A/N-These are not my characters, excepting Aluula, and her parents and grandparents. I lay no claim to them, and am merely borrowing them for my amusement.

It is suggested that you read the books before this and at least know the basic story of the Silmarillion or this story will be hard to understand. Also, near the end of this part, there is a conversation in Elvish. The English translation is afterwards in stars.

Chapter One: Rivendell

"Then," said Erestor, "there are but two courses, as Glorfindel already has declared: to hide the Ring forever; or to unmake it. But both are beyond our power. Who will read this riddle for us?"

"None here can do so," said Elrond gravely. "At least none can foretell what will come to pass, if we take this road or that. But it seems to me now clear which is the road that we must take. The westward road seems easiest. Therefore it must be shunned. It will be watched. Too often the Elves have fled that way. Now at this last we must take a hard road, a road unforeseen. There lies our hope, if hope it be. To walk in peril – to Mordor. We must send the Ring to the Fire."

I slid quietly from behind the pillar I had taken for a hiding place as silence fell over the council. Elrond's last words seemed to echo in the enclosed area. Already I knew what would happen; for although Elrond had said that none could foretell what would come to pass if they chose one path or the other, I could, though only for a short ways. I knew that if the council supported Elrond in this matter, and it was very likely that they would, my love would join the company that journeyed with the Ringbearer, whether he was willing or not. I was helpless to stop him from going, but I could go with him. I could be ready to leave in a matter of days; earlier by a while than what any of the company, even my beloved prince, could accomplish.

I was ready more than a month early, as it turned out; for although the council had been held on October 25, as it was called in Common; the company of nine, or as it was now called: the Fellowship of the Ring, left on a rather cold and gray December 25. I found my love standing alone in the darkness of the evening with his head bowed and eyes closed. I took care to make noise with every tread I took, as opposite as anything to what my race was normally like. Despite the best intentions I had, my love's eyes remained shut and his posture showed that he knew not of my approach. Standing in front of him, I cleared my throat softly, then braced myself as vivid blue eyes flew open to focus on my face. A small smile touched his lips, and he reached out both his hands to grasp mine, as if he were drowning in a river and they alone would save him.

" Namárië!" He sang, using the little known tongue of the Elves beyond the sea. "Nai hiruvalyë Valimar. Nai elyë hiruva. Namárië!" His voice dropped out of song, but not out of the tongue. "Namárië, Elenári!" I dropped one of his hands to wipe away the tears falling from his eyes. Although the tongue he had spoken was not my native language, I understood what he had said, and why he now wept. His entire speech had come from a song, not a common song, but one of our favourites. Roughly translated he had said: "Farewell! Maybe thou shalt find Valimar. Maybe even thou shalt find it. Farewell! Farewell Everwhite!" Everwhite was what he called me, taken from the very he had moments ago been singing. I knew in my heart that the reason he had sang that part of the song was that he believed he would die on the quest he was now departing on, making this our last meeting. I knew that he was wrong in thinking this, for I had spoken to Elrond some time ago and had convinced him that I needed to return to Lórien, and that the safest way to do so would be to travel with the Fellowship. Gandalf had confirmed that the company would at least pass by the Golden Wood, and he was planning to stop there for a rest and to re-supply. It was decided that I would travel with the company, sharing the work, until we got to Lothlórien, where I would remain while the others continued on their path.

"Never shall it be a final farewell for us, my love. For even if you die in body, you will live on in spirit in my mind. Do not assume that I will forget you as soon as you are out of my sight. I love you. I have bound my soul to yours for eternity. That is not something I would lightly do." He looked at me, shock clear on his face. I chuckled and took his hand, which had dropped by his side, in both of mine and raised it to my heart, whispering to him: "Lle hyara cormamin; you possess my heart."

"Then," he replied, cupping my hands in his and raising them to his lips. "I possess the world and naught else matters." I chuckled softly at his words and reclaimed my hands.

"Ai! You greedy pig!" I laughed at him, "You possess the world and yet you seek to claim more? What shall I do with you?" My prince chuckled in return, but in his deep expressive eyes sadness still lurked. He could not restrain himself from thinking that this might be our last conversation. I looked away from my love for a moment, too aware of his grief to have it not affect me. The other members of the Fellowship were grey shapes in the evening mist.

A gentle hand grasped my chin, tilting my face so that I looked straight into my love's eyes. The light breeze pulled his hair, mingling it with my own. Blond on black, light on dark. It was enough to make one wonder if we would turn out like that. Would he always be bright and cherry, while I would always be dark and unhappy? Our eyes met, both the same shade of sapphire blue. All my thoughts fled as I saw the depth of love he had for me. I realised, in that moment, that were I to die, he would kill himself, to join me in the halls of Mandos.

"Legolas," a voice called, and a man with dark hair materialised out of the fog. "Elrond has called the company together. We are leaving soon." He noticed me and nodded his head. "She may come if you so wish. I'm sure the rest of the company won't mind her presence." He walked away, presumably to notify the rest of the Fellowship of the imminent meeting with Elrond.

"Do you want to come?" Legolas asked, his hand still cupping my chin. "I know the others that have friends here have asked them to come and say good-bye. You will not be alone, even after we have left." I quieted him with a finger to his lips.

"Of course I want to come." I reassured him. "I have yet to say good-bye, and would not mind meeting those you will be travelling with." Seeing him open his mouth to speak, I forestalled him by continuing to talk. "If you introduce me, be sure to use my true-name; Aluula. That is, unless you want them to call me Elenári."

"Ai!" He cried once I had finished speaking. "You have confused me with your chatter. I will merely tell them to call you Talk. It is an apt enough name." I made as if I took offence at this and stalked off, making him chase after me.

"You realise that we should probably head to that meeting now." I murmured to him as he slipped his long arms around my waist. He reluctantly admitted that I was right, and we joined the Fellowship in a small courtyard just inside Imladris' outer walls. Gandalf and Elrond had yet to arrive, and the score of humans, elves, dwarves and hobbits waiting in the courtyard were becoming impatient.

"'Scuse me miss," said a small voice near my hip. "Would you happen to be related to Lord Elrond in any way?" I looked down at the hobbit who had asked that question curiously. I had never seen one of the little folk up close, and had not realised how small they were. I kneeled to put our heads at a level.

"Now why," I queried, "Would you ask a question like that. You will pardon me saying so but it does not seem to be the type of thing you would like to know."

The hobbit scowled at me and replied: "The name's not 'little one' it's Sam. I asked you if you were related to Lord Elrond because you look a bit like his daughter, the Lady Arwen. Also you're the only Elf I've seen, apart from those two, who has black hair."

"Nay," I chuckled, shaking my head in bewilderment. "I am not related to either the Lord Elrond or the Lady Arwen, though I do know the Lady. You do not know the compliment you have paid me by thinking that I may be related to them. It would be a great thing to be related to any Elves so honourable as they. Alas that your thought is not true!" I stood, and the hobbit returned to his friends, who gathered around him.

"I see that you have met Sam," Legolas said, coming up to stand beside me. I hadn't noticed that he had left. "The hobbits are all in the Fellowship, mostly to provide support for Frodo our Ring-bearer. They are curious little creatures, really, small, yet dangerous." I turned to look at my love, a question ready on my lips, but at that very moment Elrond emerged from the house that opened onto the courtyard, Gandalf following behind. Elrond called to the company and they gathered around him, along with a few others.

"This is my last word," he said in a low voice. "The Ring-bearer is setting out on the Quest of Mount Doom. On him alone is any charge laid: neither to cast away the Ring, nor to deliver it to any servant of the Enemy nor indeed to let any handle it, save members of the Company and the Council, and only then in gravest need. The others go with him as free companions, to help him on his way. You may tarry, or come back, or turn aside into other paths, as chance allows. The further you go, the less easy it will be to withdraw; yet no oath or bond is laid on you to go further than you will. For you do not yet know the strength of your hearts, and you cannot foresee what each may meet upon the road."

"Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens," muttered the dwarf, Gimli was his name, I reminded myself. The torchlight burnished his red-brown hair and beard.

"Maybe," replied Elrond in a quiet voice. "But let him not vow to walk in the dark, who has not seen the nightfall."

"Yet sworn word may strengthen a quaking heart," said Gimli, obviously working himself up for a fight with the Elf-lord.

"Or break it," said Elrond, a note of finality in his voice. "Look not too far ahead! But go now with good hearts! Farewell and may the blessing of Elves and Men and all Free Folk go with you. May the stars shine upon your faces!"

"Good...good luck!" cried an old hobbit, whose hair was white as snow. He was stuttering with the cold. "I don't suppose you'll be able to keep a diary, Frodo my lad, but I'll expect a full report when you get back. And don't be too long! Farewell!" The old hobbit retreated inside the small house Elrond had emerged from, along with many of the spectators. Elrond and a few of his household remained to walk the Fellowship to the gate they were leaving by

As we walked, I dropped behind to walk beside Elrond. He smiled at me, then, as if anticipating my question, answered it before I even had the chance to speak.

"I did not tell them because I am planning to do so when we get to the outer gates." I nodded to him, then returned to Legolas, moving in beside him with ease. The short walk passed in what seemed to be a heartbeat, and we soon stood at the outer gate that faced west. Once more Elrond spoke with the Fellowship, but now the topic was of far less importance: me.

"I have one last thing to tell you before you depart on your journey," Elrond said, his eyes not leaving mine for even a moment. "As you all know, there is a darkness creeping back into Middle-Earth. The lady Aluula has felt it, and now believes that she is not best placed here in Rivendell. She believes that she will be of more use in fighting the Dark Lord somewhere else. And so it has been decided by myself and Gandalf that she will travel with your company until she reaches her destination. It is our hope that this is the safest way for her to travel. She will share the workload and the duties. Keep her as safe as you can without neglecting your duty to keep the Ring-bearer safe." Elrond nodded to the company, then to me. He and his household said their farewells once more before fading silently back into the darkened city.

"Well, Elenári," Legolas murmured in my ear. "It looks like you had this all planned out without my knowledge. I cannot say that I am entirely pleased that you are coming with us but it should make things interesting."

"That it should, mela," I whispered back as the others began to file out the gate. "That it should."

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A/N; Took out chapter 2 so that it could have it's own chapter slot.....just click the next chapter button and it's there.