Disclaimer: I do not anything from LOTR, that is all thanks to Tolkien. I do however own my character and the idea that this story is being based off of. Please enjoy this new chapter and I apologize greatly for any misspellings, grammatical errors and anything else you may find wrong. I really wanted to get this chapter up. Anyways, please enjoy!


Chapter Two: The Fellowship

"Strangers from distant lands, friends of old. You have been summoned to answer the threat of Mordor. Middle Earth stands on the brink of destruction, none can escape it." Elrond's words were met with complete silence from all that sat at the council.

"You will unite, or you will fall."

All eyes looked up at him. It would be difficult for each race to overcome their differences. The elves and dwarfs, men and all races. Men and themselves. I looked at each man sitting before me. Some showed no signs of emotions, others were easily read.

"Each race is bound to this fate, this one doom. Bring forth the ring, Frodo." Elrond ordered the Halfling, gesturing to the stone pedestal that sat in the midst of the council for all to see. My eyes watched Frodo closely; he seemed nervous as he pulled the ring out and gently placed it on the pedestal. He turned around and walked back to his seat, a heavy burden seemed to have lifted.

My eyes turned back to the golden ring.

The One Ring.

The council began to whisper among themselves. Expressions changed as eyes stood transfixed by the golden band. Many stared at it with desire for the power that it held.

"It is a gift. A gift to the foes of Mordor." A man stood, speaking his thoughts. Elrond gave me a fleeting glance before looking towards Gandalf and then back to the man. "Why not use this ring? 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." This man was full of pride, for his statement was quite bold. "Give Gondor the weapon of the enemny. Let us use it against him."

"You cannot wield it. None of us can." Aragorn spoke from his seat, demanding the attention of all others. "The Ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master."

"And what would a Ranger know of this matter?" the other asked.

"This is no mere Ranger. He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance." An elf spoke, the one that I had seen in the forest, standing from his seat.

"Aragorn? This is Isildur's heir?" he asked, unimpressed and unsettled.

"And heir to the throne of Gondor." The elf spoke again, trying to make his point clear.

"Havo dad Legolas." Aragorn commanded the elf in Elvish, telling him to sit. I watched the exchange, my curiosity peaked. The two seemed to know each other and this elf, Legolas, seemed to have a great respect towards him.

"Gondor has no king." The man said, looking at the elf then slowly walking towards his seat. "Gondor needs no king." he commented, clearly unhappy with the idea.

"Aragorn is right. We cannot use it." Gandalf said, enforcing Aragorn's statement. Lord Elrond stood up once more.

"You have only one choice. The Ring must be destroyed." He looked around the council, making sure that what he said would not be argued with.

The man from Gondor looked down, his face showing defeat.

There was a faint whisper coming from the ring and I looked at it with weariness.

"Then what are we waiting for?" a dwarf with a thick red beard asked, as he charged at the ring with his axe. Elrond stood up, as did I as the dwarf swung his weapon down on the sword. Upon impact, it shattered the blade into tiny little pieces and flung the dwarf back onto the ground.

I looked towards Frodo, feeling his discomfort as my own. He held a hand to his head and was turned away from the ring. I looked back to the unharmed ring as the whisper became louder and deeper.

"The Ring cannot be destroyed Gimli, son of Glóin, By any craft we here posses." Elrond stated, looking around the council as well. Gimli was still sprawled on the ground, a look of bewilderment etched into his feature. "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 whispering continued and I glanced once more at Frodo who stared at the ring with pain and fear.

"One of you must do this." Elrond continued.

Once more the council was encompassed by silence; each creature thinking over Elrond's words and how they would be able to accomplish such a feat.

"One does not simply walk into Mordor. Its black gates are guarded by more than just orcs. There is evil there that does not sleep. The great eye is ever watchful." Frodo's attention was snapped to the man as he spoke of the eye. "It is a barren wasteland, riddled with fire, ash, and dust. The very air you breathe is a poisonous fume. Not with ten thousand men could you do this. It is folly." The man from Gondor spoke once more, showing his doubt.

"Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond has said? The Ring must be destroyed!" Legolas declared, standing from his seat once more.

"And I suppose you think you're the one to do it?" the dwarf, Gimli, harshly retorted back. Legolas turned his attention to the dwarf, but the man from Gondor spoke.

"And what if we fail, what then? What happens when Saroun takes back what is his?"

"I will be dead before I see the ring in the hands of an elf!"Gimli said, showing his distaste.

With Gimli's comment, the elves stood and an argument broke out among the council. The dwarves argued with the elves, humans argued amongst themselves and the others that had been invited to the council. Even Gandalf joined the arguments. I looked towards Elrond who seemed displeased. He met my gaze seconds later and I saw the doubt reflected in his eyes. I knew what he was thinking.

"Have faith in the creation of Eru." I whispered lowly. "For it is the ring feeding their anger."

And so it was. The dark whispering continued, encouraging the anger and arguments. Frodo sat in his seat, staring at the ring and a thin sweat seemed to have broken out across his skin.

"I will take it!" Frodo declared standing from his seat, but it seemed unnoticed from the others. "I will take it!" he repeated once more.

The council seemed grew quiet and the arguments were dropped as all turned around to look at the young hobbit.

"I will take the ring to Mordor. Though I do not know the way." He said, looking at the council.

"I will help you bare this burden, Frodo Baggins, so long as it is yours to bare." Gandalf told the Halfling as he walked towards him and placed his hand on Frodo's shoulder, standing behind him.

"If by my life or death I can protect you, I will." Aragorn spoke walking towards the hobbit and then kneeling in front of him, "You have my sword."

"And you have my bow." Legolas told Frodo, walking towards him as well.

"And my axe." Gimli declared, standing beside the elf, who looked displeased. As they stood beside each other, it was easy to see that they both were quite uncomfortable. I smiled at the sight, trying to hold back my amusement.

"If this is indeed the will of the council, then Gondor will see it done." The man from Gondor, who held such doubt in the journey, spoke.

I stood swiftly from my seat, all eyes turning on me.

"I offer you my protection so long as your heart remains untouched by the evil and persuasion of the One Ring."

"Hey!" Sam, one of Frodo's companions from the shire shouted, running from behind his hiding space to stand beside Frodo. "Mr. Frodo is not going 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 told the Halfling with an amused smile.

"Oi! We're coming too!" Merry declared as two more Halflings came running to stand by Frodo. "You'd have to send us home tied up in a sack to stop us."

Elrond watched as they ran next to stand to Frodo, an eyebrow raised.

"Anyway, you need people of intelligence on this sort of mission, quest…thing." The other, Pippin spoke up.

I looked down at the Halfling, wondering if he knew exactly what he was getting himself into.

"Well that rules you out, Pip." Merry told him and Pip did a double take as the words sunk in.

"Ten companions." Lord Elrond studied the group. "So be it. You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring." He declared, looking proud.

"Right. Where are we going?" Pip asked, answering my question. He had no idea of the road that laid out before him.


A/N: I'm sick and had nothing better to do so I thought I would update this story. I've been reading a lot of LOTR fanfiction and I just can't help myself. I also have another story for LOTR that I'm working on, but I don't know if I'll post it. Anyways, please review and tell me what you think of it so far. Any suggestions are welcomed, along with criticism. It would also be helpful if you told me who you think Rhavaniel's romance should be- if any.

Kathleen xx