Return to our Destiny.

22. The Forbidden Pool

Back at the caves, Faramir sits alone. One of his men walks to him. "Captain Faramir. We found it." Faramir approaches the sleeping hobbits. Frodo wakes with a start. "You must come with me. Now." Faramir says, Frodo is lead outside. Standing at the edge of a ledge, Faramir points into the open space, "Down there." he says quietly, Frodo looks down at a pool and sees Gollum dive in it.

"To enter the Forbidden Pool bears the penalty of death." Archers step out from the bushes, with arrows drawn. "They wait for my command. Shall they shoot?" Frodo is torn, he does not trust Gollum, as he knows the creature is just waiting to take the ring, but he needs him to get to mount doom. Gollum squats on a rock with a fish, singing. "Rock and pool is nice and cool, so juicy sweet! I only wish to catch a fish, so juicy sweet!"

Faramir raises his hand to give the order to fire. Frodo decides to keep Gollum and puts on a bit of a show for Faramir, "Wait. This creature is bound to me. And I to him. He is our guide. Please, let me go down to him." Faramir allows Frodo to go to Gollum, who is eating a fish. "Sméagol. Master is here. Come, Sméagol. Trust master. Come." Frodo calls, trying to get Gollum out if the pool area.

"We must — go now?" Gollum muses confusingly, Frodo nods and urges the creature some more, "Sméagol, you must trust master. Follow me, come on. Come. Come, Sméagol. Nice Sméagol. That's it. Come on." Gollum, with a fish in his mouth, follows Frodo. Gollum is grabbed by Faramir's men. "Don't hurt him! Sméagol don't struggle! Sméagol listen to me!" Frodo says trying to keep Gollum calm, "Master!" Gollum gasps, 

Gollum screams as a hood is placed over his face. Frodo looks up at Faramir who stares down at him. When the man steps back into the alcove, Frodo drops his previous expression, and a more flat expression replaces it, there is nothing on his face to match his previous one, like an actor switching off his role. 

***

Inside the cave, a man kicks Gollum. He tries to scuttle away, but is dragged back by his foot. One of the men holds him while another punches him. "That is enough." Faramir orders. Gollum is thrown into a corner. "Where are you leading them? Answer me!" Faramir orders. Gollum cries. "Sméagol. Why does it cry, Sméagol?" gollum speaks having returned, "Cruel men hurts us. Master tricksed us." Sméagol said sadly.

"Of course he did. I told you he was tricksy. I told you he was false." Gollum responds back, "Master is our friend — our friend." Sméagol argues weakly, Faramir looks at Gollum, confused. "Master betrayed us!" gollum growled. "No, not it's business. Leave us alone." Sméagol wails. "Filthy little hobbitses! They stole it from us!" Gollum snarls slamming his fist against the rock. "No... no." Sméagol cries as he hugs himself. 

Faramir leans forward on his knees. "What did they steal?" Gollum turns to face Faramir. "My... Precious! Argh!" 

***

The hobbits hear Gollum's scream. "We have to get out of here. You go. Go now." Sam says as he moves to Frodo. "You can do it. Use the Ring, Mister Frodo. Just this once. Put it on. Disappear." Sam says but Frodo can see that Sam really doesn't want him to. He knows that would let the enemy know where he is. "I can't. You were right, Sam. You tried to tell me. I'm sorry. The Ring's taking me, Sam. If I put it on, he'll find me. He'll see." Frodo explains and Sam sighs.

"Mister Frodo..." Sam starts but Faramir enters and cuts him off. The man rushes over and draws a sword. Frodo backs away, hitting a wall. "So... this is the answer to all the riddles. Here in the wild I have you. Two halflings and a host of men at my call." he starts, "And the Ring of Power within my grasp." Faramir reveals the Ring with the tip of his sword. The Ring calls. "A chance for Faramir, captain of Gondor, to show his quality." Faramir continues,

Frodo suddenly pushes the blade away, angrily, and runs into a corner. "No!" he snaps as he clutches at the ring, his positioning is similar to how the creature was seated before in the other tunnel. "Stop it! Leave him alone! Don't you understand?! He's got to destroy it. That's where we're going. To Mordor. To the Mountain of Fire." Sam snaps as he stands before Frodo blocking him from view of Faramir. A man enters the room, and the lure of the Ring is heard again.

"Osgiliath is under attack. They call for reinforcements." the man says as he speaks to Faramir. "Please. It's such a burden. Will you not help him?" Sam begs, "Captain?" the man calls needing orders. "Prepare to leave." the man nods, Sam looks at Faramir with pleading eyes hoping Faramir would see reason. Faramir gives the last of his orders, "The Ring will go to Gondor." Sam's heart dropped.