Chapter 30 - Emáten's Heart
Sam heard a wail in the distance and lunged forward crying out to the Lady to aid him. The trees no longer pressed him forward for he too, was surrounded by those that were darkened by evil hearts and heard no tales of what had come to pass. He fell to his knees and climbed forward again. Emáten's voice rang behind him but he answered not and tore forth with all his might.
"My lord! Do you not see this darkness that rushes forth? Like a curtain it is laid before me. You seem to see clear but you do not hear me!"
Sam indeed could barely hear the man's voice as he rushed to and fro frantically. He thought he heard a cry but then it would seem to rent the air and fly past and somehow become new in a different place. This strange echo caused such confusion that Sam could hear naught else, save his own breathing. The forest seemed to be dimming as he traveled deeper and Emáten's footsteps faded into nothingness. Sam began to hate this forest. It was not innocent wood of green growing things but a treacherous creature with a foul heart of its own. Memories of The Old Forest crept into Sam's mind, and the horrible willow that tried to swallow Merry and Pippin and drown his master.
Gritting his teeth he tore forward again, weaving through the twisted, rotten trees, losing himself in a labyrinth of hoary trunks, curling up into a thick weave of black bark and branching off into the heavy cluster of limbs that had overgrown their space and hung with great girth. They were trees such as Sam had never seen, that did not seem to obey any law of nature that the Ents might encourage. Some were so stuffed with limbs that the trunk had split and it seemed that the entire tree had been pealed into heavy slices, entangled in their own girth and growth or simply braided from the roots upward and then the pattern completely lost as the cluster of limbs hung and jutted in every which way. Some were stout and so thick and twisted that Sam could not imagine that the sap within had a path of flow at all or just coagulated like a dead man's blood.
The trees that had not the ability to gain such immense girth that gave off such putrid stank were still vile and terrible in their form. Slinking up like coils of snakes wound the thinner trees, calloused and thick with hide, bent and yawned in such gaping arches that the smaller woven branches at the top leaned over and clawed at Sam's curls. He cursed and swung up his arms violently to snap them and some gave way with a dead creak as the dust within them filled the air, but others dug deeper into Sam and he struggled against it. The stout gardener planted his feet and with a grunt heaved forward, throwing himself to the ground and cracking off many of the miserable branches that hindered him. The tree groaned in fierce rage but did nothing more as the gardener was out of reach.
Sam did nothing in recompense to the tree that was keeping him from his master, though his heart desired to, he pressed on under the forest's watchful eye. His feet sped away until the reaching, moaning trees seemed to blur together in their hideous forms. By now Emáten was out of sight and hearing shot and seemingly completely out of Sam's thoughts. "A knight with a sword could do better against these trees than a frightened and confused hobbit," reasoned Sam. "Oh master call out to me or I won't never find you!"
Frodo's body was thrown to the ground with all of the rage that Saruman could muster and such was it that he was nearly knocked senseless. A dark shadow hovered behind the foul wizard but it remained silent and unnoticed. Frodo was still for a moment until his shaking arms found anchor in the earth and he pushed himself up, trembling. His frightened eyes met Saruman's but the wizard was too consumed with hatred to notice what was missing in Frodo. "I feel the power you once held. The power that should have been mine." A crooked hand descended upon Frodo's pale and cut cheek and with a cry he fell to the ground again. Frodo grasped his burning cheek, feeling the cool tears bathe the scornful wounds. He pressed his cheek to the ground and clutched his reeling head. This voice, these words, each hurt more than the blow that followed them.
Then the voice rang again, dripping with the bitter poison of disdain; "You worked against me. You sought my fall." Frodo strangled his whimpers and began to inch away. A hand again twisted into his hair and dragged him through the dirt like nothing more than a doll. He was lifted onto his feet again and forced to stare into those twisted eyes. "He who saw this black deed done must pay!"
"He's paid! But I am not! I bore the Ring!" came a bold cry.
Saruman looked up and saw Samwise Gamgee standing proudly and panting raggedly at the edge of the dark clearing. The deadly gaze pierced the gentle gardener and though Sam trembled beneath it he did not turn away. "I see the mark of the Ring upon you as well!" The shadow behind Saruman shifted as if it had been commanded to have done so and sprang forward upon Samwise. The pale and uncouth creature, Wormtongue, attacked Sam with a blazing fury.
Emáten was lost but he would not halt or slow. He turned, hearing voices and sought in that direction but for all he knew it could have been the trees. "Sam! Sam!" he cried forcing himself onward. The whispers of the trees rose into a terrible chaos of murmurings. The man pressed his palms against his ears and screamed. "Stop it you vile things! I must find Frodo and Sam! Not too long ago you had praised them yet now you conceal them from me!" But there was no answer save the rise and fall of whispers like the coming of a great wave to crash upon him. Emáten set his jaw and unsheathed a mighty sword. "I shall hack you all down until not a tree in this forest stands! I will find my lords!" The whispers now were angry and the trees began to close on him so Emáten did as he had promised. He raised his blade and vines and branches came crashing down with a clean cleave. The trees shuddered and screeched horribly.
Never had any man had the gall to take steel to the flesh of trees and reap them like lowly sheaves of wheat. Fury trembled in the earth as the roots shifted from their long dormant nests. But the trees had not the strength to move, too long had they been asleep and rotting in their own sloth. Their heavy branches swung as if wielded by a fierce wind and sought to smite the insolent man. But Emáten was keen with a sword and thrust his weapon in their path, gashing through the calloused hide though not without payment. The blade was blunted and the man's arms, though sturdy, strained against the crushing force of the collision. Emáten was thrown down and the wounded branch retreated, oozing putrid black sap.
He sank the blade deep into trunks and hacked at bark, forcing himself forward. "Not a tree will stand! Bring me to my lords or not a tree will stand!" He thrust the blade into the earth and mutilated the fleshy roots, his feet planting firmly as he pushed ever on. "I will not fail them!" The man's eyes shone with deep fire and his blade cut clean, his heart blazing like a beacon in the night. He found a thin knot of a tree, the arched one that had assaulted Sam, and swung his mighty sword in a clean cleave against it's gnarled trunk. He had barely penetrated its rotten hide and he cursed, wishing he had wielded an ax.
"Nothing but kindling you bewitched beasts of rot and wood!" he taunted taking another swing. He planted his boot against it's curved and wicked spine and heaved his weight against the bend. His hands tangled within the knots of climbing gorse as he hefted himself onto the arching back. It creaked and groaned horribly until a loud resounding crack issued forth and Emáten felt his teeth rattle as the tree jolted downward. He sprung off it's now broken and tortured back. "Show me to them or suffer!" The trees cursed foully and the voice of the tortured, dying tree sputtered wickedly, whining and moaning in its last agonizing moments of its wretched life. Emáten swung his sword above his head wildly. "I will not have you hinder me!" The forest trembled with anger and soon Sam's voice was allowed to meet Emáten's ears. The man could hear Sam struggling against some foe and he dashed in that direction. "I am coming my lords!"
Sam kicked and flailed against Wormtongue but to no avail. The disgusting creature pinned his arms and legs and beat against his chest and stomach. The hobbit cried out more in anger than in pain. "Stinking, foul, ruddy vermin!" Sam spat in Grima's face and long fingers wrapped around his throat.
It was then that Grima and Sam slowed in their struggle for uncouth laughter was rising from the fell wizard. He dropped Frodo to the ground once more and laughed at him, spitting in his face. Frodo whimpered and clung to the earth beneath him. "You have already paid for your sneaking deeds!" roared the wizard with great delight. "There is no hope for your weak little mind any longer, simple little creature." And then to Sam's great fury and disgust the crooked hand rose again and stroked Frodo's reddened cheek as if he were petting a young pup. But Frodo flinched and backed away as the foul touch met his skin. His wide and fearful eyes looked to the hand and then the owner and he trembled. "What fate more suiting? What punishment sweeter for Saruman's savoring? I think it just that one so foolish to contend with power far beyond his comprehension should lose all such comprehension!" Saruman grasped Frodo's hair again and stood him up onto his unsteady feet. Frodo quivered under the wizards stare and he stepped back unsteadily, too struck with fear to even run any longer. The fell wizard laughed and the sound was horrible to hear. "A foolish deed will make a fool!"
Sam's eyes blazed in fury. He turned his head and bit at Grima's hands. He could find no purchase or advantage until the weight upon his stomach was finally relieved and Wormtongue hit hard against a tree with a shriek.
Emáten was standing above Sam panting with feral rage as he saw the treatment of the Ringbearer. His eyes burned with pure fury and a gleaming sword was gripped in his stone still hands. When Frodo's eyes fell upon the sword he let forth a shriek and crumpled to the ground as if a great weight was pressed upon him and broke him in that instant; but this was heeded only by Sam.
Flying forward, Emáten raised his sword and he moved swift. A voice issued forth from the man that turned the air cold as ice.
"Son of a mongrel dog, may thy breath be purged and thy eyes be damned! Upon my sword now foulest of bent and wickedness! Mark my words that thy twisted bones will glisten in the morning sun and thy blackest of blood will curdle!" And he took forth an oath and named Varda witness that Saruman should die by the blade of Emáten in the end and the wizard's heart quailed.
And it is said that the rage of the man was so great that he thrust down his weapon, though the wizard cunningly evaded, the mighty sword was struck upon the ground and split a very stone asunder! Lo! That he raised his blade and it shattered before the wizard and the man did not seem daunted, for he knew that his now halved blade could still bite deep and the wizard fell to his knees and cowered in fear.
Too full of burning rage, Emáten did not see the black shadow coming until he was knocked on his side and Grima had scurried away in his cowardice. Saruman hissed and turned to Sam. "Your master has paid but you have not, Ringbearer and little urchin slave to an imbecile master!"
"Aye I hope you burn in your own ruin! Run you rot of a snake and if ever I meet you again I shall have your throat flesh in my fingernails yet!" bellowed Sam, red with rage and panting with fury. Emáten hurried forward swinging his severed blade madly and howling every curse he knew and he plunged into the depth of the woods after Saruman. "May thy flesh burn and be torn from thy blackened bones by the greedy teeth of wolves! Damn thy twisted tongue! Upon my sword! Upon my sword! And carrion fowl shall devour thee!" Sam could hear his shrieks from near and far but it brought him no solace for the foulest of creatures still breathed and Sam would not rest easy until that was no longer true.
He ran forward and grasped a swooning Frodo in his arms and rocked him gently, crying and cradling and kissing his forehead. "Oh my master! Me dear, I will have his blood on my hands yet!" Sam ran his hands through the twigs and dust in Frodo's hair and cleaned his face with his own tears. Frodo buried his face in Sam's chest and sobbed until he was utterly spent and shook and heaved in his arms. It was dusk when Emáten finally returned and sheathed his broken blade but he was silent and still shaking with fury.
"I have failed you, my lord. Forgive me." He bowed his head and fell to his knees.
"I know that nothing would suit your heart better than to see that mongrel beaten and bled. I did no better, Emáten. Let's go back." Emáten rose and took Frodo's swooning form from Sam's arms. They trudged back to camp the forest now whispering of the deeds that happened that day.
When they returned they looked back and saw that every tree in the forest swayed and moaned and they exchanged fearful glances for what this might mean. But not a chance did their question get to form clearly before they were met by the fearful faces of Aragorn and Gandalf. "Treebeard received word of it all from the trees! Every tree in the forest is seeking Saruman but to no avail!" cried Aragorn with a quick glance towards Frodo.
"He is cut and bruised but no worse," said Emáten. "If not frightened."
"Frightened out of his wits and with good cause!" cried Sam. "I'll only be pleased when I kill that wizard with me hands!" Gandalf looked upon Samwise fearfully and saw a darkness in him that never existed before. Never had Sam spoken of killing before.
Frodo was laid to bed and tended by the king and athelas steamed in a bowl by his bedside. The cool scent lifted the spirits of Sam and Emáten as they sat by Frodo's side and their brooding thoughts soon subsided but the everlasting mark of hatred forever marred their once gentle souls. Frodo cried and wept in his sleep but his wounds healed quickly under the hands of the king.
Sam thought no more of Saruman's threat for dark threats of his own filled his mind. And it is said that since that day the name of Emáten was whispered in the forests of Fangorn as the man with a gleaming sword and fiery heart that tamed the forest to his will. The cloven stone remained ever after and when the sun shone nigh upon it silver shards could be seen embedded within its quarry.
~~~
A/N: Well I'm nearing the end of my prewritten stuff which means I'm going to need plenty of encouragement to sit in front of this computer and spit out chapter after chapter to get this finished. Think you guys are up to it? Hope so because a certain distraction (namely one boyfriend) will be coming home soon all nicely ripped from boot camp ;) So persuading me to sit in the dark hunched over a cold little machine will be difficult. ^^
Frodo-lovers – I wish I was bilingual. Tolkien was a linguist but I find studying other languages very tedious. I'm glad you like the story!
Eiluj – I hope you liked Fangorn in this too. I love writing about the forest, so descriptive, it's an author's dream.
Ailsa Joy – Talk about description fests! Check this chapter out. But Fangorn is just so much fun! I hope you update soon. I'm sorry I was teasing about chapter 29 for so long and I ended up putting the part I was teasing about in this chapter. Oh well more suspense and I got to lengthen it with endless descriptions.
CStinie – Yes you aughta slap Saruman! Grrr. Makes me angry too. Hah and I made it happen. ::wiggles typing fingers all god-like and omnipotent::
ShireElf – Hope you like this chapter! Now I need to shelf out a few more chapter ::trembles:: Oh my poor hands! You guys are gonna have to really insight me to actually want to sit in front of this laptop and do this.
Laurajslr – Your reviews are always the best! And now you're going to have to bring out the big guns/reviews to keep my incentive going! I like the way your story is developing keep up the good work. I was and still kinda am planning to leave ff.net once this story is finished but maybe I'll be persuaded by endless plot bunnies to do otherwise. I miss the real Frodo too which is why I'm working on a short little ficlet with him in it. I'll post it eventually.
Stoneage Woman – Oh please write the sequel to "Just Don't Have The Heart To End It" I really love when my readers get their own ideas from my work. I feel all muselike. I like describing Fangorn and everyone seemed to like it too. Well I went on a spree in this chapter. I'm glad you like my fics. Most of them are old and not my best work. But it's all in refining my skills. Fanfiction is a great practice.
Frodo-lovers – Yes dear unlucky Frodo. And things aren't really getting better for him are they?
FrodoBaggins87 – Everyone like the forest scene. I hope the one in this chapter was just as well liked. I love having my style called Tolkienish a lot of people say so but I can see stark differences. Still it is my goal. I love his style so much.
Tersa – Wow that's a lot of lotr to watch. Well I hope the ending of this wasn't so torturous. Nasty cruel wicked Saruman!
Endymion2 – Yes there was a prophesy including him! Very observant there. I'm glad you noticed because this is just building up to it. Keep looking. I'll make things a bit clearer as we go along.
Jet-1 – I wish I was reading the books again. Maybe after I finish the pile of books I am working on I can reread it. Heh. Hope you liked.
Bookworm2000 – Yeah Fangorn fascinates me too. As you can see with the detailed descriptions. Heh.
Smruti – Yes I take a long time. I'm sorry. But I hope it's worth it.
Frodo's gal – Glad you're patient, hopefully I'll get to picking up the slack soon.
Sam heard a wail in the distance and lunged forward crying out to the Lady to aid him. The trees no longer pressed him forward for he too, was surrounded by those that were darkened by evil hearts and heard no tales of what had come to pass. He fell to his knees and climbed forward again. Emáten's voice rang behind him but he answered not and tore forth with all his might.
"My lord! Do you not see this darkness that rushes forth? Like a curtain it is laid before me. You seem to see clear but you do not hear me!"
Sam indeed could barely hear the man's voice as he rushed to and fro frantically. He thought he heard a cry but then it would seem to rent the air and fly past and somehow become new in a different place. This strange echo caused such confusion that Sam could hear naught else, save his own breathing. The forest seemed to be dimming as he traveled deeper and Emáten's footsteps faded into nothingness. Sam began to hate this forest. It was not innocent wood of green growing things but a treacherous creature with a foul heart of its own. Memories of The Old Forest crept into Sam's mind, and the horrible willow that tried to swallow Merry and Pippin and drown his master.
Gritting his teeth he tore forward again, weaving through the twisted, rotten trees, losing himself in a labyrinth of hoary trunks, curling up into a thick weave of black bark and branching off into the heavy cluster of limbs that had overgrown their space and hung with great girth. They were trees such as Sam had never seen, that did not seem to obey any law of nature that the Ents might encourage. Some were so stuffed with limbs that the trunk had split and it seemed that the entire tree had been pealed into heavy slices, entangled in their own girth and growth or simply braided from the roots upward and then the pattern completely lost as the cluster of limbs hung and jutted in every which way. Some were stout and so thick and twisted that Sam could not imagine that the sap within had a path of flow at all or just coagulated like a dead man's blood.
The trees that had not the ability to gain such immense girth that gave off such putrid stank were still vile and terrible in their form. Slinking up like coils of snakes wound the thinner trees, calloused and thick with hide, bent and yawned in such gaping arches that the smaller woven branches at the top leaned over and clawed at Sam's curls. He cursed and swung up his arms violently to snap them and some gave way with a dead creak as the dust within them filled the air, but others dug deeper into Sam and he struggled against it. The stout gardener planted his feet and with a grunt heaved forward, throwing himself to the ground and cracking off many of the miserable branches that hindered him. The tree groaned in fierce rage but did nothing more as the gardener was out of reach.
Sam did nothing in recompense to the tree that was keeping him from his master, though his heart desired to, he pressed on under the forest's watchful eye. His feet sped away until the reaching, moaning trees seemed to blur together in their hideous forms. By now Emáten was out of sight and hearing shot and seemingly completely out of Sam's thoughts. "A knight with a sword could do better against these trees than a frightened and confused hobbit," reasoned Sam. "Oh master call out to me or I won't never find you!"
Frodo's body was thrown to the ground with all of the rage that Saruman could muster and such was it that he was nearly knocked senseless. A dark shadow hovered behind the foul wizard but it remained silent and unnoticed. Frodo was still for a moment until his shaking arms found anchor in the earth and he pushed himself up, trembling. His frightened eyes met Saruman's but the wizard was too consumed with hatred to notice what was missing in Frodo. "I feel the power you once held. The power that should have been mine." A crooked hand descended upon Frodo's pale and cut cheek and with a cry he fell to the ground again. Frodo grasped his burning cheek, feeling the cool tears bathe the scornful wounds. He pressed his cheek to the ground and clutched his reeling head. This voice, these words, each hurt more than the blow that followed them.
Then the voice rang again, dripping with the bitter poison of disdain; "You worked against me. You sought my fall." Frodo strangled his whimpers and began to inch away. A hand again twisted into his hair and dragged him through the dirt like nothing more than a doll. He was lifted onto his feet again and forced to stare into those twisted eyes. "He who saw this black deed done must pay!"
"He's paid! But I am not! I bore the Ring!" came a bold cry.
Saruman looked up and saw Samwise Gamgee standing proudly and panting raggedly at the edge of the dark clearing. The deadly gaze pierced the gentle gardener and though Sam trembled beneath it he did not turn away. "I see the mark of the Ring upon you as well!" The shadow behind Saruman shifted as if it had been commanded to have done so and sprang forward upon Samwise. The pale and uncouth creature, Wormtongue, attacked Sam with a blazing fury.
Emáten was lost but he would not halt or slow. He turned, hearing voices and sought in that direction but for all he knew it could have been the trees. "Sam! Sam!" he cried forcing himself onward. The whispers of the trees rose into a terrible chaos of murmurings. The man pressed his palms against his ears and screamed. "Stop it you vile things! I must find Frodo and Sam! Not too long ago you had praised them yet now you conceal them from me!" But there was no answer save the rise and fall of whispers like the coming of a great wave to crash upon him. Emáten set his jaw and unsheathed a mighty sword. "I shall hack you all down until not a tree in this forest stands! I will find my lords!" The whispers now were angry and the trees began to close on him so Emáten did as he had promised. He raised his blade and vines and branches came crashing down with a clean cleave. The trees shuddered and screeched horribly.
Never had any man had the gall to take steel to the flesh of trees and reap them like lowly sheaves of wheat. Fury trembled in the earth as the roots shifted from their long dormant nests. But the trees had not the strength to move, too long had they been asleep and rotting in their own sloth. Their heavy branches swung as if wielded by a fierce wind and sought to smite the insolent man. But Emáten was keen with a sword and thrust his weapon in their path, gashing through the calloused hide though not without payment. The blade was blunted and the man's arms, though sturdy, strained against the crushing force of the collision. Emáten was thrown down and the wounded branch retreated, oozing putrid black sap.
He sank the blade deep into trunks and hacked at bark, forcing himself forward. "Not a tree will stand! Bring me to my lords or not a tree will stand!" He thrust the blade into the earth and mutilated the fleshy roots, his feet planting firmly as he pushed ever on. "I will not fail them!" The man's eyes shone with deep fire and his blade cut clean, his heart blazing like a beacon in the night. He found a thin knot of a tree, the arched one that had assaulted Sam, and swung his mighty sword in a clean cleave against it's gnarled trunk. He had barely penetrated its rotten hide and he cursed, wishing he had wielded an ax.
"Nothing but kindling you bewitched beasts of rot and wood!" he taunted taking another swing. He planted his boot against it's curved and wicked spine and heaved his weight against the bend. His hands tangled within the knots of climbing gorse as he hefted himself onto the arching back. It creaked and groaned horribly until a loud resounding crack issued forth and Emáten felt his teeth rattle as the tree jolted downward. He sprung off it's now broken and tortured back. "Show me to them or suffer!" The trees cursed foully and the voice of the tortured, dying tree sputtered wickedly, whining and moaning in its last agonizing moments of its wretched life. Emáten swung his sword above his head wildly. "I will not have you hinder me!" The forest trembled with anger and soon Sam's voice was allowed to meet Emáten's ears. The man could hear Sam struggling against some foe and he dashed in that direction. "I am coming my lords!"
Sam kicked and flailed against Wormtongue but to no avail. The disgusting creature pinned his arms and legs and beat against his chest and stomach. The hobbit cried out more in anger than in pain. "Stinking, foul, ruddy vermin!" Sam spat in Grima's face and long fingers wrapped around his throat.
It was then that Grima and Sam slowed in their struggle for uncouth laughter was rising from the fell wizard. He dropped Frodo to the ground once more and laughed at him, spitting in his face. Frodo whimpered and clung to the earth beneath him. "You have already paid for your sneaking deeds!" roared the wizard with great delight. "There is no hope for your weak little mind any longer, simple little creature." And then to Sam's great fury and disgust the crooked hand rose again and stroked Frodo's reddened cheek as if he were petting a young pup. But Frodo flinched and backed away as the foul touch met his skin. His wide and fearful eyes looked to the hand and then the owner and he trembled. "What fate more suiting? What punishment sweeter for Saruman's savoring? I think it just that one so foolish to contend with power far beyond his comprehension should lose all such comprehension!" Saruman grasped Frodo's hair again and stood him up onto his unsteady feet. Frodo quivered under the wizards stare and he stepped back unsteadily, too struck with fear to even run any longer. The fell wizard laughed and the sound was horrible to hear. "A foolish deed will make a fool!"
Sam's eyes blazed in fury. He turned his head and bit at Grima's hands. He could find no purchase or advantage until the weight upon his stomach was finally relieved and Wormtongue hit hard against a tree with a shriek.
Emáten was standing above Sam panting with feral rage as he saw the treatment of the Ringbearer. His eyes burned with pure fury and a gleaming sword was gripped in his stone still hands. When Frodo's eyes fell upon the sword he let forth a shriek and crumpled to the ground as if a great weight was pressed upon him and broke him in that instant; but this was heeded only by Sam.
Flying forward, Emáten raised his sword and he moved swift. A voice issued forth from the man that turned the air cold as ice.
"Son of a mongrel dog, may thy breath be purged and thy eyes be damned! Upon my sword now foulest of bent and wickedness! Mark my words that thy twisted bones will glisten in the morning sun and thy blackest of blood will curdle!" And he took forth an oath and named Varda witness that Saruman should die by the blade of Emáten in the end and the wizard's heart quailed.
And it is said that the rage of the man was so great that he thrust down his weapon, though the wizard cunningly evaded, the mighty sword was struck upon the ground and split a very stone asunder! Lo! That he raised his blade and it shattered before the wizard and the man did not seem daunted, for he knew that his now halved blade could still bite deep and the wizard fell to his knees and cowered in fear.
Too full of burning rage, Emáten did not see the black shadow coming until he was knocked on his side and Grima had scurried away in his cowardice. Saruman hissed and turned to Sam. "Your master has paid but you have not, Ringbearer and little urchin slave to an imbecile master!"
"Aye I hope you burn in your own ruin! Run you rot of a snake and if ever I meet you again I shall have your throat flesh in my fingernails yet!" bellowed Sam, red with rage and panting with fury. Emáten hurried forward swinging his severed blade madly and howling every curse he knew and he plunged into the depth of the woods after Saruman. "May thy flesh burn and be torn from thy blackened bones by the greedy teeth of wolves! Damn thy twisted tongue! Upon my sword! Upon my sword! And carrion fowl shall devour thee!" Sam could hear his shrieks from near and far but it brought him no solace for the foulest of creatures still breathed and Sam would not rest easy until that was no longer true.
He ran forward and grasped a swooning Frodo in his arms and rocked him gently, crying and cradling and kissing his forehead. "Oh my master! Me dear, I will have his blood on my hands yet!" Sam ran his hands through the twigs and dust in Frodo's hair and cleaned his face with his own tears. Frodo buried his face in Sam's chest and sobbed until he was utterly spent and shook and heaved in his arms. It was dusk when Emáten finally returned and sheathed his broken blade but he was silent and still shaking with fury.
"I have failed you, my lord. Forgive me." He bowed his head and fell to his knees.
"I know that nothing would suit your heart better than to see that mongrel beaten and bled. I did no better, Emáten. Let's go back." Emáten rose and took Frodo's swooning form from Sam's arms. They trudged back to camp the forest now whispering of the deeds that happened that day.
When they returned they looked back and saw that every tree in the forest swayed and moaned and they exchanged fearful glances for what this might mean. But not a chance did their question get to form clearly before they were met by the fearful faces of Aragorn and Gandalf. "Treebeard received word of it all from the trees! Every tree in the forest is seeking Saruman but to no avail!" cried Aragorn with a quick glance towards Frodo.
"He is cut and bruised but no worse," said Emáten. "If not frightened."
"Frightened out of his wits and with good cause!" cried Sam. "I'll only be pleased when I kill that wizard with me hands!" Gandalf looked upon Samwise fearfully and saw a darkness in him that never existed before. Never had Sam spoken of killing before.
Frodo was laid to bed and tended by the king and athelas steamed in a bowl by his bedside. The cool scent lifted the spirits of Sam and Emáten as they sat by Frodo's side and their brooding thoughts soon subsided but the everlasting mark of hatred forever marred their once gentle souls. Frodo cried and wept in his sleep but his wounds healed quickly under the hands of the king.
Sam thought no more of Saruman's threat for dark threats of his own filled his mind. And it is said that since that day the name of Emáten was whispered in the forests of Fangorn as the man with a gleaming sword and fiery heart that tamed the forest to his will. The cloven stone remained ever after and when the sun shone nigh upon it silver shards could be seen embedded within its quarry.
~~~
A/N: Well I'm nearing the end of my prewritten stuff which means I'm going to need plenty of encouragement to sit in front of this computer and spit out chapter after chapter to get this finished. Think you guys are up to it? Hope so because a certain distraction (namely one boyfriend) will be coming home soon all nicely ripped from boot camp ;) So persuading me to sit in the dark hunched over a cold little machine will be difficult. ^^
Frodo-lovers – I wish I was bilingual. Tolkien was a linguist but I find studying other languages very tedious. I'm glad you like the story!
Eiluj – I hope you liked Fangorn in this too. I love writing about the forest, so descriptive, it's an author's dream.
Ailsa Joy – Talk about description fests! Check this chapter out. But Fangorn is just so much fun! I hope you update soon. I'm sorry I was teasing about chapter 29 for so long and I ended up putting the part I was teasing about in this chapter. Oh well more suspense and I got to lengthen it with endless descriptions.
CStinie – Yes you aughta slap Saruman! Grrr. Makes me angry too. Hah and I made it happen. ::wiggles typing fingers all god-like and omnipotent::
ShireElf – Hope you like this chapter! Now I need to shelf out a few more chapter ::trembles:: Oh my poor hands! You guys are gonna have to really insight me to actually want to sit in front of this laptop and do this.
Laurajslr – Your reviews are always the best! And now you're going to have to bring out the big guns/reviews to keep my incentive going! I like the way your story is developing keep up the good work. I was and still kinda am planning to leave ff.net once this story is finished but maybe I'll be persuaded by endless plot bunnies to do otherwise. I miss the real Frodo too which is why I'm working on a short little ficlet with him in it. I'll post it eventually.
Stoneage Woman – Oh please write the sequel to "Just Don't Have The Heart To End It" I really love when my readers get their own ideas from my work. I feel all muselike. I like describing Fangorn and everyone seemed to like it too. Well I went on a spree in this chapter. I'm glad you like my fics. Most of them are old and not my best work. But it's all in refining my skills. Fanfiction is a great practice.
Frodo-lovers – Yes dear unlucky Frodo. And things aren't really getting better for him are they?
FrodoBaggins87 – Everyone like the forest scene. I hope the one in this chapter was just as well liked. I love having my style called Tolkienish a lot of people say so but I can see stark differences. Still it is my goal. I love his style so much.
Tersa – Wow that's a lot of lotr to watch. Well I hope the ending of this wasn't so torturous. Nasty cruel wicked Saruman!
Endymion2 – Yes there was a prophesy including him! Very observant there. I'm glad you noticed because this is just building up to it. Keep looking. I'll make things a bit clearer as we go along.
Jet-1 – I wish I was reading the books again. Maybe after I finish the pile of books I am working on I can reread it. Heh. Hope you liked.
Bookworm2000 – Yeah Fangorn fascinates me too. As you can see with the detailed descriptions. Heh.
Smruti – Yes I take a long time. I'm sorry. But I hope it's worth it.
Frodo's gal – Glad you're patient, hopefully I'll get to picking up the slack soon.