The feast was fantastic. I sat between two very enjoyable elves, and spent the time eating the most wonderful food I had ever had and listening to songs and stories mixed with recent news. When Lord Elrond and Lady Arwen got up and left the hall, we followed.

The Hall of Fire was hushed as elves sang songs of deeds done and times to come, and I was persuaded by the elves I sat beside to sing. I sang Amazing Grace and some other song the elves had never heard and were equally pleased with. After my third song, however, I managed to slip out and enjoy the silence of the rest of the city.

I found Gandalf sitting on a balcony blowing smoke shapes. Before I had a chance to say anything, he spoke.

"Rachael! I was worried about what might have slipped out if you had remained with Frodo."

"So I am, what is it? Raya Palantira. What does that mean?"

"Palantira is devised from palantirí, the seeing stones of old. But no doubt you knew that. Palantir is 'that which sees far'. There for, Palantira is 'she who sees far."

"But my eyes are not even as good as a Ranger's."

"The name does not refer to sight, literally"

"Oh." I sat silent for a minute. "Why me?" I asked.

Gandalf took a break form his smoke-rings and turned to look at me. "That you shall know, when the time comes."

"And I have to go with the fellowship?" There was a thoughtful pause.

"That is up to you. I cannot force you to do anything. You would be an asset to the journey, knowing the things you do. But you must leave your identity behind. You must become Raya Palantira, child of Middle Earth and servant to it's people. You will probably never return to your own land, even if you forsake the company now. Those are your choices. The council meets tomorrow, as you know. Your decision cannot wait longer than that." He went back to blowing smoke-rings, and it seemed that I was dismissed.

But I had one more question.

"What is Ní Elessyar?" I asked. If he heard me, he made no sign. I hung around a little longer but he didn't so much as look at me, so I went back to the room I had been staying in since the unfortunate event at my arrival, and spent a sleepless night listening to the music and laughter from the Hall of Fire.

Around dawn, I finally dropped off, but it seemed like I had just closed my eyes when I woke up to soft singing. At first I thought that the feast was still going on, but I realized that the sound came from close by my bed. My eyes flew open. By the window stood an elf, dark-haired and handsome (as most elves are). As I opened my eyes, he turned and stopped singing. I was tempted to shut my eyes again and pretend to sleep so I could hear more of the song, but I was caught.

"Good morning, Lady Palantira, I trust you enjoyed the feast and slept well?"

I smiled sleepily and nodded, trying to stifle a yawn.

"Master Gandalf sent me to tell you to go to the great hall of last night. There will you find the council.

"Oh. Thank you.?"

"Lindir," he said, bowing. "Master Gandalf bade me ask that you hurry."

When I first arrived in the hall, I thought it was empty. But a closer inspection showed groups of one, two, and three people talking in lowered voices I had taken to be the wind through the opened door. There was one person in particular who caught my eye.

His green and brown cloak and pointed ear showed him to be an elf, and his bearing reminded me of a prince. His long blonde hair was in a plait in the back, and his face was turned away from me. He was alone. I walked over and sat next to him.

"Legolas Greenleaf, I presume?"

He looked up as if interrupted from deep thought. He was, of course, very handsome.

"Indeed. And who are you who speak the Elven toungue and are adorned in Elven garments, yet are of the race of Men? And how do you know me?"

"I am Raya Palantira," I bowed. "I-" I paused, partially regretting my decision to approach him. "I have heard of your father's kingdom in Mirkwood."

"Ah yes, the stranger from across the sea." He looked me up and down. "I expected someone a bit more. substantial. A warrior, a bowman, or a prince, or princess, I suppose. But unless my sight fails me, you are none of these."

The comment was not meant as an insult, and I laughed.

"Your sight is as good as any, noble elf. I am just a human. A young human at that."

There was a bell, not the harsh ringing of a school bell, but soft and musical, and Legolas looked up. People were slowly filtering out of the hall.

"We should go. Follow my lead."

We exited the hall and came to a large veranda outside, the only access to which seemed to be the door we had just gone through. Several Elves stood and guarded the door, and the rest (about a dozen of them, Men, Dwarves, and Elves) sat in a large circle of chairs, with Elrond in a large seat in front. He introduced some of them, Frodo, Gimli and Glóin (At your service!), Erestor, chief councillor of the House of Elrond, Legolas, and a man named Boromir. Then he turned to me.

"Gandalf, I need your assistance introducing this girl."

Gandalf stood from his chair next to Frodo and came to where I sat next to Legolas.

"Stand up, Raya."

Everybody looked at me. I stood up.

"Who are you, Raya? The truth."

"I am Raya Palantira, child of Middle-Earth and servant to its people." There was some mumbling. Obviously that wasn't specific enough.

But Gandalf smiled.

"And who were you last night, before the feast?"

I looked at him.

"I was Rachael Shapiro, a human from the continent of North America."

At this, the entire room began to rumble. Frankly, I wasn't surprised that no one had heard of North America.

"And where is this 'North America'?"

I wasn't sure what to say. Was it in the future? Was it now, but somewhere else? Or was my current position not even on the same planet? None of these thinks seemed plausible. I decided on a mix. "North America is in the future, far away from here."

Many of the people in the room jumped to their feet. Especially a few men, who clearly didn't believe me, and the dwarves, who seemed to be looking for an argument. Most of the Elves, and one man, however seemed to find my explanation quite possible, and even likely.

"Well explained, Raya." said Gandalf.

"Outrageous!" cried a dwarf.

"I don't believe it!" said one man loudly.

"I assure you, good people, this is the truth," replied Gandalf calmly.

The man turned to him angrily.

"And who is this old man who seems to think he knows so much?"

Elrond stood from his carved chair.

"Enough! I will not have Gandalf or this girl called a liar!"

I was surprised by the change in attitude that had come over Elrond. From flinging me into a wall and knocking me out to defending my honour. I wonder what Gandalf told him?

"Boromir, sit down or leave at once. You know nothing of the matters of Elves."

But Boromir wasn't listening.

"Gandalf? Mithrandir? Lathspell, bringer of ill news, we call you. This must be grave indeed."

At a look from Elrond, he spoke again.

"I apologize, Master Gandalf. I didn't know any better. Forgive me."

"Forgiven, Boromir son of the Lord Denethor. It is a hard tale for any to believe. But it is true. Now, let us hear what the rest of you are here for."

Of course, I knew what they had to tell. Glóin spoke of Balin's disappearance at the mines, and of the visit of the messenger of Mordor to Dain, King Under the Mountain.

"What shall we do with the Ring?" asked Elrond. "That is the doom we must deem. That is the purpose for which you are called hither. Called, I say, though I have not called you to me, strangers from different lands. You have come and here met, in this very nick of time, by chance as it may seem. Yet it is not so. Believe rather that it is so ordered that we, who sit here, must now find council for the peril of the world. Now, therefore, things shall be openly spoken that have been hidden from all but a few until this day. And first, so that all may understand what is the peril, the Tale of the Ring shall be told from the beginning even to this present. And I will begin that tale, though others shall end it."

And everybody sat and listened as Elrond told of the forging of the Ring by Sauron the Deceiver in the Mountain of Fire at the (beginning?) of the (First Age?). He told how it had been cut from the hand of the Dark Lord by Isildur with his father Elendil's broken sword, Narsil, in the days of the Last Alliance of Elves and Men. He talked about how he had been the Herald of Gil-Galad and seen the Ring fall, and how he had told Isildur to destroy the Ring, and was refused, to the destruction of many.After that came the death of Isildur and the long wait for a new master.

Then Boromir stood up. Strong and brave he seemed, living only for the good of his people. He asked for the advice of Elrond on the troubled dreams his brother and himself. "In that dream," he said, "I thought the eastern sky grew dark and there was a growing thunder, but in the West a pale light lingered, and out of it I heard a voice, remote but clear, crying:

"Seek for the sword that was broken:

In Imladris it dwells;

There shall be councils taken

Stronger than Morgul spells.

There shall be shown a token

That Doom is near at hand,

For Isildur's Bane shall waken,

And the Halfling forth shall stand."

He told how they had not understood the words but that their father, the Lord Denethor, Steward of Minas Tirith, sent one them to Imladris, Rivendell, of Elrond Half-Elven. He took the quest, though his father would have sent his brother, and had travelled for many days before finally arriving.

"And here in the house of Elrond, more shall be made clear to you," said a man, standing up and throwing a sword, broken in two pieces, on the table.

I gasped. This had to Aragorn, heir of Isildur and therefore heir to the throne of Gondor!

"Here is the sword that was broken!" I looked more closely, realizing as I had not before, the weather-worn cloak and noble bearing. I watched them talk without hearing. Here were two men of noble blood, but destined for a long quest, but only one would return home. Unless there was something I could do about it.

My thoughts were interrupted by Elrond.

"Behold Isildur's Bane!" he said. I realized that Frodo had taken out the Ring and was looking around uncertainly. His eyes met mine across the circle and I tried to give him an encouraging smile. Aragorn were talking again, more heatedly, and suddenly Bilbo stood up and recited a poem that he had written for the Dunandan long ago.

Aragorn smiled, and looked back at Boromir. "Now the world is changing once again. A new hour comes. Isildur's Bane is found. Battle is at hand. The sword shall be re-forged. I will come to Minas Tirith."

And the tale continued with Bilbo's adventure with Gollum, including (of course) the finding of the Ring, and ending with the party. At that point Frodo stood up and everything from his leaving Bag End to the Battle of the Ford of Bruinen (if it could be called a battle) was heard, scrutinized, and dissected. Lastly, Gandalf rose. He told much of the missing history of the Ring, as well as the hunting and the story of Gollum. Soon all were without a doubt that this was the One Ring. The talk turned to Gollum.

"What became of him? To what doom did you put him?" asked Boromir. Aragorn told how he had been sent to Thranduil in Mirkwood to be put on prison.

Legolas jumped from the chair at my side.

"Alas! Alas!" he cried. "The tiding I was sent to bring must now be told. They are not good, but only here have I learned they may seem to this company. Smeagol, who is now called Gollum, has escaped." Now there was much more to be discussed.

After much debate, Gandalf decided nothing could be done about this until later. So he went on and told a detailed account of the betrayal of Saruman, his stay at Orthanc, and finally of his rescue. He continued with his late arrival at Bree, his meeting with Barliman, and his departure to Rivendell.

Then a great decision was made: the Ring must be destroyed. But who would go? We all sat in silence, and I think that I was not alone in knowing who they would be.

Frodo spoke.

"I will take the Ring," he said, "though I know not the way."

Elrond told him that it was his own choice, and no one else's.

Then Sam, as if out of nowhere (even I had forgotten him), jumped up. " But you won't send him off alone, surely Master?"

Elrond turned to him, smiling. "No, indeed! You at least shall go with him. It is hardly possible to separate you from him, even when he is summoned to a secret council and you are not."

Sam sat back down, flushed and muttering.