A/N: Hi everyone who is bothering to read my story! This little piece of randomness came to me while I was watching the Fellowship of the Ring and I just had to write it. It is my first LotR fanfiction so please forgive any mistakes I probably made. I posted this because I wanted to see what kind of feedback I would get (hint hint :) Yeah that's my shameless attempt at begging for reviews. Ok well read and enjoy :) Oh and I'm not Tolkien so don't sue me.
"Strangers from distant lands, friends of old," Elrond's deep sonorous voice rang out through the council. The birds chirping and the sound of running water in the background belied the seriousness of the meeting. "You have been gathered 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."
Legolas caught Aragorn's eye but neither of them smiled. Few knew how important this moment was to the future king of men. The Elf then looked around at the rest of the assembled peoples of Middle Earth. Elladan and Elrohir were sitting on either side of Elrond. Their identical faces for once wearing serious expressions. On the far right, there was the Halfling that Aragorn had brought to Rivendell. Sitting beside him was Gandalf and Glorfindel was beside the Wizard. Two other Elves from Mirkwood sat on either side of Legolas. On the left were Aragorn and Erestor along with a few Men that Legolas didn't recognize, one of which was slouched in his chair and looked decidedly uncomfortable being there. There were also four Dwarves who Legolas assumed were from Erebor. One had a long red beard and looked very familiar to the Elven Prince. Legolas remembered the Dwarves he had captured over sixty years ago in Mirkwood. This one looked remarkably like one of them. The Elf decided he must be somehow related.
"-Frodo." Legolas realized he had missed part of Lord Elrond's introduction and now the Halfling, whose name was apparently Frodo, was walking up tentatively to the small table. He put the Ring down almost hesitantly and then walked quickly back to his chair as if he didn't like being the center of attention.
The entire Council leaned forward to get a better look at the object that was the center of so much strife. Legolas eyed the Ring curiously while he listened to the various whispers and mutterings going on around him. He heard the slouched man whisper, "So it is true."
Someone else said something about 'the doom of man' and at that the slouched man spoke up. "It is a gift," he said, staring hard at the Ring, "A gift to the foes of Mordor." He stood up and Legolas saw Elrond and Gandalf exchange glances. "Long has my father, the Steward of Gondor, kept the forces of Mordor at bay by the blood of our people." He was walking around the small circle gesturing emphatically, "Are your lands kept safe," It was a statement not a question. "Give Gondor the weapon of the Enemy. Let us use it against him."
"You cannot wield it. None of us can." Legolas was startled by Aragorn's sudden entrance into the conversation. "The One Ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master."
The Steward's son turned slowly, "And what would a Ranger know of this matter?" The Prince and everyone else heard the contempt in his voice. It sounded as if he thought a Ranger had no right to be in the Council at all.
Standing gracefully to his feet, Legolas spoke up in defense of his friend. "He is no mere Ranger. He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance."
The son of the Steward, who had looked at Legolas when the Elf started speaking, turned back to the Ranger. "Aragorn?" This time his voice held a mixture of awe and disbelief. "This is Isildur's heir?" It irritated Legolas that the Man still acted as if Aragorn was not worthy to be the King.
"And heir to the throne of Gondor." the Elf said, his tone soft and yet sharp.
"Havo dad, Legolas," Aragorn said, raising his hand for the Prince to be silent. The Elf shot a hurt and confused look his way but he sat down when he saw the pleading in his friend's eyes. Aragorn needed to prove himself by himself, however, Legolas felt a little better when he looked over and saw the pleased looks Elladan and Elrohir were giving him.
"Gondor has no king. Gondor needs no king," The Steward's son said, the meaning in his voice clear as he also sat down and glared at Aragorn.
"Aragorn is right. We cannot use it." Gandalf spoke for the first time.
Elrond sat up with a sigh. "You have only one choice. The Ring must be destroyed."
Legolas saw the Man of Gondor visibly deflate and several others held various looks of disappointment and apprehension. The red-bearded Dwarf growled in a deep voice, "Then what are we waiting for?" He stood up and grabbed one of the axes that stood beside him. Several members of the Council jerked up as the Dwarf raised the ax high above his head and brought it down with all of his considerable strength upon the Ring. The ax shattered on impact and the Dwarf was thrown to the ground, staring in awe at the completely unscathed golden circlet on the table.
Legolas had to refrain from smirking at the foolishness of the creature. Did he really think his ax could even dent the One Ring?
"The Ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli, son of Gloin, by any craft that we here posses." Elrond spoke in an almost patronizing tone. "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." The Elf lord paused for a moment and looked at each member of the Council. "One of you must do this."
Complete silence fell over the circle. Each one of the Council members were thinking about the terrible dangers involved in taking this item directly to Mordor. The tense silence was broken by a now familiar voice.
"One does not simply walk into Mordor," the Steward's son said softly, rubbing his brow as if the very thought of such a quest was exhausting. "It's black gates are guarded by more than just orcs…" Legolas was getting increasingly tired of this man's attitude. Did he not realize that they were all well aware of the hardships in Mordor? The Elf also had not forgiven him for the way he treated Aragorn. "Not with ten thousand men could you do this. It is folly," the Man finished his short speech.
Legolas jumped up and turned on the Human, now being completely annoyed. "Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond has said? The Ring must be destroyed!"
"And I suppose you think you're the one to do it?" a new voice spoke suddenly. Surprised, Legolas saw it was the Dwarf called Gimli.
"And if we fail, what then?" the Human stood up to confront the Elf. "What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?"
Dropping out of his chair, Gimli completely ignored the argument between the Elf and Human, "I will be dead before I see the Ring in the hands of an Elf!" Instantly the other Elves jumped up to yell at the Dwarf which caused the other three Dwarves to join the argument as well. From behind the Human, Legolas saw Aragorn sigh. This had escalated further than Legolas had intended. Spreading his arms, the Prince restrained his fellow Mirkwood Elves from physically attacking the Dwarves and looked helplessly at Aragorn. The Ranger just shrugged, clearly stating that he wasn't going to get involved.
"Never trust an Elf!" the Dwarf yelled, causing Legolas to give him a glare that would've frozen an orc. Unfortunately, the Dwarf was not an orc and he continued with the yelling. At this point, the Council had descended into chaos and Legolas heard Gandalf get up and begin yelling at the Steward's son, who just stood there looking thoughtful.
Legolas looked over at Erond, but the Elven Lord was looking at the ground and his twin sons were trying very hard not to laugh at Legolas's predicament. Finally, the Elf heard a small voice yell something indistinguishable amidst the clamour. The voice yelled again and this time Legolas could understand it.
"I will take it." It was Frodo. "I will take the Ring to Mordor." he repeated, Silence descended upon the Council once again as every eye turned to look at the small but seemingly brave Halfling. "Though," he said in a timid voice, "I do not know the way."
Gandalf walked slowly forward and fixed the Halfling with a knowing stare, as if he had known all along this would happen. "I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins. As long as it is yours to bear." Legolas smiled at the look of immense relief that came over the small creature's face.
Aragorn stood up. "If by my life or death, I can protect you. I will." He then walked over to Frodo and knelt before him. "You have my sword."
That decided the question for Legolas. If Aragorn was going, he would go with him. So not stopping to think about what his father might have to say about his decision, the Elf stepped forward, "And you have my bow." The look of slight awe that passed over the Halfling's face was somewhat amusing to the young archer but the smile it brought to his face was extinguished by the realization of the enormity of what he had just done. He met Aragorn's eyes and saw the same nervous apprehension that he felt.
"And my ax," a deep voice growled. Legolas barely refrained from rolling his eyes at the Dwarf who was still glaring at him. This could be something of a problem in the coming journey.
The son of the Steward walked slowly over to the small group. He was looking at the Halfling closely. "You carry the fate of us all, little one. If this is indeed the will of the Council, then Gondor will see it done," he said in a resigned voice, as if he had given up on the idea of using the Ring.
"Hey!" a new voice surprised them all. One of the Halflings ran out from behind the bushes where it seemed he had been the whole time. "Mr. Frodo's not going anywhere without me!" The small creature ran to Frodo's side, completely ignoring the incredulous looks that everyone including 'Mr.' Frodo were giving him.
"No indeed," Elrond said in an amused voice, "it is hardly possible to separate you, even when he is summoned to a secret Council and you are not."
The Halfling looked a bit sheepish at that but still stood resolutely beside Frodo with his arms crossed defiantly.
"Oi!" We're coming too!" Legolas was honestly completely shocked that not one, but three Halflings had eavesdropped on the 'secret' Council without a single person knowing it. "You'd have to send us home tied up in a sack to stop us." The other two ran across the room and quickly lined up with the rest of the small group not even noticing the deadly glare Elrond was giving them.
"Anyway," the younger of the two spoke up, "you need people of intelligence on this sort of mission...quest...thing," he said emphatically.
The other one gave him a look of disbelief, "Well that rules you out 'Pip," he said.
Legolas saw Elrond and Gandalf exchange glances yet again and Elrond surveyed the group critically. "Nine companions," he said softly, as if thinking. "So be it, you shall be the Fellowship of the Ring."
"Great," the young Halfling spoke up, looking around triumphantly. "Where are we going?" he asked innocently.
Legolas resisted the urge to groan aloud. What had he gotten himself into?