A/N Sorry it took so long to update. Science Fair. Oh, well.

The next morning I was frantic. I ran around the room in my night gown trying to find a suitable dress to approach Elrond in. I knew he disapproved of the leggings and tunic so I went to my "special wardrobe" as I called which were full of dresses for special occasions. I flung out many pretty and elegant dresses but never felt very comfortable wearing them. Finally I found a light pink dress that was simple, but not too simple. I didn't really want to look like other maidens.

I decided to leave my light brown hair down and put on a circlet to make my status known to all. Usually I just left my circlet in my drawers so they can get dusty of old age. I glanced at myself in the mirror then dashed out toward the dining hall. Since I spent such a long time debating about dresses, I had missed breakfast. "I have to remember to apologize about that, too," I thought to myself bitterly. I saw Meryl chatting with another elven maiden and rushed up to them. "Excuse us," I said quickly to the maiden and pulled Meryl with me.

"Have you seen Elrond?" I asked hastily

Meryl just looked at me strangely. Just last night I was trying to avoid him and now I was looking for him! "Aye, he was here for breakfast then he walked out along with many of the guests. Merry and Pippin followed him afterwards," responded Meryl. "He looked pretty angry when he noticed that you weren't here. However, I suggest you wait for a while. I heard he's having a meeting with the guests and the council."

I groaned loudly and received some disapproving glares. I would have to put this off for a while. I walked through the gardens, thinking about what I would say. "Elrond, I'm sorry for last night. No, no. That's not right. Elrond, I'm truly sorry for causing trouble. No. That's not right either," I muttered to myself as I walked in the garden. The birds around me chirped with glee. I cursed them for being so happy and tormenting me. Then I heard Elrond's voice around the bend. I ducked and started to crawl on my knees toward the corner.

There I saw many of the guests from last night sitting in a circle. In front of me, also hiding in the bushes was a young hobbit. At first I thought it was Merry or Pippin but as I crawled closer, I noticed it was a different, pudgier hobbit. I crawled up next to him. He opened his mouth to yell in surprise, but I suppressed him. Gandalf the Grey sat on a chair in front of us. He turned his head slightly then decided to turn his attention back to what Elrond was saying. I did too.

"Each race is bound to this fate, this one doom!" Elrond was saying. He turned his gaze to a young hobbit sitting next to Gandalf. "Bring forth the Ring, Frodo." The hobbit stood up and placed a small gold ring on the center pedestal. Everyone began to whisper. I gazed at the ring in surprise. I had heard stories of the One Ring before as a child but never knew it could be brought so close to my home.

With my elven ears, I heard a man whisper, "So it is true." Suddenly whispers surrounded the room while everyone sat entranced by the Ring. The same man said out loud for everyone to hear, "'Tis a gift. A gift to the foes of Mordor. Why not use this ring? Long has my father, the Steward of Gondor kept the forces of Mordor at bay. By the blood of our people are your lands kept safe." He was walking around looking at every member of the council in the eye as he spoke proudly. "Give Gondor the weapon of the enemy. Let us use it against him!"

Aragorn spoke up sternly. "You can not wield it. None of us can." The man slowly turned around to face him. "The One Ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master!"

"And what would a mere Ranger know of this matter?" sneered the man. I was about to jump up and start yelling at that man who spoke rudely of my dear friend if it had not been for the strange elf from last night's feast.

"This is no mere Ranger. He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You owe him our allegiance," he spoke with no sparkle in his blue eyes like the night before. In my head, I sent him big thank you, despite his behavior before.

The man turned stunned to face Aragorn again. "Aragorn? So this is Isildur's heir?" he asked unbelievably.

"And heir to the throne of Gondor," the elf replied.

"Sit down, Legolas," Aragorn said in Sindarin. I looked at the elf. "He looks kind of cute when he's angry," I thought to myself. Then I shook my head. "Snap out of it, Ally. He was rude last night. Don't turn soft."

The elf named Legolas sat down reluctantly. "Gondor has no king. Gondor needs no king," the man spat angrily as he went back to his seat. I curled my hands into fists ready to pounce on him. The hobbit beside me looked at me strangely and I decided to relax a bit, for if I jumped from my hiding spot, he would be revealed.

The conversation continued. Gandalf spoke, "Aragorn is right. We can not use it."

Elrond stood back up. "Then you have only one choice. The Ring must be destroyed." I looked at the man from Gondor and saw him shake his head in disbelief. Another whisper filled the room.

A chubby little dwarf finally said, "Then what are we waiting for?!" and hit the Ring with an axe. As he did so, he flew back hard. The hobbit in front named Frodo winced and gasped in pain the second the axe fell.

Elrond watched this then said, "The Ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli, son of Glóin by any weapon that we here possess. The Ring was made in the fires of Mount Doom and only there can it be unmade. It must be taken deep into Mordor and cast back into the fiery chasms from whence it came. One of you must do this."

I looked with disbelief at Elrond. He was willing to send people into the Mordor itself to destroy the One Ring.

The man from Gondor spoke up again. I inwardly groaned. I had just about enough of this hot head. "One does not simply walk into Mordor. Its Black Gates are guarded by more than just orcs. There is evil there that does not sleep. The Great Eye is ever watchful. 'Tis a barren wasteland riddled with fire, ash, and dust. The very air you breathe is a poisonous fume. Not with ten thousand men could you do this. It is folly."

Legolas jumped up again. "Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond has said? The Ring must be destroyed!" he shouted as he looked around the circle.

"And I supposed you think you're the one to do it?" shouted Gimli. Legolas turned to face him.

The man of Gordor stood up. "And if we fail, what then?" raising his voice. "What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?

Gimli stood up too. "I will be dead before I see the Ring in the hands of an elf!" At this comment, all the elves jumped up. I almost did too. That short stout dwarf had no right to insult the elf race like that. Then I remembered that I wasn't supposed to be there. Then confusion broke.

"Never trust an elf!" shouted the stupid dwarf. Legolas held back his companions while holding back his own anger.

Gandalf shook his head and stood up. "Do you not understand? Sauron's power grows. None can escape it!"

The little hobbit next to Gandalf looked uncomfortably at the Ring. Suddenly he snapped his head up and said, "I will take it." I looked at the hobbit with astonishment. Never in my wildest dream had I thought of a moment when a race I had never heard of would take up the most dangerous quest of all.

"I will take it!" Frodo shouted and stood up. Some heard him and stopped arguing. "I will take the Ring to Mordor." This time everyone stopped and turned to face the little hobbit. "Though, I do not know the way." I felt the hobbit next to me wince. "He must be Frodo's friend," I thought.

Gandalf walked toward Frodo and said, "I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins, as long as it is yours to bear" and stood behind him.

Aragorn stood up. "By my life or death, I can protect you, I will." He strode toward Frodo. "You have my sword."

Legolas walked up to Frodo and said, "And you have my bow."

Gimli said, "And my axe," and stood beside Legolas.

Legolas looked down uncertainly with mistrust while Gimli looked at him the same way.

The man of Gondor walked up to Frodo also and for a moment, I thought he was going to hurt him. "You carry the fate of us all, little one. If this is indeed the will of the council, then Gondor will see it done."

The little hobbit jumped up from our hiding place and dashed toward the council members. I was caught completely off guard and tried to stay hidden. "Hey! Mr. Frodo is not going anywhere without me."

"No indeed, it is hardly possible to separate you even when he is summoned to a secret council and you are not," Elrond said with a bit of amusement in his voice. I, however, knew that if I had done that, he would be throwing fireballs at me.

"Oy, we're coming too!" a voice shouted from behind. Everyone whirled around and Merry and Pippin skipped into the circle.

"You'll have to send us home tied up in a sack to stop us," said Merry. I was touched by their loyalty to Frodo.

"Anyway, you need someone of intelligence on this sort of mission.quest. thing," finished Pippin.

"Well, that rules you out, Pippin," said Merry. Pippin nodded at first, then realized that it was supposed to be taken as an insult. Try as I might, I couldn't help but let out a giggle. I covered my mouth quickly but Legolas and Gandalf heard me and turned around. I put my fingers to my lips and gave them my puppy-dog eyes. They nodded in understanding and turned back around.

"Nine companions," said Elrond. "So be it. You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring."

"Great. Now, where are we going?" Pippin asked in his adorable voice. I quickly crawled away and ran down the garden path back to the castle where I stood in a fit of laughter, receiving some more disapproving glares.