FRODO IN THE DUNGEON
Sometime between March 28 and April 4, 3019

Frodo Baggins is in his cell in the Houses of Lamentation. Khamul the Nazgul and the Lady Madurz pay him a visit.

Frodo: *thinks of the Ring...glimmering...so near and yet so far...*
Khamul: In the darkness of Mordor the Ring became the only beautiful thing to you. Therefore you wanted it more and more
Khamul: Is that not true, Frodo?
Frodo: I hate the stinking Nazgul and Mordor and the stinking Ring...now give it back to me!!!! or I shall call on Elbereth!
Khamul: Watch your tongue, Baggins, or you go to join your friend Sam
Frodo: *mutter mumble* All right, all right, I'll take it back
Khamul: You will be like us soon, but we assume you want to stay as you are as long as possible
Khamul: If you want to prolong the inevitable, then be very nice
Frodo: I don't want to be like you!
Frodo: Ever!
Madurz: *looks to Frodo*
Khamul: Then Sam will suffer
Frodo: I'll be very nice!
Frodo: Can you turn Sam back into a hobbit?
Khamul: No
Frodo: *whimpers*
Khamul: There is no way possible.... there are only two ways out
Frodo: What are the two ways out?
Khamul: Either destroy the Ring or be stabbed with the Blade of Westernsee.... Both aredestruction
Frodo: *Frodo wipes away the tears that spill down his face. If only he had succeeded in destroying the Ring!*
Khamul: Just think, Frodo. You will get to know Sauron very well, the Mouth of Sauron and the Nine
Khamul: All will be good friends I am sure
Frodo: I don't want to know them any better
Khamul: Oh but you have only met three
Frodo: I'll...leave them in peace
Madurz: Accept it Frodo..the less you fear and fight the better it will become
Khamul: Yes, Frodo. Accept your fate
Frodo: *wonders who the woman is and what she is doing in Mordor*
Khamul: You will be with us a long, long time.
Khamul: The woman, you wonder?
Frodo: *nods*
Khamul: She has gained favor with Mordor
Frodo: *Frodo thinks* Traitorous woman!
Madurz: *eyes frodo*
Khamul: *Thinks of Sam.... and the pain he will experience*
Frodo: *senses that thought*
Frodo: What about Sam?
Khamul: He is such a simple, trusting one
Frodo: I'll do anything
Khamul: His mind is easy to penetrate
Khamul: He is devoted to you
Frodo: Don't hurt Sam
Frodo: I'll do anything
Khamul: I can make no promises, but to sue for Sauron's clemency you must first do his bidding
Frodo: I'll bow to you
Khamul: Then do so
Frodo: *Frodo grits his teeth and thinks of Sam...he bows*
Khamul: *acknowledges bow... is pleased*
Frodo: *stays on his knees shaking with anger*
Khamul: Lose the anger... Embrace Mordor with your soul
Frodo: *Frodo reels backward, panting. He wipes the sweat dripping off his brow*
Khamul: We have it anyway.... just one heart beat away.....
Frodo: *He shakes his head thinking: The Shire, the Shire!*
Khamul: *Thinks.... Sam... Sam.... Sam... Sam suffering, racked in pain*
Frodo: *bows again and gets up trying to hide his anger*
Madurz: *moves over to Frodo and places hand on his shoulders*
Frodo: *trying to appear calm*
Frodo: *looks to the woman*
Khamul: *His thoughts reach out to Bilbo......*
Madurz: you'll have companions here for life
Madurz: in the Shire you would have felt alone....alienated
Khamul: Yes, good companions
Khamul: No one understood you in the Shire, Frodo
Khamul: They thought you were cracked
Frodo: That's not true
Frodo: Sam and Bilbo didn't think I was cracked.
Khamul: They thought you were strange
Madurz: Sam cannot go back
Khamul: Ever since Bilbo went on his adventure, he disgraced the family name, and Baggins were thought of as odd
Khamul: Never can Sam go back, no more than we
Khamul: No one liked you in the Shire, Frodo.... They gossiped about you constantly behind your back
Frodo: *Frodo loses the calm front and wipes his eyes again, thinking of Sam*
Madurz: *places her hand on his other shoulder and smiles*
Frodo: *wonders what the woman will say*
Madurz: all that you love is here Frodo
Khamul: Yes, and you worship it
Khamul: And soon you will worship its owner
Frodo: *thinks of the Ring*
Khamul: all you ever really wanted was here
Frodo: *all else fades from his consciousness...the Ring, so perfectly round, so beautiful*
Madurz: you have tried so hard to get here...as i have
Frodo: *His need for the Ring burns within him*
Khamul: Yes, Frodo, all you want is here
Frodo: *He barely hears them, consumed with the Ring*
Khamul: *They all talk in soft, sincere voices to him, beseeching him with friendship*
Madurz: *lowers her head next to his ear* you will be safe here...with what you love
Frodo: *Then suddenly the spell breaks and he turns to the woman*
Madurz: *looks into his big eyes*
Frodo: I do not know of any sympathy or good will in Mordor but perhaps you do offer that to me now.
Khamul: but we are your friends, Frodo
Madurz: *places her hand on his chest on his wound*
Khamul: You worship the One Ring
Frodo: But I tell you that I love the Shire, I love Sam, and my uncle Bilbo
Khamul: And soon you will worship its owner
Frodo: *winces as she touches his wound*
Madurz: Sam is here now. In the Shire...this *presses wound* would haunt you everyday
Frodo: *Draws in a sharp breath and grimaces*
Khamul: *He is pleased with the woman*
Frodo: Is Sam really here?
Frodo: I don't know where he is
Frodo: *he tries to take her hand off the wound*
Madurz: he is safe
Khamul: Yes, safe... with friends
Frodo: How can he be safe with a morgul wound through his heart?
Khamul: He is as we
Khamul: Are we not safe?
Frodo: Surronded by wraiths and orcs, I'm sure!
Frodo: You are safe because you want to be part of Mordor
Madurz: and you should too
Frodo: I don't deny the Ring's hold on me...
Frodo: I do want it desperately
Frodo: But I want to go back to the Shire
Madurz: *smiles*
Khamul: Yes, Frodo, the Ring clasps your heart
Frodo: I want to be free from here!
Khamul: Frodo, you will never be free of the Ring.... or us
Khamul: What is freedom?
Frodo: Freedom...
Khamul: Sam is free, free from all fears of death
Khamul: The bane of man has been lifted from him
Frodo: ....is sitting in my garden at Bag End having Sam show me what he's just planted.
Frodo: Freedom is wandering with Bilbo, listening to his lore, and catching wisps of elf-songs.
Khamul: Sam is free from death, and you will be soon
Khamul: Then you can join him, forever
Frodo: *to himself* I wish I could see Sam, to apologize to him
Madurz: *smiles*
Frodo: I hope he will forgive me!
Khamul: Friends, throughout all eternity
Khamul: Bound to the One
Frodo: I am already bound to the One but I want to be free of it
Khamul: Not eternally. Not yet.... in time
Madurz: that isnt to be so...no matter where you are
Khamul: Your time is coming when the Morgul blade pierces your heart and you join us forever
Frodo: *Panic sets in...his heart races*
Madurz: *listens to the words forgetting who they are spoken to*
Frodo: *He realizes there is no way out*
Khamul: Yes, Frodo.... no way out
Khamul: You cannot escape us
Khamul: Consider it a gift
Frodo: *He falls to his knees and holds his head* What will I do?
Khamul: Do not consider that you are a prisioner. Oh, never. You are our most honored guest
Frodo: Why would you honor me? I tried to destroy the One.
Khamul: Enjoy your time
Khamul: You brought it back to Sauron. He is grateful and will reward you in time
Khamul: Until then you will remain
Madurz: *kneels next to him and places her hands gently on his shoulders and speaks softly*
Madurz: dont be scared
Khamul: The pain will not last long
Frodo: It has lasted very long for me
Frodo: Why wouldn't the second time be worse?
Khamul: you have not experienced this pain yet. Not in its full sense
Frodo: *shudders*
Khamul: But when it runs through your heart....
Frodo: *covers his ears*
Khamul: Think of it as merely a ceremony to usher you into a.... different world
Frodo: No, no, no!
Madurz: *listens*
Khamul: The benefits are many
Frodo: Please, no
Madurz: *smiles*
Khamul: You will have life everlasting. You will be able to hear and smell better than you ever could before
Khamul: Of course your vision will dim, true
Frodo: I would rather die than gain such a life
Khamul: But will increase in the spirit world
Frodo: I know what it is
Khamul: And you will see as you never have seen before
Frodo: I have almost been there before
Frodo: *shudders again*
Khamul: And then when the darkness descends upon you....
Khamul: A new awakening will come afterwards
Khamul: Do not try to flee from your destiny
Madurz: *pays attention to his description*
Frodo: *Overwhelmed, he runs his hands over his face*
Khamul: You tried to flee it once
Khamul: But it is your fate, your destiny
Khamul: Ordained long ago as was ours
Frodo: *softly, almost to himself* Sam! Why did they take you from me?
Madurz: *strokes her fingertips against the side of his face* yes...our fate
Khamul: *reaches a hand out and puts it on Frodo's head*
Frodo: *wishes it were Sam touching him*
Khamul: My lady, in time
Khamul: Before the flower fades it will be captured in its fullest
Khamul: *removes his hand from Frodo's head*
Madurz: *thinks how different she is to think pleasantly for when that times comes for her*
Khamul: Before the rose has shed one petal it shall be preserved
Madurz: *smiles*
Frodo: *watches this exchange, utterly bewildered*
Khamul: And we shall be forever together in time
Madurz: *her eyes slip shut slowly*
Khamul: and enjoy the splendor of what is yet unknown
Frodo: *marvels...how is this possible? She is in love with him?*
Khamul: *he smiles behind the hood*
Khamul: *he whispers to her* Why do mortals fear it so?
Madurz: *she almost lets her surroundings fade from her mind and sees just him*
Frodo: *Frodo is surprised at the wraith's gentleness to the lady*
Frodo: *He had not thought it possible for wraiths to act that way*
Madurz: they do not understand
Khamul: Nay, my love, they do not
Frodo: *This is all too bizarre*
Madurz: *touches his face*
Frodo: *slides toward the door*
Madurz: *looks to Frodo*
Khamul: *sends thought to Frodo*
Frodo: *maybe they will let him go...how he longs to sleep*
Khamul: *A bolt of lightning flashes through Frodo's mind bringing him intense pain mentally*
Frodo: *Frodo cries out and falls*
Khamul: *Gives command to orcs to take him to his cell and chain him by the neck and wrists*
Madurz: in time hopefully he will understand love
Khamul: My lady, he shall learn his lessons well. He will be taught obedience
Khamul: Let him ponder upon it all in chains
Khamul: And sleep if he can *laughs*
Frodo: *Frodo's bruised wrists already hurt and begin to bleed again when the chains slide back on*
Khamul: Chain him tightly!
Khamul: And fit the collar well about the neck
Frodo: *The collar chokes him so he can hardly breathe*
Khamul: *thinks to himself.... ah, the renowned hospitality of Lugburz*
Frodo: *sweat runs down his face*
Khamul: *It will be a long night for Frodo, but the day will bring no better*
Frodo: *He wants Sam...how he wants Sam*
Khamul: *He sends a thought to Frodo's mind.... Sam... Sam...*
Khamul: *With that, he exits Frodo's cell, leaving him to suffer. He goes to Angmar's chambers*
Madurz: *moves back over to Frodo*
Frodo: *looks at her through furious, tear-filled eyes*
Madurz: *places her hands under his wrists*
Madurz: Do not fear Frodo.... you and Sam will have eternal friendship
Madurz: *thinks of Ashgaz*
Frodo: *shakes his head and bursts into tears* Leave me, leave me, all of you, leave me alone!!!
Madurz: it is always hard in the beginning
Madurz: *tilts her head to the side and looks to him*
Frodo: *regains control of himself*
Frodo: *looks back at her*
Madurz: you will be content in time
Madurz: do not think they are all monsters
Frodo: I hope so...I will be content if they kill me
Frodo: Why do they not kill me?
Frodo: You seem to have influence here
Angmar: *Angmar sits in his private chambers, a bottle of wine before him on the table*
Madurz: because you have worth
Frodo: Can you not ask them to kill me?
Madurz: you will not be killed
Frodo: My only worth to them was the Ring
Angmar: *pours himself a goblet of the red wine that smokes*
Frodo: What do they want with a hobbit?
Frodo: What could they possibly do with a hobbit?
Frodo: Hobbits would not make very good wraiths anyway.
Madurz: these thoughts will fade in time
Madurz: i know your heart aches
Madurz: i know you miss those you love
Frodo: *He nods...must not succumb to her sympathy, must not succumb to her sympathy... but her beauty reminds him of the Elves*
Frodo: *It is somehow comforting just to look at her amid the gloom of Mordor*
Madurz: it will not be all bad for you here Frodo
Madurz: With this outcome things have changed..and are changing
Angmar: *Angmar sits solitary, drinking his wine*
Frodo: *Frodo sighs*
Frodo: *He looks frankly at the woman*
Madurz: my destiny is here
Madurz: *places her hand on his shoulders*
Madurz: no not terrifying....only if you dont understand... if you dont try to
Frodo: Yes, terrifying. Please don't touch my left shoulder. It hurts
Angmar: *wonders how Madurz is doing with the prisoner*
Madurz: believe you were meant to be here Frodo
Angmar: *considers she is well able to handle the situation, and goes back to drinkng*
Madurz: Bilbo saw to that..... as was he to be part of it
Frodo: *thinks how strange it is that Bilbo of all people set him on the road to here*
Frodo: I hope they never get Bilbo!
Madurz: as was Gollum
Frodo: I hope Bilbo never comes here
Madurz: as were the Nazgul
Angmar: *thinks about fate and how strange it is*
Madurz: one day i shall tell you my tale and maybe you can understand better
Frodo: A very strange tale, I'm sure
Frodo: But I am a hobbit and my place is in the Shire
Frodo: That is my home
Madurz: but things are not the same there and those you loved are not the same
Frodo: They aren't?
Madurz: for Sam is here
Angmar: *thinks how he hates the Shire because of the archers they sent to the battle of Fornost long ago and helped defeat him*
Madurz: and you would not feel it as your "home" as you did
Frodo: Oh, Lady of Mordor...if Sam is really here, can I see him? Can I please see him?
Frodo: I beg you!
Angmar: *Caused him and his forces to retreat from Angmar and take refuge back in Minas Morgul. Hatred for the Shire burns black in his heart*
Angmar: *The Shire was once part of Arnor, one of the hated places of the sea captains, the Numenorians*
Madurz: Frodo you will see him but i dont know when
Angmar: *And how neatly Frodo has played in bringing the Ring back*
Frodo: Really? Do you really think I will see him?
Angmar: *And after years of discouragements, all things seem to be coming their way once again*
Madurz: yes Frodo
Madurz: i think so... but he needs to be loyal as well
Angmar: *And how soon the Shire will be the next to fall*
Frodo: Sam, loyal to Mordor?
Frodo: Then perhaps I won't see him
Frodo: *hangs his head but picks it up quickly as the collar chokes him*
Madurz: do not despair
Madurz: soon you will free of these retraints
Frodo: I can't even sleep at all in these
Frodo: If my head drops, I can't breathe and my weight pulls on my wrists.
Angmar: *Angmar and Khamul wonder if Frodo has figured out that he can't put his head down to sleep.... they snicker to themselves*
Madurz: i cannot order these things
Frodo: That Nazgul is in love with you
Frodo: I don't know how it's possible but it seems he is
Frodo: You could...ask him...
Frodo: Please, ask him to take these off me
Madurz: perhaps just the one around your neck
Madurz: i dont know
Frodo: I haven't eaten all day and hardly at all yesterday
Frodo: I've had no water either
Frodo: They would have to unchain my wrists for that...
Frodo: *decides he has ventured far enough and will probably get nothing he asked for*
Frodo: *He braces himself for another night of sleeplessness and starvation*
Madurz: Frodo i cant order such things
Frodo: I know
Frodo: But you could ask...
Frodo: Please?
Madurz: *strives to make other understand this place better...the Nazgul..her Lord*
Madurz: Frodo...know this though
Madurz: my loyalty is to the dark Lord... the Nazgul
Frodo: *sighs*
Madurz: there is nothing that could change that
Frodo: *Frodo bites his lip and nods silently*
Madurz: you are no threat but if you were....*trails off*
Frodo: *raises his eyebrows, then nods again gravely*
Madurz: in time you will learn
Madurz: in time you will understand...you will become loyal
Madurz: but you have to try. the less you fight the better it will be for you
Frodo: *He sags between the chains and the collar chokes him again*
Frodo: I'm so tired!
Madurz: you must rest now Frodo
Frodo: *He has no more energy to argue*
Frodo: *After the woman leaves, Frodo hangs between the chains, fighting sleep*
Frodo: *With no one around to hear his weakness, he allows himself to weep*
Frodo: *He sees again Sam's face as the morgul blade plunged into his heart, and feels as though he had stabbed him himself*
Madurz: *she walks away from Frodo's cell thinking many thoughts but mostly of her past and Khamul*
Frodo: *But he is too tired now to agonize over his guilt and everything he has lost*
Frodo: *He just feels exhausted and longs to sleep*
Madurz: *she feels bad but she does not feel all that bad because she was seperated from what she loved for so long... and misled...she was long overdue to be happy*
Frodo: *Thoughts of Bilbo come into his mind and he hears the old hobbit once again singing his songs to him in Rivendell*
Frodo: *He begins to hum the songs feebly and some of the pain leaves him*
Frodo: *He is unsure if he is entering delirium or sleep, but he seems to see things that could not possible be there*
Frodo: *He feels that from his chains he is looking once again at Rivendell... and Elrond meets his eyes with a kind smile*
Frodo: *Then it seems that Elrond steps out of the vision next to Frodo, and places his large, firm hand behind Frodo's head*
Frodo: *Frodo leans against it and falls asleep instantly*

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