Chapter 2 – Three Days from Gondor

The battle had less than a quarter of an hour. The orc army was rather small, but before Captain Faramir's troops could destroy the disgusting creatures, many of their own men had been killed.

Eowyn stabbed the orc coming at her, killing the last of their battle enemy. She then rushed off to the brush where she had left Frodo, hoping that he had been able to keep hidden from the nasty orcs.

Not seeing him within the shrubbery, she looked about in search of him. "Frodo." she called, "Frodo!" Eowyn wondered where he might be, and hoped that he was still alive. She couldn't bear the thought of her brave hobbit friends being killed by the orcs.

"Frodo!" she called again, "Sam!" She stopped, all at once remembering that Frodo's loyal gardener had been outside the camp gathering herbs to prepare the evening meal. "Sam!" Her thoughts drifted away, "Sam…"

…

"Sam!" Frodo cried out, in search of his beloved friend, "Sam!" Tears began to form and stung his eyes. "Oh, Sam," he groaned to himself as he frantically searched about the battlefield outside the camp, "I tried to keep anything from happening to you, I really did. Please answer me if you can hear…"

Frodo interrupted himself, "Sam!" He had spotted Sam's body face down amongst several orc carcasses. He rushed over to him and touched him, ever so gently, and carefully turned Sam's face body over so that his face was toward the sky, a beautiful sunset sky that showed no sign of the bloody battle that had just been fought only a few minutes before.

Frodo fought against his ultimate fears, "No. He can't be dead. He can't be."

"Sam." Frodo whispered as a tear trailed down his cheek and landed on Sam's face. He gently wiped the tear from his friend's face with his finger. Feeling Frodo's touch, Sam moaned slowly, "Mister…Frodo?" He could hardly speak, even saying his master's name was difficult for him.

"Yes, I'm here." Frodo said with a faint smile, relieved beyond words at finding Sam alive. "My dear Sam."

"I…found…" Sam coughed weakly, "more…sour weed." He slowly opened his right hand to reveal the herb that been crushed by the tightness of his nervous grip.

"Oh, Sam." Frodo said as more tears formed in the corners of his eyes. "I'm so sorry…"

Frodo's words were interrupted by Eowyn, who was coming up beside a wounded Faramir. "I was afraid we wouldn't find you alive." Eowyn admitted.

"Sam," Frodo began, "he's hurt. Badly I fear."

Faramir put his strong hand on the small hobbit's neck. "His heart is weak," said Captain Faramir, "He needs medical attention immediately."

"But we're three days from Gondor, do you think he'll make it, Faramir?" asked Eowyn.

"All we can do is hope," Faramir replied solemnly, "I'll get the horses, it will be faster than carrying him on foot."

Faramir rushed past the three and the dead orcs covering the ground to retrieve their steeds. Frodo slowly stroked Sam's wavy dark blonde hair. "Hang on," he said with hope in his voice, "Don't leave me. Don't you dare leave me, Samwise Gamgee." While Frodo spoke those words, he broke down in tears and scooped up his beloved Sam, sheltering him in his trembling arms. Eowyn put her hand on Frodo's shoulder and in an effort of comfort she said, "He'll make it. Sam is strong, he'll pull though." Frodo longed with all his heart to believe her reassuring words, but if Sam didn't pull through, there would be no comfort in all of Middle Earth for his grieving heart.

TBC