Boromir walked glumly down the halls, the tolling bells chimed the hour. 10:00. He would be late, being late would mean entering the feast hall last, alnoe, and bringing all the attention on him. He sighed, unwanted attention. The sound of whirling skirts caught his attention and he looked over his shoulder to see an elf running down the hallway. He caught her arm just as she scooted by almost tripping her. She turned around frantically.
"Who are- WAIT! You're tur-" She remembered her promise to be good and clamped her mouth shut.
"I'm Boromir, son of Denethor, high steward of Gondor." He looked closer. She seemed familar, golden hair, the colour of cornsilk twisted tightly into a roll at the back of her head, soft wisps framing her face, enormous blue eyes feathered with thick dark lashes, a soft expressive mouth, fine features. He frowned, trying to think. "You remind me of somebody..." He trailed of thoughtfully.
"Do I? I really must hurry, I'm going to be late for the banquet and I can't be." She started off again, but he caught her arm, spinning her around to face him.
"Why do you keep doing that?" She asked, her voice raising as she rubbed her wrist.
"I'm sorry, Lady, but I must ask you, will you accompany me to the feast? I'm on my way as well."
Lika sighed. "Of course, but come on, please!" She felt like screaming at him to start moving but tugged on his arm gently instead. "We really have to hurry."
~~**~~
Likara and Boromir got to the huge doors, Boromir swung them open while Likara fiddled with her dress, and then walked stiffly down the stairs, her arm held in Boromir's. The whole room looked at them, the ruggedly handsome man and the astonishing beautiful girl. Boromir smiled and walked down, Likara's face tight, as she tried her best not to trip, or fall down the immense stair case. Legolas grinned at her and winked. Only he could see, and perhaps Elrond too, that behind her smile was a dark grimance and the urge to strangle something.
Finally getting to the bottom of the stairs she glided over to her brother, smiling and nodding poitely to her onlookers and sat down next to him. "I can't belive this!" She hissed in his ear.
Legolas nodded. "You're doing good okay? Why don't you call our Hobbits over here, and look!" He geustured with his spoon. "There's Frodo and another one next to him." Seeing Frodo, Lika was promptly reduced to hysterical giggles which she promptly hid with her laced napkin. She geustured for Pippen to come sit by her, and he did, soon followed by Merry. Likara hugged Pip quickly and then started to pay attention to the conversation flying around.
"The Ring must be dystroyed."
"It belongs to Gondor, use it to fight!"
"I knows no master but Suron! It must be dystroyed."
"And who will do it?"
"This IS the One Ring to rule them all!"
The voices melded into a singly monotonous drone, and Lika looked around frantically. (The One Ring cannot be found? This cannot be happening, not to me, not to US!) She looked at her brother, who was eating and talking to Merry and Frodo who had now edged a bit closer.
"Ringbearer." Frodo looked at Gandalf and nodded. "I am, but I don't feel like such a brave hero."
Lika's mouth fell, FRODO was the ringbearer? She looked at him closer, his drawn face fixed in a thoughtful, almost sorrowful look, and his eyes a turmoil of terror, bravery, utter sadness. (How could I have missed it?) His eyes were beautiful, she felt drawn to him, but a clinking of glasses brought her attention to Elrond who was quickly brining the room to silence.
"The rumours you have heard are true, the One Ring has been found. It is here, among us even as we speak." He paused for the gasps as each person looked accusingly at one another. Elrond cleared his throat again and continued.
"The time has come, and the last battle between good and evil will soon be at hand. We MUST choose between a fate of destruction of all things beautiful and right, or between evil and death. It is a choice which we all know the answer, but who will do it, how will it be done?" The clamour arose and the clock chimed Twelve. Elrond stood up, Glorfindel on his right and Arwen on his left rising a second after. "A council will be held tomorrow at the tolling of the bells. All who wish to be a part of our destiny will be there. Precisely at One o clock. I bid you all a fair good night."
The hall rose, bowing as he left the room, and one by one, it emptied, leaving only Likara, her bother, Gandalf, and the Ringbearer.
Likara walked towards him, and his flushed deeply, but she laid a hand on his shoulder. "I must apolgize Frodo, I admitt that my mouth runs away from me sometimes, but what I said to you before was uncalled for. Are you the Ringbearer, Mr. Frodo?"
The Hobbit nodded and Gandalf closed his eyes. "Perhaps, the journey for you is almost done. You have brought the ring this far, maybe that is enough.
Legolas nodded. "Rivendell is strong, they have powerful allies-" Gandalf touched a bruise on his temple and for the first time, Likara noticed that her old friend was walking with a limp, and even stranger, without his staff.
"Mithrandir, what's the matter? You are-" Gandalf cut her off. "Isengard has betrayed us, we can no longer count on Sarumon to hold our back."
The expression of shock showed through both elves faces and Frodo watched them, almost surprised. The names Sarumon and Isengard meant nothing to him, but the identical expressions on their already similar faces was astounding. They bent their head in whispers, hushed murmers and Likara's face dropped and then flared with hurt. She spun on her heel, facing the Wizard and Hobbit.
"I'm sorry, but we must leave, there is an important matter that I must attend to." Both left without a further word.
"Who are- WAIT! You're tur-" She remembered her promise to be good and clamped her mouth shut.
"I'm Boromir, son of Denethor, high steward of Gondor." He looked closer. She seemed familar, golden hair, the colour of cornsilk twisted tightly into a roll at the back of her head, soft wisps framing her face, enormous blue eyes feathered with thick dark lashes, a soft expressive mouth, fine features. He frowned, trying to think. "You remind me of somebody..." He trailed of thoughtfully.
"Do I? I really must hurry, I'm going to be late for the banquet and I can't be." She started off again, but he caught her arm, spinning her around to face him.
"Why do you keep doing that?" She asked, her voice raising as she rubbed her wrist.
"I'm sorry, Lady, but I must ask you, will you accompany me to the feast? I'm on my way as well."
Lika sighed. "Of course, but come on, please!" She felt like screaming at him to start moving but tugged on his arm gently instead. "We really have to hurry."
~~**~~
Likara and Boromir got to the huge doors, Boromir swung them open while Likara fiddled with her dress, and then walked stiffly down the stairs, her arm held in Boromir's. The whole room looked at them, the ruggedly handsome man and the astonishing beautiful girl. Boromir smiled and walked down, Likara's face tight, as she tried her best not to trip, or fall down the immense stair case. Legolas grinned at her and winked. Only he could see, and perhaps Elrond too, that behind her smile was a dark grimance and the urge to strangle something.
Finally getting to the bottom of the stairs she glided over to her brother, smiling and nodding poitely to her onlookers and sat down next to him. "I can't belive this!" She hissed in his ear.
Legolas nodded. "You're doing good okay? Why don't you call our Hobbits over here, and look!" He geustured with his spoon. "There's Frodo and another one next to him." Seeing Frodo, Lika was promptly reduced to hysterical giggles which she promptly hid with her laced napkin. She geustured for Pippen to come sit by her, and he did, soon followed by Merry. Likara hugged Pip quickly and then started to pay attention to the conversation flying around.
"The Ring must be dystroyed."
"It belongs to Gondor, use it to fight!"
"I knows no master but Suron! It must be dystroyed."
"And who will do it?"
"This IS the One Ring to rule them all!"
The voices melded into a singly monotonous drone, and Lika looked around frantically. (The One Ring cannot be found? This cannot be happening, not to me, not to US!) She looked at her brother, who was eating and talking to Merry and Frodo who had now edged a bit closer.
"Ringbearer." Frodo looked at Gandalf and nodded. "I am, but I don't feel like such a brave hero."
Lika's mouth fell, FRODO was the ringbearer? She looked at him closer, his drawn face fixed in a thoughtful, almost sorrowful look, and his eyes a turmoil of terror, bravery, utter sadness. (How could I have missed it?) His eyes were beautiful, she felt drawn to him, but a clinking of glasses brought her attention to Elrond who was quickly brining the room to silence.
"The rumours you have heard are true, the One Ring has been found. It is here, among us even as we speak." He paused for the gasps as each person looked accusingly at one another. Elrond cleared his throat again and continued.
"The time has come, and the last battle between good and evil will soon be at hand. We MUST choose between a fate of destruction of all things beautiful and right, or between evil and death. It is a choice which we all know the answer, but who will do it, how will it be done?" The clamour arose and the clock chimed Twelve. Elrond stood up, Glorfindel on his right and Arwen on his left rising a second after. "A council will be held tomorrow at the tolling of the bells. All who wish to be a part of our destiny will be there. Precisely at One o clock. I bid you all a fair good night."
The hall rose, bowing as he left the room, and one by one, it emptied, leaving only Likara, her bother, Gandalf, and the Ringbearer.
Likara walked towards him, and his flushed deeply, but she laid a hand on his shoulder. "I must apolgize Frodo, I admitt that my mouth runs away from me sometimes, but what I said to you before was uncalled for. Are you the Ringbearer, Mr. Frodo?"
The Hobbit nodded and Gandalf closed his eyes. "Perhaps, the journey for you is almost done. You have brought the ring this far, maybe that is enough.
Legolas nodded. "Rivendell is strong, they have powerful allies-" Gandalf touched a bruise on his temple and for the first time, Likara noticed that her old friend was walking with a limp, and even stranger, without his staff.
"Mithrandir, what's the matter? You are-" Gandalf cut her off. "Isengard has betrayed us, we can no longer count on Sarumon to hold our back."
The expression of shock showed through both elves faces and Frodo watched them, almost surprised. The names Sarumon and Isengard meant nothing to him, but the identical expressions on their already similar faces was astounding. They bent their head in whispers, hushed murmers and Likara's face dropped and then flared with hurt. She spun on her heel, facing the Wizard and Hobbit.
"I'm sorry, but we must leave, there is an important matter that I must attend to." Both left without a further word.
