Branding and Blinding of Frodo

June 29, 2004

Sauron: *Since Frodo is now in presentable appearance, he is more fit to appear before the Master*
Sauron: *Frodo is summoned from the orc hall after his bath and new clothing*
Sauron: *Sam still lies in pain under the throne. He has been cursed with a spell of thinking he has a giant fiery snake in his stomach*
Sauron: *Frodo is escorted back up the many stairs, down many corridors, to the throne room*
Frodo: *Frodo feels much better after the orc draught, bath, and food. He knows he was only kept alive to be tortured more and eventually turned into a wraith, but he can't help feeling relieved*
Bugnarakh: *curled up in ball under throne clutching stomach and moaning quietly*
Frodo: *He is worried about Sam, though, and is anxious to get back to him*
Sauron: Master Baggins, once again you failed to bow
Frodo: *Frodo sighs and bows upon entering the room*
Sauron: You tax my patience yet again
Frodo: *He walks across it between two uruks*
Sauron: Stand before Me!
Frodo: *walking steadily for the first time in weeks*
Frodo: *He stands before Sauron and bows again, gritting his teeth*
Sauron: You now learn manners, something you were never taught in the Shire
Frodo: *bites his tongue against a protest*
Bugnarakh: *soft moaning can be heard wafting from underneath the throne*
Frodo: *Frodo's eyes search under the throne for the small black heap that is his Sam*
Sauron: Bugnarakh, come forth from under my throne. Turn Master Baggins about so I can see his new clothes
Bugnarakh: *manages to crawl out from under throne, but the pain in his stomach is too great to stand ...*
Sauron: Snaga, what is ailing you? *Sauron laughs merrily*
Frodo: *runs up to Sam and helps him to his feet*
Bugnarakh: *manages to choke out* snakes Master........ snakes.... and adders.....ohhhhhhhhh
Frodo: *supports Sam and practically carries him before Sauron*
Sauron: Ah, Snaga, you seem to be in pain. What might trouble you?
Sauron: Just serpents?
Bugnarakh: *feels himself being lifted by frodo* snakes......in......stomach...
Bugnarakh: *wails*
Frodo: *lowers Sam to the floor trying to murmur encouraging words, if encouragement can be found in this place*
Sauron: The Master takes pity upon you, Snaga, in your agony. Does not your Master ever think of his servants?
Frodo: *glares at Sauron*
Bugnarakh: *knows this is not true.... moans in pain*
Sauron: Snaga, do you beg Me to release you from this pain?
Frodo: *grits his teeth and tries to comfort Sam*
Bugnarakh: *does not want to..... but is in great pain..... nods head slightly*
Sauron: Snaga, I sense a lack of sincerity in your request
Frodo: *bursts out in anger* I beg you, then, does that satisfy you?
Frodo: I, the Ringbearer!
Bugnarakh: *fears the worst... comes upon him.... shakes head*
Frodo: I beg you to release him.
Frodo: Is that enough?
Sauron: Master Baggins, I hear your pleas, and will take them under consideration
Sauron: Am I not ever kind?
Bugnarakh: *grabs his stomach and doubles up in pain*
Sauron: Ah, Master Baggins, your friend is in pain
Frodo: *almost scoffs at Sauron, then turns his attention back to Sam*
Sauron: Do you feel joy at the sight of one of My servants in pain?
Bugnarakh: *wails on ground before sauron digging head into floor as he writhes in pain*
Frodo: *with bitter hatred* He is not yours, he is my Sam and he always will be, and I hate the sight of him like this
Sauron: Master Baggins, your memory fails you. He is one of Mine. He is of Mordor now
Frodo: *places his hand on Sam's head gently*
Bugnarakh: *would beg sauron to remove snakes but cannot talk ...*
Sauron: Snaga, do you not need to talk
Sauron: I know your every thought before you think *he laughs and the walls seem to echo*
Bugnarakh: *the echo of saurons laugh makes the pain intensify it seems*
Frodo: *guides Sam's head to his lap*
Sauron: Ah, but I take pity upon you, Snaga. Do I not ever take pity upon my servants?
Bugnarakh: *sauron can discern from his jumbled pained thinking... yes Master..*
Sauron: Snaga, be at ease, Master is here
Sauron: But there must be a home for the serpents. There must be someplace they can live
Sauron: Snaga, where would you wish them to go?
Bugnarakh: *croaks out an ear shattering wail, preceiving saurons intent*
Sauron: *Sauron looks at Frodo and a wicked gleam comes to His eyes*
Frodo: *bends over Sam and speaks softly* It will be all right, Sam, as long as you are freed. I have learned endurance here.
Bugnarakh: *sam expresses a desire to keep his own snake, just let the pain be lessened in some degree*
Bugnarakh: *barely notices frodo*
Frodo: *Frodo cannot sense their unspoken thoughts*
Sauron: *Sauron looks at Bugnarakh* Come forth, my pets!
Sauron: *Frodo can see snakes issuing from where Sam's mouth would be*
Frodo: *grimaces*
Sauron: *twisting and coiling, hissing, fiery vipers with eyes of red*
Bugnarakh: *loses control of his body and writhes and wretches*
Frodo: *struggles against the feeling of nausea*
Sauron: *Now all assembled can see the serpents, both orcs and men and faithful Carcharoth, who comes out from under the throne*
Frodo: *holds Sam firmly, trying to reassure him*
Bugnarakh: *lies his head back on frodos leg panting his chest heaving*
Sauron: *The serpents coil and hiss and then one rises up*
Sauron: *Two curl about Frodo's legs*
Frodo: *his eyes water with relief as he smiles down at Sam*
Frodo: *he barely notices the snakes on his legs*
Sauron: *The two around his legs start crawling up his legs*
Sauron: *The one who rises hisses and foul vapors come from its mouth*
Sauron: Master Baggins, what do you think of my pets?
Frodo: *Frodo sighs and knows there is no point in struggling*
Bugnarakh: *still panting his body in complete shock*
Frodo: I am glad for their return to you
Frodo: Glad that they have finally left Sam.
Bugnarakh: *sturggles to speak* thank You, Master... *pant pant*
Sauron: Master Baggins, my pets like you
Frodo: *squeezes his eyes shut against tears that well up as Sam once again calls Sauron "Master"*
Sauron: But they perceive that you do not like them. They are unhappy
Bugnarakh: pant pant... but Master... if they do not like him..... then... then... *trails off*
Frodo: *raises his eyebrows wondering what he means by this strange talk*
Sauron: Silence, Snaga!
Sauron: They want only your kind touch, Master Baggins
Bugnarakh: *is quiet... fears for frodos safety... knows that the snakes will probably be in -his- stomach now*
Frodo: *reaches toward a snake fully expecting it to bite him.* *braces himself*
Sauron: *Suddenly the snake's head turns into an image of Bilbo and hisses and spits at Frodo*
Sauron: *The two around his legs crawl upward and wrap themselves around his waist*
Frodo: *gasps and draws back, then seethes at the horrible image of Bilbo*
Sauron: *The image that Frodo sees of Bilbo speaks* My boy, remember me?
Bugnarakh: *silently pleads w sauron to reduce the amount of torment frodo will receive*
Frodo: *is unsure whether he should respond or not*
Frodo: *He is sure that this is just a vision that Sauron has conjured up*
Sauron: Your old Uncle Bilbo? Can't you remember me?
Frodo: *hesitantly* Yes, I remember
Sauron: *Then one of the snakes crawls up and coils around Frodo's neck and lays its head upon his ear*
Sauron: *The snake speaks* Remember me, I am Lobelia Sackville-Baggins
Frodo: *thinks: Well, I always did think she was a snake*
Sauron: *she hisses in his ear at that*
Sauron: Master Baggins, remember your manners!
Bugnarakh: *sam marvels at the ability of sauron to capture the personality of lobelia so well*
Frodo: *addresses Sauron* Snakes with the heads of my countrymen? Why this?
Sauron: *The other snake then crawls up and puts its head on Frodo's other ear, as the one resembling Bilbo speaks again* My boy, do you still have my old Ring?
Sauron: *The Lobelia snake says* No, he lost it!
Frodo: *The Ring is the one thing Frodo cannot stand to think about. The next thing he knows he is lying on the floor panting*
Sauron: *Lobelia says* He never was much.... a Brandybuck!
Bugnarakh: *is glad that at least this torment does not seem to be harming frodo physically*
Frodo: *He sits up quickly so that the snakes around his waist will not bite him*
Sauron: *Two of the snakes drop away from him and crawl to the darkness inside the hall*
Frodo: *watches them crawl away, relieved*
Sauron: *But he hears the one that looks like Bilbo saying* You failed me my boy. You failed us all!
Sauron: *Sauron laughs at the spectacle*
Frodo: *Frodo cringes away from the voice for he knows it is true*
Sauron: Master Baggins, is it true? Did you fail them?
Frodo: *His agony at that remembrance is greater than any physical torture*
Sauron: *The snake vision that resembles Bilbo says* Yes, he failed us all
Bugnarakh: *moves over to frodos side*
Frodo: *looks up at Sauron, shaking, and nods*
Sauron: Master Baggins, your uncle keeps saying you failed him. What does he mean? *Sauron says evilly*
Frodo: You know what he means
Sauron: *Sauron laughs maniacally*
Frodo: I was to destroy the One Ring! I was to save Middle Earth from your dominion
Bugnarakh: *sam is glad that they gave frodo a bath... the smell of his masters dried blood tormented him greatly*
Frodo: If I had succeeded, so many would still be alive and free
Sauron: *The serpent vision then disappears*
Sauron: Master Baggins, you do not like my pets? That is apparent. Do you still like my Ring? *Sauron laughs menacingly*
Frodo: *Frodo stares at the Ring and the mad, obsessed look returns to his eyes*
Sauron: *Sauron extends his hand*
Bugnarakh: *sam bites his lip fearing frodo may do something fey*
Bugnarakh: *whisper* mr. frodo...
Frodo: *struggles to his feet, fighting the urges to flee from Sauron's presence and to move towards the Ring*
Sauron: Master Baggins, then show your love. Come and kiss the Ring!
Bugnarakh: *sam follows behind him slowly*
Sauron: Kiss it! I command you!
Frodo: Oh! *falls to his knees panting*
Sauron: Arise, Master Baggins! Filthy Shire-rat who would be dark Lord! Kiss the Ring. It calls you. It ever calls you
Bugnarakh: *helps frodo up, hoping that his icy touch will not pain him greatly*
Frodo: *It does call him. He staggers across the throne room*
Sauron: *Sauron keeps his hand extended and laughs at Frodo*
Frodo: *He wonders that he does not burn into ash at the fire of Sauron's presence*
Sauron: Kiss it, Master Baggins! Or my hand will be around your dirty little neck!
Frodo: *kneels and kisses the Ring*
Sauron: *Sauron laughs* Now hail the new Ring Lord!
Frodo: *gives an agonized wail*
Sauron: Master Baggins of the Shire!
Bugnarakh: *turns his head away from the humiliation of frodo wringing his cloak in his hands*
Frodo: You command me to hail you?
Sauron: Nay!
Sauron: Hail yourself, Master Baggins, Shire scum who would be Ring Lord!
Sauron: All hail him!
Sauron: *he laughs at his own sarcasm*
Frodo: *rises and says angrily* I was not to claim it! I was to destroy it!
Bugnarakh: *whispers* mr frodo !!!!
Frodo: *stops at Sam's cautionary whisper*
Sauron: Then Master Baggins, why didn't you? *he laughs*
Frodo: Sam and I were walking through Mordor with no food, no water, no clear idea of where we were going
Sauron: And you, little Snaga, what of you! You deceived my orcs and made them think you were a great elf warrior, filthy small thing!
Bugnarakh: *raises his head and looks towards sauron*
Frodo: *looks at Sam proudly*
Sauron: *He looks around the assembled servants, orcs and men*
Sauron: Hail the great elf warrior and the new Dark Lord! *he laughs so hard it seems the walls of the halls will tumble at his words*
Bugnarakh: *cringes at his laughter*
Frodo: *cringes next to Sam and takes his hand*
Bugnarakh: *frodos look of approval encourages him*
Sauron: Now we see them, the would-be elf warrior and the would-be Dark Lord
Sauron: Master Baggins, look in my eyes
Frodo: *whispers* Of course I wasn't ever going to be a Dark Lord. But you really were an elf warrior. *smiles at Sam*
Frodo: *looks to Sauron, his smile fading*
Sauron: Master Baggins, you are taxing my patience
Bugnarakh: *frodos words make him feel better but sauron has the ability to crush all hope with just a thought*
Sauron: Let me see..... you seem to be dirty now after rolling on the floor.....
Sauron: It matters not about the elf warrior
Bugnarakh: *sam is glad, fearing that sauron may torture him with water*
Sauron: You are impertient, Master Baggins
Bugnarakh: *fears for frodos safety*
Frodo: *lowers his head in an attempt to look submissive*
Sauron: Master Baggins, I am most patient though
Sauron: Ah, let me see.....
Sauron: Shall I tell you about my plans?
Sauron: Yes, you would like that. I see it in your mind
Frodo: *looks up with wide eyes*
Sauron: What news of your uncle? HMMMM.... let me see
Bugnarakh: *perks up with metnion of bilbo*
Sauron: My reports tell me that he is aging.... aging rapidly
Sauron: And, yes, I see, he grieves
Bugnarakh: *shoulders slump... he remembers the old hobbit fondly*
Sauron: Tears in his eyes.... shoulders stooped
Frodo: *A weight settles on Frodo's heart as he pictures Bilbo grieving for him*
Sauron: Would you like to see this Master Baggins? Would it bring comfort to you?
Frodo: No, only if I could comfort him
Sauron: Fool! He grieves for the Ring, not you
Sauron: But soon it will not matter. For soon his sanctuary of Rivendell will fall
Frodo: He was free of the Ring
Frodo: He gave it up
Frodo: just as I should have
Sauron: Nay, Master Baggins. Wishful thinking
Sauron: But let us not linger there on old memories
Frodo: I should have dropped it in the Fires of Mount Doom
Sauron: Master Baggins, you could not. You would not. For you would wear it and you would be Ring Lord if you could
Sauron: you knew it in your heart, you knew it in your mind
Bugnarakh: *listens to frodo and saurons conversation, wishing he could somehow aid frodo, but knows it is impossible*
Frodo: No! I would fulfill my quest if there was power in me to do so!
Sauron: Confess it to yourself, Master Baggins. You lie to yourself, but you cannot lie to me. I see your thoughts. Everything you think
Frodo: All the grief you show me, all the grief I blame myself for--it is YOUR fault, not mine!
Frodo: They would not have had to send two hobbits on this impossible quest
Sauron: *Sauron's eyes bore into him and Frodo feels his brain on fire and all that is in there is a glowing red fiery ring*
Frodo: if not for your insatiable---*stops himself terrified of what he has just said*
Frodo: *holds his head and slumps against Sam*
Sauron: *The Ring rotates in his brain and sends fire through every cell in his brain. He feels the white matter inside his skull bursting into fire*
Bugnarakh: *sam supports frodo, worrying for his health*
Bugnarakh: *at least the coldness that he eminates may somehow lessen the pain of saurons fire*
Frodo: *sinks slowly to the ground, moaning*
Frodo: *leans his head against Sam*
Sauron: Master Baggins, ever was it in your mind, ever the desire for it and now it will be all that you can see!
Bugnarakh: *kneels beside frodo and takes his head* oh master... my dear master
Sauron: And let it burn your rotten little brains forever!
Sauron: I have spoken
Sauron: And thus it will be
Frodo: *clings to Sam, a faint ray of happiness penetrating his torment, because Sam has called him "dear Master" again*
Sauron: Now come forth and proclaim yourself Ring lord! *Sauron's eyes flame in fiery anger and contempt*
Sauron: You shall be paraded through the Shire after it falls so that all may see you in your glory and you may tell them how you are Ring lord!
Sauron: *Sauron rises from his throne and points his finger at Frodo*
Bugnarakh: *sam cowers on ground beside frodo*
Frodo: *sweat runs down his face. The forces inside him blaze up as never before--his need for the Ring, his guilt and anger*
Frodo: *They fuel the fire that burns inside his head and convulses his body*
Sauron: Fool who would be ringlord! Let the little Shirelings see you in your glory. All hail Master Baggins!
Frodo: *He buries his head against Sam*
Sauron: *Sauron still stands there* Master Baggins, come to me
Sauron: Skaat-izish-u
Frodo: *blinks hard and struggles to his feet*
Sauron: Master Baggins, If you do not come to me, I will force your body to approach me against its will
Bugnarakh: *aids frodo in standing and walking though he fears he only aids him to receive new torments*
Frodo: *His head hurts too much, he is too dizzy. He falls again and Sam almost drags him*
Sauron: *Sauron orders two orcs to come on either side of Frodo and hold him*
Bugnarakh: *is almost trampled by orcs. moves away watching frodo with fear*
Sauron: The Ring calls you, Master Baggins.... Answer its call
Frodo: *He knows better, everything in him cries out against the desire for the Ring, but it is too powerful. He lashes out against the orcs, struggling to reach the Ring*
Sauron: *He orders the orcs* Strip him of his shirt!
Frodo: *the orcs quickly remove the black shirt and red waistcoat*
Sauron: Master Baggins, I sense that you feel cold and empty inside....
Sauron: *The orcs force him to come near Sauron's extended hand*
Sauron: *Then the hand with the Ring finger extended comes suddenly about a foot from his left shoulder*
Sauron: *The flesh begins to singe under the heat*
Bugnarakh: *whimpers at frodos pain*
Frodo: *slumps between the orcs screaming in pain*
Frodo: *this is worse then when he was actually stabbed with the morgul blade*
Sauron: Master Baggins! No longer will your shoulder feel cold!
Sauron: *He sits back upon the throne and laughs*
Frodo: *The orcs continue to hold him up, laughing with Sauron*
Sauron: *And upon Frodo's shoulder, forever branded, will the image of the Ring and the inscription inside will read in Quenya.... One Ring to Rule them All*
Sauron: Take him back to a cell! Let him think about his pain and let him mourn what was never his and will never be!
Frodo: *He trembles violently, burning with Sauron's fire then freezing in a cold sweat from shock*
Bugnarakh: *looks to frodo with pity*
Sauron: *The orcs carry Frodo back to a cell*
Sauron: *They give him a drink of orc draught before they leave and lock the cell behind them*
Bugnarakh: *sam watches frodo as he is taken away, his shoulders sagging with grief for his master*
Frodo: *When Frodo becomes aware of his surroundings, he recognizes the same cell in which he spent weeks of starvation*
Frodo: *the same cell where he was hung for hours at a time by his neck and wrists*
Frodo: *and experienced other tortures which he has blocked from his mind*
Sauron: *Ever will the visions of the burning fiery ring remain in Frodo's mind until ever Sauron sees fit to release the spell*
Sauron: *And he will suffer temporary blindness as long as the vision remains*
Sauron: *Thus let it be known the hospitality of the Houses of Lamentation*
Sauron: *Sauron sits on his throne and laughs*

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