Merry and Pippin led Sam out of the beechen grove and Sam thought he heard
the rush of water but he shook his head. Many times during their travel in
Mordor did he think he heard that sound and it turned out to be his mind
tricking him. He almost cried at memories of him and Frodo trudging forward
trying to shake the sounds of bubbling water or the smells of great feasts
out of their heads. Sam paused for a moment, he realized, they had both
truly gone mad in the end. Merry heard a sniffle beside him.
"Do you think it is too soon?" whispered Merry to Pippin.
Pippin glanced at Sam who seemed entranced by the blossoming world around him. He shook his head, "Aragorn would have it no other way. He wants Sam to be there."
Sam did not hear but Merry and Pippin heard him muttering something to himself: "It cannot be true. None of this exists. It didn't before and it doesn't now."
Pippin furrowed his eyebrows in worry, "Of course it's real, Sam."
Sam fell to his knees and put his hands to his ears. "I don't hear you! You're tricking me again!"
"Sam!" Pippin cried as the hobbit fell from his grasp and cowered on the ground.
Merry braced his shoulders tightly forcing Sam to look up at him, "Come along, Sam, you know this is real."
Sam's fearful eyes stared up at Merry and they immediately filled with tears, "No," He whispered, then more strongly, "No!"
Sam jumped to his feet and started backing away. "You want me to take it from him! You'll tempt me! Well I won't do it, d'you hear! No matter what pleasant visions you give me! It's all a lie! This will not come true if I take it from him! It won't!"
He broke down, burying his face in his knees. Merry was the first to reach his side, "Sam open your eyes."
The hobbit just shook his head, his sandy curls bouncing in every which way. Pippin rubbed his shoulders soothingly, "You know it's all real, Sam, the Ring is destroyed."
Sam looked up. "Yes... I remember..." His eyes shot from Pippin to Merry and back again. "He... he went mad... I tried to stop him... but... but it was too late... and Gollum... he..."
Merry's eyes grew wide with fright. "Sam stop it!" He shook the frightened hobbit fiercely and Pippin had to snatch his cousin's arm to stop him.
"Merry! What are you doing to him?"
"It's not true!" cried Merry, now shaking himself, "It's not true! Frodo would never give in!"
Pippin grabbed Merry, afraid he'd do something to hurt Sam, and held him tight. "Shh, Merry, whatever happened out there, he couldn't do anything to stop it. If he truly did claim the Ring, it wasn't our cousin. It was some monster inside of him."
Sam watched in growing fright as the madness receded from his eyes. "Oh," he put a trembling hand to his mouth, "What have I said?"
"Nothing to do any harm, Sam," said Pippin.
"Mr. Merry I- I'm so sorry."
Merry shook himself from Pippin's hold and tried to stay his shaking hands. "Let's just go, Sam," he said coldly snatching Sam by the arm none too gently. Pippin kept his eyes on Merry as he eased Sam off the ground and patted his back assuringly.
~~~
When they arrived Sam could hardly believe what he saw. There were armies of men clad in such royal armor that Sam had to rub his eyes and pinch himself quite a few times. Their helms shone in the morning sun and their banners flew high and freely in the fresh breeze. Upon one he saw a wondrous white tree branching out into several tiny stars and upon another a grand white horse galloping across a green landscape.
"They won't never believe me when I tell them about this back home!" he muttered staring widely at the lines of men bowing to---- HIM! Blood rushed to his cheeks turning him a becoming shade of crimson all the way to the tips of his ears. He walked slowly, in a trance, Pippin guiding him by his left elbow and Merry walking at his right. Sam's eyes gazed at the gallant humans with awe, they were all so lordly and bowing to him! He could not believe it. He must be dreaming.
They were approaching something now. A throne wrought of fresh mossy turves. Now Sam's eyes saw something he could never convince himself was true. There sat--- STRIDER! But it was not the rugged weather beaten man he saw in the shadows of the Prancing Pony. This was not the foul looking man he did not trust to guide them. Oh no! This man was of kingly stature, high upon this throne as if he were meant to be there all along. What amazed Sam even more was that his face was still kind and soft as he smiled down at Sam.
Sam could only find himself murmuring aloud, "I must a' gotten hurt bad back there on that mountain. I'm not seein' this!"
To astonish the hobbit even more this regal lord laughed and the laughter was the familiar warm sound that he had heard from the weather beaten man at the Prancing Pony. Once more this grand king rose from his throne and kneeled before Sam, smiling. "Dear Samwise, it's been a long way since the inn at Bree. Do you still not like the look of me?"
Sam stuttered something inaudible and Aragorn laughed again. "My fine Master Gamgee!" He held out his hand and Sam found himself taking it and being seated upon the throne. If possible his face grew even hotter as he watched the King of Gondor bow before him and turn to his people his eyes filling with mirth, "Praise Samwise! Ringbearer! And savior of our land!"
Aragorn turned to Sam who did not seem to notice the tears on his own cheeks. He put a hand on the hobbit's shoulder. "It is a welcome blessing that you are here before us, Sam, and these people wish to give you thanks for all you have done. But it is also an ill fate that Frodo is not."
Sam nodded and choked slightly. Aragorn rose and turned back to his people. "Men of Gondor and men of Rohan you have your wish! He knows your thanks and welcomes your praise and you have set eyes upon your savior! Now go forth and live long and never let a day pass in your lives when you should not know and be thankful for the payment so that you may live and your children may live! For there have been grave sacrifices for those lives and I pray they were not in vain!"
There was a long silence as the warm breeze ran through Aragorn hair and robes. His arms lowered and he breathed loudly. A small voice broke the silence and it seemed so frail upon the whisper of the breeze that many held their breath to hear it.
"He is sad."
Sam looked up from his previous stance of staring at his palms as tears slowly filled them and they lay limp in his lap. His face reddened even more as he saw a little child break through the crowd and tear away from her father's hold. She ran all the way to Aragorn's feet and paused looking up at the king in fear.
"Lord Estel!" she cried clutching some little fur ball to her chest, "Master Samwise is crying!" She seemed very distraught by this and and warm smile returned to Aragorn's features.
Her father finally reached the throne bowing immediately as he clutched his daughter to him. "My lord! Forgive her she did not know!"
Aragorn's smile did not lessen, "Erian, this is your daughter."
"Yes, my lord."
"One of your sons is the healer for the Ringbearer is he not?"
"Yes, my lord! But please do not take this out on him! I am at fault!" cried Erian holding his daughter close.
"There is no fault here if Master Samwise is alright with speaking with the girl."
Now all eyes were on Sam who had promptly begun to wring the end of his shirt. "No, sir, not at all." Sam wriggled off the throne and approached the little girl who was almost his own size.
"What is your name?" he asked trying to keep his trembling voice in check.
"I am Emarin, sir," she immediately attempted a clumsy curtsy and Sam suppressed a chuckle.
"What have you got there?" He pointed to the fluff ball.
"It's my kitten, sir." She held out her little gift and Sam watched in amazement as the tiny thing opened two little blue eyes and gazed up at him fearfully. "She's pretty."
Emarin nodded, her dark curls bouncing, "My brother says you are to be spoken to like a king, but you are small like me."
Sam laughed rather shakily this time. "I do not want to be spoken to like a king, miss. But when did your brother talk to you?"
"My other brother, Emáten, he talks about you and Lord Frodo a lot. He's a soldier you know."
Sam nodded, "So he is, well I know Envin but I haven't had the honour-"
"-The honour would be mine sir!" One of the soldiers rose from his post and stood beside his sister.
Sam was trembling uncontrollably now and Aragorn chose this time to step in. "Lord Samwise should rest now I hope you all do understand." He winked at Emarin when he said this and her father and brother led her away. Aragorn clapped and called for food and drink as a minstrel struck up a fine tune.
Sam was lead back to the throne in a trance where he sat for a long while thinking deeply. He was rather unnerved by the whole affair trying to convince himself that it was real he did not realize Aragorn had left. He could feel himself being lifted and heard a voice at his side.
"Fine thing this is! He speaks with that little girl before us!"
"Gimli," came a fair voice trembling with a note of laughter.
"Legolas? Gimli?" Sam opened his eyes.
"Yes, Sam it's us," said the elf warmly.
"I'm sorry."
Legolas gave Gimli a jab without rattling the frightened hobbit curled in his arms. "Oof... No need for apologies Samwise, quite alright!" Gimli corrected himself but Sam had fallen back into sleep and Legolas laughed lightly again.
Ailsa Joy: Well Emáten is here, and I believe, my dear friend, that we have created quite the family here. ::smiles:: I hope you like them, all of them should be showin up again even Emarin and her little kitten....
"Do you think it is too soon?" whispered Merry to Pippin.
Pippin glanced at Sam who seemed entranced by the blossoming world around him. He shook his head, "Aragorn would have it no other way. He wants Sam to be there."
Sam did not hear but Merry and Pippin heard him muttering something to himself: "It cannot be true. None of this exists. It didn't before and it doesn't now."
Pippin furrowed his eyebrows in worry, "Of course it's real, Sam."
Sam fell to his knees and put his hands to his ears. "I don't hear you! You're tricking me again!"
"Sam!" Pippin cried as the hobbit fell from his grasp and cowered on the ground.
Merry braced his shoulders tightly forcing Sam to look up at him, "Come along, Sam, you know this is real."
Sam's fearful eyes stared up at Merry and they immediately filled with tears, "No," He whispered, then more strongly, "No!"
Sam jumped to his feet and started backing away. "You want me to take it from him! You'll tempt me! Well I won't do it, d'you hear! No matter what pleasant visions you give me! It's all a lie! This will not come true if I take it from him! It won't!"
He broke down, burying his face in his knees. Merry was the first to reach his side, "Sam open your eyes."
The hobbit just shook his head, his sandy curls bouncing in every which way. Pippin rubbed his shoulders soothingly, "You know it's all real, Sam, the Ring is destroyed."
Sam looked up. "Yes... I remember..." His eyes shot from Pippin to Merry and back again. "He... he went mad... I tried to stop him... but... but it was too late... and Gollum... he..."
Merry's eyes grew wide with fright. "Sam stop it!" He shook the frightened hobbit fiercely and Pippin had to snatch his cousin's arm to stop him.
"Merry! What are you doing to him?"
"It's not true!" cried Merry, now shaking himself, "It's not true! Frodo would never give in!"
Pippin grabbed Merry, afraid he'd do something to hurt Sam, and held him tight. "Shh, Merry, whatever happened out there, he couldn't do anything to stop it. If he truly did claim the Ring, it wasn't our cousin. It was some monster inside of him."
Sam watched in growing fright as the madness receded from his eyes. "Oh," he put a trembling hand to his mouth, "What have I said?"
"Nothing to do any harm, Sam," said Pippin.
"Mr. Merry I- I'm so sorry."
Merry shook himself from Pippin's hold and tried to stay his shaking hands. "Let's just go, Sam," he said coldly snatching Sam by the arm none too gently. Pippin kept his eyes on Merry as he eased Sam off the ground and patted his back assuringly.
~~~
When they arrived Sam could hardly believe what he saw. There were armies of men clad in such royal armor that Sam had to rub his eyes and pinch himself quite a few times. Their helms shone in the morning sun and their banners flew high and freely in the fresh breeze. Upon one he saw a wondrous white tree branching out into several tiny stars and upon another a grand white horse galloping across a green landscape.
"They won't never believe me when I tell them about this back home!" he muttered staring widely at the lines of men bowing to---- HIM! Blood rushed to his cheeks turning him a becoming shade of crimson all the way to the tips of his ears. He walked slowly, in a trance, Pippin guiding him by his left elbow and Merry walking at his right. Sam's eyes gazed at the gallant humans with awe, they were all so lordly and bowing to him! He could not believe it. He must be dreaming.
They were approaching something now. A throne wrought of fresh mossy turves. Now Sam's eyes saw something he could never convince himself was true. There sat--- STRIDER! But it was not the rugged weather beaten man he saw in the shadows of the Prancing Pony. This was not the foul looking man he did not trust to guide them. Oh no! This man was of kingly stature, high upon this throne as if he were meant to be there all along. What amazed Sam even more was that his face was still kind and soft as he smiled down at Sam.
Sam could only find himself murmuring aloud, "I must a' gotten hurt bad back there on that mountain. I'm not seein' this!"
To astonish the hobbit even more this regal lord laughed and the laughter was the familiar warm sound that he had heard from the weather beaten man at the Prancing Pony. Once more this grand king rose from his throne and kneeled before Sam, smiling. "Dear Samwise, it's been a long way since the inn at Bree. Do you still not like the look of me?"
Sam stuttered something inaudible and Aragorn laughed again. "My fine Master Gamgee!" He held out his hand and Sam found himself taking it and being seated upon the throne. If possible his face grew even hotter as he watched the King of Gondor bow before him and turn to his people his eyes filling with mirth, "Praise Samwise! Ringbearer! And savior of our land!"
Aragorn turned to Sam who did not seem to notice the tears on his own cheeks. He put a hand on the hobbit's shoulder. "It is a welcome blessing that you are here before us, Sam, and these people wish to give you thanks for all you have done. But it is also an ill fate that Frodo is not."
Sam nodded and choked slightly. Aragorn rose and turned back to his people. "Men of Gondor and men of Rohan you have your wish! He knows your thanks and welcomes your praise and you have set eyes upon your savior! Now go forth and live long and never let a day pass in your lives when you should not know and be thankful for the payment so that you may live and your children may live! For there have been grave sacrifices for those lives and I pray they were not in vain!"
There was a long silence as the warm breeze ran through Aragorn hair and robes. His arms lowered and he breathed loudly. A small voice broke the silence and it seemed so frail upon the whisper of the breeze that many held their breath to hear it.
"He is sad."
Sam looked up from his previous stance of staring at his palms as tears slowly filled them and they lay limp in his lap. His face reddened even more as he saw a little child break through the crowd and tear away from her father's hold. She ran all the way to Aragorn's feet and paused looking up at the king in fear.
"Lord Estel!" she cried clutching some little fur ball to her chest, "Master Samwise is crying!" She seemed very distraught by this and and warm smile returned to Aragorn's features.
Her father finally reached the throne bowing immediately as he clutched his daughter to him. "My lord! Forgive her she did not know!"
Aragorn's smile did not lessen, "Erian, this is your daughter."
"Yes, my lord."
"One of your sons is the healer for the Ringbearer is he not?"
"Yes, my lord! But please do not take this out on him! I am at fault!" cried Erian holding his daughter close.
"There is no fault here if Master Samwise is alright with speaking with the girl."
Now all eyes were on Sam who had promptly begun to wring the end of his shirt. "No, sir, not at all." Sam wriggled off the throne and approached the little girl who was almost his own size.
"What is your name?" he asked trying to keep his trembling voice in check.
"I am Emarin, sir," she immediately attempted a clumsy curtsy and Sam suppressed a chuckle.
"What have you got there?" He pointed to the fluff ball.
"It's my kitten, sir." She held out her little gift and Sam watched in amazement as the tiny thing opened two little blue eyes and gazed up at him fearfully. "She's pretty."
Emarin nodded, her dark curls bouncing, "My brother says you are to be spoken to like a king, but you are small like me."
Sam laughed rather shakily this time. "I do not want to be spoken to like a king, miss. But when did your brother talk to you?"
"My other brother, Emáten, he talks about you and Lord Frodo a lot. He's a soldier you know."
Sam nodded, "So he is, well I know Envin but I haven't had the honour-"
"-The honour would be mine sir!" One of the soldiers rose from his post and stood beside his sister.
Sam was trembling uncontrollably now and Aragorn chose this time to step in. "Lord Samwise should rest now I hope you all do understand." He winked at Emarin when he said this and her father and brother led her away. Aragorn clapped and called for food and drink as a minstrel struck up a fine tune.
Sam was lead back to the throne in a trance where he sat for a long while thinking deeply. He was rather unnerved by the whole affair trying to convince himself that it was real he did not realize Aragorn had left. He could feel himself being lifted and heard a voice at his side.
"Fine thing this is! He speaks with that little girl before us!"
"Gimli," came a fair voice trembling with a note of laughter.
"Legolas? Gimli?" Sam opened his eyes.
"Yes, Sam it's us," said the elf warmly.
"I'm sorry."
Legolas gave Gimli a jab without rattling the frightened hobbit curled in his arms. "Oof... No need for apologies Samwise, quite alright!" Gimli corrected himself but Sam had fallen back into sleep and Legolas laughed lightly again.
Ailsa Joy: Well Emáten is here, and I believe, my dear friend, that we have created quite the family here. ::smiles:: I hope you like them, all of them should be showin up again even Emarin and her little kitten....