"Vorazun, you're in Ithilien, a territory of Gondor," Rohana informed.

The blindfolds and bonds were removed from Frodo, Sam, Tosh, and Vorazun. "My men tell me that you are Orc spies," said Faramir who had some resemblance to Boromir.

"Spies? Now wait just a minute," said Sam.

"If we are Orc spies, the enemy will strike this place soon," said Vorazun.

"We have no connection with the enemy," said Tosh.

"Well, if you're not spies, then who are you?" Faramir questioned.

"Call me Tosh."

"I am Vorazun, Matriarch of the Nerazim or Dark Templar."

Faramir was baffled after the spectre and the Dark Templar introduced themselves.

"They're not from around here," said Frodo.

"They're strangers to the lands here," said Sam.

"We are Hobbits of the Shire. Frodo Baggins is my name, and this is Samwise Gamgee."

"Your bodyguard?" Faramir asked.

"His gardener," Sam clarified.

"And where is your skulking friend? That gangrel creature. He had an ill-favored look," the leader of the men asked.

"There was no other. We set out from Rivendell with 18 companions. 11 are strangers to lands here, one we lost in Moria, two were my kin, a Dwarf there was also. And an Elf and two Men. Aragorn, son of Arathorn, and Boromir of Gondor," Frodo replied and with grief when thinking about Gandalf.

"You're a friend of Boromir?" Faramir asked.

"Yes. For my part."

"It will grieve you then to learn that he is dead."

"Dead? How? When?"

"As one of his companions, I'd hoped you would tell me."

"Look, none of us have seen how Boromir died," Vorazun stated the fact.

"If something has happened to Boromir, we would have you tell us," said Frodo.

"His horn washed upon the riverbank, about six days past. It was cloven in two. But more than this, I know it in my heart. He was my brother," Faramir recalled and there were tears in his eyes.

"I get it," Tosh thought.

There was silence when Faramir was holding the broken horn and began reminiscing when the hobbits fell asleep. Tosh dug into his mind psionically and learned that both brothers had reclaimed Osgiliath for Gondor. Boromir attended Faramir during the celebration until their Steward father interrupted. The Steward of Gondor favored his first born but looked down on his second son. Therefore, Boromir was sent by their father to Rivendell to retrieve the One Ring that must be brought to Gondor. "Remember today, little brother," Boromir said his last words to Faramir before departing.

"Captain Faramir!" a man called out. "We found the third one."

Faramir approached Frodo's group and Vorazun tapped the hobbits while saying, "Frodo, Sam, wake up!"

"You must come with me. Now," said Faramir. He led a group to a point near the waterfall, "Down there." Gollum was seen, "To enter the Forbidden Pool bears the penalty of death." The men prepared their arrows waiting for the signal, "They wait for my command. Shall I shoot?"

"The rock and pool is nice and cool.

So juicy sweet.

Our only wish.

To catch a fish.

So juicy sweet."

Gollum sang while killing a fish for food.

"Wait. This creature is bound to me. And I to him. He is our guide. Please let me go down to him," said Frodo. Faramir nodded and the hobbit went down at the time Gollum was eating the fish raw. "Smeagol. Master is here. Come, Smeagol. Trust master. Come."

"We must go now?"

"Smeagol, you must trust master. Follow me. Come on. Come. Come, Smeagol. Nice Smeagol. That's it. Come on," Frodo had Gollum coming towards him while it was holding the fish in its mouth until the men seized it. "Don't hurt him!" Frodo shouted to the men. "Smeagol, don't struggle. Smeagol, listen to me."

"Master!" Gollum said sadly before the men blindfolded it.

The men gained pleasure torturing the creature with kicks and punches until Faramir ordered, "That's enough." A man threw the creature before the captain began questioning it, "Where are you leading them?" Gollum sobbed instead of replying. "Answer me."

"Smeagol. Why does it cry, Smeagol? Cruel Men hurts us. Master tricksed us. Of course he did. I told you he was tricksy. I told you he was false. Master is our friend. Our friend. Master betrayed us. No. Not its business. Leave us alone! Filthy little Hobbitses! They stole it from us! No. No," Gollum talked to itself while sobbing.

"What did they steal?" Faramir asked.

"My precious!" Gollum replied before screaming at him.

"We have to get out of here. You go. Go, now," Sam whispered to Frodo. "You can do it. Use the Ring, Mr. Frodo."

Tosh tapped Sam on the shoulder before giving him a "shhh" and whispered, "Watch what you say. The men can hear you."

"I don't think we can smuggle you two out," said Vorazun in a low volume.

"You were right, Sam. You tried to tell me but … I'm sorry. The Ring's …" said Frodo before Tosh cut him off by tapping him on the shoulder. "What?"

Faramir entered and drew his sword, "So this is the answer to all the riddles. Here in the Wild I have you … two Halflings … a strange man and a strange creature from another world … and a host of men at my call. The Ring of Power within my grasp." He had his sword uncovering the Ring, "A chance for Faramir, captain of Gondor, to show his quality."

Tosh and Vorazun saw Frodo closing his eyes as there were voices from the Ring.

"No!" Frodo shouted and backed away from Faramir.

"Stop it! Leave him alone," Sam stood between them. "Don't you understand? He's got to destroy it! That's where we're going, into Mordor. To the Mountain of Fire!"

A man approached Faramir, "Osgiliath is under attack. They call for reinforcements."

"Please. It's such a burden. Will you not help him?" Sam pleaded.

"Captain?" the man asked.

"Prepare to leave," Faramir gave the order. "The Ring will go to Gondor."

"Trying to do what your brother have failed to do, are you?" said Tosh.

Author's Note

The next chapter will be on Rohan.