A/N: This chapter covers Elrond's Council, the clear explanations of Zephyr's travel in Middle Earth… and her mission. Yes, and Cleff confirms the Fellowship.
Chapter 15: Council PredispostionsSunlight touched Cleff's battered and bag-eyed face, still unconscious, lacking sleep from a disaster that happened over night… a disaster she seemed not to remember. She thrashed slowly in her covers, wincing at the bright sunlight glaring at her face, pulling up the pillows without opening in her eyes. Then… out of nowhere, a song started to belch in her ears. Or is it only her imagination?
I
can see it in your eyes, that you despise the same old lines you heard the
night before
And though it's just a line to you, for me it's true and never seemed so right
before…
Cleff winced, and pulled the pillow deeper down her ears. All she can remember is that nasty school party she had last night… and they had the mushy song of Nicole Kidman and Robin William blasting over the speakers all night, causing a nasty, mushy slow dance… She didn't want to wake up or go to school the next day… and looks like her mom left the radio open to wake her up, playing the same nasty song!!!
I practice everyday to find some clever lines to say to make the meaning come true
And then Ill think I'll wait until the evening gets late and Im alone with you
The time is right… your perfume fills my head, the stars get red…
"MUM SHUT THE FRIGGIN SONG UP…" Cleff opened her eyes and saw herself sleeping on a silken bed in a awesome elven room. No radios. No telephone. No television. There is no electricity in Rivendell. Cleff sat up and remembered the nasty song still singing itself in her head… "DAMN IT I WANNA WATCH THE SIMPSONS!!!!"
Cleff just senselessly bounced out of the room and into the elven hallway (A/N: Does everything has to be "elven"? But of course!!! Its RIVENDELL.), and across her, the bright beautiful sunrise surprises her along with the sight of Rivendell. Cleff approached the railing slowly, transfixed by the view, still in her leven PJs… as thoughts of what happened last night rolled into her head…
Okay… I was up late last night… why?!! Oh yeah, Merry and Sam were screaming around looking for trouble… no… THEY found trouble! Oh yeah… damn it, Shea and Frodo falling in love!!! Cleff winced. But somehow, her conscience told her NOTHING NAUGHTY happened last night. Good. So, I fired the magic Slinger™ in time along with Merry and Sam's assaults last night… oh yeah. Nevermind. Shea and Frodo fell unconscious, thank goodness, because some black caped crusader, no I mean, archer, fired Distraction Arrows… Zephyr!!! Cleff shook her head. It was impossible. Zephyr? But she transferred to Iowa two years ago… She may be the best archer and the best bud next to Ash… Ash… please make me forget…I must be dreaming… Zephyr can't be here –
"Oh yes she is."
A voice behind Cleff made her jump, and almost lose balance and plummet down the elven balcony, as another figure, also in elven pajamas (A/N: Where can I buy those?!!) poked her from the back. "Zephyr?" Cleff said grogilly… after all, Cleff was still sleepy. "What are you… no, I must be dreaming… all that happened last night is a dream…and up till now, IAM STILL DREAMING…"
Just then, Zephyr took out a Black-Arrow-Of-Eternal-Pain™ out of nowhere, and flashed it in the air. "Oh! If you must be dreaming," she taunted. "Then I could poke you with this!!!"
Cleff's eyes widened in fear, as Zephyr flashed an evil grin… and then…
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Both started chasing each other in the elven hall, down the elven stairs, and into the garden, creating a racket that could wake the whole Rivendell up. Cleff was about to climb a tree, and Zephyr was about to stick the arrow up Cleff's rear, when some elf opened up a window on a high tower and screamed, "WILL YOU SHUT UP ALL THAT RACKET?!! SOMEONE'S TRYING TO DREAM HERE!!!"
In a span of five minutes, Cleff and Zephyr has neatly composed themselves from all that rotten laughter.
"He was trying to dream? Well, I was trying to wake up here!!!" Cleff mumbled, her words choked with laughter. "Do you think he could still dream if I shoved up this arrow up his butt?!!" The two exploded with laughter, as Cleff was rolling down on rock bottom, while Zephyr was holding her stomach, which was about to explode from air coming in and out.
"Darn, I missed those old times." Zephyr stated, as she and Cleff glowered down, wiping out tears from their eyes. "Yeah, me too." Cleff said in a cheery voice, which Zephyr approved with. "Remember that time when I used to use rubber band to pelt a thumbtack on Mrs. Gaffer's enormous bun?" Cleff recalled. Zephyr shook her head, trying to remember, and then said, "No, I think it hit the Bunsen burner Mr. Zamora left there for the next period, and set all the English Papers on fire." Cleff and Zephyr puffed out into an evil red ball of laughter, as they tried not to wake up any rabid elves.
Zephyr sighed, as the two listened to a tweeting of a foreign bird, perched up on a decent elven tree. "I wish Ash was here, don't you, Cleff?"
Cleff's blue eyes went cold, as her face went pale. She got up to her feet, much to a puzzled Zephyr, Cleff sat down the rock bench, next to her. "Why… what's wrong, Cliffie?" Zephyr asked, trying to comfort her. Cleff sighed and whispered, "I am afraid Ash has chosen another path, that's why she can't join us here in Middle Earth, Zeph." Zephyr looked puzzled even more, her pale, deep, violet eyes clouding. "Why, isn't it that you promise to follow both ways, where ever you go, as you both promised before I left?" she recalled, trying to find sanctuary and answers in Cleff's misty blue eyes.
Cleff sighed and finally said, "Cleff became a Ring Wraith against my will, Zeph." Zephyr's eyes turned even misty upon this terrible news, as she pushed an even amount of dark hair from her eyes. "She, has become one… with the Enemy?" Cleff nodded. Zephyr looked away… and tried to find comfort in the rising sun… "I don't understand…" Cleff stood up.
"All we got is a portal book from this Mithrandir who turned out to be Gandalf, Zephyr." She whispered, as she looked up a tree, then turned back to Zephyr's puzzled face. "More or less, Gandalf promised us to be Cliffhangers… and the story is upon our hands." Zephyr sighed and asked, "Cliffhangers… those who climb Mount Doom, and hang over the fiery side with one finger?" Cleff rolled her eyes and merely laughed. "No," she said with a muffle giggle, "We're those who edge with cliffie's, hang readers over the edge of their cubbies… as much explained… here in Middle Earth we control fate."
Zephyr nodded, finally gaining the concept. "Ah… so you're the ones who hang the readers over the edge of Mount Doom…" Cleff had to pummel Zephyr at the back, laughing. "Stop screwing the concept, Zephie!" Then Cleff's pale face grew serious.
"As for Ash… I don't know what happened… she took a wrong turn and fell into Isengard, thus being influenced by Saruman… and transforming herself into a Wraith…" Zephyr looked back at a battered Cleff with much compassion. "I don't know… she had a friendly approach when she tried to kill me through backstabbing back in Isengard…" Cleff clenched her fist angrily. "Backstab… literally?" Zephyr asked, puzzled. Cleff rolled her eyes and smiled, saying, "She tried to shoot me in the back with an arrow." Zephyr let out a shudder, and "tsked" the moment off.
Both sat on the rock monuments for a while… feeling the wind wash past their bodies… feeling the beautiful warmth and sanctuary that lies in Rivendell… "So tell me of your story Zeph," Cleff asked, looking back at her pale expression. "Of how you came forth into Middle Earth."
Zephyr returned to her a gloomy smile, as seemed to be a cloud hovered over their spot for a while. "I do wish not to tell you of my story," she started, with Cleff looking at her, absorbing her words intently. "But you're the only person who should know…"
My father ought to leave town again… and he's taking the children with him. It was against my will of course… but what are children to meddle with the affairs of adults… I was so depressed on day… I decided to pack again… and wished it was the last time, when I found this old artifact living in our old attic…
"Old attic?" Cleff asked. "You told me in your last letter that your new house didn't have an attic Zephyr…" Zephyr laughed and shook her head. "Remember the lot we had back in our town? Near our school? That's the one with an attic. My dad didn't have to sell the house for six months so we could clear whats left of our mess there, by returning to your town in every three months… the last time I rummaged our old house was back when you and Ash were having that school fair…" Cleff felt rotten, not having to notice that her old friend was coming back to their town, every three months. "You didn't bother to even call…" Cleff whispered. "I didn't want you guys to know I was around… it would hurt so much to see you…"
My father never knew he had a genuine black bow… more like a crossbow, but it is ordinary bow like archers used to have… and upon its side, an evil Morgul code is engraved into it…
"Morgul code…" Cleff said in a gasp. "I never knew…" Zephyr confirmed it. "And I never understood."
I started using this bow into practice… out our lawn, hitting the apple trees… and being chased by the apple owners… hitting and breaking windows more than once… My father was enraged, said that my archery was getting worse. I just tried to forget what was I known for back in Daleman High… and what my old friends used to know me for…
"Wait a minute," Cleff interrupted, suspicious. "How did you find out it was a Morgul code, when you can't even read Morgul?" Zephyr put a finger to her lip and said, "We'll get to that part later."
I decided to return the bow where it really belongs… back in the attic… once we returned to our old town… I crept back to the attic at night… only to find someone standing there before me!!! It was an old man… in white wash robes, threatening me to return the Morgul Arrow to its rightful owner… of all evil that never sleeps…
"Saruman," Cleff hissed under her breath, as Zephyr nodded, without hesitating to continue with her narration.
Of course, I refused to give a genuine arrow to someone whom I cannot trust… But then he unleashed a dark staff and beat me unconscious… pray my hands never did let go of the dark bow… he took me up this tower… and then I realized I have crossed into Middle Earth, Isengard specifically… and forced me to surrender the bow in thou… I was kept imprisoned, after all, the evil wizard said that I was too weak to use the Bow Of Mordor… I spoke of escape… and luckily someone was there to help me… an old wizard who stayed up the tower, imprisoned with me…
"Gandalf?!!" Cleff said in surprise. "Nice guess Cleff…" grinned Zephyr. "But… yeah, you're right." Cleff felt rotten. "Rotten Saruman, imprisoning you, then betraying Gandalf at the same time…" Zephyr sighed and nodded. "Rotten indeed."
I found my way down and out of the tower, with Gandalf's help… he said I could do it because I was smaller… I stole a bunch of different sorts of morgul arrows on my way out… handy, but dangerous. I was halfway across the field outside of Isengard… when my body couldn't bear the bruises of my entrapment, and the evil my bow and my arrows carry… I fell unconscious… Luckily, an elf found his way and saved me… brought me to the elf haven in Mirkwood, detecting me because of the evil weapons I carry…
Cleff seemed to be jumping onto conclusions. "What elf?" Zephyr shrugged and grinned, not about to reveal the important parts of her plot.
He was the Prince Of Mirkwood… and he offered me training to defend myself while I was in Middle Earth… he also promised me that I would find my way home… as soon as we get to Rivendell. He promised to take me to a Council with all the forces of Middle Earth combined… and with the power of elves and wizards… they may send me back home… for the meantime… he indulged me in archery… making me more than what I have become… and, here I am… resting in the sanctuary in Rivendell…
Cleff looked away, the pain of changes swallowing her heart. "You're not going home ahead of us, are you Zephyr?" Zephyr returned her gaze into Cleff's troubled eyes and said, "If I was alone, I would be eager to return home before…" she nodded at Cleff. "The Fellowship is formed…" Then Zephyr sighs, much to Cleff's relief. "But since I found out that my two good friends is torn apart here in Middle Earth, with one a mission to carry along with the rest of us… might as well that I stay and put my training to use."
Cleff greatfully exchanges smiles with Zephyr, when she was filled with gloom again. "I will not be put into the Fellowship, Zephyr. I know I won't. There is enough mischief I created on the way here," she spoke, remembering the screw ups she did with Arwen and Glorfindel, and failing to protect Frodo. "If the Council allows us to build a company of our own… well form a team of two, and maybe your friend elf, to rescue Ash from Isengard." Zephyr snorted and said, "You're a Cliffhanger, Clefe. You'll be needed by the Fellowship. I'll bet, you'll pass the test, whether chosen or not. And I do hope my friend elf could help us… if he doesn't become preoccupied…"
Cleff turns to Zephyr with another puzzled look and said to Zephyr, "Who is your friend elf anyway?" Zephyr was about to laugh severely, when a male voice rang in the clearing, startling the two girls.
"There you are, I thought I lost you again."
Zephyr and Cleff turned to face, a fair faced, handsome (A/N: Who else?!! Darn, Zephyr is sooo lucky.) elf, with long locks of blonde hair falling down his shoulders. Cleff dropped her jaws as if unhinged, and Zephyr had to knock her chin to close her mouth, and clear her throat.
"Sorry if I ran off again, your Highness." Zephyr answered politely. "By the way, this is my friend, the Cliffhanger who came all the way from the Shire, Clefe. Legolas Greenleaf, please meet my good friend Clefe McCraig."
Cleff rolled her eyes at Zephyr's formal greeting and bowed her head to Legolas. "Pleasure to meet you, Legolas." Legolas smiled and looked Cleff from head to toe. "A Cliffhanger! No doubt, they have come to claim the story of this One Ring… my pleasure." Cleff and Zephyr had to gape, as according to custom, Legolas put a hand to his chest and bowed down.
"Excuse me ladies, but I was just here to remind you, that both of you were called for on the Council held by Lord Elrond in the Elven Porch this afternoon. Zephyr," Legolas spoke, as she quickly snapped back into reality. "Yes, your Highness?" Legolas gave her a firm smile and whispered. "Gifted friends you have, just like a special mortal child as you are. We still have enough space to improve your training." Cleff made sure not to leave her jaws unhinged as she smiled nervously back at Legolas, as he left.
Cleff and Zephyr fell back on their seats, back on the rock bench, letting out slow sighs. "What was your plan again, Cleff of asking help from my friend elf to set a separate mission from the Fellowship to rescue a Wraith from Isengard?" Cleff wanted to pummel a rock down on Zephyr's back but answered instead, "Your friend elf, cannot help us with our separate mission, Zeph. He's in the Fellowship."
Zephyr and Cleff let out hearty laughs, realizing that they were up against nothing. "Look at the bright side, " said Zephyr, looking at the fully risen sun. "We've got front row tickets to the Council Of Elrond."
~ ~ ~
"So, is it true?" Cleff asked, hanging her prized pipe from Gandalf over her hands, pouring over the beautiful afternoon scene in Rivendell, smoking pipeweed with her good friend Zephyr, both clad, all in decent elven fashion, hanging by an elven porch. "True to what?" Zephyr sputtered, after blowing off a red smoke ring.
Cleff snorted, and choked a bit, causing a ball of smoke rings to come out of her ears. "That Legolas's room in Mirkwood in all colored pink?" This made both halt to a stop and start laughing.
Zephyr paused, her eyes wet with tears, to ask a simple question. "Oh… by the way… what time is it?" Cleff brought out her watch… but it wasn't working. "Never trust your Rolex watches when in Middle Earth," she muttered hopelessly, as she gazed at the sun. "Past Afternoon Tea, I think."
Zephyr's jaw fell down, causing the pipe to pop out of her mouth. Without any warning, she grabbed Cleff, who choked on another smoke ring, as they both sprinted down the elven hall, looking for directions towards the Elven Porch. "We're late for the Council Of Elrond!!!" Zephyr panted, as they approached an uproar of babbles and talks, making a mark that they were towards the Elven porch. "Oh… Yeah!" Cleff just sputtered, with the Book in hand, as she dropped the pipe in her pocket, and hid with Zephyr behind a pillar.
The Council barely hasn't started, in fact Elrond still wasn't there. But through the ferns and orchids hanging from the pillar, they could see Gandalf and Frodo already positioned across the the High Chair where Elrond is supposed to seat. "What are we doing standing here?" Zephyr suddenly piped up. "We're not some dumb hobbits uninvited then crashing some elven party, c'mon!"
Earning a bit of poise, Zephyr grinned humourously at a suspicious Legolas, who was seated two seats from the right of Gandalf… perfect seats to seat down on. Cleff clasped both her hands, grinned nervously at unfamiliar elves, and beamed at Gandalf who smiled back and offered the seat next to his. Thus, Zephyr and Cleff sat beside each other, with Gandalf and Legolas enclosing him. Cleff caught a glimpse of Frodo… and he seemed worried, as he always has been. Some sort of suspicion, and worry towards her was displayed, when Cleff caught his eye. Nothing the matter anyway…
Then when the whole council has settled down, Elrond came in and started talking in a clear and practical voice which almost startled Zephyr and Cleff. "Greetings, strangers from far away lands, friends of all… you have been summoned here to answer the threat of Mordor…" Elrond's cold, piercing eyes strayed to Frodo and spoke, "Bring forth the Ring, Frodo."
All eyes were on the hobbit, as he nervously stood up, drew the Ring from his cloak, walked towards a rock platform… and hestitantly laid down the Ring. He returned back to his seat, and gave out a deep sigh. Cleff and Zephyr exchanged glances… and both their eyes strayed towards the man named Boromir, the representative from Gondor.
"This is a gift," he spoke. "A gift from the forces of Mordor! Why not use it? Give it to the forces of Mordor, and it would be used to bring good against evil!" And he babbled on a speech about how Gondor kept the peace and so… Cleff had to keep Zephyr from yawning, to prevent some catfight with the rogue royal… to no avail.
Luckily, Strider (to their surprise) was there to stop Boromir from babbling, so that the whole Council wouldn't fall asleep, and wake up the porch in ruins a few hours later, because it collapsed from Rivendell through the tremor of every person's snoring.
"You cannot wield it!" a voice sounded from the other edge of the circle, and much to Cleff's surprise, and Zephyr's amazement, there sat Strider, trying to prove his point, again. "It has no other master, the Ring only answers to Sauron alone." Boromir snorted, and looked toward the Ranger with complete loathing and anger. "And what is a mere Ranger to know about this plight?!" he asked loathingly, putting an accent to the word "mere", which made Zephyr and Cleff go red and the face, about to jump up and lunge for the proud Boromir… Luckily, Zephyr holds Cleff and herself back down, as suddenly Legolas springs up his feet.
"This is no mere Ranger," Legolas stated, glaring at Boromir. "He is Aragorn (gasp!), Son of Arathorn. (gasp) You owe him your allegiance." He stated flatly. "And all your fans!" Zephyr added, hissing under her breath. Cleff let out a small chuckle, but had to pummel her quickly at the back, without anyone noticing. "Havodad, Legolas…" Aragorn whispered under his breath, and Legolas fell back down his seat.
"Aragorn… this is the heir of Isildur…" Boromir loathed at the thought, as he looked disgustingly upon him. "Heir to the throne of Gondor…" he muttered bitterly. "Gondor has no king… Gondor needs no king…" And with that thought, Boromir fell back upon his seat.
"Aragorn is right, the Ring cannnot be wielded," Elrond spoke above the silence that filled the Council. "It should be destroyed." A ringing silence fell upon the crowd, as Cleff's gaze fell upon Gandalf with a hopeless tint. "What are we waiting for?" A gruff voice filled the air, as a brown bearded dwarf stood up, and grabbed his axe. "Let's destroy it!"
He brought the axe down upon the Ring… and alas… invisible thunder shook the air, as Cleff and Zephyr's gaze were quickly wielded from the Ring… and fell upon Frodo, who was clutching his head in a painful manner. The axe… was broken into a million pieces. "You cannot destroy the Ring," Elrond spoke coldly, his piercing look straying upon the brown bearded dwarf. "Gimli, son of Gloin, by any craft, we hence carry here… Only in Mordor can it be unmade, upon the fiery chasm of Mount Doom, where it is created… and one of you must do this."
Horror and silence filled the air, as Cleff gave Zephyr a frantic look, a "Lets-Get-Outta-Here-Before-I-Could-Be-Sent-To-A-Dangerous-Mission" look, when Boromir spoke, hopelesness in his voice… "You cannot simply walk into Mordor… its Black Gates are guarded by more than orcs… the Great Eye is ever watchfull…" He shook his head impossibly. "Not the strength of a thousand men can do that."
"So are you telling me that Frodo and Sam has a strength of a thousand men…" Zephyr hissed loathingly under her breath, as Cleff gave her a big Look and whispered, "Don't tell me you're gonna spoil HERE what happened to the 'Two Towers', are you?!"
Then to Zephyr's shock, Legolas jumped up angrily again, hissing this time, "Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond have said?! The Ring must be destroyed!" Then, a cat fight resumed, as Gimli jumped up and retorted, "And you suppose you're the one to do it!" Then Boromir jumped up and glared, "And if you fail, what are we to do when Sauron takes back what is his?!!"
Gimli shouted the magic words that shouted chaos… "I shall die before I see the Ring in the hands of an elf!!!"
It was an uproar. Zephyr had to defend Legolas, and she cannot hold it much longer as she jumped up screaming at Gimli, "How dare you!!!" with Cleff hanging on her sleeves, trying to control her. Gandalf stood up, and walked towards Elrond who seemed to have lost his mind, as the whole Council was torn in chaos. Luckily, Legolas was able to hold Zephyr, as Cleff fell down her seat… terrified by the horrifying sight of the argument reflected upon the One Ring… when a small voice jarred her awake and tremored the silence.
"I will take it!!!" Cleff looked over, and saw Frodo standing up against the midst, still unheard. "I will take the Ring to Mordor!" he screamed. For a hobbit, he was successful with a small voice to catch the Council's attention. Embarrased, and shocked to see that he was able to gain the Council's attention, (with Cleff unbelievably gaping back at him) he whispered back, "Though… I do not know the way…"
To Zephyr and Cleff's surprise, Gandalf smiled and walked over to Frodo. "I shall help you carry this burden Frodo Baggins," he whispered, placing a hand upon Frodo's shoulder, his face beaming with gratefulness. "As long as the burden is your's to carry…"
"By life, or death," a deep voice piped up from the crowd, as Aragorn, once known as Strider, (now that he has a new name) emerged from the crowd and took Frodo's hand. "I will be here to help you. And I will. You have my sword," he whispered.
"And my bow!" Legolas and Zephyr piped up… after all they were like Master and Apprentice, and one of the greatest archers Cleff has seen, or WILL be seeing.
"And my axe!" Gimli grunted, holding up a new axe… he seemed to have snatched out of nowhere. Legolas and Gimli walked over to Gandalf, Frodo and Aragorn, with Zephyr siding alongside Legolas, leaving Cleff and her jaw, hanging over her seat, all shocked. Boromir emerged, still smug, still loathing and spoke, "If this is the pledge of the Council," he spoke towards Frodo. "Then Gondor will see it done."
"HEY!" another unison of voices emerged out of nowhere, as Shea (still with cuts and bruises from the explotion overnight) emerged from behind Gandalf, startling Elrond, with sam tugging next to Frodo's sleeve. "Mr Frodo's not going anywhere without me!" Sam mustered. "I have vowed love and protection, and Frodo will see it done!" Shea said back, with Cleff's jaw going more unhinged than ever.
"It seems to so hard to separate you three, when he is invited to a secret council and YOU TWO are NOT…" Elrond muttered under his breath, when another smaller figures emerged into the scene and teamed alongside Frodo. "You need people of intelligence to lead you on this quest… mission… thing…" Pippin piped up, the grinned, having nobody to slap him down the head. "Maybe disaster," Cleff mustered, hand smacked upon her forehead, still seated on her chair. Luckily, Zephyr brought down a hand on Pippin's head, doing what is right for him.
"So be it…" Elrond sighed, eyeing the nine… or maybe eleven people assembled in front of him. "Eleven companions… and with a Cliffhanger to go with that," Elrond nodds his head to Cleff's direction, much to her shock. "You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring."
Cleff jumped up to her feet and was about to scramble out of the door, her eyes as wide as flying saucers, with the Fellowship in shock staring back at her. "Great!" Pippin piped up, making Cleff stop to a halt and turn around, crossing her arms. "Where are we going?"
Cleff turned to see Frodo, Zephyr, Sam and Merry give her pleading and puzzled looks, despite that Cleff wanted to run away. "Nowhere," she answered Pippin's question, as the whole Council turned towards the exit, where Cleff is standing.
"The Council has seen it done, " she whispered, all eyes on her. "And you are the Fellowship of the Ring. And I am afraid I just cannot be." And with that, amidst Gandalf and Elrond's disapproving looks, she simply placed a hand upon her breast, and firmly bowed down to the newly formed Fellowship and the Council, then walked away.
"What is she doing…?" a gritted, nervous voice escaped Frodo's lips, feeling totally rejected. "She isn't coming…" Zephyr muttered a gritted voice, answering his question, exchanging puzzled looks with him and the rest of the Fellowship. Except Gandalf and Elrond, who seemed to be extremely displeased with Cleff's behaviour.
"Yes, she isn't going, and therefore, I won't let her get away with this."
A/N: Uh-oh, Cleff doesn't want to join the Fellowship! Is she INSANE? This is a chance of a lifetime!!! Well, Elrond, Gandalf and Zephyr wouldn't let her just walk away with this. After all, a Cliffhanger isn't chosen to just cowardly walk away… See the intense reprimanding in the upcoming chapter… "A Journey Worth Risking".
