Before the Black Gate
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Disclaimer: Of course I own nothing. This all belongs to Tolkien and New Line.
Author's Note: Well, here it is for all of you have begged me to do this: Smeagol, Frodo, and Sam are at the Black Gate. This is based on the movie, not the book. I did not realize how long this scene is in the movie when it took me several hours to write just the first part of this story. (I wrote Save all in one sitting. Not the case this time.) I hope this is to your liking. Don't forget to let me know what you think!
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Part One: A Treacherous Trail
I heave myself over the top of the rock face we have climbed. I feel my body collapse, exhausted from the long climb. I try to catch my breath.
"The Black Gate of Mordor."
Gollum's low voice reaches me. I raise my head and crawl past Gollum – he cowers behind a large rock – to a boulder and peek over it. My eyes grow wide with fear and a little bit of awe as I get my first close glimpse of Mordor.
Towering black watch towers reach towards the sky. Guards pace back and forth on the battlement of the Black Gate, watching. My heart sinks as I realize how hopeless the situation is for me and Mister Frodo. There seems to be no way possible for us to sneak in without being seen. I crane my neck and peer over the side of the boulder. My heart jumps into my throat, and I gulp nervously at the sight of the steep, dropping cliff. I return my eyes to the gate. It is possible that we can scale down the cliff without being seen, but to run from the bottom of it to the gate itself…. It obviously is a long run and the guards would have to be blind not to see us, for we would be like dark insects against the brown dirt.
"Oh, save us! My old Gaffer would have a thing or two to say if he could see us now," I breathe in wonder and turn to Mister Frodo, who has joined me. I cannot read the expression on his face as he silently takes in the view before us. I look back at Gollum. My heart sinks further and I feel chilly as I watch him. He remains ducked down next to the rock behind me and Mister Frodo. He is trembling and curled up in a little ball. He covers his head and face with his hands. Obviously he is frightened. Seeing this clear display of emotion from our guide makes me see that our Quest is even more hopeless if Gollum himself fears just the mere sight of this place. I turn back to the gate; it seems impossible to enter Mordor this way.
"Master says to show him the way into Mordor. So good Smeagol does master said so," Gollum says softly.
"I did," Frodo states simply.
I watch the orcs patrolling the gate. "That's it, then. We cannot get pass them." I frown, deeply troubled by the fix that Mister Frodo and I are in.
I open my mouth to speak further, but my tongue is stilled at the sound of a loud command, answered by many shouts. Mister Frodo and I lower ourselves behind our hiding place and carefully scan for the source of voices. A large Easterling army marches toward the gate. The lone voice cries out again, answered by the many soldiers.
A great blast reaches my ears: a long and high noise from a horn. It is so loud that it echoes off the mountains before dying. Then a sound of creaking causes me to return my gaze to the gate.
"Look! The gate – it's opening!" I cry, pointing.
I notice a little ledge and crawl cautiously onto it to get a better view. I watch the advancing army now entering Mordor. I then examine the cliff Mister Frodo and I have to go down to be in a position to reach the Black Gate. Unsought hope suddenly springs up in me as I see a possible path to help us safely scurry down the steep slope.
"I can see a way down." I look over my shoulder towards Frodo before I return my concentration to the way of scaling down and then venture more over the ledge, following the path we could take. I do not notice the slight shift of the rock under my weight.
"Sam! No!" Frodo yells.
I register his warning too late.
All I can do is scream in fear as the ledge and I tip forward, to crash into the cliff and then roll down it. Stones and dirt race closer towards me. I will land head first, I realize. I hardly have time to think. I twist my body so that I am staring up at blue sky before I raise my head so my chin touches my chest. I land hard on the rocks. The wind is knocked out of me. I continue moving, rolling and rolling down the cliff. There is nothing I can do to stop myself. I am too dizzy by the world's spinning to try. I try to fill my lungs with air but choke on the dust, and rocks block air from reaching my mouth and nose as I continue falling. I still cannot breathe. I feel light-headed. I am tempted to close my eyes and fall into the blackness that reaches out to me. I must stay conscious, but it is hard with my lack of air. Air. I…need…air…now.
I moan softly at the hard landing I make at the bottom of the cliff. My head hurts and my body aches from my long tumble and from scratches I have no doubt received from the rocks. I lower my head as dirt and stone rain down on me. I then discover I am almost up to my arms in rock and sand. I throw my head back and take in great gulps of air. I feel my heart and blood speed up. My head clears a little. The world stops spinning, and I can see fine now.
I try to lift myself out of the sand but am stuck fast. I then become aware of two soldiers making their way towards me. I look back up the cliff and gasp in horror as I see a clear path of dust raise in the air. Oh, Samwise, you have really gotten yourself into a fix now, I scold myself. I continue struggling to free myself but to no avail. The soldiers come nearer…
I nearly cry out when I feel hands tugging on my arm, trying to free me. But as I look up in fear, I see it is only Mister Frodo. Even with his tugging, I am not free, though I give a little. I look once more to the advancing soldiers. Soon they will notice us, and the Quest will have failed….
I blink in puzzlement. Suddenly it seems as if I watch the world through a haze. I hardly have time to wonder, to worry, for the soldiers are right before us. I see their dark outlines against the sun. I hold my breath, waiting for them to look down and force us up. But they do not seem to notice us, even though at times they seem to look right at me. They look at each other and then turn away. Frodo and I are still, making certain they have gone back to follow their army through the gate.
I heave a tiny sigh and discover the world is no longer in a haze. I wonder what has brought this sudden change but do not linger on it. This time Mister Frodo and I are successful in getting me free. We duck behind a rock and watch as nearly the last of the Easterlings pass through the gate.
"I do not ask you to come with me, Sam," he says as he positions himself to make a run for it.
"I know, Mister Frodo," I answer immediately. He glances at me, a thankful look in his eyes and a smile on the corners of his mouth. Seeing his face, I suddenly feel as though I have the strength to face whatever we encounter behind that huge Black Gate. "I doubt even these elvish cloaks will hid us in there," I add thoughtfully, glancing down at my own. I then tense up, waiting for Mister Frodo's signal to go. I will be right next to him. I will not let him face Mordor alone.
"Now!" he shouts.
I bound forward but am completely surprised as a strong force pulls me backwards. I land heavily on the ground, and my body protests. Annoyed, I rise up to see Gollum, looking very distressed, turning his head back and forth between Mister Frodo and myself.
"No! No! No, master!" he cries, turning his back to me and focusing his attention on Frodo. "They catch you! They catch you!"
Frodo is not dazed as I am; he pulls himself from Gollum's grasp and tries to make another run for the gate. But Gollum stops him.
"Don't take it to Him," Gollum pleads fearfully.
Mister Frodo gazes intently at the creature.
"He wants the precioussss," Gollum continues in a fearful tone. "Always He's looking for it." The creature moves to the rock and peers around it at the gate. "And the preciousssss is wanting to go back to Him, but we must not let Him have it," he finishes in a low hiss.
Frodo tries to spring forward. I have not even attempted to follow before Gollum pulls Frodo back again. "No! There's another way. More secret. A dark way," he says, pawing at Frodo.
"Why haven't you spoke of this before?!" I cry angrily.
"Because master did not ask!" Gollum answers, looking at me with fear and confusion; he holds on to Frodo's jacket.
I push the creature away. "He is up to something," I say to Frodo, looking at Gollum with suspicion.
Mister Frodo throws me a glance, warning me to keep my peace, before turning his attention back to the creature next to him. "Are you saying there's another way into Mordor?" he asks sharply.
Our guide nods. "Yes. There's a path, and some stairs –"
The gate starts to close slowly as the last of the soldiers enter. Our chance of entering Mordor is thinning, just as the room to walk through the gate thins. Gollum interrupts my thoughts.
"— and then…a…tunnel," Gollum says softly, while clenching nervously at the sleeve of Frodo's jacket.
A heavy silence hangs over us. Frodo stares at the Black Gate as it continues to slowly close. Gollum buries his head in my master's clothing. Frodo looks down at him before turning his gaze to me.
"He has led us this far, Sam."
A dread falls on my shoulders. "Mister Frodo, no!" I say. I gaze hard at his face. If I look down at…him…I will lose my peace. Frodo looks at our companion; I simply look steadfastly at Mister Frodo.
"He's been true to his word." Frodo glances at me again
I shake my head once in warning. "No," I say more quietly, but with greater passion.
Frodo nods to Gollum. "Lead the way, Smeagol."
Once again I have lost.
"Good Smeagol always helps," the creature says, pleased, and turns to lead us away from the gate.
Frodo looks at me once more but cannot hold my gaze; he ducks his head and follows our guide. I watch as Gollum trots alongside Mister Frodo like a puppy. I feel a dark mood settle over me as I look after them. I then turn to look a last time at the Black Gate, to which we have been led. A loud thud reaches my ears as the gate firmly closes. The Black Gate is closed once more. Now we turn our backs on it and continue our journey.
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Ha! I actually included the chapter title of this scene in here. Go me!