Angel

Chapter 30: Love, Hate, and Madness

Authoress's Notes: Yes, I'm going with the book Faramir, I LOVE him. He's so much better than the movie-verse Faramir… I was ranting everytime he acted OOC in the movie… ::Sweatdrop:: Frodo's psychological state is getting steadily worse, as you may have noticed from previous chapters, and I'm beginning to wonder if I'm going crazy from having to write from a crazy person's point of view so much. O.o; I apologize for it taking so long to update. I had about three or four different versions of this chapter going at once, and all of them I redid multiple times until I finally reached one I was fairly happy with. Also, I now have a beta reader, so chapter will be up much much faster from now on (or at least, I hope they will)! ::Dances:: Hurrah for Elise!

The hobbits stayed with Faramir for a few days, and eventually he found out about the ring and the journey. Though he was upset that the hobbits could not tell him why his brother was dead, when he found out about the ring, he reacted as Aragorn had. "Not if I found it on a highway would I take it." He told them. Unfortunately, not all men share this view…

"FARA-!"

"You scream for the captain lassie, and I'll just kill you all and search you for the ring, instead of being nice and leaving you alive." Damrod growled, putting a knife to Tersa's throat, as he bound her hands. "You three are going to Lord Denethor, so keep quiet."

"A lovely spot we have landed ourselves in." Tersa muttered as she, Sam, and Frodo were lead unwillingly towards a gleaming white city in the distance. She glared at the rope holding her prisoner. Damrod had the hobbit's wrist bonds linked, so he could lead them all on one long rope in single file with Frodo in front and Tersa in back with Sam between them.

Frodo said nothing. He merely glanced back at Tersa, and then resumed staring at the ground in front of him, not seeming to see the grass, but something else there. His head was bowed, pulled forward by the weight of the ring.

'The quest is doomed. All has been for naught.'

'No, Frodo. The quest is going perfectly. Where better to find help than in the hands of men? Did not Aragorn and Faramir help you on this journey? Would other men not do the same?'

'Aragorn and Faramir helped, but others haven't…' Frodo squinted, trying to make the picture in his head focus. 'Who was it? I have a reason I do not trust men… what caused it?'

'That is just your mind playing tricks on you Frodo! Men are good and kind, they will help you! Go to them as much as you can! Good, greedy, easily corrupted men…' The Ring snickered. 'Yes, they will help you…they will help me.'

'Help you?' Frodo's thoughts cleared, and he remembered Boromir clearly. He had tried to take the ring to use it for his own gain. The ring destroyed men as soon as they laid eyes on it. He could not go with Damrod. "No." He said, lifting his head.

"What Mr. Frodo?" Sam asked.

"NO!" Frodo shrieked, stopping and digging his heels into the ground. "I WON'T GO!"

"You will, if I have to pick you up and carry you, you little runt!" Damrod snarled, yanking Frodo forward.

"NO!" Frodo dug his heels into the ground further. "Help me!" He looked back at Sam and Tersa. "Don't move! We can't let it end like this! The ring wants this, we can't let it win!"

"I said MOVE!" Damrod yanked on the rope with all his strength, but the three hobbits wouldn't budge. "Fine, you miserable rats!" He drew a dagger and put it to Frodo's throat. "If you don't move, I'll slit his throat and you will have to drag his corpse the rest of the way to Minas Tirith." Tersa and Sam glared, but didn't move. "NOW!"

"Never!" Frodo kicked hard at Damrod's ankles, sending him crashing to the ground. Damrod let go of the rope as he fell, and Frodo quickly leapt to his feet and dragged the rope out of Damrod's reach. "RUN!"

The three hobbits ran as fast and as long as they could, only stopping when their legs gave out underneath them and they collapsed into a tangled panting heap.

"Is he gone?" Tersa asked between gasps.

"Yes." Frodo nodded, closing his eyes to stop the sky from spinning. "I think he gave up."

"Are you alright Mr. Frodo?" Sam asked, sitting up. "Did he 'urt you?"

"No, I'm fine Sam. Is Tersa alright?" Frodo awkwardly pulled himself into a sitting position.

"Yes. Just a little out of breath." Tersa said, still lying on the ground.

"Good." Frodo looked around. "Where are we?"

"We should probably get these ropes off before we start worrying about where we are, Mr. Frodo." Sam said, twisting his hands to try and get some slack in the rope.

"Here, let me help." Tersa said. "I'll just be a min- ah! Free at last!" She sat up, her wrists free and slightly rope burned, holding a small knife. "I hid this up my sleeve before he tied us up." She cut Frodo and Sam's bonds.

"Looks like you have the cuts to prove it." Frodo said, seeing the small blood stains forming on Tersa's shirt.

"Meh, I'll be fine." Tersa rolled up her sleeve, revealing a few shallow nicks and one long cut on the outside of her arm. "It'll heal eventually." She wiped a little blood off her skin. "Even though it does sting."

"We'll have to find some place to camp before we can do anything about it." Frodo looked up at the sky. "It looks as if it will start to rain soon."

"The closest place is over there at the foot of the cliffs. We'll never make that, it's at least a days walk." Tersa said.

"Mr. Frodo, there's a bit of shelter under that hill over there. It's just a bit of an overhang, but it's better than nothing." Sam said. "It shouldn't take long to get there, an hour at most."

"Good eyes Sam." Frodo smiled weakly. "It's better than walking in the rain for a day, I'm sure. Let's get going."

By the time the three hobbits reached the hill they were soaked by the heavy rain that had begun to fall.

"It's dry, at least, even if it is a bit snug." Frodo shook his head, water flying from his wet curls. He looked over at Tersa and noted (AN: with some concern! O.o) she was shivering visibly as she wrung out her hair. "Tersa are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Tersa sniffed. "I'm just cold from being out in the rain… I'm sure you're the same way, or will be."

"No, you look chilled Ters, if it's possible to catch a chill this quickly." Frodo started shuffling through his pack. "I put the cloak you gave me in here somewhere…"

"Keep it, I'm fine." Tersa said leaning back against the earthen wall behind her. 'Interesting… he hasn't called me Ters since we left the Shire… is he done being angry at me, then?'

"Even if you're not chilled, I need to bandage your arm." Sam said, rolling up the sleeve on Tersa's injured arm. "I just wish I had something to put on it to keep it from getting infected… that's the last thing we need out here."

"In my pack there is a bottle of some sort… I got it from the elves before we left Rivendell. I think it's some sort of medicine, just put that on it." Tersa said, closing her eyes. By the time Sam had finished bandaging Tersa's arm, she had fallen asleep.

"You really do love her, don't you?" Frodo asked, watching Sam push Tersa's wet bangs off of her face gently, tucking them behind her ears.

"Aye, I do." Sam said, smiling. "I'm sorry if I favor her a bit, Mr. Frodo, I'm trying not to, honestly I am."

"Don't worry about it Sam." Frodo said. He was still jealous, but for some reason he was smiling. "Here. Put this over her, she's still shivering." He handed Sam the cloak he found in his pack. "It's dry, if nothing else."

"Thank you Mr. Frodo." Sam draped the cloak over Tersa as Frodo moved to the other side of Tersa and sat down beside her.

Tersa shifted a bit, opening her eyes. "What the…?"

"Nothing Tersa, just go back to sleep." Sam kissed her forehead.

Tersa looked at Sam, confused. "You…why…?"
"Just go to sleep, Ters." Frodo said. "You'll hurt yourself if you try to figure it out now."

"Mnnh." Tersa rested her head on Sam's shoulder. "I can't. Someone needs to keep watch, you and Frodo did the last two nights before we met Faramir." She started to lean forward to get up, but Sam put his arms around her and held her back.

"You don't need to be staying awake. Not tonight." Sam said.

"Yes I do! You two are nearly killing yourselves for me already, especially you, and Frodo's the one that deserves all this special treatment, not me!" Tersa struggled. She knew she was no match for Sam, but it felt wrong if she didn't try to get away, even if the only thing she wanted right now was to be here, curled up by Sam. 'This isn't the time nor the place for this damnit-!'

"Are you finished squirming yet?" Sam asked, laughing. "You may as well give up, I am quite a bit stronger than you."

Tersa stopped moving and glared up at him for a moment. "Hmph!" She flopped back against Sam. "I'll still stay up."

Sam smiled to himself, watching Tersa rub her eyes tiredly. "Of course you will Tersa. Of course." He looked over at Frodo, who smirked then curled up by the cave wall and covered himself with his cloak to go to sleep.

"See? See? Frodo is going to sleep, now I-" She yawned, "Have to keep watch."

"Tersa just go to sleep. I'll be fine on my own. I promise." Sam tucked the cloak tighter around Tersa, as she was shivering again. "Please. You've been through so much, I don't want to see you sick. Not out here where I can't make you better."

Tersa's eyelids felt heavy and she had to fight to stay awake. Her body was slipping into a restful sleep, despite her mind's objections. She looked into Sam's eyes, as though Sam would somehow help her stay awake. Oddly enough it did, as she was startled by what she saw. She found the expected amusement and annoyance mixed with love, which gave a soft dewy sort of glow to Sam's eyes.

"Tersa?" Sam said, starting to get uncomfortable. Tersa had been staring at him in shock for a few minutes now. "Why are you looking at me like that? Are you okay?"

"I… I'm fine." Tersa quickly blushed and diverted her eyes. "I'm just tired, seeing things…" She leaned back against Sam. 'I must be seeing things… He just feels sorry for me is all. He's always taking care of people… He couldn't have any sort of feelings for me…'

'And there she goes again. Why do you tolerate that, Frodo?'

'Because its what Sam wants. He loves her.' A stab of jealousy hit, almost causing physical pain. 'Never mind that I am killing myself for the sake of the Middle Earth…'

'Exactly. Why were you being so kind to her?'

'I felt sorry for her… guilty…'

'Why, because she was in slight discomfort? Think of your discomfort. How could she ever match it? She would die under your burden.'

'Yes…it isn't her fault that I was the one cursed, though…' Frodo glanced over at Tersa, who was resting her head on Sam's chest.

'Look at that. Its revolting, Frodo. Why do you tolerate it? She's taking Sam away from you.'

'She is…No, she's not… What am I saying any more…? Is she…? What am I saying…?'

'That she's evil Frodo. She will take away everything dear to you. She wants me for herself.'

Frodo put his hand over the ring protectively. 'No…. she wouldn't…'

'She will. See if I am wrong. Sam is after it as well. He's in league with her.'

'Never! Not Sam! He would never do something like that…you're mine! MINE!'

'Protect me… kill them both.'

Frodo glared over at Tersa and Sam. "So help me, you will never get the ring. I will kill you before you have the chance."

Sam looked over at Frodo. "Did you say something Mr. Frodo?"

"You want it for yourself! You're trying to kill me! Both of you! IT'S MINE!" Frodo shouted, pressing back against the wall. "MINE! MY OWN!" He looked around, panicking. With a last shout of "IT'S MINE!" He fled into the night.

"Mr. Frodo! " Sam cried, watching Frodo run into the shadowy night. He quickly got up, causing a certain half-asleep hobbit lass to fall to the ground.

"What's happened Sam…? What was all that yelling…?" Tersa asked, watching Sam hurriedly throw on his pack. "What are you doing?"

"Frodo, there's something wrong with him… I haven't time to explain, he's run off." Sam turned and looked at Tersa, the shadows from the dying embers of their campfire giving him a dark, troubled look. "Tersa, stay here. Rekindle the fire so I can find my way back."

"You could be killed! Wait until dawn, it can't be more than a few hours away! Any number of things could be lurking in the dark around here!"

"I have to. Mr. Frodo isn't in his right mind; he's in more danger than I am. And Ters?" Sam stepped closer to her, the shadows disappearing from his face.

"Yes?"

"If I don't come back, for whatever reason, find Frodo, and if you have to, take the Ring and destroy it." Sam kissed her forehead. "Remember that I love you, even if I can't make it back to you." He turned and ran into the darkness.

….Shhh, I didn't take forever to update. . . . Sorry about that…

Now for everyone's favorite section… REVIEW RESPONSES! Crickets chirp Okay, maybe not… e.e;

Lothliana: Yes, Sam would be all lonely if he killed Frodo, but I doubt Sam would kill Frodo anyway (unfortunately, I sometimes think.) Frodo might try to kill Tersa, but you'll just have to wait and see. Know it is being considered. ::Shifty eyes::

EJ Kridom: Yes I realize who you are Jessie, honestly. ::Sweatdrop:: I've been known to be dense, but not quite that dense… Hehehe… Hitting mutated frogs is fun…

Lindsey: Good to know that you were addicted to Sprite.::Sweatdrop:: Anyway, try not to be too hyper on the job…People might think there's something in the ice cream. -

Cavca: Hehe. Don't hit Frodo too hard… he needs to stay alive so we can toss him in the volcano a second time in Fellowship of the Cheerio…

Elriel: Never joke about something like that. O.O That nearly made me vomit up my entrails, that Gollum comment did.

Meha: HA! Now you must give me a real review! ::Dances:: :-P Muahahaha!

::Whacks uploader:: Load my indents and asterisks, curse you! T-T