Okay, back to Hazel!

Chapter 9

The Choices of Master Samwise

Sam had continued running through the cave when he heard a strange noise. He held his sword in his hand and hesitated forward. He finally came out of the cave and found a most horrifying sight. There standing before him, was a giant spider. It held a limp Hazel in its many arms and was spinning her around, covering her in a strange sticky string. He held out the vile Frodo had tossed him just before they started running out of the cave. He held up the star that started glowing in one hand, and his sword in the other.

"Let her go, you filth!" Sam growled. "Let her go!" He continued in a commanding voice. The great spider dropped Hazel, accepting Sam's challenge.

"You will not touch her again! Come on and finish it!" Sam declared as the spider hissed at him. The creature ran at him. Sam backed away and up the wall, the spider following closely behind. Sam turned and kicked and stabbed it in the face. It cried and grabbed Sam's ankle, dragging him to the ground. He dropped his sword and the vile. Shelob kicked it aside and charged. Sam ran for his sword and tripped. He looked up and saw a stinger, oozing with poison. He rolled out of the stinger's way, enabling himself to grab his sword and stabbing the spider, right in the abdomen. The creature jumped and backed away, slipping on its legs. Sam ran and picked up the vile. He hurriedly held it before Shelob's eyes.

"Back, back!" He growled. Shelob cried and backed away inside a tunnel, dragging her tired legs behind her.

Sam ran over to Hazel. She was lying on the ground covered in what looked like a cocoon.

"Hazel," Sam cried. He tore away some of the stuff, and looked at her face. Her skin seemed unusually pale, looking lifeless. Her eyes were wide open, and she stared into the heavens.

"No," Sam cried, tears pouring down his face. "Hazel," He said, shaking her. "Hazel," He pulled her close to him and put her head in his lap. "Wake up, don't leave me alone! Don't go where I can't follow! Wake up! Please don't be…dead!" He pleaded, hugging her tightly and sobbing. He grieved sadly over his cousin. All this time, Hazel had taken care of him. She looked after him and Ruby. Of course, she would pick on him for her own entertainment, but beat up anyone else who tried.

Now she was gone.

Sam wondered what he would tell Ruby, if he ever saw her again. Would he be able to? Would Ruby be able to hear the truth? He could never lie to sweet Ruby. The best he could do was take Hazel's prized pearl necklace and give it to Ruby. That way she could have something to remember Hazel by. Her elegance, her intellect, her courage, and her legacy would be remembered. He closed Hazel's eyes so she would appear sleeping. Sam removed more of Hazel's prison, reaching for the beautiful necklace. Something else made him stop immediately. He slowly pulled a golden chain over Hazel's head, and there staring him right in the face, was the ring.

How did Hazel get the ring?

Sam looked around in confusion, half expecting Frodo to come forward to explain.

But Frodo was gone.

What was Sam to do now?

His decision was made short when he heard voices. He knew right then and there what to do. He quietly crept off behind some rocks and waited. A gang of orcs came forth, walking with purpose. The leader stopped at the sight of Hazel's body.

"What's this?" He sneered. "Looks like old Shelob's been having a bit of fun!"

"Killed another one, I see." His companion mused.

"No," The leader said as he bent down and poked at Hazel's left shoulder. "This fellow ain't dead!"

"Not dead?" Sam whispered to himself, in complete shock and relief.

"She jabs him with her stinger," The leader explained. "And he goes as limp as a bone fish, then she has her way with them. That's how she likes to feed-fresh blood! Get him to the tower!" Two orcs stepped forward and carried Hazel in their arms, still not realizing that it was a hobbit lass they were carrying.

"Samwise, you fool!" Sam quietly scolded himself. How could he have let this happen? Where was Frodo when you needed him?

"This scum will be awake in a couple of hours." One of the orcs said.

"Then he'll wish he'd never been born!" The leader declared, before turning and following his companions back to the tower.

~jb~

Frodo slowly opened his eyes, still in the foul-smelling cave. His head was pounding. He felt so cold and didn't know why, until he realized his shirt was missing. He looked around in confusion and noticed his shirt had been used to bind his hands together. Standing over him was an orc that was looking greedily at his mithril coat.

"Hey!" Frodo cried. He found his sword lying nearby. He grabbed it and stood with his hands still bound. The orc drew his sword and charged at the hobbit. Frodo blocked it and fought the orc like he never fought anyone before in his life. But the orc suddenly retreated and ran off, carrying the mithril coat, along with the elfish robe he had been given in Lothlorien. Frodo suddenly felt angry. He threw his sword aside and wriggled his way out of the binds. He hastily put his shirt on and paced for a moment. What was going on? Why didn't anyone come to help him, and more importantly, where was everyone?

If something happened to Hazel… Frodo took his sword and slashed at some webs at the thought, his anger rising higher and higher. He shook his head and tucked his shirt in. He re-adjusted his trousers and made his way down the cave. A figure came running toward him and knocked him over.

"Frodo!" A voice cried. "Thank goodness you're all right!"

"Sam?" Frodo asked, kicking the hobbit off him. "Sam, what on earth is going on here? Where is Hazel?"

Sam helped Frodo to his feet as he began to explain: "Hazel's in trouble!"

"What sort of trouble?" Frodo asked.

"She got attacked by this giant spider!" Sam said. "She was stung by it, and I thought she died! But then I saw a group of orcs come and take her! They said she wasn't dead, and they took her to this tower!"

Frodo looked furious at the news. "You just left her there?" Frodo demanded. "How could you have done that?! If anything happens to her…" His voice trailed off as another problem dawned on him. "Oh no!" He exclaimed. "They're going to take it! They'll take the ring, and surely all will come to ruin!" He fell to the ground and buried his face in his hands. He had lost his poor Hazel, and well…lost everything!

"Begging your pardon," Sam said calmly. "But they won't." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring. "I thought we had lost Hazel…so I took it. Only for safe keeping. I'm not sure how she got it, but I wonder how you even lost sight of it."

A concerned look came across Frodo's face. "Give me the ring." He said. "Give me the ring, Sam."

To Sam, Frodo's voice became faint and distant. He looked at Frodo in confusion, feeling quite reluctant to give him the ring. But he reached his hand forward, pain rushing through it. Frodo reached up and snatched it and the pain in Sam's hand was gone. Frodo placed the ring around his neck.

"You must understand, Sam." Frodo said. "The ring is my burden. It will destroy you, Sam." He stood up, breathing heavily.

"If that is so," Sam asked, sounding a little envious. "Why was Hazel carrying it?"

"Because Galadriel came to her," Frodo replied. "She said that sharing the weight will make the burden lighter. I must admit, right now I feel some of the weight lifted. But it will come back…Now I feel I should never have let her carry it." He continued, regretfully.

"There's only one thing to do now," Sam declared. "We have to go after Hazel."

"Do you know where the orcs took her?" Frodo asked.

"Yes, they're taking her to a tower not far from here." Sam replied. "I know where the exit of this place is."

"Show me," Frodo said, and with that, Sam led him on toward the exit. A look of anger and determination came over Frodo's eyes. If any orc dared to hurt his Hazel…

He would kill them.

Here's a side of Frodo you don't normally see… not even in the books…

Anyway, I hope you liked it, even though there is a giant man-eating spider.