CHAPTER 7
CIRITH UNGOL
Millie's POV
We followed Gollum up the steep stairway, carved into the cliff. The steps were narrow, unevenly spaced and so steep that I found myself on my hands and knees, desperately clinging to the steps above me, trying not to fall.
Suddenly, my foot slipped, "Whoa!" I hung there for a minute before I regained my balance.
"Careful Pretty Girl, careful! Very far to fall. Very dangerous on the stairs." I glanced up at him before I continued to climb. I swear, he calls me that one more time…
"Come Master." Gollum had reached a small ledge. I stood next to Sam and looked up, waiting, watching as Frodo clambered up the ledge. Suddenly, Gollum's eyes widened, he reared back and tensed.
"Come to Smeagol." He outstretched his hand; he was reaching for the Ring! Suddenly, Sam drew his sword and I grasped the handle of mine.
I said inaudible through clenched teeth, "Don't you dare."
"Mr. Frodo!" Frodo looked down at him, losing his footing.
"Get back, don't you touch him!" Both of our faces were terrified as Gollum reached down and grasped Frodo's arm, pulling him safely to the ledge. Gollum glared down at Sam.
"Why does he hates poor Smeagol? What has Smeagol ever done to him? Master?" I narrowed my eyes, biting my tongue hard, drawing a small trickle of blood. I grimaced at the foul taste.
"Mater carries heavy burden…Smeagol knows…Heavy, heavy burden….Fat One cannot know, Smeagol look after master." I narrowed my eyes even more, clenching my fists, digging my nails into my skin.
Then Gollum leaned closer to Frodo and said something in his ear, I caught the words, "The Fat One will take it from you."
Liar!
Samantha's POV
I was kneeling before Denethor, after being out for a whole three minutes from my faint. Boromir had woken me up with the lovely message that I had to report to Denethor's hall. God dang it! I had no intentions of signing up for this! I had done a huffy breath and headed toward the hall, after Gandlaf told me to "Try not to storm into the hall."
"I'll try." I had said.
"Here do I swear fealty and service to Gondor, in peace or war, in living or dying, from this hour henceforth, until my lord release me, or death take me." I said.
"And I shall not forget it, nor fail to reward that which is given….." he held out his hand and I reluctantly kissed the top of his ring, but I did not make my reluctance seen.
"...Featly with love, and with honor," He got up and sat down at a table and attendants begin serving him a meal. Then Faramir came into the room and spoke to his father.
"I do not think we should so lightly abandon the outer defences; defences that your brother long held intact." said the steward.
"What would you have me do?"
"I will not yield the River and Pelennor unfought - Osgiliath must be retaken."
"My Lord, Osgiliath is overrun." Faramir retorted.
"Much must be risked in war. Is there a Captain here who still has the courage to do his Lord's will?"
"If it is Boromir you speak of, he is here, now." Faramir said.
"No Boromir is dead." answered Denethor.
"We've been through this already!" I muttered under my breath.
Faramir did not argue with his father even though he knew Boromir was actually alive, "Since you are robbed of Boromir, I will do what I can in his stead." Faramir bowed low, then turned to leave, but turned back.
"If I should return, think better of me…..Father."
"That will depend on the matter of your return." He answered grimly. Faramir left.
There was a brief silence as I looked on as Denethor ate. Then his cold eyes met mine.
"Can you sing, Miss Samantha?"
"Well yes...but where I come from…we have no songs for great halls and evil times."
"And why should your songs be unfit for my halls? Go on, sing me something."
I thought a moment, and then I cleared my voice and began to sing:
This is the end
Hold your breath and count to ten
Feel the earth move and then
Hear my heart burst again
For this is the end
I've drowned and dreamt this moment
So overdue I owe them
Swept away, I'm stolen
Let the sky fall
When it crumbles
We will stand tall
Face it all together
Let the sky fall
When it crumbles
We will stand tall
Face it all together
At skyfall
At skyfall
Skyfall is where we start
A thousand miles and poles apart
Where worlds collide and days are dark
You may have my number, you can take my name
But you'll never have my heart
Let the sky fall (let the sky fall)
When it crumbles (when it crumbles)
We will stand tall (we will stand tall)
Face it all together
Let the sky fall (let the sky fall)
When it crumbles (when it crumbles)
We will stand tall (we will stand tall)
Face it all together
At skyfall
[x2:]
(Let the sky fall
When it crumbles
We will stand tall)
Where you go I go
What you see I see
I know I'd never be me
Without the security
Of your loving arms
Keeping me from harm
Put your hand in my hand
And we'll stand
Let the sky fall (let the sky fall)
When it crumbles (when it crumbles)
We will stand tall (we will stand tall)
Face it all together
Let the sky fall (let the sky fall)
When it crumbles (when it crumbles)
We will stand tall (we will stand tall)
Face it all together
At skyfall
Let the sky fall
We will stand tall
At skyfall
Ooooooooooooh!
When I finished, I looked up at Denethor, who continued eating as if he had not sent his son to his death. My face etched with sorrow and a tear slid down my cheek.
Millie's POV
I felt someone prodding my shoulder, I slowly blinked open my eyes, looking into the face of Sam, "Sorry to wake you Miss Millie, but we have to get moving." Sam went to his knapsack and began rummaging through it, Frodo and I sat up slowly.
"It's dark still." Frodo said.
"It's always dark here." Sam said, suddenly, he stopped rummaging and a look of shock appeared on his face, "It's gone…..the Elven bread!"
"What, that's all we have left!" Frodo exclaimed.
Sam turned to Gollum, "He took it, he must have!"
"Smeagol? No, no, not poor Smeagol, Smeagol hates nasty elf bread!" Gollum replied.
"You lying wretch, what did you do with it?" Sam snapped.
"He doesn't eat it, he can't have taken it." Frodo said. Then Gollum slapped his hand against Sam's jacket, sending Lembas crumbs raining down.
"What's this? Crumbs on his jacketses! He took it! He took it! I seen him, he's always stuffing himself when Master's not looking!" Gollum said.
"That's a lie." I said under my breath.
"That's a filthy lie!" Sam exclaimed. He threw himself onto Gollum in an outrage. "You stinking two-faced sneak, call me a thief….."
"Sam, stop it!" Frodo yelped. Frodo pulled Sam off of Gollum.
"I'll kill him, I'll kill him!" Sam yelled.
"No Sam!" Frodo collapsed on the ground.
"No, no, you're not alright! You're exhausted! It's that Gollum; it's this place; it's that thing around your neck. I could help a bit . . . I could carry it for a while - share the load."
A terrible light came into Frodo eyes, "Get away!" Frodo pushed Sam away and clutched the Ring under his shirt.
"I don't want to keep it . . . I just want to help!"
"See! See! He wants it for himself!" Gollum said.
I glared at Gollum, "Shut up, go away….get out of here!" I snapped.
"No, Sam, it's you." Frodo said, "I'm sorry Sam…"
"But . . . he's a liar . . . he's poisoned you against me."
"You can't help me anymore."
"You don't mean that….."
"Go home." Frodo said. Tears welled in Sam's eyes and Frodo turned away.
"Come Smeagol, come Millie." Gollum began to follow but I stood my ground.
"No." I said quietly.
"What?"
"No," I said, "I'm not going with you…." My voice began to rise, "How could you say such a thing!" my voice had risen to a yell, "All he's been trying to do is help," tears were welling in my eyes, "and you turn around, and you treat him like this! I would never treat my Samantha like that! –Or any of my friends….you've changed so much….you're not you….you're not the hobbit I fell in love with."
Frodo was silent and stared at me in disbelief, then shook his head, "No Millie….it's you…I thought I knew you….but I guess not…" he turned, and he and Gollum left. I stared after him then sat down and hid my face in my hands, tears spilling down, sobbing softly.