Disclaimer: Lord of the Rings is owned by J.R.R. Tolkien, his family, New Line cinema, etc. I have written this for my own enjoyment.

Credit: Wikipedia.org

Summary: Sam hopes that elvish magic will help him foil the evil machinations of the One Ring. But will he get more than he bargained for …?

A double-Droubble and a half (450 words)

Chapter Eleven: Star-glass

Slowly, Sam drew the Star-glass out from his pack and dragged it towards himself. Inch by painful inch it edged its way through the filth of the Sammath Naur; a pale, dim bottle of elven purity whose light was powerless to cut through the darkness at the heart of Sauron’s realm. Yet as cold and dead as it now remained to his touch, it seemed to bring his mind alive with elvish voices raised in beautiful, urgent song.

A song which was familiar to him! One he had sung before, yet never had it seemed more appropriate to him than here, on the very Cracks of Doom ...

Beneath Ring-Frodo’s hand, Sam’s lips moved in time to the steady, silent prayer.

“A Elbereth Gilthoniel, o menel palan-díriel, le nallon sí di'-nguruthos! A tíro nin, Fanuilos!”

The Star-glass crept closer …

Ring-Frodo felt the motion of lips beneath his fingers. Believing Sam to be begging for his life, he laughed scornfully.

“It is too late for mercy, traitor!”

The Star-glass crept closer still …

Ring-Frodo yanked Sam’s head back and prepared to pull Sting along the length of his neck.

“Now you shall meet your doom!”

No! He’d almost had it! He’d almost had Frodo!

Sam raised his left hand, trying desperately to hook it under the sword and halt its journey while he offered a frantic prayer for aid.

“Elbereth Gilthoniel! Lúthien Tinúviel! Lady Galadriel! Arwen Undómiel! O’ wondrous ladies help me! Help me NOW!”

As the sharp elven blade began to draw its way inexorably across his throat, Ring-Frodo suddenly stilled to sniff at the air. An inexplicable coldness began to invade the Sammath Naur, creeping closer, closer, until it enveloped the hobbits. Ring-Frodo began to tremble. He lowered Sting and swung around on one knee to face the archway entrance, dragging Sam with him and, together, they witnessed the dreadful answer to Sam‘s prayers.

Nazgûl!

The sudden screeching of fell beasts echoed off cavern walls; wings beating furiously as they carried their hissing riders towards the hobbits.

It was all the distraction Sam needed. Fighting the pall of terror clutching at his heart, he pulled the Star-glass to his chest and, using Ring-Frodo’s temporary paralysis, fumbled at the stopper.

“Please, please open!” he begged, working it with his bloody fingers until, success! The crystal lid fell away …

Leaving him with but one thing to do.

As the Nazgûl soared towards their master’s victory, and Ring-Frodo - revealed to them at last - trembled in terror, Sam snatched his adversary’s hand from his mouth, raised the Star-glass and cried aloud.

“Aiya Eärendil Elenion Ancalima!”

And he tipped the Light of Eärendil over the One Ring of Sauron …

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Translations:

A Elbereth Gilthoniel
O Elbereth Star-kindler,
o menel palan-díriel,
from heaven gazing afar,
le nallon sí di'-nguruthos!
to thee I cry now beneath the shadow of death!
A tíro nin, Fanuilos!
O look towards me, Everwhite!

Aiya Eärendil Elenion Ancalima!/Hail Eärendil, brightest of stars!

Author’s Note: The song of Elbereth and Sam's other elvish quote are taken straight from The Lord of The Rings: The Two Towers, Book 4, Chapter 10: The Choices of Master Samwise.