Summary: Alternate Universe. A legend of five guardians created by Sauron arises in Rivendell. One of the guardians brings her tale and must return to Mordor to do what's needed to be done but to what sacrifice, she doesn't know. Set after the Council of Elrond but before the fellowship leaves to their journey.
Rating: PG now but PG-13 to R in later chapters
Comments: I never get enough comments, good or bad. Review please. It helps to know what sucks and what sucks less. Lol
Author's Note: As of now, none, but later I may have mentions.
Final Note: This is only undergoing a few drafts, so don't freak about errors.
Five of Five: A Guardian's Tale
Chapter 3: Evil Among Them
The Prince of Mirkwood fingered the string that was strung taunt on his bow. Idleness and anticipation for the traveling as one of the chosen companions of the ring had made him restless in a place as quiet and docile as Rivendell. Sitting next to the window allowed some fresh air into his room, but he still felt shut in.
His Elven eyes caught sight of the ranger, Aragorn, talking to Boromir. The two sat opposite of each other on, Aragorn on a log with Boromir on the ground leaning against a tree. Legolas wondered what they were conversing about then to his surprise he saw the dwarf, Gimli, join the two and start talking. The Elf watched for a while then got up setting his bow across his bed. Legolas left his room in strides.
His room rested on one of the lower levels of the House of Elrond so, after a hallway, a door to the outside and a great deal of walking along a path, he soon joined the group that was now comprised of the three he saw before plus the hobbit company that had arrived here with the ranger. Legolas approached and was greeted by Aragorn who offered his seat and stood in front of the group. All eyes including his turned to Aragorn.
"I asked for you to be here because we are the nine of the company that shall take the ring south to its final fate," Aragorn began.
"But Gandalf's not here!" Pippin, the youngest of the hobbits, spoke up. What he said was true. Gandalf was absent from this meeting that Aragorn called, but he decided that proper explanations would be said if patience was given in return.
Aragorn nodded to the young one and continued "Gandalf is discussing a matter with Lord Elrond--the same matter we'll be addressing here." Aragorn turned to Frodo who stood up. Legolas looked at the hobbit curiously. It was not too long ago Frodo was near darkness; now the same being stood here today once again bearing something important to the group.
"About a week ago, I spoke with someone that claimed to be an agent of Sauron," Frodo started choosing his words carefully from what the Elf could tell. "She knew about the ring claiming to sense it on me, and she even seem to read my emotions."
"If this woman is still locked up, why are we bothering with this discussion?" Boromir asked hastily. Legolas noticed Frodo still holding his ground and almost offended by the thought. Aragorn silenced the chain of whispers and objections allowing the hobbit to speak again.
"She said she was one of the five guardians of the ring-- that she was to protect it." Silence fell after Frodo spoke. Legolas had heard stories of possible guardians in songs and war poems, but thought them to be just myths.
Gimli spoke up first "We dwarves have never heard of such mythical creatures. Are they orcs or spirits?" The question fell on anyone who could answer it.
"The one I spoke to was an Elf." Frodo commented. Legolas gazed at Frodo curiously. Elves did not participate in evil of that sort unless they were made into hideous orcs. Aragorn seemed to read his look and kneeled down to Frodo's level.
"Are you sure?" he asked trying not to be offensive. Frodo sighed and faced the group.
"I know what I saw. She had Elven pointed ears, fair blonde hair and skin, dark blue eyes but had a jagged scar over one eye." he replied.
"I saw her too through a window in the cell door!" Merry chimed in adding to Frodo's commentary.
"She also told me something in Elfish," he said and repeated what he could then added, "she didn't seem that bad to me--just emotionless or emotionally drained." Legolas listened to the Elfish Frodo spoke and concluded that it was older than he knew.
"Unless Aragorn knows, I do not know the words you spoke, Frodo. The words may be an ancient form of Elfish used during the War of the Ring." he stated with Aragorn agreeing with him.
"Of course, like the ring's message itself, it's in an old Elfish script not in use today. The message being of course:
'The five guardians of the shadows watching the Ring,
'Nightwalkers of the nighttime sky.
'First of the five carrying a blacken sword is their king
'With two to be the watchers of the towers high
'While the last of the five seeks the ring
'As the borders are watched by another walker's blade.
'Clashing blades shall sound
'As the five are struck down by fellow blades
'While foreign blades are turned away.'
These guardians were not all bad. Their dark power relies heavily on the dark poisons of Mordor." Gandalf said as he walked to the group, who greeted him with looks of curiosity and intrigue. Legolas pondered the poem, now riddle, fascinated by the fact that real guardians were alive at all.
"What are these "guardians?" Are they immortal?" Boromir asked concerned. The Gondorian seem to fear any new power since he heard the ring was to be destroyed and not used.
"The guardians were made from Elves and Men. They were given the blood of orcs and the blood of the Dark Lord. Those that were not immortal became that way gaining the hunting power the orcs and had a connection to the ring." Gandalf stated with wonder in his voice.
"So, that's how she could sense the ring?" Frodo asked placing a hand over the ring under his clothes. Gandalf nodded smiling. The wizard seemed to show no animosity towards the creature that was closer to the Dark Lord than the ringwraighs are. The Elf did not share the same trust. He watched Gandalf examine everyone's faces, including his, and began another tale upon seeing the same distrust on most of their faces.
"Four years before I met Strider, I found the one Frodo spoke to in a ditch face down almost dead. She was close to Lórien, so I took her to the Lady of the Golden Wood, who healed her. Across the guardian's eyes was a fog of darkness that seemed to be fading showing a hint of Elven blue eyes. As she furthered herself away from Mordor, her thoughts cleared and she became as normal as you or me." Gandalf explained. The prince noticed the grave look on the eldest hobbit. His thoughts drifted to a time when he was told about Frodo fading into darkness and how his eyes seem to carry the fog covering him from the light. Legolas eased up from his previous ideas but still did not trust this Elf.
Gimli looked down at the ground stroking his beard. Finally, the dwarf spoke up "Found? Why was she so far away from Mordor to begin with?"
"From what Lord Elrond and I surmised, she's the one sent to seek out the ring and protect it," Gandalf answered.
"Protect it? I thought it could only be destroyed in Mordor?" Pippin asked looking slightly confused. Legolas had to admit; he was just as confused.
"That, my young friend, has confused me also. Maybe she is to protect the person who carries it, but why, I'm not sure."
All eyes turned briefly at the Ringbearer, who just stared at the ground in deep thought. Legolas thought he could predict what Gandalf was to say next. He thought the wizard would tell them that the Elf was to travel with them. For what purpose, he could not guess.
"Upon passing by here, she past through the Golden Wood again and looked into Galadriel's mirror. The message confused her and sent her to seek the wisdom of Elrond. Through talks with him and I as well, we decided she was to go back and destroy the other guardians. It may slow Sauron's forces enough for the Ringbearer to destroy the ring." Gandalf stated not as a question but almost like an order to troops.
"Take an agent of evil with us, and pray for her not to kill us during the night?" Boromir asked in utter disbelief. Gimli nodded in agreement. Legolas didn't jump in just yet. Both his lord and Gandalf advise for this woman to accompany them with the ring. Something in her story had to be creditable.
The hobbits, save Frodo, looked as surprised and as outraged as Boromir. Frodo on the other hand looked like he had conflicting thoughts that he didn't care to share with the group. Legolas saw Aragorn carrying the same puzzled looked and continued to ponder as well. He knew nothing of her history to judge her on that and if indeed she was "created" for this purpose there probably wasn't much she could do while Sauron was alive with the ring on hand.
The last three lines of the poem came to him and started to repeat over and over again. Only another guardian can kill a guardian, he figured. That must be why she has to be the one to kill them. Legolas looked around and saw Boromir speaking to Aragorn, who kept a temperate attitude despite the fact the Gondorian was frantic. The prince saw Frodo sigh and look as if he needed to say something but couldn't catch anyone's eye to speak to him. Legolas finally stood up and tried to silence the bickering and quarreling. All eyes turned to him.
"The guardian has no choice but to venture back to Mordor. According to that poem, only she would be able to stop the others while all other blades would break," Legolas stated and saw a relief in Frodo's eyes.
"Elven logic!" Gimli proclaimed "They're flesh and blood; all we have to do is kill them like they were an orc." Legolas' temper flared as he sent a glare to the dwarf.
"Apparently ignorance is a strong point in dwarves because you have missed all the council that has been--" the Elf was interrupted by a striking loud "Enough." More surprisingly, the yell came from Frodo, who seem to look enraged at the fighting. He no longer seemed the short, timid hobbit that had been brought into Rivendell but a six-foot warrior annoyed with the racket his troops were creating. All noise ceased with even his hobbit group surprised by his outburst.
"This is getting us nowhere. The guardian didn't kill me when I went to visit her though she could have with great ease and stolen the ring. She's earned my trust, and I also trust both the council of Elrond and of Gandalf to know that if she must come along to do what she must do, then so be it." Frodo stated more calmly then his outburst would have suggested. Legolas sat back down feeling slightly ashamed at jumping down the dwarf's throat. He still didn't like or trust the idea of the guardian joining them, but he allowed himself not to be bothered with it knowing it'd only create more problems.
Aragorn smiled and spoke up after a few slow minutes had passed "Well, I guess that's the end of the discussion." Legolas looked at the dwarf and Gondorian, both looking displeased by the fact that such a creature would be traveling with them. He could understand how Boromir felt with his homeland under attack by Sauron's forces and for him to travel with a guardian of that same evil was almost to betray his nation.
Pippin, Merry and Sam kept neutral looks, but he could tell that neither of them felt that this was not a good idea, but they followed Frodo and his advice holding it into heavy consideration. Aragorn and he seem to share the same ideas-- not trusting and not bothered. Everyone began to go their separate ways with Legolas being one of the lasts to leave.
PS I'm a few chapters ahead and plan to go into the Two Towers books and Return of the King. Any suggestions? Thanks and keep reviewing.
PPS This was also a little rushed so, errors may be more noticeable than usual.