Chapter Six – The Council of Elrond
The day of the Council itself was overcast, spreading a surprisingly beautiful pale light over the valley and canyon below. Anxious, I spent part of the morning in the gardens alone, thinking over the possible outcomes of the Council. Would I join a party that would take the Ring to Mordor, or would I be left behind to stay in this beautiful palace, only to return to the North? In the end, I ceased my worry and enjoyed the solitude of the brook I was sitting by, listening to the rushing water and periodically dipping my finger into it.
After the noon luncheon, I walked with Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin around the palace for a while. They were full of good cheer and tales, and I began to feel quite affectionate toward the four Hobbits, since they were all very kind and wise. I left them to their amusement near the fighting circle and walked through the Eastern Hall, where the most concentrated collection of paintings, statues, prints, and war artifacts were. Slowly I scanned the various paintings, many of which were from the Second Age and depicted battles I did not even know of. Great broadswords, slender blades, daggers, and chipped arrows were presented in neat glass boxes, with companion paintings above them. Hearing voices, I ascended a set of stairs onto another level of the Hall, curious to see who it was. Before I had turned the corner, Lord Elrond passed by me with a wide smile, and I bowed my head in greeting. Ahead of me, I could see Aragorn sitting on a stone bench, quietly reading a worn leather-bound book. Further down the hall, I observed a figure walking calmly toward me, and I recognized them as Ehlon as they drew closer.
Approaching quietly, I greeted my trainer as his eyes snapped up to meet mine. "Greetings, Aragorn. I apologize for ruining your peace."
He merely smiled, setting down his book. "Nay, do not apologize." Then he gestured to the artifacts to his right, "And what do you think of the Eastern Hall?"
I smiled, "It's fascinating." And it truly was. One could lose entire afternoons or days to places like these.
Hearing her footsteps, I turned to Ehlon. "Greetings, my friend."
"Amira," she greeted me with warmth. She leaned against the column next to Aragorn, her ivory dress shimmering around her. "It is good to see you so strong again!"
I nodded, inhaling, "It must be the air." Aragorn chuckled.
"It is difficult to be unhealthy here, indeed," he agreed, and then I heard another pair of footsteps on the level below us, about to ascend the stairs. Ehlon tensed.
"I have a feeling I know who that is," she murmured quietly, and Aragorn frowned at her, clearly confused.
I bit my lip, sensing the same as she. I attempted to hide a grin. "Hide, Ehlon, while you can."
She sighed, walking quickly in the other direction and concealing herself behind one of the columns.
Aragorn shot me a bewildered glance, and I just shrugged my shoulders, for the man in question was too near to speak of now.
Lord Boromir appeared before us by the stairs, and he smiled when he saw me, inclining his head slightly. In all fairness, the man was kind and loyal, but his attention toward Ehlon was a bit strange, especially when it was clear she did not return his feelings.
"My Lady," was his polite, warm greeting as he walked up to a painting displayed on the nearby wall. It depicted Isildur cutting the Ring from Sauron's hand, the broken sword, Narsil, held high.
"And how are you, Lord Boromir?" I asked respectfully, and he smiled as he gazed at the painting.
"As good as a man from Gondor can be so far from home," was his answer, and I had a feeling he did not feel altogether comfortable among the Elves. I found this sad, since I could not imagine a person not feeling completely at ease in such a wonderful place.
He then turned to face Aragorn, giving him a quizzical look. "You are no Elf,"
"Men of the South are welcome here," Aragorn stated, referring to his Númenor blood.
"Who are you?"
"I'm a friend of Gandalf the Grey," Aragorn answered simply, causing me to bite back a smile. So it seemed the heir of Isildur was as cryptic and vague as Gandalf!
"Then we are here on a common purpose," Lord Boromir started, and then paused for a moment. "… Friend,"
Aragorn gazed at him for a long moment before Lord Boromir looked away quickly, turning to eye the painting again.
"Narsil…" Lord Boromir murmured casually, "the blade that cut the Ring from Sauron's hand,"
Then he slowly turned to look at Aragorn, who was still gazing at him. "But no more than a lost heirloom," he said, turning on his heel and walking away.
A sudden intensity seemed to be present in the Hall which was not there before, as Aragorn gazed at the painting of Narsil for a long moment. Sighing again, he looked away, fingering the scabbard on his belt which held the shards of the great sword. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the figure of Ehlon emerge from her hiding place behind the column and walk up to us.
"Why do you fear the past, Aragorn? You are Isildur's heir, not Isildur himself. You are not bound to his fate," she whispered to him, echoing the thoughts in my mind.
"The same blood flows in my veins…" he whispered back, and then he turned to look at Ehlon. "The same weakness."
When there was a slight pause, I spoke quietly: "Your time will come, Aragorn. You will face the same evil, and you will defeat it," Aragorn faced me now, seemingly surprised that I had spoken, as though he had forgotten I was there.
"Manen uma le sinta sen, Amira? A' Sindava nae si dan," 'How do you know this, Amira? The Shadow has already fallen,' he whispered to me in Elvish.
"Le naa thalion ar' ona beika estel. Le naa nai Aragorn, manka le innas merna ta ar' ba," 'You are strong and give many hope. You are a leader, Aragorn, whether you will believe it or not,' I whispered back, touching his shoulder briefly.
Ehlon, having moved next to me, smiled from the corner of my eye. "A si i-duath u-orthor, Aragorn… u or le, a u or nin," 'The shadow does not hold power yet… not over you, and not over me,'
He sighed and turned to look behind me at the picture of Isildur and Sauron. "I cannot be what they want of me. I cannot be King, I do not want it. I never have," he went on, in the Common Language this time.
"Power is not a thing to be taken lightly, and those who take it on are often not those to flourish under its weight, but you, Aragorn, you were born in the lineage of great Kings. Such blood does not make you a weakling under the growing Shadow of Mordor. It makes you stronger," Ehlon said quietly, and I nodded, taken aback by the way she spoke.
He looked down at her and smiled, "Thank-you Ehlon..." Then he turned to me, "And you as well, Amira. You have both been..." he sighed, shaking his head, "too kind to me, but I thank-you."
I frowned, "It is not a matter of kindness, Aragorn, it is a matter of stating what is seen as the truth."
His head snapped up, his wise brown eyes meeting mine. He smiled slowly, absorbing my words. "You are indeed beyond your years, I think, young Ranger."
With this, he stood and bowed toward both of us, book in hand. "I must meet with Lord Elrond now, but I will see you both before the Council, or if not, farewell until then!"
I turned to Ehlon as his footsteps faded away. "I hope the day will be soon that he sees in himself what we see from afar,"
She nodded, sighing as she gazed down at the shards of Narsil, seemingly deep in thought. "As do I."
I did not know at that moment that Aragorn had been on the brink of inner decision, and our words had only been a reminder of his coming importance. We would see his new-found air of leadership far sooner than we expected...
The Meeting Hall, a circular arrangement of ornate columns, was mostly filled by the time I arrived that late afternoon. Kings, Princes, Queens, Officials, and Wardens of the Dwarves, Elves, and Men sat or stood around the circle, where at the head, Lord Elrond sat in the seat of Honour. Legolas, standing among the Elves, caught my eye and bowed his head, which I returned before moving toward the opposite side of the circle. Ehlon, standing next to Frodo and Bilbo, raised her hand. I stepped toward them.
"Greetings," I said quietly, and they all smiled. "I was kept a little late by three others who would have liked to sneak into the Council," I added wryly, and Ehlon chuckled as Frodo's smile widened in amusement.
The hubbub ended when Lord Elrond stood up from his chair, and the rest of the arrivals stood in the remaining space behind those who were already seated. He cleared his throat, and silence reigned over the Meeting Hall.
"Strangers from distant lands, friends of old. You have been summoned here to answer the threat of Mordor," Lord Elrond began, "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," he paused and motioned to Frodo, who had moved next to Gandalf. "Bring forth the ring, Frodo,"
Frodo stepped forward cautiously, his eyes flicking around the Council until his eyes found mine and he seemed to relax slightly. He reached into his pocket and laid the Ring upon the pedestal in the centre of the circle.
As soon as Frodo's hand left the Ring, I felt that familiar darkness sweep over me and press against my mind, and heart. I could hear whispers of impossible promises on the outskirts of my mind, and when I glanced up at the others, I knew many of them were reacting similarly, or even stronger, to me. The Elves, Dwarves, and Men talked quietly amongst each other for a moment before going silent again, their eyes upon the Ring. Their expressions had turned grim, and many were solemn, as though suddenly aged by the presence of such evil in the Hall.
Gandalf began to speak. "I went to Isengard before arriving in Rivendell," he said slowly, catching my eye, "where the wizard Saruman, the chief of all wizards in Middle-earth, dwells, to seek help and counsel. However, Saruman has since turned against us, desiring the Ring for himself. Saruman imprisoned me in his tower, Orthanc, rightly suspecting that I knew where the Ring was located. I did not yield and managed to escape from Orthanc with the aid of an Eagle. I know that Saruman is not yet in Sauron's service, and is mustering his own force of Orcs."
Murmurs erupted throughout the Hall, and the Ring's whispers continued. My eyes widened as Gandalf's tale sunk in: he had been captured by the traitorous Maia and escaped! My mind turned quickly, as I wondered what this meant for the rest of Middle Earth.
Lord Boromir stepped forward suddenly, and there was a strange expression on his face. "In a dream," he began, addressing everyone. "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,'" he said as he began to walk to toward the golden annulus on the pedestal, as if drawn to it. I tensed slightly, hoping he would not have the urge to take the Ring. "'Isildur's bane is found,'" he continued, his voice taking on a different tone now, one darker than I had ever heard. I could see Lord Elrond glance concernedly at Gandalf, and when I turned to Ehlon, I could see she felt the same way.
Lord Boromir stretched out his hand to the Ring slowly, as though in a trance. "Isildur's Bane,"
Elrond jumped to his feet. "Boromir!"
Lord Boromir straightened suddenly, seemingly bewildered that his own hand was reaching toward the pedestal. His eyes wide, he backed away, as though he were a frightened child that knew not of what he'd done.
Gandalf's voice came from next to Lord Elrond, quietly at first, and then growing in intensity.
"Ash nazg durbatulûk!" Gandalf began to speak in the Black Speech, causing Lord Boromir to jump back further. "Ash nazg gimbatul," The sky grew dark and my head began to pulse to an unknown rhythm as Gandalf stood and continued, forcing Lord Boromir into his seat. "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',"
As Gandalf stopped, the sky cleared and the sun shone once more.
"Never before has anyone uttered words of that tongue here in Imladris!" Lord Elrond cried at Gandalf angrily. My Mentor merely smiled with a touch of deep sadness.
"I do not ask your pardon Master Elrond, for the Black Speech of Mordor may yet be heard in every corner of the West," Then Gandalf turned to address us all. "The Ring is altogether evil."
There was some silence as the shock of the moment passed.
"But it is a gift," Lord Boromir began again, and I saw that Ehlon had been correct in saying Gondorian men were as stubborn as oxen. "A gift from the foes of Mordor! Why not use this Ring? Long has my father, the Steward of Gondor, held 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!" he said excitedly, trying to convince us all.
Anger surged through me, but it was Ehlon who stepped forward, her entire body taut.
"You are a fool if you think you can control the One Ring," she interrupted, her voice low and dark. "Did you not see what it was doing to you just now? It will exploit your people one by one until it returns to its true Master. History has proven this,"
Lord Boromir's head snapped toward her and in his eyes was a terrifying anger, one which was truly frightening.
Aragorn spoke up as well from nearby. "You cannot wield it; none of us can. The One Ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master."
"And what would a lady and a Ranger know of this matter?" Lord Boromir seethed, his voice still unnatural and strange. Clearly the man had forgotten Ehlon's title in his anger! I stepped forward, clutching her shoulder tightly in case she decided to lash out at the man in front of us.
Ehlon glared at him. "Clearly more than you do," she hissed in a whisper. The side of Aragorn's mouth twitched, as did mine. Those closest to us snickered. Lord Boromir's expression darkened further, as the muscles in his face twisted and churned in anger. And then he stepped backward, his face clearing as shock and horror replaced his previous mix of expressions.
He continued to recoil, staring at Ehlon and I in a kind of grief. A wave of recognition washed over me then.
"Lord Boromir," I began quietly, "perhaps you have just experienced the true power of the One Ring, which seems to have replaced your tongue with its own."
He stepped back further in horror, and another voice joined in.
"And that is no mere lady: she is Lady Ehlon, also known as The Walker," Legolas said, standing and drawing Lord Boromir's gaze. At the sound of Ehlon's other name, the Council began to whisper and stare. "And this is also no mere Ranger: he is Aragorn, son of Arathorn." Legolas continued, casting Lord Boromir a dark glance. "You owe him your allegiance,"
Lord Boromir turned to Aragorn in quiet disbelief, "Aragorn? This is Isildur's heir?"
"And heir to the throne of Gondor," Ehlon bit out, causing Lord Boromir to turn to her yet again.
Aragorn's eyes met Ehlon's before turning to Legolas, who was frowning deeply at Lord Boromir. "Havo dad, Legolas," 'Sit down, Legolas' Begrudgingly, the tall Elf obeyed, sinking down onto his chair with a sigh.
Then he stepped forward, his brown eyes burning with a new light as he did. He reached for his sword belt, untying the scabbard and tossing it on the nearby table.
"And this is Narsil," Aragorn said, "the broken sword of Isildur."
Murmurs swept through the hall as everyone's eyes took in the object on the table. The Ranger retrieved the hilt, showing the broken edge that had cut off Sauron's finger those years ago. He then slid the second piece of sword that had shattered out of the sheath, and weighed both hilt and blade in his hands.
Lord Boromir backed toward his chair, and as he sat down, his face had taken on a look quiet contemplation while he stared at the sword.
An uncomfortable silence fell over the council, but was broken by Gandalf as he brought our minds back to the present matter. "But Aragorn and Ehlon are right: we cannot use the Ring," then he met my eyes, his own sky blue ones twinkling slightly, "And as Lord Boromir showed us and our friend Amira wisely spoke of, the Ring will try and weaken through one's own secret desires, ruining the heart and mind of that one."
"Then we have but one choice," Lord Elrond said, capturing the Council's attention again. "The ring must be destroyed..."
"Then what are we waiting for?" one of the Dwarves roared, as he jumped from his seat and brought his axe down upon the pedestal and the ring. Light flashed as his axe shattered and he was thrown back violently, landing bewildered upon the ground. I believe we were all too stunned to laugh at the atrocious event that had just transpired.
"The Ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli son of Glóin, by any craft that we here possess," Lord Elrond announced as the Dwarf got to his feet, quieting the uncomfortable whispers of both the Council and the Ring. "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. One of you must do this,"
Another uncomfortable silence followed as we all waited for someone to speak, someone to take on an impossible mission. None spoke. The silence was broken by the quiet voice of Lord Boromir as he echoed our fears, making the quiet even more unbearable.
"One does not simply walk into Mordor," he said slowly, his voice having returned to normal. "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 jumped up. "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?" yelled the Dwarf, Gimli, interrupting.
"And if we fail, what then? What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?" Lord Boromir asked no one in particular. Another small silence settled over the Council, as most of the eyes that had been on Lord Boromir turned to the ground as he glanced at each person in the circle.
"I will be dead before I see the Ring in the hands of an Elf!" Gimli muttered.
At that, everyone stood and began to yell and argue with each other, Elves fighting with Dwarves, and Men with Elves. Even Gandalf stood, shouting at the Gondorian. "Do you not understand? While we bicker among ourselves, Sauron's power grows! No one will escape it. You will all be destroyed, your homes burnt and your families put to the sword!"
It was only Frodo, Lord Elrond, his adviser, Aragorn, Ehlon and I that stayed seated. I did not see the point of the arguing, since nothing would ever be solved until the members of the Council agreed to overlook the petty insults they were throwing at each other and see the entire picture. I was beginning to feel my head ache painfully, when suddenly time slowed to a stop.
"I will take it!" I heard a small voice yell. "I will take it!"
I looked to see Frodo standing, trying to yell over the crowd. It was a show of great courage and strength for him to take on the Ring yet again, when he could just go home to the Shire, I thought. I would remember this moment for the rest of my days. Everyone grew silent and turned to stare at him, and he became uneasy, his eyes flicking around.
"I will take the Ring to Mordor… though I do not know the way," he said quietly.
"I will help you bear this burden, Frodo son of Drogo, as long as it is yours to bear," Gandalf offered, going to stand behind him and putting a hand on his shoulder.
Gandalf nodded to Ehlon, who quickly stood and went to stand before Frodo, smiling down at him. "I have seen great courage and strength from you, Frodo Baggins, and I believe that every person has a chance in this lifetime to undergo great change, and from it, rise from the ashes and alter the course of history. You are such Hobbit, I believe. You have my word and my sword," she said bowing to him.
My Mentor gazed at Aragorn, nodding. He also stepped forward and knelt before Frodo, speaking firmly. "If, by my life or death, I can protect you, I will as well. You have my sword,"
"And you have my bow," Prince Legolas said, stepping forward upon Gandalf's beckoning.
"And my axe," the Dwarf said gruffly, coming to join the group directly after.
When Lord Boromir stepped forward, I felt uneasy, wondering why this man was chosen out of the representatives of Gondor for the task when he had a weakness for the Ring. My concerns faded slightly when he spoke quietly to Frodo. "You carry the fate of us all, little one… If this is indeed the will of the Council, then Gondor will see it done."
I held my breath as Gandalf swept his gaze over the Council, as though looking for another representative. When his eyes landed on me, he smiled mischievously, and I gaped slightly. My Mentor nodded, and I glanced at Lord Elrond, who smiled kindly at my confusion and shock. Swallowing back the lump in my throat, I stepped forward lightly, bowing deeply to Frodo.
"It will be an honour to serve, protect, and guide you, Frodo Baggins, for as long as I draw breath! If this journey ends in my death," I paused, realizing the entire Council was watching me and listening intently, "then my death will have been for the life of you, the Ringbearer, and the lives of those in Middle Earth."
The Hobbit's eyes widened at the end of my speech, and when I rose fully, his eyes were filled with tears. Standing next to Ehlon, I could see her smile at the corner of my eye. Her hand brushed mine, and she squeezed my fingers reassuringly before retracting her hand.
Suddenly, the short silence was broken by stumbling footsteps.
"Here!" I turned to see Sam run towards us from behind a bush, rushing over to a stop in front of Frodo. "Mr. Frodo's not going anywhere without me!" There were murmurs throughout the Council, and a few chuckles.
"No, indeed it is hardly possible to separate you even when he is summoned to a secret Council and you are not," Lord Elrond said, trying to hide a smile. Sam blushed slightly, uneasy under all of the eyes upon him.
"We're coming too!" Came another shout, and suddenly Merry and Pippin were running up to join our growing company.
"You'll have to send us home tied up in a sack to stop us," Merry said shortly as he crossed his arms over his chest. He met my eyes, and I smiled reassuringly, making him relax his defensive stance.
"Eleven companions…" Lord Elrond murmured thoughtfully as he rose and looked at our strange group. "So be it...You shall be 'the Fellowship of the Ring'," he announced.
The entire Council rose, and to my shock, bowed...to us!
We bowed in return, and there were a few folk who began to cheer, which spurred the rest of the Council to do the same. Smiles replaced the grim expressions as Elves began to sing, but I still could not get the thought out of my mind, the thought that this was only the beginning...
I realize this is a short chapter, but this is indeed only the beginning, and there are others coming up that will most definitely make up for it. :) Thanks for staying with me and reading along. Comments and reviews are appreciated, as always...
Also, a big thanks to BlackRose232 for inspiring me to post another chapter!