An Olympian's Daughter

The stairs

Gollum leads Sam and Frodo through the wilderness to a crossroads. "It must be getting near teatime. Leastways, it would be in decent places where there is still teatime." Sam says sadly.

"We're not in decent places." Gollum hisses. Frodo stops walking. Sam turns back to him. "Mister Frodo? What is it?" Sam asks "It's just a feeling. I don't think I'll be coming back." "Yes you will, of course you will. That's just morbid thinking. We're goin there and back again, just like Mister Bilbo. You'll see." Sam tries to reassure Frodo. They approach a statue. It has been vandalized by Orcs. Its head has been replaced by a metal-plated stone. "I think these lands were once part of the kingdom of Gondor. Long ago, when there was a king." The sun peeks through the clouds. The hobbits spot the statue's original head, lying on the ground.]

As the sun strikes it they see that flowers have grown around its crown.

"Mister Frodo, look. The king has got a crown again. Sam says as they both stare at the fallen statue of one of the kings of Gondor's past.

The clouds cover the sun again, darkening the area. "Come on, Hobbits! Mustn't stop now. This way." Sam, Frodo, and Gollum approach Minas Morgul.

"The Dead City... very nasty place... full of... enemies." Gollum leads them to the side of the road. "Quick! Quick! They will see! They will see! Come away! Come away!"

Gollum points out a long, steep staircase, set into the rock. "Look! We have found it, the way into Mordor. The Secret Stairs! Climb! "

Frodo wanders towards the dead city, past a pair of gargoyles."No! Mister Frodo!" Sam keeps a tight hold of Frodo's shoulders while Gollum grips his hand "Not that way! What's it doing?"Sam yells "No!" "They're calling me." Frodo seems to fall into a trance. As Sam and Gollum pull Frodo to the stairs, the middle of the city erupts with a bright blue-green light.

The sight is visible to the inhabitants of Minas Tirith.
Gandalf consoles Pippin.

An army of orcs exits the Dead City.

The Witch-King emerges, mounted on a flying beast.

Frodo sees the Witch-King, and grabs his shoulder in pain.

"I can feel his blade." Frodo whispers

An orc army leaves Minas Morgul.

"Hurry, hobbits! We climb! We must climb!" Gollum calls from the higher rocks.

We come to it at last, the great battle of our time. The board is set. The pieces are moving." Gandalf speaks watching the beam of light shoot up into the sky.

Gollum, Frodo, and Sam climb up the secret stair. Gollum reaches a ledge and looks down at a struggling Frodo.

"Careful, master! Very far to fall! Very dangerous on the stairs. Come, master! Come to Sméagol!" Gollum sees the One Ring around Frodo's neck. He reaches for Frodo. "Mister Frodo!" Sam draws his sword. "Get back, you! Don't touch him!"

Gollum pulls Frodo up onto the ledge. "Why does he hates poor Sméagol? What has Sméagol ever done to him?"
Gollum takes Frodo aside while Sam climbs onto the ledge. "Master, Master carries a heavy burden. Sméagol knows. Heavy, heavy burden. Fat one cannot know. Let Sméagol look after Master.He wants It. He needs It, Sméagol sees it in his eyes! Very soon he will ask you for It! You will see! The fat one will take It from you!" Gollum whispers lies and places seeds of doubt in Frodo's heart for the loyalty of his own friend.

On a ledge on the secret stair, Sam, Frodo, and Gollum rest. Sam checks Gollum, who appears asleep.
Sam falls asleep. Gollum opens his eyes, and makes for Sam's backpack.
He takes out the Lembas, looking disgusted with it.Gollum scatters bread crumbs on Sam's cloak. He then throws the remainder of the food over the ledge. As Gollum turns away, Sam confronts him.

"Where are you off to? Sneaking off are we?" Sam questions the smaller creature. "Sneaking? Sneaking! Fat hobbit is always so polite. Sméagol shows them secret ways that nobody else could find and they say sneak. Sneak? Very nice friend. Oh yes, my precious, very nice, very..." Gollum cries. "All right! All right! You just startled me, that's all. What are you doing?" Sam tries to get him to stop his howling so as not to wake Frodo.
"Sneaking." Gollum says with a Cheshire grin.

Sam huffs "Fine. Have it you own way. I'm sorry to wake you, Mister Frodo. We have to be moving on."
"It's dark still." Frodo mumbled
"It's always dark here." Sam checks his pack. "It's gone! The elven bread!"
"What? That's all we have left!" Frodo whips around to stare at Sam.
"He took it! He must have!" Sam points to Gollum with a look of fury.

"Sméagol? No, no, no poor Sméagol. Sméagol hates nasty Elf bread."

"You lying rat! What did you do with it!" Sam lunges to take a swing at the foul little beast. "He doesn't eat it. He can't have taken it!" Frodo yell at Sam holding him back. Gollum feigning surprise "Look, what's this?"
Gollum wipes the Lembas crumbs off Sam. "Crumbs on his jacketses. He took it. He took it! I've seen him. He is always stuffing his face when Master is not looking."

"That's a filthy lie! You stinking filth face!" Sam starts whacking Gollum.
"Sam! Stop it! No, Sam!" Frodo pulls at the shoulders of his friend to pull him off Gollum. "I'll kill him!" Sam screams in a rage.

Frodo intervenes. "Sam! No!"
Frodo collapses. Sam halts his attack and tends to an exhausted Frodo.
"Oh my! I'm sorry! I didn't mean it to go so far. I was just so, so angry. Here. You just... just rest a bit."

"I'm all right."

"No, no you're not all right. You're exhausted. It's that Gollum. It's this place. It's that thing around your neck."

Frodo gives Sam a worried look.

"I... could help a bit. I could carry it for a while..." Sam voice echoes in Frodo's head "carry it for a while... I could carry it... carry it... share the load... the load."

Frodo shoves Sam telling him to "Get away!" "I don't want to keep it! I just want to help!" Sam looks worried.

"See? See! He wants it for himself." Gollum says huddling down beside Frodo"Shut up you! Go away! Get out of here!" Sam swats at Gollum.

"No Sam. It's you. I'm sorry, Sam."
Sam cries. "But, he's a liar! He's poisoned you against me!"

"You can't help me anymore." Frodo pushes Sam away
"You don't mean that." Sam cries harder. "Go home." Frodo demands.

Sam collapses, still crying.

Frodo and Gollum continue on alone up the stairs.