Title: Despair (6/16)
Author: Niphrandl
Rating: PG13
Characters: Gandalf, Frodo, Boromir, Aragorn, Pippin,
Merry, Sam, Legolas, Gimli
Summary: This story takes place after Gandalf confronts the Balrog on the Bridge
of Khazad-dûm and before the fellowship reaches Lothlorien. It is told from
Frodo's POV initially.
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. I make no money nor do I
receive any public recognition for writing this. This is just my bit of fan
fiction. Thanks Easterlily!
"Frodo?" I felt someone gently shake my shoulder. "Frodo wake up."
I opened my eyes. It took a few moments for me to focus. Boromir and Gimli stood over me.
"We are setting off again and I will be carrying you." Boromir said.
"And I will carry your pack" Gimli added.
I did not protest. My chest still hurt but there was something else wrong. I couldn't pinpoint it but I put it down as the medicine being too strong for me. I couldn't fault Aragorn though, I said to myself. He was used to treating men not hobbits.
The world spun around me as Boromir lifted me up and I took a hissing breath as I felt something stab in my chest.
"Are you all right?" Boromir asked.
"Yes, I'm fine." I said. After my earlier behavior I did not want to cause any problems so I did not say anything.
The soup I had eaten earlier threatened to come up but I managed to force it back down. I felt a cold sweat break out again. Boromir didn't seem to notice. I had laid my head down on his shoulder so he couldn't see my face. As the hour passed I found I could fight it no longer. I felt as if I were breathing with only half my lungs.
"B...Boromir" I whispered. "Boromir stop.....can't breathe"
"What?" he asked.
He shifted me so he could see my face and my head fell back. He almost lost his grip on me. I didn't even have the strength to lift up my head.
"Aragorn!!" Boromir yelled as he laid me down on the ground.
I'm dying I thought to myself. I was vaguely aware of Sam calling my name. Merry and Pippin's voices were mere echoes in my ears. It was dark. Though I knew I still had my eyes open.
Fellowship POV
"Did you say something Frodo?" Boromir asked as he brought Frodo off his hip. Frodo went limp in his arms, his face had a bluish cast to it. Boromir called for Aragorn and laid Frodo down on the ground. Gimli placed a pack under his head for a pillow. The other three hobbits ran up to them."Mr. Frodo!" Sam.
"Frodo what's wrong?" Merry.
"FRODO!!!" Pippin.
Aragorn approached, "Boromir, what happened?" he asked.
"I'm not sure, he said something then went limp."
Aragorn took off Frodo's shirt and quickly examined him. "I feared this might happen" he said.
"Aragorn?" Sam asked hesitantly.
"Sam, his chest is filled up with fluid. His lungs cannot expand. He is suffocating."
"NO!" Sam said shaking his head. "You said there was something you could do!" Tears were streaming down his face.
Aragorn nodded. "Gimli, get a fire started. Legolas, help me prepare Frodo. I have to drain the fluid out." Aragorn stated.
Legolas situated himself behind Frodo so that he was in a semi reclined position. Aragorn placed a cloth over his chest and laid Frodo against him. As Aragorn was washing Frodo's chest Legolas spoke up.
"Aragorn are you sure you know what you are doing?"
Aragorn gave Legolas a wry smile. "Elrond is an excellent teacher."
Gimli approached, "The fire is almost ready" he said.
"Good" Aragorn replied and handed Gimli a pouch.
"Get a pan from Sam and boil these instruments for me." Gimli took the pouch and moved away.
"What you plan to do is dangerous under the best of circumstances Aragorn" Legolas said with concern.
"I know" Aragorn replied placing a hand on Frodo's brow. "Hold on just a little longer Frodo" he said.
"Yes Ringbearer", Boromir said to himself, "you must survive just a little longer."
Aragorn looked up toward the others. Merry, Sam and Pippin were standing in shocked silence holding each other; tears streaming down their faces. He looked back down at Frodo, his face had gone a darker shade of blue. His breaths were nothing more that short raspy gasps.
"Gimli! Where are those instruments!!" Aragorn yelled.
Gimli ran over with the pan of boiling water and instruments. "It takes time for water to boil Aragorn" Gimli stated flatly.
"I meant no harm Master Dwarf" Aragorn apologized. "It's just, Frodo has no time."
"No harm done Aragorn" Gimli stated. "Just get to doing what it is that needs to be done!"
Aragorn quickly grabbed a small very sharp knife out of the pan; using a folded cloth to keep from burning himself. He briefly made eye contact with Sam and made a small cut in the lower portion of Frodo's chest. Sam let out a strangled cry and made to run over to Frodo. Merry and Pippin held him back.
"No Sam," Merry said, "Let Aragorn work."
Sam stared for a few moments then buried his face in Merry's shoulder. Aragorn continued to work making increasingly deeper cuts in the one he had made in Frodo's skin. He stopped and dropped the knife back into the pan. He then grabbed a long thin tube that had been shaved to a point at one end. He inserted the sharpened end of the tube into the cut he had made pushing it slowly but firmly until he felt it break through into Frodo's chest cavity. He immediately let up on the pressure and angled the free end down toward the ground.
A vile looking liquid started to seep out of it and Aragorn let out the breath he had been holding.
"Now what?" asked Boromir?
"Now" replied Aragorn "we wait."
TBC…