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Chapters One to Six

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Chapter 2  Chapter 3  Chapter 4  Chapter 5  Chapter 6 

First Chapter
The Beginning of a new adventure

You could nearly say it was again like in former times. The gardner worked really well, so the beginning of the new age was positive to the inhabitants of the Shire after all, since they felt comfortable there again. Not at last it was the earnings of Samwise Gamgee and his - actually not only his - knowledge and skills as a gardner.
Still he travelled through the lands of the Shire to contemplate and cultivate the gains of his seed, fertilized with some Elvish ground which he was given by Galadriel and this was the reason why he became well-known then.
He went on his way back home late one afternoon together with his faithful four-hooved friend Bill. At this moment he didn't have to walk a long way anymore, there were only some miles left and then he again would be at home where his wife Rosie and his daughter Elanor were waiting for him.
He was trotting down the street along the Water and was really looking forward to supper which was waiting for him. It had been the last sighting of the bowery in that year and winter was approaching. This day probably was the last sunny and, to a certain extend, warm one of the year and no one had expected it to be at the beginning of November. But it was simply like that: Many things had changed, but most of all hobbits didn't even notice of didn't think it was of any importance. So it was just a matter of course that they didn't care why.
It had been a good year and Sam was happy about the plants growing fast which were planted after the liberation of the Shire before it was completely destroyed. It had happened in the very last minute, but now the inhabitants of the Shire lived again in peace.
Only three hobbits often thought about things which absolutely weren't hobbit-like - Elves, men, kings and wars. One of them was singing on its way home just in that moment, he was singing one of the old songs Bilbo Beutlin had taught him when he was a hobbit child. Sam badly missed Frodo who had left Middle-Earth about a month before, together with Elves, Bilbo and Gandalf, on a ship from the Grey Havens in the west.
He could never ever even dream about seeing Frodo again in whose house he used to live now with his family, so thought Sam. His family, that was the only thing that counted for him then. Finally a home! How bad had he been desiring that when he was on his way to adverse and dreary Mordor with Frodo! Even more when he felt lost and lonely while searching Frodo without any hope in Cirith Ungol. After all everything ended up well: They fulfilled their task and reconstituted peace in Middle-Earth. But there was just one thing they didn't know: There still was some uneasy evil left in Middle-Earth. No one tought this could be possible.
The sun tended to the horizon and painted the cloudless sky in the evening deeply red behind the bleak trees. It became colder very soon and Sam hurried up for he wanted to arrive at home finally. Minutes later hobbiton appeared behind a hill and everything seemed peaceful. Laughter from the tavern reached his ears and all children still playing were called to come in for supper. Lights were kindled because dusk was in progress.
Now there wasn't much left to go and he even believed the smell of supper which was awaiting him rose up to his nose already. With a wide smile he said to Bill: "Well, my friend, you are probably looking forward to your meal in your warm shed, aren't you? Wait a second and I'll have a look at what I can do for you."
He went round the corner and when he passed the last corner before he could see hisgarden, his breath stagnated because of surprise. There were a huge and proud horse which appeared known to him, and a smaller pony in front of the shed which was too small for both of them for it was built only for Bill.
"Very interesting", Sam thought and scratched his head thoughtfully.
"Who could that be?"
He quickened his steps and hardly tamed his curiosity, but he first wanted to take Bill to the shed before he would have a look at who was in the house. The two other animals were supplied with food already and when Sam took Bill into the shed, he wondered what would happen with those two in that night.
"One further reason to step in and to have a look at the visitors. Now I've already got a question to ask. But wherefrom do I know that horse? It looks a little like Shadowfax, a little... but now I'll enter the house!" Sam decided and executed his thought in the very next moment. He strided to the door and stepped into the house.
It was comfortably warm and the smell of a tasty meal came round the corner.
"I am back again! My dear Rosie, what fantastic meal are you preparing and whose horses are there... outside?"
Elanor embraced her father snappily and interrupted him that way.
"Dad! Finally you're back!" she called and smiled at him happily.
Before he could answer his heartbeat stopped for a tiny moment: Someone he knew very well followed his daughter.
"Gandalf! I can't believe my eyes, is it you?" he stammered incredulous.
Gandalf looked at Sam kindly. "Yes, my dear friend, indeed it's me. Now you're marveled, aren't you? But come in and let's go into the kitchen, the moment is too happy to be spent in the hallway!"
"Allright, but please tell me, why have you come back? I thought I'd never see you again when the ship left at the Grey Havens. What a joy to see you here!"
Sam couldn't tell whether there really were tears in his eyes because he was so happy.
Together they walked into the kitchen. There a second surprise followed to the first one which Sam thought wouldn't ever have been possible.
It was Frodo who was sitting next to Rosie.
Without saying a word he rose up and now Sam really was crying, overwhelmed by happiness, and embraced Frodo. Finally Frodo broke the silence.
"We've come back, Gandalf and me. I reckoned I'd never have a peaceful life in Middle-Earth, but then, as the ship departed further from the coast, I felt my heart would tear from pain. I realized where I belong actually. I asked and begged them to return and indeed, they finally did so. It was the last opportunity and it wasn't easy for me, of course, to leave Bilbo and the Elves, but I was sure that I belong here and it was the right thing to come back."
Frodo looked at Sam directly and Sam noticed that Frodo was also moved to tears.
"And what about Gandalf?" Sam asked.
"Well", Gandalf began, "I don't really know how to explain. I acutally wanted to leave Middle-Earth with the Elves, but suddenly the thought came to my mind that I also here, amongst my friends, could live peacefully. And there is still the possibility to follow the Elves in the far west. So I turned around together with Frodo. It was just some feeling and a quick decision, but I'm pleased now."
Everyone sat down to eat and while they all were enjoying supper, Frodo and Gandalf told them about their return.
The ship already had covered a distance when Frodo suddenly asked to turn about and so they had to go that way back in some hours before they could see the coast of Middle-Earth again. To everyone it had been a big surprise that Gandalf also went on shore with Frodo. Both they beckoned a last time when the ship ultimately left. Night was falling and both voyagers prepared a bivouac and spent the night near the sea. Frodo described it as unforgetable. The next morning they slowly began to ride back to the Shire, but then in the last thunderstorm of the year their horses were off. They had to look for them for days and lost the straight way to the Shire. This was the reason for them arriving that late.
Rosie cared for Shadowfax and the pony in the meantime in the neighbor's stable. Especially the two hobbits deepend into the conversation while Gandalf mostly listened.
"Frodo, I really thought I'd never see you again and it was tearing up my heart. Nontheless I understood your intentions, but that didn't help me at all. So - will you and Gandalf be living here at Bag End with us? You're always welcome!"
Frodo smiled at him and said: "It would be a real pleasure to me! I am so glad about being here again. It was the right thing to come back, though I felt unhappy here for so long! That's incomprehensive to me now."
Gandalf put down his pipe and said: "Well, my dear friend Samwise, I accept your invitation for now, but I'll look for a place which is a little more roomy than this friendly house!" Thereat he laughed.
It became a pleasant and sociably evening. Sam was overhappy about Frodo's return and although they were all pretty tired, they kept on talking for a long time. That evening they all went to bed late.

The next morning they woke up relaxed and contented and first spent that day unspetacularly. Frodo and Sam were sitting together and talking while Gandalf was on his way searching for his new place to live.
"You know, Sam, it wasn't an easy thing to do for me, the separation from Bilbo for he means so much to me. I only have the best wishes for him and I am happy that he had such a long and happy life. If I only had this chance too!"
Sam responded: "But, Frodo, why not? My impression is that you're pleased and cheery and I think you could even outrange him!"
"Why do you think so? I didn't own the ring for long so it would be strange if I also reached that age!"
A nightmarish silence spread in the room. This was something which Sam had displaced successfully but Frodo simply couldn't forget their journey.
"What do you suppose? Will it ever disquiet me?" Frodo finally broke the silence and mentioned something which had been a task to them for a long time.
"I loved Bilbo so much, but why did he have to find that ring? Why was I condemned to bear it until the bitter end?" Frodo called angrily.
"But it wasn't Bilbo's fault! It wasn't the fault of anyone, you know?" Sam replied.
"If I simply wasn't given the ring. Why didn't I give it to another bearer at the council of Elrond! Someone would have been amongst them who also could have done that, someone braver than me who wouldn't suffer that much from it! I am only a small hobbit and I had survive those bad injuries which still agonize me."
Frodo stopped. His face showed worries and sadness and Sam was distraught.
"Gandalf always said that you own some vigors which the strongest man couldn't apply. You survived the injury of the Nazgûl and you fought against Shelob's poison. These are unusual abilities!"
After a pause Frodo said: "Sure... I guess you weren't the only one who saved me and you really did. Without you I would have been lost in Mordor and wouldn't have escaped ever. But the worst thing which still haunts me..."
He couldn't talk farther, it made him choke and he nearly couldn't breathe. All those horrible thoughts made fear arise from with he had wanted to run away to the west and he finally hadn't done so because he imagined that it wouldn't let him go anywhere.
"Frodo, what's up ? Please tell me, maybe I'm able to help you!"
"That would be really nice, Sam. I guess it was absolutely useless that we harassed ourselves to destroy the ring. Who or what has Sauron actually been? I've such a feeling that he wasn't the last evil. I can't explain, but I always think there is something evil left somewhere which is staring down at us. I again dreamt something strange last night..."
Now he averted and gazed out of the window, unmoving. First Sam didn't move because of helplessness, but then he stepped to Frodo and tried to look into his eyes and catch his glance. He didn't succeed for Frodo even didn't seem to notice him.
He bursted into tears quietly and Sam plainly felt his emotional excruciation which Frodo had to withstand. Wordlessly he embraced him and they stood there that way for a long time. Frodo clinged into Sam's shirt and didn't want to let him go anymore.
When Rosie looked after them she first looked helpless at Sam who simply gave her to understand that she shouldn't worry about them.
Finally Gandalf came back and came into the room. He looked very busy and pleased, but as he beholded the two hobbits, his expression changed to full of sorrow.
"What happened in here?" he asked.
First no one reacted, but then Frodo was startled by Gandalf and looked at him directly.
"I haven't told anyone yet about it, but there is something evil which appears in my dreams."
They sat around the table silently and Gandalf expectantly looked at Frodo, alike Sam.
After a visibly nerve-racking start-up Frodo finally began.
"They've come for so long now. They always return regularly. It starts with reminding me to the Nazgul. Often I wake up from pain in my shoulder. The scar burns and soon I fall asleep again, but then it proceeds even worse. Then I see that huge spider right in front of me and I run away. She catches me though and I feel a twitch and then nothing. Then I can't move. Darkness is all around me, I can't see a thing, I only hear strange noises and smell the reek which becomes more and more. I can't do anything. Then I suddenly see you, Sam, lonely in the darkness, looking for something, and then, it's the worst, you're captured and shackled and lonely. Everywhere there are... there are spiderwebs."
He was sitting there with closed eyes, trembling and pointed in a direction again and again. It was much bother to him as Sam and Gandalf could see, but then he went on.
"orcs are there, everywhere. They are talking about something and I always recognize a word which my heart translates to the elvish word ungol. They don't seem to have fear. All around there are still spiderwebs and where they are, there also is thick darkness and fear. I am looking for Sam, I want to find him, but it's unsuccessful, so it seems... then he is lying there as if he is dead. That's all I know."
Slowly he opened his eyes again and Sam covered his hand with his own ones. He felt the shivering and his hands were cold.
Then Sam looked at Gandalf who regarded them attentively. He shook his head in dismay and began to talk.
"Frodo, you can't imagine what you've been telling about. But I admit, I also don't have any idea what it could mean. orcs connected with a spider... impossible to my opinion. But did you ever task with the history of Middle-Earth?"
"No, I didn't, why do you ask?"
"Some elements of your nightmare seem familiar to me. Maybe this doesn't mean anything."
"What do you mean, Gandalf, what are you talking about?" asked Sam excited and Frodo looked at Gandalf frightened.
"Well, that's a long story. I'll try to curtail it for you. Once upon a time, many year before in the First Age, there already were terrifying monsters in Middle-Earth. One of them was huge Ungoliant, a spider like Shelob."
The hobbits regarded him panicked and he went on: "She was so evil that she covered many things with spiderwebs and where she did so, everything sank into endless darkness. I reckon you both made the experience that even Ungoliant's offsprings can spread such horrible eclipse."
Concerning about that, Frodo said: "You mean... Shelob is her offspring and... why is it dealing with us?"
"I can't tell exactly. You dreamt things which already happened, but I don't know whether you also greamt things which could happen in the future. I just don't understand why there were orcs and Shelob joint in one situation. It seemed as if the orcs weren't afraid of the spider, didn't it? And also Sam doesn't fit into all that."
"It's really strange. It was the way I told you now. What does it mean, Gandalf?"
After some hesitance Gandalf answered: "I simply can't tell. I also don't know someone who could know something. I don't have any advice. Probably it doesn't mean nothing at all. Don't unsettle yourselves, I'm sure it's only some kind of spook maybe which fades away again. And never forget your Elvish gem , the necklet, you know? You don't know from which use it could be sometime. It could be the healing."
Frodo grabbed the necklet under his shirt and dragged it out. The gem seemed to glare a little, but he couldn't tell whether this was only imagination. He didn't ask the others.
The rest of the day the thoughts of Frodo's nightmare didn't let Gandalf go. He wondered who he could ask, but most of the wisest Elves just had left Middle-Earth. Could the Istari know something? He doubtet it, but he wanted to leave and seek information.
In the evening he told the others about his decision.
"Well, listen to me now: I am not sure, but maybe my friends, such as the other Istari, know some advice. Soon I'll leave, I can't find any rest before I didn't ask someone."
"But you told us it isn't dangerous!" said Sam confused.
"I just want to be convinced, you know? It won't be too long, believe me, Shadowfax is fast and it's not a long way to go, I think. Don't worry, please."
This reminded Frodo immediately to a day years ago when Gandalf also went to seek information and didn't come back for a long time, but he said nothing.
Shadowfax was ready soon and after Gandalf packed some food and other useful stuff he departed and disappeared in the darkness of late autumn.
Frodo, Sam and his family rested before the door for some moments until he couldn't be seen anymore. For some strange kind Frodo was quieted. The night was full of relaxing sleep for him and Sam threw away his sorrow completely, too.

The next morning Sam woke up from laughter in front of the house. He espied through the window and watched Frodo and Elanor playing in the garden. Voluntarily he smiled eased then because it gladdened him so much. Outside his daughter shrieked in pleasure when Frodo whirled her around and suddenly Rosie was behind Sam.
"Be honest, I know you're hungry. I prepared a big breakfast, so hurry up and then I'll tell both to come in."
After the breakfast Frodo and Elanor disappeared again and performed very mysteriously. Sam sat down in front of the warm chimney and lighted his pipe. He smiled wily and predictated that the herb was very good again.
He still watched those two in the garden while playing hide-and-seek. Only lunch interrupted them while they were collecting chestnuts and in the afternoon they all rigged up some figures from small twigs and the fruits. Sam and Frodo narrated some adventures, put together from their real experiences and fantasy. They were busy until it was time for supper and everyone who passed by outside could hear the small hobbit girl laugh and was exhilarated himself.
Two days passed by like that and Merry visited them and happily accepted the invitation to stay some days. It became very amusing in Bag End and the days weren't boring at all. They were always tired in the evenings so they went to bed soon and slept deeply.
"I'm already going to sleep now, Frodo, so please be quiet when you also come later!" said Merry and yawned. In Frodo's room they had put another bed for Merry and Frodo was sitting next to Elanor's bed and wanted to tell her a story before she would be sleeping, a story which he also always liked very much when Bilbo told it to him when he was a little boy.
"And then there was the dragon lying on top of the beautiful treasure and snored. You can't imagine! Then the robbers cam, Dwarves and hobbit, and observed the monster. They wanted to get the treasure so bad!..."
Sam totteredthrough the hallway sleepily and threw a quick look into Elanor's room before he disappeared in his bedroom. He found Frodo asleep in the rockingchair and Elanor slumbering peacefully in her bed. For a short moment he stepped into the room and put out the light, then he also went to bed.

Second Chapter
Fright in the Night

First you only could perceive their shades, then their fading outlines which were shooing from hideout to hideout. They whizzed and whispered.
"And if they're not at home? Are you sure this is the right place?" one of them asked damped.
"Of course I'm shure, blockhead! Didn't the boss show it to us? I mean, if you can't fix it, I don't have any problems with it!" another one bleated. All the others didn't say a word. Together they crouched behind a bush and only frightened a cat which hurried away screeching.
Of course it was frightened. They were orcs.
"Well, it's great, but what is it for?" the first one asked now.
"Didn't I tell you about 100 times? We are ordered to get in there and find that jack. I myself don't know for sure if it's a huge Elf or another one of these short guys that are everywhere in that place, but..."
"So you also don't have any idea."
"Of course I have one! But the boss said the enemy is small and someone different who should know it better described him as a huge dangerous Elf, one of those stinkingly guys to me! He said he'd kill everything that's in his way!"
"But we have to know who we are looking for! If there are some more of them..."
"The boss has got his spies, don't you know?Just some days ago they've seen him again with the child. We have known for long now that he is father, so he must be trackable!"
With a grumble the other one commented what just was said and they sneaked silently to the door. The most skilled amongst them just needed some moments and it was opened. Quietly they stepped into the house and didn't close the door completely. It was dark in the house, but the orcs could figure out everything.
"Where to go?" someone asked. The imaginary boss answered: "One room after another, step by step. First door!"
Unfortunately this was Elanor's room which they were talking about. One of them peered through the door. Elanor and Frodo were sleeping in there.
"Guys! It's him. And there's also the child."
"Leave the child. Only the jack!"
One of them carried some cords and they all gathered in the room before another closed the door behind them. Then everything happened really fast.
The little girl woke up when the ards on the floor were creaking and she saw many obscure figures standing in her room. Immediately she screamed in panic and Frodo woke up. He only noticed an orc standing in front of himself with a sardonic smile. As quick as lightning he was lift from the chair very ungently, one of the orcs shooed behind him and shackled him while the one in front of him gagged him. He was shouldered and in the group there was much excitement because of the screaming child. They became nervous and wanted to vanish as soon as possible when they heard roaring from the hallway.
"There are some more of them!" one of them shouted and they all contused at once through the door with Frodo who was desperately struggling.
Sam fell out of the bed, shocked by the sudden noise in the house. When he was lying there on the floor, really perplexed, he perceived his sword under the bed and instinctively he grabbed it and jumped up. In the meantime Merry already was in the middle of the incident, striking around himself indignantly in the dark and beat some of the enemies successfully. It was loud in the turmoil and suddenly he heard a dull impact. The door was widely opened and half of them had already escaped. The moonlight shone into the hallway and there on the floor was Frodo lying, trying to rise up. Merry was outraged. With all his might he shouted: "Sam! Help!!!" and presently Sam was hurrying around the corner. But Merry hadn't had his eye upon Frodo for a moment before he wanted to run to him and save him and one of the orcs had snatched him and they all had gone.
Sam hastened through the door, yelling and with Sting in his hand. He had seen what was happening at the very moment. Elanor stopped screaming for Rosie had run to her and came into the hallway now with her. She looked at Merry frightfully.
"They abducted him. They carried Frodo away. Damn, I was too late and there were so many of them!" Merry swore and ran into the garden. What he saw there, shocked him deeply.
They had been much too fast for the hobbit with his short legs, had thrown something in his face and had espaced with Frodo unresisted.
Sam cowered on the street, clasping on his sword and staring onto the ground with an empty look. Merry stepped to him and heard him snobbing and murmuring: "No, no... why... I didn't look after him... no..."
Merry laid a hand on his shoulder, but Sam didn't react. Rosie and Elanor followed and Rosie asked with a flickering voice: "Who were they? Why did they come?"
Merry turned around and said: "I only know who they were. They were orcs. But I don't know why they were here. They nearly looked like the orcs from Moria. Sam?"
Now Sam lifted up his head and regarded Merry and his wife, weeping and suddenly he rose up and asked his daughter: "Did they do you any harm, my little girl? What did they do?" She was still quavering.
"No, Dad, I just woke up and there were obscure figures. They bound him and carried him away. I was so panicked!"
Sam eased took her hand and said: "He knew what was going to happen. Frodo knew it. Why didn't we really care about? Why, damn!?!"
The whole neighborhood was on the street now and a crowd gathered around Bag End. Everyone wanted to know what had happened. Sam went back into the house wordlessly and Rosie followed. Merry gave a short answer: "orcs were here, we couldn't do anything about it, and they abducted Frodo Baggins. I don't know why."
Someone called for the shirrifs and hearing all the blathering Merry went back into the house too. They all were exchanging opinions.
"Didn't I always tell you? Every Baggins roams about all the time. It simply had to happen."
"Don't tell such stupid things, Frodo is a very intelligent hobbits and his long journey! Of course something would follow!"
Merry found the family sitting around the table in the kitchen, Sam walked from one corner to another one and Rosie asked a bunch of questions. Elanor fell asleep soon again, it had been too much for her. Her Mum held her in her arms and stared at Sam who was upset and helpless.
First Merry viewed the scenery from the doorframe without saying a word and no one noticed him.
"No, Rosie, I don't have a single idea! What should I tell you? I didn't talk to them to find out what they want!"
"And you don't know a single thing? Frodo was strange some days ago, don't you remember? You counselled with the wizard and whatfor was that? You didn't ever tell me where you've been all the time and why!"
"But you never asked!" Sam called. He lost his collectedness.
"Well, I'm asking you now! I know that you've been to the south with the wizard and some other folks, but why? Where does Frodo's excruciation come from?"
"My darling, I'm not sure whether you'd like to hear all that. Well..." Throwing a view at Merry who he nonetheless had noticed, he sat down and Merry also did so.
"As you'll surely remember, Frodo heird everything from Bilbo. And you remember Bilbo's 111th birthday? He disappeared with the help of a magic ring and he had no idea that this ring was the One Ring. The Dark Lord Sauron created him to rule Middle-Earth and he found out that the ring was here in the Shire. He sent the Black Riders and we had to go on a long journey to destroy the ring."
Her eyes widened and surprisingly Bungo Boffin, one of the shirrifs, came in.
"The door was left open. What's up in here?" he asked and Sam made a gesture that Bungo should sit down.
"Just a moment please, Bungo, I need to explain something to Rosie."
"No problem, I have enough thime."
"Well, we went to Mordor together with men, an Elf and a dwarf. We lost the other fellows inbetween and once Frodo was injured by one of the Black Riders on the Weathertop. When we reached Mordor, I lost him for one day. Gollum, an insidious devil, had formed a plot with a huge spider which we met on our way. That devil wanted to have the ring and the spider attacked and injured him too. First I supposed he was dead, so I left him and took the ring to walk on to Mount Doom. Then orcs came and carried him away to the tower of Cirith Ungol and I rescued him. That's what agonizes him."
Rosie looked at him, incredulously, and Bungo too. No one said a word.
Sam turned to the shirrif and told him what had happened.
"Didn't anyone see the orcs?" he asked finally.
"No", Bungo answered, "nobody, I'm sorry. I don't know why, I guess they crossed the fields unseen. How can I help you?"
After a pause Sam said: "I fear, there's nothing we can do right now. These are enemies which are too much for everyone of us. I had to fight against them and it was hard. I defended Frodo and cut the orc's hand off before he broke his neck."
The shirrif was rigid because of astonishment. Merry grinned for he knew about the story of the "huge Elf warrior".
"We have to do it ourselves, you can't help us, can he, Merry? But I don't know how to do it." Sam sadly looked at the table.
"I blame myself for it and I don't even know where to search him."
The pother in the village had spread and it didn't take long until Pippin arrived at Bag End.
Sam sat depressed at the table while Rosie and Elanor went off to sleep. They all were silent, Bungo had left after many explainations why he couldn't do anything. Helplessly they finally went to bed, too, and while the others fell asleep more fast, Sam was lying there sleepless. Pippin had laid down in Frodo's unused and empty bed and Sam listened to the sound of his daughter's breath who was lying between him and Rosie. The intuitiveness of something evil having started came to his mind which Frodo had known before. But Sam didn't know that there had been a mistake.

He felt wretched the next morning. His daughter was lying next to him, she had clinged to him and was still asleep. Rosie already had got up and he heard her talking to Pippin. He stared at the ceiling and suddenly he had an idea which made him rise up.
"That's it! If someone is able to help us now, then it's him!"
He jumped out of the bed and nearly kicked Sting on the floor. On his way to the kitchen he looked after Merry who wasn't lying in bed anymore. In the hallway he nearly collided with him.
"Hey, to see you again alive!" Merry said and knocked on Sam's shoulder.
"It's already ten in the morning. Come and strengthen yourself with Rosie's great breakfast!"
Sam liked the idea and followed Merry into the kitchen. Rosie and Pippin were already having their breakfast and the others sat down next to them. First Sam took a bite and then he told the others about his idea.
"Listen. Just a few moments ago a thought came to my mind where we could find someone to ask for advice and help. Probably you remember our friend Tom Bombadil in the Old Forest?"
"Sam, you're wonderful!" Merry called. "Of course, that's it! Let's ask him now. Maybe it would be a good idea for someone to stay here? I mean, in case that Gandalf returns. We exigently need his help too!"
"That's a good thought", Pippin said. "I'll stay in central Shire and try to find out where our friend is remaining. Rosie's still at the house and in the evenings I'll return."
Rosie exactly knew that Sam never would be convinced of staying at Bag End now because he just had to rescue Frodo. She also didn't want to convince him and didn't try. The Old Forest, she reckoned, would be near enough to the Shire that nothing bad would happen like on the journey the friends went on before.
So the decision was made and they packed their stuff in a hurry and Merry borrowed the neighbor's pony. They must be fast. When they were ready and had enough food, weapons and warm clothing, they saddled the ponies and dismissed from Rosie and Pippin. Last, but not least Pippin also would care for Rosie because you never knew what could happen besides.
When they finally arrived at the street to Bywater, they progressed much faster, all the most on the Great East Road heading to Bree in the distance, passing the Old Forest where they wanted to go. Because they now knew where to find Tom, they reckoned that they'd arrive at the end of the second day, without any dangers and problems.
"Sam, what are you really going to do there? Do you think that Tom can tell us where to find Frodo?" Merry asked.
"Well, I don't know, to be honest. But we'll have to try because sitting around passively isn't a good thing to do. And good Tom knows many things, that's for sure.
Maybe he even has seen something or found out somehow. I do hope we don't do this unavailingly. Gandalf has left about a week ago and I really don't know how long it will last until he returns. We can't wait that long. I don't know what they're going to do with Frodo, but it can't be something good. We must act quickly! I badly hope that Gandalf will come back soon."
They didn't have many conversations that day for they were full of the same sorrow which no one wanted to talk about. orcs and a hobbit, that was evil. Merry knew exactly why. It had been a planned attack and they exactly had known whatfor to look. This made Sam worrying.
First the day presented itself friendly with some sunshine, but later more and more clouds appeared which weakened hope and resolution with its steady grey. It became cold because the winter was approaching unstoppable, but this wasn't a real reason to worry about. They were worried because they had the strange feeling that this was the beginning of some awful story.

When dusk was falling, they stayed at the tavern in Whitfurrows. There they immediately asked for Gandalf, but everything the inhabitants could tell them was about Gandalf's departure and not about his return. The hobbits associated with the other guests in the tap-room and started a conversation. It didn't take a long time until someone stepped in who knew about the abduction in hobbiton and told the folks about it. Immediately they all concentrated on Merry and Sam and they were asked things after things. Quickly the people knew that they were involved and that they were at Whitfurrows therefor.
Suddenly someone from the hindmost corner took the word who had been sitting there silently and smoking his pipe.
"Well, my friends, maybe I can help you! You said you're looking for a rabble of orcs, then I know something!"
Excited Sam stepped to him and looked at him expectantly.
"What do you know? Let me listen to your story!"
"This morning I was in the fields south of here and I perceived some grim-looking folks in the distance, about half a mile from me. I didn't like their kind of walking, you know, and they left a bad impression to me at all. They weren't that big, that's for sure, and inbetween they stopped for a moment and did something, then they walked on straight heading to the Old Forest."
"That's fantastic!" Merry called and Sam looked at him. "Great, this is where we wanted to go. Shouldn't we follow them immediately? Otherwise their lead will be enlarging tonight!"
Sam shook his head. "No, I guess we should stay because their lead already is big enough so we can't catch up with them. We should take a rest here. I'd really like to know where they want to go!"
He didn't make any other comments on it. Later they went to their room and went to bed.

They wanted to leave the street behind the Brandywine Bridge and straight head to the Old Forest, so they decided. The street headed away from the forest and they had to hurry up. They set off early the next morning and overstepped the Brandywine Bridge at noon. Then they prepared some lunch, again pretty silently and full of thoughts.
Sam's concern was the question why the orcs simply could walk into his house and abduct Frodo, purposively and quickly. They hadn't done any harm to Elanor though she had screamed terribly, but they hadn't shown any interest.
Why Frodo? What had he done and who could be interested in abducting him? Whatfor? He had beared the ring to Mount Doom in Mordor and the ring had fallen into the Chasms of Destiny, all evil was defeated, even Sauron.
All evil was defeated.
Allright, there still were orcs left in Middle-Earth, in Moria and other frightful places. Bilbo had met some in the Misty Mountains. Where the ones came from who had been at Bag End - Sam didn't know. He rarely perceived them, so he hadn't a single idea about their provenance, of course.
It was hard to imagine that orcs had done that out of their own intentions. Such a well-planned burglary, this must have been someone else's idea. But who? Who could be interested in abducting Frodo?
Sam didn't have a single idea. Frodo didn't harm anyone who could plan a revenge now. What was the message behind Frodo's nightmare? It was dealing with orcs and Shelob. But there was no connection between them! Sam had no explaination therefor.
He pondered about all that, considered this and that, but nothing really provided him a suitably answer. In the end he was even more confused than before when they entered the Old Forest near Bombadils house. Forehandedly and sceptical Merry called for Tom and it didn't take long until they espied his hat and heard his singing.
"Oh, great, at least something is still reliable!" Sam said.
When Bombadil recognized them, his suprise was visibly.
"My friends! Tell me, why do you come to visit me again after this short time?"
He called those years a short time! They seemed like eternally to the hobbits, but Tom's feeling about such things was different.
"Tom, we're so glad we finally found you!"Sam began. "We need your help."
"I thought so. Well, follow me into the drawing-room and I'll see how I can help you! I think the message I got was right and I suppose I can give you advice. It's a good thing that you've come!"
He ascended on Sam's pony and soon they arrived at his house where beautiful Goldberry was waiting for them. She gave food to the ponies while the hobbits followed Tom into the house and sat down round a freehandedly set table.
Tom started the talking: "Well, is it right that something awful recently happened in hobbiton? In the night one of you was forcibly wrest from his home by a rabble of wicked creatures, some birds chirped that into my ear yesterday. The creatures were orcs, is that right? Then I've seen them, I think, but the moment was too short to act in any way. Yesterday they were on their way through the valley near the river and they agilely disappeared from my field of view. Surely you'd like to know the reason for Frodo Beutlin's abduction!"
Merry and Sam weren't astonished about his knowledge, they already knew him too well to wonder about that. They nodded.
"I hope our good old friend Gandalf made up his mind too! Where is that guy remaining?" "We ourselves don't know exactly where he went, Tom. It's more than a week ago that he left to look for the other Istari to ask for advice. Frodo had a horrible nightmare which he couldn't explain without any help. It was dealing with a spider and orcs."
"He did so? Tell me about the nightmare!" Tom requested.
Sam reported what Frodo had told them and observed the changing of Tom's facial expression which became more worried with every word Sam spoke.
Finally he said: "Sounds like a big problem. Is it right that the thing about the Nazgul and the spider have happened? Then I can explain the message of the nightmare easily. It forms the connection to the following, that's darkness, orcs and spiderwebs. I hope Gandalf told you about the fact that this happened several thousand years ago. And there's still Shelob left. And that you, Samwise, play a role in the nightmare, that's interesting... looking as if you're dead... I really ask myself what this means."
Merry's last bite got stuck in his throat and he swallowed hardly. Because of the excitement Sam couldn't eat at all.
"So, now, ... let's figure out what the meaning is! Let's begin with the spider. I think it's frightening that Frodo has dreamt what would happen."
"So he really knew about it!" Sam called.
"He really did. Your Frodo had to suffer from many different things and this sensitized him. He anticipated what would happen, simply in that manner. The spider always disappears in some shape in the nightmare. The orcs are just some small, but important element. Let's reflect upon how orcs usually behave... they are servants, they are slaves. And they were in Bag End. So they belong to it, but they're not the wreaking force. I dare to aver that there's a nearly impossible union between creatures who originally hate each other to death. The orcs are the helpers of the spider, but I don't know why. You have to tell me the reason. I didn't learn everything I need to know now."
First no one said a word. Sometime Merry murmured: "Why could the spider be interested in Frodo? Let's say the spider is Shelob. I can't find any reason. I mean, it's not too important that he escaped her as meal, is it?"
Sam shook his head and pondered doggedly about the sense of it all.
"I don't have any clue. Frodo didn't do her any harm, she can't plan any revenge because of him. But it's me."
Tom immediately regarded him.
"I was fighting against her with Sting. I injured her to save Frodo from death. So it's a mistake!"
Tom nodded silently.
"That's it!" Merry yelled. "The orcs were hired by Shelob and they abducted the wrong victim for they're not the cleverest..."
Sam perspired. His heart was beating fast and he felt dizzy. That meant they sometime would notice they abducted the wrong hobbit. So they would be hunt him now and he felt sick when he thought about what could happen to Frodo when the mistake would be recognized.
It made him choke and he couldn't do anything about it. Tears came to his eyes and he laid the head on his arms and weeped.
Wordlessly Merry lay his arm on his shoulders and Tom rose up, stepped to the window and stared out of it.
Sam was desperate. Frodo had been abducted instead of him! He had to suffer from something which he wasn't responsible for. It was Shelob's revenge, Shelob, who Sam injured badly, but she had survived. Rage raised up in Sam, but then it was suffocated by the fear about Frodos's life. He said through tears: "Gandalf has to come here and act, do something. He has to save him. They will kill him! No, why..."
He couldn't talk farther. Tom stepped to them and first looked into Merry's eyes who tried to comfort Sam, tried to give him some consolation, then Sam.
"Listen, Samwise. It was a mistake, it was an incident, the orcs didn't know better. No one is guilty, all the more it's not you!"
"But I only had to wake him up that evening! He was sitting in my daughter's room, he had told her a story before she fell asleep and so he did then too. They simply had to think he was her father! I'm sure they sent spies before, this explains their purposiveness! If he only had laid in his bed, they'd have found me before. Now he has to afflict which were meant for me and he had to afflict so much before too! Do something!"
He sobbed and couldn't really perceive Tom's face because of tears.
"No, don't think it would be better if you suffered instead of him. That doesn't make any sense now. It's better to concentrate on the possibilities of rescuing him and everything will do good.You're able to do it and we'll help you."
Merry took Sam's hand and said: "We'll find these jacks. We'll find them and we'll rescue Frodo. No single spider in this world will get him in her claws, that's my job!"
"But how will you do it? Simply the gang which came to Bag End! They were twice as much as we were. We're simply two small hobbits! But we have to hunt them. We'll have to leave now, Merry, come on!"
Sam jumped up, but Merry pulled him down again.
"Calm down! We can't rush now. They're a long way from here. It won't be of any use to run after them. Let's try a different way of finding out where they are. Tom, where could they be?"
Sam looked at both of them attentively and Tom was figuring on the question.
"Well, Mirkwood is a long way from here, even a longer way is Shelob's cave. That's not too probable. In Mirkwood there are all those spiders, but I think they'll rest somewhere near here for some time so they won't be found so easily on their way somewhere. But where could they remain?"
They reflected upon many different places for a long time where orcs would hide. But their radius was too big chosen. They considered about the North Downs, the Weather Hills and the wilderness inbetween, but suddenly Merry called: "What about the Barrow-Downs?"
First no one said something. Then Sam said: "Perfect hideaways. I bet they think we'd never dare to go there. Mh. This is worth being included in our thoughts."
The last detection of that day was that the gang in any case would come to them when they recognized the mistake. In the evening the hobbits were totally worn out and even Goldberrys bothering about them didn't help. They knew, the only good business would be sleeping and so they went to bed early and didn't notice Tom leaving the house later.

Third Chapter
Plans are made

For some unknown reason Gandalf was roused. He found himself in the North Downs where he suspected and found Radagast. Radagast was the one amongst the wizards who he trusted most and who possibly could give the most help. They had talked about Frodo's nightmare for a long time and quickly Radagast supposed many things which Gandalf would never had imagined, thereby it was so easy. Like Bombadil he immediately wondered about Sam's part in the nightmare and first he had no idea what that meant. He asked Gandalf about the battle of the hobbits against Shelob and so he soon realized that some nearly impossbile union between spider and orcs existed now. Then it had been easy for him to realize Shelob's revenge plans for Sam.
Gandalf was pretty worried when he went to sleep that evening. He knew Radagast was right. The only thought which let him stay was the fact that Frodo has had this nightmare for a long time. To him it was improbable that exactly during his absence something which was just suspected could happen. It was early in the morning when Gandalf was roused from sleep. Radagast stood at the entrance of the cave in which both found themselves, and he looked at the lands below, faintly lighted by dim morning light of the soon uprising sun. Fog was between the trees and hills and everything seemed peaceful. But Gandalf immediately reckoned that this wasn't the real state of life now.
"What happened?" asked he when he stood next to Radagast.
"I fear it's nearly too late. I fear our worst misgiving has already come true. Some time ago I was startled from the strange feeling that they're on their way. I don't think they already performed their plans, but they already departed. I know if enemies find themselves in places which they don't belong in. Now it's important to be fast. I'll send my scouts, but you have to leave very soon before it's too late."
"I have to be thankful for your advice, my friend. Maybe you contributed to preventing the worst!" Gandalf called and hurried to Shadowfax. The next moment he sat on the horse's back which was hurrying over the plateau.
Fortunately Shadowfax was the fastest horse the world had ever seen. Gandalf didn't doubt to arrive in hobbiton in the evening. But he cursed the fact of having needed to much time to find Radagast. Fortunately he had been lucky and found his friend in the North Downs and not somewhere in Middle-Earth, but first Gandalf had rode to the Weather Hills and searched them for two days before he left to the North Downs where he again searched a whole day. It had taken one week, but he was happy to know what could happen. It wouldn't take long to go straight to Hobbiton, he thought. If it only wasn't too late already!
In the early afternoon they reached Brandywine Bridge which they had to take although it would take some more time. There was no alternative.
Fast like the wind they hurried to the Shire, Shadowfax and Gandalf, and they really did it. In the evening of an overcast, grey-clouded day, Gandalf jumped off the horse and walked to the door at Bag End. He was surprised not to find Bill in the shed as he looked in, so he took Shadowfax to the stable and knocked at the door. No one opened the door and he simply entered the house.
"Sam? Frodo? Rosie? Anyone in here?" he asked from the hallway.
"Gandalf, is it you?" he heard a voice sounding like Pippin's.
"Yes, it's me. Are you in the kitchen, Peregrin?"
Before he got an answer, Pippin stood in front of him and embraced him.
"I'm so glad to see you, Gandalf! So many terrible things have happened!" he complained. Rosie appeared in the door frame and beholded Gandalf full of sorrow. Without any other word they sat down at the table in the kitchen.
"To see you here, Gandalf, that's real relief to me. Nothing better could happen in this situation. So often we already said it's been a curse that you left!" Rosie said.
"Why? Tell me, what happened?"
"Gandalf, four days ago some orcs came at night and abducted Frodo. We couldn't do anything about it. I've been looking for you, asked the people if they'd seen you and I felt so helpless. Today one of those orcs came back, in broad daylight, when Rosie was alone in here. Tell him what he said to you", said Pippin.
"There was knocking at the door and I opened. In front of me some ugly jack stood and asked me to listen to him first before I'd call the shirrifs. He didn't harm me in any way, he just told me they treat their captive well and are willing to negotiate with us. Sam must come as fast as possible to Bucklebury Ferry and I told him I'd deliver it to him when he came back. I was too surprised to ask any further questions, I just let him go and went to search Pippin to tell him about it", she reported.
Gandalf was sitting there with closed eyes, listened attentively and sighed."So I came too late. I'm not surprised because Radagast and me talked detailed about Frodo's nightmare when I found him yesterday. I think we were able to interpret it. Rosie, tell me, how did the orc call Sam?"
"Well, he called him the father of the little hobbit girl and I was a little astonished about that. Gandalf, what do you know?"
"That's what I supposed he called him. They espied you for a really long time, so our suppositions are right concerning their plans. We think that the orcs united in some unknown way with Shelob, the spider from Mordor for she wants to get it back on Sam who injured her seriously. It's just been a confusion, but how could that happen?"
Pippin told Gandalf about the circumstances in that night and Gandalf nodded grieved at it. "It's just been some silly confusion...Damn, this can't be true. I'd like to know how the union could arise. I only know for sure that they sent spies to search Middle-Earth for Shelob's tormentor. They'd had enough time therefor. Maybe there were birds or even men and the Shire isn't big. It was easy to find Sam and they got to know he has a child. The conclusion laid near the one sitting in the rockingchair had to be the one they were looking for. And now someone realized there had been a mix-up and they want to bait Sam now. Where the hell is he actually?"
Pippin said: "Well, you weren't here to be asked, so Sam and Merry left to go to the Old Forest and ask Tom Bombadil for help and advice. They left the following morning.""Rosie, could you prepare some food for us? We immediately must go to Tom, too. It's important. I mean, if orcs assure that Frodo is treated well - I don't believe that easily. I fear that they sometime might act unthought. That would be a desaster. When they know they detain the wrong hobbit, they could act incalculable. Pippin, you'll come with me. We have to make a plan to rescue Frodo! Let's go!"
Soon they were ready and left immediately. Shadowfax had to transport both of them again, Gandalf and Pippin, as on their way from Isengart to Minas Tirith some time ago. It wasn't any bother to the horse and they reached the Brandywine Bridge until midnight. They had sent Rosie and Elanor to Rosie's parents because there they would be safer. You could never know what could happen later on.Pippin couldn't get no sleep because of all those worries in his head. He was deeply shocked that in this horrible affair a confusion had happened. But he was also a little eased because of the idea that the orcs didn't know they were aware of the mistake; so they knew a little more. The orcs wanted to set a trap for Sam and if they ever caught him, this would be his death sentence. Both they kept silence while Shadowfax was hastening through the night, hurryind to reach Bombadil's house. Sometime Pippin fell asleep though and woke up in surprise when Shadowfax slowed down at dawn. Tom's house was there upon a hill and Gandalf sighed in relief.
"Come on, Pippin, you relaxed enough. Now you have to reason!"They jumped off the horse and knocked at the door. Just a few seconds later Goldberry opened and said: "Good morning, dear travellers! What a surprise to see you here! Come in, I'll go and awake the others. Sit down wherever you like!"
Pippin and Gandalf went into the kitchen and just two minutes later two tired hobbits entered the kitchen, followed by Tom.
"It's Gandalf!" Sam cheered and embraced the wizard happily. He was moved to tears from relief. "To see you in here takes some sorrow away. Now we can strike!"
Goldberry prepared a big breakfast for them and they all sat round the table: Gandalf, Pippin, Merry, Sam and Tom. First Gandalf reported about his experiences, about his conversation with Radagast and the strange visitor in the Shire. When Sam and Merry heard that, their eyes widened from excitement.
"Then it really was one of them, the jack we saw the day before yesterday! Surely exactly that guy, I bet!" said Sam. Gandalf looked at him confused and Sam began: "Tom disappeared three nights ago without saying a word to seek for information. We supposed the orcs wouldn't walk a long way and imagined they could rest at the Barrow-Downs. Tom simply had a look at the hills whether anything happened there and when he returned in the morning, he told us about a guard in front of a tomb. We immediately left to have a look ourselves, and after some minutes of walking, one of them walked along the Whithywindle and we had to hide in the bushes. We asked ourselves where he was going alone in the Old Forest. We walked forth and Tom showed to us where he had seen the guard. He really was still standing there and fortunately didn't notice us. We suppose to have found their hideout. The whole day we lurked at the tomb and the following day too. What could we have done? We hoped to get a message from Pip and now you're already here!"
"Tom, please tell me what you think about Frodo's nightmare!" Gandalf said and nodded again and again while listening to Tom. Finally he said: "So you had the same ideas about it as Radagast and me. If I had had them earlier, I could have been there when the orcs came. But now let's consider about the possibilities we have now! One thing is important: Sam doesn't go to Bucklebury Ferry. It's obviously a trap. What to you have to report from your observations?"
Tom said: "I guess it's none of the tombs with a second entrance in which they hide. Probably there's only one way to choose: We simply have to walk in there through the entrance. But I don't know how. We observed them all the time. From time to time some of them come out of the grave, but nothing really happened. We considered about how many of them could be in there. One thing for sure: They were too many for us. But now we're five: a wizard, three hobbits and me. This could work out somehow. But what shall we do?"
Pippin cockily suggested to pull their arms and dash into the cave with some loud roaring. They really considered that idea but refused it because it would be much too dangerous for Frodo. The hobbits tried to estimate how many enemies had been to Bag End and Bombadil pondered about how many he had seen in the forest and finally they agreed on eight to ten of them. "Simply walking in there with some roaring could easily fail. I propose the cunning method!" Merry suggested.
"Great, and which method are you really talking about?" Pippin asked.
"Well... I've no idea. Gandalf, what do you think?"Sam entered the discussion. "Who will go to the ferry? Is there actually one going to the ferry?"
"Of course! If today no one appears there, the jack waiting for Sam will become uneasy. orcs are stupid. They think other people are as fast as they are and so he is sure today someone will arrive. If nobody comes, he will walk to their hideout and make trouble", said Tom.
"That's even not the biggest problem", Gandalf added. "We just need that jack. He's our only chance to get in there somehow. But we all can't go there, someone must stay here with Sam. How do we get in there? One alone can't do anything about it. He will easily be captured too. Two won't be let in and are also too few. Three won't be let in surely. But we have to use the only entrance and that also won't work out if we defeat the guard. I know that rabble, they're all waiting in front of the exit. Somehow we'll have to get in there with the help of the jack at the ferry."
"Who will be going there?" Sam asked.
"You'll miss the event, that's for sure", Merry said.
"Another one of us, maybe? Or even two?"
"Or Gandalf? What do you think, will you be let in by them?" Pippin asked.
"I don't know... I think, one or two of you will easiy be captured, but I won't be let in."
"So everyone of you has to go", Sam deduced.They all looked at him surprised.
"How do you think will this be operating?" Gandalf asked.
"That's easy. Pippin or Merry will hide beneath your coat with the weapons!"
No one said a word. They didn't like the idea very much.Tom said: "We will make them come out! We won't enter the cave at all! This is the solution!"
"That won't be working", Gandalf doubted. "I still think they'll let two hobbits and a wizard enter", Sam said. "And then Tom hides somewhere. We have to try that way, or does anyone have a better idea?"
It seemed to be hopeless. Pippin asked Tom how long it would take to dig a hole to enter the tomb from the back. Gandalf liked the idea.
"An attack from two directions is a great idea. While we occupy with them from the front, someone sneaks from the back. Tom? What do you think?"
"I think the idea isn't bad. Usually the wallks and ceilings of the tombs aren't too voluminous."
At last they had come to this plan: Tom and Sam would try to dig into the grave from the back thile Gandalf, Merry and Pippin wanted to walk to the ferry and come back with the messenger of the orcs. This was risky, but the only chance they had.
Because of overgreat zeal Sam immediatley wanted to start working and Gandalf nodded. "You have to begin as soon as possible so you'll be ready if you need to. We musn't lose time. We also must be armed to the teeth! And, before we do any other things, we must save Frodo. Let's go! And be careful, you two!"
Sam and Tom nodded, fetched shovels and disappeared. Pippin was allowed to take a little rest and sleep while Merry talked to Gandalf.
"Don't we have any other possibility? How will we defeat the guard?"
"We don't need to, he will rest outside, I'm sure. We just need to make the messenger aware of our weapons and he will do what we tell him to do. It's the courage in desperation which made me choose that plan. It's insane. But there aren't too many of the orcs. If I consider about us fighting against a really great number of those, I think it's possible to succeed against a rabble of them in which there are only twice as much as we are. I hope Bombadil will come to help us because he and me together, that's much more might than most people would think is possible. I don't know if magic can help here, but I'll have to try."
"You think we can succeed?"
"A little hope is important to have, Meriadoc."
At noon they went on their way to the ferry. They hoped imploringly that Sam and Tom would be ready until they arrived at the tomb.They kept silence for a long time and in the afternoon they arrived at the ferry. An orc was leaning on a tree, waiting patiently. When he heard the fellows coming, he regarded them critically and said: "We wanted one to come, but three are here. What shall I think about it? And then one who is tall. Don't try to fool me or the others, you would regret it. We're more than you and would never trust you."
"Allright, allright", Gandalf said pacifyingly. "You don't need to mistrust us. Of course the one you wanted to come is here too. Aren't you, Sam?"
Pippin stepped forward and stared at the orc.
"Allright, follow me. But tell me, why didn't you take the ferry?"
"Ah, well, we don't like water! We preferred the bridge north of here", Merry explained.The orc was pleased then and walked farther.
"Tell me, how is the halfling doing in captivity?" Gandalf asked.
"Ah, I see. Well, first he showed fight, but after some words from Shagrat he kept quiet and didn't make any trouble. We, of course, didn't do him any harm. He gets enough food and we observe him non-stop. So: If you trust us, we trust you!" he spitted without turning around. Pippin and Merry looked at each other significantly. They knew what the orcs was talking about and what Frodo had to withstand. As long as he didn't get the awful drank which orcs liked, it wasn't that worse, they hoped. If that jack only didn't lie! They were all laconic on their way to the Barrow-Downs for they were very nervous and pondered about Sam and Tom. If they only weren't trapped!
When dusk was approaching, the hills rose up in front of them and soon they espied the guard in front of the entrance. Everything seemed quiet. Sam and Tom shooed from hideaway to hideaway, from bush to bush. About a big indirection they approached to the hideout of the orcs from the back, sneaking to the hill. Tom whispered: "If these are orcs like every others, they imprisoned him in the middle of the cave, fornent to the entrance, they're pretty stupid. It's just common amongst them. So we would fall into Frodo's back when we are through the wall!"
Sam nodded and alternating they digged a whole into the hill. Tom began and digged about half a metre into the ground, horizontally, while Sam observed the area, looking for any movement. Nothing happened. Finally they exchanged and Tom warned him to be careful if he could hear something from the other side. Silently Sam digged on and on, steadily and without getting tired. In the meantime Tom observed the area, but also now nothing moved.
Suddenly Sam called quietly for him. "Tom! I can hear them loudly and clearly! It won't take long anymore now!"
He creeped out of the tunnel, perspiring and with a red face. Dusk was falling and Tom creeped into the tunnel now and listened attentively. "No I'm going to dig further until I nearly fall out at the other side. You will walk now to the other side of the hill and hide to wait for the others to arrive. Then you'll come back and tell me about it!"
Sam left fastly and noiseless. Some metres next to the guard he laid down behind a bush. The orc didn't perceive him, fortunately the evergreen plants grew densely. He espied through the leafs and waited patiently. About 30 minutes later he heard steps approaching to the hill and voices. He could see the others arriving. Carefully and quietly he rose up and sneaked back to Tom at the backside of the hill. Tom was sitting hext to the tunnel and wiped about his forehead exhaustedly. "If you creep in there now, you are able to understand every single word. I tested it, it's just a knock against the ground and you'll find yourself inside the tomb. If the red-herring fails, everything's lost. But the others are informed very well, they must Frodo leave where he is and not ask for him. I suppose they're here?"
Sam nodded and creeped into the tunnel. He wanted to pull Frodo out of the cave in a few minutes. Sitently and nervously he was lying in the darkness and harkened. "Who do I see here? Even three visitors? But I think the right one is here too! Well, come in and let's negotiate!" Seemed to be one of the orcs.
Now Gandalf said something: "Please tell us what you want. We'll find a solution."They entered the tomb and Pippin thought his heart would fly into pieces. If their boss recognized who he really was, there would be a real riot. A red torch was burning inside the grave. First he could only discern orcs everywhere. He concentrated on perceiving some more. His breath strangled. Right hand in the rear, next to another orc, there was Frodo lying, cowering, shackled and gagged. He had seen Pippin and stared at him with widened eyes. He was marked from desperation and fear. Pippin tried not to lose his collectedness and asked the boss: "May I go to my friend for a moment? Please, he is so frightened and I'd only like to talk to him a little!"The orc just gave him a short look and nodded. Immediately Pippin walked into the corner and Frodo tried to uprear. There were tears in his eyes when Pippin sat down next to him and embraced him.
"You don't need to have fear now anymore, Frodo, we've come now. We'll solve the problem!"
Frodo sobbed and Pippin stroke his head. The guard looked at them mistrusting but said nothing. Everyone listened to the parley. "I'm contented that you've come, even though you're strangely more than wanted. But I think this isn't important now." The orc observed Merry who looked around.
Sam in the tunnel almost burst from tension and turned to Tom behind him. "When?" Sam asked. "Just a moment!" Tom answered.
Inside the talking went on: "We don't want anything from you which you can't afford. We don't want something worthy, you have to know that. Hey, you there, come back for a second, I'd like to have a look at you!"
Frodo looked at Pippin queryingly whose countenance was pretty anxious. He stood up and slowly went to Gandalf, Merry and the orc near the entrance. Then everything happened really fast. In the middle of the cave a big hunk of ground fell from the wall and Pippin pulled his sword which he had groped just a moment before. Gandalf and Merry did the same and some wild roaring rose up amongst the orcs who also grabbed for their weapons. Sam fell out of the wall at the back and found himself lying on the ground of the cave. Immediately he jumped up and looked around hastily. A second later he found Frodo and pulled Sting. The sword glows blue and directed the attention of the orcs on itself. "Elvish work!" one of them shouted and the boss of the orcs who had just looked at Pippin, yelled: "There he is! This is the right one over there! Grab him!"
"NO!" Merry roared and attacked the orc with his sword who repulsed him easily. Sam tried to reach Frodo, but some orcs grabbed him after they knocked his Elvish sword out of his hand. There simply were too many of them. Unyieldingly he tried to defend himself and Frodo struggled helplessly. Merry tried to help Sam and Tom climbed out of the hole in the wall. Bravely he tried to do something about all that and help Gandalf and Pippin. Suddenly they all stopped fighting when one of the orcs rose up his voice. They lowered their weapons when they turned about and saw the orcs, each one dragging one of the hobbits and pointing with daggers to their throats.
"Let us pass or they're dead!" one of the orcs shouted and they all gave way except Gandalf. Sam screamed in dismay: "Let it be, Gandalf, give up! We lost it."
Gandalf followed Sam's request resigning. The orc's boss laughed maliciously. All orcs went out of the tomb after the two dragging the hobbits. When they all were outside, the boss said: "If you follow us they're dead! If I only suspect someone following us I'll personally cut their throats!"
They all remained in the cave and inactively watched the orcs leaving. Pippin hastened yelling after them, but stopped at the entrance and regarded the gang running away. The last thing which he saw was one orc shackling Sam and he desperately sank down.

Fourth Chapter
Mortal Agony

Frodo woke up from a scream. He jerked frightened, opened his eyes and perceived an orc standing in front of him who was pulling him up from the chair. First he even didn't know where he was, but then he heard Elanor crying and he remembered. Before he could react, his arms were dragged at his back and while he was shackled, another orc gagged him. Like mad because of fear he tried to tear off. The orcs raged panicky through the room and although the bloke was small he didn't have any problems lugging Frodo out of the room. He was desperate and didn't understand a thing. He remembered he was at Bag End, but why the hell were orcs in there? Suddenly there was roaring coming from behind in the hallway and Frodo tried to discern something. He just saw some shadow hurrying from the back and heard the orcs shouting. Frodo recognized Merry. Raging Merry striked around himself and successfully hit some of the orcs, yelling. Frodo drew new courage and kicked the orc who was lugging him against the head. He was dropped down and hit the ground hardly. Right in this moment Merry called for help and Sam immediately hastened to them with Sting in his hand. The sword faintly lightened the hallway with its glowing blue and Frodo who just had hopes was pulled up again and dragged out of the house. He was full of panic. He hardly could breathe and stopped defending himself. It was useless. In the faint moonlight he discerned Sam trying to catch up with the rabble, but he stopped soon for he was too slow. Helplessly he remained near Bag End and sank down.
Frodo closed his eyes and nearly lost his consciousness because of shock. He couldn't think clearly and felt tears coming to his eyes. The orc held him tightly, unyielding and with enormous power the gang crossed the fiels and didn't care about anything.
Frodo lost all his courage and hope. The only thing he felt was death agony arousing. The first thought coming to his mind was about his nightmare. Suddenly everything seemed clear to him: he had foreseen what had happened now. Now he knew everything: the union with Shelob and the plan, so he was the wrong captive and Sam should have been abducted instead. He choked from the awful thoughts coming to his mind.
The orcs slowed down and he opened his eyes again. He didn't feel anything, could only think of dismay. He feared to go crazy the next moment. It was like the desperation he felt when he found himself captured in the tower of Cirith Ungol and now this terror even got bigger and bigger and he wanted to scream, but he couldn't.
They reached the forest near hobbiton which was the reason for their slow-down. Like in dense fog he perceived everything around him. Suddenly he heard the orcs talking.
"Guys, you did a good job. Well done! You kept cool and I'm very proud of you! She will think the same about you and reward you freehandedly. The boss will receive us with open arms!" one of them said.
"You're really a better boss, believe me!" another one said.
Some exclamations of consent followed and Frodo tried to concentrate on the discussion to change the subject.
"It really wasn't difficult to do that job. But I didn't reckon there were so many of those small guys in there. One of them really hit me badly!" a third one grumbled.
The orc who was dragging Frodo growled: "And you dirty rat kick my head? Who do you think you are?"
Full of fright Frodo stared at him with widened eyes. No chance to defend himself.
"Stop it! We mustn't touch him! If you hurt him, you'll end up as her next meal!"
Frodo sighed in relief. Who knew what could have happened?! Seemed as if he had been right with his idea. He supposed the mysterious "she" and "her" must have been Shelob. He once had heard from Sam that she was called simply like that.
She wanted to tack it back on Sam. This was possible and it was the only explaination he had. He himself hadn't harmed Shelob. His nightmare nearly explained itself which made him feel desperate and helpless. He should have known it. orcs, Shelob and Sam - it made sense. But why did the orcs confuse him? If they had sent spies, and he was sure they did, then they could have recognized their mistake.
Urgently he hoped the others in Bag End would have the same thoughts. But what should he do now? Even if he had wanted to do so, he couldn't tell his abductors there had been a mistake. But when he once did so, they anyhow never would let him go and Sam would be doomed to die.
But he also was doomed to die if they never recognized the mix-up. Where did they want to take him? Would it take long? They had to reckon to be found and defeated. It couldn't be a long way. Not with all the will he couldn't think of a possible destination. He looked at the cloudless sky, lightened from the moon already turning to the horizon. He was desperate, helpless and full of agony. Frodo nearly lost his mind and then he couldn't remember anything.

He woke up from a quiet splashing of water and the morning light dazzled him for a short moment. Toilsomely he tried to find out where they were, but he only saw water and predictated that they seemed to find themselves on the Bucklebury Ferry. This was the only possible location he could think of. What the hell did they want there?
They talked to each other. Attentively he listened.
"When we reached the hideaway, you'll all be much more happy because there's some food waiting for us! We really deserve it. I'm curious when we'll march farther. I mean, it's not that I want to get to know the terrible lady, but..."
Another orc interrupted him: "It's going to be a hard trip! We have to be very careful that no one finds out we're here in that forest. If we don't hand over that guy safely, we'll be in big trouble!"
Frodo noticed that now another orc was lugging him. Surprised he looked into his eyes and now the orc first remarked that Frodo had woken up.
"Wait a second, Ugreb, the poor wretch is awake now. May I put him down now?"
"Do what you want, he can also walk himself! If he don't, he'll get to know me!"
Ungently the orc put Frodo down on his feet and dazed he swayed.
"Hey, he's going to fall over! What shall I do now?" the orc asked. Ugreb said: "I've no idea! Wait a second, maybe then he can stand without your help!"
The orc tested it by taking away his hand from Frodo's shoulder and Frodo stood.
"Well, that's it! Allright, come over to me", Ugreb said: "Come on! I'll tell you what's going to happen now. Maybe you even already know about that? Do you have any idea?"
Frodo slowly nodded and without looking at Ugreb while standing in front of him.
"Well, that's interesting! I'll tell you something: You're a clever boy. Who ever thought it's possible for enemies to unite? Well, it's possible. You surely remember that fat old spider at the boundary to Mordor? It's Shelob who I'm talking about and you impaled her badly. She survived and she's full of rage against you and wants revenge. One day after the destruction of our Lord's land she creeped out of her cave while I passed by with my boss, Shagrat. We pulled our weapons for we had to fear to end up as her next snack. But she only said to us whether we were interested in a deal. Wondering about her words we looked at each other, then we listened to her. She reported about you, another guy from your size and said some strange frog-like creature had told her you would pass soon. The other one she could eat or something, but the jack was interested in you. But what happened? You escaped the jack and you've had such a strange Elvish sword which you used to nearly kill her. I suppose that's no news to you?"
Frodo nodded and the ferry raft reached the other bank. They left the raft and marched on.
"Well, she hardly survived and is full of hatred against you. She suggested a deal: None of us would be eaten anymore and we would even get some reward if we helped her finding you. Shagrat accepted without further questions cause he remembered who you are. You had trouble, hadn't you? Second, it was a great opportunity to find some peace and stop the terror she caused. Finally we all left that valley and went to Mirkwood where her offsprings live. We sent messengers who espied Middle-Earth for us and they finally found you where we still find ourselves now, in the land with so many of you short guys. Then we sent men who sympathize with us to seek you and finally they found you and learned everything about you. It took much time, but as you can see, we weren't lazy.
Well, I don't want to disquiet you, but we keep our promises, even the ones given to a fat spider. We deliver you to her and the revenge, that's her problem. I don't care about what she's doing. But I would well consider if I annoyed Shagrat because he also didn't forget you and doesn't wait here in the Downs for us. He'll be quite happy!"
That was too much for Frodo. Now to hear the confirmation that he probably would be trortured and killed by Shelob made him freak out. He knew they found themselves in the proliferating Old Forest, but he liked the forest better than Shelob. There wasn't anything worse for him and without any further reflecting he pushed the orc away and disappeared in the thicket.
"Grab him!" Ugreb yelled and right in that moment some orc made Frodo fall. He grabbed him and dragged him bag to the rabble. Ugreb was waiting for Frodo and looked at him annoyed. He griped his hair and growled: "Any further action like that and I will take any responsibility while telling Shelob you're not unscathed!"
Frodo shook his head hectically and tried to say something.
"He doesn't want to tell us something! Better: he would do it if I let him! No, I don't need your lament. Come on, we have to march on! We have to arrive before the evening!"
Ungently he grabbed Frodo's arm and lugged him at his side all the way. Frodo hardly could withstand the speed. He was terribly thirsty and he dreamt of lying down and sleeping a little, but he made himself walk on, putting one foot in front of another. He had incurred a graze at his forehead when he had fallen and he felt the blood on his skin. The rope incised his wrists and he didn't feel his finger anymore. Laboriously he stumbled on and on through the underwood next to Ugreb and in the middle of some smelling, perspiring and grim orcs. That was worse than torture. He couldn't dare to hope that the others would find out quick enough where he was. In fact his only hope was Shagrat who seemed to know Sam and would recognize the mix-up. Though he wasn't sure whether he really desired that because he didn't want to get to know a raging orc.
What would happen next? They would set a trap for Sam or straight go back to Bag End to abduct him too. He didn't want to imagine that. If they ever caught him, he was surely doomed to die. And what about himself?
It would have been nearly too good. The nightmare hadn't come back and slowly he had begun to feel comfortable in the Shire again, but now his life would come to a sudden and brutal end. If it would have been an excruciation to him to live, then it wouldn't be the worst thing to die. But now mortal agony aroused inside himself. He began to sweat and continually tried to displace the thought of the huge spider whose victim he nearly had been already before. Don't lose consciousness, this was his only thought now because he felt sick and he preferred lying down and dying in peace, don't take a further step no more. But it was hopeless. His feet carried him on and on and he always thought of Shelob. His heart was rushing and he thought it was going to explode the next moment. He strangled and was incredibly warm. Mechanically he walked further for Ugreb didn't let him go. When Frodo stumbled, the orc lugged him ungently. The minutes felt like hours to him and he didn't really perceive dusk. He first noticed how late it was when it nearly was dark. They already had crossed the Old Forest and it seemed unbeliebably to him that he had done so. But there hadn't been any alternative to accomodate his speed to the orc's walking speedö. The Barrow Downs lay before them and he urgently hoped it wouldn't be too long anymore. He was near to total exhaustion. He was hungry, very hungry.
Some minutes later the orcs slowed down and he saw another orc standing at the entrance of a tomb. It seemed to be a guard. One after another they entered the tomb and weakly he followed them. Inside the orcs lively talked to each other and he lowered his head. He heard one of them talking pretty loudly.
"Really well done! And you didn't need much time, that's remarkable. So now I'll have a look at who you've got here!"
"Shagrat, I hope we did everything to your whole satisfaction!" Ugreb said.
"Well, there he is! Did he make any trouble?"
"Not really, boss."
Shagrat approached and Frodo raised his head slowly. He wanted to look at the tall orc who gave a shout of shock.
"That's impossible! You idiots, you blockheads, this is the wrong halfling! The one standing here isn't the one Shelob is looking for! How could it happen?"
He roared at Ugreb who ducked for he feared a blow.
"It's impossible! The small guy standing here is the friend of the one we're really looking for! Me and Gorbag, we had this one in captivity in Cirith Ungol and our enemy came to rescue him, that's what I know. He wanted to have some trouble with me! I am sure to know who this is and that it isn't the one we really want to have here! If you don't do things yourself... What did happen?" Shagrat angrily asked.
One of the smaller orcs began: "Well, we went into the first room we saw and therein there was the daugther and this one here, sleeping in a chair. We were sure that it must have been the father who we were looking for..."
"You incapable blockheads! What do you suggest I should do now? I'm waiting!"
Quietly one asked: "Why didn't the captive tell us when Ugreb talked to him?"
"Is it possible! How should he have done that?" Ugreb shouted at him. Everyone looked at Frodo and Shagrat pulled down the gag.
"Don't even try to cry for help, you would regret it!" he warned Frodo. Without looking at him Frodo nodded.
"There's one thing I'd like to know: Why the hell were you in the room of the girl?"
First Frodo couldn't say a word, then he answered with a trembling voice: "I told her a story and fell asleep then. Sam let me sleep in the chair..."
"Sam? Who's that?"
"Sam is my friend, the one you're looking for", Frodo said weakly.
"Well, that's interesting. And one of you idiots will go back to the village and to the house where the jack lives and will make him come here to negotiate with us. If he's not at home, you will immediately walk back until you reach the ferry at the river. There the jack must come then. If he didn't arrive one day later, you'll come back and give a report. Then we'll make a new plan. Allright? And who is going to... you over there!" Shagrat pointed to an orc standing right beside the entrance inconspicuously.
Right in that moment Frodo said unvoicedly: "You mustn't do that. Please, he would be doomed to die! You mustn't set a trap for him!" Sobbing he looked at Shagrat who laughed maleficently.
"Of course we'll do it! Do you think you can forbid it? What do you think you are? And to tell you something about you: What's going to happen with you is something I still have to reflect upon. First Ugreb himself will guard you. Who has got some food for him? And we need water too. If he dies because of invalidation, we'll be in big trouble! Go on, go on, hurry up! Tomorrow is too late!"
Suddenly Frodo decided to take the chance. It didn't matter to him what would happen if his trial failed. He hastened between two surprised orcs heading to the entrance, but the guard outside stopped him by pointing the sword against him.
"Hey! This is the first and last time you've tried to make trouble!" Shagrat shouted at Frodo when he stood behind him and dragged him back into the cave. He pushed him against the wall and stared at him fixated.
"Listen: Ugreb will take off the fetters soon so you can eat something. But we'll guard you attentively and if you ever again try to escape you'll be punished immediately and very hard. This won't be pleasant, so consider your actions well! You've no chance to escape, that's the only way there, but not for you!"
He pushed Frodo ungently into the right corner and Ugreb positioned himself next to him. A few minutes later one of the orcs returned from outside. Everything he had were an apple and some nuts. He had found some water somewhere and put everything down on the ground in front of Frodo.
Ugreb cut Frodo's fetters heedlessly and cut his hand. Frodo yelled from pain but immediately tried to crack the nuts, but he was unable to do it. Urgeb didn't have any problems with it and Frodo was so hungry that he didn't know what to eat first. It wasn't much and it wasn't pretty good, but it was food. Proximately after he had finished, Ugreb again shackled his hands at his back. Frodo didn't do anything about it, he just let Ugreb do whatever he did. He was too exhausted. He even didn't say anything or defend himself when Ugreb gagged him again. Shagrat didn't want Frodo to say anything.
Only a few minutes later Frodo fell asleep deeply.

It was late in the morning when he woke up. Outside some of the orcs were hunting for breakfast, only Ugreb and two other orcs had remained in the tomb. Again they had found some food for Frodo, but movelessly he laid on the ground and stared apathetically on the floor. Even when Ugreb asked him if he was hungry, Frodo shook his head nearly invisibly and turned away. He had lost all his hope and his only concern was to displace the anguishing mortal agony. But he also exactly knew that he wouldn't succeed in it for he surely knew what would happen if they delivered him to Shelob. They definitely would do so.
If they only didn't catch Sam! Secretly he hoped that Gandalf maybe would arrive in hobbiton in time, knowing about the things going on.
How he had passed the day and every following minute, he couldn't tell later on. He had lost every feeling for time and couldn't tell how long he found himself in captivity. From time to time he, however, wanted to eat something and Ugreb always reacted immediately. No one talked to him, but they also didn't harm him in any way. This was just one reason to be thankful although is was like hell to him, left alone with his thoughts on the could and hard floor in a tomb. Indeed the fetters weren't tight enough to tie off the blood, but he had forgotten that there still were his hands. He nearly had forgotten everything, he only remembered the terrifying the stench of Shelob and her huge figure. Again and again she seemed to hunt him, even in his dreams. But whenever his consternation seemed to increase endlessly, he felt the warmth of his Elvish gem on a necklace around his neck.

Again duskwas approaching and Shagrat groused and complained that still no one had returned - no messenger, no halfling or someone else. He sweared and supposed many different possibilities where they could have remained and why and he even wanted to send a second messenger, but suddenly they all listened with much effort and Shagrat calmed down. Someone seemed to approach in the darkness. Frodo hardly perceived what was going on, he only stared against the wall. Everything was a torture to him.
The red torch lightened the grave again and Shagrat moved in its faint gleam and started talking.
"Well, who do I see here? Three visitors? But it seems as if the right one is amongst you. Step in and let's start to negotiate."
Frodo heard another voice talking: "Please tell us what you want. Surely we'll negotiate!"
Slowly he turned his head and raised his view. He choked when he recognized the one who had bneen speaking. It was Gandalf.
His heart beat faster and he was excited. He drew new courage that moment, but the next moment it faded away. What if Sam really was here?
He continued trying to regard something. Surprised he recongized Merry and suddenly Pippin emerged from behind. He asked Shagrat whether he was allowed to go to Frodo for a short moment and Shagrat let him go. Frodo tried to uprear when Pippin approached. He burst into tears from relief, he hadn't seen Sam anywhere and there was salvation near. Pippin sat down next to him and embraced Frodo who was convulsively sobbing. He tried to comfort him and to becalm him, but Frodo couldn't stop weeping. Ugreb observed them critically but did nothing. To Frodo it seemed that a dream had come true who nearly was too nice to be true. He didn't perceive Gandalf talking to Shagrat. Suddenly Pippin moved and Frodo looked at him queryingly. Pippin rose up and went to the entrance. Right in that moment some ground fell out of the wall next to Frodo and Sam fell out of the hole. Perplexed he lay in the ground for a second and then jumped onto his feet, ran to Frodo and pulled Sting. The orcs roared and blustered all around them, Merry fought with courage from desperation and before Sam could reach Frodo, Frodo was pulled up and another orc disarmed Sam, then grabbed him and pointed with a dagger to his throat. Both orcs stopped the fight and forced their way to the entrance. Struggling Frodo tried to do something about it, but it was useless. All the other orcs followed and threatened Frodo's and Sam's friends to stay where they were who helplessly followed their instructions. Only Gandalf didn't want to give up, but panicked Sam screamed: "Let it be, Gandalf, give up! We lost it."
The orcs ran away and Sam shouted and roared and tried to defend. Unnoticed Frodo wpied his gag and saw Pippin standing on top of the hill in the distance. Panicked he screamed: "Gandalf!", but nothing happened. The orcs fettered Sam and ran on unyieldingly. Sam protested without unceasingly, but they slapped him and his nose was bleeding when he turned his head to Frodo and said through tears: "I'm so sorry, we've tried. Now everything's over."
"No!" Frodo yelled and the orcs laughed.
"Sam is right", Shagrat commented, "everything's over. For him anyway. He's just a snack for Shelob!"
Sam kicked the orc who was dragging him wherever he could. He didn't want to give up like Frodo yet and didn't resign. Frodo feared this would just be a question of time.

Fifth Chapter
The Hunt is starting

Pippin didn't stop screaming. Unsuccessfully Merry tried to calm him down, to appease him, but Pippin didn't react. It was Gandalf who made Pippin stop yelling.
"Peregrin! It's not of any use if you scream so loud every animal will come to see what's going on. Neither Samwise nor Frodo will come back then. We must try to reflect upon what we could do now!"
"Reflecting, reflecting... great, Gandalf, we also did that before and now we have the result! Now they've got them both and if you don't know what it means, I know what it means! Merry too, I think, cause we also were captivated from orcs before. And don't you realize that it's Shelob we're talking about? If they ever reach her, we'll never see them again! And you tell me something about considering!"
Nearly he had continued shouting, but now Gandalf took his part.
"Tom Bombadil! Didn't we agree on never letting Sam come near to the orcs? What happened?!"
Before Tom answered, his face got an thoughtful expression. Finally he said: "We digged one after another. Finally he let me know that you arrived here. I nearly finished digging the hole and told him to creep into the tunnel and have a look at how good he could hear them talking inside. I simply forgot to get him out of there because of the excitement and to rescue Frodo myself. I don't know how this could happen!"
"This is something I'd like to know myself, too. This mustn't happen, but now it's too late. I don't know whether we underrated the orcs but something failed. I've seen that you've digged, as we decided, the hole in the middle. We didn't know they had hidden him in the right corner. If this had been different, it had been enough to pull Frodo out of the tunnel, but now someone had to run through the whole cave! Damn!!!"
Gandalf was in rage. He blamed it on himself for he knew that the now following hunt would be tough. First they went back to Tom's house because without a single horse they could have given up right in that moment, and they hadn't any horse with them. The whole mission had been a total failure.
On their way they were discussing with each other. They all tried to figure out where the orcs wanted to go.
"Mordor, ain't that possible?" Pippin supposed.
Merry reckoned: "The Misty Mountains, there you'll find many, many orcs and many hideouts, even for Shelob."
Tom didn't say a word and Gandalf had the idea that they could go to Mirkwood.
"In Mirkwood there are many offsprings of Shelob and it's not improbable also to find her there. Well, if this is what the orcs are planning, we'll have a long way to go. I've no idea how we'll do that before the winter comes, but we have to. And we exigently need help because they're too many. They must never arrive where Shelob is, but we actually only can call for help when we are sure about the destination."
"Who can we count on?" Merry asked.
They kept silence, some minutes later Gandalf answered: "If their destination is Mordor, we need to call for Aragorn's help. If they want to go to the Misty Mountains or Mirkwood, only the Elves can help us who live there."
"And how will we call for their help?"
"Well, there's some possibility. I need to call for Gwaihir, the eagle from the Misty Mountains, that's our only chance."
"And how will you do it?" Pippin asked. Gandalf didn't answer. He rested with closed eyes and quietly whispered something they couldn't understand. Merry felt the wind carried the words away. Suddenly Gandalf looked at them, one after another, and said: "This didn't work at the Orthanc, but I hope it will be successful now. I've called him and hope he'll hear the call soon and come to help us."
"But didn't you already tell him what he shall report to the Elves?" Pippin was curious.
"Of course I did! But I also told him only to send one eagle to the Elves and to make the others follow him while searching us along the Great East Road. Just imagine they'll arrive soon! That would be a huge advantage. During the war on the fields I sat down on his back and he carried me to Sam and Frodo as fast as possible. One moment I said the ringbearer had fulfilled his task and then some chasms opened in Mordor's ground. The next moment I reached our friends."
"Gandalf, you always know what to do. I think while I listen to you talking that we still have a chance!" Merry said. Gandalf smiled at him and said: "Well, at least I have to try. This is why I'm here. I don't know how to find out where the orcs are without the help of the eagles before it's too late. But they're really fast."
That moment no one suspected help already approaching from unexpected side.

When they arrived at Tom's house, they only talked a few words to Goldberry and asked her to give them enough food for their long way to Rivendell where they wanted to go first. Then Pippin asked the question they all wanted to ask.
"Tom, will you be going with us?"
"Well, I think Gandalf will understand me best. I'm not going with you because I think you don't need my help, you'll be able to do it with the help of the eagles and the Elves. I'm not of some big importance, I think. I've been living here for so many years now and I don't thin I'm going to leave my home now to travel that long way. But you have my best wishes and I'll be thinking of you. Do you have enough warm clothing or do you need something else?"
They shook their heads and the parting was near. Although it was almost night, they wouldn't find any peace if they stayed and decided to ride as long as they could before exhaustion would stop them.
So they did. Gandalf rode Shadowfax and the two hobbits sat down on Sam's and Merry's ponies. Pippin didn't feel comfortable about riding Bill who was owned by Sam. But this was the only possible way.
Tom and Goldberry waved their hands for a long time when the travellers already had disappeared in the Old Forest to reach the Great East Road.
Gandalf assured the hobbits that the Elves surely would come to their aid and would do everything possible to rescue Sam and Frodo before they would end up in Shelob's hideout.
First roarfrost was on the meadows after midnight. There wasn't any light, dense dark clouds hid the moon but they prevented the ground from cooling down too much.
The hobbits didn't feel comfortable about riding to Bree in the middle of a night in November. They knew it wasn't too probable to hear a sound, they all listened into the darkness, seeking for any noise, but it was deathly silent around them.
Pretty worried and taciturn they rode and rode until they reached Bree the next day. It had started raining like hell and they were wet to the skin, hungry and tired. Drops fell out of Pippin's hair into his face and the ground got sodden very soon. The rain was cold and drummed onto the three fellows without a single pause. It was dense like threads and all the lands around them sank into a monotonous grey. They couldn't see far.
Merry's clothes were pasting at his body and from time to time he pressed the water out of his hair.
The weather correlated to their mood. They didn't feel well as they thougt of some orcs dragging two helpless hobbits through the cloudburst-like rain. Merry and Pippin were especially anxious about their friends for they knew what they had to withstand. Still Sam's exlcamation echoed in Pippin's ear: "Let it be, we lost it."
Continually Pippin hear d Sam's voice in his head and Frodo call desperately from the distance for Gandalf who had been leaning at the wall of the tomb, his face distorted by pain, Merry remembered.
Now Gandalf only guessed, while raindrops fell out of his long greay beard, that he maybe had been able to do something though. But his magic abilities weren't almighty and in some situation in which the enemies were much more than you and your fellows, wagic wasn't of a big use. It was only effective when there was a single opponent. He hadn't been able to turn them into stone or blind them from light. The danger had been too big that Frodo or Sam could have been killed then.
He had been powerless and it hurt to admit that.
It was intensely raining and so no one could see Pippin crying. Riding Sam's trusty pony wasn't easy. Bill unhesitantly carried him, but seemed to miss his real master. They all were anxious about coming too late. Gandalf prayed that the Elves and the eagles would come to their aid, then they could hope again. Frodo and Sam must never reach Shelob's hideaway. This would be Sam's death, he surely would be killed in a terrifying way. How to explain that to his wife and his daughter?
Simply this thought was a big reason to help the two hobbits in captivity. Merry believed in someone coming to help them.
When Bree appeared on a hill, their mood became happier.
"Well, I don't want to complain, but I'm so hungry!" Pippin said and Merry nodded.
"But personally, I'm less hungry than freezing. Doesn't that rain ever stop?"
Gandalf asked: "Are you tired? We could stay a little longer in the tavern, Butterbur surely would be glad about it!"
They decided to stay until their clothes would have dried and it, hopefully, stopped to rain. If this wouldn't happen soon, they had to part again in the rain, but if they didn't dry their clothes now, they'd become terribly ill.
Positive mooded they entered Bree and wondered about the big excitement amongst the inhabitants. Gandalf simply stopped Shadowfax and asked one of the hastening hobbits what the reason for the riots was.
"Haven't you seen them? Two hours ago some orcs were here. Panicked the people barricade all their homes and so on. But the worst was: they dragged some captured hobbits with them and to of the rabble came into town and stole a pony! Sorry, but I have to leave you now!"
Before Gandalf could ask a further question, the hobbit hurried away and they looked at each other meaningfully.
"What does that mean, two hours ago? We're catching up with them!" Merry called.
"Shouldn't we part now and follow them?"
Gandalf shook his head. "That's impossible. We could become badly ill if we don't have a break and dry ourselves in front of a warm fire in the chimney. This would be terrible because then we would really lose them. But the pony..."
Merry was pleased with it and finally they reached the "Prancing Pony" after they forced their way through the excited crowd. They bound the ponies below a roof and one after another they entered the tavern and burst into a lively discussion.
"What if they were only the forerunners of something even more evil? We need to do something!" one of them shouted.
"Blast, the king, protection, what happens? Nothing! Have a look at it: orcs running freely around in the Shire, where will that lead to?" another lamented.
"And they captured two of us! How could that happen? And they steal in Bree!"
Gandalf stepped to Butterbur and said: "My dear friend! Don't you have a great meal and a warm place near the chimney where we can sit down and relax?"
"Ah! What a nice surprise! First you see orcs here, then good olf Gandalf passes by! Before you tell me about your connection to them, I'll take care you'll be brought some food. Margaret! Three big plates for some hungry travellers!
Now follow me. Come on, I'm sure you'll find a warm place near the chimney!"
They trotted behind the landlord who asked the hobbits sitting in front of the chimney to make room so the three fellows could sit down on a bank. Butterbur sat down next to them on a chair.
"Gandalf! And you two, I remember your faces too! That's astounding to see you here on a day like today. Or should I say it's clear to me? I mean, you always come up if something's going on. Should it be an incidently event to see you here?"
"No, good friend, we are tracing those orcs. That's a long story to be told, but I try to shorten it for you."
While Gandalf was speaking, more and more guests muted and listened attentively to his report. Astonished Merry and Pippin looked all around themselves because now they were in the centre of attention. They didn't like the fact, but they tolerated it.
"You surely remember when those two here stayed here with two other hobbits. One of them called himself Underhill."
Butterbur nodded.
"Well, about one week ago orcs broke into Bag End in hobbiton at night. They abducted the one you know as Underhill, his real name is Frodo Baggins. But it was a confusion, actually they were chasing Samwise Gamgee. It's been a deed intended by revenge, resulting from our long journey some years ago."
Everyone listened tensely, only one of them now said something: "But I've seen Master Samwise a short time before with them, I'm sure! Don't tell me they were successful at last!"
"This is what they sadly were. We thought we could outsmart them and free Frodo without someone coming to harm. But our trial failed for they were too many and in the end they imprisoned Master Samwise too. We suspect them heading to Mirkwood. Probably they wanted to rest some time in the Barrow Downs to exclude chasers on their long way, but we forced them to leave now. But they're more slow than imagined because you said they were here two yours ago! That's real relief to me."
They all kept silence for they were all stunned about the things Gandalf reported. Sometime one of them asked: "And what are you going to do about it, how will you rescue the two hobbits?"
"We ourselves don't know exactly yet. We called the tall eagles from the Misty Mountains for help and I hope the Elves from Mirkwood will also come to our aid to hinder the worst to happen."
Gandalf was shortly interrupted as they were brought a good meal which the hobbits were eating greedily. They enjoyed the pleasingly warmth of the chimney and could watch their clothes while drying.
Soon they turned about so their backs could dry too and Gandalf continued narrating.
"We're only here to become dry again and have a meal here. I hope it won't rain later because if his still rains, then it was useless to dry. But we immediately have to depart if our clothes are dry again. We mustn't lose the devils! Fortunately we can use the road to hunt them. But now tell me exactly about the pony thing."
From behind someone called: "I've seen it with my own eyes!"
He forced his way to Gandalf and continued speaking: "In front of the town gate they gathered for a brief moment. I wanted to enter the pub right in that moment and then suddenly two of the orcs were running towards me and had run me over if I hadn't jumped away. The people escaped screaming and I watched them go into the first stable and come back with some pony shying at them. I looked at them leaving the town and I think I could perceive one of their captives who was trying to tear off from one orc while another was lugging the other hobbit. That's it."
Thoughtfully Merry regarded Gandalf and Pippin. Both didn't say a word.
It was a real sensation to the curious people from Bree and stoked the fire in upcoming rumours. Many soon left the pub to go home which was a pleasant fact to Merry and Pippin.
Butterbur went back to his other guests and the three friends dried their clothes near the fire for about half an hour and then wanted to depart again.
They quickly paid and went back on their way, followed by many interested glances. First they had put on an additional layer of clothing for it still was raining cats and dogs and they didn't want to become wet to the skin in the following five minutes.
Escorted by much blather they left Bree and turned east on the East Road.
After a while Pippin suddenly asked: "Gandalf, what do you think, why did they pass Bree just that short time ago?"
"I don't know, my friend. They were in lead by about one hour when we reached Tom's house and they marched straight through the Downs and we took some indirection, so they were much faster. But it seems as if they needed the pony from Bree. I don't know what it means... I ask myself why either Frodo or Sam was carried by an orc, maybe this can be connected to the pony."
He muted. Keeping silence they rode farther and suddenly Merry began swearing wildly. "Those cowards in Bree! They were much more than the orcs were and they even didn't think about helping our friends when they've seen them. This can't be true!"
Gandalf tried to calm him down.
"Well, of course this ain't brave, you're right. But the people from bree only care for their own problems and simply were frightened! It's just like that."
"But even now no one offered his help! Cowards!"
Merry almost vented that on his pony, but he only lumpted his anger quietly. Long silence followed and the only thing they heard was the continuously trickling rain and in the evening they again were wet to the skin and had to consider about where they wanted to sleep now. The Chetwood nearly came to an end and Gandalf made them stop.
"It's better to seek some hideout here for a break than on the plateau behind the forest. But we shouldn't stay too long!"
So they did. They sat down on the cold ground and leaned on the trees which didn't keep the rain afar from them for there weren't any leafs on their twigs. Drops fell at the tired fellows and Gandalf took the guard so the hobbits could sleep a little. They really needed it, but he didn't.
He listened concentrated into the darkness whether they were any interesting noises, but nothing came to his ears.
Some hours later he waked the hobbits which weren't relaxed at all for it wasn't too pleasant to sleep while it was raining down on them. They simply fell asleep, but now it wasn't the worst thing to do for them to ride farther.
Still Pippin pondered about the sense of the stolen pony. A pack animal? Should it carry Frodo or Sam? What happened? When would someone come to their aid? He wasn't very patient, this was some trait of character he had, and uncertainty wasn't his business. He preferred freaking out, he was really stressed, but he rather took some apple out of his backpack.
All around them it was gloomy, but Gandalf had made his magic wand glowing so they could discern their path.
Merry was thankful that they had had the opportunity of warming themselves up in Bree. This was something Sam and Frodo couldn't even dream of. If they only didn't become ill! It was a long night. The rain afflicted them and despite of their warm clothing they were badly freezing. Gandalf made them ride on and on. When finally morning broke, they reached the Midgewater Marshes and slowly the rain came to an end. The lands around them presented themselves steamy and in the faint grey on the first morning light. Soon the clouds flung open and the sun warmed their faces. Pippin smiled thankfully and some minutes later they stopped to have a breakfast.
Gandalf peered everywhere, hoping to see a sign of the eagles or even find a track of the orcs. Nothing moved and everything was still.
Morosely Merry tore out some blades of grass and threw them around himself. When Pippin noticed what he was doing, he laughed because he would never have such an idea, he thought. Merry didn't think it was funny in any way and rose up to plant himself in front of Pippin agressively.
"What must I see? You're not going to start arguing now? Please! This is the last thing we need now!" Gandalf said.
Merry shouted at him frustrated: "What I need now is a bed, a good meal and Frodo and Sam next to me! But sitting at the Midgewater Marshes, soaking wet, in the midst of a planless hunt, that's nothing what makes me feel comfortable!"
Pippin said: "Come on, look at me. Come on! Well, ... I want to hear to say now: I don't give up hope and we'll do it. Come on!"
"Shut up! I'll sit down again now and continue tearing out some blades of grass!"
"Well, do what you like. I don't care. But remember this: We can't do nothing about it too!" "No?" Merry asked furiously. "And why didn't Gandalf do anything? Why didn't he just tear off Frodo and Sam from those rabble? No, instead of rescuing them we let them run away with our friends! Wonderful!"
"And what did YOU do about it? You weren't more successful!"
"Don't come that with me!" Merry attacked Pippin, but suddenly he felt a big hand on his shoulder which didn't let him go.
"That's enough! This isn't a good situation to argue!" Gandalf said strictly and Merry sank down and brust into tears.
"But what the... I didn't mean to..." Pippin stammered.
"It's not your fault", Merry said quietly. "It was just some overreaction. I'm just a bundle of nerves, you know? I'm wet, I'm freezing and I'm full of fear. I just want to go back home, that's it. I wish I had saved Frodo in Bag End and torn out of their claws!"
Pippin took his hand and helped Merry uprise. He looked at Pippin after he wiped away his tears. Then he embraced him.
"You're my best friend, I'm so sorry! You also can't do nothing about it."
A short moment later they again left and the day passed by without any other incidents. They welcomed the sun whenever it showed up and dried them slowly. In the evening they took a short break and rode through the night. It became really cold under the starlit sky and they felt the first real freeze of winter. Pippin was shivering all over and they finally stopped again and Gandalf lightened a fire. Between Gandalf and Merry there was Pippin sitting in front of the fire.
"I hop you won't become ill now, my friend!" Gandalf said. Pippin nodded. Merry rose up and looked all over the meadow there were sitting at. After some minutes he had found some healing plants which he added to some water in a tumbler. With a knife he rubbed and stomped the leafs and held the tumbler on a stick in the fire. A few minutes later he twisted some cloth around Pippin's hand and gave him the tumbler. Thankful Pippin took it and drank a little of the improvised tea. Soon he felt some agreeably warmth floating through his body and he said: "Come and take a little too!"
So they shared the mixture and Gandalf who trusted in his own capability didn't want any of it.
Later they again departed after they had extinguished the fire carefully. Now Pippin felt better and also Merry felt comfortable and strenghened.
Finally the morning approached and slowly it became a little warmer. The frost vanished and they enjoyed the cold and clear air.
Still there wasn't any track of the orcs. Gandalf didn't know whether they took the left or the right side near the road and he also didn't want to figure it out. Patiently he waited for a sign of the eagles and secretly hoped without letting the hobbits know that their direction would be right.
They had left the Midgewater Marshes behind and the Weather Hills were coming near which were rising high in the distance. From time to time the hobbits frightfully turned around and jerked from every sound. They associated that way with the Nazgul which had attacked them on the Weathertop.
In the afternoon they stopped for a break again like they always did when they were hungry. Their horses could graze wherever they found some grass or herbs left and in clean puddles or small brooks they could drink. When dusk was falling, Gandalf raised his head unexpectedly and looked at the sky. Now Merry and Pippin also heard that sound: The cry of an eagle. Gandalf made his magic wand glowing and panned it from left to right. The small spot circling high above them largened slowly and sank down. They stopped next to the road and waited for Gwaihir to land. So Gwaihir did finally and looked at them checking.
"Finally I've found you! I received your message some time ago, Gandalf. I reported to my friends what you've told me and we did what you wanted us to do, immediately one of us parted to Mirkwood to alarm the Elves. Personally, I left to search along the East Road to find you and tracks of your enemies. I suppose them to be in the Weather Hills right now. I quickly searched them and saw some smoke in the distance, but this was everything remarkable and I didn't find anything when I had a close look at that place. I guess they hid somewhere. This was everything I've done about them for I wanted to find you first. Fortunately I finally succeeded. Well, now please exactly tell me what had happened!"
One after another they reported everything they had experienced.
Gwaihir nodded and spoke to them.
"Well, many of my relatives and friends are on their way somewhere and I don't know where to find them. From time to time they return to the big eyrie and tell me about their forays. Some time ago someone reported about a group of orcs heading to Mirkwood, we guess. There was a spider with them, probably Shelob, seen in the Brown Lands. Usually I don't care about huge spiders and orcs as long as they don't harm anyone. But I wondered about that strange union amongst former enemies! Aren't they enemies anymore? I know the spiders from Mirkwood still live there. I think it's possible that this is the destination of the journey for I don't know where else to find Shelob. Maybe in the Misty Mountains, but be assured, we would have learned that. No, I suspect her reside in impermeable Mirkwood. What are you going to do now?"
"My dear friend, I hoped you maybe would suppose something?" Gandalf said.
"Would it be possible that you attacked the orcs if you find them? Of course this is only a possibility if there's no danger for our friend. But I don't think you could rescue them, can you?"
"I'm sorry to disappoint you. I think I can only find them but I think they don't fear me. In my opinion we need to trace them until they reach their aim because it's almost impossible to catch up with them. They're simply too fast. Well, you and Shadowfax, this is possible, this wonderful horse is fast enough to catch up with them easily. But we're only four and that's not enough, so we can't consider an attack without any help. That's everything I can do for you."
"And what about your relatives?" Pippin asked.
"I don't know where they find themselves. To seek them and bring them hear would last a bunch of weeks, I fear. We can only count on the Elves coming to our aid. Until we reach them, we have to follow the rabble, this is the sad truth, assuming I find them. If I succeed, I'll immediately return to you and we can think about what I will report the Elves in the distance so they are prepared. They exigently need to find Shelob, this is something they already know. Well, if that's everything for now, I'll start searching them now. Allright?"
They nodded. The next moment they heard the big wing murmuring in the wind and the sovereign eagle raised himself in the air.

Sixth Chapter
Captivity

A rebel. Sam was really a rebel. Even as they slapped him, slapped his nose bloody, he kicked the orcs, tried to escape and defended against every encroachment with all his might. Frodo tried again and again to mollify him through words because he was terrified they could punish him brutally. But Sam never answered.
After a while the orcs had enough of it and threw him to the ground. Raging Sam yelled at the orc bowing right at him with a cord in his hand.
"My dear friend, how to calm you down? You would bite a gag to rags, I'm sure it wouldn't take long. So let's forget it. Besides you're not kicking with words, I have to admit. Well, how do you like the idea about me binding your legs and dragging you at a cord behind me, on the ground for some hours? Would you like that?"
Sam spit in his face as an answer. Frodo jerked consternated and shouted: "Let it be now! They'll win anyhow!"
"No, that's not my business!" Sam shouted raging.
Shagrat moved closer and kicked Sam in the face. Tears came to his eyes from pain, but he kept his grim facial expression from defiance.
"You little rat! You really want it, is that right? Well, Ugreb, you'll bind his legs and pull a cord through under his armpits so you can drag him!"
Frodo closed his eyes and turned away, suffering from grief. Even the thought at Sam's following torture was aching.
Sam roared and screamed, kicked in Ugreb's face and made him go mad. He was anyhow full of anger because of Shagrat who treated him like a servant and now even the behavior of the halfling! He slapped Sam again and again until he remained movelessly.
First Sam didn't feel the pain, or he didn't care about, he himself didn't know exactly. But suddenly he was conscious of what he had provocated and he stopped defending himself and any resistance. He idly watched Ugreb and then was pulled up on the cord unter his armpits and the march was continued. It went up hill and down dale with his legs on the ground and it was a very, very long march for Sam through the Barrow Downs.
Only for one reason Frodo didn't stay with Sam: he couldn't bear the sight.
When they descended from the Downs late at night, Sam started yelling and begging. His trousers were fret at the surfaces of friction and his legs were bloodstained all over.
"Please stop, you can be assured I'm not going to make any further trouble, really! I can't bear that anymore, it's aching like hell! Please! Please stop!"
Frodo wanted to cover his ears after two minutes, but it was impossible. Finally he stopped and kneeled down in front of Shagrat. Desperate he looked at him and said: "Please, don't you think it's enough now? Don't do this to him anymore, he learned his lesson!"
Shagrat laughed at him, pulled him up and went on. Frodo was sobbing. Sam was screaming and screaming and didn't ever want to stop. When Ugreb wanted to gag him, Shagrat stopped and said: "Allright, now it's enough! Unbind his legs now. He can march himself again!"
Frodo sighed. He went over to Sam and was full of dismay. He had never seen his friend in such a bad state. Dawn had broken and Frodo asked for some water and to take off his fetters.
Amazingly Shagrat allowed it and one of the orcs went to a nearby runnel to get some water. Frodo kneeled down next to Sam and the orcs welcomed the awaited pause Shagrat proclaimed.
Sam was sobbing and Frodo made him turn on his stomach.They were guarded strictly, but Frodo didn't become nervous. He plunged the cloth into the water and washed out the huge abrasions on Sam's legs. His heels were sore too and Sam cried out from every touch. Frodo asked for permission to look for kingsfoil with some guards. Shagrat nodded and some minutes later they returned and Frodo brought some plants. He grinded the leafs between the palms of his hands, then he put his hands on Sam's wounds. Sam didn't move or say anything, he just kept quiet. Shagrat walked over to them and watched Frodo's actions.
"That's pretty interesting what you're doing there. But that's not what I wanted to say. I wanted to tell your friend some things. I hope you learned your lesson now and keep your promise. No trouble anymore or you'll experience the same things again. That's not my problem. If you had listened to your friend attentively, you'd have been spared this. And he wouldn't have suffered too. He hung his head and weeped. Did you want that? If so, you succeeded.
And to tell you something," he turned to Frodo, "you didn't abuse my trust. I allowed everything because I reckoned you wanted to help your friend and never would escape without him. You already understood that we're serious about it. So tell him what to do and what to leave!"
He went back and Sam let Frodo wipe the cold sweat from his forehead. He was shaking and trembling. Still he didn't say a word, he only suffered from infernal pain but kept silence.
Thankful he looked at Frodo who took him in his arms.
"Of course it was brave what you've done, but it was also useless. I've known that before. I'll ask for permission to be able to help you whenever you need my help. But stop offering resistance to them. I've made the experience that it's useless."
Ugreb grinned when he heard that. Frodo looked at him and asked for two further cloths. Ugreb sent another orc to their luggage to fetch some. They had everything with them: weapons, cords, cloths and other stuff. The orc who must bear the luggage was discussing with Shagrat. They were talking in their abominable tongue and finally Shagrat nodded. Frodo tied the moistened cloths and filled with kingsfoil in it around Sam's heels and went, followed by attentive clances to Shagrat.
"Please, could you send some additional guards because I'd like to help Sam and this is only possible without being bound", he quietly said.
Shagrat looked at him strictly and answered: "Well, that's allright with me. I'll send two additional guards and you can help the rebel. Otherwise he would only detain us!"
Eased Frodo went back to Sam and Shagrat gave orders.
Astonished Sam looked at him and asked: "Why do you do that?"
"You can ask questions!" Frodo just said. One of the orcs threw two apples to them and the orcs kindled a fire to fry some rabbits for the hobbits. Hungry Frodo ate the apple and contemporarily he held the other one for Sam. He didn't want to ask for taking off his fetters too. Exhausted Sam leaned on a tree with updrawn legs. Weakwilled he just let Frodo do what he wanted to do.
In the meantime the orcs were eating raw flesh. They knew from Frodo that hobbits couldn't eat raw flesh, so they fried some for them.
Frodo fetched some water which Sam drank desirously. He was completely exhausted and not in a position to do anything. Frodo was hurt by the sight and deep inside he almost suffered as bad as Sam. He exaclty knew what Sam was going through.
Immediately after finishing the meal Shagrat told them to leave the next moment and told the hobbits to go between him and two other orcs. Toilsomely Frodo helped Sam getting off the ground and held him with his arm under Sam's armpits. First Sam had big problems walking but soon it improved and the hobbits could walk as fast as the orcs.
Frodo felt better now despite of the hopelessness, but now he wasn't lonely anymore and didn't resign like he did the days before.
Sam's will was broken completely. He didn't say a word and when the rain started before noon, he even didn't complain. Shagrat was pleased and didn't say a word too. He was talking to Ugreb in their own language which sounded terribly to the hobbits and they didn't understand a word.
Sam was fighting for every step he took. Without Frodo he would have been lost.
Both they began to talk a little, only a few sentences, but from time to time one said something and the other answered. Frodo reported about the last days which had been full of consternation, fear and despair. Shagrat listened to them.
They didn't talk about their friends although they often thought of them. Where did they find themselves? Could Sam and Frodo hope to be rescued?
Sam was suffering from pain which hurt like hell. Now he regret what he had done. Now he asked himself what his intentions had been. How good had his chances been to be successfulß
The result made him suffer and he felt bad. The abrasions didn't sting too bad anymore because of the kingsfoil, but it still hurt terribly. He could walk pretty well because of the cloths which Frodo had tied around his heels, but it wasn't easy for him not to cry from pain. But he was too proud and probably the orcs were waiting for it.
They won.
He asked himself how Frodo could deal with it that good. How could he bear being with this rabble? Where did he take the strength from? Sam didn't know. There was only one thing he was sure to know about: Frodo behaved better than he did. He exactly knew what they had to reckon while being with some orcs. Of course Frodo also experienced that resistance was useless, but he had given up much earlier than Sam did.
Was it Sam's presence? That couldn't be the reason. Frodo had to help him and walk for him too, he could say, for he wasn't able to walk himself. He forced himself again and again to put one foot in front of another and to ignore the pain, but this didn't work out.
During forenoon it started raining intensely and after some minutes their clothes were pasting at their bodies and drops were falling from their hair. Unfortunately the rain also washed out the healing kingsfoil from Sam's wounds and soon he just couldn't hinder sobbing. He couldn't stand the pain anymore and lamented quietly. The orcs didn't care.
Frodo didn't let him go, he unyieldingly dragged him forward, but it also had an appeasing effect on Sam that Frodo hat put his arm around him.
Soon they ignored the rain for this was something to deal with.
Still Sam considered upon Frodo. All the things he did for him! Thereby he himself was responsible for his misery. No, Frodo cared for him. He asked the orcs for different things, he wasn't shackled anymore and he had found some kingsfoil for Sam.
He never could have expressed his thankfullness in words.
It was some strong will which kept Frodo on his way. He himself didn't know exactly how he just didn't lose his courage. The rain turned the ground into mud and they had to force their way through the slushy wilderness while the cold rain was falling down on them. Frodo now was exhausted too, he was tired and hungry and frustrated. But his strong will didn't decrease and Sam needed that too. While he didn't stop weeping, Frodo shored him up with all his strength. He himself nearly wanted to give up, but he was so capable.
One thing he clearly felt while most of the other things didn't come to his consciouness: The Elvish gem gave so much warmth to him, it seemed to glow and he wanted to touch it, but then he remembered the orcs. If they ever noticed what he was doing, they would take the gem away.
Warmth spread in his chest and was floating to his arms and now it was easier to shore Sam up.
Sam now exactly knew what Frodo had had to stand while he was captured alone. He couldn't think of any other thing than: Gandal has to come and save us!
He didn't fear Shelob as much as Frodo and it still was a long way to Mirkwood. There could many things happen until they reached it.
Sometime the rain became a torture to them and Sam had enough of walking through the mud. His pain increased and he felt dizzy. Suddenly he lost his consciousness and passed out. Frodo wanted to hold him, but it was too surprising and Sam slided from his arms. The gang stopped for a second and Ugreb elevated Sam. After a short glance at Frodo Shagrat decided not to make Frodo lug Sam. He thought Frodo's condition was depressingly. Maybe he would have left him if Frodo had fallen down, but they needed Sam.
Growling Ugreb carried Sam and Frodo, hanging his head, was trotting next to them. He kept quiet although he was torn apart mentally because he was full of sorrow concerning Sam. What if it was because of his wounds? Maybe he was so weakened therefore?
He hand't experienced that before, Sam just unable to walk on. He was worried about it.
Unhoped they reached Bree. Frodo raised his head thunderstruck. There were men, and hobbits, and maybe he could... if he could call for help, this could mean the end of their martyrdom!
Surprisingly the orcs even chose the way to Bree and there was a glimmer of hope for Frodo. They came nearer and nearer to the gate and then something incredible happened: While all the inhabitants of Bree staying near the gate escaped panicked and screaming, one of the orcs determined marched to a stable and entered it. Voluntarily Frodo took a big step forward, but Shagrat reacted immediately and grabbed him. With all his strength Frodo tried to tear himself away from Shagrat, but he had no chance.
His hope was fading as fast as it had flared up. The orc returned from the stable with a pony and the whole group marched on. Fainthearted Frodo took some further steps and observed what was happening with the pony. Sometime it stopped shying, they loaded up their whole stuff and one of the orcs led it by its bridle.
So they walked for hours through the rain never coming to an end and Frodo's head was full of nothing. Ugreb walked next to him with Sam on his arms who wasn't moving. Before he had never noticed it, but now he looked at all those large bloodstains on Sam's torn trousers, fading from the rain and soon the whole cloth was red-coloured. Nothing dried in such wet weather.
"Terrible", Frodo thought, "how could they do it to him?"
Suddenly he became very furious about it but didn't do nothing. He felt tired, but then he started up. Sam screamed, he had woken up again and had almost fallen from Ugreb's arms.
Again they all stopped for a while and Ugreb put Sam down. Frodo stepped to him and asked: "How are you doing? I've been so worried!"
"Well," Sam said dazed, "I'm allright. Don't worry! I'll try to walk myseld, that must work!"
He took some weak steps and when he turned his back at Frodo, this one noticed that Sam's hands had turned white. The cords had cut off his blood circulation.
"Sam, move your fingers!" Frodo said with a critical facial expression.
"Which fingers? Do I still have some? I can't feel some..."
Frodo perceived a weak movement, but he turned to Shagrat and said: "Can't you loose the cords a little?"
Mistrustingly Shagrat looked at him and said: "You think I should trust him?"
"Sam won't cause any trouble anymore, he just can't", Frodo answered.
"Mh... maybe you're right. Cut off his fetters!"
Astonished about this reaction Frodo looked at Shagrat thankfully. He didn't like him now, but he thought it was unbelievable that Shagrat gave him so much help of all his requests and he would never expect him to. Spineless Sam let Ugreb cut off the cords and then he rubbed his hand.
"That's really fine. Thanks", he quietly said, but Shagrat heard that well.
They walked on heading to the Chetwood. Brave Sam tried to keep up their speed, but he couldn't. Finally Frodo took his arm and put it on his shoulders.
"I hope this will work out better!" he said and held Sam's hand not to let his arm slip off his shoulders.
Interested Shagrat looked at Frodo's actions and he again wondered about him. This small guy had so much energy inside! It was clear to him that there was a friendship between them which nothing could tear apart. He remembered the small hobbit, weeping and huddling who was imprisoned in the Tower of Cirith Ungol, fearfully and desperate. He also remembered him bound lying in the tomb which almost was the same sight. But as he looked at Frodo marching next to him, he saw another hobbit!
He didn't understand. And he also remembered Sam running after him, roaring, on the courtyard of the Tower. But when he looked now at him, he only saw an exhausted halfling, weak-willed and unable to put one foot in front of another.
He wasn't sorry therefor, but he really wondered about that. He was sure that they would never abandon each other. Afterwards it wasn't a surprise to him that Sam had come to rescue Frodo.
But this didn't count for him. He only wanted to fulfill his task and deliver them to Shelob, he didn't care about the rest. He didn't know compassion.

Still the rain didn't stop and Sam lost all his courage. They walked along the Chetwood which was drearily bleak in winter. Sam thought he would be at the end of his capability, but unhoped the orcs took a break and he fell down to the ground weakly. Still there were many orcs guarding them for they still didn't trust the hobbits. One of the smaller orcs went to Shagrat and talked to him in the Common Speech. It seemed they couldn't talk the same language.
"Our captives detain us! I bet their friends are following us though and will catch up with us soon!" the small orc said.
"So what? Haven't you seen them, they were only four enemies being dangerous to us! Even if they tried to hunt us with some fellows from the town, haven't you seen those cowards? How will they threaten us?"
"Well, I just considered letting the injured halfling ride on that pony! "
"If you try to think... and now try to figure out how easy it would be for him to make the deer shy and run off? Then he would have gone! We simply couldn't catch up with a running pony! Go, leave, and next time consider your ideas better!"
Growling the orc went back and sat down. Frodo had already had the same thoughts too and had come to Shagrat's conclusions himself, otherwise he would have asked the same. Sam was heavily breathing next to hiom and when Frodo wanted to give him an apple which he had got from an orc, Sam signaled his refusal. He had forgotten what hunger was. Everything didn't matter to him anymore. Frodo noticed how Sam felt and sat down densely next to him and took his hand.
"Look at me, Sam", he said and Sam turned his head slowly.
"Allright, that's good. Now I'll tell you something: You mustn't give up. You mustn't let them bring you down. You need your strength and you need some food!"
Many things Sam did think of in that moment while they looked at each other, Frodo in tears. He wanted to do him that favour just because he had asked him to, but he just coulnd't right in that moment. Furthermore he asked himself why he should do it, to keep it goingto be delivered to Shelob as her next meal. Shagrat really was right: They were only four.
How should they do anything about it, fight against much more enemies?
"I can't and I also don't want to, Frodo. Why should I? To be delivered to Shelob, well, great idea! Then I prefer dying in peace before!"
Frodo lowered his head and hid his face behind his hands. Of course Sam was kind of right and he was reminded of the cruel truth, for where did they really go?
Now it was Sam's turn to comfort Frodo. He was convulsively sobbing and couldn't calm down.
He took Frodo's hand and pressed it a little. With an empty glance Frodo looked at him and they embraced each other. That was a great feeling in this hopeless situation.

Dusk had fallen and the tireless orcs set off again. This time Sam tried not to be a burden to Frodo again. He got used to the pain and only took Frodo's hand.
After his fetters were taken off, he felt the incisions at his wrists and under his armpits were the cords had cut from the dragging having lasted several hours. After unbuttoning his shirt a little, he had a look at the weals suffused with blood and with a deep sigh he averted his gaze. His repentance was growing for what he had provocated. The punishment was only his fault and therefor he said nothing.
The hopeless journey continued and soon they left the Midgewater Marshes behind and it was dark night. The orcs were talking to each other, but the hobbits said nothing.
The night seemed endless to them, but after midnight even the orcs became tired and they laid down behind a hill to sleep with changing guards. They only slept a little until dawn and the new day began without rain.
The hobbits let their clothes dry in the warm morning sun and on their way the orcs searched some food for them.
It was a day without any events on which they did half the way to the Weather Hills. How Sam and Frodo could stand the speed of the orcs, they didn't know themselves. Time was ticking away for them. They didn't know their hunters needed more breaks and were miles behind them. Gwaihir didn't find them either.
While Sam finished his life secretly and lost all his hope of being saved from death, Frodo watched out for any signs of their friends and didn't lose his courage. He knew their friends would try everything possible to find them.
Sam thought of his family, sad and he didn't reckon to see them again in his life and wishfully his glance lost in the distance. But he wasn't angry at himself that he had exposed himself into danger to save Frodo. He simply had had to do it and it had failed. This was something he had to reckon. Now he was only angry about the idea that his life was in danger now and was almost finished. The only real reproach he could think: He hadn't prevented the abduction before because then everything would have been different.
The same moment Frodo prayed secretly that soon a wonder had to happen. He exactly knew that Sam had given up and from time to time he pressed his hand, hoping that some warmth of the Elvish gem would move to him.