Old Friends, New Enemies
Samwise had been borne away by Gwaihir's brother Landroval, leaving Gandalf and Gwaihir alone on Mount Doom. Alone, that is, save for the dark presence that lurked in the shadows. Gandalf knew he was there, but wanted to give him chance to offer himself rather than be dragged out. Finally he could stand it no longer.
"You needn't hide yourself away, old friend," he said quietly, "We both know that you have nowhere to go, even with your magical Ring of invisibility. It cannot transport you from this accursed place, nor will it make you go unnoticed if you tried to steal a ride from my companion Gwaihir, for he would feel you scrabbling about on his back or talons." Gandalf almost thought he could see a shape moving, but of course, it was only in his imagination.
"You cannot stay here forever Frodo Baggins," Gandalf said, using Frodo's name for the first time that day. "Hunger and thirst will, if anything, drive you out of this place sooner or later. You may as well step out now." Gandalf passed his white staff from one hand to the other and lent upon it once more. Here, at the very heart of Middle-Earth's evil, he found he was wearier than he had ever been before in his lifetimes. "Why not show yourself and courteously request a flight back home from my good friend here? Otherwise you'll basically be stuck here until the end of your days, won't you? Even if you were to escape Mordor, I doubt you'd be able to navigate the Dead Marshes without your helpful guide to lead you."
The shadow defiantly moved now. It slunk away from Gandalf, further round to where the Eagle was perched impatiently. "Come now, Frodo," Gandalf coaxed him softly.
Gandalf heard the sound of a sword being unsheathed, and resisted the urge to reach for his own weapon. Then Frodo surprised both the wizard and himself by taking off the One Ring.
The first thing Gandalf noticed was how different Frodo looked. The last time he had seen the hobbit had been in Moria, just before he fell from the bridge of Khazad-dûm, and his friend had looked dirty, worn out and thin, but still like himself. Now Frodo was barely recognisable. His face was a mass of dirt, sweat, blood and tears, his neck and shoulder were crusty with blood and sores from the chain of the Ring and his clothes were filthy rags, not the finery he had set out in. His legs bore equal amounts of scars and fresh wounds and his feet were cut up and swollen. The hands that held the Ring and the sword were grazed and red. But the most striking difference was Frodo's eyes. There was a coldness behind them that Gandalf had never seen before, a smouldering fury and hatred that made Gandalf's blood freeze in his veins.
"Oh my dear, dear hobbit," Gandalf murmured, "What has happened to you?" Gandalf felt new tears well in his eyes at the sight of his old companion, changed for the worst by the evil power of the Ring. "I am so sorry my friend, for letting you bear the burden of the Ring. I should never-" he broke off, and tears fell from his sorrowful blue eyes. Frodo looked on with all the compassion and empathy of a snake about to strike its victim down.
"The Ring is no longer a burden, Gandalf Greyhame." Frodo said and Gandalf heard the change in the hobbits voice. Gone were the light, friendly tones he was so used to. These were replaced with a scorning, scathing and all-round disdainful sneering voice. "I fully embrace the power of the One Ring and so feel myself becoming stronger. I do not need your pity, nor do I crave it. It is you that I pity, for being so deluded for so long that the Ring is an element of evil. It is not so." Frodo turned his sword in his hands. Frodo brought it up to his eye level. The blade was gaining a slightly blue tinge around the edges. Gandalf noticed as well and his breath caught in his throat, but Frodo looked unperturbed.
"They're coming," he muttered serenely. Gandalf looked into Frodo's face. He showed no signs of shock or distress at the thought of Orcs making there way towards the two figures stood atop Mount Doom. "They're coming to kill you, old man."
"Frodo Baggins, don't be a fool!" Gandalf shouted, suddenly angry at Frodo's insanity. "They are coming to take the Ring from the one who keeps it from their master! They are coming to kill the one who carries it! Let it go and come back with me!"
Frodo looked up and met the wizard's eyes. Even now he showed no signs of fear. Only arrogance and confidence.
"Frodo, you will be killed if you stay here!" Gandalf yelled at him. "You will be killed and Sauron will take back what it his and Middle-Earth will fall into ruin!" None of this was working but now that Gandalf had begun, it seemed he could not stop what he was saying. "None who tried to claim the Ring for his own has lived long thereafter! Think of Isildur-shot in the back by Orcs for taking the Ring. Boromir-died to atone for his sins when he tried to steal the Ring. He almost killed you! And Sam, are you so stubborn that you have forgotten your dearest of friends Samwise Gamgee? He's badly hurt; he could well die. And would have sacrificed himself in a minute so that you and your quest would succeed. As would anyone fighting for the good of this world. Your cousin Meriadoc was nearly killed by the Nazgûl leader. Your cousin Peregrin is at present fighting for his life in a battle outside the Black Gate of this dreadful region. Your friends are fighting so that you can survive. So that you may live to carry out the task appointed to you by the free peoples of Middle-Earth!" Gandalf paused to recover his breath. Frodo remained very still, staring at the sword in his hand, which glowed ever brighter.
The screams of the Orcs were close.
Samwise had been borne away by Gwaihir's brother Landroval, leaving Gandalf and Gwaihir alone on Mount Doom. Alone, that is, save for the dark presence that lurked in the shadows. Gandalf knew he was there, but wanted to give him chance to offer himself rather than be dragged out. Finally he could stand it no longer.
"You needn't hide yourself away, old friend," he said quietly, "We both know that you have nowhere to go, even with your magical Ring of invisibility. It cannot transport you from this accursed place, nor will it make you go unnoticed if you tried to steal a ride from my companion Gwaihir, for he would feel you scrabbling about on his back or talons." Gandalf almost thought he could see a shape moving, but of course, it was only in his imagination.
"You cannot stay here forever Frodo Baggins," Gandalf said, using Frodo's name for the first time that day. "Hunger and thirst will, if anything, drive you out of this place sooner or later. You may as well step out now." Gandalf passed his white staff from one hand to the other and lent upon it once more. Here, at the very heart of Middle-Earth's evil, he found he was wearier than he had ever been before in his lifetimes. "Why not show yourself and courteously request a flight back home from my good friend here? Otherwise you'll basically be stuck here until the end of your days, won't you? Even if you were to escape Mordor, I doubt you'd be able to navigate the Dead Marshes without your helpful guide to lead you."
The shadow defiantly moved now. It slunk away from Gandalf, further round to where the Eagle was perched impatiently. "Come now, Frodo," Gandalf coaxed him softly.
Gandalf heard the sound of a sword being unsheathed, and resisted the urge to reach for his own weapon. Then Frodo surprised both the wizard and himself by taking off the One Ring.
The first thing Gandalf noticed was how different Frodo looked. The last time he had seen the hobbit had been in Moria, just before he fell from the bridge of Khazad-dûm, and his friend had looked dirty, worn out and thin, but still like himself. Now Frodo was barely recognisable. His face was a mass of dirt, sweat, blood and tears, his neck and shoulder were crusty with blood and sores from the chain of the Ring and his clothes were filthy rags, not the finery he had set out in. His legs bore equal amounts of scars and fresh wounds and his feet were cut up and swollen. The hands that held the Ring and the sword were grazed and red. But the most striking difference was Frodo's eyes. There was a coldness behind them that Gandalf had never seen before, a smouldering fury and hatred that made Gandalf's blood freeze in his veins.
"Oh my dear, dear hobbit," Gandalf murmured, "What has happened to you?" Gandalf felt new tears well in his eyes at the sight of his old companion, changed for the worst by the evil power of the Ring. "I am so sorry my friend, for letting you bear the burden of the Ring. I should never-" he broke off, and tears fell from his sorrowful blue eyes. Frodo looked on with all the compassion and empathy of a snake about to strike its victim down.
"The Ring is no longer a burden, Gandalf Greyhame." Frodo said and Gandalf heard the change in the hobbits voice. Gone were the light, friendly tones he was so used to. These were replaced with a scorning, scathing and all-round disdainful sneering voice. "I fully embrace the power of the One Ring and so feel myself becoming stronger. I do not need your pity, nor do I crave it. It is you that I pity, for being so deluded for so long that the Ring is an element of evil. It is not so." Frodo turned his sword in his hands. Frodo brought it up to his eye level. The blade was gaining a slightly blue tinge around the edges. Gandalf noticed as well and his breath caught in his throat, but Frodo looked unperturbed.
"They're coming," he muttered serenely. Gandalf looked into Frodo's face. He showed no signs of shock or distress at the thought of Orcs making there way towards the two figures stood atop Mount Doom. "They're coming to kill you, old man."
"Frodo Baggins, don't be a fool!" Gandalf shouted, suddenly angry at Frodo's insanity. "They are coming to take the Ring from the one who keeps it from their master! They are coming to kill the one who carries it! Let it go and come back with me!"
Frodo looked up and met the wizard's eyes. Even now he showed no signs of fear. Only arrogance and confidence.
"Frodo, you will be killed if you stay here!" Gandalf yelled at him. "You will be killed and Sauron will take back what it his and Middle-Earth will fall into ruin!" None of this was working but now that Gandalf had begun, it seemed he could not stop what he was saying. "None who tried to claim the Ring for his own has lived long thereafter! Think of Isildur-shot in the back by Orcs for taking the Ring. Boromir-died to atone for his sins when he tried to steal the Ring. He almost killed you! And Sam, are you so stubborn that you have forgotten your dearest of friends Samwise Gamgee? He's badly hurt; he could well die. And would have sacrificed himself in a minute so that you and your quest would succeed. As would anyone fighting for the good of this world. Your cousin Meriadoc was nearly killed by the Nazgûl leader. Your cousin Peregrin is at present fighting for his life in a battle outside the Black Gate of this dreadful region. Your friends are fighting so that you can survive. So that you may live to carry out the task appointed to you by the free peoples of Middle-Earth!" Gandalf paused to recover his breath. Frodo remained very still, staring at the sword in his hand, which glowed ever brighter.
The screams of the Orcs were close.