FRODO - SCENE 2 The two Hobbits have made it almost to Mount Doom, but they are exhausted, almost shattered by the hardships they have encountered. The Ring's dark magic has become increasingly oppressive as they have approached their goal. SAM wakes FRODO with a heavy heart. SAM Wake up, Master. Time for another start. FRODO stirs, then sits awake. He stands and surveys the desolate plain and forbidding mountain ahead. FRODO I can't manage it, Sam. It is such a weight to carry ... such a weight. SAM Then ... let me carry it a bit for you. FRODO No. SAM You know I would, and gladly, as long as I have any strength. I did it before - FRODO No! Stand away! Don't touch me! It's mine. SAM is shocked by the chance in FRODO, but as he gapes at his friend FRODO recovers himself with an effort. FRODO I'm sorry Sam. Please. You must understand. The Ring is my burden and no one else can bear it. (forlorn) It is too late now ... you cannot help me that way again. I am almost in its power. I couldn't give the Ring up, and if you tried to take it, I would go mad. (CONTINUED) CONTINUED: SAM (nods sadly) I understand. SAM (cont'd) But I've been thinking Frodo, there's other things we might do without - why not lighten the load a bit? SAM points at the barren mountain. SAM (cont'd) See, we're going that way now, aren't we ... straight as we can. Why take anything we don't need? FRODO (nods) No, we don't need much on that road. Nor much at the end. FRODO discards borrowed Orc armour with which he and SAM have disguised themselves. FRODO There, I'll be an Orc no more, and I'll bear no weapon, fair or foul. Let them take me, if they can. SAM Do you remember that bit of rabbit we had Frodo? And the warm spot we found we could get some sleep? Do you remember. FRODO No. I can't Sam. (haunted) At least, I know that such things happened, but I can't see them. (pause) I can't taste food any more, or feel water. I can't remember what trees, or grass, or flowers look like. I try to picture the moon, or stars. They're gone. FRODO sighs, wracked by a hopeless inner malady. (CONTINUED) CONTINUED: FRODO I'm lost, Sam. Alone in the dark, and there's nothing between me, and a wheel of fire. I've begun to see it even when I'm awake and all else is fading. -END- ------------------------------------------------------------------ LORD OF THE RINGS - (c) Three Foot Six Ltd GALADRIEL In LOTHLORIEN, tired and fearful, FRODO offers the RING to GALADRIEL, the LADY of the GOLDEN WOOD. GALADRIEL, one of the Eldar and this immortal, is tall, of surpassing beauty with long, golden hair. Serene, wise, gentle - she is also vigilant and guarded, with an underlying power, as perilous as it is good. GALADRIEL is the keeper of Nenya (The Ring of Adamant). The voice of GALADRIEL snaps FRODO from his waking dream. GALADRIEL Do not touch the water! FRODO recoils from the horrifying images revealed by the MIRROR, snatching his hand back as if scalded. FRODO The Shire ... ! GALADRIEL (cont'd) (gently) The Mirror shows many things, not all of which may come to pass. FRODO (distraught) I can't carry it any longer. Please, take it, my Lady. This matter is too great for me. PAUSE. GALADRIEL (carefully) I do not deny that my heart has greatly desired what you offer. Long years have I wondered what I might do should the Great Ring come into my hands, and behold! It has been brought before me. Its ancient evil works in many ways. FRODO stares at her strange smiles. To him, she seems to have grown tall beyond measurement, beautiful beyond enduring, terrible and worshipful. GALADRIEL (cont'd) Would that not have been a noble deed to set to the credit of Sauron? That I should take by force his Ring from you? (CONTINUED) CONTINUED: GALADRIEL (cont'd) And now at last it comes. You will give me the Ring freely! In place of the Dark Lord you will set up a Queen, not dark, but beautiful and terrible as the Dawn! Treacherous as the Sea! Stronger than the foundations of the earth ... All shall love me and despair! FRODO takes a step away from GALADRIEL ... GALADRIEL looks at FRODO as if she seems him once again. GALADRIEL (cont'd) (quiet laugh) I pass the test ... I will diminish, and go into the West ... and remain Galadriel. -END- ------------------------------------------------------------------ LORD OF THE RINGS - (c) Three Foot Six Ltd FRODO & GANDALF Some time after BILBO has disappeared leaving FRODO alone Bag End, GANDALF pays a visit. It is more than just a social call as it turns out, in fact, FRODO'S life will never be the same after he hears what the Wizard has to say. GANDALF If you don't let me in, Frodo, I shall blow your door right your hallway and out through the hill. FRODO (surprised) Gandalf? There's no need for violence - come in. I thought you were Lobelia. GANDALF Then I forgive you. She passed me on the way here, with a face that would have curdled new milk. FRODO She nearly curdled me. Honestly. I almost tried on Bilbo's ring I was that keen to disappear. GANDALF Don't do that. You will be careful, won't you? (pause) In fact, it's partly about the ring that I've come. FRODO What about it? GANDALF What do you know already? FRODO Only what Bilbo's told me. I've heard his story ... how he found it and used it - on his journey I mean. (putting on Bilbo's voice) "No secrets between us, Frodo my lad, but what I'm about to tell you is not to go any further." (CONTINUED) CONTINUED: GANDALF You may well laugh but odd things can happen to people who hold such treasures ... if they use them. FRODO You're not telling me everything - as usual. GANDALF When I'm certain, I'll say more - but right now I have to leave. FRODO That'll please the locals, at any rate. You been officially labelled a disturber of the peace. GANDALF And what would that make you I wonder? FRODO (glint in his eye) Me? I'm respectable. -END- ------------------------------------------------------------------ LORD OF THE RINGS - (c) Three Foot Six Ltd. GANDALF - SCENE 2 GANDALF THE GREY has been presumed dead since his encounter with the BALROG in MORIA. Now he returns in a new guise, more powerful than before, as GANDALF THE WHITE. The companions of the Fellowship greet him with relief and wonder. ARAGORN passes on the sad news of BOROMIR'S near betrayal of them all and his valiant death. GANDALF You have not said all you know or guess, my friend. Poor Boromir ... it was a sore trail for such a man, such a warrior, to sanction the destruction of the Ring. I am glad it's evil did not claim him in the end. There you see - it was not in vain that those young Hobbits came with us, even if only for Boromir's sake. Unworldly little creatures. (pause) And now they have come to Fangorn and who would have foreseen it. It is like the falling of small stones that start an avalanche. Listen. You hear the rumblings. Oh yes, Saruman had best not be caught away from home when that dam bursts. ARAGORN In one thing you haven't changed - you still talk in riddles. GANDALF Riddles? No. I was just talking out loud to myself. A habit of the old. They choose the wisest person to speak with. (warm laugh) The explanations required by the young are tiresome. ARAGORN I am not so young any longer. GANDALF Hmmmh. That is sad, but it is true. Perhaps you will grow younger in time. GANDALF changes tack before ARAGORN can quiz him. (CONTINUED) CONTINUED: GANDALF (cont'd) Yes, yes ... I know ... more riddles. What can I tell you then? Merry and Pippin are safe, they are with the Ent, Treebeard. GIMLI You speak of him as a friend and yet I have heard he is dangerous. GANDALF Oh, he is. Very dangerous. But so am I. More dangerous than anything you will ever meet, unless you are brought alive before the Dark Lord himself. (pause) Aragorn is dangerous, and so too the quicksilver Legolas. You are beset with dangers Gimli. You are dangerous yourself, in your fashion. GANDALF surveys the dark wood behind them. GANDALF (cont'd) A thing is about to happen which has not occurred since the Elder Days. The anger of the Ents has been awakened - and it shall serve no purpose but their own. Yet I do not think we should fear it. ARAGORN So, do we go to seek our friends and Treebeard? GANDALF (considers) No. That is not the road you must take. Your journey must be more cunning. (pause) Sauron believes we carry the Ring to Minas Tirith. He waits to see who will dare wield the Ring against him. That we should seek to destroy it has not yet entered his darkest dream. And in imagining war, Sauron has let loose war, sooner than he intended. Wise fool. If he used all his power to guard Mordor, then neither the Ring nor bearer could elude him long. (CONTINUED) CONTINUED: GANDALF looks at the COMPANIONS. GANDALF (cont'd) We must keep his gaze fixed on us. It is our best hope. -END- ------------------------------------------------------------------ LORD OF THE RINGS - (c) Three Foot Six Ltd. GIMLI The Fellowship of the Ring prepare to meet the Lord and Lady of Lothlorien. But first, their escort, Haldir, has an insulting demand to make of the Dwarf, Gimli. The old feud between Dwarves and Elves rears it's head. GIMLI eyes the strip of cloth in HALDIR'S hand. GIMLI And what d'you think you'll be doing with that, laddie? HALDIR No Dwarf has ever beheld the secrets of Lorien. I must blindfold you before we go further, it was agreed. GIMLI's hand moves to his side where his mighty axe hangs. GIMLI Not by me, it wasn't. The other Elves in Haldir's company swiftly train their bows on GIMLI. A standoff. HALDIR Don't be foolish. I see one Dwarf and many Elves. GIMLI Aye - well, there'll be one less Elf if your thinking of coming any closer. ARAGORN steps between them. ARAGORN We have no time for arguing. GIMLI Whose arguing. I go forward free, or I go back and seek my own land, where they trust a fellow's word until given reason to doubt it. HALDIR You cannot go back. Our sentinels would not let you pass. (CONTINUED) CONTINUED: GIMLI draws out his axe. GIMLI Would they not, indeed? ARAGORN Enough! Gimli has served this Company faithfully. We will all go blindfolded. GIMLI A merry troop of fools we'll look led on a string, like so many beggars. LEGOLAS (exasperated) A plague on Dwarves and their stiff necks. GIMLI rounds on LEGOLAS, a gleam in his eye. GIMLI Perhaps you'd like to share my blindness. LEGOLAS (outraged) I am an Elf and kinsman here! GIMLI So, now, let us cry a plague on the stiff necks of Elves! I will be content if only Legolas joins me. LEGOLAS This is folly! LEGOLAS stares at him a moment. LEGOLAS (cont'd) (irritated) I will agree - but only because I know you'll stand there like a lump of stone til doomsday. GIMLI laughs, unrepentant. GIMLI You have that right. Come on then - bind up our eyes. (CONTINUED) CONTINUED: Just as HALDIR steps forward with the cloth GIMLI grabs his hand. GIMLI (smoothly) I'll claim full amends for every fall and stubbed toe. Make sure you lead us well. -END- ------------------------------------------------------------------ LORD OF THE RINGS - (c) Three Foot Six Ltd. LEGOLAS The Grey Company stands within the passage of the Paths of the Dead. All around them fell voices can be heard whispering, before them lies gloom. The mortals - ARAGORN, GIMLI and the rest of the Company - struggle against the dread which grows in their hearts. LEGOLAS, the ELF and therefore immortal, steps forward, a radiance and lightness about him which distinguishes him from the others. ARAGORN addresses his company. ARAGORN (troubled) I should have come alone. I have led you all into danger. LEGOLAS We followed you of our own free will. You did not compell us to come. ARAGORN No - it was your courage that compelled you and I release you from it. Turn back now and do not hold yourselves dishonored. LEGOLAS I do not fear this place. Nor should any other who walks in your company, Aragorn, son of Arathorn. LEGOLAS turns to the darkness as if calling on the Dead to dare challenge the prophecy. LEGOLAS (cont'd) Let every soul present, living - or dead - remember the words of the seer: ".... Who shall call them from the grey twilight, the forgotten people? The heir of him to whom the oath they swore. From the North shall he come, need shall drive him: he shall pass the Door to the Paths of the Dead." As they stand ready to move forward the whispering voices seem to close in behind them, only LEGOLAS dares to look back. (CONTINUED) CONTINUED: LEGOLAS (cont'd) I see shapes of Men and of horses, and pale banners like shreds of cloud. Spears rise like winter thickets through a shroud of mist. (pause) The Dead are following. They have been summoned. GIMLI moves alongside LEGOLAS, and speaks out of the corner of his mouth. GIMLI Exactly how close are they? LEGOLAS You feel how stifling the air is down here? GIMLI Yes ...? LEGOLAS And yet there is a draft on the back of your neck? GIMLI shudders as if a spider has been dropped down his shirt. LEGOLAS smiles. -END-