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Chapter 3: the precious will be ours! Gollum's villainy exposed.







After finally defeating Saruman, ending the threat of Isengard, Gandalf, Kenshin, Théoden, and the others returned to Edoras, where the villagers awaited their king to return. Éowyn stood outside the Golden Hall of Meduseld, fair, as a summer's breeze with her hair flying in the wind. She earnestly awaited Aragorn's return, for she felt a great deep love for him, ever since she first met him.



Inside the Golden Hall, a large crowd gathered before the king at his throne, sitting down at the tables, with mugs in hand to drink to their victory over Saruman. Éomer and Théoden stood next to each other at the throne, while Kenshin, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and Sanosuke sat at the tables. Saito and Aoshi stood in the background, not taking part in the toasting to their victory. Éowyn brought a goblet to her uncle, which he kindly took from her, and bowed her head to him, before standing on the other side of the throne.



Then everyone rose from the tables, joining Théoden, as he addressed, raising his cup, "tonight, we remember those who gave their blood to defend this country. Hail the victorious dead!"

"Hail!" the people, cried out as they toasted to their fallen comrades.



Aragorn and Kenshin cried with them as they stood next to each other, but held their cups in uncertainty, as they knew that the threat hadn't really passed, despite their victory. Kenshin, especially, thought about Wormtongue and how he had the courage to strike back at Saruman for his mistreatment of him. Eventually... Kenshin and Aragorn drank along with the others.







A celebration took place within the Golden Hall. Some of the men were carrying barrels of Ale or any form of eatery to the tables where many of the people conversed happily, like they had achieved ultimate victory. Saito and Aoshi stood amongst the crowds of rejoicing people, with unsettling expressions, not feeling the same as the people of Rohan.



"Just look at them Shinomori," said Saito in contempt, "its pathetic to even see. They think that their land is safe just because Saruman and all his agents are dead."

"They have suffered a great deal, Saito," said Aoshi, "...I don't even blame them for wanting to enjoy themselves, even though there's more danger ahead for them."

"Well, we may have gained victory this time," stated Saito, "but the question remains... did Frodo or his little friends destroy that ring. From where I'm standing, this could be a very short celebration."





At another table, in front of a congregating crowd of soldiers... Éomer was filling up mugs of Ale to give to Gimli and Legolas. Gimli happily sat at the table, while Legolas remained standing. Sanosuke, out of curiosity, went closer to see what was happening.



"No pauses," said Éomer, passing out the mugs to the Elf and the Dwarf, "no spills."

"And no regurgitation," Gimli added eagerly, taking the mug in his hands.

"So, it's a drinking game?" inquired Legolas, holding his mug.

"Aye!" responded the drunken soldiers.

"Last one standing wins," laughed Gimli deviously, "heh, heh, heh, heh!"

"Hey, mind if I join in?" Sanosuke chimed in, with the same anticipation as Gimli, "I'm familiar with this game myself."

"Of course," said Éomer, filling a mug for Sanosuke, "there's always room for one more, Sanosuke."



Seeing that Sanosuke was joining along, Gimli turned to Aoshi and Saito who were next to each other.



"You want to join in, Master Saito?" Gimli called to Saito

"No thanks," replied Saito, greatly annoyed.

"I'll also pass," said Aoshi, "I have no tolerance."

"Heh, heh!" laughed Gimli, arrogantly, "its your loss then!"



"What'll we drink to?" asked one of the men in the background.

"Let's drink to victory!" the men responded in satisfaction, raising their mugs, "to victory!"



"Well, here I go!" Sanosuke cried proudly as he began to gulp his ale.

Gimli, with an anticipant laugh, followed Sanosuke's example, quickly gulping his drink. Legolas, however, drank his ale, like he would any other drink that he has had before, carefully taking his time...









Éowyn prepared an ornate goblet for Aragorn as she went up to him. Suddenly... Kenshin went by his side. Feeling a little nervous... Éowyn quickly picked up another goblet, and filled some of the drink into it for Kenshin to have. Kenshin and Aragorn were a little baffled by Éowyn's sudden behavior.



Éowyn then turned back to Kenshin and Aragorn holding the cups for them.

"Westu, Aragorn hál," Éowyn said handing a cup to Aragorn.

Then, Éowyn handed the other cup to Kenshin as she said, "westu, Kenshin hál."

"Miss Éowyn, you didn't have to go through all the trouble of preparing a cup for me, that you didn't," reasoned Kenshin.

"Please, Lord Kenshin," Éowyn insisted, "I wish to do this. You've done so much for Rohan, as much as Aragorn did. Please... except this on my behalf."

"...Then, I thank you, Miss Éowyn, that I do," said Kenshin, willingly accepting the cup.

Aragorn and Kenshin began to drink from their cups that Éowyn gave them. They paused for a moment... before nodding a little to Éowyn. Éowyn brightened, feeling much honor and gratitude given to her by the honorable men before her.

Kenshin then bowed at Éowyn as he said, "westu hál, Miss Éowyn."



He and Aragorn went off to rejoin the others, partially seeing the drinking contest between Gimli, Sanosuke, and Legolas. Théoden came up to Éowyn, after seeing her with Aragorn and Kenshin. He looked off in their direction with a pleased and most pleasant expression, showing his approval.



"I witnessed your belated gift-bearing to Kenshin when he went up to Aragorn," said Théoden, "...but your gift was originally for Aragorn, wasn't it."

Éowyn could never fool her uncle, as she blushed a little, giving away her secret passion for Aragorn.

Theoden smiled brightly as he added, "I am happy for you, he is an honorable man."

"You, Kenshin, and Aragorn are all honorable men," said Éowyn, giving more praise to her uncle and Kenshin.

"It was not Théoden of Rohan who led our people to victory," Théoden contradicted himself solemnly.



After hearing Théoden's statement, Éowyn looked at her uncle in disbelief, knowing that her uncle wasn't the person who would say something like that, even though he had suffered much, more so than the people.



After a pause, Théoden said, "...ah, don't listen to me. You are young, and tonight is for you."

Éowyn brightened even more hearing her uncle's uncertainty disappear.

"That's funny," Misao suddenly spoke as she went up to Théoden and Éowyn, "I thought tonight was for all of us."

"Oh, my lady Misao," Théoden said sheepishly, "we barely noticed you."

"The Oniwaban group is full of surprises, Théoden," Misao told the king.

"Then perhaps you can give Éowyn some company for me," Théoden requested of Misao, "I have other business to attend."

"Thank you, your highness," Misao bowed humbly before Théoden.

As Theoden turned to leave, Éowyn faced and introduced herself to Misao.

"Hello," said Éowyn, "I am Éowyn, shieldmaiden and lady of Rohan. I am honored to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, Éowyn, maiden of Rohan," replied Misao, introducing herself to Éowyn, "I'm Misao Makimachi, leader of the Oniwaban group."



Éowyn and Misao smiled at each other for their courtesy towards one another.



"So," started Éowyn, "are you Aoshi's woman? He told me that... you and I might have something in common."

"Did he?" asked a blushing Misao, "ah... that Lord Aoshi, he's such a flatterer sometimes."

Éowyn giggled, "maybe that is so. But I feel that he's hard to get along with."

"...Yeah... yeah, he is. I hope that one day, I can see him smile."

"Do you fight in many battles?"

"Not many I'm afraid," answered Misao, "but I did take part a battle that decided the future of my world. It didn't involve Sauron or anyone, though."

"Sanosuke spoke to me about that," Éowyn informed Misao, "his name was Makoto Shishio, was he not?"

Misao was amazed that Éowyn knew about Shishio.

"So, you've been listening around have you?" Misao inquired brightly of Éowyn, "have you fought in any battles before?"

Éowyn then lowered her bright expressions as she replied, "...regretfully...no."



Misao noticed Éowyn's gloomy expression and deeply shared her solemn with her own.



Éowyn sadly explained, "as I was young, when my parents died, I came to live with my uncle, the king. I was brought up to ride... to wield a sword and spear, to fight with weapons. But I, myself... am not allowed to fight, because I am a woman, and they wish to protect me... but I wish for no protection."

Misao gathered her wits as she said brightly, "well, it looks like your uncle set me up with the right woman. I'm going to be your friend, Éowyn. I'll make sure you go into battle."

"How?"

"I'm part of the Oniwaban group, remember," Misao boasted, "and for us, we can do anything."

Éowyn brightened once more as she asked, "really? You can help to bring me into battle?"

"Mm-hmm," Misao nodded with the brightest smile.

"...Thank you," said Éowyn, with excitement in her voice, "thank you, lady Misao."

"Oh, just call me Misao," Misao said, sheepishly.



Éowyn and Misao laughed together brightly. This was certainly a beginning of a wonderful friendship between them. They heard cheering of the drinking contest between Gimli, Sanosuke, and Legolas, and decided to watch.



"Yeah, bring it on!" Sanosuke vigorously challenged, as he finished his mug, "I'm ready for anything!"

"You're just full of energy tonight, aren't you?" Éomer inquired, filling another mug for Sanosuke.



Legolas began to drink as fast as Gimli, who was enjoying himself endlessly, getting some of the ale onto his beard. The Dwarf then stood... and belched loudly, which made Éomer recoil a little disgustedly...



Each time the contenders finished a mug... Éomer passed out new ones to them...



"Here, here," said an eager Gimli, snatching another mug from Éomer.

"...Ah!" cried out Sanosuke, finishing off another mug and raised it in the air, "and Sanosuke the man still comes out on top--!"





CRASH!





Sanosuke suddenly collapsed onto the floor, passing out form all the ale. Éowyn and Misao laughed gaily, seeing Sanosuke making a fool out of himself. Kenshin, also watching, gave his usual sheepish grin.



"Looks like Sanosuke the man goes down for the count!" Gimli bellowed jovially, "now its just you and me now, elf! Ha, ha!"

Legolas nodded a little eagerly as he finished yet another mug successfully, without spilling one drop.

"It's the Dwarves that go swimming!" nodded Gimli, a little wildly, "with /little hairy women! /Ah ha!"

"Oh dear," sighed Misao, hearing Gimli's drunken comment, "when Gimli's drunk, he acts just like Gramps when he thinks about women."

"Really?" gasped Éowyn surprisingly.

"Yep," nodded Misao, "Okina's always been the dirty old man who chases women every chance he gets."

"I'd best be leery of this old man, then," said Éowyn, suggestively.

"I think that would be a great idea, Éowyn," agreed Misao.



"BURP!" Gimli belched again, before drinking another mug. Then Legolas, as he drank another mug... suddenly paused in his standing a moment...



"...I feel something," mentioned Legolas, as he looked at his hand.



Éomer raised his eyebrows at Legolas' behavior. Kenshin, Aragorn, Misao, Éowyn, even Saito and Aoshi began to think that Legolas was having a little too much to drink like Sanosuke...



"A slight tingle in my fingers," added Legolas, still eyeing his hand, "...I think its affecting me."

"...Eh, heh!" laughed Gimli drunkenly, after finishing off one more mug, piling it on top of his other mugs, "see, what did I say? Even he can't hold his liquor--!"



Gimli's eyes suddenly crossed over... and he fell back on his chair to the ground. Éowyn and Misao laughed frivolously at the collapsed Dwarf, enjoyed to see him fall so foolishly like Sanosuke.



"Morons," Saito huffed to himself, though Aoshi said nothing.

With a satisfied look, Legolas turned to Éomer and said, "...game over."







As the celebration progressed further...



Merry and Pippin, with mugs of ale in hand, danced over a table, hoping and kicking their feet against one another, in front of a gathering of the men around the table. Misao and Éowyn stood next to each other, as they were the closest to the table. They all greatly enjoyed a song that Merry and Pippin sang with all glee...





Oh, you can search far and wide...

You can drink the whole town dry...



But, you'll never find a beer so brown...

But you'll never find a beer so brown...!

But you'll never find a beer so brown...!

As the one we drink in our hometown...!



You can drink your fancy ales...

You can drink 'em, by the flagon...

But the only brew for the brave and true...





"Comes from the Green Dragon!" Merry and Pippin finished as they clanged their mugs together, and drank the ale.

"YAAAHHHH!" the crowd cheered, along with Misao and Éowyn.

"Thank you!" Merry exclaimed, "I win!"

"Thank you," replied Pippin.



'Those little morons,' Saito thought smugly, standing against a pillar. Aoshi, however, had a slightly amused look on his face, seeing the Hobbits drink so frivolously.



Gandalf and Kenshin stood by each other, as they also enjoyed Merry and Pippin's song and clapped their hands proudly.

Aragorn then came beside Gandalf, as he asked, "no news of Frodo?"

"No word, nothing," replied Gandalf, soberly.

"No reports, are there?" interjected Kenshin, "I know you told me and Aragorn not to regret our decision, Sir Gandalf. But I can't help feeling... that I'm somehow conflicted with that decision. I wish that there was something else I could've done."

Gandalf nodded sadly, as some part of him agreed with Kenshin and his doubts about the whole situation.

"We have time, Kenshin," said Aragorn assuredly, "every day, Frodo moves closer to Mordor."

"Do we know that, Aragorn...?" Gandalf wondered skeptically.

Feeling that the wizard was losing his faith, Aragorn turned to Gandalf and asked, "...what does your heart tell you?"



Gandalf then smiled brightly, being reminded of his own advice... of his own faith in that what he done with Frodo was right...



"...That Frodo is alive," said a faithful Gandalf, holding his smile firmly.

"...Yes," answered Gandalf further, looking forward renewed hope, "yes, he's alive."

Aragorn then turned to Kenshin, asking, "...and what of you Kenshin?"

Kenshin paused before he smiled again and said faithfully in a relaxed tone of voice, "...yes... I also believe that Sir Frodo is still alive... that I do."











Frodo and the others were asleep in Ithilien, one night, as they were almost at the edge of the mountain. Gollum, however, wasn't sleeping so peacefully, as he was talking in his sleep...



"...Too risky," Gollum quietly muttered in his sleep, "...too risky... they're thieves... all of them are thieves. They stole it from us. Kill them, kill them... kill them all!"



As Gollum was about to shout out... he woke himself up, with a start.



"Shh, quiet!" Gollum hushed /Smeagol/, his other half, "mustn't wake them. Mustn't ruin it now."

Gollum then crawled over to a nearby stream as Smeagol said, "but they knows, they knows. They suspects us... they suspects us all!"



Once Smeagol got to the stream, he looked at his own reflection as Gollum was talking to him...



"What's it saying, my precious, my love?" Gollum asked with an incredulous sneer, "Sméagol, losing his nerve?"

"No!" Smeagol replied hurriedly, "not! Never! Smeagol hates nasty Hobbitses and Travelerses."

"You were keen to exclude the pretty mistress before," Gollum reminded Smeagol, "do you still wish her to live."

Smeagol paused for a moment as she turned back to the sleeping Kaoru, as she looked so peacefully that it began to move him a bit, remembering how much she admired him... but...



Kaoru muttered, "...Kenshin... I will come back to you. I want to be with you... forever..."



Smeagol darkly grimaced, hearing with his sharp ears... speaking fondly of someone else, other than him, starting to believe what /Gollum /told him was true... that she did in fact betray him like Frodo did at the Forbidden Pool. Smeagol then turned back to the stream, looking at the reflection of Gollum.



"...Well?" inquired Gollum.

"...No," Smeagol finally answered, with a faint snarl, "Smeagol hates her too... Smeagol wants to see them all... dead."

"...And we will," Gollum assured Smeagol, with a most wicked smile, "Smeagol did it once, he can do it again."



In that moment...



Smeagol reminded himself of that fateful day, when he and Déagol found the ring... and when he choked Déagol to death... with the utmost pleasure and satisfaction...





"Its ours... OURSSS!" Smeagol growled intensely, wanting the ring back, now more than ever... then blinked his eyes, changing to a desperate voice, "we must get the precious. We must get it back!"

"Patience," Gollum instructed Smeagol, "patience, my love. First, we must lead them, to 'her'."

"We lead them... to the winding stair," Smeagol said, devilishly recalling the plan.

"Yes, the stairs," nodded Gollum, "and then?"

"Up, up, up, up, up the stairs we go," gestured Smeagol, with his hand, "until, we come to... /the tunnel/."

"And when they go in... there's no coming out," concluded Gollum.

"...She's always hungry," Gollum added, with fiendishly cunning eyes, thinking of 'her', "...she always needs, to feed. She must eat, all she gets is filthy Orcses."

"And they doesn't taste very nice, does they, precious?" asked Smeagol playfully, his eyes wide and child-like.

"Agh! No," answered Gollum, making a distasteful gesture with his tongue, "...not very nice at all, my love. She hungers for sweeter meats. Hobbit meat, meat of... human flesh."



As Gollum and Smeagol continued plotting... Sam and Yahiko began to open their eyes slowly, hearing the bits of the conversation that took place at the stream...



"...Yes, precious," Smeagol brightly agreed with Gollum, "the impulsive one shall make a verry good meal for her, won't she precious?"

"Yes," Gollum agreed with Smeagol, talking of Yahiko, giving the most devious smile, "...the young one has great spirits. He will indeed make a good meal for her my love."



Smeagol smiled with anticipation, eagerly waiting to see Yahiko's suffering before 'her'.



"And when she throws away all the bones, and empty clothes," Gollum added crookedly, "then... we will find it."

"And take it for MEEEE!" Smeagol cried triumphantly, balling his hand into a fist, pretending to have the ring in his hand.

"...For us," Gollum corrected Smeagol.

"Yes, w-we, we meant for us," Smeagol laughed a little nervously in agreement.

"Gollum, Gollum!" Gollum grunted as he said, "the precious, will be ours..."



Gollum picked up a rock, holding it over the stream...



"Once the Hobbitses and Travelerses are... /dead/!" Gollum ended, almost chanting, as he dropped the rock in the water, making ripples appear in the water.

"So!" a voice came in behind Gollum...



The water cleared... to reveal Sam and Yahiko standing over the devious creature. Gollum turned abruptly to the enraged Hobbit and boy, gasping in shock to see that they discovered his plan.



"You've finally shown your true colors, you creep!" Yahiko cried angrily.

"You treacherous little toad!" Sam growled as he bashed Gollum's head with a pot, throwing him aside.



Sam and Yahiko went after Gollum with a vengeance, trying to beat the creature to death with their own strength. Frodo and Kaoru then woke up, and saw Yahiko and Sam trying to beat up Gollum, as he screamed and cried with terror.



"Nooo! Arrrgh!" Smeagol cried out, "Master! Mistress!"

Frodo and Kaoru then ran over to Sam and Yahiko, and pulled them off of him.

"No Sam!" Frodo cried, anxiously, "leave him alone!"

"Yahiko! Sam!" Kaoru demanded, "what's gotten into you two?"

"We heard it from his own mouth, Miss Kaoru," Sam answered intensely, "he means to murder us!"

"Its like we told you, Kaoru," Yahiko added, even more intensely, "Gollum's still after the ring!"

Kaoru then turned to Gollum and asked, "is this true, Smeagol?"

"Never!" Smeagol answered hurriedly wiping his hand over his head, "Smeagol wouldn't hurt a fly, mistress!"



The creature looked at his hand, and there was a little blood on it from the small head wound Sam had inflicted...



"Argh!" Smeagol screamed out, pointing accusingly at his attackers, "they're a horrid, fat Hobbit, and a vicious, impulsive little man, who hates Smeagol, and who makes up nasty lies!"

"Shut up!" shouted Yahiko.

"You miserable little maggot!" snarled Sam as he and Yahiko tried to lunge for Smeagol again, "I'll stove your head in!"

"Sam!" cried Frodo as he and Kaoru held the hostile pair at bay while Smeagol scrambled over... and cowered behind a stunted tree.

"Called us liars," Sam ranted even further, at Smeagol, ignoring Frodo's pleas, "YOU'RE THE LIAR!"

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!" Smeagol wailed in terror at the raving Yahiko and Sam from behind his hiding place.

"Sam, Yahiko, you both have to stop this right now!" Kaoru ordered.

"She's right Sam," Frodo told Sam, in agreement with Kaoru, trying to settle him, "if you and Yahiko scare him off, we're lost!"

"I don't care!" Sam fired back, angrily, "we can't do it, Mr. Frodo. Yahiko and I won't wait around for him to kill us!"

"I'm not sending him away!" Frodo sternly stated.

"We still need his help, Sam," added Kaoru, "whether you and Yahiko like it or not."

"But Kaoru," Yahiko debated insistently, "he's trying to get rid of us!"

"Neither of you don't see it, do you?" Sam said to Kaoru and Frodo in frustration, "he's leading us into a trap!"

"Don't you remember what Faramir said, about Gollum's secret route?" Yahiko asked of Frodo and Kaoru, "...he said that there was something lurking up there..."







Yahiko recalled that day at Osgiliath, as Faramir, after finally deciding to release the travelers and Gollum to go to Mordor, led them out of the city... through a certain sewer system, near a man-made tunnel...



"This is the old sewer," said Faramir, as the others looked into the tunnel, "runs right under the river through to the edge of the city. You'll find cover in the woods there."

"Captain Faramir," Sam told Faramir sincerely, "you've shown your quality, sir."



Faramir was both flattered and honored to hear Sam's complement to him.



"...The very highest," added Sam to the last.

"The Shire must truly be a great realm, Master Gamgee," Faramir returned with a brightened expression, "where gardeners are held in high honor."

"Yes, I know the feeling Faramir," agreed Kaoru, as she turned to Yahiko, "I just wish that someone else I know could show more quality like you have."

"What's that supposed to mean, Kaoru?" fumed Yahiko.

Faramir laughed a little as he said, "your apprentice has some spirit, Miss Kaoru. His impulsive exterior may yet reveal his true sense of valor and honor."

"You bet there is," Yahiko said arrogantly.

"You wish, Faramir," Kaoru said, a little annoyed.

Faramir could not help but laugh a little more... then turned back to Frodo as he asked, "what road will you take, once you reach the woods?"

"Gollum says there's a path, near Minas Morgul, that climbs up into the mountains," Frodo told him.

Upon hearing about Frodo's choice of road... Faramir froze in frightened shock as he gasped out, "...Cirith Ungol."



Faramir then noticed Gollum trying to sneak away... and rounded on him, as he grabbed the creature by the neck and slammed him against the wall.



"Faramir, what are you doing now?" objected Kaoru.

Faramir turned to Kaoru and said in warning, "Miss Kaoru, you should not go with this creature, it is wicked!"

"Not altogether wicked, Faramir," protested Frodo.

"But malice eats at him like a canker, Frodo," Faramir protested firmly, "and the evil is growing. I can smell it in him!"

Faramir then turned to Gollum and asked, very deadly, "Cirith Ungol, is that its name?"

"No!" cried the desperate, struggling Gollum, "noo!"



Unwilling to trust Gollum, Faramir squeezed the creature's neck, trying to force him to tell the truth.



"Argh! Yessss!" confessed Gollum.

Keeping his hold on Gollum, Faramir quickly turned back to the others and said, "Frodo... they say a dark terror dwells in the passes above Minas Morgul. You cannot go that way."

"It is the only way," Gollum whined, "master says we must go to Mordor so, we must try."

"...I must," Frodo said quietly, however, Faramir wouldn't let Gollum go, thinking he's doing very unwisely in this.

"...Faramir," interjected Yahiko, "Sam and I have our doubts about Gollum as you do... but it seems we have no other choice. We still need his help."



Faramir thought about Yahiko and Frodo's decision for a moment... but then realized that they were right, the ring had to be destroyed. And the way of Cirith Ungol may be their only alternative. With that... Faramir finally released Gollum, throwing him towards the travelers.



"Go then, Frodo," said Faramir, giving Frodo and the travelers his sincere blessing, "go with the goodwill of all men."

"Thank you," said Frodo as he went into the tunnel, followed by Sam and Yahiko, to head for Minas Morgul and Cirith Ungol, but Kaoru stayed a moment to share last words with the honored captain.

"Faramir," said a very kind and gracious Kaoru, "thank you once again... for all you have done for us."

"You just be careful, Miss Kaoru," Faramir repeated his sense of caution to her.

"I will," replied Kaoru as she went off into the tunnel.



Gollum tried to slip away with Kaoru into the tunnel... but Faramir grabbed him at the neck again, pinning the creature on the walls, bringing his face close to Gollum's. Kaoru turned back, seeing Faramir manhandle the creature once more...



"...And may death find you quickly," Faramir gritted, giving his curse to Gollum, "if you bring them to harm."



Faramir then threw Gollum into the tunnel in disgust, and watched as the creature and Kaoru went off together to follow the others...







"...Gollum did neglect to tell us about that too, you know," said Yahiko, "and I think that he's been planning to lead us to that terror in those tunnels all along."

"Smeagol didn't want to say," said Smeagol, still cowering from the tree, "because he thought master wouldn't go."

"You bet we wouldn't," Yahiko said angrily.

"I hope Faramir's curse to him bites him quick, Mr. Frodo," gritted Sam.

"Sam, please," pleaded Frodo as he turned to the cowering Smeagol, "...Smeagol, I can understand why you didn't tell us earlier. But before we ran into you, we've encountered more terrors than you can possibly imagine."

"...And," added Kaoru, "whatever this dark terror is that lurks in this Cirith Ungol place, we will all face it together."

"But we can't trust him, Miss Kaoru," Sam warned Kaoru, "he's a villain."

"We can't do this by ourselves, not without a guide," said Frodo, trying to reason with him and Yahiko, "Sam, Yahiko... I need you both on my side."

"...We're on your side, Mister Frodo," Sam assured Frodo.

"I know, Sam," returned Frodo calmly, "I know. Trust me."

"...The same goes to you, Yahiko," instructed Kaoru.

"Err... alright Frodo," Yahiko reluctantly relented, "but Sam and I are going to be watching him, you hear, Frodo?"

"Yes," answered Frodo, "...I understand, Yahiko."

"...Well," interjected Kaoru, "since we're all awake, we better get moving on to Minas Morgul."

"Certainly, Miss Kaoru," Frodo agreed, as he held out a hand for Smeagol, "come, Smeagol."



Sméagol crawled out from behind the tree to Frodo and softly took his hand. Kaoru and Frodo went up front with Frodo holding Smeagol. The creature then looked at Sam and Yahiko... and gave a very diabolical smile, showing that he had won. But Sam and Yahiko wouldn't allow the treacherous creature have his way, as they both nodded to themselves, accepting Gollum's challenge.



Yahiko turned to Sam and said firmly, "we'll be watching him Sam."

"Right, Mr. Yahiko," Sam returned, even more firmly.











Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or Lord of the Rings. RK is the property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and Lord of the Rings is the property of Professor J. R. R. Tolkien.



A/n: when I saw the scene with Faramir seeing off Frodo and telling him about the dangers of Cirith Ungol, I thought that the scene should have been used as a flashback in the third movie. And that's exactly what I did, I turned the scene from the extended edition of Two Towers into a special flashback. Hope you like it.



Please Read and review.