1Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings. I do not own Rivendell. And I do not own the new addition to the Fellowship.

Chapter Four

"I will take the Ring to . . . um, Merry?" Pippin hesitated.

"Gondor," Merry whispered, waiting to see if his cousin would buy it.

"Gondor," Pippin readily announced.

"Yes!" shouted Boromir.

"What?" shouted Gandalf.

"Aaaaaaaahhhhhhh!" shouted Elrond.

"Mordor!" Frodo shouted at Pippin. "Mordor!"

"Oh. Is there a difference?"

Merry jumped off Faramir's leg and put his arm around Pippin's shoulders. "You'll need help, Pip. You don't know the way. I will help you bear this burden, Peregrin Took, for as long as it is yours to bear." He was hoping to impress Gandalf with the fancy wording for "I want to go, too."

"No, you won't!" Elrond said firmly. "Neither of you is going!"

"With all due respect, Lord Elrond," Faramir volunteered, "Pippin may be a better Ringbearer than you think. His innocent nature may protect him from its power longer than anyone else."

"He doesn't even know where he's going!"

"So he'll need help," Merry suggested again.

"Well, yes," Elrond agreed reluctantly. Everyone but Merry and Pippin was seated by then.

Frodo stood, and Sam rushed out from behind some bushes upon realizing his master intended to go with Merry and Pippin. They stood by the two Hobbits. "You two got us this far; Sam and I will make sure you get the rest of the way," Frodo said. Sam nodded.

Gandalf came over and stood behind Pippin. "Are you sure you want to do this?" the Wizard asked. "The Ring is a heavy burden."

Merry came immediately to Pippin's defense. "You yourself said that you could ask no more of Frodo. You said you wouldn't touch the Ring. Who will do this, if he doesn't?" He turned to Elrond. "Hobbits show extraordinary resilience to the Ring's evil. You said that yourself."

"You little spy," Elrond accused.

"So we will do it. The Ring cannot stay here, you said. No one else but Gollum has volunteered to take it."

"He's right, I guess," Gandalf agreed.

Aragorn came over with only a shade of doubt left in his expression. "If by my life or death I can protect you, I will. You have my sword."

Gandalf winked at Elrond. "Well, if Pippin's going, he'll probably get to Gondor sooner or later," the Half-Elf sighed.

"And you have my bow," Legolas said, once again shoving Gollum in Haldir's direction.

"And my axe," Gimli added.

Pippin looked confused. "Why would I want your bow and your axe?" he asked. "I don't know how to use them."

"What?" Elrond asked.

"Well, he just said, You have my sword, and then he said, You have my bow, and he just said, And my axe. I didn't take anything!"

Gandalf burst out laughing. "What?" Pippin asked. "What did I do?"

"Here, young Hobbit," Gimli said between laughs, handing Pippin a small axe he normally used for throwing.

Legolas left for a moment and then returned carrying a smaller bow he'd used when his father asked him to give the younger elves a few lessons. He handed it to Pippin.

"But I don't know what to do with these," Pippin insisted.

"Show you later," Aragorn smiled. "You have the sword I gave you at Weathertop."

Boromir looked at Faramir. Faramir looked at Boromir. They both came over and stood by the others. "You carry the fate of us all, little one," Boromir reminded Pippin. "If this is indeed the will of the Council, then Gondor will see it done." Faramir just stood silently by Legolas. No matter what lay ahead, this moment was fantastic.

"Ten companions?" Elrond asked, and then shrugged. "So be it. You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring."

"Great," Pippin grinned. "We're goin' to Mirkwood, right?"

Maidens-of-the-Dragon's-Zodiac–Agreed. Frodo and Pippin might do a better job than anyone else who's running. :)

Pippinsgal1011890–Yes, poor Faramir. Gets blamed for everything by everyone. :) including me. :)