For Ilúvatar's sake, Elerian! You didn't need a disclaimer, we only need one! Gods, why won't you listen when I tell you something! Okay, calming down now... thanks to all of our lovely reviewers! We love you all! Even if we don't really know who you are... By the way, I know that the characters may seem out of character, but at least you know that Elerian and I aren't angelic, like some characters (Mary-Sues) in other stories similar to this one. Whee! I get lucky chapter 7!

Chapter 7. The Council of Hand-Puppets

Aragorn and I watched as Legolas and Elerian rolled on the ground laughing. I was already very irritated, and their disbelieving peals of laughter were not helping my temper. Aragorn and I had been talking, about the feast, and we had just apologized to one another for our actions. Then Aragorn kissed me gently, and that's when I heard the giggles. My actions were very justified, plus I hate being spied on. So you could imagine how angry I was when two people I had thought were friends started laughing at me.

That was when I remembered the dagger that I had hidden inside my boot. If there was one thing I had learned from Robin, one of my friends (and a master of anything sharp or pointy), it was how to appropriately wield and hide a dagger. I crouched down and pulled the weapon from my boot, examining it for a second. It was a pretty silver blade, with tengwar letters running up the side, the hilt was silver with a black stone at the head. I twirled it expertly in my fingers and faced my now silent opponents. Elerian knew how dangerous I was with any kind of blade, and her eyes widened immediately. 'We'll stop! We'll stop!' she told me, smiling slightly as I slid the knife back inside my boot.

Aragorn and Legolas looked impressed, and the elf asked, 'Where did you find that blade? Surely it is of elvish make?' I shrugged, 'It was just in one of the drawers on the vanity I found.' I stifled a yawn, it had been a long day, and I was exhausted. Elerian too was yawning, and our escorts noticed our weariness almost instantly, offering their arms to us. 'Come, Aniron, I will escort you back to your chambers,' Aragorn whispered in my ear, his breath tickling the sensitive point. 'I would like that,' I sighed, closing my eyes and resting my head on his shoulder. In no time at all, we were nearing the suite that Elerian and I shared. I watched as Legolas wished her a goodnight, kissing her cheek before she entered her own room. Oh, how sweet I thought sarcastically, if Legolas liked Elerian, why didn't he kiss her properly? Sheesh!

When we reached my door, I remembered that Aragorn spoke Sindarin, so I decided to use some of the little Sindarin I knew to bid him a good night. 'Quel du, Aragorn' I whispered with a smile. 'Quel du, Aniron,' he replied, gently brushing his lips over mine. I smiled wider as he turned away, but looked back at me with a smile. With that I entered my room, changed into a nightgown, and slipped into a contented sleep.

The next morning I awoke, the sun shining radiantly through the window. Muttering a few choice words about sunlight, I threw a robe over my shoulders and trudged to the main room between Elerian and I's room. She was already awake and dressed, seated on a plush couch, reading a large book. 'Good morning!' she said cheerfully, putting down the book and looking at me happily. 'Bite me,' I growled, slouching into one of the chairs and giving her a long lecture on why the world should be plunged into eternal night. After the lecture, I was considerably more awake and cheerful, and Elerian was unfazed by my lecture, having put up with basically the same thing almost every morning for the past fourteen years.

I washed and dressed, this time in a slightly less revealing red silk gown with gold edges. My hair had grown much longer in the past twenty-four hours, and now came down to about my waist. The tight curls I once had were now waves, and were much easier to deal with. Elerian was dressed in a pale yellow silk gown, and her hair had also grown to her waist, but only she and I seemed to notice this change in our appearances. We were becoming more and more like elves every minute!

I came skipping out of the dressing room, singing cheerfully, 'I get to go to the council, I get to go to the council...' Elerian covered her ears and shrieked at me to stop. When I only grew louder, she pressed her hands over her ears and began to sing, 'Lalalalalalalalalalala, I CAN'T HEAR YOU, lalalalalalalala.' It took several bangs on the door and a death threat for us to realize that someone was at the door and wanted us to stop singing and let them in.

Striding over to the door, gingerly stepping over Elerian's outstretched leg, only to trip over one of my shoes. Cursing the shoes, I opened the door, my face the same color as my dress, and let Legolas and Aragorn in. I sat down on the plush couch and began to braid my hair, twisting it into a knot at the back of my head. Aragorn stopped me as I was about to fasten the bun, 'Please,' he said quietly, his hand on mine, 'Keep your hair down.' Elerian was smirking at me, and I swiftly shot her a glare that screamed, 'go jump in a volcano!' She only grinned, until Legolas took her hand, pulling her out of her spot on the couch. It was my turn to look smug as he led her outside, but she only stuck her tongue out at me before she disappeared from my sight.

Aragorn smiled at me, and that was when I recognized his outfit. He was wearing an impressive green tunic with black leggings, or whatever they were called. I had always liked that outfit from the movie, but it was much better in reality (if you could call this reality). 'You look nice,' I commented, standing and walking towards him, my skirts swishing as I walked. 'As do you,' he replied, almost nervously, surveying my outfit with a smile. 'We are going to be late,' he said, offering me his arm and escorting me to the area where the council was to be taking place.

Fifteen minutes later, I was excruciatingly bored. I had forgotten that I had memorized the Council of Elrond, so I was just sitting there, about to nod off, while Elerian was already snoring (yes you do snore!!!!) and leaning her head on my shoulder. I shrugged her off, and then started to mimic the council members with my trusty hand-puppets. I was having the time of my life, pretending that Aragorn (my right hand) was beating Boromir (my left hand) upside the head when I noticed the eerie silence that was definitely not a part of the council. I looked up and every single person in the circle was staring at me in confusion. Elrond was sending me a death glare, which I was getting a lot of these days, so I timidly folded my hands and laid them on my lap, smiling innocently. When the Lord of Rivendell turned away, I rapidly pulled up my hand and mocked him, complete with facial expressions. The entire council burst out laughing, but when Elrond whirled around to glare at me, I had already put up my innocent face, and he turned back to the others in a huff.

When the time came for the fellowship to join each other (the council was based after the movie for some odd reason) Elerian and I were both awake, calmly watching as the nine members gathered together. 'Ah, nine members,' Elrond said, before getting an evil look that frightened me, 'although, I cannot help feeling that here should be two more in your company.' At this Elerian and I looked up in absolute horror/delight. 'What does he think he's doing?' I hissed, 'The PPC is going to pop in any moment and shoot me, I swear to Eru!' Elerian was too busy grinning like mad, as Elrond dragged us up to the fellowship. 'You shall be the fellowship of the ring!' he announced triumphantly, and I groaned, burying my face in my hands. What had we gotten ourselves into?

Author's Note: Hehehe. The authoress would like to point out that she actually has hand-puppets, and that the PPC (Protectors of the Plot Continuum) is actually a story. Read it, it's very funny. I'll tell Elerian to add the Internet address in the next story. Your turn Elerian!!