Hi! Sorry I haven't posted for a long time... Got writer's block and all.

insanity-is-my-friend: thx! -

After Isabel and Taja left, Raine sat down before her dresser and gazed at her reflection. The Lands of Death... Why would there be a meeting of that place? There hasn't been a meeting about Mordor since the Fellowship has been created. She absentmindedly pulled her hair up and tied it in a high ponytail. She grabbed her dagger, Gaffin had returned it to her the night before. Tying it securely, she left the room for her morning walk.

Isabel hovered in front of the wide doors of the meetinghouse anxiously. She didn't know that this meeting would be so important, but after the people began to arrive, she began to notice the urgency. There were people representing all races of Middle Earth here and there wasn't such a meeting since... "Since the Fellowship was made," the elf whispered to herself. "What was that?" Gem asked, coming up next to her. "Nothing," Isabel said. "It's just that..." She turned to her cousin, her eyes serious. "What is going on?" Gem sighed. "I'm not sure." But Isabel felt Gem's emotion. "You know what the meeting is about. Why won't you tell your cousin?" Gem turned away and looked at the next person arriving. "Even if Aries hadn't told me that you have information, I would've felt your emotion." Isabel looked at Gem intently and didn't look at the incoming until Gem nodded at him. Isabel turned at look at him and gasped.

Taja was seated in one of the chairs and watching the people come in. She had this foreboding feeling that something was going to happen and she wasn't going to like it very much. She already suspected what was going on, and the newest arrival made her almost sure. He was incredibly short, the most 3 foot 9, and his curly dark brown hair was tousled. He wore plain trousers and a white shirt. He also had a dark green cloak. He stopped before Taja and bowed his head. "My lady," he said smiling. Taja stared at him, her eyes widen in disbelief. The hobbit walked away and took the seat next to the dwarves. Taja looked at the entrance and saw her older sister there, her eyes reflecting Taja's bewilderment and wonder.

Raine walked briskly to the entrance and spotting her sister there, she waved. "Hi," she said, hurrying up to her. "Am I late?" "No," Isabel said, looking slightly dazed. Raine looked at her quizzically and was about to ask what was wrong, but Gem came up to them. "It's starting."

Raine took her seat between Isabel and Taja, folding her hands on the stone table. She looked down at the people seated at the long table. A couple elfin soldiers she had seen in the realm, an elf she had never seen, Aries, Gem, and her sisters. Raine looked to her left. 2 mortal men, Higara, Taurus, 3 dwarves, and... Her mouth dropped open. A hobbit.

Taurus cleared his throat. "We are gathered here for an important meeting." He nodded at Isabel and Gem. "I beg you pardon for not telling you this information beforehand, but now it is to be discussed." The two ladies nodded. Isabel leaned back slightly into her chair. Taurus continued. "The people seated at this table are very important. It took many days for us to track them down." "It sounds like the matter is great," Raine cut in, glancing at Gem and Taurus. "Why didn't you tell us what the problem was before?" Taurus nodded. "I am sorry. I know that it was wrong, I didn't want to trouble you." "But, still, we have the right to know what is going on." Taja looked at Raine and Raine bit her lip, but said no more. "I realized now that it was a mistake," Taurus said again. He continued with the introductions. "These people are none other than the descendants of the Fellowship."

He paused slightly, giving the 3 sisters the time to exchange looks. "They are Estellan, Descendant of King Estel himself, Haovign, Descendant of Faramir, brother of Borrimir, Adiean, Elf from the Woodland Realm and the House of Greenleaf, Darek, Descendant of Samwise Gamgee, and Erwin, Descendant of Gimli." He looked around the table. "The others are faithful companions that have decided to accompany them to Crescent Realm."

Lady Gem spoke up. "This matter is very important and I regret not telling my cousins about this." She stopped to take out a map. Spreading the ancient parchment across the stone surface, she pointed at the Lands of Death.

"Today's meeting is concerning the Lands of Death, called Mordor in the past. It is about the amulet of darkness."

Taja was puzzled. What amulet of darkness? She looked around and saw the scared and foreboding faces of the other elves. Was she the only one here that didn't know what was going on? She was about to ask that question when Raine broke the tense silence.

"The dark amulet," she said quietly. Taja looked at her older sister. Her face was expressionless as always, but her eyes showed wariness. "What about it?"

Gem looked at her for a few moments before answering her. "The dark lord has risen."

"Not possible," Isabel stammered. "He is dead. There is no Dark lord since..."

"Since Sauron," Gem nodded. "What are you trying to say?" Aries demanded. "What she is saying is that Sauron, the dark lord and enemy of the free lands of Middle Earth has risen again," Taurus said.

"This is completely stupid," Raine stated. "Sauron is dead. Frodo threw in the ring and destroyed it and the Lord with it." "I understand your doubt, but it is true," Gem said, her eyes beginning to show her impatience. Isabel nudged Raine and shot her a look. Raine gave Gem a look before settling down. "He is alive and looking for the ring." "What ring?" Aries cut in. It was obvious that he didn't believe this anymore than Raine did. "The ring was destroyed." "It was, or seemed like it," Gem said. "When the Ring was cast into the fire, Mt. Doom was destroyed with it in an explosion. A small shard of the ring was discovered and melted to make a gold part of a small necklace." Gem took out another yellowed piece of parchment and unfurled it, spreading it across the other paper. It was a detailed picture of a necklace.