"Welcome visitors of foreign lands, friends of old," Elrond started.
Kendra was sitting beside the man, Aragorn, and an elf. She didn't feel like she was supposed to be here but Gandalf had insisted that she come. She had put her coat on, trying to hide what bruises were left. And so she sat, bundled in her coat, listening in fascination as the history of the Ring was told. She watched as a Hobbit, Frodo Baggins, stepped forth to put the Ring on the pedestal. She also listened and learned of the true identity of Aragorn.
"I will never see the Ring in the hands of an elf," Gimli shouted, looking directly at Legolas, prince of Mirkwood. "Never trust an elf."
The council degenerated at that point. Elf yelling at dwarf and human, Gandalf arguing with Boromir, and Elrond sitting in his chair, looking like he was nursing a migraine. Kendra stood up and proceeded to space Gimli a little further from Legolas, who looked ready to strangle the dwarf.
"ENOUGH!"
Every man, elf, dwarf, and hobbit turned and stared. Kendra stood in the middle of the courtyard, face red from anger.
"Is this how you intend to settle this war? Sauron, whoever that is, doesn't have to worry about destroying you. You are destroying yourselves for him."
"What would a woman know about war?" Boromir asked.
Kendra turned to face him, "Plenty."
She tore off her coat and tossed it to her chair. The next thing they knew, her shirt was unbuttoned to reveal a tighter fitting shirt underneath, leaving more than half her upper body bare. They stared in horror at the scars that crisscrossed her skin, most across her back. Legolas noticed, also, that in several places on her back were tattoos.
"This is just from my world, where the war was supposed to have ended seventeen years ago. Because of treachery, creatures now roam our lands, killing the innocent, destroying those who do not know how to fight. Those who can fight, are either soldiers or Hunters. I am one of the few Hunters left."
She looked around, her passion and anger burning brightly in everything she said.
"I can explain in detail about my world and I can guarantee you, that if you do not stop fighting amongst yourselves, that your world will be destroyed just like mine was. If you want a world without light and laughter, then go ahead and fight amongst yourselves. Otherwise, let's do something about it."
Kendra sat down, not even bothering to cover up. Aragorn looked at her with a look of admiration. Then rest of the council also looked at her differently. Elrond let silence rest a little before standing back up again.
"As I said before, you have only one choice. The Ring must be destroyed."
"I will take it," a voice spoke up, one that hadn't been heard before.
All turned to look at the hobbit, Frodo.
Kendra was sitting beside the man, Aragorn, and an elf. She didn't feel like she was supposed to be here but Gandalf had insisted that she come. She had put her coat on, trying to hide what bruises were left. And so she sat, bundled in her coat, listening in fascination as the history of the Ring was told. She watched as a Hobbit, Frodo Baggins, stepped forth to put the Ring on the pedestal. She also listened and learned of the true identity of Aragorn.
"I will never see the Ring in the hands of an elf," Gimli shouted, looking directly at Legolas, prince of Mirkwood. "Never trust an elf."
The council degenerated at that point. Elf yelling at dwarf and human, Gandalf arguing with Boromir, and Elrond sitting in his chair, looking like he was nursing a migraine. Kendra stood up and proceeded to space Gimli a little further from Legolas, who looked ready to strangle the dwarf.
"ENOUGH!"
Every man, elf, dwarf, and hobbit turned and stared. Kendra stood in the middle of the courtyard, face red from anger.
"Is this how you intend to settle this war? Sauron, whoever that is, doesn't have to worry about destroying you. You are destroying yourselves for him."
"What would a woman know about war?" Boromir asked.
Kendra turned to face him, "Plenty."
She tore off her coat and tossed it to her chair. The next thing they knew, her shirt was unbuttoned to reveal a tighter fitting shirt underneath, leaving more than half her upper body bare. They stared in horror at the scars that crisscrossed her skin, most across her back. Legolas noticed, also, that in several places on her back were tattoos.
"This is just from my world, where the war was supposed to have ended seventeen years ago. Because of treachery, creatures now roam our lands, killing the innocent, destroying those who do not know how to fight. Those who can fight, are either soldiers or Hunters. I am one of the few Hunters left."
She looked around, her passion and anger burning brightly in everything she said.
"I can explain in detail about my world and I can guarantee you, that if you do not stop fighting amongst yourselves, that your world will be destroyed just like mine was. If you want a world without light and laughter, then go ahead and fight amongst yourselves. Otherwise, let's do something about it."
Kendra sat down, not even bothering to cover up. Aragorn looked at her with a look of admiration. Then rest of the council also looked at her differently. Elrond let silence rest a little before standing back up again.
"As I said before, you have only one choice. The Ring must be destroyed."
"I will take it," a voice spoke up, one that hadn't been heard before.
All turned to look at the hobbit, Frodo.