AN: If you're confused, the italicized words are Smeagol talking and the normal font is Gollum. Just avoiding confusion. PLEASE REVIEW! IT MAKES ME HAPPY!
Chapter 21
He sent Frodo back to the room. He looked as if he needed rest. Faramir just sat there, wanting his brother back with him but knowing that it wasn't possible.
He'd imagined Denethor's reaction to his brother's death. He strangely wanted to be there with him, but he knew that his father wouldn't accept him. He'd march into his room, retreat to the Palantir, and come back even more distant. What was happening to his father?
He wanted his father back. He wanted the Denethor that rescued him from the fire and the kidnapping. He wanted the Denethor who hugged him once he was safe in the Houses of Healing. He wanted the father who finally admitted that he could start sword training. He wanted his father.
"Milord Faramir?" a voice called.
Faramir listened to the report. He wasn't surprised that Frodo was lying about the wrinkly friend. Faramir was, however, surprised that the creature had entered the Forbidden Pool.
"Sméagol, don't struggle!" Frodo shouted. Sam was silent, his face broadcasting emotions no one could read. Faramir saw his men drag away the wriggling worm, a bag over his head.
Faramir snapped, "Get them back to their cell. Take the thing to the torture room."
Frodo let the men drag him away, but he continued looking at Faramir, his eyes speaking in agony. I trusted you, they said. I told you to let me retrieve him and it would be alright! You didn't listen to me!
Faramir noticed Sam's dislike towards the gangly thing. Sam was silent and almost agreed when Faramir threatened to shoot him. The gardener was now worried about his master that he didn't seem to care about the new prisoner.
He left the Halflings to be returned to their cell and oversaw the beating of the gangly monster. They kicked him, punched him, and tore him. Faramir saw it with a stern face. Whatever this thing was, he didn't see the humanity… or any type of species… in him.
"That's enough."
The creature ran into a corner of the room and huddled into the darkness. He was crying.
In a raspy voice that Faramir could not duplicate, the demon muttered, "Why? Why do you cry Sméagol? Master betrayed us! Of course he did! He did! He didn't mean it! Of course he did! I told you he was tricksey! Master wouldn't hurt us! Master's my friend! He's my best friend! Only friend! He stole it! He stole it! He stole it from us!"
Faramir kicked him in the back. "Get out of there. Now."
This creature was not so easily intimidated. "Go away! Mean men hurts us! Master stole the Precious. He stole it! But the Eye will catch him!"
Eye! Faramir snapped. The Eye was Sauron…Sauron was looking for…
The dream repeated in his mind, but this time, Boromir's orders to take the weapon shouted at him all the more.
"What did they steal?"
The devil slowly turned around, his eyes nearly shut and his few teeth barred. He shouted, "My Precious!"
Then a scream echoed in the palace, more deathly than Faramir had ever heard anything before.
But at least he knew why the Halfling's mission was a secret.
Faramir walked in. Sam started and backed up. Frodo stood to greet him.
Frodo looked more dazed than ever. "What have you done to Sméagol? Is he alright?"
"He's not important now," Faramir slithered. "What is it that you carry?"
Frodo's eyes widened with fear. "Please, do not ask me that."
"What do you carry?"
Sam was slowly moving towards Frodo, his eyes piercing Faramir like a sword. "It is none of your business."
"I believe it is the business of all Free People of this earth." He drew his sword, ignoring the stare of Sam. "At last…a chance for me to prove…Faramir, son of Gondor…is worth his value."
The sword pricked at the chain around Frodo's neck. He drew it out, taking the Ring with it. Oh, how beautiful it was! Golden, unstained, perfect! It would look beautiful on his finger. It would be a true chance to show his power. He was as valuable as Boromir…no! more than Boromir! His father would surely have to recognize him now. Now, he would be the true heir-
"NO!" Frodo shrieked. Faramir backpedalled. He hadn't noticed Frodo's paling. His eyes widened and, if possible, grew more icy blue. He trembled violently. He retreated into a dark corner…just like the Gollum creature.
Sam, with his own hidden dagger, slammed Faramir's sword to the ground.
"Can't you see that you're hurting him?" Sam pleaded. "Please! He's tied to it! Alright! You know about it! Can't you see that we're trying to be rid of it? That's where we're going! We're going to Mordor!"
"Why?" Faramir demanded.
Sam bit his lip. "We're going to destroy it!"
"You can't do that!"
"You won't stop us!"
Faramir stepped forward, but Sam held his ground. Faramir ordered, "Get out of the way."
"I promised that I wouldn't lose him."
"What?"
Sam stared up at Faramir. "I promised a wise man that I wouldn't lose him. I now consider that vow to include losing him to the Ring. I will never let him fall to It. We are going to destroy It, with or without help."
Faramir couldn't believe how valiant this Halfling was for his size.
Faramir heard the scout come out from behind him. The scout whispered, "Osgiliath is overrun. They call for reinforcements."
Faramir shooed the scout away.
Sam knew what that report meant. "We can't delay any longer. Please. Let us go!"
Faramir looked past Sam to Frodo. He had calmed, was breathing normally, and started inching out of the slit in the wall. The Ring still hung from the chain around his neck. It glistened in the moonlight, shining gloriously to Faramir's eyes.
It was almost that with the Ring, came images. Faramir was giving the Ring to his father. The next part, he didn't see, he felt. The only time he ever felt it was when his father finally helped him read. Those feelings were now stretched into eternity. It was what he had longed for. It was what he had always prayed for, since he was a boy.
And now, he wasn't going to let it slip away when it was just mere feet away from him.
"The Ring will go to Gondor."
A mysterious air had surrounded the men. Frodo knew that they didn't know exactly what was around his neck, only Faramir knew that; but somehow, they sensed the Ring's presence.
Faramir wouldn't let anyone near Sam and him except Faramir himself. His hands clutching their cloaks, he dragged them across the wilderness. Poor Smeagol was prodded with a spear to move forward. They all had their hands tied behind their backs.
Frodo's arms started aching. He felt like a hunchback. His arms were forcing him to have a straight back, but the weight of the Ring was overwhelming.
He couldn't continue. Not anymore. He had done enough, it seemed. Still, Galadriel had told him that the Ring was his burden. His. Why his? He had asked Gandalf that same question, and the answer of making the most of the time given wasn't much help now.
He had a feeling it would never be.
Faramir let the image of his father's pride and love surrounding him stay throughout the journey to Osgiliath. He hated that city. Ever since he was kidnapped…he hated it. It seemed appropriate that it was being attacked.
"Into this clearing," he ordered the Halflings. "We await another attack. Bring the creature in here."
The thing cried as it was thrown to the ground.
Like lightning, an image flashed in front of him. Gollum had morphed into him, tied, helpless, and scared…all those years ago.
He shoved it aside.
Faramir looked to the guards. "Leave us and watch the perimeter of the city. I will guard the prisoners."
They promptly obeyed, leaving Faramir with the Halflings and…thing.
Faramir stared at Frodo. He was his ticket to success. If he were to deliver him to his father, his father…or he…could wield it against the Enemy. His brother's sacrifice would not be in vain. The Ring would be Gondor's, Its rightful place.
Frodo had noticed Faramir's staring since the beginning. "The Ring will not save Gondor. It will only destroy it. If you use this Ring, everything you have will be lost. You wish to save the White City? The White City will fall if I do not destroy it!"
"You're lying," Fararmir slithered villainously. "I will be able to control it."
"You want to know what happened to Boromir?" Sam shrieked. "Do you want to know why he died, or do you want a heroic ending for him?"
Faramir jumped up. Boromir deserved nothing less than a heroic ending. He would have the most valiant, heroic, great death. Faramir had sworn that about his brother. This Halfling had been trouble since he was first arrested.
Frodo backed away from Faramir. He looked even more threatening than before.
Sam didn't budge. "He swore an oath to protect Frodo and he tried to kill him!"
Faramir hissed, "He wouldn't. You speak lies!"
"The Ring drove him mad! He tried to kill Frodo for the Ring. He thought he could control It! He was stupid enough to try!"
Faramir shook his head. His body shook with uncontrollable anger. "Stop talking now!"
"Your brother couldn't master it!" Sam shouted. "He was too bloody arrogant, too haughty to-"
Faramir let actions guide him.
When he came to himself, Frodo was kneeling over Sam, whimpering and fretting. Gollum was in the corner, more frightened than ever. Sam tilted his head off the cobblestone ground, his nose bleeding.
"I-I-I'm sorry," Faramir breathed. "I'm sorry!"
Frodo used his cloak to dab the bleeding. His eyes slowly turned to Faramir. Those sad, hopeful, almost dead eyes stabbed Faramir's heart as tears slowly poured from them. "Please, please, please let us go! You'll be doing yourself a favor!"
Faramir stood there, hopeless, dumbstruck that he hit Sam. What was…what was he? The Ring. That answer summed up his behavior. The Ring was controlling him to an evil side that Faramir hadn't known. He knew one thing now. He didn't like this new side of him.
It hit him like a kick in the guts. What Sam was saying was true. Boromir would have fallen to the Ring, like all Men would have. Boromir did want to bring the Ring to Minas Tirith; and he loved power. He felt untreatable guilt as he realized that was Sam was saying was true…and Faramir had beaten him because of it.
"I'm sorry." He was tearing up.
"Nazgûl!" the cry sounded.
Faramir felt death overcome him.
It would overcome them all in mere minutes.
Faramir sped up the stairs. He knocked his arrow and shot a Nazgûl. He missed. He cursed.
The next thing he saw made his heart stop.
Frodo stood there, above where he was supposed to be held. He held something in front of him. Faramir knew what it was. The Nazgûl slowly reached for It.
Faramir saw Sam rush up. "No! Frodo! No!"
Faramir leapt over a broken wall. He aimed and shot. This time he pierced the dragon the Nazgûl rode. It slowly backed away. Sam grabbed Frodo and both lost their balance. They wavered over an opening in the wall, and the ground was a hundred feet below.
"Frodo! Sam!" Faramir shouted.
The remains of a gate nearly touched the demolished building. He raced to them across the gate's beam. He leapt at them. He collided with them. They smashed on the stable landing.
Frodo shook his head. "What happened?"
"The Ring's taken control of you!" Sam lamented.
Faramir looked back to the Nazgûl. It was flying away, realizing that it was futile to attack now.
He turned to them. "You need to get out of here now. That phantom will return."
Sam nodded. "Thank you! Where do we go?"
Faramir brought them to their feet. "I will show you the way."
Frodo's breathing was wavering, but he still said, "Gollum must come with us. He is our guide. He knows of another path we must take other than the Black Gate."
"Cirith Ungol?" Faramir gaped.
"He didn't say the name," Frodo admitted.
"It figures," Sam muttered.
Faramir brought them to where Gollum had stayed put. He snatched Gollum's neck and pounded him against the wall. "Are you taking them to Cirith Ungol?"
Gollum whimpered, "Y-y-yes!"
Faramir dropped Gollum. "Frodo, the path of Cirith Ungol holds a dark and dangerous phantom. I've read about it. Those that enter never come out."
Gollum sizzled, "We've made it through! We have! Very dark, very dangerous, very deadly! We must try! The Black Gate path failed! We must try!"
Frodo looked to Faramir. "We have to. It's the last path."
Faramir sighed. "I do not agree with you, but you must take the path you see fit."
"Thank you, Lord Faramir," Sam breathed. "You've shown great bravery, refusing the Ring. You are of the highest quality of men."
Faramir smiled. "And I will never underestimate gardeners of the Shire again, Master Samwise."
It was Sam's turn to smile.
Faramir cut Gollum's binds and led them across the city. They soon came to the sewer, which burrowed underground all the way to the forest past Minas Tirith. "Go with all speed, and the blessing of Men."
The Halflings nodded their thanks, though they cringed at what they would have to walk through.
Before Frodo left, he smiled at Faramir. "Your brother would be proud of you. Immensely proud."
Frodo had repaired six days' damage of sadness and agony to Faramir's heart. Faramir needed to hear that, those words, and hear them with meaning. Whatever Boromir had done wrong, he had made remarkable friends on his journey. "Thank you. Now go and destroy our doom."
When Frodo and Sam had turned past the corner, Faramir strangled Gollum again. "May death find you if you bring any of them to harm," he threatened.
Gollum was thrown into the sewer, an appropriate place for him, and he lumbered off, struggling for breath.
Faramir was relieved when he found that the fighting had ended as he escorted the Ring bearers to the sewer. Osgiliath was under peace again, but war still threatened its legacy.
"Lord Faramir, where were you?" called the second in command, Daril. "Where are the prisoners?"
Faramir breathed. "I set them lose. They are continuing with their Quest."
Daril looked dumbfounded. "Lord Faramir, Lord Denethor has just ordered that the Ring be brought to him!"
"Who told him of this?"
"The messenger we sent to Minas Tirith. He reported on our progress. Our lord the Steward expects It immediately!"
Faramir felt this disaster wash over him, but, remembering what Frodo and Sam told him, he forgot about it. "He won't get It. They are taking It to Mordor."
Daril grabbed Faramir's shoulders and took him to a more secluded corner. "Lord Faramir, do you know what that means? Your life will be forfeit! You will lose your captainship, your privileges as Steward…"
"And I will gain my father's wrath," Faramir finished. "The Ring will be destroyed in Mount Doom. If this displeases my father, so be it. My life is forfeit."