Disclaimer: I own nothing. All the characters, cultures, places, etc. belong to the imagination of J.R.R. Tolkien. The only thing I created was the plot of this fan fiction and a few minor characters. Every recognizable thing was taken from Tolkien's books.
Unforeseen
Frodo awoke to the sound of soft voices quietly whispering amongst themselves late in the afternoon. He found himself lying in a small room on a clean bed. A sharp, horrible pain shot through Frodo's side and into his hand. He looked at himself, wondering if it had all been a dream, but at the sight of his bandaged hand he knew it was not so. He moaned quietly, but did not sit upright; he laid still listening to the soft elvish voices talking.
The past events were fogged in his mind. They seemed like little more than a dream, but he knew it was all too true. Letting his mind wonder, he subconsciously felt for the chain that had rested around his neck for such a long time, but it was not there. Panic took him. The Ring! Where was it? He sat upright, paying no attention to the qualm that shook him, and cried out in disbelief. The Elves, having heard his cry, ceased their conversation and peered into Frodo's room. One shouted in Elvish to his neighbor, and the second Elf turned out of sight. Frodo laid back down, trying to remain calm. He was with the Elves now, he needn't fear. Before long, he heard the repercussion of footsteps, and looked over his shoulder to see a familiar figure. Sam smiled weakly and walked up beside his master's bed.
"Oh, Mr. Frodo, you're awake!" the hobbit chimed. "I was beginning' to think you might never wake up," he added, blushing. He caught sight of Frodo's bandaged hand and his breath stopped abruptly. Frodo frowned. It pained him to see Sam so worried. He didn't think he would ever get used to seeing this once pert hobbit so serious and entailed.
"It seems like it's all over," Sam said, bringing Frodo's attention back to the speaking hobbit, "and it should be!" Sam turned his worried face toward the ground and barely whispered, "But now that haggard little wretch, Gollum, has the Ring. I told you we shouldn't trust him! Dirty, rotten little thief! We were so close." Sam let a hard fist slam against the soft bed and silent tears of enmity slid down his round cheek. Frodo felt another qualm, and a fear impaled him. Gollum had the Ring.
"Sam," Frodo interrogated, "what happened at Mt. Doom?" The hobbit stood silent and bowed his head, the memories too painful. Frodo, too, lowered his head. "It is all my fault," Frodo whispered. "I made the mistake in believing that I could destroy the Ring in the first place. We should never have left the Shire, Sam. Now Sauron knows our plan." Tears fell down Frodo's face now. "It is hopeless."
"Not entirely hopeless." Frodo and Sam spun around in unison and saw a shiftless Aragorn leaning against the doorframe. Frodo smiled at him. "There is always some hope, Frodo."
The halfling shook his head, obviously failing to agree.
"Sauron will be waiting for us," he said. "Gollum could be anywhere. Do you think he would give up the trinket so easily? He finally got what he wanted. He won't go down without a fight. Do you really believe he will give it to you?"
"No," Aragorn said with a shake of his head, "but we can take it from him. We have heard from a reliable source that the creature has been spotted in Mirkwood."
"How can we hope to destroy the Ring?" Frodo nearly shouted, the loud voice coming from the tiny hobbit surprising even Sam. "Is there anyone left who will fight for us?"
"It will be harder this time," Aragorn admitted, "and Sauron would be watching for us, but there is always a little hope left." Despite his own words, Aragorn knew it would be folly to attempt to destroy the Ring again. Even if they distracted the Dark Lord again, there was little strength in their war arms to keep his attention long. As much as he hated to admit it, Frodo was right. They would need more men.
"Even if we fail," Aragorn brought himself to say, "and the world is in ruin, we should still try. If we do nothing, then we are surely doomed. It would be worth the attempt." Aragorn sighed and turned to leave.
"Aragorn," Frodo's voice bid him stay, "what happened at Mt. Doom? What happened to Gollum, and how did we escape?"
"I would not know the full tale, for I was not with you," Aragorn replied. "Perhaps Sam could inform you." Aragorn nodded to Sam and moved out the door, but once again Frodo called him back.
"Could you at least tell me where we are?" Frodo pleaded with him. Aragorn smiled at the hobbit's persistence.
"We are staying with a group of Elves," the ranger replied. "They healed you and brought you back to health when we arrived nearly three days ago. We are with Elinduil, a dear friend of mine, just south of the Mirkwood border." Having said this, Aragorn waved to the hobbit and left down the small hall, closing the door behind him. Frodo turned questioningly toward Sam.
"In the Mountain," Sam began, "you put on the Ring and disappeared. I couldn't see you, but I can guess what happened. You tried to escape with it--with the Ring--and knocked me out. When I came to, you were struggling with Gollum who bit your finger off when the Ring was still on it. He flung you aside, and you might have fallen into the mountain yourself if it hadn't been for me. Gollum escaped and left us there. We crawled out of Mt. Doom and after a while Gandalf appeared on the back of an eagle. He flew us off the mountain, but I don't know what happened after that. I just know we're here. I kind of dosed off." His words faltered and the gardener fell silent, sitting beside Frodo.
"Now Gollum has it," Frodo determined. Sam nodded. Frodo laid back down and closed his eyes.
"Don't worry, Mr. Frodo," Sam comforted, laying a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Strider said there's always hope left. And even though I can't see it, it's got to be out there somewhere. Everything's going to be alright." Sam's pithy brought a small smile to Frodo's lips. Soon, Frodo fell asleep, his hand inside Sam's, and for a while he drifted away from the veritable dangers and cares of the world.
-----
Aragorn walked out of the room and left the two hobbits alone. He knew how much this time would mean to the little folk; he'd noticed how much they stuck together. Frodo would need to talk to Sam.
He walked a little ways down the hall and stopped in a small dining area. Legolas and Gimli were seated in the room, talking. Without so much as an acknowledgement to the ranger's presence, Legolas smiled and spoke without a glance at him, "Is Frodo awake?" Aragorn couldn't help but chuckle. He had no doubt that the Elf's acute hearing had picked up his footsteps long before he'd entered the room.
"One of these days, my friend," Aragorn said, sitting down bedside him, "I will catch you off your guard." The Elf turned to look at him, his flaxen hair spilling over his shoulders, and cocked a single eyebrow.
"Not in this lifetime," he replied, grinning madly.
"Yes," Aragorn said, "Frodo is awake. He woke up only a minute ago. Sam is with him now." Legolas nodded and appeased his face, his visage become smooth and creaseless again. "Tomorrow we shall ride to Mirkwood." Despite Legolas's nearly expressionless face, Aragorn could sense the excitement rise in the prince. A stifled moan issued from Gimli and the Elf almost laughed.
"What takes our travels to Mirkwood?" Legolas asked, clearly please by the dwarf's discomfort.
"Gollum has been seen there," Aragorn answered. "I received word of it yesterday." Legolas presently stopped his laughter and stared at the ranger.
"So we are sent on yet another wild goose chase," the Elf mused.
"I shall expect to leave at dawn," Aragorn stated. There was a short hmff from the dwarf and Aragorn smiled at him. "No one is forcing you to come," Aragorn reminded him.
"Aye, but I can't let you go off without me," Gimli said with a defiant nod that made the braids of his red beard shake. "I'll be coming."
"It is settled then," Legolas said, standing. "We shall depart at dawn." Aragorn nodded in consent and stood up as well.
"Rest well tonight," Aragorn advised them, directing the comment more to Gimli, for he knew Elves had little need for rest.
They then moved off to their respected quarters, but Aragorn lingered a while. He moved down the hall to the room in which he had left Frodo and Sam. He opened the door a sliver and peered in to find the two hobbits comfortably asleep, hand in hand. Aragorn smiled and closed the door very quietly, so he would not disturb them. He hoped with all his heart that they would find Gollum without much trouble.
Only the morning would tell.