Disclaimers: I am only emulating the master, JRR Tolkien. The characters and places are copyrighted by the JRR Tolkien estate and no infringement is intended.. My claim to fame is this story.

Medical Disclaimers: While all effort has been made to research cures and medical procedures in this story, they are used here solely for fictional purposes, and should not be used at home.

There are direct quotes from ROTK, "Mount Doom", chapter description in this story.

Smoke and Mirrors Chapter 9

Frodo stood above a large precipice. Around him the air was filled with the acrid smoke and heat from the fires burning far below him. He panted, trying to force some air into his burning lungs. He drew closer and looked down into the roiling fires of Orodruin. He heard a noise behind him and saw Sam staggering towards him. He knew now it was too late to save himself. As he gazed at his loyal friend, the ring screamed and pulled at his soul. It promised him great power and fame and, above all, happiness. It showed him a lush Shire complete with the happy laughter of hobbits frolicking in the verdant green meadows. Bag End would be his again, and he saw Sam, Merry and Pippin and their children, happy and healthy living the gentle life within their smials. He knew, in some dark corner of his mind, that all he saw was a lie. But the Rings call was insistent--showing him a peace and contentment that lay over all of Middle Earth, if he would but lay claim to It. His new Master would take care of him now. He would no longer feel the pain, anguish and heartache that was so much a part of his existence. Many other things were promised, all of them a delight to the senses, if he would but yield to the power of the Master of the One.
Frodo heard and felt all these sensations flood through his very soul and gazed down at the glowing band that lay in his open palm. He looked up at Sam, "I have come," he said. "But I do not choose now to do what I came to do. I will not do this deed. The Ring is MINE!" And then he placed the ring on his finger and vanished. Sam gasped as he saw his Master vanish but before he could reach him he was attacked from behind by Gollum. Gollum knew what 'Master' intended to do with the Precious. First however, he intended to dispose of the 'fat hobbit' once and for all. Taking a large rock he struck Sam down, rendering him unconscious. Now he stealthily approached the Master. He would not allow him to destroy the Precious. He saw that the Master had vanished meaning he had put the ring on his finger, but Gollum had seen where he had stood moments ago and groped about feeling for Frodo. At last, he found him and a fierce struggle began between the two ringbearers. Gollum found the offending hand and, splaying the fingers, grabbed the ring finger with the Precious on it and bit down with all his might. A high-pitched shriek of agony issued from Frodo's mouth as bone and tissue were rent asunder.

The shriek issued from Frodo was one of agony and loss. Frodo's eyes went impossibly wide, his whole body shuddering convulsively. Fresh sweat was upon his brow and lip as he continued to shriek in pain. Merry and Pippin had been sleeping soundly but now lurched up from the bed, clutching each other, as the shrieks echoed off the walls around them. Their faces were very pale, eyes wide with tears and panting as if they had just run a great race.

"What are you doing to him? Are you MAD----you're TORTURING him!" shouted Merry. Pippin held close to his Merry, trembling in fear. The scene before them was unimaginable. Aragorn, their dear friend and protector, was torturing Frodo with a glowing brand!

"You're burning him! Strider, STOP! Why are you hurting Frodo?" screamed Pippin. Gandalf moved swiftly to the hysterical hobbits, still holding Sam against his shoulder. Sam was unusually still. Gandalf turned so that he could see the small protector's face. It was deathly pale, his eyes had rolled up into his head and his breaths were coming in shallow gasps. Gandalf motioned to Saleth, who called another healer into the room to attend the small folk. The healer placed a hand on Sam's forehead as Gandalf laid him gently on the other bed.

"He has lost consciousness and is in shock," he said. "We must get him warmed and raise his feet," he continued with a note of urgency. Blankets and pillows were brought and Sam was settled. His breathing gradually became more normal and his eyelids began to flutter. Large tears began to fall as he regained consciousness and remembered what had been done to Frodo. Gandalf sat between the beds, one hand softly stroking Sam's arm, trying to explain the situation to Merry and Pippin. They calmed a bit but their eyes were still fixed on Aragorn, a look of abject horror on their faces. Sam was trying to sit up. Gandalf gently pushed him back down, and whispered soothingly to him. "There, there, Sam.You've had quite a day and the shock was too much for you. You need to lie back now. Frodo is all right. He is in a lot of pain, but the healers will help him deal with it. You must rest, my dear hobbit, in order to better serve your Master," he soothed.

Sam looked up at Gandalf. "Will he be all right now?" he asked softly.

"They are attending him, you can not help him by becoming ill yourself, Sam. Please sleep." Gandalf nodded to the healer who then brought over a cordial to help Sam sleep. Sam took the cordial and after a few sips, lost his battle with exhaustion and allowed his eyes to slowly close. Gandalf smiled and placed a kiss upon his curly head. Merry and Pip continued to watch in horror at what was being done to their cousin. Gandalf knelt before them; "There is little you can do for Frodo now, although he will need you very much, later. You should rest so that you will be ready for him at that time," soothed Gandalf.

"Aragorn said he would wake me," Merry said angrily.

"He has been occupied trying to save Frodo's life, Merry. He still is. You must understand that," said Gandalf."

Merry's face changed from one of anger to worry for his cousin. "Will he live?" he asked.

"They are doing all the can to save him, Meriadoc. Worry not...Aragorn and Saleth are helping Frodo although it may not appear so just now," Gandalf said solemnly. Merry and Pippin gave skeptical looks at Gandalf. They were not ready to rest; wanting to watch and make sure Frodo was treated with utmost care and gentleness. Gandalf saw this, and moved to place pillows and blankets around them. He made a comfortable niche from which they could view the proceedings without interfering. He smiled and caressed each small head with his right hand.

Aragorn removed the iron and cast it aside; he placed a cool cloth against the now charred finger. Frodo's eyes began to close, tears running down his face and then he retched the Valerian extract all over the linens and himself. He whimpered, as his face and chest were wiped clean. Aragorn applied the balm to the blackened stump---a wound he had created, he thought. Feelings of guilt and self-loathing rose in his chest at what he had had to do to Frodo. He felt like a monster inflicting fresh agony on this little one. Frodo's eyes rolled up into his head and the shivering that wracked his body became violent. His face was pale, yet still feverish and his breathing came in ragged gasps.

"He is going into shock!" Aragorn said quickly. "We must have more blankets and pillows and brew that black currant tea now," he said with urgency. Saleth began making the tea with the hot water sitting by the fire. The blankets were brought and pillows placed under the frail hobbit's feet. "Saleth, let's put the reed and funnel in now so we can get these medicines into him quickly, before he is lost to us." cried Aragorn.

"Yes, my Lord. They are ready. Would you prefer that I do the procedure, your Highness?" Aragorn looked up into Saleth's eyes. Saleth could see how the strain of the cauterization had left the King shaken. "Perhaps you are to closely involved with the little one to remain objective, my Liege." Saleth said softly. He knew he was speaking above his station but was willing to risk the King's ire if it would spare his Lord any more anguish.

Aragorn appeared angry at first, but then his features softened, and his eyes filled with a great sadness. "Perhaps you are right, Saleth. I do have a very difficult time remaining objective where Frodo is concerned," he whispered. "Thank you for being brave enough to speak to me so."

Saleth nodded. He moved to the tray where the funnel and reed lay. "First perhaps, we should bind him. It would be most unfortunate if the ringbearer were to struggle and pull the reed out, after we were successful in its placement," he said. Aragorn nodded his assent and retrieved padding and gauze strips to secure the hobbit in place. First, he took small pillows, placing them on either side of Frodo's feverish face and tied them in place, securing them to the bed rails with a long gauze strip across Frodo's forehead. Then he moved to do the same with the ringbearer's arms, legs and torso. Once secure, he moved to Frodo's head and tipped it back slightly. Frodo moaned and struggled weakly, attempting to free himself from the restraints. Saleth took the reed, coated it in a light oil and, with his right hand, slowly slipped it into the ringbearer's mouth. He moved past the tongue and guided it down the reddened throat. With his remaining strength Frodo twisted and writhed, arching his back up off the mattress. He gagged and retched as the reed slipped past his tongue. Saleth, undeterred, continued feeding the tube down the small throat until he felt he had placed it correctly. He bent and placed his head to the chest of the hobbit. His sharp hearing detected soft breath sounds issuing forth from the small form. He looked up at Aragorn, "I feel it has been placed correctly. His lungs sound clear," he said. Aragorn nodded. Next a gauze strip was secured around the reed and tied so it could not be pulled out. Saleth attached the small funnel to the end protruding out from Frodo's lips. Frodo gave up his struggle and his eyes slipped shut half way. Slowly, Saleth poured spoonfuls of the currant tea into the funnel. Frodo's eyes cracked open and he tried to talk making an 'oomph' sound and then he whimpered.

"We shall have to be careful to only give him small amounts so he will not vomit," commented Aragorn.

"I agree, my Lord."

"I wish also to give him an infusion of willow bark tea to try and bring his fever down," he added. "And give him more of the athelas and Echinacea teas as well, to fight the infection, and perhaps extract of passion flower or more Valerian root for sleep. The athelas brew can be difficult to hold on an empty stomach but is also a good tea to induce sleep," added Aragorn. Saleth smiled to himself a little as Aragorn spoke."

"I thought perhaps after we had given him the currant tea, we might try the broth," Saleth commented.

Aragorn could see that Saleth, clearly, had matters under control and began to relax a little. Frodo's glazed eyes fixed on Aragorn and Aragorn moved closer to try and comfort his friend. "Frodo, do you know who I am?" he asked gently, softly combing his fingers through the dark curls. Frodo just stared at him, his eyes unseeing. Aragorn sighed. Perhaps later, he thought. He's clearly drugged and has been through so much. With a sad smile Aragorn turned his attentions to Merry and Pippin. "I am sorry there was no time to speak with you before Frodo's procedure. It was important to move fast in order to stop the bleeding," he said.

"How could you do that to Frodo?" Pippin whispered, tears in his eyes. Merry nudged Pippin in the side.

"Pippin, we woke while they were in the middle of it, I'm sure it wasn't as brutal as it seemed," he reasoned.

"No Merry, Pippin is right. It was coldly brutal, but there was no other way to save Frodo's life. If he had continued to bleed, he would have died either from blood loss or from the fever. We needed to concentrate on the fever and this seemed the only way to stop the bleeding so we could do so. I shall never forgive myself for hurting Frodo, even though my actions were only in his best interests. I felt like a monster tormenting him so," his voice quavered. Aragorn slowly rose, looking forlorn and beaten, and moved to the doorway as tears flowed down his face, and left the hobbits room.

Pippin's green eyes were full of tears; he looked at Merry in alarm. "Oh, Merry.... what have I said.... what have I done?" he whispered.

Merry wrapped his arms around his small cousin as Pip sobbed uncontrollably into his chest.

To be continued…