The Darkness Bearer

++Chapter Five++

Chapter Five

÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷

Two days had passed and each day Cody's head hurt more and more. Once they had to stop for she had fallen to the ground clutching her head. Frodo had tried to help her but she ordered him away from her. With fear in his eyes he slowly backed away and turned away before she could see the single tear slide down his face. She lied on the ground cradling her head and silently cried for healing; but, the only healing that could cure her was the destruction of the Ring.

Every night she would have nightmares of the dreaded song She had created and each time Cody would wake up screaming for Her to stop. Frodo would hold her close and would try to lull her back to sleep. Hatred quickly grew in his heart for he hated the thing that was terrorising the one thing he loved. He laid awake listening to her pitiful whimpers and inwardly cried to himself for her suffering to stop. He never let the tears fall that pooled in his eyes for he had to stay strong for her. He feared that if he broke in front of her and showed her how weak he was then she would collapse on herself and would never be able to go.

Now, they trudged on with Cody tripling and stumbling for she could barely keep up with Sméagol's fast pace. When she stumbled and began to fall to the ground Frodo quickly grabbed her pack to keep her from hitting the ground. He almost let go for she had become a dead weight and he had to gently set her on the ground. When he sat down and had placed her head in his lap he gently began to stroke her once beautiful brown hair. Her eyes were glazed and stared unblinking into the canopy of leaves.

"I can't do this," she rasped in a hoarse voice, "Leave me here, a patrol will find me and take me to Mordor."

"How can you say such things?" Frodo scolded but it came out more like a wail.

"They can't hurt me, I'm a servant to the Witch King himself."

"I'm not leaving you behind."

A small smile, something that rarely came to her nowadays, formed on her lips as if she was relieved that he wasn't leaving. Frodo quickly kissed her and then fished through his bag. In seconds he withdrew a piece of lembas and his water bottle.

"Here," he said and handed her a small piece of the elven bread, "Eat this."

"But I have already eaten this morning." she protested.

"We all know you need the strength that this will give you, now eat." he ordered.

Cody reluctantly took the wafer but when she had taken one bite she went into a fit of coughing as the bread stuck in her dry throat. Frodo gave her the water canister and she took a swig from it and gave a satisfied sigh as the crisp liquid rolled down her throat.

"Better?" Frodo asked when she had finished the last of the small piece.

"Yes," she whispered and weakly nodded her head.

With sadness, Frodo kissed her forehead and gently helped her to her feet. When she was up Sam strode over to them and offered himself as a support to her. After much arguing Cody was placed between the two boys with an arm around each of their necks. Sméagol was forced to slow down, much to his dismay, but he still traveled faster than the three hobbits.

"There it is!" Sméagol squealed and scampered forward. When the hobbits had caught up to him they saw that the forest had ended to reveal a steep staircase that had been carved out of a mountain. The wall of Mordor had stopped and was now molded into the rocks. Cody looked up at the stairs in a despair for she kknew what laid at the top of the stone steps.

"Frodo," she whispered and her eyes suddenly became misty.

'Don't say anything!' She hissed and then disappeared.