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Chapter 5; The Counsel of Elrond
"Laura? What the hell is going on? Why are you so bitchy?!" Janine asked angrily. "I just am, so sue me. Why the hell do you care anyways? You've got your looks, why the hell do you need someone like me tagging along?" I saw myself spit back bitterly. It was strange. I was not saying these things; I was watching me say those things. "What do you mean?" Janine asked. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" the other me answered. "You are always screwing your self over and I'm always the one who has to save your ass. I'm fucking tired of it Janine." Slowly I saw the other version of myself become darker and darker as Janine tried desperately to sort stuff out. "Where is this shit coming from Laura? You're just pulling stuff out of your ass!" "Oh really?" the other me answered back. She turned to face Janine but her face was evil, demonic almost. "Do you have any idea how badly I've wanted to tell you this? You are a fucking skank, you screw around with guys then never even consider your other friends. Do you know how many times I was a third wheel? No! Because you were in the hot tub making out with some 28 year old! Or screwing around with some guy in your room!" At that moment a long knife appeared in the other me's hand. No! I yelled at myself. Drop that! What did she ever do to you?! The other me then brought the knife down upon Janine's chest and she fell to the floor dead, she bled so much that me and my counter part were wading in her blood. "She did everything to us Laura! You remember how badly she treated you, and how badly you wanted to tell her how you feel?" I ran to Janine's body and held her. She's my friend! Yeah, I should have told her, but I couldn't! I was going to tell her when the timing was right! "Well, you don't have to worry about it anymore. I took care of it." The blood was rising and I cried on Janine's chest. "I am taking care of all you're little problems Laura, all the loose ends you couldn't tie are being taken care of, permanently."
I woke up gasping for breath with cold sweat on the back of my neck and forehead. My sheets were tangled and I was a wreck; but the morning light still shone gently and illuminated my room. I wiped my forehead and rested my head in my hands. What was that all about? Janine, the blood, the other me, the knife; what did it mean? I turned and rested my feet on the floor. My ankle hurt less today though I still needed the cane. I attempted to limp to the basin of water that sat in the corner, but my limps turned into hops and I nearly tipped over the basin when I ran into the table holding it. I splashed my face and dried it, then tried to pull my hair back into a ponytail. Yet, to my luck, the moment I pulled on my ponytail-holder it snapped and flew across the room. I sighed with annoyance as I let it fall and I looked around my room. On the dresser I saw a white gown; it was beautiful and gleamed in the morning rays, but I was in no mood to wear a dress. Yeah, like I'm actually going to wear that… I hopped to my door and called to a nearby elf who was just outside,
"Umm, excuse me? Can you help me out?" She was very nice, and gladly retrieved a servant who could accommodate my want for pants. I received a very hunter-like outfit (Which I didn't mind at all) that was as authentically Elvish as it could get. (Which I absolutely adored) Moments after the servant left, a male elf bid for me to follow him to the library; I did so gladly since I was excited to walk around in my kick butt elvish clothing.
When we arrived at the library, Elrond was already waiting for us; he was examining a large bookcase as he waited. "My lord?" I asked, letting him know of my presence.
"My Lady Laura, you need not announce your arrival, your footsteps gave me enough warning." He answered with a fatherly smile. I smiled back remembering that he too was an elf and possessed heightened senses, and manners. Unlike a certain other elf I know. I thought to myself bitterly. He gestured to a nearby stone bench where I gladly sat down. As he sat down beside me, he said, "I am glad to see that your ankle is mending. It is healing quickly."
"Yeah it is." I said with a small smile. Elrond nodded to the elf that led me to the library and he left. I looked around at all the statues and books that lined the library walls, fascinated by all the books in that unfamiliar language.
"Would you like to say something?" Elrond asked kindly. I sighed in relief and replied,
"I had a…disturbing dream, I guess you could call it." Elrond looked at my face in a concerned manner and asked,
"Yes? And what was this dream of?" I then explained to him how I saw myself telling all these cruel things to Janine, and then seeing myself murder her. I cringed at the memory of it and I could see that Elrond was disquieted at my unusual dream too. "I can indeed see why such a dream would linger on your thoughts," he said gently, "but do not let it trouble you." With that he stood and faced a statue so that his back was to me. "I have something to tell you, and I ask that you answer me with a clear mind." I looked at Elrond; he stood before me and said. "We are both aware that Frodo will take the ring and he will be the ring bearer, and for him a company must be made." I knew where this was going and I dreaded to hear it. "There are nine black riders we are aware of; though on the rocks of the rapids below the Great River we found the bodies of only eight horses."
He paused before he continued, "Hence only eight of the nine accounted for. Therefore I have decided that a company of nine will be sent with Frodo, 'and the nine walkers shall be set against the nine riders that are evil." When I heard that, I was relieved. He wasn't going to ask me to join the fellowship after all; I would stay in Rivendell until I found a way back home. "I do not ask you to attend the council, if you do not desire to do so." I nodded and he continued. "Frodo's ever faithful Sam will be sent, as will Gandalf, and against my will I send Peregrin Took and Meriadoc Brandybuck. Gandalf counsels that perhaps I should trust friendship over great wisdom in this matter; the rest will represent 'the other free peoples of the world: Elves, Dwarves and Men. Legolas shall be for the Elves; and Gimli son of Glóin for the Dwarves' and for men, Frodo 'shall have Aragorn son of Arathorn' and Boromir son of Denethor."
"Pardon me my lord," I interrupted. "I do not mean to sound arrogant, but I recognize that you know that I know what's going to happen, am I right?" Elrond looked to me once more.
"Yes, as I have said before."
"Then why do you tell me these things? I know that the four hobbits, Gandalf, Gimli, Aragorn, Legolas, and Boromir are to be sent, and what perils will await them on their journey. I know that you are going to send nine with the ring to Mordor." Elrond looked at me and replied,
"Perhaps you are mistaken. I am to send nine with Frodo." I was confused, did he wasn't to send nine including Frodo or nine separate people with Frodo.
"Nine others besides Frodo?" Elrond nodded and it hit me, all the other's besides Frodo was only eight people. I started to have a feeling that staying in Rivendell and finding a way home was not an option. I rubbed my forehead then asked apprehensively, "Do you wish me to be the ninth member of the fellowship, my lord?" Elrond sat by my side once more and said to me,
"What Gandalf told me of you in Isengard intrigues me. So I chose to ask you to join the fellowship Laura."
"If the fellowship is going to break, why should it matter? There won't be a fellowship to belong to! My Lord, all I wish right now is to go home. I want to see my family and my friends, especially after such a nightmare that I had last night." Elrond nodded and placed his hand on my shoulder. He replied,
"Laura, Gandalf said that Gwaihir heard Saruman call you something very peculiar." I wrenched my brain trying to remember but Elrond answered it for me. "A Seer of Sauron…do you understand what this means?" At that moment a great bell sounded and Elrond stood. "That is the warning bell for the council." He said. He returned his gaze to me and finished, "I must go and I will leave you to decide what you feel is the right thing to do, but if the reason you decide to reject my proposal is because you fear of changing the future, I tell you this, Sauron knows that you know more than you say as well, therefore the dark Lord wants possession of you nearly as much as he craves the ring." He placed a hand on my shoulder as he said, "You are not unintelligent, you can make sense of what I say, I must leave you now. Good morning Laura."
"Goodbye my lord." I replied and watched as he exited the library.
I wandered around Rivendell, searching for someone, anyone to talk to. Gandalf was at the council as was Elrond and the rest, but I had to talk to someone, I had to get another opinion.
Laura, you know you cannot go, going could endanger more than just Boromir and Gandalf, and you could endanger the lives of every single person in that fellowship! You should go home. Get your self out of this before you can't get out at all. I thought to myself in a determined way.
Laura, who are you kidding? You know that you want to go! Ever since you read the books! How could you deny yourself this? You would be traveling with the fellowship! You would be kicking butt and saving the world all in one go! How much better can it get? Said another part of me. Besides, every person in the fellowship is already in danger; it's not something they can avoid.
But am I willing to take a chance at my life for a few moments of fame and glory? Besides it won't be easy! This will be months upon months of walking, scarce food, and harsh weather…besides, from what Elrond says I'm as much as a walking target as the ring is…
Have I ever done anything positively spectacular? Anything that people would say, 'Hey, she was the girl who did this! Wow, I wish I could be as brave, or as smart as her?' NO! If I do this, I won't have wasted my life! I could tell my grandchildren that I did something great or at least I would go down fighting and sacrificing for a great cause.
A great cause? You aren't talking about feeding starving children Laura. Yeah, some great cause that happened in a book? A fictional, fantasy book? A cause that never existed? What will you tell them? 'Well kids, I was transported into a book and I saved the world in it and everyone loved me and I was a hero?' Well, they won't think that's awkward in the slightest! And what if you died in here? What if you died? What would happen to your family? What would happen to your body? What would happen to you? You can't even answer those questions! I finally stopped walking through the halls of Rivendell and rested my head against a stone pillar. I threw my can sown angrily as I cursed, "Fuck!" At that moment, I heard stern voices below me.
"The Ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli, son of Glóin, by any craft that we here possess. 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 back into the fiery chasm from whence it came. One of you must do this." I looked over a nearby railing cautiously and saw that the council of Elrond was assembled beneath me. I stood back and shrank down the side of the pillar. I sat on the marble floor listening to what was said,
"One does not simply walk into Mordor. Its 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 that you breathe is a poisonous fume. Not with ten thousand men could you do this. It is folly."
He's right. I said to myself
"Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond has said? The Ring must be destroyed!"
He's right too.
"And I suppose you think you're the one to do it?"
"And if we fail, what then? What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?"
What would they do then? What would I do then if I were with the fellowship?
"I will be dead before I see the Ring in the hands of an Elf!" The voices began to merge and made a dreadful collaboration of shouting and anger. I felt as if my own head and the voices were fighting in unison. Why? Why was it so hard for me to decide? It's a simple choice of yes or no! At that moment a small voice slowly rose above the rest.
"I will take it! I will take it!" The noise slowly stopped and my head stopped aching. This hobbit, someone so much smaller than I in size, is willing to take this ring to an unknown fate and test its boundaries. If one so small can make such a decision, why can't I? "I will take the Ring to Mordor... Though - though I do not know the way." I shut my eyes and listened in undisturbed thought.
"I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins. As long as it is yours to bear."
"If by my life or death, if I can protect you, I will. You have my sword."
"And you have my bow."
"And my axe." Hearing these oaths lifted my heart. I am in this place, I thought to myself, I exist here and this place is real. I belong here now so the ring concerns my existence, and I am not going to let Sauron get that ring while I know that I can prevent it. As for Saruman? Next time I see him, he is going to get a lot more than just a bloody nose; he has infringed on the rights and lives of too many people. I am going to help, and nothing is going to hold me back. I felt as if my passion had lit a flame with in me and I was determined to join the fellowship. Here I'm worth something, and I will go and fight for all that is good and free in this land and if I die, I die nobly and pray that God will comfort my family and friends. I stood on my good foot and limped back to the library, with my cane still lying forgotten in some hall.
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Chapter Three
TriGemini: Yeah, personally I thought he deserved it!
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