Disclaimer: I own nothing but the idea.
A/N: Sorry about the short chapter, but I wanted to get this out before I go on vacation. Enjoy!
The meeting was to take place after breakfast, in the (somewhat vain, in Ianto's opinion) hope that full bellies would soften some of the racial hostilities. The elves sat on one side of the circle, with the representatives from Gondor opposite Elrond and the twins flanking him. The dwarves sat next, leaving Mithrandir, Frodo and Torchwood on one end with Aragorn and Ianto on the other. Ianto was steadfastly refusing to look at Torchwood, and Tosh and Owen were currently giving Jack the cold shoulder.
Elrond began. "Strangers from distant lands, friends of old, we are gathered here to discuss a matter which affects us all. Bring forth the Ring, Frodo." The hobbit glanced at Mithrandir nervously before rising from his seat and making his way towards the pedestal in the center of the circle. He set the Ring down—almost reluctantly, Ianto noted—before hurrying back to his seat.
Ianto stopped paying attention to the idiot Steward's son. Men. Often their greatest weakness was greed. He was roughly brought back to the conversation by Mithrandir shouting in the Black Speech. If his head didn't hurt so badly, he probably would have shot him. Or shot at him, anyway. And the stupid Man still persisted.
"You cannot wield the Ring, none of us can! The Ring belongs to Sauron alone." Aragorn seemed fed up with the child's stupidity as well.
"And what would a Ranger know of matters such as these," the Gondorian sneered. Ianto's eyes narrowed as Legolas immediately jumped to Aragorn's defense.
"This is no mere Ranger! He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance."
The idiot turned to Aragorn in disbelief. "Isildur's heir?"
"And heir to the throne of Gondor," Ianto added proudly, defending his family.
"Sit down, Legolas, Ianto," Aragorn said, embarrassed. He really didn't like being outed as the rightful King of Gondor. Ianto did as he said, still watching the idiot. Instinct told him it would be a good idea to keep an eye on the man.
"There is but one option left to us," Elrond continued. "The Ring must be destroyed."
"Well, what are we waiting for, then?" A dwarf asked, hefting an ax above his head. Before Elrond could warn him, the ax landed on the Ring, prompting a powerful backlash.
"The Ring cannot be destroyed, Gimili, son of Glóin, by any weapon we here possess," Elrond said kindly, looking around the circle. "It can only be destroyed by the fires of Mount Doom, in the heart of Mordor. It must be cast into the flames if we are to achieve peace. One of you must do this."
Boromir snorted. "One does not simply walk into Mordor. The Eye is ever-watchful, and the Black Gate is impenetrable. Not with ten thousand men could you do this. It is folly."
"He's not asking for an army to lay siege to Mordor, he's asking for one person to sneak in!" Tosh said, glaring. Boromir sneered at her, furious.
"A woman knows nothing of these matters, and should stay away from where she's not wanted."
Jack shot to his feet. "I daresay Tosh knows far more than you do, boy, and I'd want her by my side against any evil."
Of course, this immediately set off the rest of the assembled peoples; the elves, Torchwood, and Mithrandir defending Tosh's side against the dwarves and Men. Frodo, Aragorn, Elrond, the twins, and Ianto were the only ones not taking part in the argument. Ianto alternated between glaring at the offenders and glaring at the Ring.
"I will take it!" a small voice cried out, lost in the shouting. Ianto's head whipped up to stare at Frodo.
"I will take it!" he repeated, and silence descended. "I will take the Ring to Mordor." Frodo looked considerably less confident now that he had the attention of the rest of the Council. "Although, I do not know the way."
Mithrandir stepped forward. "I will guide you on this mission, Frodo Baggins, for as long as I am able and wanted."
This declaration prompted Aragorn to step forward. "If you wish it, Frodo, you have my sword, and my life," he said, kneeling before the hobbit.
"And my bow," Legolas said.
"And my ax," Gimili added, trying to outdo the elf.
"If it is the will of Council, then Gondor will see it done," Boromir stated. Jack glanced at his team before stepping forward as well.
"My team and I will do all we can to see this task done," he said warmly. Ianto rolled his eyes.
"Well, someone needs to stop you lot from killing each other," he said dryly, rising from his seat. "That is, if you'll have me?"
Frodo smiled softly at him, before turning at the sound of Sam's voice. "Oi! Mister Frodo isn't going anywhere without me!"
"Obviously, we can hardly keep you apart, even when he is summoned to a secret meeting and you are not," Elrond said, amused.
"Hey! We're coming too!" Two other hobbits ran to Frodo's side. Ianto remembered them to be Merry and Pippin.
"Besides, you need people of intelligence on this mission…quest…thing," Pippin said, nodding. Merry looked at him.
"Well, that rules you out, Pip," he whispered.
"Thirteen companions," Elrond mused. "You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring."
"Great," Pippin said. "Where are we going?" Everyone stared.
"We're doomed," Owen deadpanned. "Ow, Tosh!"