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Phantasm  by lovethosehobbits

Disclaimer: All characters and places depicted are the sole property of the JRR Tolkien Estate; my only claim to fame is this small piece of fiction. No copyright infringement is intended.

Medical Disclaimer: While extensive research has been done, none of the cures or procedures depicted in this story should be used without first consulting a medical professional. Also there may be graphic medical details and wee hobbit behinds in this chapter, so if that makes you squeamish, you'd better pass.

I apologize for it taking me so long to update. RL has been frantic. I will do my best to update sooner, but be warned, I am in a real pile of do-do with my other activities so please, please be patient with me....and thanks as always, for being such devoted readers.

An AU tale about Frodo and the Ring of Power...

Chapter 4

"Torn in Two"

Once again Frodo found himself journeying along the dark corridor towards the brightly lit room. He entered, as before, and looked to the dais and found that Lorelei was waiting there for him.

"Frodo, Frodo, wonderful, simply wonderful to see you again," she gushed. If anything Frodo's memory of her did not now compare to the vision before him. She looked even more radiant and pure than his previous visit. Her hair flowed long and gleaming to her small waist, her rose colored mouth was drawn into a shy smile over her perfectly even white teeth, while her light green eyes gazed admiringly at him. She moved towards him her gown first a pale blue, almost white, then changing to a darker green as the folds flowed about her lithe form. "I wondered if you had forgotten me, my dear", she crooned; her face frowning in mock hurt.

"No...no, I could never do that, milady," Frodo stammered shyly. He looked down at his feet as crimson flushed over his cheeks.

"Oh, do not look down and deprive me of those lovely blue eyes of yours," Lorelei said as she gently lifted his chin with one of her alabaster fingers. She smiled. For some reason Frodo felt like the last chicken in the hen yard being surveyed hungrily by a ravenous wolf. He shook his head slightly to dispel the image. "Will you sit with me awhile?" She glided effortlessly to a low couch, patting the cushion beside her as she lowered herself down.

"Of course, Lorelei, I would love to," he said beaming an adoring smile at her.

"So, tea?" she asked as she watched him twist his cloak between his hands.

"No...no, thank you, Mistress." Frodo would have dearly loved a cup of tea but did not want to have to be in the same room with the odd servant Astrid, if he could avoid it. He much preferred having the enchanting lady beside him all to himself.

"Are you well, Frodo?" Lorelei asked, a look of concern crossing her lovely face as she reached out and grasped his hands in hers, stilling the twisting of the cloak.

"Fine, really. I awoke a short time ago and found myself in a cave. All of my friends were there with me and I was warmly wrapped in blankets sleeping with my kin. I was very lucky that they found me and tended to my wounds or I am sure, I would not have survived," he said with a smile as his eyes shifted sideways to Lorelei.

"Lucky? I do not doubt it," Lorelei said with a sneer. "But it had nothing to do with your *friends*. Who do you think it was that spared your life, Frodo? Not your *friends* I can assure you," she said petulantly. She rose and walked a short distance to a fireplace that Frodo *knew* had not been there a moment ago.

"You? But why would you do that? What possible gain would you have by helping me?" He asked.

At the word 'gain' her shoulders had tensed and her head had snapped up. She swung around and Frodo drew back at the seething anger that emanated from her almost black eyes. She quickly composed herself, her face and demeanor becoming, serene once more. "I apologize, Frodo. I have a horrid temper," she looked imploringly at him, and once again Frodo was enthralled by her flawless beauty. "I saved you for two reasons. One, I could not bear the world to be without your innocent soul. Number two, together, with my help of course, we will see the Ring to it's final resting place. I decided that to do so I would need to intervene on your behalf. You could *never* have survived such a fall and, I think you'll find, your injury to your hip will heal faster than without my intervention."

"My leg, why not my other injuries as well?" Frodo asked, curious.

"Well, really. Is it not enough that I saved you from certain death and am here to give you my council?" She snapped.

"I..oh...no, I am truly grateful, so very grateful for all you have done. I...how rude of me...I did not mean to imply I expected anything more. You have been most generous," Frodo stammered, jumping to his feet and bowing low to the ethereal being.

"Not at all," Lorelei said haughtily, sweeping past the humbled hobbit and plopping herself down on the settee once more. "Sit Frodo," she said. It did not sound like a request.

Frodo sat and once more, gazing at the vision before him. 'Were she only a hobbit,' he thought to himself. He realized suddenly, that he was totally enamored of this creature. Lorelei smiled deviously. She knew she had finally succeeded in weaving the ringbearer under her spell. The black bead glowed a sinister red against her fair skin.

"Who, among my friends, would take my Ring from me?" Frodo asked. "Why would they not leave me to die if it is as you say?" It was not lost on Lorelei that the hobbit considered the ring his property. She quickly decided that the small possessive word ‘my’ could be used to her advantage.

"I am not privy to their motivations in saving your life, nor do I care," she replied with a huff. "I only know that eventually they will see that you do not survive your injuries and leave your carcass upon the mountain side. They will take *your* Ring from your corpse and claim It as their own. There will be much fighting and contention over the jewel until, one by one, each will perish at the hands of the victor. Then he will claim It as his own.

Frodo clutched possessively at the Ring, which glowed brightly against his palm, leaving a small circle in Its wake. It whispered affirmation of all Lorelei said. Speaking words of caution and feeding the paranoia it had subtilely implanted along the journey. 'They will take me as their own. I belong to you. I am *yours* alone, *your* precious, and they will take me from you. They will whisper words of comfort and concern to you while they secretly conspire against you and slowly poison you with their remedies, water and foods until you languish and succumb to your illness.' It whispered. Frodo normally would have recognized the Ring's taunting for what it was but his body was weakened and broken and he only half realized that the whisperings were slowly fueling his paranoia.

"You are in grave danger," Lorelei said, leaning towards him, her eyes blackened and flickered with an fell light. The bead about her long neck gleamed blindingly bright and Frodo found himself locked in her gaze, unable to turn away. Lorelei's face darkened, a triumphant smile upon her invidious countenance.

Frodo tore his eyes away at last and rose, walking to a mirror that had appeared upon the wall. He hardly recognized his image his clothes were so tattered and covered in blood. His arm was twisted and covered in gore and he clutched it to his chest. He found that his hip no longer dragged uselessly at his side but still throbbed with a dull ache. His face was bruised and bloodied and a pasty white. He dismissed the images before him, thinking instead of Lorelei's warnings and, subconsciously, the whispers of the Ring. He could not bring himself to distrust his companions out of hand. There was something amiss; something that niggled at the back of his brain like an itch that could not be reached. He turned to Lorelei, and found himself captivated by her radiance. Was it his imagination or did she become more beautiful each time he looked upon her? "I...I do not know what to do. I have not seen any sign of deception from my companions, only devotion and concern for my well-being." Frodo thought of Sam and his constant hovering and felt a pang of guilt for snapping at the loving gestures of his friend. And what of Aragorn who seemed to be constantly watching him for any sign of illness or fatigue. He could at least trust them, couldn't he? His thoughts went to his cousins and Gandalf. Could they really be plotting against him? And then there was this mysterious woman that had only displayed gestures of kindness to him, saving his life and helping to heal his wounds. Why would she do these things if she had ulterior motives? He thought of her pure beauty, her gentle touch. Certainly she was given to anger but who was not when confronted or insulted?, he mused.

Frodo shook his head. "I am sorry, milady, but I cannot see deceit in any of them."

Lorelei's face clouded in sudden anger. "You risk us all, all of Middle Earth including your Shire, with your short sightedness. Saruman is your only hope. He alone is capable of wielding the one Ring. After all, he *is* the White Wizard and wisest of all the council. He would restore all to its original beauty and you would be wise to entrust It to him. If he were not held captive in Orthanc by Gandalf the *Gray* and his minions he would be beside you to guide and lovingly protect you against the evil that lurks amidst your very nose; amidst you wonderful Fellowship." She said scornfully.

Frodo could not believe that Gandalf, his long time friend whom he had always trusted and revered could be capable of such treachery. He felt torn and confused by the conflicting feelings that barraged him. "I am sorry, Mistress, but I must think further on the things you have said. I am still puzzled as to why they, so far, have shown no sign of deceit, save possibly, Boromir. They rescued me from almost certain death; Sam has constantly tried to make me eat and Aragorn has pressed cures upon me for every malady," Frodo said, his eyes pleaded for understanding from Lorelei.

Lorelei laughed bitterly. "Know you not that they are slowly poisoning you with their foods and cures? Why do you suppose they are so insistent about you taking them?" She sniffed, her beautiful lower lip quivered. She withdrew a delicate handkerchief from her sleeve and dabbed at her tear-filled azure eyes.

“Can you not see that I am so very worried for you. I do not know what I would do if something were to happen to you. I only wish to protect you and yet you still do not trust me even after all I've done for you. Your safety and well-being have always been foremost in my actions and you repay me with suspicion and doubt," she sobbed, her voice quavering with hurt.

"No..no Milady, it is not that. Please forgive me for hurting your feelings," Frodo rushed towards her.

"No. You have injured me deeply. I do not believe I can bear your presence any longer at this time. Please leave," she whispered.

Frodo's eyes widened and he tried to reach out and grasp one of her delicate hands, but she pulled away, twisting her face to the side, avoiding his gaze. He panicked at the thought of being sent from her presence. "Please lady, do not send me away," he begged.

"No. I wish to be alone. Perhaps you will be allowed to return at some later time," she wept.

"Please accept my heartfelt apology, Mistress. I ...my manners have been disgraceful," he said beseechingly. He knelt before her.

She waved him off with one delicate hand as she would a pesky insect, and Frodo backed slowly towards the dark corridor, his head bowed and shoulders slumped.

After Lorelei was certain Frodo was gone her face took on its true form and her mouth curved into an evil smile. Astrid emerged from the shadows, a worried frown on her face. "Mistress, perhaps you were too hard on the hobbit. What if he does not return?" she said.

Lorelei laughed, revealing stained and crooked teeth. "He will return. His is enamored with the female even though she is beyond his reach. Soon he will eagerly offer her the Ring." Her eyes blackened. "He will be mine to mold or shape as I see fit and the Ring of Power will be within my grasp." Her face broke into a predatory smile.

************************************************************************

Gandalf sat contemplatively puffing on his pipe at the mouth of the cave. The rest of the Fellowship slept. His gaze moved towards Frodo and his eyes squinted in worry. Something was wrong. A feeling of evil had suddenly permeated the air. He peered into the cave and watched as Frodo cried out in his sleep, moving his head back and forth, caught in some dark dream.

"Something is very wrong. Very wrong," he muttered to himself.

To be continued-

So many wonderful reviews from all of you. Thank you so much.

lindahoyland-I'm so pleased you're enjoying the fic. This chapter I think, was rather dull. But the next one will be much more angsty and full of action, I promise.

endymion2- I know of what you speak about the hip injury. I work in a hospital as a Medical Technologist, and hip injuries are very painful with a long healing time. Hope this chapter helped to assuage your feelings about the injury. Glad you've stuck with me and thanks again for the reviews.

Kellie-Oh I would never wish to 'toy' with the feelings of my dear readers. My real life has been exceptionally busy of late and it's really hard to find time to write. I had to LOL because I am always pestering writers for their next chapters of a story I am particularly enamored of, and it's refreshing to have someone enjoy my story so much that they're doing the same thing to me.
Agent Pip- Glad you're enjoying it!

ShireElf- That Sam is a resourceful little guy, isn't he? I could easily picture him packing all that might be needed for his Master.





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