"Give me the ring!" the stranger repeated.
I stiffened and gulped, very audibly. This called for some quick thinking.
"It's..." I began, squeaking a bit. "It's in the dresser over there." I bit my lip and prayed he would believe me.
My attacker pulled the knife away, and, with a laugh of triumph, began to rifle through the dresser. I turned and ran for the door, but the figure in the dark cloak sensed my betrayal and leapt after me.
I tore down the hallway for all I was worth, but he caught up with me and tackled me to the ground. We rolled out of the hallway out into a balcony over looking a small river.
He growled and slammed me against the marble. My head ringing, I slipped to the side, narrowly avoiding the knife. We tumbled against the balustrade, then felt it give way.
I screamed as we plummeted down, right past Aragorn and Arwen. If we had been in the movies, I would have knocked the subtitles into the first row. They stopped cooing to each other in elfish and stared, astonished.
Scrambling from his grabbing fingers, I snatched up a flowerpot and smashed it over the stranger's head.
He groaned and dropped, and I peered closer. I reached out to pull the hood back and -
With a snarl the attacker grabbed me I felt the knife slide along my arm. I screamed and kicked him in the stomach, hard as I could. He let go of my neck scrambled away.
Aragorn (finally deciding to come to my rescue) chased after him for a moment, then gave up and came back. He and Arwen pulled me to my feet. I felt my head loll against them, and I couldn't seem to find my balance.
Arwen muttered something and my head cleared. "Still don't think I can do it?" I asked Aragorn.
"You're bleeding," he said, setting me on my feet.
I held my arm, gingerly, then smiled. "It's just a flesh wound." They didn't get it, but I wasn't about to explain 'Monty Python' to them.
"Let me take you to Elrond," Arwen said.
"And in the morning," Aragorn said sternly, as she led me away, "You are to report, with the rest of your Company, to me."
I had no idea what he meant, but right after breakfast my friends and I were rounded up and marched out into the practice yards. It was brutal. We all needed to get in shape, desperately, and Aragorn was going to see to that! Push up, sit ups, running up and down stairs, archery, horseback riding, fencing. Finally, long after the lunch bell rang, Aragorn dismissed us.
"But Meg, stay," he said, and I turned back with a groan.
"What?" I asked.
"Let me see you do another thirty push-ups."
Aching all over, I fell to my knees and got into push-up position. "One!" I gasped through clenched teeth. "Two! Thr-umph." I fell into the dirt and stayed there.
His armor jangling, Aragorn got down so his face was in mine. "That's not good enough."
I spat dirt and got up to try again.
If this was a movie, this would be the part where they start playing the inspirational music. "Chariots of Fire," maybe. Or if I had my way, Elton John and Billy Joel singing "You May Be Right." Anyway, you'd see me gasping up the stairs, falling into push ups, missing the target. Then you'd see me panting up the stairs, shaking into pushups, hitting the outer rim. And finally, racing up the stairs, doing one handed pushups with a hobbit on my back (okay, I lied about the hobbit) and smacking the almost-bull's eye.
I even got better at the sword. Yeah, so I wasn't Zena, but I could hold my ground against Aragorn. I was BUFF!
But I was worried. The council of Elrond was tomorrow, and I still hadn't made up my mind about the ring. Would I offer to take it, or not?
Seeking peace from the hustle and bustle of Rivendell, I climbed a tower and leaned out into the evening air. The golden sun was setting slowly, and a bird chirped in my ear. I sighed and put my arms over the wall, letting a gentle breeze tease my hair.
"Are you going to take the ring or not?"
I turned around - it was Peter. I smiled at my friend. He was kinda cute, actually, with dull red hair and a spattering of freckles. And in his green tunic, with the setting sun shining over him, he looked so... elfish, I guess.
"I don't know," I said, turning back. Below me I could see the rest of "my" Company staging a sword fight with blunt practice swords. They whooped and cheered tried to disarm each other. Any other day it would have made me smile, but tonight I just felt cold.
"How many children do you think are in Rivendell?" I asked, suddenly.
"What?" Peter looked confused.
"Or, for that matter, all of Middle Earth. How many children?"
Peter shrugged. "Must be thousands."
I thought of all those children. I thought of what would happen if the ring wasn't destroyed - I saw them all in chains, or dead, or watching as their houses burned. I saw them crying for their parents, or begging for mercy, or dying.
I hit the wall so hard that I yelled in pain.
"Meg, Meg! Easy!" Peter took my hand and massaged it. "What's wrong?"
"I'll do it." I said, quietly. "I'll take the ring."
Peter looked very serious, then leaned over and kissed my cheek. Trying not to cry, I hugged him tight.
Finally, it the day of the Council of Elrond came about. Shannon helped me pick out what to wear. "Not black," she said. "It's too eeeevil looking, you know? But not white, that's too innocent."
"Well, what then?" I asked. "Khaki?"
"Actually, yeah," Shannon held up a nice pair of pants and a billowing shirt. "This'll do."
"What are you wearing?" I asked.
"Green."
"Leaf?" I chuckled.
"Shut up."
We got dressed and sat on the bed. Shannon kneeled behind me and began brushing out my hair.
"I'm so nervous," I said, fingering the ring around my neck. "They have to pick us, don't they? I mean what if they say 'no, go back to high school'?"
"They won't," Shannon said, making a braid down the back of my head. "They can't. We've worked too hard. Ready? One, two three!"
We both curled our arms in wrestling poses and growled at each other. (We'd been practicing.)
"We are buff!" I said, looking at Shannon's arms. "You've got muscles, girl!"
"I know. Legolas and I have been making out - WORKING OUT!" Shannon hit her forehead, violently. "I MEANT WORKING OUT!"
I snorted. "Wait, what did you say?"
Shannon put her hands over her face, redder than I have EVER seen her. "I meant WORKING OUT! I SWEAR!"
I was shaking with laughter. "But you said - "
"I know what I said and it's NOT TRUE, OKAY?" Shannon looked away, her voice bitter.
"Oh, sorry." I said, blushing a little myself. "Turn around and I'll do your hair."
Shannon spun on the bed, making the covers wrinkle. She pulled up her legs and put her chin on her knees. I brushed her long blonde hair, slowly, thinking. "You know, I really think I want to take this ring. It would be the adventure of a lifetime..."
I fidgeted in my seat, nervous. All around me, scary looking men, elves, and dwarfs kept staring at us.
Finally, it was my turn. "Bring the ring forward," somebody said, and I snapped out of my 'zone'. I walked forward, unclasped the golden chain, and let the ring slide off it. It rested in my palm, cool, smooth, beautiful. All of a sudden, I didn't want to put it down. I wanted to hold it forever - mine, my preci-
With a sudden mental effort, I turned my hand upside down and watched as the ring fell onto the pedestal. I sighed relief and looked at Gandalf. He nodded and I stumbled back to my seat.
"As I said before," Gandalf said, standing. "I have watched these young men and women and they are of the very highest morals. They are strong and courageous, and they will easily escape the notice of even the most watchful spy. They should take the ring."
"Children?" asked the real Boromir, standing. "You would trust the most powerful weapon ever known to children? What kind of joke is this?"
"They are not children," Aragorn said. "I have watched them, and they do not behave as children. As Gandalf said, they are strong."
"Strong?" Boromir snarled. "Strong as what? They are girls..."
Dan and Peter frowned, but Legolas jumped to his feet. "You will not speak of them with such mockery! Anyone of them could outshoot, outrun, or outfight you, Boromir!"
(I thought that was a little far-fetched, but Shannon had that 'my hero' look on her face.)
"Should we see about that?" Boromir asked, drawing his sword. My hand flew to my waist, before I even realized I wasn't armed.
"Is that a challenge?" Legolas asked, his eyes flashing.
"Legolas! Boromir! That is enough!" Elrond said.
I stood, slowly, and everything fell quiet. My mouth was dry and I'm sure everyone could here my heart beating out of control but I fought to keep my voice calm.
"You all have every right to doubt me," I said, quietly. "I am a stranger here, and a young one. But what Gandalf said is true - I am strong, I am worthy. What's more, I think I know how to prove my worth." I walked back to the pedestal, and put my hand just inches above the ring. "There is nothing harder then to bear the ring. It eats away at you, every day. It sings to you, keep me, keep me. It becomes," I said as I snatched up the ring. "Your precious."
Now I turned to Elrond, holding the ring tight in one fist. "The only power greater than the ring," I gulped. "Is the power to give it up. Few here have it - Gandalf, Frodo, perhaps, and mostly likely you, Elrond." I took a step closer. "Now, I would like to prove that I have this power, as well."
Elrond held out his hand. Everything went slightly fuzzy at the edges, and the ring sang in my hand - keep me, keep me, keep me, keep me, keep me, keep me...
It was hard to breathe, and my fingers were rigid. One by one I opened them, then tipped my hand to the side. For one perilous instant, the ring was sideways against my hand, and then it fell.
Elrond kept his palm open around the ring, and I closed my eyes. Every nerve in my body sang out to snatch it back up, but I took a step backwards. Then another, and another. Sighing with relief, I turned and walked back to my seat.
Elrond stood. "This is proof enough for me," he said, coming towards me. "And proof enough for me should be proof enough for all."
I held out my hand and Elrond put the ring in it. Oh, it felt so good to have the ring back - I thought, guiltily. So very good...
I threaded it back on to the chain and put it around my neck, where the cool metal soothed my beating heart with a malicious kind of power. It was like stealing a cookie and getting away with it, times a million. I resisted the urge to smile.
"Who else will join this company?" Elrond asked. I looked up and bit my lip.
"I will," Aragorn, said standing.
"I will, as well," Legolas said. That's it. This time I'm SURE Shannon wet herself.
"As will I," Gandalf was the last to stand.
"Very well," Elrond said, nodding. "You will be the Fellowship of the Ring."
(Cue dramatic music).
"Wait a second," I said, as the Fellowship was leaving. "I'm one, Shannon's two, Frances - three, Molly - four, Veronica - five, Ann - six, Dan - seven, Peter - eight, Aragorn - nine, Legolas - ten, Gandalf - eleven." I ticked them off on my fingers. "Eleven. I thought there were supposed to be nine!"
Gandalf chuckled softly. "You humans and your 'magic numbers'. The more the better, I say." He bent and spoke only in my ear. "How many Orcs were there in the movie?"
"A whole sh... but load."
"And you think nine can hold them off?"
I quieted.
The sun streaming in through the window woke me, on my very last day in Rivendell. I sat up, put a hand to my neck to check on the ring, then yawned and stretched. The traveling clothing I had picked out last night lay at the foot of the bed, along with a surprise.
Lying on top of my clothes was a shirt, but not just any shirt. It was made of chain mail links that were impossibly tiny. They shone in the early morning light and I gasped as I lifted it up - it must have weighed less than a pound.
It was Frodo's Mithril-coat.
"I can't take this!" I whispered. "It's worth unbelievable amounts of money and I don't ne-" The image of Elijah Wood being speared by the troll's javelin thing swam before my eyes. I shut up and put the Mithril on underneath my clothes.
Shannon entered a moment later, looking impressive in tall leather boots, hunting clothes, and a quiver slung over her cape. She smiled and helped me into my cloak.
"Ready?" she asked.
"Ready," I said, taking one last look around the room that had become home to me. Together, we walked outside.
I stared at my friends, astonished. Veronica looked beautiful with her black curls pulled back and a short hobbit-sword at her waist. Molly had let her fiery red hair tumble about her shoulders, and Ann wore hers in a bun, with wisps of golden blonde falling around her face. Even little Frances looked imressive, holding the dwarf axe with the air of one who knows how to use it. Peter was striking in one of those tunics that made me think of the Three Musketeers, and both he and Dan sported long swords and shields. I took a second look at Dan. (Dang, not bad, not bad...).
Aragorn, dressed in black, with his dark hair falling around his face was fierce and imposing, and Legolas was stern, upright, proud. Gandalf adjusted his gray wizard's hat and held his staff close.
"Meg?" I looked down - it was Frodo. "Meg, I want you to have this," he said, holding out a belt and scabbard. I took them from his hands and drew the sword. I gasped - it was Sting.
"Frodo, I can't take this," I said, my eyes wide.
"Of course you can," he said softly. "I insist!"
"Frodo, thank you," I breathed, putting Sting around my waist.
"Come back safely, Meg," he said quietly, then stood on tip-toe. I bent down and he gave me a kiss on both cheeks.
My throat felt tight. "Good-bye, Frodo." I turned away, brushing tears from my eyes.
"Oh. My. God." Shannon said, sliding up next to me. "That was THE CUTEST thing I have ever seen!"
"Shannon?"
"Yes?"
"Shut up."
"Shutting!"
With a nod from Gandalf, we set out - First Gandalf, then Aragorn, then Peter, Molly, Ann, Veronica, Dan, me, and Shannon, with Legolas in the rear. As we walked out into the forests, I felt my heart swell with pride. We were the Fellowship of the Ring -
and I -
I was the ring bearer.
I stiffened and gulped, very audibly. This called for some quick thinking.
"It's..." I began, squeaking a bit. "It's in the dresser over there." I bit my lip and prayed he would believe me.
My attacker pulled the knife away, and, with a laugh of triumph, began to rifle through the dresser. I turned and ran for the door, but the figure in the dark cloak sensed my betrayal and leapt after me.
I tore down the hallway for all I was worth, but he caught up with me and tackled me to the ground. We rolled out of the hallway out into a balcony over looking a small river.
He growled and slammed me against the marble. My head ringing, I slipped to the side, narrowly avoiding the knife. We tumbled against the balustrade, then felt it give way.
I screamed as we plummeted down, right past Aragorn and Arwen. If we had been in the movies, I would have knocked the subtitles into the first row. They stopped cooing to each other in elfish and stared, astonished.
Scrambling from his grabbing fingers, I snatched up a flowerpot and smashed it over the stranger's head.
He groaned and dropped, and I peered closer. I reached out to pull the hood back and -
With a snarl the attacker grabbed me I felt the knife slide along my arm. I screamed and kicked him in the stomach, hard as I could. He let go of my neck scrambled away.
Aragorn (finally deciding to come to my rescue) chased after him for a moment, then gave up and came back. He and Arwen pulled me to my feet. I felt my head loll against them, and I couldn't seem to find my balance.
Arwen muttered something and my head cleared. "Still don't think I can do it?" I asked Aragorn.
"You're bleeding," he said, setting me on my feet.
I held my arm, gingerly, then smiled. "It's just a flesh wound." They didn't get it, but I wasn't about to explain 'Monty Python' to them.
"Let me take you to Elrond," Arwen said.
"And in the morning," Aragorn said sternly, as she led me away, "You are to report, with the rest of your Company, to me."
I had no idea what he meant, but right after breakfast my friends and I were rounded up and marched out into the practice yards. It was brutal. We all needed to get in shape, desperately, and Aragorn was going to see to that! Push up, sit ups, running up and down stairs, archery, horseback riding, fencing. Finally, long after the lunch bell rang, Aragorn dismissed us.
"But Meg, stay," he said, and I turned back with a groan.
"What?" I asked.
"Let me see you do another thirty push-ups."
Aching all over, I fell to my knees and got into push-up position. "One!" I gasped through clenched teeth. "Two! Thr-umph." I fell into the dirt and stayed there.
His armor jangling, Aragorn got down so his face was in mine. "That's not good enough."
I spat dirt and got up to try again.
If this was a movie, this would be the part where they start playing the inspirational music. "Chariots of Fire," maybe. Or if I had my way, Elton John and Billy Joel singing "You May Be Right." Anyway, you'd see me gasping up the stairs, falling into push ups, missing the target. Then you'd see me panting up the stairs, shaking into pushups, hitting the outer rim. And finally, racing up the stairs, doing one handed pushups with a hobbit on my back (okay, I lied about the hobbit) and smacking the almost-bull's eye.
I even got better at the sword. Yeah, so I wasn't Zena, but I could hold my ground against Aragorn. I was BUFF!
But I was worried. The council of Elrond was tomorrow, and I still hadn't made up my mind about the ring. Would I offer to take it, or not?
Seeking peace from the hustle and bustle of Rivendell, I climbed a tower and leaned out into the evening air. The golden sun was setting slowly, and a bird chirped in my ear. I sighed and put my arms over the wall, letting a gentle breeze tease my hair.
"Are you going to take the ring or not?"
I turned around - it was Peter. I smiled at my friend. He was kinda cute, actually, with dull red hair and a spattering of freckles. And in his green tunic, with the setting sun shining over him, he looked so... elfish, I guess.
"I don't know," I said, turning back. Below me I could see the rest of "my" Company staging a sword fight with blunt practice swords. They whooped and cheered tried to disarm each other. Any other day it would have made me smile, but tonight I just felt cold.
"How many children do you think are in Rivendell?" I asked, suddenly.
"What?" Peter looked confused.
"Or, for that matter, all of Middle Earth. How many children?"
Peter shrugged. "Must be thousands."
I thought of all those children. I thought of what would happen if the ring wasn't destroyed - I saw them all in chains, or dead, or watching as their houses burned. I saw them crying for their parents, or begging for mercy, or dying.
I hit the wall so hard that I yelled in pain.
"Meg, Meg! Easy!" Peter took my hand and massaged it. "What's wrong?"
"I'll do it." I said, quietly. "I'll take the ring."
Peter looked very serious, then leaned over and kissed my cheek. Trying not to cry, I hugged him tight.
Finally, it the day of the Council of Elrond came about. Shannon helped me pick out what to wear. "Not black," she said. "It's too eeeevil looking, you know? But not white, that's too innocent."
"Well, what then?" I asked. "Khaki?"
"Actually, yeah," Shannon held up a nice pair of pants and a billowing shirt. "This'll do."
"What are you wearing?" I asked.
"Green."
"Leaf?" I chuckled.
"Shut up."
We got dressed and sat on the bed. Shannon kneeled behind me and began brushing out my hair.
"I'm so nervous," I said, fingering the ring around my neck. "They have to pick us, don't they? I mean what if they say 'no, go back to high school'?"
"They won't," Shannon said, making a braid down the back of my head. "They can't. We've worked too hard. Ready? One, two three!"
We both curled our arms in wrestling poses and growled at each other. (We'd been practicing.)
"We are buff!" I said, looking at Shannon's arms. "You've got muscles, girl!"
"I know. Legolas and I have been making out - WORKING OUT!" Shannon hit her forehead, violently. "I MEANT WORKING OUT!"
I snorted. "Wait, what did you say?"
Shannon put her hands over her face, redder than I have EVER seen her. "I meant WORKING OUT! I SWEAR!"
I was shaking with laughter. "But you said - "
"I know what I said and it's NOT TRUE, OKAY?" Shannon looked away, her voice bitter.
"Oh, sorry." I said, blushing a little myself. "Turn around and I'll do your hair."
Shannon spun on the bed, making the covers wrinkle. She pulled up her legs and put her chin on her knees. I brushed her long blonde hair, slowly, thinking. "You know, I really think I want to take this ring. It would be the adventure of a lifetime..."
I fidgeted in my seat, nervous. All around me, scary looking men, elves, and dwarfs kept staring at us.
Finally, it was my turn. "Bring the ring forward," somebody said, and I snapped out of my 'zone'. I walked forward, unclasped the golden chain, and let the ring slide off it. It rested in my palm, cool, smooth, beautiful. All of a sudden, I didn't want to put it down. I wanted to hold it forever - mine, my preci-
With a sudden mental effort, I turned my hand upside down and watched as the ring fell onto the pedestal. I sighed relief and looked at Gandalf. He nodded and I stumbled back to my seat.
"As I said before," Gandalf said, standing. "I have watched these young men and women and they are of the very highest morals. They are strong and courageous, and they will easily escape the notice of even the most watchful spy. They should take the ring."
"Children?" asked the real Boromir, standing. "You would trust the most powerful weapon ever known to children? What kind of joke is this?"
"They are not children," Aragorn said. "I have watched them, and they do not behave as children. As Gandalf said, they are strong."
"Strong?" Boromir snarled. "Strong as what? They are girls..."
Dan and Peter frowned, but Legolas jumped to his feet. "You will not speak of them with such mockery! Anyone of them could outshoot, outrun, or outfight you, Boromir!"
(I thought that was a little far-fetched, but Shannon had that 'my hero' look on her face.)
"Should we see about that?" Boromir asked, drawing his sword. My hand flew to my waist, before I even realized I wasn't armed.
"Is that a challenge?" Legolas asked, his eyes flashing.
"Legolas! Boromir! That is enough!" Elrond said.
I stood, slowly, and everything fell quiet. My mouth was dry and I'm sure everyone could here my heart beating out of control but I fought to keep my voice calm.
"You all have every right to doubt me," I said, quietly. "I am a stranger here, and a young one. But what Gandalf said is true - I am strong, I am worthy. What's more, I think I know how to prove my worth." I walked back to the pedestal, and put my hand just inches above the ring. "There is nothing harder then to bear the ring. It eats away at you, every day. It sings to you, keep me, keep me. It becomes," I said as I snatched up the ring. "Your precious."
Now I turned to Elrond, holding the ring tight in one fist. "The only power greater than the ring," I gulped. "Is the power to give it up. Few here have it - Gandalf, Frodo, perhaps, and mostly likely you, Elrond." I took a step closer. "Now, I would like to prove that I have this power, as well."
Elrond held out his hand. Everything went slightly fuzzy at the edges, and the ring sang in my hand - keep me, keep me, keep me, keep me, keep me, keep me...
It was hard to breathe, and my fingers were rigid. One by one I opened them, then tipped my hand to the side. For one perilous instant, the ring was sideways against my hand, and then it fell.
Elrond kept his palm open around the ring, and I closed my eyes. Every nerve in my body sang out to snatch it back up, but I took a step backwards. Then another, and another. Sighing with relief, I turned and walked back to my seat.
Elrond stood. "This is proof enough for me," he said, coming towards me. "And proof enough for me should be proof enough for all."
I held out my hand and Elrond put the ring in it. Oh, it felt so good to have the ring back - I thought, guiltily. So very good...
I threaded it back on to the chain and put it around my neck, where the cool metal soothed my beating heart with a malicious kind of power. It was like stealing a cookie and getting away with it, times a million. I resisted the urge to smile.
"Who else will join this company?" Elrond asked. I looked up and bit my lip.
"I will," Aragorn, said standing.
"I will, as well," Legolas said. That's it. This time I'm SURE Shannon wet herself.
"As will I," Gandalf was the last to stand.
"Very well," Elrond said, nodding. "You will be the Fellowship of the Ring."
(Cue dramatic music).
"Wait a second," I said, as the Fellowship was leaving. "I'm one, Shannon's two, Frances - three, Molly - four, Veronica - five, Ann - six, Dan - seven, Peter - eight, Aragorn - nine, Legolas - ten, Gandalf - eleven." I ticked them off on my fingers. "Eleven. I thought there were supposed to be nine!"
Gandalf chuckled softly. "You humans and your 'magic numbers'. The more the better, I say." He bent and spoke only in my ear. "How many Orcs were there in the movie?"
"A whole sh... but load."
"And you think nine can hold them off?"
I quieted.
The sun streaming in through the window woke me, on my very last day in Rivendell. I sat up, put a hand to my neck to check on the ring, then yawned and stretched. The traveling clothing I had picked out last night lay at the foot of the bed, along with a surprise.
Lying on top of my clothes was a shirt, but not just any shirt. It was made of chain mail links that were impossibly tiny. They shone in the early morning light and I gasped as I lifted it up - it must have weighed less than a pound.
It was Frodo's Mithril-coat.
"I can't take this!" I whispered. "It's worth unbelievable amounts of money and I don't ne-" The image of Elijah Wood being speared by the troll's javelin thing swam before my eyes. I shut up and put the Mithril on underneath my clothes.
Shannon entered a moment later, looking impressive in tall leather boots, hunting clothes, and a quiver slung over her cape. She smiled and helped me into my cloak.
"Ready?" she asked.
"Ready," I said, taking one last look around the room that had become home to me. Together, we walked outside.
I stared at my friends, astonished. Veronica looked beautiful with her black curls pulled back and a short hobbit-sword at her waist. Molly had let her fiery red hair tumble about her shoulders, and Ann wore hers in a bun, with wisps of golden blonde falling around her face. Even little Frances looked imressive, holding the dwarf axe with the air of one who knows how to use it. Peter was striking in one of those tunics that made me think of the Three Musketeers, and both he and Dan sported long swords and shields. I took a second look at Dan. (Dang, not bad, not bad...).
Aragorn, dressed in black, with his dark hair falling around his face was fierce and imposing, and Legolas was stern, upright, proud. Gandalf adjusted his gray wizard's hat and held his staff close.
"Meg?" I looked down - it was Frodo. "Meg, I want you to have this," he said, holding out a belt and scabbard. I took them from his hands and drew the sword. I gasped - it was Sting.
"Frodo, I can't take this," I said, my eyes wide.
"Of course you can," he said softly. "I insist!"
"Frodo, thank you," I breathed, putting Sting around my waist.
"Come back safely, Meg," he said quietly, then stood on tip-toe. I bent down and he gave me a kiss on both cheeks.
My throat felt tight. "Good-bye, Frodo." I turned away, brushing tears from my eyes.
"Oh. My. God." Shannon said, sliding up next to me. "That was THE CUTEST thing I have ever seen!"
"Shannon?"
"Yes?"
"Shut up."
"Shutting!"
With a nod from Gandalf, we set out - First Gandalf, then Aragorn, then Peter, Molly, Ann, Veronica, Dan, me, and Shannon, with Legolas in the rear. As we walked out into the forests, I felt my heart swell with pride. We were the Fellowship of the Ring -
and I -
I was the ring bearer.