Disclaimer: see chapter 1
Chapter 3: Getting to know the Fellowship
Elrohir smirked at the last statement. "See Estel all those council
meetings did pay off. You learned how to end a meeting."
Aragorn smacked him in the back of the head before turning to the new fellowship. "Shall we eat and get to know each other?" Aragorn asked gesturing to a table laid out with food that had been cooked while the council was meeting.
The fellowship walked to the table and sat to eat. Aragorn glared at the hobbits and allowed the others to get the food first before allowing the hobbits to serve themselves.
"You three know that there will be only three meals a day on this trip if that, right." Aragorn stated to the hobbits stuffing their faces with as much food as they could reach.
"We remember Strider." Pippin said taking a quick break from eating.
"We should stop by Mirkwood to pack some Lambas. I know other races aren't to terribly fond of it, even I don't eat it much since the last trip but it does last long and can be eaten anywhere." Legolas stated.
Gimli winced. "Not that again. Anything but the elf bread again."
"I know how you feel Gimli. Arwen makes it every once in a while and makes me eat it. I usually eat like one piece before retreating to duties and begging the cooks for something else to eat. The downside of being married to an elf."
"What is this Lambas you all hate so much?" Kyata asked looking at Aragorn for an answer.
"Its elven bread that most of us can not look at without feeling ill. We ate it for almost a year straight and now we must do so again. It does not go bad but its sort of bland. Very rarely do you find meat close to Mordor so we will be eating lots of Lambas." Aragorn shuddered at the thought. "Tell us about yourself Kyata. Where is this kingdom of yours?"
"We are only a small kingdom. Not very old really. We were once part of Gondor before the Stewards gained rule over the land. When the stewards began to gain too much control a group of about 100 men and their families left to a small area within one of the mountain ranges where the stewards would have no control. A ruler was elected and soon enough he became King. Our traditions and customs began to differ from Gondor and when a King finally returned to Gondor we had already fully separated ourselves from the country. My father is the king of our nation but my mother only gave him a daughter. My mother was with child when the kingdom was attacked and she was killed along with the unborn child. My father was to find another to become his queen but he recently became ill. As such, I am ruler until he is fully healed and I was sent to this council on his behalf." Kyata explained.
"What about you wizard? What is your name?" Legolas asked turning attention to the wizard cloaked in gray.
"My name is Edain the gray, and I am kin to Gandalf. My brother spoke highly of the members of the fellowship of the ring so when the message came that a council would be held and one representative from every race was to come I took it upon myself to volunteer. To be allowed to travel with such great companions will be an honor." Edain stated as he looked at the group.
"I don't know if you'll be calling the twins great at the end of this trip but it is good to have you along." Aragorn stated while glaring at the twins.
Eomer finally spoke up. "I do not know everyone here and those I do know I don't know much about. Why don't we all get to know everyone for the benefit of the two who know no one here?"
"Great idea Horsemaster! I shall go first. I am Gimli, Son of Gloin. I have made a home in the Glittering Caves underneath Helm's Deep and have been traveling off and on with the elf prince over there. We recently returned from a trip to Fangorn forest to attend this council."
"I'll take that as my entry. I am Legolas Greenleaf. Son of King Thandruil of the Mirkwood realm. My colony is one of the few colonies of elves remaining on Middle Earth. I live an immortal life and have known and trusted Aragorn since he was a young child."
"I'm guessing that's my cue. I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn. Foster son of Lord Elrond Half-elven. I go by the names of Aragorn Elessar, Estel, Strider, and a few elvish curses when my wife is angry but we will not dwell on that. I am Isildir's heir and chieftain of the Dunedain and I know the twins are going to tell some embarrassing story of my childhood living with their father so I shall quit while I look ok."
"Right you are dear brother. Like that time you met our sister. You lived with us for 20 years and never figured out that we had a younger sister. Well we should introduce ourselves for those who don't know us. I am Elladan the better looking one."
"I am Elrohir, I am the one with intelligence and dear brother we look exactly alike not even Ada could tell us apart."
Aragorn let his head bang the table before turning to the twins. "Once again why did she send you? Boromir was less annoying than you. Legolas and Gimli's fights are less annoying than you. Eowyn is less annoying than you. So why did she send you?"
"Because you can't look after yourself. Or so she says." Elrohir grinned at his miserable foster brother.
Legolas gestured that it was the hobbits turn to introduce themselves smiling at Aragorn's muttered "what did I do to deserve this?"
"I'm Merry. I am a soldier for Rohan and me and my cousin helped take over Isengard." Merry summed up.
"Pippin. I'm here because you need someone of intelligence on this trip."
"Pippin you aren't intelligent. I believe Gandalf referred to you as Fool of Took more times than he called you by your name." Sam stated from his spot beside Pippin. "I'm Samwise Gamgee or just Sam. I've been to Mordor before and I'm not looking forward to going back but if its what needs to be done it will be done."
"I am Eomer King of Rohan and I must ask that you stop speaking about my sister as if there is nothing more annoying than her. She's not that bad."
"Wanna bet? You haven't had to live with her the last few years and even when you did you were always on Patrol instead of in the Golden Hall. Poor Faramir. Eowyn will walk into council meetings and embarrass him beyond belief and she loves to interrupt the little time I get alone with my wife during the day. She is remarkably good at tracking me. All that Ranger training and she still finds me. It is really annoying. And yet the twins are worse. So much worse." Aragorn banged his head again.
"You know brother, if you continue to do that every time you think of us, you'll hurt yourself." Elladan stated.
Legolas snickered at Aragorn's ill fortune.
"I wouldn't be laughing if I were you Legolas. We have just as much memories of you as we do Aragorn. Plenty enough to make you miserable." Elrohir stated and almost immediately Legolas quieted.
"So tomorrow we leave. I am suggesting that we travel through the mountains until we reach Minas Tirith from there we can head south and come towards Mordor at the unguarded section. Most of the troops will be battling closer to the populated area so we can slip past. Hopefully." Aragorn looked for any objections.
For once there were none.
"We must stop for Lambas somewhere. Sadly Mirkwood is the closest."
"True. How fast can you ride Legolas?"
"A day there a day back. I do not require sleep so it is a fast journey."
"Go. Hurry. We will meet you at Edoras. You two go with him I know you are fast as well." Aragorn sent the twins with Legolas knowing the road was dangerous.
They would need a place to gather supplies for the trip. The group spent the night resting without worry then set out towards Edoras. The journey did not take too long by horse but they could not risk the horses too close to Mordor so they would leave them in Minas Tirith.
The journey took a day and a half to get to the city and they were greeted with turmoil.
"What happened here?" Aragorn asked as he looked around. Many of the houses were burned and very few people ventured out to see who entered the city.
"My Lord! We were attacked. We fought hard and managed to rid the town of them but we could not save everything. As you can see many homes were destroyed in the attack." A guard came up to the party.
"What attacked us?"
A/N: See 'm so happy it's my birthday, you got a update. Yay!
Aragorn smacked him in the back of the head before turning to the new fellowship. "Shall we eat and get to know each other?" Aragorn asked gesturing to a table laid out with food that had been cooked while the council was meeting.
The fellowship walked to the table and sat to eat. Aragorn glared at the hobbits and allowed the others to get the food first before allowing the hobbits to serve themselves.
"You three know that there will be only three meals a day on this trip if that, right." Aragorn stated to the hobbits stuffing their faces with as much food as they could reach.
"We remember Strider." Pippin said taking a quick break from eating.
"We should stop by Mirkwood to pack some Lambas. I know other races aren't to terribly fond of it, even I don't eat it much since the last trip but it does last long and can be eaten anywhere." Legolas stated.
Gimli winced. "Not that again. Anything but the elf bread again."
"I know how you feel Gimli. Arwen makes it every once in a while and makes me eat it. I usually eat like one piece before retreating to duties and begging the cooks for something else to eat. The downside of being married to an elf."
"What is this Lambas you all hate so much?" Kyata asked looking at Aragorn for an answer.
"Its elven bread that most of us can not look at without feeling ill. We ate it for almost a year straight and now we must do so again. It does not go bad but its sort of bland. Very rarely do you find meat close to Mordor so we will be eating lots of Lambas." Aragorn shuddered at the thought. "Tell us about yourself Kyata. Where is this kingdom of yours?"
"We are only a small kingdom. Not very old really. We were once part of Gondor before the Stewards gained rule over the land. When the stewards began to gain too much control a group of about 100 men and their families left to a small area within one of the mountain ranges where the stewards would have no control. A ruler was elected and soon enough he became King. Our traditions and customs began to differ from Gondor and when a King finally returned to Gondor we had already fully separated ourselves from the country. My father is the king of our nation but my mother only gave him a daughter. My mother was with child when the kingdom was attacked and she was killed along with the unborn child. My father was to find another to become his queen but he recently became ill. As such, I am ruler until he is fully healed and I was sent to this council on his behalf." Kyata explained.
"What about you wizard? What is your name?" Legolas asked turning attention to the wizard cloaked in gray.
"My name is Edain the gray, and I am kin to Gandalf. My brother spoke highly of the members of the fellowship of the ring so when the message came that a council would be held and one representative from every race was to come I took it upon myself to volunteer. To be allowed to travel with such great companions will be an honor." Edain stated as he looked at the group.
"I don't know if you'll be calling the twins great at the end of this trip but it is good to have you along." Aragorn stated while glaring at the twins.
Eomer finally spoke up. "I do not know everyone here and those I do know I don't know much about. Why don't we all get to know everyone for the benefit of the two who know no one here?"
"Great idea Horsemaster! I shall go first. I am Gimli, Son of Gloin. I have made a home in the Glittering Caves underneath Helm's Deep and have been traveling off and on with the elf prince over there. We recently returned from a trip to Fangorn forest to attend this council."
"I'll take that as my entry. I am Legolas Greenleaf. Son of King Thandruil of the Mirkwood realm. My colony is one of the few colonies of elves remaining on Middle Earth. I live an immortal life and have known and trusted Aragorn since he was a young child."
"I'm guessing that's my cue. I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn. Foster son of Lord Elrond Half-elven. I go by the names of Aragorn Elessar, Estel, Strider, and a few elvish curses when my wife is angry but we will not dwell on that. I am Isildir's heir and chieftain of the Dunedain and I know the twins are going to tell some embarrassing story of my childhood living with their father so I shall quit while I look ok."
"Right you are dear brother. Like that time you met our sister. You lived with us for 20 years and never figured out that we had a younger sister. Well we should introduce ourselves for those who don't know us. I am Elladan the better looking one."
"I am Elrohir, I am the one with intelligence and dear brother we look exactly alike not even Ada could tell us apart."
Aragorn let his head bang the table before turning to the twins. "Once again why did she send you? Boromir was less annoying than you. Legolas and Gimli's fights are less annoying than you. Eowyn is less annoying than you. So why did she send you?"
"Because you can't look after yourself. Or so she says." Elrohir grinned at his miserable foster brother.
Legolas gestured that it was the hobbits turn to introduce themselves smiling at Aragorn's muttered "what did I do to deserve this?"
"I'm Merry. I am a soldier for Rohan and me and my cousin helped take over Isengard." Merry summed up.
"Pippin. I'm here because you need someone of intelligence on this trip."
"Pippin you aren't intelligent. I believe Gandalf referred to you as Fool of Took more times than he called you by your name." Sam stated from his spot beside Pippin. "I'm Samwise Gamgee or just Sam. I've been to Mordor before and I'm not looking forward to going back but if its what needs to be done it will be done."
"I am Eomer King of Rohan and I must ask that you stop speaking about my sister as if there is nothing more annoying than her. She's not that bad."
"Wanna bet? You haven't had to live with her the last few years and even when you did you were always on Patrol instead of in the Golden Hall. Poor Faramir. Eowyn will walk into council meetings and embarrass him beyond belief and she loves to interrupt the little time I get alone with my wife during the day. She is remarkably good at tracking me. All that Ranger training and she still finds me. It is really annoying. And yet the twins are worse. So much worse." Aragorn banged his head again.
"You know brother, if you continue to do that every time you think of us, you'll hurt yourself." Elladan stated.
Legolas snickered at Aragorn's ill fortune.
"I wouldn't be laughing if I were you Legolas. We have just as much memories of you as we do Aragorn. Plenty enough to make you miserable." Elrohir stated and almost immediately Legolas quieted.
"So tomorrow we leave. I am suggesting that we travel through the mountains until we reach Minas Tirith from there we can head south and come towards Mordor at the unguarded section. Most of the troops will be battling closer to the populated area so we can slip past. Hopefully." Aragorn looked for any objections.
For once there were none.
"We must stop for Lambas somewhere. Sadly Mirkwood is the closest."
"True. How fast can you ride Legolas?"
"A day there a day back. I do not require sleep so it is a fast journey."
"Go. Hurry. We will meet you at Edoras. You two go with him I know you are fast as well." Aragorn sent the twins with Legolas knowing the road was dangerous.
They would need a place to gather supplies for the trip. The group spent the night resting without worry then set out towards Edoras. The journey did not take too long by horse but they could not risk the horses too close to Mordor so they would leave them in Minas Tirith.
The journey took a day and a half to get to the city and they were greeted with turmoil.
"What happened here?" Aragorn asked as he looked around. Many of the houses were burned and very few people ventured out to see who entered the city.
"My Lord! We were attacked. We fought hard and managed to rid the town of them but we could not save everything. As you can see many homes were destroyed in the attack." A guard came up to the party.
"What attacked us?"
A/N: See 'm so happy it's my birthday, you got a update. Yay!