A/N: As of now, Princess of sMirkwood ;-), will be collaborating with Elvensong on this story. Hope you, the reader, will still enjoy this story as much.

Disclaimer: Borrowing the characters belonging to Mr. JRR Tolkien for a while...

Chapter 1: The Sundering of the Fellowship

The halfling stared at Galadriel, his eyes very wide and round, but he did not let go of the ring. Unconsciously his palm closed more tightly around the shiny object, with his other fist clenched.

"You offered it freely to me, young one," said the Lady of Lothlorien, her fair features slowly assuming its usual beautiful, serene _expression once again. "I will take it and hide it."

"But...but," stammered the young hobbit," it was placed under my charge, and it is not for me to...pass it to any other, save in emergency."

"The Council will understand, Frodo, if you left the One in my keeping. Your mission clings on the edge of an abyss. Think you that you will be able to enter Mordor, and cast the Ring into Oroduin? You will succumb to it. It has begun. I sense it. You will not be able to bear parting with the Ring. I have seen it, in my Mirror."

Doubt clouded the small being's features.

"Come." Galadriel's long, slender fingers closed upon the ring. They were trembling with suppressed excitement, and it pried the Ring from the halfling's fingers.

Frodo felt a deep sense of foreboding, but it was too late.

The Ring fell from Frodo's grasp, onto the grass, and before he could even protest, it was in Galadriel's grasp.

"Rest, you are weary. There is naught to fear." The elven lady turned and left, and it seemed to Frodo as though the soft glow that she usually emanated flashed brilliantly; her grace made it seem as though she was drifting out of the garden.

Frodo walked slowly, deep in his thoughts. He felt empty, as though part of him had been taken away. In fact, he was feeling downright ill. He had failed. Failed his mission, and the promise to destroy the Ring.

Had he done the right thing? Would the Council ever forgive him?

He was so engrossed in self-reflection that he had returned to the Company without realizing it.

"Mr. Frodo? There you are," Sam's voice made him jump," I was wondering where you had gone."

"Nowhere much, Sam." Frodo said tiredly," Nowhere at all."

Their kin, and Boromir and Gimli, lay deep in slumber already, but Aragorn was still awake, leaning at ease against a tree and smoking his long pipe. He looked up as the hobbits drew near.

"This may be Lorien, Frodo, and the power of the Lady protects it, but you should not wander unnecessarily, especially at night," Aragorn advised. His keen eyes narrowed as he looked more closely at Frodo. "What is it? You look troubled."

"May I?" Frodo looked at Aragorn imploringly. He had to tell somebody, to clear his doubts, and Aragorn was as good a choice as any. The man seemed to be able to read minds. Frodo took a deep breath. "I gave the Ring to the Lady." The words came out in a rush.

"What?" Aragorn's eyes burnt into Frodo's. "You did not---"

"I did."

"By the Valar---" Aragorn muttered something intelligible. He felt an ill wind come over him at this news.

"I'm sorry!" Frodo blurted out, hanging his head in shame. "You don't think..."

"Yes I do," Aragorn got up abruptly. "We must have a discussion, immediately. Wake Merry and Pippin." He rapidly set about rousing Boromir and Gimli, and soon a sleepy man, a grumpy dwarf and two hobbits were gathered.

"What in the name of Aule is this?" Gimli complained. Frodo, hesitantly, spoke up and related all that had happened with the Lady. Gimli's eyes grew wider as he listened.

"What should we do then?" the dwarf asked the question that was on everyone's minds. "Need we do anything?"

"We should leave as soon as possible, I deem," Aragorn said. "Our departure must be in stealth."

"You believe that she will use the Ring." Boromir was making a statement rather than asking a question.

"The Lady would never do that," Gimli defended the elvish lady that he now revered.

"Master Dwarf, the Lady is high and noble, but nonetheless still susceptible to...temptations. She has great power within her. The Ring will...it will be folly in the hands of one who has enough power to wield it!" Aragorn seemed full of conviction.

"Why do not we go to her and ask for the return of the Ring?" Boromir asked. "You speak as if we must fly from danger."

"I do not think she will willingly return the Ring, if it is as Frodo described. This is what we must do," Aragorn said in a low voice. "Boromir and I will go to Minas Tirith to warn his people. You hobbits will make your way back to the Shire to warn your own people, in your own fashion, and Gimli, find Legolas. The two of you will return home to warn your folk. There is no other choice," he stopped Pippin who was about to protest. "The mission has been abandoned," he shot a significant look at Frodo," and there is no need ---and indeed unsafe---for the Fellowship to remain in Lorien."

There was a frenzy as everyone set about packing their belongings, and then they parted with hurried well-wishes. Boromir and Aragorn headed south, the hobbits and Gimli north. The stars, and the crescent moon, had retreated behind thick clouds.

The Fellowship was sundered. It had failed.

Galadriel almost ran as she returned to her chamber. She had been trying to discern the mode of action of the Ring, but had not yet been able to. The cogs in her mind were already spinning rapidly in planning her next move.

Celeborn lay already on the bed, appearing to be asleep, but he sat up when Galadriel entered.

"What is it, beloved? You look---strange."

"I am merely tired." She lay down and turned her back on her husband. Staring at his wife's back, Celeborn shook his head and lay down. He was used to her strange moods.

What he did not see, however, was Galadriel's hand as it held the Ring on her palm, and her roaming fingers as they caressed the smooth surface of the shiny ring.

He did not see the eager, cold, terrifying light of her ice-blue eyes as they beheld the One Ring.