Chapter 15 Guilt
"My fault, my fault, my fault," was all Frodo could think as he stood away from the group. Gandalf was dead and it was his fault. It had
been his decision to go through the mine. His decision to take the ring to Mordor. If he had not done these things Gandalf would still be
alive. He couldn't believe the wizard was gone. The old wizard who had been his friend for so many years was gone. How was he going
to find his way without him? Tears filled his eyes as he turned to look at his companions. Sam and Pippin were crying. Merry was trying
to comfort Pippin. Aragorn and Legolas were pulling everyone to their feet. He saw Mariell standing close to him. She was turned away
from him but he could tell something was wrong. He gasped as he saw her collapse.
"Aragorn!" he yelled as he hurried to his sister's side. Mariell's face was pale and she seemed to be having trouble breathing. He knew
she'd been having trouble in the mine but shouldn't she be all right now that they were out? Aragorn and the others came over quickly.
"She's wounded," Aragorn said. Frodo looked up and saw blood covering the ranger's hand. He gasped as he realized that it was
Mariell's blood.
"Turn her on her back!" Aragorn ordered. Carefully they rolled Mariell onto her back. Aragorn ripped open her tunic exposing her. If
Frodo weren't so worried about her wound he would have tried to do something to cover Mariell's breasts. But his sister's life was more
important than her dignity. Frodo blanched when he saw the blood oozing from a hole in her side just below her ribcage. "Tis an arrow
wound," Aragorn said. "She must have pulled it out herself." The ranger placed his hand over the wound to try and stop the bleeding.
Boromir handed him some cloth to wrap it.
"When was she shot by an arrow?" Sam asked.
"Most likely when the cave troll was attacking us," Legolas said. "We would have been too distracted to notice"
"Why didn't she tell us?" Gimli wondered allowed.
"She did not want to appear weak," Legolas said sadly. Frodo felt as though his heart were being crushed. Mariell was so determined to
stay strong for him. Now look what had happened. He wished she had never come on this quest with him.
"Can you help her, Aragorn?" he asked weakly.
"The wound is deep," the ranger said sadly. "I can't stop the bleeding. We must get her to Lothlorien." After bandaging the wound as
best he could Aragorn wrapped his cloak around Mariell and gathered her in his arms. Following Legolas, they hurried to Lothlorien.
They went fast knowing that Mariell's life depended on it. They stopped neither for food nor rest. Occasionally Legolas or Boromir
would take Mariell from Aragorn's arms but Frodo could not help but notice that the ranger seemed reluctant to let her go. As they made
their way through a forest Gimli told the hobbits to stay close.
"They say a powerful sorceress guards these woods," the dwarf said. "All who look upon her fall under her spell"
"Frodo!" a voice whispered in Frodo's head. "You're coming here is as the footsteps of doom." Frodo looked around but no one else
had heard the voice. He glanced over at Mariell who was still unconscious in Aragorn's arms. Her skin was starting to look yellow. He
hoped that they would get to this Lothlorien soon.
"Well," Gimli grunted, "here's one dwarf she won't ensnare so easily. I have the eyes of a hawk and ears like a fox." The dwarf gasped
as he came face to face with an arrow. Frodo sucked in his breath as he saw the elves surrounding him with bows drawn. An especially
tall blonde elf came forward and addressed them.
"A dwarf breathes so loudly we could have shot him in the dark." Aragorn passed Mariell over to Legolas and spoke to the elf.
"Haldir," he said, "one of our party is badly injured. She needs the healing power of the Lady Galadriel"
"You endanger this realm with your presence. You can go no further."
Frodo's frustration grew as he sat with Mariell's head in his lap while Aragorn tried to reason with the elf, Haldir. He knew Mariell did
not have much time. Her wound still bled no matter how tight they bandaged it, her hands were freezing and she burned with fever. If
Mariell died it would be all his fault. She was wounded because of him. The Lorien elves would not help her because they were afraid of
the ring's power in their city. "You must not blame yourself for this, Frodo," Boromir said beside him. "Your sister would not want that.
You shoulder a heavy burden. Do not add this to it." Frodo knew the man was only trying to comfort him but it was useless. Gandalf was
gone, Mariell was dying and it was all because of him.
"Frodo," a soft voice whispered. Frodo looked down and saw that Mariell's eyes were open. His sister did not seem to see him though.
Her eyes were glazed over and she stared into the distance.
"Hold on Mariell," Frodo said urgently to her clutching her icy hand. "Please dearest you've got to hold on." She did not answer him; her
eyes still stared into the distance.
"Can you see her Frodo?" she said.
"See who dearest"
"My mother. She's so beautiful, can you see her? She's smiling at me"
"It is the fever," Boromir said. Frodo knew it was not the fever. Mariell's mother was coming to take her away.
"Sam," he called. Sam hurried to his side. Frodo lifted Mariell's head from his lap and gently laid it on the ground. "Watch over her
Sam," he said. Straightening his shoulders he marched over to where Aragorn still argued with Haldir.
"We're wasting time!" he said loudly. Both the man and the elf turned to look at him.
"Time that Mariell does not have," Frodo continued. "I am the one that brings danger to your city. If you are worried about the ring then
leave me at the border. But allow Mariell to pass through. Let her get the help she needs. She has done nothing to you. She is completely
innocent of any evil. She would not even be here if not for me. Please help her, I beg of you." The elf did not speak for a long time.
Finally, he seemed to come to a decision.
"You will follow me," he said. "All of you." Aragorn wasted no time in picking up Mariell and following the elf. After awhile, Frodo did
too.