don't want me to get into trouble with Gandalf.'
Aragorn hesitated and it was plain that he was uncomfortable with the idea of resuming his sleep. He was a man of few words but his eyes conveyed exactly what he felt.
'Please rest. Just for tonight. Doctor's orders'
Was that a touch of admiration and gratitude that I detected in the Ranger's gaze? Yet he said nothing as he lay down again and drew his cloak about him.
'I am here should you need me' he whispered as he closed his eyes and drifted off again immediately.
'I know' I replied though I was sure that he could not hear.
After a while, I stood up and crept closer to him, listening to his even breathing. I had to be sure he was sound asleep. Slowly and very carefully, I laid the two blankets on top of his sleeping form. He needed their warmth far more than I did.
~~
Much later, I finally drifted into slumber, my bones aching and my mind overwrought from the day's events. I shivered a little, covered as I was only with my cloak and struggling to find a comfortable enough position.
Then, without warning, warmth crept slowly over me and the sensation was so comforting that I instantly felt safe and protected. Strong, supple arms wrapped around me from behind and I felt a body pressing close to mine. A warm hand caressing my cheek, a thumb tracing my lips like…it couldn't be…Legolas…had he returned already? I lay curled up on my side and I flipped onto my back for a better look but before I saw anything, his face lowered, lips searching mine, gently at first, probing, finding, opening then bruising, demanding more and I submitted timidly at first, while he carried on deliberately with his tantalizing exploration and his silky fair hair brushed against the sides of my neck…What are you doing?…Nothing, I answered in my own mind…nothing that I would ever live long enough to regret. I had never tasted anything so sweet and luscious as Legolas' mouth and as he shifted his weight, he lifted his face from mine and pierced me with his gaze. Never before had any man looked at me so intently and so completely rapt. I lay there completely subjugated by the sight.
'I never want to let you go, mellon nin…' he breathed as he covered my mouth with his again and I heard a muffled moan that must have come from me and I held onto him for dear life as we shared urgent kisses. All this, and he still called me his friend?
My mind was frozen to anything else but the feeling of absolute contentment that flowed inside and around me. I had never felt so desirable in my whole life, nestled in Legolas' arms while he covered my face and neck with kisses and I wrapped my arms around him, feeling his body tensed and meaning to taste everything, or the way he pressed his hips against mine claiming every last drop of resistance I might have possessed.
Suddenly, he lifted his body off mine and grasped my hand firmly.
'Come with me' he whispered.
It was beyond my will to deny him, or indeed myself, a few brief moments of respite when we both knew that tonight was possible only because of the doom that might be awaiting us tomorrow.
My eyes never left his as I got to my feet. He was walking away from the fire and I followed.
Absently, I noticed that he wore a dark hooded cloak that swelled around him in his flowing gait. The hood was still up as we reached a group of trees and he suddenly spun around.
Then I saw it. My heart stopped and the scream I was about to articulate froze on my lips… The cloak was empty! Nothingness gaped back at me for there was no body to fill it. In the dim light of the distant fire, it seemed to be dancing to an odious rhythm in the wind as it swiftly floated up close and reached an invisible hand for me and I distinctly heard a hissing command that froze my blood.
'Give It to me!'
Instinct took over. I turned. I ran. But not fast enough. I stumbled on a root – or was it that cursed hand that grabbed my leg? - and fell forward heavily as pain shot through my head from the violent impact with the ground. I raised my head and saw blood dripping on my hand. I finally found my voice and screamed as shadows gathered about me and strong hands seized my shoulders jolting me senseless.
'Mel, Mel, wake up. Wake up!'
My eyes burned when I tried to open them. I was lying by the fire and Gandalf was shaking me gently. The wizard's face slowly swam into focus and his worried expression relented into relief.
'You had a dream. But it's over now.' He reassured.
I sat up wearily and shuddered. My hair and body were drenched in sweat and my breath came in short gasps. I could not speak, my mouth and throat parched with inexplicable thirst.
Gandalf stared at me and I saw fresh concern mirrored in his eyes.
'Your nose is bleeding' he explained.
I noticed droplets of blood on my hand and tentatively touched my nose.
'I fell…in the dream…the evil spirit…he was chasing me…' was all I could mutter as I clumsily wiped away the blood.
'What evil spirit?' Gandalf asked, his eyes suspicious and more than a little alarmed.
The memory was so vivid I feared to even blink my eyes lest it returned. It took a while until I collected my wits and was coherent enough to impart most of my dream, carefully avoiding the steamier part with Legolas.
Gandalf 's face changed color as I talked, gradually becoming an ashen gray. I stopped midway through a sentence when I saw his aged hand grip his staff until the knuckles went white even in the half-light.
'Nazgul…' he whispered. 'That is what you dreamed of.'
'But I don't even know how they look like' I protested feebly wishing Gandalf was wrong. Presently my nose started bleeding again, heavier this time and Gandalf made me lie down to try and stop it from spilling all over my clothes. He sat close to me and smoothed my hair with his long, delicate fingers that reminded me of my father.
'They are drawing closer' Gandalf mused.
~~
The strident ring of the phone startled Tamara out of sleep.
'What?' she croaked into the receiver.
Suddenly she was fully awake and as she listened intently to the other person, her eyes grew big and filled with tears. She asked a few disjointed questions and when she shakily cradled the telephone she fell back against the headboard, her fingers stuck in her hair in a desperate gesture.
After a long time, she fumbled with the phone again and dialed Jerry's number.
'It's Mel.' Tamara cried before the programmer even had time to utter a word. 'She started with a nosebleed this afternoon then just after midnight she stopped breathing altogether… They put her on life-support straight away… She's stable now but they don't know for how long….Jerry, I think we're losing her...'
'Oh, no!' Jerry muttered. 'Do they know why this is happening?'
'No' Tamara replied, her face still buried in her hands and the phone nestling in the nook of her shoulder. 'They have no idea…'
~~
A/N: Three guesses why Mel stopped breathing in the real world? ( and it's not because of the dream) Let me know what you think!!
(Again I try not to make this sound Mary-Sueish so please remember that whatever passed between her and Legolas / wraith happened in Mel's dream.)
