Faces of War
Chapter 24: Protecting
Disclaimer: Not my characters...but it's sure fun to have a go at pretending they are mine! All hail JRR...a true literary genius!
ClaudiaofBree: Yes, I think that Frodo has suffered the worst of his physical pain at the hands of the ruffians....he is aware of his mortality....worried that he'll not survive long enough to help the children....and giving himself more mental angst than any need suffer! He's not "out of the woods"...or shall I say "cave" yet! I continue to revise to ensure that his spirit remains a guiding light to others! Thanks for your kind words....I can only hope to entertain others as much as I do myself with these tales....."intriguing" is a wonderful notion....thank you!
Iorhael....do not despair....Frodo's strength will, though battered and beset by great evil, be sustained by the responsibility he feels towards others and the glimpses he has of his future! Galen will play a role....as will Sam, the children and other characters not yet on the scene! I continue to be amazed by your ability to "hand on to" the thread of more than one story at a time....I'm impressed! I hope that "Taken" will continue!
endymion.....I believe in that statement, that the evil of the world...be it through men, political groups or warring nations...can only affect the outside if we insist that our inner strength and convictions stay the course! Time is running out for Frodo....but he is in control of it...to some degree....although, the "bad men" have found another way to try and "force Frodo's hand"!
Shire Baggins: The choices of Numenor will play a further role...an enlightenment as such for our pint sized hero...he will have many choices before him I'm afraid. His over whelming concern right now is the children, you are right! Some stories do have it that The "mortals" that travel to Tol Eressa can choose their "time"...within reason...for they are not granted immortality! I am aiming to have this come in around 40 chapters...I keep revising it as I go along and may need to publish the remainder of the story in a sequel of sorts....we'll see! Thanks for reading with me!
Frodo's sense of hearing seemed sharper than it had before the quest, as he tried to sleep he began to hear every attempt the children made to be quiet. Soft rustles of fabric as they sat upon their pallets, quiet snatches of conversations and the soft ragged breath of children trying to cry in secret. He finally gave up his attempts to remain in his healing sleep and lay with eyes closed listening to the activity around him and wondering whose tears he'd been privy to. He opened his eyes, the room seemed shrouded in a haze of clouds as he sought to clear the herb induced sleep from his mind. He looked beside him to the figure of a young boy, arms wrapped about his drawn up knees, setting beside Frodo. He slowly reached a hand to the knee of the figure beside him, wanting to bring solace and comfort. "Kylos" he whispered "why do you grieve child?" he asked softly.
Kylos looked up, startled to have been caught in such a display. He hastily wiped a hand across his reddened eyes to erase the evidence of his emotions. Frodo looked upon his attempts to hide his emotions with great sadness, and when no answer to his query was forthcoming, he tried again. "Kylos", he felt a cough coming on and had to pause a moment as the cough took him and sent Kylos scrambling for a cup of water, he gratefully sipped the water as Kylos helped him sit up and then waving the offer of more away, he continued. "Kylos, you mustn't hide from your feelings lad....burying your fears does not make them go away" Frodo said , his face a study in contradictions. As he uttered that placating statement, he realized how he himself was perhaps guilty of the same charge. He laughed, a harsh, demeaning and self depreciating laugh that caused Kylos to frown and Frodo said softly "I have lived through many fears, and I have tried to hide from them all.....you shall have to trust me when I say that tears are not a sign of weakness." Kylos took a deep shuddering breath and began to cry once more. Frodo, with the agony of his leg and weakness of his fevering body could do little more than reach to squeeze the boy's hand.
After a few moments, Kylos was able to steady himself and said "they've taken her Frodo, they've taken her to another part of the cavern....Galen 'tis searchin, but I am afraid for her Sir." Frodo's face went white with the weight of Kylos' words and he struggled to roll to his back and sit up. The pain of his abraded backside and the agony of his leg brought tears to his eyes and he gasped in pain. "Shh, sir, steady now....Galen says yer not ta try and sit up quite yet." The boy said as he tried to sound in charge of the situation. Frodo lowered himself once more and clenched his eyes to fight the pain of both his body and heart. "Who took her Kylos, who?" he said, his voice filled with the worst pain of all, the helpless fear of pain for another. Kylos looked as if he wanted to not answer this question and tried to avoid looking at the smoldering pain and growing hate in the hobbits eyes. Finally he could stand the tense, heavy silence no more "Anborn sir....he had two 'o his men come in here jest moments ago....I tried ta stop em...really I did...but they threw me off...I hit the wall and when I came to, she was gone." Frodo looked anxiously at the boy, noticing for the first time a tightly clenched rag which the boy had used to staunch the trickle of blood still seeping from the cut upon his head.
Before Frodo could react to his newest discovery he detected the sound of approaching footsteps. He looked up to see Anborn and two of his men standing nearby. Kylos, with a cry of rage leapt to his feet and charged at the figure standing arms crossed upon his chest near the hobbit's bed. The two men reached quickly to grab the fury filled young one and restrained him roughly as Kylos swore at them. "Such words from the mouth of one so young...is that what the half high teaches ya to say ta yer betters?" Anborn said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Anborn gestured to his men to quiet the boy and with a quick shift of position, Kylos found himself , hands pulled behind painfully while the other man punched the boy in the stomach. Kylos tried not to cry out, not wanting to give these men the satisfaction, but the second punch to the face sent him reeling with a cry of pain, and he lay still where he'd landed. "Is that what a real man does Anborn....beats up on children?" Frodo cried, voice shaking with anger " he is not the target you seek, nor is the girl...cease your games and take me if that is your wish."
With cool detached precision Anborn knelt down and caressed the hobbit gently upon his cheek allowing his hand to linger under his chin he roughly grabbed Frodo's face and said
" I may jest take ye up on yer offer...but later, fer right now my brother is in need of yer wee one to lay some charges in the back tunnel...and yer needed ta help with the fuses, so as temptin' as ye are, my needs shall have to wait." he sneered as he loosened his grip and stood up. "Take him" Anborn said curtly to the men standing behind him. Frodo felt himself grasped by the arms and slung up upon the shoulders of one of the men. His bruised ribs thudded painfully against the mans shoulder and he let out a cry of pain. Anborn laughed "oh gentle with him lads, we've still got some use fer him...and his.... shall we say, services ". Frodo felt his head swim with dizziness as the pain from his previous torment and the agony of his throbbing leg made his breath come in short gasps. He raised his head weakly in time to see Kylos, with Galen at his side, attempt to stand, his face a contrast of pale fear and angry crimson. "Noooo" Kylos yelled as Galen restrained him and Frodo was taken once more from the security of the children's cavern.
Sam was awakened with a chortling "up ye go Master Gamgee...yer prayers to the lady have been answered, though I for one would be much more comforted with twenty of my own kin" Gimli said. Sam rubbed the blur of sleep from his eyes to see Legolas beside the dwarf, with twenty of his elven kinsmen behind him. He felt his backbone turn near to water as the relief of the sight washed over him. The early morning haze shone gently upon the quietly shimmering garb of the elves and Sam knew deep in his soul that this was the force that Frodo would find his way back to, for these proud and regal warriors seemed to share the light of his master. He scrambled awkwardly to his feet and looked from one friend to the other before throwing himself towards them and enveloped both in a hug, a tangle of arms and "thank yous" that left both elf and dwarf smiling.
Legolas was still smiling as he reached to disengage Sam from him and he knelt to make eye contact "Sam, I know that Frodo is close to despair, but have courage, there is anger yet that sustains him....there is still time" the elf's deep and misty sea colored eyes sought to lock and hold to the hobbit's faith. With a slow and gradually accepting nod, Sam allowed the strength of the Prince of Mirkwood to buoy him for another day of hope. "What must we do Legolas? In what way can we get my Mr. Frodo from the darkness of those caverns?" Sam asked, trying to not let his hope take control of his sensibilities.
The elves, with the hobbits and Gimli before them, formed a circle about a flat patch of earth. Legolas quickly etched the design of the camp upon the ground "we have seen guards here, here and in this location" he said as he marked a few more spots upon his crude map. The problem we face is knowing when the guards shift....we must watched them through at least a 24 hour period to ensure that our estimation of their strength is accurate" Legolas looked intently at all assembled, we must not be wrong in our estimates....for it could spell disaster if they are left in the back of the cave with no way for us to reach them. Sam thought suddenly of the kindly guard they'd met as they'd visited last time "perhaps we could find us a friend on the inside....twould that be of help Legolas?". Legolas raised one eyebrow "You hobbits have friends in many places" he said a faint smile upon his lips "of whom do you speak Sam?".
Looking mighty pleased with himself, Sam gathered all in the fellowship closer and told once more of his meeting with Galen. In just minutes a course of action was decided upon and the hobbits began to break camp as Legolas pulled a worried looking Gimli aside. "I've word from Aragorn, he's not yet heard from the captors....the messenger to tell of their meeting place is due to contact him on the morrow....he and Lord Faramir have taken a hundred of the tower guard to stake out the river points that harbor the ships." Gimli nodded "aye, sounds like a good plan....do ye not worry that your surveillance of the camp will arouse suspicion? These men are naught but animals Legolas....there's no tellin' what they might yet do to Mr. Baggins.". The elf closed his eyes but a moment and seemed to meditate upon his decision to advance to the camp, Gimli waited , as patiently as a dwarf can, for he knew his friend would do nothing rashly. Legolas opened his eyes at last, they were tinged with sadness and pain. "He contemplates his gifts Gimli, we can wait no longer." Gimli, his brows pulled together in a frown asked "what gift? Stop speakin' in riddle Elf" his voice sounding a little gruff and testy. The Prince of Mirkwood shook his head sadly and placed a slender hand upon the squareness of his friend's shoulder. "He has been gifted by the Valar Gimli, he, as with the eldar and the race of Numenor, may choose the time of his long journey." Gimli, suddenly understanding frowned " I, fer one can not see the ringbearer givin' up, he's just as stubborn as Bilbo...perhaps more". Legolas nodded as they walked to where the wagons and mounted elves were waiting "That is the hope we shall hold to then my friend. Now we must ride, we are yet a day or more from the best surveillance sites."
A sudden shock of cold and the feel of water streaming down his face left Frodo sputtering as he was woken violently from his pain induced slumber. The guards had carried him into a far passage, the dark, dank and gradually withering space around him made Frodo shudder, 'how long has it been since I have seen the light of the sun, felt a breeze upon my face or grass under my feet?' he wondered sadly. His thoughts continued upon a far darker trail as he found himself unable to stop from wondering if he ever would again have the simple hobbit pleasures of nature in it's quiet glory. He felt a hand grab his shoulder roughly "get ya up now half high, Dalmer don't like ta be kept waitin' ". Frodo looked blearily upon the face of yet another scruffy and unwashed looking member of Dalmer's gang, he wrinkled his nose in disgust 'do they never wash themselves' he wondered. He struggled to sit up and was yanked to his feet. He gasped with the pain of his foot and would have fallen from his pain and dizziness had not a small arm suddenly reached up to snake itself around his waist. He said a quick "thank you" to Arda and painfully reached to hug his princess in return. "Sir Frodo, I knew you'd come" she whispered. He looked her over quickly, a scratch upon her cheek but otherwise no sign of damage, he breathed a sigh of relief. The guard retreated a few steps and brought Frodo his crutch that Galen had made him several days ago. The surly man thrust it wordlessly to Frodo and gestured that they should follow him, they did. In just a few hobbled steps Frodo felt his breath coming in gasps, the sweat roll down his neck and back as he fought to suppress his pain. After a few moments of such walking he felt he would soon pass out, but luck was with him and just a few steps further brought them to their destination.
Dalmer stood, his back to them, pouring over a map and turned to speak as they approached.
"I finally found a use fer you half high, somethin' other than what what my brother desires yer for anyway...I hear yer the one whose been settin' the fuses. " Frodo swayed, clutching desperately at the wall on one side and the crutch on his other and he glared at the man before him. Dalmer, seeing the slow anger and resistance build with in the hobbit, snaked out his hand and caught Rosetta in a bone crushing hug as he dragged her into his embrace. He slapped a big beefy hand upon her delicate white face "no funny stuff...I mean it, or yer little friend shall suffer for yer lack of 'cooperation' ". Frodo paled and did his best to wipe his face free of his seething anger. The man grinned "yes, yes that's it...much better"...he released Rosetta, who flew to Frodo's side and clung to his good leg. "What is my task Dalmer....I shall do it and return to the cavern, someone has to ensure that you've kept to your word and feed the children." he said firmly. Dalmer smirked "ye'll do as yer told, on my terms half high, not yers...or I may just have ta spend some time showing her majesty here around the establishment" he said as he winked at Rosetta. Frodo looked puzzled and Dalmer laughed "has no one told ya then, that we are ta keep the prisoners of the King....no matter their making". A little tremor seemed to shake the ground beneath the hobbits feet and he looked up in panic. Loud and grunting, snarling noises could be heard and Frodo watched in horror as the guards paraded three very large and ferocious orcs through the dusty shadows of the doorway. Frodo shrunk back, his eyes wide in terror, heart starting to beat an uneven rhythm to keep pace with his terror. He was flooded with images of Cirith Ungol and the tower, he began to breath rapidly finding his breaths becoming more shallow as he became more dizzy. "I see yer familiar with these 'men' Frodo...if ye'd like to not be too familiar with a gang of Orcs, just thirsten for revenge on the ringbearer....then ye'll do all that I ask...and then some" he sneered, his hard eyes a force to be feared. Frodo felt his world become very small, dark and confusing as his senses rebelled and he collapsed to the arms of the nearby guard. His last memory was of the stench of men, the feel of the ground and the terror of torments he'd tried so hard to forget.