Airesiwe awoke shivering and cold. At first she forgot where she was and had little memory of what happened last night. Finally, she realize that she was in her own room, though it did not seem like it. Darkness crept into Rivendell, and the cheer and sunshine that it once had, was lost. The waterfalls were gray and the birds lost their song. In fact, it seemed to Airesiwe that there were no birds, not even people. She walked out of her room and searched for someone, anyone. But no one responded. The lights were out, the rooms were empty, and for the first time in a long time, Airesiwe was alone.

Alone.

She walked on for awhile, with a little hope left in her that someone was around to explain this mess. Leaves blew round her feet, and the wind whistled a song of sorrow. Finally, she found someone. But it was not what she expected. This stranger was similar to the one she fought on the way to Rivendell with Frodo. Except this time, there was no black horse to accompany it. The shadow turned around, faceless, and pointed in the direction of the fountain. Not knowing what else to do, Airesiwe crept towards the gray fountain. She looked into it, and saw her reflection, though it did not look the same. She looked downhearted, as tears streamed down her face. She had many arrows in a small pouch, along with several daggers and swords hanging from her belt. Just then, in the reflection, a small, dark-hair hobbit appeared by her side.

"Airesiwe," the hobbit said, "Who are you, really?" The rest of the speech became a blur, along with the image itself. Airesiwe turned around and saw the faceless shadow behind her. It quickly drew a sword, and before Airesiwe could defend herself the creature swung the sword and it thrashed against her throat.

Airesiwe choked, blood spilling from her neck. Her sight of the creature lifted as she fell back into the pool. Darkness took Airesiwe's mind as she desperately tried to gasp for breath. A watery haze came to Airesiwe. All she could think about was 'Air, I need more air.' But only water mixed with blood came to Airesiwe's mouth. Seeing it was no use, she slowly exhaled the remaining air in her. She closed her eyes and dreamed of a better place. Her heartbeat slowed, then came to a stop. And she heard and saw no more.

"Airesiwe? I...think...coming...come." Someone in the distance said.

"Uhh...wa?" Airesiwe opened her eyes and saw Arwen, Elrond, Frodo, Gandalf, and many other elves surrounding her. "Where am I," Airesiwe said softly.

"Oh thank goodness!" Arwen shouted. "We thought you were dead."

"I heard a splash, and came running as soon as I could," an elf said, "You must have fallen into the fountain."

"Fallen?" Airesiwe searched for the cut on her neck, but all she found was bare skin. "Are you sure?"

"I wouldn't deny it."

"You must have sleep-walked," Arwen said.

"I had a dream-," Airesiwe began, only to be interrupted by Gandalf and many other elves.

"Sleep-walked?"

"Impossible."

"It must have been a really strong dream.." Airesiwe barely listened. She looked around; Rivendell was filled with sunlight, the birds were chirping away, and there was much commotion, like always.

"Just a dream." Airesiwe sighed. "Just a dream."

"Anyhow, she is fine now," Gandalf started. "No use arguing over something that has past. You are going to the council, right Airesiwe?"

"Council?"

"Have you not heard?" Gandalf was quite surprised by this news. "The council of Elrond, you have been invited. People far and wide had already arrived. We must discuss something very important." Gandalf helped Airesiwe up and pulled her over to an open area. "The ring, you do know about it?"

"No.I'm afraid not."

"Ugh...Airesiwe are you blind to the world around you? You do remember the rings of power Sauron the deceiver gave?" Gandalf's voice got low. "The one you had Airesiwe?"

It was all clear now. Airesiwe, when she was quite young, found a ring in the city of Gondor. She was taken there for initiation, as to be a "Friend of the South." She received four other names as well. Her presence was confirmed by this simple phrase: Warrior of the West, Princess of the East, Spy of the North and Friend of the South. Anyhow, she found a ring in Gondor, and thinking nothing of it, kept it. When the elves returned to Rivendell, she put in on, but only for show. She saw the Great Eye and feared the ring for many years. Finally, she got rid of the ring by dropping it in a lake, not far from Rivendell. The ring was never heard of again until it was found in Bilbo's keeping. She never saw the Eye again either until last night.

"Someone must have found it," Airesiwe whispered. "It's here in Rivendell, isn't it?"

"Yes," Gandalf uttered, "Which is why we need you to attend the council. We must decide what to do with this new power, and you will help us decide." With that Gandalf left and followed the other elves to the place where the council would be held.

The council was held outside. The sunlight was welcoming to the strangers that came: men, dwarves, and other elves from distant lands. There were many chairs that surrounded a large rock; smooth on the surface and about four feet tall. Airesiwe was about to sit down on one of the chairs when a familiar face met hers.

"Legolas!" Airesiwe ran to catch up with him and embraced him in a large hug. "And to think we'd meet again in the very mists of Rivendell!" Airesiwe was over-joyed to see her brother, or at least what was supposed to be her brother.

"Airesiwe, you are not part of the council? Are you?" Legolas said with great confusion.

"Yes, why, do you think I am not worthy of participation in council's held at my own home?" Airesiwe laughed for the first time in days. "Surely you are not part of this council!"

Legolas laughed back, "Hard to believe, but true."

Elrond's voice could be heard above the company. "Attention, the council is about to start."

Sitting next to Legolas, Airesiwe took a seat in a section that consisted of elves. She looked around at the people that were attending. There were two men, one that was Aragorn. He smiled at her and waved, and she responded back with the same smile. She no longer hated him. To the left, as well as across from the place she was sitting were some dwarves. Amazed, Airesiwe stared at them. She had rarely seen a dwarf before, but there appearance hadn't changed. They had long, braided beards, and were slightly taller than hobbits. They were wearing heavy armor and had axes and arrows by their side. The axes made Airesiwe worry a bit, but finally decide to keep looking. There were elves from the woods of Mirkwood, as well as other places that were unknown to her. Finally, there was Frodo and Gandalf to the right of her. They were sitting next to each other, and Gandalf seemed to be talking to Frodo. 'Frodo? Why is Frodo here?' Airesiwe thought to herself, but soon lost the thought when Elrond began to speak.

"Friends from distant lands, you have been called forth to Rivendell to discuss the fate of the one ring."

Mumbling spread across the council, when finally Elrond spoke again. "Frodo, bring forth, the ring." All eyes turned towards the hobbit's direction, as Frodo seemed to coward in his chair. Airesiwe's eyes were wide with surprise as she watched Frodo walked slowly towards the stone and place it on the surface. He walked back to his seat and smiled, as if taking off a heavy load. More mumbling occurred, mostly of awe and shock, but finally the man other than Aragorn rose.

"So... this is... the one ring." The man trailed off as if it too much astonishment had caused his body to act different. "Such a little thing, yet so much power revolves around it." He walked towards the ring, hand outstretched, when suddenly shouting arose. It took awhile for Airesiwe to realize that the shouting was coming from Gandalf.

"Boromir!" Gandalf boomed. "Do not take this ring as if it is to be used with cunning power. This is indeed the one ring, as not be used in the hands of men."

Boromir was taken aback by this statement, but did not show fear.

"Oh! And I suppose that you think that you can take this ring for yourself! That you can rule the world and turn us all away!"

Gandalf's eyes flickered with anger, but said nothing.

Elrond sat up. "It is quite obvious that we here cannot posses this ring, so we have only one choice. The ring of power must go back to the fires of Mount Doom, the one and only place in Middle Earth, where it can be destroyed."

There was silence after the statement. Knowing that someone must do this, the council remained silent, fearing that they would be picked. Airesiwe, however, did not look at it that way. She stared at the ring for a long time and drained out everything else. The ring seemed to talk to her, with an unknown speech. Suddenly, her world started to spin, and the ring hypnotized her. She stared hard into it, until all of a sudden, something came in contact with the ring and the Eye of Sauron could be seen. Her world started to come back, and voices could be heard again. She snapped out of the trance and looked around. A dwarf lay on the floor.

"It, it didn't break," the dwarf stuttered.

"We cannot destroy it here, only in Mordor!"

"And I suppose you think you can do it!"

"Time is short, we must take it now."

"Who will take it?"

"What if Sauron finds us, what then?"

Voices arose and a massive argument started. Airesiwe was going to join them, but the ring spoke again. She tried hard to snap out of the trance once more, but it didn't work. The ring took her. Without thinking, Airesiwe stood up and spoke.

"I'll ta-."

"I will take it!"

Airesiwe was alarmed. A small voice in the crowd spoke up, but it wasn't her. She looked around in the council while everyone was arguing and finally came upon Frodo.

"I will take it!" The hobbit said once more, only this time louder. The council silenced and stared at the young hobbit. The hobbit seemed smaller, and felt smaller. "Though, I do not know the way."

Airesiwe got up and walked over to Frodo, who was not much shorter than her.

"Life, or death, I will be here," Airesiwe said boldly, "at the end of all things, Frodo."

Aragorn walked up to Frodo as well.

"May this be a mission for both of us," He said. Along with him came the dwarf, Legolas, and finally Gandalf.

"I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins. As long as it is mine to bear." Everyone who stood up, along with Airesiwe stood in a long looking upon the council. Airesiwe was quite proud of what she did, and the ring was no longer a bother to her.

"It is settled, you shall be-."

"WAIT!" A young hobbit jumped out from the bushes behind the council and ran by Frodo. "Mr. Frodo isn't going anywhere without his gardener."

The council laughed, and while doing so, two more young hobbits ran toward the line.

"And you think you can leave us here!" The blonde hobbit said.

"Yes! You need people of intelligence on this type of mission, quest, thing!" the brown one replied. The council laughed once more and Elrond finally spoke.

"Ten companions. All right then, you are all in good hands, and I suspect that the ring will be destroyed. You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring!"

"Right," the brown-haired hobbit sighed. "To Mordor!"

"To Mordor!" The rest of the Fellowship replied.