AN: I hope no one gets confused with the Council part. I had to switch it a little to make it fit the story. It's all there, but it's switched. I hope you like it. It's about to get really interesting in the chapters to come.
And I want to thank Nightwoman for helping me to come up with more of an idea for the story. Without her help, I would still be stuck at the second part of the chapter.
To all who gave feedback...I really appreciate it. I hope you like this chapter as well.
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Chapter 3
Taylor laid there on the soft mattress as Lord Elrond checked over her, cleaning and bandaging any wounds on her body he could find. When he came to her right side of her ribs, he carefully lifted the black rubbery vest, revealing the now dark black and blue marks that covered her side and parts of her stomach. He gently rubbed some green and brown sap with a thick coat and then wrapped a clean, white bandage around protecting the sap from being rubbed off.
She looked at him with her tear stained face and her puffy red eyes with tears forming, ready to be released again. Her head was still cloudy and flooded with fog, not realizing what was really going on around her. She felt gentle hands being pressed against her side and for some strange reason with each touch, it did not hurt. She could not feel, only a warm, tingly feeling in her.
She could hear the soft spoken words, a language she did not recognize as her own, coming from the 'man' sitting beside her. She closed her eyes for a minute to stop the dizziness that now claimed her head. And as she opened her eyes she could feel the room begin to spin out of control. She moaned as her head started to pound and all the events came rushing back to her. The fighting of the demon, the vortex, the hard, painful landing as she was thrown out of the vortex, her friend...
She sat up quickly as the blood rushed to her head, "Where...where is she?" Taylor cried out as fresh set of tears rolled down her face, "Where is Saige?" She wanted to know. She needed to know. She did not know if her friend was dead or alive. She had to find out. She could not bare to lose her friend...she was like a sister to her, she was her sister. They had been friends for as long as she could remember, did almost everything together and she'd just hate herself if anything awful had happened to her.
Lord Elrond gently placed his hands on her shoulders and laid her back down, "Do not worry my young one," He spoke softly as Taylor did not protest to his light push and laid back down, "Your friend is wounded but she will be fine. She will be up in no time, like your self if you lay and rest."
She reached out and grabbed his arm. "Please...please help her," Taylor said, "She needs help."
He looked down and met her eyes. He brushed a piece of her hair away from her eyes and softly smiled, "She is being taken care of as we speak," He told her, hoping this would claim her, "We have great healers here in Rivendell. No need to despair and let your heart be troubled my child." He reached over to the little stand that sat next to the bed and picked up the small glass cup, "Here, drink this. This will help you sleep."
Taylor lifted her head slightly as Lord Elrond placed the rim of the glass cup, filled with the green liquid, to her lips and she took a small sip. After a few sips of the warm liquid, Taylor laid her head back down on the fluffy pillow, feeling all fuzzy and weird inside as her eyes grew tired and her body felt relaxed and calm. She closed her eyes but quickly opened them as she felt the bed move a little and she could see he was no longer sitting next to her, but as she looked around the room, she could see two blurry figures at the door talking in the language she did not know.
With each passing second her eyes grew extremely heavy where she couldn't keep them open any longer and closed them, letting the darkness take over as she slipped into a dreamless, soothing sleep.
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Lord Elrond left the room to check on the other girl. Walking down the hallway a little ways to his room where he had told Strider to take her.
He walked in his room and made his way across the room over to his bed where the girl laid, lifelessly. "Sut na re?" He asked as the two healers who were working on fixing up her wounds looked up.
"Re naimu moar," The one healer with dark brown hair said, as she moved out of the way so that he could get in and take a look at her.
Lord Elrond looked over Saige's body. All her cuts were cleaned and bandaged up and the young girl was removed of her clothing and was now wearing one of the long white gowns. "Lle ume quel, Cinire ar Eruanna," He said, turning to look up at both of the healers and smiled.
"Hantalye," Cinire said. Eruanna blushed as it was a great compliment from their Lord to notice how well they had done.
He bowed his head slightly, smiled again at the two young elven women before pulling his soft comforter over the young woman's body. He turned to the healers, motioning for them to follow as he started to make his way out of the room.
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After he was done checking on the two girls, making sure that all cuts, bumps and bruises were bandaged up and Taylor was sound asleep, Lord Elrond headed his way back to the Council Chambers. He knew that the others were waiting and they must have many questions for him. He just hoped that he had the answers to them.
As he walked in to the Council Chambers, the group of members grew quiet. They turned to look at him as they waited for him to speak.
He took a deep breath as he began to tell them all that he knew, "The two young ones are resting. They are battered and wounded but they will be well in a few days. They had marks and wounds that I or the healers have never seen that were so bad," He started, "They come from a strange land...place with strange clothing and weapons, nothing that I nor my people have ever seen. They are either family or friend and the youngest ones name is Saige when the other called out for her. I do not know her name; she was more worried and troubled hearted about her fallen companion. Though I do not know where they have come from, I do not fear they are any threat to us."
"But we do not know if Saruman is behind this," Boromir said looking at Lord Elrond.
"Saruman may be a great and powerful wizard," Gandalf said, "But I do not think he even had this much power to bring forth these girls from an unknown land."
"Gandalf, you said it yourself that Saruman is working on the side of Sauron. What if they had worked up some type of dark magic to bring them here to stop the people of Middle Earth...," Strider started, "...to stop one of us from taking the ring to Mordor."
"Then if by any chance they show any signs that they work for them, they will be destroyed," Lord Elrond said flatly, "But as I had stated before, I do not think they are any threat to us. I do not think they know where they are or if they even know why they are here."
"We do not know Milord Elrond why they are here," Legolas said.
"I do wish that I had the answers to your questions, but I do not. I am just out in the wind as you are," Lord Elrond said, finally. He didn't have the answers they were seeking. He wished that he did, but he only knew that the two girls that were asleep held the answers to their unanswered questions, "We will have more answers when they awake. I wish I could have been more help, but we know that the two young ones would know more than I."
"Yes Milord," He said, bowing, "We shall wait for them to awaken." And he stepped back.
Lord Elrond bowed and slightly nodded his head, "There is nothing more we can do," He said, "We wait for the answers." He glanced over towards one of the arch ways where one of the Elven warriors stood. He held out his hand and turned back to the others, "If you shall follow him, he will take you to your chambers for the night. There is much to be done, but that can wait for tomorrow, for I have not forgotten about the ring, but we all have had a troubled day with the happening events. We meet here tomorrow morning to decide the fate of the ring. Now go and rest."
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Morning day came quickly for Lord Elrond, as he stood to his feet and headed out of his study room towards the Council Chambers again. During the night he kept an watchful eye on the two girls, checking on them often, making sure that no infection came to their wounds, changing their bandages as they needed to be changed.
As he grew near to the Chambers, he could hear arguments coming from inside.
"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. The Great Eye is ever-watchful. It is a barren wasteland riddled with fire, and ash and dust. The very air you breathe is poisonous fume. Not with 10,000 men could you do this. It is folly," He heard Boromir, Captain of Gondor say.
"Have you heard nothing that has been said?" Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood called out as he stood to his feet, "The ring must be destroyed."
"And I suppose you think you are the one to do it!" Gimli, son of Gloin, blurted out, turning to face the blond haired elf with icy eyes.
"And if we fail what then? What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?" Boromir said.
"I will be dead before I see the Ring in the hands of an Elf!" Gimli quickly said.
"Gentlemen, please," Lord Elrond said, as he walked into the Chambers before anything more could happen. Everyone turned to the Elven Lord of Rivendell as he walked over to his chair and sat down, "There is much to talk about. You all are here to help decide on the fate of The One Ring. 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."
"It is a gift. A gift to the foes of Mordor. Why not use this Ring?" Boromir asked, facing Lord Elrond then turned his gaze to the others, "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 them."
"You cannot wield it. None of us can," Strider finally said at once, "The One Ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master."
Boromir turned to look at Strider, "And what would a Ranger know of this matter?"
"This is no mere Ranger," Legolas said, "He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance."
"Aragorn?" He asked surprise as he took a few steps closer, "This...this is Isildur's heir."
"And heir to the throne of Gondor," Legolas told him.
Boromir turned to Legolas for a second and then looked back at Aragorn, "Gondor has no king...Gondor needs no king." And he walked back over to his chair and sat down.
Lord Elrond looked across the room at each of the members that sat around in the circle. He was afraid that this would happen. They fought and argued and yet no one has come forth to take the ring into the very heart of Mordor. He sighed and rubbed his temples.
The air grew silence and the surrounding gave off an eerie feeling. The young hobbit that stood behind Gandalf stepped out from behind him and took a few steps forward, "I...I will take it," Frodo spoke out, "I will take the ring to Mordor." He turned to face Gandalf who had a look of sadness on his face as he had said that he would carry the ring and take it to Mount Doom, "Though...I do not know the way."
Gandalf looked down at the small hobbit before he spoke, "I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins as long as it is yours to bear."
Aragorn stood to his feet, "If by my life or death, I can protect you..." He said as he walked over to Frodo and knelt down on his knee and place his hand on his shoulder, "...I will. You have my sword."
"And you have my bow," Legolas said as he walked over to the hobbit and stood next to Aragorn.
"And my ax," The dwarf said in a husky voice as he went to stand next to Gandalf, all proud and mighty.
Boromir walked towards Frodo, "You carry the fate of us all, little one. If this is indeed the will of the Council then Gondor will see it done."
"Aye," Samwise Gamgee called out as he ran out from behind the bushes and went to stand next to Frodo and crossed his arms over his chest, "Frodo's not going anywhere without me."
"It is hardly possible to separate you even when he is summoned to a secret Council," Lord Elrond smirked, "And you are not."
A small little noise came from behind Lord Elrond as two more hobbits came running past him, quickly he moved out of the way," We're coming too!" Merry said as him and Pippin came and stood on the other side of Frodo, "You'll have to send us home tied up in a sack to stop us.
"Anyway, you need people of intelligence on this sort o mission. Quest. Thing." Pippin said as he looked up at Lord Elrond.
"Well, that rules you out, Pip," Merry said quietly to Pippin. Pippin turned to Merry with a hurt look on his face.
Lord Elrond stared at the members standing in front of him for a few seconds before he spoke, "Nine companions. So be it," He started, "You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring."
"Great!" Pippin said, excitedly but then stopped as he did not know where he was going, "Where are we going?"
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"T...Tay..." Saige moaned as she started to come back to the world of the living, "Taylor..."
Saige slowly opened her eyes, blinking them a few times to rid the blur that covered her sight. She turned her head and moaned loudly as piercing pain shot through her temples. She brought her hand up to her head and felt the soft cloth that was wrapped around.
She slowly slid up on the bed, her muscles cramped and stiff and sore. She felt the cloth again, moving her hands around her head and yelped when she felt a nice size bump on the back of her head. She removed the cloth and looked at the fabric she held in her hands. This was nothing like any cloth or bandage she had ever seen. She stared deep at the fabric as she tried to remember what had happened. But she could not. Her head had hurt too much.
She pulled back the soft covers and shivered as a nice breeze blew through the air. Her eyes were glazed and covered in confusion as she looked down at her self and noticed that she wasn't wearing her own clothes but someone else's. "What the..." She quietly said to herself.
She swung her legs over the edge of the bed and slowly as she could, not to hurt her head anymore then what it was already, she stood up. She let her eyes wander around the room, taking in her surroundings. Nothing looked like the alley she was in or her own bedroom. Everything was so different and confusing to her. "Where am I?" She asked as she started to walk towards the doorway. She winced with pain with each step she took, feeling every cramp and every sore muscle. Nothing a hot bath couldn't cure, but first she had to find one.
She rested up against the door jam and poked her head out and looked around to see if there was anyone around that could help her. But as she looked to the left she did not see a soul in sight and as she turned to the right, her head bumped into something. She let her head wander up...it wasn't something, it was someone.
Her eyes met the stranger and her mouth dropped open as she stared at the dark haired man. Her heart began to race as she gasps. There was something different about this man, he wasn't normal and to her that wasn't a good thing.
The young warrior looked down at the young woman who stood before him. Lord Elrond had posted him there during the night to watch her and let him know if she awake, but as he stood there staring down at her, he could not move. He wasn't feared by her but she did take him by surprise.
"Ai...Aiya," The warrior finally spoke as his words came out in stutters.
Saige looked at him strange as he spoke to her in something that she did not understand. Her mouth opened and the first word...sound that came out of her mouth was...she screamed.
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Translations-
Sut na re?-How is she?
Re naimu moar-She is doing good.
Lle ume quel-You did well
Hantalya-Thank you
Aiya-Hello
