hey! It's been a while since I last posted and I'm sorry about that but my mom didn't let me use the computer for a while. But I'm back, and with a new chapter! hopefully you'll like this since it's sort of a strange mix between the book and the movie, though mostly the movie because I didnt have the time or energy to write most of what the book said. anyway, if you don't like it, my next chapter will be better. I just had to get this out of the way.
Disclaimer: It's a shame, but I don't own anyone but Aralin and the items that she owns.
Chapter 3
"Strangers from distant lands, friends of old. You have been summoned here to answer the threat of Mordor. Middle-Earth stands 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."
Aralin sat in a chair next to Aragorn and couldn't help but wonder what this council was supposed to be for. There were Elves from another place, Mirkwood she'd overheard, Men from Gondor, Frodo the Hobbit, Mithrandir, and a group of Dwarves. She couldn't help but scowl slightly when she looked upon them. Dwarves, she thought. What right have they to be here? Filthy, disgusting creatures, all of them. How could Elrond allow them to dirty our land under their feet? Aralin sighed inwardly and tried not to keep looking at the Dwarves with disgust.
"Bring forth the Ring, Frodo." The Hobbit stood and walked to the pedestal, where he placed a golden ring, and sat down again. The Men began to murmur amongst themselves and everyone's eyes were drawn to the ring. Aralin found herself unable to look away from it. She wanted the Ring, wanted it more than she had ever wanted anything. All she had to do was reach out and take it. She found herself unconsciously reaching out and she quickly pulled her hand back, embarrassed that she had been so easily seduced by the power of what, she knew now, must be the One Ring. It shocked her that after all this time the Ring had been found and was sitting not ten feet away from her.
"So it is true..." One of the Gondor Men, named Boromir, said.
"Indeed." Gandalf said. "The Ring of Power has been found. It was given to Frodo by his uncle Bilbo, who is known to those in Imladris. Bilbo came across it during his journey in the company of the Dwarves through the Misty Mountains. The Ring has been in his possession until quite recently, when I had cause to believe the Ring was more than it appeared to be. I had the thought to travel to Minas Tirith, to search through the library there for any information on the Ring. There I found an account written by Isildur describing the Ring and I knew then that it was that same ring which had been in Bilbo's keeping for so long. Before I could leave Minas Tirith, however, word came to me from Lorien that the creature Gollum had been found and had been brought to Mirkwood, where the Elves were keeping him. This was welcome news, but foremost on my mind was Frodo, as he had no knowledge of the One Ring being in his possession. His safety was most important to me, so I sent him on his way, and now here we are, deciding what is to be done with the Ring."
After Gandalf's tale, there was a period of silence, where everyone was pondering the circumstances which led the Ring to Rivendell. Boromir was th first to break the silence by stirring in his seat. He stood, and looked at everyone. "In a dream, I saw the Eastern sky grow dark but in the West a pale light lingered. A voice was crying 'You're doom is near at hand! Isildur's Bane has been found!' Isildur's Bane..." With each word he spoke, he stepped closer and closer to the Ring. With his last words, he reached forth his hand to touch the Ring, to take it. Elrond jumped to his feet in alarm. Gandalf stood and opened his mouth to speak.
"Ash nazg durbatuluk, ash nazg gimbatul, ash nazg thrakatuluk, agh burzum-ishi kripatul!" The sky darkened and Aralin closed here eyes in pain. She had never heard the Black Speech before, and as soon as she did, she wished she hadn't. It was terrible and painful. Boromir sat back down and looked around in shock. WhenGandalf stopped speaking, the sky grew bright and clear again and Aralin opened her eyes. Elrond was glaring at Gandalf angrily.
"Never before has anyone uttered the words of that tongue here in Imladris."
"I do not ask your pardon, Master Elrond, for the Black Speech of Mordor may yet be heard in every corner of the West! The Ring is altogether evil!" he exclaimed, mostly at Boromir, but also at everyone present, lest anyone think of using the Ring against Sauron.
"Nay, it is a gift! A gift to the foes of Mordor! Why not use this Ring?" Gandalf stared back at the Man incredulously. Boromir stood again and looked at the entire council accusingly. "Long has my father, 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! Why not use it against him?" The idea seemed like a good one. Let Gondor have the Ring so they can destroy the enemy and free Middle-Earth of evil. But Men were easily seduced by power. Even now, Aralin could see a strange light in Boromir's eyes, a fervor that hadn't been there before. He was already falling under the Ring's spell.
"You cannot wield it! None of us can!" Aragorn cried out. "The One Ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master." Boromir glared at him.
"And what would a Ranger know of this matter?" Elrond calmly looked at Boromir.
"He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn and he is descended through many fathers from Isildur, Elendil's son. He is chief of the Dunedain in the North, and few are now left of that folk." Boromir seemed amazed.
"Aragorn? This," he gestured to the Ranger. "Is Isildur's heir?"
"And heir to the throne of Gondor!" One of the Mirkwood Elves, Legolas, exclaimed. Boromir glared daggers at the Elf and Aralin felt herself becoming angry at the man for disrespecting one of her kin.
"Gondor has no King. Gondor needs no King." the Man said before siting back in his seat. There was another silence, an uncomfortable one as the Elves look distrustfully at the Men, and vice versa.
"What news of Gollum?" Aragorn asked, breaking the silence. "What have the Mirkwood Elves agreed shall be done with him? He has suffered much and I would be glad to hear that he is imprisoned and nothing more, safely kept by the watchful eyes of the Elves. His malice is great and I am sure he could work much mischief if he were free. " The Elves looked extremely uncomfortable suddenly, and none seemed to want to speak. They did not meet the eyes of the rest of the council, save one, Legolas, who had a look of great distress on his face.
"Alas! The news I was sent to bring must now be told. Gollum has escaped."
"Escaped?" cried Gandalf. "How? How have the Elves of Mirkwood failed in their trust?"
"Not through lack of watchfulness, but perhaps through over-kindliness. And we fear that the prisoner had aid from others, and that more is known of our doings than we would like. We guarded this creature day and night, but we had not the heart to keep him ever in dungeons under the earth, where he could fall back into his old black thoughts."
"You were less tender to me." Grumbled Gloin, remembering his time of imprisonment in Mirkwood. Aralin scowled again and crossed her arms, wishing that the Dwarves were gone from the council. With only a glare to signal the Elf's irritation at the interruption, Legolas continued.
"In the days of fair weather we led Gollum through the woods, and there was a high tree standing alone from the others which he liked to climb. One day he refused to come down and the guards had no mind to go after him, so they sat by the tree far into the night. It was that very night that Orcs came on us unawares. We drove them off after some time but when the battle was over we found that Gollum was gone and his guards were slain or taken. We failed to recapture Gollum."
"Though this news is ill, it is not grievously so.However Gollum is not the first of our concerns. We must decide what is to be done with the Ring. Aragorn is right, we cannot use it."
"You have but one choice. The Ring must be destroyed." Elrond said.
"What are we waiting for?" One of the Dwarves, Gimli yelled. He stood up and brought his axe down on the Ring, hoping to destroy it. But it had the opposite effect as he was thrown backwards and his axe lay in pieces.
"The Ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli, son of Gloin, by any craft that we here posses. The Ring was made in the fires of Mount Doom. Only there can it be unmade. It must be taken deep into Mordor and cast into the fiery chasm from whence it came. One of you must do this." The entire council was stunned into silence.
"One does not simply walk into Mordor. It's black gates are guarded by more than just Orcs. There is evil there that does not sleep, and the great Eye is ever watchful. It is a barren wasteland, riddled with fire and ash and dust. The very air you breath is a poisonuos fume. Not with ten thousand men can you do this. It is folly." In Aralin's opinion, that was the only sensible thing Boromir had said. Go into Mordor? It was a suicide mission bound to fail! She was determined to be the one to take the Ring there.
"Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond has said?" Legolas cried out, standing up. "The Ring must be destroyed!"
"And I suppose you think you're the one to do it?" Gimli yelled. The Elf glared at Gimli with distaste.
"And if we fail, what then? What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?" The council was beginning to become out of control.
"I will be dead before I see the Ring in the hands of an Elf!" Gimli yelled. The other Mirkwood Elves stood up and started arguing with the Dwarves, who had also stood up. Aralin stood up as well, thoroughly insulted by the Dwarf, and her voice joined in the chorus of those voices already arguing. Even Gandalf, wise as he was, began to quarrel with the Men of Gondor. The voices were so loud that no one heard the small Hobbit speak at first.
"I will take it!" he was ignored by all. "I will take it!" This time, Gandalf turned around and regarded Frodo. "I will take the Ring to Mordor! Though...I do not know the way." By this time all the arguing had stopped and everyone was watching the Hobbit.
"I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins, as long as it is yours to bear." the wizard stood behind Frodo, his hands on the Hobbit's shoulders. Aragorn rose to his feet.
"If by my life or death I can protect you, I will." he kneeled in front of Frodo. "You have my sword."
"And you have my bow." Legolas said, standing behind Frodo.
"And my axe." The Dwarf stood next to Legolas, who scowled slightly.
"You carry the fate of us all, little one. If this is indeed the will of the council, then Gondor shall see it done." Boromir said, standing with the growing group of doomed travelers. Before anyone else could speak, Aralin stood up.
" As shall Imladris. I would be shamed to stay behind when my skills could be put to good use protecting the Ring-bearer." she stood with the others.
"Hey!" a voice cried out, and soon Sam was seen running to Frodo's side. "Mister Frodo's not going anywhere without me."
"No, indeed, it is hardly possible to separate you, even when he is summoned to a secret council and you are not." Elrond said, an amused smile on his face.
"Wait! We're coming too!" Merry and Pippin, two more Hobbits ran to stand with Frodo. "You'd have to send us home tied in a sack."
"Anyway, you need people of intelligence on this sort of mission...quest...thing." Pippin said, wanting to sound important.
"Well that rules you out, Pip."
"Ten companions. So be it. You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring." Elrond said, looking at what would be known as the Fellowship. Two Men, two Elves, a Dwarf, a wizard and four Hobbits. The most unlikely companions would now rely on each other to live through the next year.
"Great!" Pippin exclaimed. "Where are we going?"
Now, to reply to your reviews!
I.H.N: Thank you for the advice! And don't worry, Aralin is not the most amazing fighter to ever grace the lands of Middle-Earth. And there will be no prophecies (I hate those things in LOTR fics!) and Aralin will certainly not be the center of attention. And did I really say that she lived in Mirkwood? Jeez..a Freudian slip...lol. Yeah, she lives in Rivendell...sorry about that! And I don't think that Elves are sexist, it's just that her father doesnt want her to be in danger. It's not that he thinks females being warriors is a horrible, unthinkable thing. He doesn't want her to get hurt and he's willing to do or say anything to dissuade her from her chosen field of interest. And I'll definitely try my best to keep this story true to the book and movie and not make some really sappy romance story. I hope you keep reading!
Lindelea: to answer your question, Aralin is beautiful, after all, all Elves are beautiful. BUT she in no way rivals Arwen or Luthien, you get me? As far as Elves go, she's pretty average looking.
FlamingMushrooms: Yeah I know what you mean about the papargraph thing. It gets on my last nerve. "you're not going to make her into the ultimate warrior that defeat Legolas and a legion of orcs with both hands tied behind her back, right?" LOL! Absolutely not. Don't worry. And I won't steal lines from other characters. Aralin is my creation and as such, all her lines will be my creation as well. And thanks for the "she-elf" suggestions. I really appreciate it! I hope you like this chapter, but if you don't I promise the next one will be better! BTW, I love your username!