WHISPERS OF THE DRAGON

Chapter 3 --- Light and Shadow

When Sam saw Legolas returning with Frodo in his arms, he broke away from Boromir and raced to meet them.  Sam led the Elf to a blanket spread out under a large tree.  Legolas put Frodo down and sat next to him, giving him more water and speaking in a soft, soothing voice.  Sam pulled over a waterproof cover, and pulled it around the three of them to keep off the raindrops dripping down through the branches that sheltered them.  Aragorn sank down a few feet away, and Pippin and Merry huddled next to him under covers of their own.  The rest of the company did the same nearby.

Frodo had stopped coughing, but he leaned against Sam feeling weak and confused.  Sam’s hand, holding his, felt so wonderfully solid, so real.  It helped him to focus.  Frodo looked into his friend’s concerned eyes.

“I’m all right,” he whispered.

Merry looked worriedly at his cousin, then up at Aragorn’s soot-streaked face.

“What happened up there, Strider?  We heard a frightful noise and saw smoke.  Was there a fire?  How did it start?”

Before Aragorn could answer Merry’s questions, Pippin noticed that the Ranger was rubbing his eyes, which were irritated from the smoke and heat.

“Strider, may I get something out of your pack?” Pippin asked.

Aragorn immediately thought of a dozen reasons why this was a bad idea, but the question was so unexpected, he found himself nodding.  Pippin raced over to the pile of packs, unlacing Aragorn’s and pulling out a length of cloth.  He grabbed a full water bottle, and was back underneath the cover before he got too wet.  Pippin folded the cloth a few times, poured some fresh water over it, and held it up to the Ranger.

“Here.  Hold this over your eyes, it’ll make them feel better.”

“Thank you, Pippin.” Aragorn smiled at him, pressing the cold, wet cloth to his eyes with relief.  “That does feel better.  Legolas, how is Frodo?” he asked.

“He is recovering,” the Elf responded.  “By the looks of the two of you, I sense you were fighting more than fire and smoke up there.”

Without warning, the rain suddenly stopped.

Boromir frowned.  “That was a very strange storm.  At least the rain has no doubt extinguished the fire.”

“You have no idea how strange that storm was, Boromir,” said Aragorn.  “Frodo, can you tell us what happened to you?”

“I saw Gandalf,” said Frodo with a sigh.  His throat hurt, and his voice was barely above a whisper.  Everyone strained to hear him.  “Everything else disappeared.  Aragorn says he was calling me, but I didn’t hear him.  I didn’t hear anything.  The next thing I knew I was on the ground, and Aragorn was shaking me.  Gandalf was gone.  Then lightning set the meadow on fire.  It was terrifying.”  Frodo paused to drink more water.  “Aragorn knew we had to get out of there, so he picked me up and ran.  That’s when I felt... it was like...”  He tried hard to describe what he had experienced.  “It was like something was calling me back, to run back through the fire.  Someone wanted the Ring, wanted me to bring it to them.  It was so strong I could hardly bear it.”

“There was something strong at work there,” agreed Aragorn.  “Every step I took was like stumbling through thick mud, fighting against some obstacle.  I wasn’t sure we would get out of that smoke.”

“It seemed like hours.” Frodo continued.  “I fought so hard, got so tired...  Then I heard... I thought I heard Sam’s voice.  Talking about the dragons.”  Sam looked at him, startled, as Frodo squeezed his hand tighter.  “Sam was telling me not to listen to dragons.  Something... something happened, then.  It was like waking from a nightmare.”  He looked at Aragorn gratefully.  “I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t come after me.  I’m not even sure, now, what did happen.”  He leaned his head against Sam’s shoulder, suddenly feeling very drowsy.

“I have a guess,” said Aragorn quietly.  “It’s odd, though... Boromir, how far are we from Isengard?”

Boromir started to answer, then grinned.  “Ask Merry,” he said.

“What?  Why?”  Aragorn looked at Boromir, then at Merry, who was groaning with embarrassment.  “Merry?”

“Boromir,” Merry sighed.  “Very well.  It’s a long way, Strider.  Maybe 300 miles...”  he pointed precisely southwest.  “That way.  Past the Entwash, and...”  He stopped, confused by the amazed faces around him.  “What’s the matter?”

“Nothing,” Aragorn said with a smile.  He looked down at Pippin, who was pouring more cold water on the cloth.  “Hobbits just never cease to amaze, that’s all.”

“Aragorn,” said Gimli with a frown, “Are you saying that Saruman is behind this?”

“It seems the most likely explanation,” said the Ranger.  “Phantom wizards and freak storms -- like that blizzard at the Redhorn Pass -- it’s almost as if someone was trying to ensnare Frodo in some type of spell.  He didn’t feel an urge to put on the Ring, but to bring it to someone.  None of us know what Saruman looks like... but we have heard enough to know what he is like.  And he wants the Ring.  Wizard or no, he has just had his first lesson in the resilience and determination of hobbits.”  He eyed Frodo, who was barely staying awake.  “Frodo, you may be so weary because you fought with all your strength something unseen -- that was attempting to ensnare you.”

“It was like a fight,” Frodo agreed, “but I had a a little help.”

“Yes, you did,” Aragorn smiled, looking at Sam.  “You and Sam together are a formidable pair -- the likes of which Saruman had not taken into account.”

Sam blushed, but Frodo nodded thoughtfully.

Aragorn got to his feet, feeling rested.  “Sam, try to keep Frodo awake, I want to check his throat for any swelling from all that smoke he swallowed.  Gimli, can you find some dry wood for a fire?  I’d like to prepare something to soothe his throat, and we need to dry out.  If that fire on the meadow didn’t draw any unwelcome attention, a small one down here certainly won’t make things any worse.  We’ll put it out before it gets fully dark.”

“I’ll go with you!”  Pippin leaped up and followed after Gimli.

Boromir sighed.  “That youngster has so much energy, he makes me dizzy.”

“It’s hard for him to sit still all day in the boat,” Merry said.  He grinned.  “He’s never endured a worse torture!”  He got up to dig out some food.

“I hope he never has to,” Boromir whispered to himself.

That evening, Boromir lay sleepless long after the camp was quiet, unable to get Merry’s offhand jest about torture out of his mind.  He realized how fond he had become of these little ones, how unthinkable it was that anything should...  Surely there were better ways to protect them than this hopeless journey to destroy the one thing that could...

Frodo lay nearby in an exhausted sleep, nearly buried in a pile of hobbits.  All three had decided that if anything came after Frodo in the night it would have to go through all of them. 

It seemed to Boromir that there was very little in Middle-earth not stalking their tiny Ringbearer -- even the weather itself.  Frodo should not have to bear this alone - such a fragile, innocent creature.  Sauron was after the Ring.  Saruman as well.  That creature Gollum.  They mustn’t get it.  Why was everyone so afraid to wield it?

Boromir had seen the look Frodo gave Aragorn, a look of gratitude, and deep respect.  If Aragorn chose not to come to Minas Tirith, Boromir now knew beyond doubt that Frodo would not come either.  He and the rest would follow Aragorn into Mordor, to almost certain capture, or death in the fiery chasms of Mount Doom.  And now Frodo would be more closely watched by everyone than before.

Yet I need to speak to him alone, somehow.  Surely he must grow weary of this burden.  Surely I can make him understand that there are other paths open to him other than taking the Ring to the Fire.  It is he who puts the others in danger.  How can I protect them when he makes such a choice?

*~*~*~*~*

The next morning Pippin awoke and looked around, a bit confused.  It seemed a lot later than when someone usually woke him, and no one seemed to be making any preparations to leave.  Frodo and Merry were still asleep, and the others were sitting around a small fire, talking quietly.  Aragorn noticed him and came over.

“It’s all right, Pippin,” he whispered.  “You can sleep late if you wish.”

“Why?”

“We’re going to travel at night for awhile, and make ourselves a little less visible.  It may be safer thus.  The more rest everyone gets today the better.”  Aragorn smiled.  “When your cousins are hungry enough, they’ll wake up!”

“Sounds kind of dangerous, Strider,” Pippin said with a yawn.  “We’ll be really really hungry by then.”

He was asleep again within minutes.

** TBC **

Amy:  The “danger quotient” is definitely rising... and not just for Frodo...

Andrea:  Yes, if only it really had been Gandalf!  Poor Frodo didn’t know his dear wizard friend was alive and well.

Anso the Hobbit:  Ah, never underestimate the ingenuity of a desperate wizard.

Armariel:  Yay for Fellowship stories!  I can’t get enough of them, either.

Breon Briarwood:  Ah, that wily wizard is no match for our Fellowship.

Cuthalion:  Thank you!  Yes indeed, Mr. Curunir is everywhere, isn’t he?

Dreamflower:  Saruman is definitely on the prowl.  With so many plans and armies, it’s amazing he never got hold of any hobbits!  All his chances slipped through his fingers.

dwarftacular:  I’m so happy you find the story excitiing – there’s much more to come!

Elwen:  Hee hee.  I think I can manage to sneak in a bit more angst...

French Pony:  You’ve caught my idea exactly.  So much *could” have happened during those ten days on the River -- events both natural and supernatural.  There will be more of that to explore in future chapters.  And you guessed correctly that the fire would diminish once it wasn’t “needed” anymore.

Garnet Took:  I hope this chapter explains a lot of what happened in Chapter 2!  *waves to Connie*

Gayalondiel:  Thank you for reading this again!  I’m doing a lot of revising and smoothing to the original story.

girlofring:  Boromir agrees with you; everyone and everything are after Frodo.

harrowcat:  I hope you enjoy all the Pippin-Merry conversations yet to come in this story; I had fun writing them.

Lady Jaina:  Thank you so much!

Larner:  I really like what you said: “Confusion and desire are the dragon’s weapons”.  Indeed they are, in Middle-earth and elsewhere.

Lindelea:  I should have consulted with you about lightning strikes!  Wow, you were so close to one?

lindahoyland:  I do love “sweet moments” among the Fellowship!  This story will even include several hobbit-Dwarf conversations, which are somewhat rare.  (And of course, many more Aragorn-hobbit scenes.)

Pearl Took:  Yes, Aragorn is only “human”, isn’t he?  Why shouldn’t he get tired or frustrated once in awhile?  Thank you so much for re-reading, Pearl.

Sila Lumenn:  Thank you for coming along on this ride for a second time!  I’m having a good time polishing it.

SlightlyTookish:  Of course Frodo needed comfort.  Why else would I put him in danger?  *grins*

TheHobbitWaffle:  I really enjoy writing “responsible, thoughtful” Merry.  I’ve tried to do that in a lot of my stories.