Shadow of a Doubt
Chapter Five - Despised Love
by Capella no da
A/N: WOOHOO! Yay for being redone! I hate the way I made Legolas act. *grinds teeth* I had to take it out. Sorry if ya'll liked it but I couldn't stand it.
Note: Some of the dialogue is taken directly from the Fellowship of the Rings. It was too good not to say. Think of this whole series as a tribute. ^_^
___________________________
"For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,
The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely,
The pangs of despised love..."
-- William Shakespeare, "Hamlet"
___________________________
It had been five days since Harry arrived in Middle - Earth, and once again, the Council had gathered to pass judgment.
At the moment, Gandalf was standing in the middle of the circle, speaking quietly of the Tale of the Ring and his adventures. Harry was leaning forward and listening intently.
"So it has been for many lives of men, but the Lords of Minas Tirith still fight on, defying our enemies, keeping the passage of the River from Argonath to the Sea. And now that part of the tale that I shall tell is drawn to its close. For in the days of Isildur the Ruling Ring passed out of all knowledge, and the Three were released from its dominion. But now in this later day there are in peril once more, for to our sorrow the One has been found. Others shall speak of its finding, for in that I played small part."
No sooner had Gandalf finished and sat down then Boromir stood up. "Give me leave, Master Elrond, first to say more of Gondor, for verily from the land of Gondor I am come. And it would be well for all to know what passes there. For few, I deem, know of our deeds, and therefore guess little of their peril, if we should fail at last."
Boromir continued in this vein for a while, speaking of Numenor and his father. One part of what Boromir was saying he spoke loudly, in a different voice than he had been.
"Seek for the Sword that was broken:
In Imladris it dwells;
There shall be counsels 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."
After these bold words, Harry lost the track of the story for a while. He stopped paying attention to the words and barely stopped himself from closing his eyes. He heard a few things when Frodo brought out the Ring. Harry stared at it until Gandalf stepped in front of it. He felt a twinge of anger that faded out in a flash. Going out again, he caught the thread of the tale as Gandalf was speaking:
"Upon this very ring which you have here seen heft aloft, round and unadorned, the letters that Isildur reported may still be read, if one has the strength of will to set the golden thing in a fire for a while. That I have done, and this I have read:
Ash nazg durbatuluk, ash nazg gimbatul, ash nazg
thrakatuluk agh burzum-ishi krimpatul!
Harry shrank into his seat at the wizard's voice. It became menacing, powerful, harsh as stone. A shadow seemed to pass over the high sun, and the porch for a moment grew dark. Harry trembled, and he noticed Legolas stop his ears.
"Never before has any voice dared to utter words of that tongue in Imladris, Gandalf the Grey." There wasn't a tremble in Elrond's proud voice but Harry could sense the fear of everyone in the room. The shadow passed.
"One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring
to bring them all and in the Darkness bind them."
After this, the Council started again of something that Harry didn't know, of a creature called Gollum. Harry watched as Legolas stepped forward, distressed, and spoke of the creature's escape. The words flowed around the room, Legolas's melodious voice taking Harry's attention off of the dark task at hand. Finally the whole Council became immersed into a heated discussion of what to do with the Ring. Harry watched Frodo from the corner of his eyes, watching as the young hobbit shifted in his seat, obviously wanting to say something.
Finally, there was a stifling silence. A bell rang in the distance but still no one spoke. Finally, Frodo stood up and said, with an obvious amount of effort:
"I shall take the Ring, though I do not know the way."
Elrond looked at the tiny hobbit with wise eyes. "It seems to me that this task is appointed for you, Frodo; and that if you do not find a way, no one will. But it is a heavy burden. So heavy that none could lay it on another, as I do no t lay it on you. Take it freely, and I say your choice is right; and though all the mighty elf-friends of old, Hador, and Hurin, and Turin, and Beren himself were assembled together, you seat should be among them."
"But surely not alone, Master?" Sam cried, jumping up from the corner where he had been sitting.
"No!" said Elrond, smiling. "You, at least, shall go with him. It is not possible to separate you from him, even when he is summoned to a secret council and you are not." Sam sat down blushing.
"But, my friends, who else shall accompany Frodo on this task? For not with a hundred men could he penetrate the force of Mordor, but only with a small company. I will choose your companions to go with you, as far as they will. The Company of the Ring shall be Ten, Nine for the Nine Riders and one for the Dark Lord on his throne. Gandalf shall go, as this is a great task and maybe the end of his labors."
Aragorn stepped forward and knelt at Frodo's feet, his eyes boring into the hobbit's. He held out his mighty sword in both hands. "You have my sword," he said slowly, voice full of with loyalty.
"And my bow," said Legolas, placing a hand on Frodo's shoulder and smiling down.
Gimli glanced over at the elf and glared. Not to be outdone, he growled in a deep voice, "And my axe!"
"Don't forget about us!" shouted a small voice from the door. Merry and Pippin rushed in, Pippin tripping over his own feet in a hurry to stand by Frodo's side. "We want to go with Frodo to Mordor."
"That is because you don't understand and cannot imagine what lies ahead."
"Neither does Frodo," said Gandalf. "Nor do any of us see clearly. I think, Elrond, that in this matter it would be well to trust friendship rather than wisdom."
"You speak gravely, but I am in doubt. In any case, I judge that the younger, Pippin, should remain. My heart is against his going."
"Then Master Elrond, you will have to lock me in prison, or send me home tied in a sack," said Pippin. "for otherwise I will follow the Company."
Elrond sighed. "Let it be so, then. Boromir shall also be in the Company. He is a valiant man." Frodo smiled up at the big man, who grinned back down and clapped a hand on Frodo's shoulder. Harry's opinion of Boromir was shifted, and a new respect grew in him. He resolved to make friends with him.
"That leaves one more to fill in the tale of Ten," said Elrond, looking around the room, his eyes resting on Harry, who until that point had been ignored. "It is my belief that the young wizard, Harry Potter, should be sent with the Company." Harry looked tentatively at Boromir, and was relieved to see him offering a slight smile at Harry.
"Harry?" said Gandalf, looking him straight in the eyes. "Will you take the task of accompanying us on this journey and protecting the Ring-bearer as well as you can?"
Harry stood up, sure that all of the great wizards's legs had never shaken quite as bad as his did. "Yes," he said. "I'll help you, Frodo." He felt awkward and out-of-place with all these noble, mystical people. Nonetheless, he walked forward to stand next to Aragorn at Frodo's side.
"Then the tale of Ten is filled," Elrond said softly. "The Company shall leave in a fortnight. We have already tarried too long; winter will be here soon."
______________________
An hour later found Harry walking quietly next to the icy-cold, clear river. Legolas smiled and walked beside him, quietly, unnoticed. Harry turned and started at the sight of Legolas with a muttered "Make more noise next time!" He hoped he didn't sound as distracted as he felt.
Legolas put a hand on Harry's shoulder, forcing him to stop. "Harry," he said softly, but Harry interrupted.
"Legolas, we can't do this!" Harry erupted, shrugging off Legolas's hand. The elf looked hurt.
"I won't hurt you. Even Gandalf has said that I need to tell you how I felt and I did. So why must you push me away?"
Harry threw his hands up into the air. "You know why, Legolas. I told you about Ron already, and you know that I don't want to do this. Please, Legolas. Leave it at that."
Legolas sighed. "As you wish." Without another word he walked away without a backward glance, leaving Harry staring after him thoughtfully and a little sad.
_______________________
"The time is come for the Company to depart for Moria."
Elrond looked impassively around at the ten creatures gathered in front of the road leading away from Rivendell. "Harry has agreed to...Apparate you to the gates, but not beyond." His voice tripped over the strange words. "I wish the company the best of luck."
Without another word, a flash of light came from the end of Harry's wand, and then the Company was no more.
_______________________
A/N: Not much to do on this chapter except fix the whole fight thing -- the rest of it was alright. :)
Chapter Five - Despised Love
by Capella no da
A/N: WOOHOO! Yay for being redone! I hate the way I made Legolas act. *grinds teeth* I had to take it out. Sorry if ya'll liked it but I couldn't stand it.
Note: Some of the dialogue is taken directly from the Fellowship of the Rings. It was too good not to say. Think of this whole series as a tribute. ^_^
___________________________
"For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,
The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely,
The pangs of despised love..."
-- William Shakespeare, "Hamlet"
___________________________
It had been five days since Harry arrived in Middle - Earth, and once again, the Council had gathered to pass judgment.
At the moment, Gandalf was standing in the middle of the circle, speaking quietly of the Tale of the Ring and his adventures. Harry was leaning forward and listening intently.
"So it has been for many lives of men, but the Lords of Minas Tirith still fight on, defying our enemies, keeping the passage of the River from Argonath to the Sea. And now that part of the tale that I shall tell is drawn to its close. For in the days of Isildur the Ruling Ring passed out of all knowledge, and the Three were released from its dominion. But now in this later day there are in peril once more, for to our sorrow the One has been found. Others shall speak of its finding, for in that I played small part."
No sooner had Gandalf finished and sat down then Boromir stood up. "Give me leave, Master Elrond, first to say more of Gondor, for verily from the land of Gondor I am come. And it would be well for all to know what passes there. For few, I deem, know of our deeds, and therefore guess little of their peril, if we should fail at last."
Boromir continued in this vein for a while, speaking of Numenor and his father. One part of what Boromir was saying he spoke loudly, in a different voice than he had been.
"Seek for the Sword that was broken:
In Imladris it dwells;
There shall be counsels 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."
After these bold words, Harry lost the track of the story for a while. He stopped paying attention to the words and barely stopped himself from closing his eyes. He heard a few things when Frodo brought out the Ring. Harry stared at it until Gandalf stepped in front of it. He felt a twinge of anger that faded out in a flash. Going out again, he caught the thread of the tale as Gandalf was speaking:
"Upon this very ring which you have here seen heft aloft, round and unadorned, the letters that Isildur reported may still be read, if one has the strength of will to set the golden thing in a fire for a while. That I have done, and this I have read:
Ash nazg durbatuluk, ash nazg gimbatul, ash nazg
thrakatuluk agh burzum-ishi krimpatul!
Harry shrank into his seat at the wizard's voice. It became menacing, powerful, harsh as stone. A shadow seemed to pass over the high sun, and the porch for a moment grew dark. Harry trembled, and he noticed Legolas stop his ears.
"Never before has any voice dared to utter words of that tongue in Imladris, Gandalf the Grey." There wasn't a tremble in Elrond's proud voice but Harry could sense the fear of everyone in the room. The shadow passed.
"One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring
to bring them all and in the Darkness bind them."
After this, the Council started again of something that Harry didn't know, of a creature called Gollum. Harry watched as Legolas stepped forward, distressed, and spoke of the creature's escape. The words flowed around the room, Legolas's melodious voice taking Harry's attention off of the dark task at hand. Finally the whole Council became immersed into a heated discussion of what to do with the Ring. Harry watched Frodo from the corner of his eyes, watching as the young hobbit shifted in his seat, obviously wanting to say something.
Finally, there was a stifling silence. A bell rang in the distance but still no one spoke. Finally, Frodo stood up and said, with an obvious amount of effort:
"I shall take the Ring, though I do not know the way."
Elrond looked at the tiny hobbit with wise eyes. "It seems to me that this task is appointed for you, Frodo; and that if you do not find a way, no one will. But it is a heavy burden. So heavy that none could lay it on another, as I do no t lay it on you. Take it freely, and I say your choice is right; and though all the mighty elf-friends of old, Hador, and Hurin, and Turin, and Beren himself were assembled together, you seat should be among them."
"But surely not alone, Master?" Sam cried, jumping up from the corner where he had been sitting.
"No!" said Elrond, smiling. "You, at least, shall go with him. It is not possible to separate you from him, even when he is summoned to a secret council and you are not." Sam sat down blushing.
"But, my friends, who else shall accompany Frodo on this task? For not with a hundred men could he penetrate the force of Mordor, but only with a small company. I will choose your companions to go with you, as far as they will. The Company of the Ring shall be Ten, Nine for the Nine Riders and one for the Dark Lord on his throne. Gandalf shall go, as this is a great task and maybe the end of his labors."
Aragorn stepped forward and knelt at Frodo's feet, his eyes boring into the hobbit's. He held out his mighty sword in both hands. "You have my sword," he said slowly, voice full of with loyalty.
"And my bow," said Legolas, placing a hand on Frodo's shoulder and smiling down.
Gimli glanced over at the elf and glared. Not to be outdone, he growled in a deep voice, "And my axe!"
"Don't forget about us!" shouted a small voice from the door. Merry and Pippin rushed in, Pippin tripping over his own feet in a hurry to stand by Frodo's side. "We want to go with Frodo to Mordor."
"That is because you don't understand and cannot imagine what lies ahead."
"Neither does Frodo," said Gandalf. "Nor do any of us see clearly. I think, Elrond, that in this matter it would be well to trust friendship rather than wisdom."
"You speak gravely, but I am in doubt. In any case, I judge that the younger, Pippin, should remain. My heart is against his going."
"Then Master Elrond, you will have to lock me in prison, or send me home tied in a sack," said Pippin. "for otherwise I will follow the Company."
Elrond sighed. "Let it be so, then. Boromir shall also be in the Company. He is a valiant man." Frodo smiled up at the big man, who grinned back down and clapped a hand on Frodo's shoulder. Harry's opinion of Boromir was shifted, and a new respect grew in him. He resolved to make friends with him.
"That leaves one more to fill in the tale of Ten," said Elrond, looking around the room, his eyes resting on Harry, who until that point had been ignored. "It is my belief that the young wizard, Harry Potter, should be sent with the Company." Harry looked tentatively at Boromir, and was relieved to see him offering a slight smile at Harry.
"Harry?" said Gandalf, looking him straight in the eyes. "Will you take the task of accompanying us on this journey and protecting the Ring-bearer as well as you can?"
Harry stood up, sure that all of the great wizards's legs had never shaken quite as bad as his did. "Yes," he said. "I'll help you, Frodo." He felt awkward and out-of-place with all these noble, mystical people. Nonetheless, he walked forward to stand next to Aragorn at Frodo's side.
"Then the tale of Ten is filled," Elrond said softly. "The Company shall leave in a fortnight. We have already tarried too long; winter will be here soon."
______________________
An hour later found Harry walking quietly next to the icy-cold, clear river. Legolas smiled and walked beside him, quietly, unnoticed. Harry turned and started at the sight of Legolas with a muttered "Make more noise next time!" He hoped he didn't sound as distracted as he felt.
Legolas put a hand on Harry's shoulder, forcing him to stop. "Harry," he said softly, but Harry interrupted.
"Legolas, we can't do this!" Harry erupted, shrugging off Legolas's hand. The elf looked hurt.
"I won't hurt you. Even Gandalf has said that I need to tell you how I felt and I did. So why must you push me away?"
Harry threw his hands up into the air. "You know why, Legolas. I told you about Ron already, and you know that I don't want to do this. Please, Legolas. Leave it at that."
Legolas sighed. "As you wish." Without another word he walked away without a backward glance, leaving Harry staring after him thoughtfully and a little sad.
_______________________
"The time is come for the Company to depart for Moria."
Elrond looked impassively around at the ten creatures gathered in front of the road leading away from Rivendell. "Harry has agreed to...Apparate you to the gates, but not beyond." His voice tripped over the strange words. "I wish the company the best of luck."
Without another word, a flash of light came from the end of Harry's wand, and then the Company was no more.
_______________________
A/N: Not much to do on this chapter except fix the whole fight thing -- the rest of it was alright. :)