Disclaimer: I own only the characters of my imagination: Trinity, Dezaria, Destiny, Faith, and Scarlette. The rest, I'm sure you'll recognize as the property of the Tolkien Estate.


Gandalf and Boromir walked in silence through the halls, both distracted with their own thoughts. They reached their destination, and Boromir dutifully took his seat. Lord Elrond looked around slowly before focusing his gaze on the wizard.

"May we begin?"

They had been sitting there for quite some time, the Dwarves were restless and the Elves whispered amongst themselves.

Gandalf shook his head slowly, "I'm afraid not, it seems one council member had a minor event and will be a bit delayed – ah, here she is now. Greetings, Trinity."

Trinity approached them slowly, hair pulled back into a loose braid, any hint of insanity tucked neatly away in the farthest corner of her mind. She gave Elrond a slight incline of the head before nodding politely to Gandalf. With quick strides, she settled herself in an empty seat next to Frodo. Boromir followed her every move like she was his prey, one of the Dwarves shifted in his seat.

"Strangers from distant lands," Elrond began, "Friends of old, you have been summoned 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. Each race is bound to this fate, this one doom."

The entire council exchanged glances, from the Elves to the Dwarves to the Men, their expressions read that unity was something not easily gained. Trinity leaned back, crossing her legs at the ankles and her arms across her chest.

"Bring forth the ring, Frodo."

Trinity looked at him and he looked back nervously. She put a comforting hand on his arm, which seemed to give him the strength to continue. Slowly, the little Hobbit rose and walked to the middle of the room. He set the golden ring on the stone tablet there and returned to his seat. The man called Boromir whispered something faintly that she did not catch, Strider; however, gave him a sidelong glance. Frodo looked relieved to have escaped the ring for a moment, again Trinity found herself laying a hand on his arm gently. Then, something happened. Boromir rose.

"In a dream, I saw the eastern sky grow dark," his voice was a combination of awe and desire, "but in the west, a pale light lingered. A voice was crying that doom was near at hand. So Isildur's bane is found-"

He was creeping nearer to the ring, Gandalf and Elrond shared a look of brief concern.

"Isildur's bane," Boromir whispered again, reaching for the ring.

Elrond stood from his seat, hollering the man's name. Gandalf stood as well, though what he hollered was entirely different. There was a forbidden sound to it, as the sky fell dark and stirred with fell voices. Trinity flinched, pain bursting through her skull as though she were hit by a blunt object. Her chair shook. When her vision righted itself, Elrond was scolding the wizard for his words. She barely caught the old one's response.

"I do not ask your pardon, Master Elrond," said Gandalf with heavily as he sat himself down once again, "For the black speech of Mordor may yet be heard in every corner of the west. The ring is all together evil."

"It is a gift," Boromir told them breathlessly, "A gift to the foes of Mordor. 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, your lands kept safe! Give Gondor the weapon of the enemy. Let us use it against him!"

Trinity already thought him a fool.

"You cannot wield it! None of us can! The One Ring answers to Sauron alone, it has no other master," Strider interjected.

"And what would a ranger know of this matter?"

An Elf stood, outraged, "This is no mere ranger! This is Aragorn-"

Trinity inhaled sharply. Aragorn, Estel, Strider, each name belonged to him. It made sense now, that she should know each one. He tried to hide himself, his true identity. Strider – Aragorn – looked at her quizzically, no doubt hearing the gasp. The Elf looked at her as well, his azure eyes resting plainly on her face for a moment, a strange look on his face, but he turned his head away and fixed Boromir with a steely glare once again.

Boromir seemed taken aback, "Aragorn? This is Isildur's heir?"

"And heir to the throne of Gondor," the Elf finished.

"Havo dat, Legolas," Aragorn mumbled.

Sit down. Trinity frowned and looked at the floor. How did she know that?

"Gondor has no king," Boromir finished, "Gondor needs no king."

With his profound statement made, Boromir sat and glared. Juvenile, thought Trinity scornfully. She stole a glance at Aragorn, who seemed even tempered as always.

Gandalf leaned forward in his seat. "Aragorn is right. We cannot use it."

"You have only one choice, the Ring must be destroyed," Elrond proclaimed.

A moment of silence held before a red headed and hot tempered Dwarf stood, axe in hand. "What are we waiting for?" He boomed before swinging it heavily on the ring.

It shattered into a thousand pieces.

Frodo flinched and put a hand to his head as if in pain. Trinity's arm wrapped around him, a frown on her face. The Dwarf looked amazed.

"The Ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli son of Gloin, by any craft that we here posses. The Ring was made in the fires of Mount Doom and only there can it be unmade. It must be taken deep into Mordor and cast back deep into the fiery chasm from whence it came! One of you must do this."

"One doesn't simply walk into Mordor. Its black gates are guarded by more than just Orcs. There's evil there that does not sleep and the Great Eyes if ever watchful. 'Tis but a wasteland, whittled 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." Boromir's point rang through.

The Elf, Legolas, did not deny it. But argued all the same, "Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond just said! The ring must be destroyed!"

"And I suppose you think you're the one to do it!" cried Gimli.

The shouted began, each Elf, Dwarf, Human became involved. Childish, Trinity thought again, her arm tightening around Frodo's shoulders. Gandalf joined in, his powerful voice melted into the song of the others, hardly noticeable. A handful of them remained in their seats, Lord Elrond, Trinity, and Frodo among them. The Hobbit's eyes were focused solely on the ring. She shook him a little and he blinked, glancing at her first, then the yelling before him.

He lifted himself out of the chair and called into the fight: "I will take it! I will take it! I will take the Ring to Mordor."

The crowd went silent and turned to face him, Gandalf wore an almost pained expression.

"I do not know the way," Frodo confessed to them.

Gandalf went to stand next to the Hobbit, "I will help you help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins, so long as it is yours to bear."

Aragorn stood next, "By my life, or death, if I can protect you, I will. You have my sword."

"And you have my bow," Legolas added.

"And my axe," the Elf did not seemed too pleased about Gimli's contribution.

"You carry the fate of us all, little one. If this is indeed the will of the council, then Gondor will see it done," Boromir joined them.

"Hey!" A small form burst from the bushes, "Mister Frodo's not goin' anywhere without me!" Samwise grinned widely at his friend.

Elrond rose an eyebrow, "No, indeed it is hardly possible to separate you, even when he is summoned to a secret council and you are not."

As if on cue, Pippin and Merry ran into the room.

"Wait! We're comin' too! You'll have to send us home tied up in a sack to stop us."

"Anyway, you need people of intelligence on his sort of mission….quest…thing."

"Well that rules you out, Pip."

Lord Elrond looked at them all, left to right, and smiled at their bravery. "Nine companions-"

"Ten," Trinity said with her soft accent. She rose from her chair, "Ten companions."

She knelt down to the Frodo's height and stared into his large cobalt eyes. "You helped me, and so I will help you. I offer you whatever there is I may offer. That is, if you accept it." A smile would have been present, had she the ability to make one anymore. Nevertheless, he saw the almost eager glint in her eyes.

"I'll have it no other way," replied the young Hobbit with a pleased smile.

"So be it. You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring," Elrond continued.

"Right," Pippin grinned, "Where are we going?"

----------------

"I'm coming with you."

"No, Scarlette, you must stay here."

"But why?"

"I've already said."

"Tell me again."

Trinity sighed; still busy choosing a suitable weapon for the long journey ahead. Scarlette was being rather difficult about the entire thing, telling Trinity simply that she was coming with her, whether she wanted it or not. But it would not work, Scarlette would die, Trinity was sure. She had told her something else, so as to not frighten her, and hated repeating herself. Already, Scarlette had thrown a fit, screaming and crying, and now she was standing across the room from her. The bed put a safe distance between them, not that Scarlette would be able to hurt Trinity anyway. Dried tears made her cheeks look dirty, her cheeks crimson from the force and effort of her sobs.

"I cannot take you."

"Bitch"

"Whore," the response from Trinity was automatic. It held no hostility behind it.

Scarlette began to cry again, "Please! Please take me with you! Don't leave me here all alone, again."

"You're forty years old, Scarlette, and you are acting like a child. These people are kind to you and you easily make friends, so there is no real argument. You don't care about being left alone; you're just being stubborn because you are not getting your own way."

The truth stung her, she resented it. "That's not it!"

"Liar."

Silence for a moment, until, "You look like the Whore of Babylon."

Trinity clenched her teeth together, shoving a few more weapons wherever she could conceal them. They Elves had given her a new outfit, leggings included. It was much too intricate to her, but she wore it all the same. The bodice dipped low enough to make out some cleavage, and the corset was drawn tight to display her small waist. Her leggings showed open flesh on the hips, drawn together with loose ties. Dark leather boots and bracers completed the highly feminine look, and her hair was even tied back into a long braid still. She felt like the Whore of Babylon. Exposed and shameless.

She grabbed the sack off the bed and left to slam a few provisions into it. When she returned to the bedroom, Scarlette was sitting on the bed, closely examining her hands. Trinity sheathed two small swords on either hip, connected to her belt, and turned to leave.

"I'm sorry."

Trinity froze, her hand on the door.

I'm sorry too.

"When I find Destiny, Faith, and Destiny, I will bring them back with me. Do not do anything foolish when I'm gone, alright?" Trinity glanced back to see her answer.

Scarlette nodded once, then stood shakily. "I want to see you leave."

----------------

Once again, the Fellowship was under Lord Elrond's gaze. "The Ring Bearer is setting out a quest to Mount Doom, and you who travel with him – no oath nor bond is laid to go further than you will. Farewell, hold to your purpose may the blessing of Elves, Men, and all free folk go with you."

Trinity looked at Scarlette one last time before Frodo led the way.