Disclaimer: I don't own anything, except for Enellewyn. :o(
Chapter 4
Legolas was strolling aimlessly through the halls of the House of Lord Elrond when a messenger stopped him in the middle of a corridor.
"A message from Lord Elrond," he said politely. He held out a neatly sealed envelope and Legolas took it.
"Thank you," he said before the elf scurried off again. Legolas examined the letter for a second and then broke the wax fastener. He unfolded the yellowing parchment and read the flowing elvish script that was Lord Elrond's.
Dear Legolas,
I am holding a council in two days time. You and Enellewyn are invited, but I cannot yet tell you yet what this council concerns. A bell will signal the starting of the meeting. I shall send a servant to direct you there.
Sincerely,
Lord Elrond
'I wonder what this council will be all about,' Legolas thought, curiosity sparking within him. 'I suppose I should inform Enellewyn of this council.'
On that last thought, Legolas turned around and began to walk towards Enellewyn's room.
**TWO DAYS LATER**
Legolas and Enellewyn sat in the gardens, conversing about nothing in particular when a clear bell rang through the air.
"Well you know what that means," Enellewyn said. Suddenly a servant appeared, surprising Legolas and Enellewyn.
"Follow me," she said curtly. They got up from their seats on the bench and did as she requested. Soon they came to a private meeting area. A few trees, whose leaves had turned golden with fall, surrounded it.
Chairs were set up in a perfect circle and Legolas and Enellewyn took their seats next to a few other elves. Lord Elrond was already there and Elladan and Elrohir were sitting on either side of him. Most of the men had arrived and a couple of the dwarves, much to Enellewyn's great detestation.
The dark haired halfling Enellewyn had saw a few days before was also there with Gandalf. Some of the men looked at Enellewyn with surprise, and every time they did, she would glare at them slightly.
After a few minutes everyone had arrived and Aragorn was the last to fill his seat.
"Strangers from distant lands, friend of old, you have been summoned here to answer the threat of Mordor. Middle Earth stand upon the brink of destruction. None can escape it. You will unite or you will fall. Each race is bound to this fate, this one doom," Lord Elrond said, scrutinizing everyone with severe eyes. "Bring forth the Ring, Frodo." Elrond motioned for one of the periannath (halflings) to come forth.
The dark haired one, Frodo, stepped up to the dais in the center of the circle, and placed a solitary gold ring in the middle. There were scattered gasps and Enellewyn saw Legolas staring at the Ring out of the corner of her eye.
Suddenly a harsh voice in her head caught her attention. 'Come. I will grant you great power. Come to me.'
A bead of sweat escaped and ran down her temple, leaving a wet trail of perspiration in its wake. She jolted herself out of her trance and reality flooded back, to her immense relief.
She noticed that a man was standing up and speaking to the council vivaciously.
"It is a gift! A gift to the foes of Mordor! Why not use this Ring?" Enellewyn shifted uncomfortably in her chair.
"Long has my father, the steward of Gondor, kept the forces of Mordor at bay. By the blood of our people, are your lands kept safe. Give Gondor the weapon of the enemy. Let us use it against him!" Aragorn looked at the Gondorian soldier annoyed.
"You cannot wield it! None of us can! The Ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master," Aragorn said motioning to the Ring.
"And what would a Ranger know of this matter?" the man asked testily.
To Enellewyn's surprise, Legolas jumped up, clearly outraged that this man had insulted one of his very good friends.
"This is no mere ranger! He is Aragorn, Son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance." Legolas stared at the man as if to challenge him.
"Aragorn? This is Isildur's heir?" the man said somewhat incredulously. To her own astonishment, Enellewyn jumped up also.
"And heir to the throne of Gondor!" Legolas's head snapped her way.
"Havo dad (sit down, as I'm sure you all already know), Legolas, Enellewyn," Aragorn said reasonably. Grudgingly, Legolas and Enellewyn both sat down. Enellewyn was really beginning to not like this human.
"Gondor has no king. Gondor needs no King," the man said with silent fury in his eyes and voice. Now Gandalf spoke for the first time.
"Aragorn is right. We cannot use it."
"You have only one choice. The Ring must be destroyed," Elrond said, seeming slightly irritable that a feud had already broken out.
"Then what are we waiting for." a burly dwarf got up from his seat, picking his axe up in the process. He swung his weapon up and brought it down on the Ring in one powerful stroke. There was an explosion and the strong axe was left in shards of discarded metal. The Ring was left unmarred and indifferent, it seemed.
The dwarf was on the floor and was looking at the Ring in disbelief.
"The Ring cannot be destroyed Gimli, son of Gloin by any craft that we here possess. (As Elrond said this Enellewyn couldn't help thinking, 'That information might have been useful before the foolish dwarf tried to break the Ring.') It must be taken deep into Mordor and cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came. One of you must do this." There was uncomfortable silence all around.
"One cannot simply walk into Mordor. There is evil there that does not sleep. And the Great Eye is ever watchful. It is riddled with fire, and ash, and dust. The very air you breathe is a poisonous fume. Not with ten thousand men could you do this. It is folly!" The man from Gondor said, his head cradled in his hands.
"Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond just said? The Ring must be destroyed!" Legolas said with a dangerous edge to his voice. Gimli stood up in outrage.
"I suppose you think you're the one to do it?" Legolas glared at him with contempt and Enellewyn leapt up from her seat, ready to lunge at the diminutive creature. Legolas held her back with his arm, trying to calm his own temper all simultaneously.
"And what if we fail, what then? What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?" the irritating man said, also standing up crossly.
"I will be dead before I see the Ring in the hands of an elf!" Most of the elves jumped up in indignation and Enellewyn could see Elladan and Elrohir twitching, trying to fend off the urge to join the fight, and possibly, soon to be a brawl.
Everyone began yelling and fighting all at once and Enellewyn confronted the dwarf, cursing him in elvish.
"Never trust an elf!" Gimli yelled through the din of the fighting.
Amidst all the shouting a small voice could barely be heard.
"I will take it! I will take the Ring to Mordor." Everyone paused to find the source of the voice. Frodo was standing in front of his chair looking a bit frightened. "Though.I do not know the way."
"I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins, as long as it is yours to bear," Gandalf said, hobbled over to Frodo and standing behind him with a hand on his shoulder.
"If by my life or death, I can protect you. I will. You have my sword!" Aragorn said, kneeling in front of Frodo and then going to stand next to Gandalf.
"And you have my bow!" Legolas said, walking towards the small hobbit. Enellewyn looked at Legolas and then at Frodo and then at everyone else who had attended the council. She bit her lip before bravely walking forward.
"And you shall have mine also," she said, stepping towards the hobbit before joining the rest of the company.
"And my axe," Gimli said gruffly. When he came to stand by Enellewyn's side he looked up at her smugly. Enellewyn grimaced and tried to ignore his noxious body odor.
You carry the fate of us all little one. If this is indeed the will of the council, then Gondor will see it done," just as the man of Gondor was about to step forward, there was a shout.
"Ere'! Mr. Frodo's not going anywhere without me!" a hobbit came forward from behind the bushes and went to stand by Frodo's side.
"No, indeed. It is hardly possible to separate you when he is invited to a secret council and you are not!" The hobbit blushed slightly. Enellewyn couldn't help but smile a little at the hobbit's loyalty. There was a shout.
"Hey! We're comin' too!" Two younger looking hobbits jumped out from behind pillars and scurried down the stairs.
"You'll have to send us home tied up in a sack to stop us!" the taller one said proudly.
"After all you'll need people of intelligence on this sort of mission.quest.thing!" Enellewyn tried to stifle her laughs.
"Well that rules you out, Pip!" The shorter looking halfling nodded happily, but then realizing what his companions said, stared at him with a frown.
"Wait! The she-elf! She is but a woman. Surely she will not be able to survive on such a quest of significance!" called out one of the male elves. The other males began to agree, including the man from Gondor. All of a sudden, Elrohir spoke up.
"Do not doubt her! She is a great warrior with much skill that is not to be underestimated!" he said angrily. Elladan and Legolas both glared at the elf that had spoken up and Enellewyn looked at them gratefully. Then she turned around a glared at the Gondorian man.
Elrond had a look of doubt on his face.
"Enellewyn, are you sure you want to take part in this quest? It will be perilous," Elrond inquired critically. Enellewyn nodded.
"Yes, Lord Elrond," Enellewyn said without a trace of fear in her voice. Elrond sighed.
"So be it. You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring!" Elrond said grandly. The younger hobbit grinned.
"Right! Where are we going?"
**
After the council had been concluded, the courtyard emptied and everyone went his or her separate ways.
Somehow Enellewyn found herself in the kitchens. A quiet grumble came from her abdomen and there was a voice from farther inside the kitchens.
"Are you hungry too?" A small person jumped down from a counter where he had been rummaging through cabinets. Enellewyn recognized him as the younger hobbit.
"Only for something small," Enellewyn said. The hobbit grinned.
"That's how it starts with me sometimes. I only want a small snack, and then I end up eating everything!" He began searching for food again and Enellewyn joined him in his investigation.
"What's your name anyway?" Enellewyn asked curiously.
"Peregrin Took, but you can call me Pippin," he said, peaking his head inside the oven.
"Aha! Found some bread." He took out a medium sized loaf of bread and brought it over to a table. He sat down and ripped a large piece off.
"What's your name?" he asked, chewing with satisfaction.
"Enellewyn Silverleaf," she said, also sitting down across from him and tearing off a piece.
"Aren't you that elf who joined the Fellowship with us?" Pippin asked, realization hitting him. Enellewyn nodded in affirmation.
"I thought I recognized you from somewhere," Pippin said thoughtfully.
"Did you accompany Frodo here?" Enellewyn asked curiously.
"Yes. It was a long hard journey. A Black Rider, or a Ring Wraith stabbed Frodo. He nearly got killed." A somber look took over Pippin's facial features. "And there was no second breakfast!" he exclaimed huffily, his voice becoming light and carefree again.
As Enellewyn laughed, the door swung open.
"Pippin! What are you doing here?!" A hobbit stood in the doorway.
"I just came in here for a snack. This is Enellewyn, she's coming with us on the quest. Enellewyn, this is Merry Brandybuck, my kinsman," Merry nodded and waved, Enellewyn doing the same.
Merry sat down at the table and also took a chunk off the bread.
"These elves make exquisite bread," Merry said, his mouth full. Pippin nodded in vigorous agreement. "But needs something else.hmmm." Merry got down from his chair and began rummaging through drawers and cabinets.
"Jam!" Merry had a rather large jar of jam held tightly in his arms. He brought it over to the table and unscrewed the cap. Enellewyn took a portion off the bread and dipped it inside the jar. Merry and Pippin followed, taking turns. Pippin pushed the jar over to Enellewyn and it wavered precariously.
Before Enellewyn could react half a jar of berry jam was on her lap, soaking through her tunic and leggings onto her skin. She pursed her lips in a tight thin line as Pippin's eyes widened.
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean for that to happe-" but before he could finish his sentence, a large portion of jelly had been tossed at him, landing on his face. This time, Enellewyn laughed jovially. Soon Merry joined in. In fact, they were both laughing so hard that they didn't notice Pippin wander over to Enellewyn, take the jar of jam and reach his hand inside.
Before long, a healthy ration was on Merry's shirt. The laughing stopped for Merry, and he shook his head.
In a flurry of movement, Merry was racing around the kitchen trying to find some more food.
Enellewyn and Pippin watched him for a moment, and unexpectedly, Merry jumped out from behind a table, tossing flour at them. Clouds of thick white swirled around the room, and before Merry could react, bombs of jam were being thrown at him and the three were now locked in a heated food fight.
A/N: I know that Enellewyn's older now, and that a grown elf wouldn't be the type to get into a food fight with two hobbits, bit it felt like I needed something light hearted after the council which was kind of boring.
Thanks to all my great reviewers! You know what to do now!
Chapter 4
Legolas was strolling aimlessly through the halls of the House of Lord Elrond when a messenger stopped him in the middle of a corridor.
"A message from Lord Elrond," he said politely. He held out a neatly sealed envelope and Legolas took it.
"Thank you," he said before the elf scurried off again. Legolas examined the letter for a second and then broke the wax fastener. He unfolded the yellowing parchment and read the flowing elvish script that was Lord Elrond's.
Dear Legolas,
I am holding a council in two days time. You and Enellewyn are invited, but I cannot yet tell you yet what this council concerns. A bell will signal the starting of the meeting. I shall send a servant to direct you there.
Sincerely,
Lord Elrond
'I wonder what this council will be all about,' Legolas thought, curiosity sparking within him. 'I suppose I should inform Enellewyn of this council.'
On that last thought, Legolas turned around and began to walk towards Enellewyn's room.
**TWO DAYS LATER**
Legolas and Enellewyn sat in the gardens, conversing about nothing in particular when a clear bell rang through the air.
"Well you know what that means," Enellewyn said. Suddenly a servant appeared, surprising Legolas and Enellewyn.
"Follow me," she said curtly. They got up from their seats on the bench and did as she requested. Soon they came to a private meeting area. A few trees, whose leaves had turned golden with fall, surrounded it.
Chairs were set up in a perfect circle and Legolas and Enellewyn took their seats next to a few other elves. Lord Elrond was already there and Elladan and Elrohir were sitting on either side of him. Most of the men had arrived and a couple of the dwarves, much to Enellewyn's great detestation.
The dark haired halfling Enellewyn had saw a few days before was also there with Gandalf. Some of the men looked at Enellewyn with surprise, and every time they did, she would glare at them slightly.
After a few minutes everyone had arrived and Aragorn was the last to fill his seat.
"Strangers from distant lands, friend of old, you have been summoned here to answer the threat of Mordor. Middle Earth stand upon the brink of destruction. None can escape it. You will unite or you will fall. Each race is bound to this fate, this one doom," Lord Elrond said, scrutinizing everyone with severe eyes. "Bring forth the Ring, Frodo." Elrond motioned for one of the periannath (halflings) to come forth.
The dark haired one, Frodo, stepped up to the dais in the center of the circle, and placed a solitary gold ring in the middle. There were scattered gasps and Enellewyn saw Legolas staring at the Ring out of the corner of her eye.
Suddenly a harsh voice in her head caught her attention. 'Come. I will grant you great power. Come to me.'
A bead of sweat escaped and ran down her temple, leaving a wet trail of perspiration in its wake. She jolted herself out of her trance and reality flooded back, to her immense relief.
She noticed that a man was standing up and speaking to the council vivaciously.
"It is a gift! A gift to the foes of Mordor! Why not use this Ring?" Enellewyn shifted uncomfortably in her chair.
"Long has my father, the steward of Gondor, kept the forces of Mordor at bay. By the blood of our people, are your lands kept safe. Give Gondor the weapon of the enemy. Let us use it against him!" Aragorn looked at the Gondorian soldier annoyed.
"You cannot wield it! None of us can! The Ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master," Aragorn said motioning to the Ring.
"And what would a Ranger know of this matter?" the man asked testily.
To Enellewyn's surprise, Legolas jumped up, clearly outraged that this man had insulted one of his very good friends.
"This is no mere ranger! He is Aragorn, Son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance." Legolas stared at the man as if to challenge him.
"Aragorn? This is Isildur's heir?" the man said somewhat incredulously. To her own astonishment, Enellewyn jumped up also.
"And heir to the throne of Gondor!" Legolas's head snapped her way.
"Havo dad (sit down, as I'm sure you all already know), Legolas, Enellewyn," Aragorn said reasonably. Grudgingly, Legolas and Enellewyn both sat down. Enellewyn was really beginning to not like this human.
"Gondor has no king. Gondor needs no King," the man said with silent fury in his eyes and voice. Now Gandalf spoke for the first time.
"Aragorn is right. We cannot use it."
"You have only one choice. The Ring must be destroyed," Elrond said, seeming slightly irritable that a feud had already broken out.
"Then what are we waiting for." a burly dwarf got up from his seat, picking his axe up in the process. He swung his weapon up and brought it down on the Ring in one powerful stroke. There was an explosion and the strong axe was left in shards of discarded metal. The Ring was left unmarred and indifferent, it seemed.
The dwarf was on the floor and was looking at the Ring in disbelief.
"The Ring cannot be destroyed Gimli, son of Gloin by any craft that we here possess. (As Elrond said this Enellewyn couldn't help thinking, 'That information might have been useful before the foolish dwarf tried to break the Ring.') It must be taken deep into Mordor and cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came. One of you must do this." There was uncomfortable silence all around.
"One cannot simply walk into Mordor. There is evil there that does not sleep. And the Great Eye is ever watchful. It is riddled with fire, and ash, and dust. The very air you breathe is a poisonous fume. Not with ten thousand men could you do this. It is folly!" The man from Gondor said, his head cradled in his hands.
"Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond just said? The Ring must be destroyed!" Legolas said with a dangerous edge to his voice. Gimli stood up in outrage.
"I suppose you think you're the one to do it?" Legolas glared at him with contempt and Enellewyn leapt up from her seat, ready to lunge at the diminutive creature. Legolas held her back with his arm, trying to calm his own temper all simultaneously.
"And what if we fail, what then? What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?" the irritating man said, also standing up crossly.
"I will be dead before I see the Ring in the hands of an elf!" Most of the elves jumped up in indignation and Enellewyn could see Elladan and Elrohir twitching, trying to fend off the urge to join the fight, and possibly, soon to be a brawl.
Everyone began yelling and fighting all at once and Enellewyn confronted the dwarf, cursing him in elvish.
"Never trust an elf!" Gimli yelled through the din of the fighting.
Amidst all the shouting a small voice could barely be heard.
"I will take it! I will take the Ring to Mordor." Everyone paused to find the source of the voice. Frodo was standing in front of his chair looking a bit frightened. "Though.I do not know the way."
"I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins, as long as it is yours to bear," Gandalf said, hobbled over to Frodo and standing behind him with a hand on his shoulder.
"If by my life or death, I can protect you. I will. You have my sword!" Aragorn said, kneeling in front of Frodo and then going to stand next to Gandalf.
"And you have my bow!" Legolas said, walking towards the small hobbit. Enellewyn looked at Legolas and then at Frodo and then at everyone else who had attended the council. She bit her lip before bravely walking forward.
"And you shall have mine also," she said, stepping towards the hobbit before joining the rest of the company.
"And my axe," Gimli said gruffly. When he came to stand by Enellewyn's side he looked up at her smugly. Enellewyn grimaced and tried to ignore his noxious body odor.
You carry the fate of us all little one. If this is indeed the will of the council, then Gondor will see it done," just as the man of Gondor was about to step forward, there was a shout.
"Ere'! Mr. Frodo's not going anywhere without me!" a hobbit came forward from behind the bushes and went to stand by Frodo's side.
"No, indeed. It is hardly possible to separate you when he is invited to a secret council and you are not!" The hobbit blushed slightly. Enellewyn couldn't help but smile a little at the hobbit's loyalty. There was a shout.
"Hey! We're comin' too!" Two younger looking hobbits jumped out from behind pillars and scurried down the stairs.
"You'll have to send us home tied up in a sack to stop us!" the taller one said proudly.
"After all you'll need people of intelligence on this sort of mission.quest.thing!" Enellewyn tried to stifle her laughs.
"Well that rules you out, Pip!" The shorter looking halfling nodded happily, but then realizing what his companions said, stared at him with a frown.
"Wait! The she-elf! She is but a woman. Surely she will not be able to survive on such a quest of significance!" called out one of the male elves. The other males began to agree, including the man from Gondor. All of a sudden, Elrohir spoke up.
"Do not doubt her! She is a great warrior with much skill that is not to be underestimated!" he said angrily. Elladan and Legolas both glared at the elf that had spoken up and Enellewyn looked at them gratefully. Then she turned around a glared at the Gondorian man.
Elrond had a look of doubt on his face.
"Enellewyn, are you sure you want to take part in this quest? It will be perilous," Elrond inquired critically. Enellewyn nodded.
"Yes, Lord Elrond," Enellewyn said without a trace of fear in her voice. Elrond sighed.
"So be it. You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring!" Elrond said grandly. The younger hobbit grinned.
"Right! Where are we going?"
**
After the council had been concluded, the courtyard emptied and everyone went his or her separate ways.
Somehow Enellewyn found herself in the kitchens. A quiet grumble came from her abdomen and there was a voice from farther inside the kitchens.
"Are you hungry too?" A small person jumped down from a counter where he had been rummaging through cabinets. Enellewyn recognized him as the younger hobbit.
"Only for something small," Enellewyn said. The hobbit grinned.
"That's how it starts with me sometimes. I only want a small snack, and then I end up eating everything!" He began searching for food again and Enellewyn joined him in his investigation.
"What's your name anyway?" Enellewyn asked curiously.
"Peregrin Took, but you can call me Pippin," he said, peaking his head inside the oven.
"Aha! Found some bread." He took out a medium sized loaf of bread and brought it over to a table. He sat down and ripped a large piece off.
"What's your name?" he asked, chewing with satisfaction.
"Enellewyn Silverleaf," she said, also sitting down across from him and tearing off a piece.
"Aren't you that elf who joined the Fellowship with us?" Pippin asked, realization hitting him. Enellewyn nodded in affirmation.
"I thought I recognized you from somewhere," Pippin said thoughtfully.
"Did you accompany Frodo here?" Enellewyn asked curiously.
"Yes. It was a long hard journey. A Black Rider, or a Ring Wraith stabbed Frodo. He nearly got killed." A somber look took over Pippin's facial features. "And there was no second breakfast!" he exclaimed huffily, his voice becoming light and carefree again.
As Enellewyn laughed, the door swung open.
"Pippin! What are you doing here?!" A hobbit stood in the doorway.
"I just came in here for a snack. This is Enellewyn, she's coming with us on the quest. Enellewyn, this is Merry Brandybuck, my kinsman," Merry nodded and waved, Enellewyn doing the same.
Merry sat down at the table and also took a chunk off the bread.
"These elves make exquisite bread," Merry said, his mouth full. Pippin nodded in vigorous agreement. "But needs something else.hmmm." Merry got down from his chair and began rummaging through drawers and cabinets.
"Jam!" Merry had a rather large jar of jam held tightly in his arms. He brought it over to the table and unscrewed the cap. Enellewyn took a portion off the bread and dipped it inside the jar. Merry and Pippin followed, taking turns. Pippin pushed the jar over to Enellewyn and it wavered precariously.
Before Enellewyn could react half a jar of berry jam was on her lap, soaking through her tunic and leggings onto her skin. She pursed her lips in a tight thin line as Pippin's eyes widened.
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean for that to happe-" but before he could finish his sentence, a large portion of jelly had been tossed at him, landing on his face. This time, Enellewyn laughed jovially. Soon Merry joined in. In fact, they were both laughing so hard that they didn't notice Pippin wander over to Enellewyn, take the jar of jam and reach his hand inside.
Before long, a healthy ration was on Merry's shirt. The laughing stopped for Merry, and he shook his head.
In a flurry of movement, Merry was racing around the kitchen trying to find some more food.
Enellewyn and Pippin watched him for a moment, and unexpectedly, Merry jumped out from behind a table, tossing flour at them. Clouds of thick white swirled around the room, and before Merry could react, bombs of jam were being thrown at him and the three were now locked in a heated food fight.
A/N: I know that Enellewyn's older now, and that a grown elf wouldn't be the type to get into a food fight with two hobbits, bit it felt like I needed something light hearted after the council which was kind of boring.
Thanks to all my great reviewers! You know what to do now!