The Forgotten Companion
Chapter 1
The Council of Elrond
Dernhelm rode from Rohan to the Council of Elrond. Coming alone shocked many because he looked very young, in fact he was only sixteen years of age. Dernhelm was a rather quiet person, both tall and slender. Many of his own said he had the gracefulness of an Elf. He had hazel eyes and blond hair that went down past his shoulders.
When he walked into the dinning hall he saw many different people. There was an Elf who seemed quite different to the ones in Rivendell. There were some Dwarves who sat far from the Elves. There were only a few Men there and a few Hobbits. A man waved him over to his table where two Hobbits, a dark-haired man, and the Elf sat. The other three Hobbits who were there sat in a table in the corner table and talked quietly. The Dwarf-folk all murmured amongst themselves in the corner opposite the Elves.
"Hello," the one man said. "I am Boromir."
"You're from Gondor..." Dernhelm said and Boromir nodded. "I am Dernhelm from Rohan."
"I'm Pippin," the younger-looking Hobbit said and then indicated the other Hobbit. "And this is my cousin Merry."
"I'm Aragorn," the dark-haired man said and he excused himself and left the room.
"I am Legolas of Mirkwood," the Elf said. His face was serious.
"Excuse me, Dernhelm. But may I ask a question?" Pippin began.
"You already did," he said with a smile. Boromir and Merry got the joke and laughed, Legolas smiled, but Pippin looked very confused. "What is your question?" he asked not wanting to insult the Hobbit.
"I was wondering... why is your hair so long?" Pippin asked, innocently
"Pippin!" Merry scolded.
"It's alright, Merry. Many people in Rohan have long hair. I don not know how it came to be, but that way it is. Have either of you ever been to Rohan?" Dernhelm turned to look at the Man and Elf..
"Once when I was seven," Boromir said.
"Long ago," Legolas said and he had a faraway look in his life.
"Did you get to see Edoras?"
"Yes..." and the three continued their conversation, Merry and Pippin asked an occasional question, for hours until they decided to retire for the night.
The morning after Dernhelm arrived, the Council of Elrond began. A wizard named Gandalf and Frodo, the Hobbit, along with a congregation of Men, Elves, and Dwarves sat in a semi-circle around a stone pedestal.
"Strangers from distant lands, friends of old. You have been summoned here to answer the threat of Mordor. Middle-Earth stands upon the brink of destruction. None can escape it. You will unite or you will fall. Each race is bound to this fate-this one doom," Elrond said. Then he gestured to the pedestal. "Bring forth the Ring, Frodo." Frodo rose and laid the Ring on the pedestal.
"So it is true..." Boromir said.
Frodo returned to his seat beside Gandalf. Dernhelm noticed that he seemed relieved. Everyone of the Council stared at the Ring, mesmerized by it. The Ring began to whisper to each of them in turn. Each person seemed to hear it differently.
"The Doom of Men," one man said quietly.
Boromir then rose to address the Council, "In a dream, I saw the eastern sky grow dark. But in the West a pale light lingered. A voice was crying: Your doom is near at hand." Boromir then approached the Ring. "Isildur's Bane is found." Boromir reached out towards the Ring. Dernhelm saw Gandalf and Elrond exchange concerned looks. Boromir's fingers hovered over the Ring. "Isildur's Bane."
Elrond suddenly leaped up, loudly calling his name. "Boromir!"
The Ring utters a harsh chant. Gandalf suddenly stood up and also began the chant in Black Speech. Thunder suddenly cracked as the sky darkened. Everyone looked around in fear and confusion. This is what Gandalf said,
"Ash nazg durbatulûk, ash nazg gimbatul,
ash nazg thrakatulûk agh burzum-ishi krimpatul.
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the Darkness bind them."
The voice of the Ring died away. Boromir along with everyone else resumed their seats, horrified.
"Never before has any voice uttered the words of that tongue here in Imladris!" Elrond rebuked.
"I do not ask your pardon, Master Elrond, for the Black Speech of Mordor may yet be heard in every corner of the West! The Ring is altogether Evil!" Gandalf said, his voice was raspy from the force of the words of the Black Speech. Gandalf gave Boromir a final scathing glance and resumed his seat. Boromir was unperturbed.
"It is a gift. A gift to the foes of Mordor. Why not use this Ring?" Boromir said as he began pacing. "Long has my father, the Steward of Gondor, kept the forces of Mordor at bay. By the blood of our people are your lands kept safe! Give Gondor the weapon of the enemy. Let us use it against him!"
"You cannot wield it! None of us can. The One Ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master," Aragorn said.
"And what would a ranger know of this matter?" Boromir said a bit harshly.
Legolas stood suddenly. "This is no mere ranger. He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance."
"Aragorn? This... is Isildur's heir?"
"And heir to the throne of Gondor," Legolas said. Frodo and Dernhelm looked wide-eyed at Aragorn.
"Havo dad, Legolas," Aragorn said and Legolas obeyed. (Sit down.)
"Gondor has no king. Gondor needs no king," Boromir said as he returned to his seat. Dernhelm was shocked by Boromir's rudeness.
"Aragorn is right. We cannot use it," Gandalf said.
"Then we have only one choice. That means the Ring must be destroyed," Dernhelm said logically.
"Then what are we waiting for?" Gimli said grabbing his axe approaching the pedestal. Gimli struck the Ring with full force but he was repelled back, throwing him to the ground. Frodo winced in pain. The Ring remained intact with the shards of the axe all around it. Whispers in the black tongue issued forth from the Ring.
"The Ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli, son of Glóin, by any craft that we here possess. The Ring was made in the fires of Mount Doom. Only there can it be unmade. It must be taken deep into Mordor and cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came," Elrond said.
"Ash Nazg," the Ring whispered.
"One of you must do this," Elrond said. Everyone was silent.
"One does not simply walk into Mordor," Boromir said breaking the silence. "Its black gates are guarded by more than just Orcs. There is evil there that does not sleep. And the great Eye is ever watchful. It is a barren wasteland. Riddled with fire and ash and dust. The very air you breathe is a poisonous fume. Not with ten thousand men could you do this. It is folly!"
Legolas stood indignantly. "Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond has said? The Ring must be destroyed!"
Gimli leaped to his feet. "And I suppose you think you're the one to do it?"
Boromir rose. "And if we fail, what then? What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?"
"I will be dead before I see the Ring in the hands of an Elf!" Gimli yelled. Commotion started as many arguments erupted amongst the council members.
"Never trust an Elf!" Dernhelm heard Gimli say. He felt like the only one who hadn't joined in the arguments.
"Do you not understand that while we bicker amongst ourselves, Sauron's power grows?" Dernhelm asked quietly. "This is not helping us." No one took any notice to his words however.
"None can escape it! You'll all be destroyed!" Gandalf said.
Dernhelm noticed that Frodo also remained seated, watching the Ring uneasily, the angry figures of the council reflected on its surface. Suddenly, flames flared up, engulfing the surface of the Ring.
"Ash Nazg Durbatulûk! Ash Nazg Gimbatul! Ash Nazg Gimbatul! Ash Nazg Gimbatul!" the Ring said again.
The intensity of the arguments increased. Slowly, determination dawned on Frodo's face. He stood and took a few steps toward the arguing council, trying to make his voice heard above the din.
"I will take it! I will take it!" Frodo said. The argument died down. Gandalf closed his eyes as he heard Frodo's statement. The members of the council slowly turned towards Frodo, astonished. "I will take the Ring to Mordor. Though- I do not know the way."
"I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins, as long as it is yours to bear," Gandalf said as he placed his hands reassuringly on Frodo's shoulder.
"If by my life or death, I can protect you, I will," Aragorn said as he approached Frodo and keeled before him. "You have my sword."
"And you have my bow," Legolas said as he walked over to join them.
"And my axe!" Gimli said as he looked grimly at Legolas as he joined the group.
"By the blessing of Rohan I am here and I'd be ashamed to be left behind. My swords are at your service," Dernhelm said joining the group.
"You carry the fate of us all little one. If this is indeed the will of the Council, then Gondor will see it done," Boromir said walking over to the group.
"Heh!" Sam jumped from behind the bushes and joined them. "Mr. Frodo is not goin' anywhere without me!"
"No indeed, it is hardly possible to separate you even when he is summoned to a secret council and you are not," Elrond said, amused.
"Wait! We are coming too!" Merry and Pippin said as they emerged from behind the pillars to join.
"You'd have to send us home tied up in a sack to stop us!" Merry said crossing his arms.
"Anyway you need people of intelligence on this sort of mission, quest... thing," Pippin said.
"Well that rules you out Pip," Merry said causing a quick smile to spread on Dernhelm's lips.
"Ten companions... So be it! You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring!" Elrond said.
"Great! Where are we going?" Pippin asked. Everyone chuckled and the Hobbit's ears turned red.
The next morning, in a glade beneath an old stone arch, the Fellowship gathered to bid farewell to Rivendell. Dernhelm stood, listening, slightly apart from the others.
"The Ring-bearer is setting out on the Quest of Mount Doom. On you who travel with him no oath nor bond is laid, to go further than you will," Elrond said, gazing sternly at the Fellowship. "Farewell. Hold to your purpose. May the blessings of Elves and Men and all free folk go with you." Elrond spread his arms, and Legolas and Aragorn bowed their heads with their hands upon hearts.
"The Fellowship awaits the Ring-bearer," Gandalf said. Frodo turned and walked forward, uncertainly. Before him, the path wound away to either side.
"Mordor, Gandalf, is it left or right?" Frodo whispered softly to Gandalf.
"Left." With that, the Fellowship departed from Rivendell as the sun's rays pierce the valley. They traveled through the woods, over open plains and hillsides. They paused on a hill in the wild near midday.
"We must hold this course west of the Misty Mountains for forty days. If our luck holds, the Gap of Rohan will still be open to us. From there our road turns east to Mordor," Gandalf said.