A/N- Continuous thanks go out to Lea for being one of my regular reviewers for this story. I'm faxing over the Fellowship right now though I'm having a bit of trouble since they don't like to be squeezed into the contraption. Just fax back the ones you don't want.

The Council of Elrond and Setting out For Mordor

Itchy, stupid, god-awful dresses. I don't care what men think or that other girls like these things. They look stupid. How can you kick butt in something that drags the ground ? Give me my jeans and t-shirts any day. Gah, I think I'm going to die from lack of air. "Stop fidgeting. And stop scratching," Gandalf barked at me.

"I can not help it," I whined as I followed him, Toby, Matt and Faron in the direction of where the council was to be held.

"You can help it. Now act like a lady of status is to act or I shall knock you upside your head."

We entered the area to see that seats had already been made available to us. Toby, Faron, Matt and I sat in our four seats while Gandalf, Frodo, and another hobbit named Bilbo sat beside Elrond. The sitting didn't make my predicament any better. In fact, it made the itching worse. I also found that I could only concentrate on the fact that I couldn't take deep breaths. Must find something else to focus on. Oh, there's Aragorn. Maybe I can make his head explode if I think hard enough. So, I continued to look at Aragorn as Aragorn looked at Elrond while he was speaking. Elrond was looking at Boromir who was looking at Frodo who was looking at Bilbo who was looking at Gandalf who was looking at Toby who was looking at Legolas who was looking at Gimli who was looking at Faron who was looking at Matt who was looking up at the sky. Legolas then shifted his eyes to look at me but I was now looking at the stone tiled porch that was looking at...well, nothing seeing as its inanimate and has no eyes and can't see anything.

Elrond just kept going on and on about the south and mountains and shadows. It was all quite boring. I was still having trouble staying still when a dwarf named Gloin began to tell of his people and the trouble they were having. I didn't really focus on that only catching a few words here and there. You would think that I'd drank a whole pot of coffee or something. There goes Gloin again talking about a place named Moria and how they woke someone up there. How rude ! You should let a sleeping person sleep. Now, Elrond is going on about a ring. Is that what all of this fuss is about ? A stupid ring ! Jeez, just go to Brownlee and buy a new one for this Sauron guy.

I continued to let my eyes wander around the fair grounds beyond the porch much to Gandalf's disapproval. He didn't say anything but I could see his glare every once in awhile. I looked to a moving bush only to see one very curly hobbit head that was attatched to one chubby hobbit body. It was Sam and he was spying on us. Poor guy. They should've just invited him. I looked beyond Elrond to see two more hobbits doing a very excellent job of hiding. It was Pippin and Merry. Hobbits should learn that curiosity is not the best trait to have. It usually leads to trouble.

"He is Aragorn son of Arathorn and he is descended through many fathers from Isildur Elendil's son of Minas Ithil. He is the Chief of the Dunedain in the North, and few are now left of that folk," I heard Elrond speak to Boromir.

I drew my focus back then to see both Boromir and Aragorn now standing. I was still confused. Was Aragorn important or something ? I knew he was the man of too many titles but what else is there. I knew I should've paid more attention in english class. Now Gandalf is calling for Frodo to bring out the ring. When did Frodo get the ring ? Why are all of these guys acting like they're not clones ? They're acting like they've been here the whole entire time. I guess Gandalf had something to do with that too. Now Gandalf is talking. Oh, look elves. I focused my attention on the elves near me only hearing ",Blah, blah, Gollum, blah, Gondor, blah, blah, blah, Isildur, blah, blah, ring, blah, blah, blah....."

"It would serve you well to listen, sister," Toby whispered while poking me in the ribs.

"But...elves. Nice elves with pretty hair and pointy ears. How do they get their hair to do that ?"

Arg, dark skies, the wizard's voice is deafening. I put my fingers in my ears to stop the pain but it didn't help. I saw that all of the elves were doing the same. Finally, Gandalf stopped speaking those painful words and the headache stopped as soon as it had begun. Now Legolas was talking about how this Gollum thing escaped as a horde of orcs attacked them. There was more talking as I found myself falling asleep from the heat of the sun beating down on my back and the lack of oxygen to my brain. But a small voice calling out over the louder voices of the other members of the council drew my eyes back open. I focused on Frodo as he repeated himself ",I will take the ring. Though I do not know the way."

I looked up to Gandalf. Was that a look of disappointment on his face ? No, it had to be sadness. He didn't think that Frodo would take the ring. That the young hobbit, being a hobbit and all, would allow someone bigger than him to do it. My gaze then turned forcefully to Elrond who was giving Frodo a most curious look. He went on to tell Frodo that this task was his alone. And something about this was the time of the Shire-folk. Well, I guess he's right. After all who would expect a little person to have something of great importance ? I was really starting to feel faint now. Damn, dresses. When I somewhat recovered myself I looked up only to see Sam run out to Frodo. I didn't hear what they said. Then Merry and Pippin soon joined the fray. My hearing soon decided to join the party after Legolas, Aragorn, Gimli and Boromir had all had their say. Yep, it came back just in time for me to hear Toby say ",My sister and I along with our companions would lay down our lives for you, Frodo Baggins."

"What," I yelled, jumping to my feet a little too fast.

"We will go on this quest with you and protect you in the ways that we can," Toby continued like he hadn't hurt me.

I looked over to the others while mumbling under my breath ",If running away is any help at all."

Thus ended the Council of Elrond.

Later that night...

"What in the name of that which cannot be named were you thinking, Toby ? In my head that sounded a lot shorter. I really need to talk to Gandalf about this. It is taking me much to long to say anything," I rambled.

Toby looked at me in his new way and all anger instantly faded. My brother was back and I couldn't stay mad at him. Toby just shrugged his shoulders at me ",We are here for a reason. I assumed that the quest to destroy the ring would be it."

"So you just decided for all of us that we would be going," Matt yelled.

The door to my chamber, which we were currently in, opened. Legolas soon stepped in. "I do not mean to intrude. I knocked but do not think it was heard over all of the shouting."

I blushed furiously at that. Stupid elves. "Yes, Legolas ?"

"'Tis time for the evening meal, Lady Jessica. I was sent to escort you and your friends."

He bowed deeply to us and my anger flew right out of the window. Damn, I just lost the war. We followed Legolas out of the room. "Are we late," I asked, slightly embarrassed.

"No, but there is much talk of you today, Lady Jessica. Many of Lord Elrond's advisors are saying that you should not go with us."

"Why not ? Because I am a girl ?"

"Precisely."

Well, that's it. Anger's back. I'll be damned if a bunch of men are going to tell me what to do. I'm a woman and I can kick any of their asses into next week if I wanted to. I knew that by now my face was beet red and I was scowling. I probably looked deformed. I didn't care. "So, my brother and my coward friends can go but I cannot. We will see about that."

I began devising a solid plan in my head. Unknown to me was that my coward friends were also devising a plan for themselves. They didn't want to go and they just had to figure out a way to stay right where they were.

A/N- I know, I know. I promised in this chapter that the ring would leave Rivendale and head...which direction was it again ? Oh, yeah, south. But I'm pressed for time here and I still have to write the final chapter of No Place Like Home. So I decided to load this. (Hides behind chair) Please don't throw anything at me. Next chapter will be up in a week or so since I'm writing this off of the top of my head. And I promise that the ring will go south and the chapter will be as long as I can make it which will be pretty long since I tend to be long winded. And always remember: Read and Review. Starving artist at work here. Needs reviews to eat.