Chapter I
Frodo
Summery: Frodo's POV of the Council of Elrond.
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I still don't own LotR and never will, alas.
"I am glad you are here with me. Here at the end of all
things, Sam"
-Frodo Baggins, 'Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King'
I woke early the next morn feeling oddly refreshed
and better since my brush with evil. My dear uncle Bilbo asks me if I am
ready for the council to begin. With little or no reluctance I replay that
I feel ready for anything, which is most decidedly close to the truth.
A bell chimed in the distance and Gandalf told us to hurry on our way.
Bilbo and I hurry along behind him, not knowing ourselves where this council
is to be held.
It turned out to be a terrace at which I had found
my friends the night before. Soft light shown everywhere around us and
the water from the river below came up to greet my ears. My troubles melted
from me, even the Ring on its chain round my neck was a far distant memory
that for a peaceful second did not seem to touch me.
I saw those around me, but did not recognize a
great deal of them. Elrond placed a hand on my shoulder a led me
to a seat at his right. In the far corner I saw Strider shift in seat to
stare at me, though it was I'm sure supposed to be a comforting friendly
stare, it made me more than nervous. Elrond introduced me to the Council
and in turn pointed and gave name to those that I did not know.
A dwarf by the name of Gimli, who was the son
of Gloin; the Elves that sat by the side of Glorfindel, including one who
was the son of the King of the Elves of Mirkwood, Legolas; seated slightly
away was a man from the land of Gondor, his name Elrond told me was that
of Boromir. They were all proud stern folk, but it seemed to me that they
all sat their distances from each other, especially the Elves and the dwarves.
The story Gloin told I did not pay too much mind
to, but only listened with half an ear. My thoughts dwelt on the Ring around
my neck. Its power I could still feel even though I did not wear it upon
my finger. My mind faded to the Shire and of how long I may be away from
my home, or if I may ever even return. Slowly, I drifted back to Elrond
as he began the Tale of the Ring.
"Here is the Sword that was broken!" shouted Strider
unexpectedly from the corner. He held a sword that lay in two separate
parts and placed onto a table in the middle of the Council so that all
present could see. Boromir asked for Strider's name and of what his connection
with a place called Minas Tirith was.
"He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn," answered Elrond.
This name meant little to nothing for me, but it seemed to be valuable,
for Boromir's grey eyes had gone wide. Elrond went on to explain that he
was the descendent of Isildur Elendil's son. That meant that Strider was
the rightful owner of the Ring, not I.
"Then it belongs to you and not to me at all!"
I cried, voice echoing slightly. I jumped to my feet and was nearly about
to throw the Ring to him, not waiting for it to be demanded, but stopped
short. Strider denied ownership and I was called upon by Gandalf to bring
out the Ring to show.
All eyes fell silently onto me as an unnatural
quiet settled in the Council. My reluctance to see or touch the Ring nearly
set me into madness. I wish to be far, far away, out of the reach of any
ring or spell or dark lord. The gaze of Elrond pierced me like a thousand
stabbing knives. The Ring weighed heavily on my neck, ever reminding me
of my burden. My hands shake as I pull the chain from around my neck. There
are several gasps from the Council as I pull it over my head. My mind,
and eyes, are locked on the Ring as it dangles from its silver chain, it
holds me as it has since I first laid eyes upon it. From the looks of the
others around, it steals everyone else's minds as well.
I do not hear the words floating around me as
I watch the Ring sit on the wood table before me. My mind is for the moment
broken from the power of the Ring as I feel Bilbo move impatiently at my
side. Bilbo stood and recited a poem that I am not too sure I have heard
before. Once he had sat back down he whispered to me that he had written
it for the Dunadan. He had said with a deep sigh that he slightly wished
his adventures were not yet over. Aragorn smiled at Bilbo, but soon returned
to speaking with Boromir.
After much converse of which I paid little attention
to, Bilbo was asked on by Elrond to tell his story of how he had come into
possessing the Ring. Bilbo told the story that I had heard a million times
since I was little, always it had fascinated me. When finished Elrond turned
the story telling to me. I, however, was not as willing as Bilbo to tell
my story. I cleared my throat and began to speak. Begging with receiving
the Ring from Bilbo to the Black Riders and everything after. I drew in
a deep breath at finishing and took my seat once again.
"Not bad," Bilbo said in congratulations. He gave
me light praise and then the others spoke around us of matters concerning
the Ring. Surprisingly, I heard mention of Gollum from Strider and tuned
my ears to listen. It appeared that Strider had hunted for the creature,
but had found a way to learn needed information without Gollum. Gandalf
began to quote word for word a scroll of Isildur's words describing the
Ring.
Gandalf had left feverishly and found Strider
who told him that he had indeed captured the creature Gollum and gave a
full account of how. He had took the slimy villain to Mirkwood for safe
keeping with the Elves. Gandalf went on to explain the writing that lay
on the Ring, first citing it in a dark language and was scolded by Elrond,
but apologized in his own fashion and went on to translate the meaning
in Common Speech:
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the Darkness bind them.
On went the conversation to Gollum once again when
Boromir asked of him. Aragorn told that he had not been imprisoned, but
was rather under the careful watch of the Elves of Mirkwood. At this the
Elf Legolas stood up and cried that Gollum had gotten away from his watchers.
He told of how the creature had managed to get away and run off into the
night. He spoke at lengths of a battle between Elves and orcs and of how
Gollum could not be refound.
Gandalf easily brushed the matter aside and began
to speak of Saruman. He told his long story of imprisonment atop the tower
Orthanc and his daring escape by wing of a great bird. Most seemed shocked
by the treachery of Saruman. Others however, Elrond himself, seemed not
to be surprised at all. I listened with great interest in Gandalf's long
tale of his trip from Orthanc to Bag End attempting to find me. Finally
the real question approached: what to do with the Ring?
Many good suggestions came forth, all of which
I would gladly have handed the Ring over to, but its future would be none
of them. The only thing to ensure it was destroyed was to take it to the
very fires it was forged in a destroy it in them. Where it is begot, so
is where it will be destroyed.
After a death like silence Boromir fidgeted and
spoke. His own idea was to take the Ring and use it to conquer Sauron.
Elrond quickly dismissed the idea and told that only the Dark Lord himself
could use the Ring, it belonged to him. Talk of who should take the Ring
to its doom was the next difficulty to overcome. Bilbo suggested that he
himself go, but was given good reason not to by Gandalf.
I glanced at the faces about me, Elrond's having
the most frustration on it. My heart went numb as realization that it had
to be me to destroy the Ring overcame me. I wished to stay with good Bilbo
and allow someone else the discomfort of this burden. I swallowed harshly
at my fate and spoke:
"I will take the Ring."
To Be Continued...
Next Chapter: Sam
A/N: That was fun. A little short, but fun. I know I skipped over a bunch of stuff, but too bad! :) R&R, please!