The Ring That Binds
Authors Note: Sorry that the last part was so short. I'll try to make the chapters longer, I promise. Anyways, enjoy, and please review. I don't own Lord of the Rings, but I still think it is the greatest thing ever created.
Part Six: The Red Eye
"Frodo Baggins!" Frodo heard Gandalf's voice cry out to him from across the room as the old wizard tried to get across to where just moments ago, a Hobbit stood. "No Gandalf, you can't stop me, my mind is set. The ring will not corrupt me until I have her safe," Frodo said tumbling out of the open window. "Frodo, come back!" Pippin's frantic voice yelled as the noise inside of the room increased. "I'm sorry Pippin," Frodo mumbled as he raced to where the ponies and horses were tied. In one swift movement, Frodo drew Sting, and hacked away the ropes that bond the animals. Frightened, the animals began to flee from their invisible threat. "Strider," Frodo whispered as he grabbed his pony. "Come my friend, take me to Mindy," Frodo whispered as he leaped onto the animal.
Mindy's mind wandered in and out of the blackness as she was carried away on a dark, black horse. "What happened?" Mindy wondered as she felt the hard ropes rub against her wrists. Sighing in frustration, Mindy tried to remember what happened after the Nazguls had surrounded them. But all she could remember was running through the old forest, followed closely by dark shadows. She remembered how she had tripped over a root that seemed to come out of no where, and then they were upon her. They made her feel so cold, and she was consumed by an overwhelming terror. She cried out in fear, seconds before the darkness took her.
Mindy's thoughts were interrupted a second later as the Nazguls halted, and shifted their unseeing eyes from side to side. A confused cry erupted as the dark horses slowly began to back up. "Something has happened," Mindy realized, unsure if she should be relieved or frightened. Then she heard it, though it was soft, and blended into the breeze, she could barely make out the sound of the ringing of small bells.
Frodo was faintly aware of his surroundings as his pony raced on forward, obeying his master willingly. "I will save her, you here me! I have the power to stop you!" Frodo yelled at the red eye that glared at him in the distance. "You cannot defeat me, and she will die a painful death because of you," a deadly voice whispered, like death itself, into the Hobbit's head. "Get out of my mind!" Frodo demanded as the red eye in front of him began to shake for a split second, and then he noticed the shadowy figures in the distance. Eight ghostlike creatures on dark horses came to a halt, as their dead and decaying faces looked around. "I demand that you stop! I have the ring!" Frodo yelled out into the distance. A confused cry escaped from the eight figures as the red eye began to flicker, and then died. "Yes, I have defeated the eye," Frodo thought before a burning pain exploded in his eyes.
Mindy looked behind as she heard a painful cry behind her. "Frodo!" Mindy yelled, recognizing the voice. "I have to get to him," Mindy though desperately as she began to struggle desperately against the ropes that held her. Her wrists began to bleed as the rough rope began to rub away her skin, but she ignored the pain, all she could think about was saving Frodo. A battle cry interrupted her thoughts, as a white horse galloped into the path. "Die you foul creatures," a clear and powerful voice demanded, as the dark horses raised up on their hind legs in terror. Mindy felt herself fall to the ground, as the dark riders tried to get control of their horses. Elvish arrows sailed toward the dark riders, as they turned and fled into the dark trees that hovered above the road. "Are you alright?" the voice asked, as Mindy felt herself being lifted. "I think so," Mindy answered as she looked into the blue eyes of an Elf.
Mindy stared at the Elf in amazement, never had she seen a female Elf, and as she looked into the Elf warrior, she felt hope return to her. "What is your name, creature?" the Elf asked, her voice much softer now that she wasn't fighting. "It's Mindy Brandybuck," Mindy said as the Elf smiled and cut away the ropes that still held the small girl. "Tell me, why did the Nazguls capture you, instead of killing you like they do to everything else?" the Elf asked setting Mindy back down on the ground, and kneeling so she was eye level with the small creature. "I'll tell you everything I know, but first, I must find Frodo," Mindy said looking at the Elf hopefully as she rubbed her sore wrists. The Elf nodded as she saw the hopeful look on the girl's face, and in one swift movement, the Elf picked Mindy up, and leaped onto her white horse. Though the Elf had no idea who Frodo was, she suspected that the person was probably the one that had cried out in pain only moments ago. Mindy watched amazed as the Elf directed the horse down the path, taking her back to Frodo.
Frodo had never felt anything more painful in his life, as his hands automatically reached up toward his eyes. He felt sick, as the burning feeling that was in his eyes just seconds before, ended, and he was left with a numbness at the place where he should feel his eyes. A warm liquid began to run down his face, and Frodo had no idea if it was blood, or tears, or if it was both. "No," Frodo gasped weakly as he slowly slid off the still racing pony. The pony stopped running the second its master fell off, and it turned around to where his master should have been. He could hear and smell his master, but for some reason the animal couldn't see him, and so the pony used its other senses to find where its master lay.
When Mindy and the Elf showed up, all they could see was a pony that was facing them as though it was trying to protect something, but no one was around. "Frodo," Mindy yelled as she leaped off the white horse, and ran toward the animal, a questioning look on her face. "Frodo, take off the ring, please take off the ring," Mindy said looking around her desperately. "Mindy," a soft voice asked. The Elf looked down at where the sound came from, but all she could see was grass, and then her sharp eyes noticed that the grass blades were bent as though someone were laying upon it. "Take off the ring," Mindy said as she got down on her hands and knees, and began to crawl blindly toward where she had heard him. "I was wrong, I'm so sorry Mindy, I was wrong," Frodo's soft voice whispered as Mindy made contact with his cold body. "You'll be alright Frodo, I am here, and I wont let you die. Whatever is wrong, we will fix it, but you have to take off the ring," Mindy said softly as she felt Frodo shift slightly. A groan escaped Frodo's lips as he began to pull off the cold metal that was wrapped around his finger, and then a sudden burning feeling filled him again. Mindy felt an invisible hand grab her, and yank her towards the ground. "I will not take it off, it is mine," Frodo said in a dark voice, as Mindy felt another hand grab onto the back of her head. "Frodo, what is wrong with you! What are you saying?" Mindy asked as tears filled her blue eyes. "It is mine, it is my precious," Frodo said as the Elf leaped off of the horse, and pulled out a long gleaming blade. Mindy tried to turn toward the Elf, but Frodo's hand forced her to look at the ground. "Please don't hurt him, I know I can save him," Mindy pleaded, unsure if the Elf would listen to her or not. "I have no idea what sort of darkness is going on, but I will allow you to do what you need for now, but if he tries to escape, I will slay him," the Elf said lowering her sword. Mindy closed her eyes in relief, she knew the Elf could easily kill Frodo, even though Frodo was invisible, Elves don't rely on their sight when fighting. "Thank you," Mindy said as her attention returned to Frodo. "Frodo, what are you trying to tell me?" Mindy asked gazing at the area where she believe Frodo's eyes would be. "I have the power now," Frodo said pulling Mindy's face closer to his, until he could feel her warmth. "You claimed the ring? But why? Frodo, tell me?" Mindy demanded as she felt more tears fall from her eyes, and splash into an invisible figure. "Because I wanted you, I want you Mindy. You should be mine, not Pippins!" Frodo said in a hungry voice. Mindy gasped, as she both happiness and horror at the response. "Be mine Mindy, be my dark queen," Frodo continued as he his hand tightened around her wrist, and his other hand forced her lips to his own.
Mindy felt his soft lips touch hers, and all she wanted was to kiss back, no matter how forced the kiss may be. But her engagement ring weighed down on her conscience, and she tried to pull back from the kiss. "What's wrong?" Frodo demanded allowing her to pull back slightly. "I can't do it Frodo, I made a commitment to Pippin," Mindy said unable to ignore the throbbing feeling in her chest. "Then I will get ride of him," Frodo said trying to sit up without letting Mindy go. "No Frodo, he's your cousin, you can't kill him," Mindy said desperately trying to keep him from rising. "I want you, I need you, and he can't stop me from getting what I want!" Frodo said forcing the girl up with strength that Mindy didn't know he had. "I will destroy anything that will keep me from getting what I…" Frodo started to say when a hand made contact with his face. "Stop it now Frodo! I cannot allow you to do such a thing. I will even kill you if I must," Mindy said as the throbbing in her chest increased. "Mindy, why?" Frodo's shocked voice asked as Mindy began to sob. "Because, I know that you would never do such a thing, and that the ring is controlling you. Frodo, please take off the ring before it destroys you further. Please, I need you back," Mindy said throwing her body forward into Frodo's invisible body.
Mindy felt Frodo's hands let go of her, and then a second later, his arms wrapped around her, as he rubbed her back comfortingly. Mindy opened her eyes, and saw Frodo's chest as pulled her even closer to him. "I'm so sorry Mindy, I'm so sorry. I tried to fight it, I really did. Thank you for stopping me," Frodo's voice whispered as Mindy wrapped her arms around him, pulling him even closer to her. "You took off the ring," Mindy said, her voice muffled by the fabric of Frodo's clothes. "Yes, I'm back," Frodo said as his head lowered, and rested on Mindy's shoulder.
The Elf watched as the two Hobbits stayed in the embrace, looking to each other for comfort. They seemed to be perfect for each other, and the Elf was glad that she didn't kill the other Hobbit. There was something in the girl's voice that had stopped the Elf from slaughtering the invisible Hobbit, and she had stood by watching as the Hobbit girl fought to save the other Hobbit. But for a moment, it looked like she would have to kill both of them. The Elf was glad that girl didn't fall into her own selfish feelings. Everything all made sense to the Elf now. Before her was the ring bearer that her brother had accompanied seven years ago. "Hobbits are amazing creatures," the Elf thought, smiling at the couple.
Mindy felt like she could stay in that embrace for ever, but she knew that it would have to end. Frodo was still in danger, and she needed to get him to safety before the Nazguls returned. Sighing, Mindy pulled away from the embrace, and got her first real good look at Frodo. Frodo had his eyes shut, and his head hung low from exhaustion. In his right hand, he held the ring cautiously, and his other hand lay limply at his side. He was pale, and was bleeding. Mindy's right hand reached up to his face, as she softly began to wipe away the blood. Her other hand pushed away his bangs, as she tried to find his injury. "What happened Frodo?" Mindy asked softly as the Elf kneeled down next to her. "My eyes, something happened to my eyes," Frodo said softly, though both Mindy and the Elf were able to here the fear and panic in his voice. "Frodo, let me see your eyes," Mindy said softly Frodo lifted his head slightly. Frodo's eyes opened to reveal red unseeing eyes.