Chapter 19: Treachery at the Forbidden Pool, Gollum's regression
.
.
.
.
Sometime later at night in Henneth Annûn, all was silent…
.
.
Captain Faramir of Gondor sat alone on a rock… holding within his hands… Boromir's cloven ox horn. The majority of his men were asleep, including the captives, Frodo, Sam, Ben, Duck, Clementine, and Lilly. He became very deep in thought, knowing that he has met someone who actually knew his brother, Boromir. He was indeed grieved over his brother's death at the hands of the Uruk-Hai…
.
.
Faramir thought back to where he was that day, at the Anduin River… when he had just discovered his brother's horn, broken in half. Filled with fear… the young captain slowly stepped out into the river… seeing a boat coming in his direction, with nobody in it apparently…
.
Faramir then looked inside the boat…
.
And saw his brother, laid out in a state of honor with his weapons and shield. Faramir instantly became shocked and sad, as he just stood there and watched the boat pass him by, disbelieving the fact that he had just discovered his brother dead and laid to rest upon the Anduin River…
.
.
.
Faramir began shedding tears… gripping his hands tighter upon the broken horn. Now with Boromir gone from this world… it was up to him to save and bring peace to Gondor once more. The last time he and Boromir saw each other… was when Boromir had been selected to head out to Rivendell for Elrond's council, though he was reluctant to do so. Faramir opted to go, but his father, Denethor, the Steward of Gondor, wouldn't have it, for he always favored Boromir over Faramir to bring justice to Gondor. And even now… Faramir wished that he were the one selected to go to Rivendell.
As Faramir continued to dwell in his grief…
.
.
"Captain Faramir," one of his men called out to him.
.
Faramir turned his head as his man came toward him… and whispered something in his ear…
.
.
.
.
Faramir and a few of his men went to a cavern storeroom, where Lilly, Clementine, Duck, Frodo, Sam, and Ben were sleeping. The area was scattered about with crates and barrels around the room. He stood before Frodo as he awoke.
.
Faramir said to the Hobbit, "you must come with me, now."
Just then… Lilly awoke looking up at Faramir, "eh, what's going on?" She asked.
Clementine and Duck awoke looking up at Faramir,"
"Where are you taking him?" Clementine asked.
"Where are you going, Frodo," Duck asked.
"I have to borrow the halfling for a moment," said Faramir, "you stay here my lady and children."
"Wait just a minute," Lilly said a little intensely, "if you're taking Frodo somewhere, I want to know where. Besides what concerns Frodo concerns the rest of us as well."
.
Faramir looked at Lilly, Clementine, and Duck with an unsettling, yet untrusting expression, still unwilling to let her come along.
.
"Let her, Clementine, and Duck come along, Faramir," said Frodo, "…I wish them to come with me."
"…Very well then," Faramir reluctantly agreed to Lilly's company, "but the other three will remain here, understood?"
.
Frodo, Lilly, Clementine, and Duck nodded, accepting Faramir's terms.
.
"Damrod," Faramir called to one of his men, "stand guard here, if they should ever wake up to inquire about their companion's whereabouts."
"Yes, Captain," answered Damrod. Faramir then gestured to Lilly, Clementine, Duck, and Frodo to come along.
.
.
.
.
Frodo, Lilly, Clementine, Duck, and Faramir went outside the cave and came onto a ledge. The moon shone full, as it painted everything silver. Faramir was up front while Frodo, Lilly, Clementine, Duck were way behind him. The captain was at the edge of the ledge, looking down towards a pool at the bottom of the waterfall, for anything suspicious. Once he did…
.
Faramir turned back to Lilly, Clementine, Duck, and Frodo as he pointed down below, "down there." He said beckoning the pair…
Frodo, Lilly, Clementine, and Duck came up to Faramir… and looked down towards the pool… shocked and surprised…
.
To see the creature, Sméagol-Gollum, sitting on a rock at the pool's edge… just before he dove into the silver water…
.
.
"To enter the Forbidden Pool bears the penalty of death." Faramir told them quietly, as they gasped inwardly at Faramir.
.
.
The young captain then turned his head upwards, with Frodo, Lilly, Clementine, and Duck following his gaze…
.
And archers silently appeared out of the bushes, with arrows notched on their bows, ready to shoot Smeagol. Faramir then turned downwards…
.
Where more archers appeared, from their hiding places, with bows at the ready, to shoot the creature that was violating their territory…
.
.
"…They wait for my command," Faramir said, watching his captives closely, as they were dismayed to know that their guide will be shot on sight, "…shall I shoot?"
.
Frodo, Lilly, Clementine, and Duck looked at each other from the corners of their eyes, feeling that they have to do something fast. They all watched Smeagol play by the pool in horrified indecision. Smeagol climbed out of the water onto the rock with a fish, as he sang:
.
.
The rock and pool…
Is nice and cool…
So juicy sweeet…!
.
.
As Smeagol enjoyed his song…
.
Faramir lifted his arm to give the signal to shoot the creature while glancing at Duck, Clementine, Lilly, and Frodo with a raised brow. Their dismay increased greatly, as the archers tightened their bows…
.
.
And our only wish…
To catch a fish…
So juicy sweeeeet…!
.
.
Smeagol continued singing, whacking the fish hard upon the rock a few times…
.
Frodo looked wide eyed at Faramir, then back down at the pool where Smeagol was happily eating the fish. Lilly, Clementine, and Duck could only look at Frodo, as he was the only one who could tell Faramir to stop. Lilly, Clementine, and Duck knew that Frodo was reluctant to answer Faramir about him in the first place, which was probably the reason that he only wanted Frodo to come… because they had found Smeagol. If Lilly, Clementine, Duck, and Frodo were to let Faramir shoot, it would simply be murder. But if they were to beg for Smeagol to be let go… their request would only be ignored…
.
.
The fish almost wriggled out of Smeagol's grasp, but regained his hold… and whacked it on the rock many times more, even harder, unaware of the danger that he was in…
.
.
Faramir was ready to give the signal for firing…
.
.
.
"Wait!" Frodo spoke up and Faramir stopped, as the Hobbit and Lilly, Clementine, and Duck knew that they had to tell Faramir about the creature, "…this creature is bound to me… and I to him."
.
"He always know to lead the way," asked Clementine.
"He help us along the path," asked Duck
With a perplexed expression, Faramir was both surprised and not surprised to hear that Frodo knew about the creature and didn't tell him before.
.
"…He is our guide," Frodo answered further, with Lilly, Clementine, and Duck nodding in agreement and pleaded with the captain, "please… let us go down to him."
"…I will only let you and Lilly go down, Frodo," said Faramir, only letting Frodo and Lilly go down, "…I wish for Clementine and Duck to remain here."
Clementine and Duck then turned to Frodo and said, "it's alright Frodo." said Clementine.
"It was your life that he saved. So you should be the one to return the favor." said Duck.
.
Frodo thought a moment… then nodded to what Lilly said. It should be him to save Smeagol since he saved him from drowning in the Dead Marshes. And with that… Frodo proceeded down towards the pool. However, Faramir was still suspicious.
.
.
.
Smeagol continued tearing into the raw fish with a very hearty appetite, happily enjoying his meal. Frodo and Lilly pushed their ways through the bushes behind Smeagol as his heart sank, thinking that it would probably be impossible for the creature to ever understand or believe… that Frodo had saved his life in the only way he could…
.
"Smeagol," he called quietly, but Smeagol could barely hear Frodo at first, spiting out a piece of the fish in his hands.
"It's us," Lilly called quietly,"
"Master is here," Frodo spoke up a little… and Smeagol turned around, looking behind him in surprise.
"…Come, Sméagol," Frodo continued to call out, beckoning his guide.
"Come on, let's go" Lilly also continued to call beckoning his guide.
Smeagol looked at Frodo and Lilly hesitantly, as Clementine and Duck, from up above could only watch, hoping that Smeagol will follow Frodo and Lilly out of the pool and not get killed by the rangers.
.
"…Trust master… come," Frodo said, slowly backing up the way he had come and gesturing for Smeagol to follow.
Smeagol paused for a moment… before asking in bewildered confusion, "…we must, go now?"
"Yes, Smeagol, its time for us to go now," answered Lilly.
But then… Smeagol inquired, "…where is the two little children's-?"
"The kids are fine, everyone's just fine, Smeagol," Lilly quickly interrupted, answering further, then insisted, "but you must trust master and mistress. Follow us, come on… come."
Smeagol then put the fish in his mouth… and hesitantly started to follow Frodo and Lilly with a smile…
.
'Yes, that's right, Smeagol,' thought a relieved Clementine, looking from above, '…follow your master and mistress.'
"No one is not gonna hurt you," though a relived Duck.
"…Come, Smeagol," Frodo encouraged him, "nice Sméagol. That's it… come on…"
.
Smeagol happily continued to follow Frodo and Lilly… because had a master that he could trust. Then the creature's eyes widened as he looked wildly from left to right…
.
.
And one of Faramir's men took him by surprise as he grabbed Smeagol by the neck and held him up, ambushing him from the bushes. The rest of the rangers came out of the bushes, aiming their bows at the creature.
.
"Don't hurt him!" Frodo cried anxiously to the soldiers, very shocked to see the rangers ambushing Sméagol…
"Let him go!" cried Lilly anxiously to the soldiers.
As was Clementine, as she yelled at Faramir, "what are you doing, Faramir! You have to let him go!"
Duck yelled at Faramir, "Please, why are you doing this, Faramir! You have to listen to Frodo and Lilly,"
.
Then… two of the rangers came up to Clementine and Duck, holding two knifes to their backs.
.
"Do not move little children's," the ranger warned Clementine and Duck. Clementine and Duck could only look helplessly at the rangers who ended up wrestling down Sméagol mercilessly, as the creature wailed loudly.
.
"Sméagol don't struggle!" Frodo screamed wildly to the still struggling Sméagol, "Sméagol, listen to me!"
"Frodo's right, Smeagol, listen to us," Lilly screamed wildly to the still struggling Smeagol
"Master! Mistress!" Smeagol wailed reproachfully at Frodo and Lilly, feeling betrayed by the one Hobbit and the one Women he truly loved… and trusted.
Then the rangers covered Smeagol's face with a black cloth, as he was carried away, whimpering and screeching miserably. Frodo and Lilly stared after them with a stricken expression and looked up at Faramir as he, Clementine, and Duck turned away from the pool, taking Sméagol prisoner.
.
.
.
.
.
In another part of the cave, Faramir's rangers wrestled with Sméagol even more, punching and slapping him fiercely, being tortured mercilessly like he was with the Orcs at Barad-dûr.
.
"Ahhhhhhh! No! Nooooo!" Sméagol wailed, begging the rangers to stop beating him senseless.
"That's enough!" Faramir called to the men.
.
And they threw the creature down onto the rocky ground. Crying in misery, Sméagol crawled and scrambled into a corner and curled up into ball, under a bulge in the rock wall, with his back, to the men, whimpering in fear of them.
Faramir went up to Sméagol and asked intensely, "where are you leading them?"
Smeagol snuggled closer to the rock wall, his arms wrapped around himself, his hands over his shoulders and on his back and wouldn't answer him, weeping and sobbing quietly.
"Answer me!" Faramir demanded, growing impatient.
.
Suddenly…
.
"Sméa… gol?" he asked himself, cooing and stroking his hand smoothly on his back…
.
But apparently, it wasn't Sméagol talking… it was Gollum… now trying to take control…
.
"…Why does it cry, Sméagol?"
"…Cruel men hurts us," Sméagol answered, sobbing and deeply hurt, "master and Mistress tricksed us."
"Of course they did," Gollum said reasonably.
.
Sméagol sobbed again…
.
"I told you he was tricksy," Gollum confirmed about Frodo and Lilly, as Sméagol sobbed even more, "I told you they are false."
"But," Sméagol said suddenly, in realization, "…the two little children's still likes Sméagol. They wouldn't hurt-"
"Where was the two children's?" Gollum interrupted, cooing even more, "…master and mistress was so keen to answer sooo quickly when you asked about where they were, wasn't he? The two little children wasn't there because they wanted master and mistress to hurt you…"
.
A pause…
.
"they're tricksy too, just like master," ended Gollum.
"Master, mistress, and the two little children are our friends ...our friends," said Sméagol in a low, uncertain voice…
.
As Faramir watched continuously in horrified fascination at the conversation the creature was having with itself. Besides being hideous, Faramir saw for himself… the growing madness of the creature… a madness that he had never witnessed before in his life…
.
"Master and Mistress betrayed ussss!" Gollum hissed harshly, "…they all betrayed us!"
"Noooo, not it's business!" whimpered Sméagol even more, trying to defend Frodo and Lilly, "leave us alone!"
But…
.
"Filthy little hobbitsesss!" Gollum grated roughly, while pounding his fist, "filthy little travelersessss! They stole it from usss! They all stole it from ussss!"
"No… no!" Smeagol groaned miserably, with his hands over his head.
Despite what Faramir had witnessed with the seemingly deranged creature… he asked in great curiosity, "…what did they steal…?"
.
Then… Gollum turned to face Faramir with a wild, savage expression. It seemed that Gollum took over once again…
.
"…Myyy… PRECIOUS!" Gollum answered, growling ferociously, "aaaaaarrrrgggggghhhh!"
.
.
.
.
Back in the storeroom of the cavern, where the travelers were being held… Sam, Ben, Travis, Duck, Clementine, and Lilly were huddled before Frodo, sitting on their knees, discussing what to do next, since their guide was taken prisoner…
.
"We have to get out of here." Sam said urgently.
"Yeah, you said it, Sam," agreed Ben, "we can't stay here any longer, that's for sure."
"Even if we wanted to Ben," interjected Lilly, "how are we going to do it? This cave's practically crawling with Faramir's men. I doubt we'll all be able to escape."
Sam and Ven realized that what Lilly said was true. And then…
Sam had a suggestion as he looked at Frodo. "I know… you can go, Mr. Frodo," he said to Frodo, "go, now!"
Sam crawled up towards Frodo and added, "you can do it. Use the ring, Mr. Frodo. Just this once… put it on… disappear."
But despite the suggestion, Frodo was hesitant.
"…Sam's right Frodo," said Ben, agreeing with Sam. "…you've got to use the ring to disappear… and get away."
"…I can't," returned Frodo, with despair in his voice, "…you were right, Sam… all of you were right. You tried to tell me, but…"
.
Everyone felt sorry for Frodo, knowing that he finally realized that the ring has been taking ahold of him all this time…
"…I'm sorry," Frodo gave his sincerest apologies to his companions… companions who have been trying to help him on this harsh journey.
"The ring's taking me… if I put it on, he'll find me," ended a horror-thickened Frodo, cringing within his own fear, "…he'll see."
"Mr. Frodo," Sam said in concern.
"Frodo," Clememtine cut in, "…I know how you feel. We all do.
"All of us have our times of despair and horror," Duck also Cut in, "… especially when we're in a situation like this."
Frodo looked at Clementine and Duck in confused gratitude. "Miss Clementine, and Mr. Duck, " Frodo sadly spoke.
"But still," Lilly went on, sternly, "Sam, Ben, and Travis are right. We have to get out of this place somehow."
"I doubt that will be possible now, my lady Lilly," Faramir came in.
.
The travelers gasped and stood up as Faramir drew his sword…
.
"So," said Faramir with a tight voice as he began to approach Frodo, "…this is the answer to all the riddles."
Sam stood helplessly, afraid to move to Frodo's defense. Ben and Travis however, wanted to intervene… but Lilly held them back, laying her hand on his shoulder, not wanting them to involve themselves rashly.
"Here in the wild I have you," Faramir added, advancing closer to Frodo, as the Hobbit backed away from him, towards the wall, "two halflings, a woman, two children, two teen boys… and a host of men at my call…"
Frodo flattened himself against the wall, with both arms spread at his sides, his hands gripping the rock…
"…The ring of power within my grasp," Faramir continued quietly, almost to himself… as he dipped the tip of his sword into the front of Frodo's shirt… and drew out the ring, hooking the chain from Frodo's neck, "…a chance for Faramir, captain of Gondor… to show his quality."
.
Everyone continued to stand helpless at Faramir's discovery of the ring of power. Suddenly… the ring whispered… and Frodo began to fall into a trance…
.
Frodo's look of fear slowly changed… as his eyes rolled up, showing the whites within them…
.
But then… Lilly started to act strangely… as her eyes began to blink slowly… and her faint groans emitting from her breath, with the ring's power tempting her once more…
.
Ben, Clementine, and Duck looked up at Lilly worriedly, wondering what was going on with her, as he was still unaware of her temptation for the ring. Lilly had always felt a sense to have the ring… ever since she saw Frodo caressing it with his hands too many times…
.
Faramir was tempted as well, knowing he has an object of power within his reach…
.
Frodo's eyes met Faramir's again, but this time… Frodo looked feral…
.
And…
.
.
"…nnnNOOOOOOOOOO!" snarled Frodo, almost roaring, as he grabbed the ring in his hand, and pushed the sword away aggressively, running away from Faramir.
.
.
As he did… Lilly came out of her trance as well. Frodo retreated into a corner, where he wept quietly. Lilly, Clementine, and Duck then went up to Frodo… and embraced him lovingly, after being threatened by Faramir.
.
"Don't worry, Frodo… I won't let him near you," Lilly assured him, then turned sharply to Faramir, "Faramir's acting more like Boromir every time. He's definitely his brother alright."
"It's okay, Frodo. We're here for you," Clementine assured him.
"We'll make sure that, he won't go near you." Duck also assured him.
.
Wondering why Lilly, Clementine, and Duck could say that about Boromir, Faramir starts to go over to Frodo, Lilly, Clementine, and Duck for the answer, but Ben, Travis, and Sam obstructed him.
.
"Stop it!" Sam cried angrily, "leave him alone!"
"Yeah, back off, you creep!" Ven cried even more angrily, "I don't care if you're Boromir's brother or not."
"Don't you understand? He's got to destroy it," Sam said to Faramir fervently, "that's where we're going, into Mordor… to the mountain of fire."
"And to answer your question about me, Duck, Clementine, and Lilly," interjected Ben, "you were right on one thing… we're one of those rumored people from the other world that's so talked about here. Sauron is also threatening our world… and we intend to see the ring destroyed so that we can all be saved.
"…I may be just teens who doesn't understand everything. But we do know that if you're thinking about trying to control the ring's power… you can just forget about it, because the ring's nothing but trouble. It'll only obey its creator," finished Ben.
Just then, one of Faramir's men came in with news. "Osgiliath is under attack," he said urgently, "they call for reinforcements."
"…Captain Faramir," interjected Lilly, saying her peace, "…I can understand what you're all going through with what's happening in your land. All of you are expecting a miracle of some kind. But believe us when we tell you… the ring is not that miracle that you so desperately want!"
"Would please you let us be free," asked Clementine.
"Please, let us go," asked Duck.
"Miss Lilly, Miss Clementine, and Mr. Duck are right, sir," Sam agreed, as Faramir glanced at him, "please… its such a burden to us all. Will you not help us?"
.
Faramir contemplated all of his prisoners' words and warnings about the ring, as he stood like a statue, indecisive about what to do…
.
"Captain?" asked the man.
Moments passed before… Faramir replied, "…prepare to leave."
.
The man went away to tell the others to pass the order to head for Osgiliath for assistance. Sam, Lilly, Clementine, Duck, and Ben waited as Faramir turned back to them for his answer…
.
.
"…The ring will go to Gondor," Faramir declared to the travelers.
Sam, Lilly, Clementine, and Duck gasped fearfully as Ben growled, "…grr! Haven't you heard anything I've said?!"
"I have," Faramir replied contemptuously to Ben, "…you said so yourself that you are only a teenage boy who doesn't understand everything. So how do you know what we can or can't control?"
.
Ben went speechless as Sam was filled with despair, fearing the worst…
.
.
.
.
Disclaimer: I do not own Telltale Series The Walking Dead or Lord of the Rings. TWD is the property of Darrell Rodriguez and Lord of the Rings is the property of Professor J. R. R. Tolkien
.