Chapter One:
"I will bear the ring," said Frodo, the tiny hobbit standing up to the much larger creatures fighting over the responsibility. "I will carry it, and see that it is destroyed," he spoke.
"And I will give you protection," said Aaragon, standing up after a long silence. The rugged features of the outcast royal glowed with the prospect of adventure.
"And I, my sword," said the somewhat reluctant Boromir.
"And I, my ax," growled the stout dwarf, struggling to his feet.
Legolas stood, inspired, and gave the promise of his help. "And I, my bow."
"And I, mine," spoke a strange voice that had entered the secret council unnoticed. The hushed whispers told Legolas that this girl was no stranger to adventure; the wizard Gandolf said that this dirty elf was Alatia, an adventurer he had encountered in his travels. He greeted her with warmth, and she embraced him but remained wary of the strange group whose inquiring stares made her uncomfortable. She did not like people who asked many questions, especially about her past and private life.
She looked around at the group crowded before her, and her eyes fell on the elf prince, dressed in expensive robes fitted to his lean figure. He had a very regal look to him, his long blond hair flowing over his shoulders and his delicate features showing the strain of responsibilities belonging to someone much older.
Legolas looked at the woman, only a few years younger than himself, and saw that her dark brown hair was matted with mud as to be almost black. It was unusual for an elf girl to have dark brown hair; all the others had golden locks, like him. He let this pass without much thought, and only a glance into the depth of her green eyes, another unusual for an elf. Boromir interrupted the silence by stepping forward:
"I, for one, will not fight alongside a woman."
"Nor I, a man, but it doesn't look like I'll have much of a problem with you," the girl quickly countered, while her gaze drifted over the lower part of Boromir's tunic. A few of the crowd, including Legolas, had to stifle a laugh as they saw that this new girl could stand up to Boromir and rough him up a little in return. She then smiled and placed her hand on Boromir's shoulder with, "Come now, I only tease." The tension broken, she explained to the group that she came as fast as she heard the news of Bilbo Baggin's party disappearance.
"With an exit like that, I knew that the ring would soon change hands, and old quarrels would arise." She stepped into the circle of onlookers and offered, "I have heard of your quest to destroy the ring of power, and wish to help you. I can hold my own in a battle, and my knowledge of Elvish healing might prove valuable to your journey." Her face bore an expression of independence, and fierce determination. With this said, she stepped back and waited for a decision to be made.
The others, somewhat taken by her bold offer, quickly reached a consensus.
"I've heard much about her bravery in battle and believe she would be of some use to this quest," Gandalf spoke. With that, he called the anxious woman back into the circle and told her of the news. "You can bathe here and rest awhile before we leave," he added, looking at her muddy clothes with more than a hinting glare.
"We've no time to waste, we must be off immediately," she spoke, offering no excuse for her dirty appearance. "The sooner we leave, the lesser the chance of an encounter with spies or an attack." She had a presence that, although strong, was feminine in nature. Her haste to leave also affirmed her determined look.
"Very well, we will be off in a few hours with no delay," said Gandolf, who seemed content that the pretty elf would be accompanying them on their travels. Looking around the scattered circle, he saw the same look in the eyes of the young elf prince, whose interest was also piqued with the promise of adventure.
"I will bear the ring," said Frodo, the tiny hobbit standing up to the much larger creatures fighting over the responsibility. "I will carry it, and see that it is destroyed," he spoke.
"And I will give you protection," said Aaragon, standing up after a long silence. The rugged features of the outcast royal glowed with the prospect of adventure.
"And I, my sword," said the somewhat reluctant Boromir.
"And I, my ax," growled the stout dwarf, struggling to his feet.
Legolas stood, inspired, and gave the promise of his help. "And I, my bow."
"And I, mine," spoke a strange voice that had entered the secret council unnoticed. The hushed whispers told Legolas that this girl was no stranger to adventure; the wizard Gandolf said that this dirty elf was Alatia, an adventurer he had encountered in his travels. He greeted her with warmth, and she embraced him but remained wary of the strange group whose inquiring stares made her uncomfortable. She did not like people who asked many questions, especially about her past and private life.
She looked around at the group crowded before her, and her eyes fell on the elf prince, dressed in expensive robes fitted to his lean figure. He had a very regal look to him, his long blond hair flowing over his shoulders and his delicate features showing the strain of responsibilities belonging to someone much older.
Legolas looked at the woman, only a few years younger than himself, and saw that her dark brown hair was matted with mud as to be almost black. It was unusual for an elf girl to have dark brown hair; all the others had golden locks, like him. He let this pass without much thought, and only a glance into the depth of her green eyes, another unusual for an elf. Boromir interrupted the silence by stepping forward:
"I, for one, will not fight alongside a woman."
"Nor I, a man, but it doesn't look like I'll have much of a problem with you," the girl quickly countered, while her gaze drifted over the lower part of Boromir's tunic. A few of the crowd, including Legolas, had to stifle a laugh as they saw that this new girl could stand up to Boromir and rough him up a little in return. She then smiled and placed her hand on Boromir's shoulder with, "Come now, I only tease." The tension broken, she explained to the group that she came as fast as she heard the news of Bilbo Baggin's party disappearance.
"With an exit like that, I knew that the ring would soon change hands, and old quarrels would arise." She stepped into the circle of onlookers and offered, "I have heard of your quest to destroy the ring of power, and wish to help you. I can hold my own in a battle, and my knowledge of Elvish healing might prove valuable to your journey." Her face bore an expression of independence, and fierce determination. With this said, she stepped back and waited for a decision to be made.
The others, somewhat taken by her bold offer, quickly reached a consensus.
"I've heard much about her bravery in battle and believe she would be of some use to this quest," Gandalf spoke. With that, he called the anxious woman back into the circle and told her of the news. "You can bathe here and rest awhile before we leave," he added, looking at her muddy clothes with more than a hinting glare.
"We've no time to waste, we must be off immediately," she spoke, offering no excuse for her dirty appearance. "The sooner we leave, the lesser the chance of an encounter with spies or an attack." She had a presence that, although strong, was feminine in nature. Her haste to leave also affirmed her determined look.
"Very well, we will be off in a few hours with no delay," said Gandolf, who seemed content that the pretty elf would be accompanying them on their travels. Looking around the scattered circle, he saw the same look in the eyes of the young elf prince, whose interest was also piqued with the promise of adventure.