Author’s Notes : for those who find this the oddest piece ever, please blame my friend, Vhind. The idea and majority of the dialogue was set up by her and me on three consecutive nights on text messaging, Particularly during the late night and early morning of my watching LOTR, so most of the things here are based on the Books and on the Movie as well.

 

Disclaimers : No I do not own J.R.R. Tolkien or the wonderful world and people he has created. I’m just fiddling with them.

 

On a short note, I wish to state that this is the first LOTR thing that I’ve worked on. And it’s slightly Slash. Wow, from Yaoi to slash, I’ve evolved. ^_^ Oh, that also serves as a warning tho’ it’s not too much actually. It’s up to the reader to pick up any themes of that sort. And since it’s my first time, I don’t particularly sound Tolkien-ish. I’ll try though. ^_^

 

Ringbearer

By: Jericah Helios

 

       The moon was a silver ship that was traveled across the sky. That old line from some half-forgotten poem came to Frodo’s mind unbidden as he surfaced from troubled dreams. From dreams of the Shire being over run with orcs to dreams of a great eye staring back at him from a great distance, and the feeling that he was naked, mind and soul, before it. The Eye was upon him and he wondered what was heavier, its gaze or the ring it sought.

       The ring! His eyes burst open and his right hand searched underneath his tunic, His heart sank when he realized it was not there.

       He rose abruptly, his cloak, which served as his blanket, fell off as he looked around him. Looking down where Sting was, he found no light shining through its sheath. A little further off, the three other Hobbits were sleeping soundly in a pile. Sam was curled up into a ball, shivering slightly in the cold. Merry and Pippin were facing each other, packs serving as their makeshift pillows and the grey cloak that the elves gave them as their blanket. Frodo had somehow moved away from them in the night in his sleep.

       Aragorn was sitting up against a nearby tree, sleeping, although his hand was on his sword hilt. Boromir’s head couldn’t be seen past the shield that lay by it, but he could see his chest slowly rising and falling with every breath. Gimli was snoring softly at the side; his hand mere inches away from his axe, ready to strike even if he wasn’t fully awake.

       Where is Legolas?  The answer was soon appeared out of the shadows.

       For a moment, Frodo blinked. He hadn’t noticed the Elf a while ago and belatedly, he realized that it was his watch. It was as if he had only willed the shadows to peel away from him, despite the fact that his gossamer hair shimmered in the light of the full moon. The Sindarin Archer was leaning on the tree and absent-mindedly fingering something in his palm.

       The Ring.

       “Legolas!” He said, forgetting his sleeping companions, or perhaps, mindful of them. In his mind, Galadriel’s warning echoed faintly, The fellowship is breaking…he will try to take the ring…

       I didn’t think it would be you Legolas….

       “Legolas!”  Strangely, none of them stirred, not even ever-watchful Aragorn. Sorcery?

       “You could call it that” came the faint answer from the elf. “I prefer to call it luck”

       Aragorn stirred but remained asleep, his hand tightening over his sword. Sam half murmured, half moaned something and turned. The camp lay silent and Frodo looked back at the elf before him.

       “Whatever it is…” Frodo approached, trying to think up of ways to either wake up the others or somehow disarm the elf. Looking up, not only did he bleakly remember how much taller his companion was, he also saw the Bow that Galadriel gave him. If Legolas HAD been seduced, what could stop him from making a pincushion out of Frodo? But still, he had to try. “Legolas, give it to me”

       Legolas didn’t look up, seemingly enamored of the ring. He is… Frodo thought, stopping an arm’s length away. “Legolas, give me back the ring.”

       “Can you see how it shimmers?” Legolas’ voice was odd; it was darker yet somehow higher in pitch as well, rasping, almost as if there was something catching in his throat. A memory surfaced in Frodo’s mind and he winced. Precioussss…..

       “It shimmers in the moonlight…in the starlight…” the more Legolas spoke, the more his voice changed and he saw his slender fingers reaching out, almost begging to wear the ring. “Such a small thing, to hold such a great power…”

       “Legolas!” Frodo repeated, his voice breaking in panic.

       Again, Legolas ignored him. Reaching into his pocket, he drew out the chain that had held the ring. “Such a small thing” he was repeating softly as he strung the ring back into the chain. He finally looked back at Frodo, his silver-blue eyes blank yet hard. “To hold such great power”

       “Give it back…!” The words, torn from Frodo’s lips, seemed to wake the elf and sense flowed back into his eyes.

       “Ring…ringbearer?” Was the hesitant reply. Looking at his hand, he looked bewildered for moment.

       “Legolas!”

       The elf looked up at Frodo, his face a mixture of embarrassment, confusion and of guilt. “For a moment,” he said after a while, “I saw myself…the savior of Middle-earth?” he paused, biting his lip, as if unsure at the memory. “It was calling me. I saw it from under your tunic and it was calling me.”

       “I know it does.” Frodo looked at the ring, hearing until now the whispers that haven’t stopped.

       Frodo…such power…you can save the shire…put it on…it’s worth the risk…

       “No, its not” he found himself replying.

       Legolas nodded, “Indeed”

       Frodo looked up sharply, “You heard” it wasn’t a question.

       “Everyone does, in the fellowship. Some more acutely than the others.” He said, nodding. He reached out and Frodo stepped back automatically, fear gripping him again. A sad expression clouded over the elf’s face. “I do not mean to hurt you.”

       But the seed has been planted, hasn’t it? Legolas’ voice echoed in Frodo’s head. You can never trust me now.

       I can never trust anyone else again. Said Frodo, taking the chain and the ring and putting it back on by himself.

       The burden of the Ringbearer. Came the sad murmur as Legolas stood up and walked back to the dying embers of their fire.

       “Go back to sleep” he said aloud, not looking at him. I will not take it again “We still have a lot of river between us and our destination.” I swear…

       Frodo slowly walked to Sam and lay down beside his friend.

       It was a long time before he slept.

      

       “Wake up Mr. Frodo. Mr. Frodo!”

       Sam’s voice awoke Frodo and he blinked open his eyes, “What…?”

       It was Sam’s smiling face and early morning sunshine that greeted him. “C’mon and wake up! Otherwise you’ll have no breakfast!”

       Rubbing his eyes as he made his way to the rest of the food, he wondered vaguely, Did I just dream it all up?  His hand reached up and found the ring still hanging from the chain around his neck.

       Aragorn greeted him, grimly as usual. “Good morning Frodo. I hope you rested well.”

       Boromir broke in, looking suspicious, “All of us did. All too well.”

       Pippin laughed and bit into a bit of lembas, “It only meant that we were tired. Besides, it was Legolas’ watch last night, right?”

       Frodo stiffened and he looked out towards the river, where Legolas stood, seemingly straightening up the boats. “Legolas!” Aragorn’s call startled the elf and he dropped the rope. Looking back, Legolas was smiling but there was something that was out of place in his eyes that Aragorn looked worried. “Are you alright?”

       “Perfectly fine Aragorn” came the easy response as he picked up the rope again. He walked slowly towards them and said, “Is there anything you need?”

       Aragorn gave him a searching look and then shrugged it off. “Did anything happen last night?”

       There was a slow nod and Frodo found himself looking into Legolas’ eyes, it was as if there was a thick wall behind the blue windows. “The moon was full so light was no problem.” He shook his head, “Aside from that, nothing else happened.”

       Frodo realized that he was holding the ring through his tunic, gripping it even. Aragorn turned his gaze to him and raised an eyebrow.

       Legolas paused, looking at Frodo as well.

       “Oh, right” was his only response. And he stood up and walked towards the boats. Legolas let out a sigh, as if he was holding his breath.

       Frodo walked past him, “Good thing though. This ring, “ he looked up momentarily, “Is such a small thing to hold such great power”

       Legolas’ eyes dulled and he moved away, muttering something about Sam’s pack.

      

       They set out a little earlier that day, mostly due to Legolas. He seemed to be in a hurry to leave.

       Frodo sat on the prow of the boat again, looking out to the long expanse of the river before them, seemingly endless, and limitless, leading to their possible doom.

       Gandalf. Who am I to trust now? His gaze sought each of his remaining companions. Elrond himself didn’t trust the men, I do not know about Gimli but it seemed that even Legolas covets the ring…or at least can be held sway by it. His eyes met Legolas’ and it was the elf who looked away first. What of my own kinsmen? Sam?  Frodo’s eyes slid shut and he let out a small sigh. Even Aragorn can be seduced. Perhaps, this quest was not meant for a group… he swallowed, It was meant to be a solitary path…

       “Mr. Frodo” Sam’s voice startled him again and he looked back to find Sam giving him an odd look, “Are you alright Mr. Frodo? Is it too early to start? Are you boat sick? Are you hun…”

       “I’m fine Sam” Frodo said, smiling despite his dark thoughts. “Just, tired. That’s all”

       “All of us are, Ringbearer” came Aragorn’s soft voice as he rowed mightily.

       Ringbearer The name echoed in his mind Is this the burden that Legolas was talking about? The burden of the Ringbearer? A solitary path?

      

       Legolas looked up and saw Frodo looking distant and sad. He sighed, and cursed in elvish.

       Gimli tsk-ed and said, “Oi, that’s quite harsh.”

       Turning back to his friend, Legolas raised an eyebrow, trying to change the topic, “What? You understand Elvish now?”

       The dwarf shook his head, refusing to be confused, “You did something didn’t you?”

       Legolas had gathered enough of his wits to look confused but Gimli seemed to see right through it. He tsk-ed again and said, “It won’t do you good to regret. Regret is nothing but a waste of time” he shrugged his wide shoulders, “Might as well do something about it instead of mooning about.”

       “Mo…Mooning about?” stammered Legolas, the usually eloquent elf stunned speechless. “What…?”

       Gimli’s laughter was heard intermixed with Legolas’ vain attempts to get him to clarify.

 

       The End

 

Author’s Notes : (again) It ended rather weirdly. From dark to suggestive. Woof. Anyway, please send any and all C & C to [email protected] I’d love some since I’m only starting on Tolkien Fandom, if no one likes it I’ll stop. ^_^