Disclaimers: I don't own any of the characters or settings from Lord of the Rings or Xena the Warrior Princess

Author's Note:

I know this Chapter is too familiar to us all. But had to include it. Hope you enjoy it!

This is a LegoRomance (slow-burn)

「The Lord of the Rings」

「The Fellowship of the Rings」

「BOOK I」

~ XVI: The Council of Elrond ~

Imladris, 3018 TA, October 25

The following morning, Xena awoke early and with a renewed sense of energy. She took her sword and pushed it behind her back, where it was stored in its leather case and exited the room in search of the council. A single clear bell rang out all of a sudden informing everyone that the council was about to begin. The vast halls of Imladris were crowded with members of all Middle Earth's free peoples waiting for Lord Elrond and Gandalf to arrive.

Xena reclined against a stone wall, arms crossed over her chest and regarded the amazing gathering. She barely recognised a few members who she knew almost in person. Elrond came later, and many others sat silently waiting. Elrond brought Frodo to a seat at his side, and Xena noticed. She would observe the elves, the humans and the dwarves waiting for the Council to begin.

"Strangers from distant lands..." came Elrond's voice and the Council started with the Lord of Imladris speaking "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…"

Not all that was spoken and debated in the Council needed now to be told. Much was said of events in the world outside, especially in the South, and in the wide lands east of the Mountains. A dwarf who was sitting next to Gimli was the one speaking now. Xena had previously heard several tales about these things, but the account of Glóin was fresh to her, and she listened intently while the dwarf spoke. It seemed as if the Lonely Mountain's Dwarves' hearts were worried.

"It is now many years ago," said Glóin, "that a shadow of disquiet fell upon our people. Whence it came we did not at first perceive. Words began to be whispered in secret: they declared that now, at last, they had the power and numbers to return. And Sauron asked a small token, to find the little ring, the least of rings... 'Find it,' he said 'and three rings that the Dwarf sires possessed of old shall be returned to you.' I said neither yea nor nay. I had to consider this message and what it meant under its fair cloak. And we decided to come with it to Rivendell and warn the people of Middle Earth."

"You have done well to come," said Elrond. "You will hear today all that you need in order to understand the purposes of the Enemy. There is nought that you can do, other than to resist, with hope or without it. But you do not stand alone."

"That is the doom that we must deem. That is the purpose for which you are called..." added Elrond and he had now won the attention of everyone. Then all listened while Elrond in his clear voice spoke of Sauron and the Rings of Power, and their forging in the Second Age of the world long ago. A part of his tale was known to some there, even Xena had read part of the story in that children's book.

"So that is what became of the Ring!" a stranger called Boromir interrupted Elrond's tale "I have heard of the Great Ring, but we believed that it perished from the world in the ruin of his first realm. Isildur took it!"

"Alas! yes," said Elrond. "Isildur took it, as should not have been. It should have been cast then into Orodruin's fire nigh at hand where it was made."

"Bring out the Ring, Frodo!" said Gandalf solemnly.

There was a stillness, and everyone's gaze was drawn to Frodo. He was jolted by a sudden sense of humiliation and terror, and he felt a strong reluctance to disclose the Ring as well as a dislike for its touch.

"Behold Isildur's Bane!" said Elrond. Frodo placed the Ring on a stone pedestal. And he wasn't the only one who seemed unsettled.

Boromir's eyes glinted as he gazed at the golden thing. "The Halfling!" he muttered and rose from his chair, stepped forward and reached out for the Ring. He seemed to be under the influence of some wicked spell. He didn't even pay attention to Lord Elrond's admonition. Boromir recoiled from the Ring, as though it were on fire.

The ring seemed to be speaking to each of them individually. Everyone received it differently. Xena took a quick peek before averting her gaze. Something, just by looking at it, seemed to be amiss.

Boromir seemed bewitched by it "So it's true."

Legolas murmured in disbelief "Sauron's Ring! The ring of power!" Until now, the Prince of Mirkwood had been hearing and comprehending why Lord Elrond had asked him to remain, why this council was convening, and how grave the situation was.

"The doom of man!" Gimli added with a grim tone.

"At the worst," said Gandalf winning back the attention of the crowd, "our Enemy knows that we have it not and that it still is lost." He sighed gazing at Elrond "There I was at fault... I was lulled by the words of Saruman the Wise ..."

"We were all at fault," said Elrond, "and but for your vigilance, the Darkness, maybe, would already be upon us."

And then, all of a sudden, the whole structure rocked with deep thunder, and a dark chill swept through the chamber. Gandalf recited the evil cursed words secretly etched on the Ring. The council members all froze and trembled. The wizard spoke:

"Ash nazg durbatulûk, ash nazg gimbatul,

Ash nazg thrakatulûk agh burzum-ishi krimpatul."

(One ring to rule them all, One ring to find them, One ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.)

The wizard's voice changed dramatically. It became suddenly scary, forceful, and as hard as stone. A shadow seemed to sweep across the high sun, and the porch briefly became black. The elves could not withstand the black speech, it was torture to their ears, the dwarves and men were affected as well.

"Never before has any voice dared to utter the words of that tongue in Imladris, Gandalf the Grey," said Elrond.

"And let us hope that none will ever speak it here again," answered Gandalf "Nonetheless I do not ask your pardon, Master Elrond. For if that tongue is not soon to be heard in every corner of the West... Know also, my friends, that I learned more yet from Gollum."

For a while, everyone remained motionless, attempting to comprehend the new knowledge that the ring of power had returned, along with his master, until Boromir spoke "What became of him?"

"He was in prison," said Aragorn "He had suffered much. There is no doubt that he was tormented."

"Was in prison?" quizzed Gimli glancing at the ranger "What happened?"

"He escaped," cried Legolas, and in his fair elvish face, there was great distress. "The tidings that I was sent to bring must now be told. They are not good, but only here have I learned how evil they may seem to this company. Sméagol, who is now called Gollum, has escaped."

"Escaped?" questioned Boromir "Those are ill news."

"How came the folk of Thranduil to fail in their trust?" Gimli wandered while exchanging a hateful glance with the prince. Their folks never were on good terms and it was showing now that even in serious gathering the dwarves would not let the matter rest.

"Not through lack of watchfulness," answered Legolas "but perhaps through over kindliness. Gollum was through enough pain in his life"

Legolas's last words caused Xena to glance over him. Everything that she was listening to was overwhelming. She had read parts of the tales, and she had heard gossip, but today in front of her was unfolding all the details. She came to cross many wars and evils in her life, but she never recalled shaking in terror when she saw the ring of power and heard the wizard's dark words.

"You were less tender to me," said Glóin with a flash of his eyes as old memories were stirred of his imprisonment in the deep places of the Elvenking's halls. Legolas gazed at him but did not comment on the matter. He recalled imprisoning Glóin and his party back then when they passed their lands 75 years ago.

"Now come!" said Gandalf. "Pray do not interrupt, my good Glóin. That was a regrettable misunderstanding."

It was Boromir who broke the silence once again "It is a gift" he said "a gift to the foes of Mordor! Why not use this Ring?"

"You cannot wield it. None of us can. The one ring answers to Sauron alone." the ranger stated in a calm manner as he continued to sit in his chair. Xena focused her attention on the man, who was just talking. She had seemed him last night speaking to Boromir. She found his statements to be accurate. 'The ring has no other master.'

Boromir glowered at him "And what would a ranger know of this matter?"

Boromir did not respond to the Ranger's silence, and he turned away dismissively. One of the elves got to his feet and spoke in a solemn monotone tone, defending the ranger. "This is no mere Ranger." he said "He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance."

Xena took note of Legolas because of the severity of his tone, the firmness of his remarks, and the underlying wrath he displayed in protecting the ranger. Not only was he protecting the man known as Aragorn, but he was also enraged by the way Boromir addressed him. He was a good friend of his. She thought it was a little hilarious that the arrogant elf would really have a friend among humans.

Boromir shoot "Aragorn? This is Isildur's heir?"

"And heir to the throne of Gondor." the elf noted loudly and clear defending the Ranger one more time.

Aragon gestured towards his trusted friend "Havo dad, Legolas." (Sit down, Legolas.)

Boromir returned to his seat glaring at Legolas "Gondor has no king. Gondor needs no king."

"Aragorn is right. We cannot use it." Gandalf agreed with the Ranger.

"Then if the Ring cannot be kept from him forever by strength," said Glorfindel, "two things only remain for us to attempt: to send it over the Sea, or to destroy it."

The Lord of Rivendell defined "You have only one choice. The Ring must be destroyed."

"Then what are we waiting for?" with a scream, the dwarf dashed towards the ring, bashing his axe on it. "Argh!" His axe was shattered into bits, yet the ring was unharmed by the incident.

"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." Elrond explained.

The silence descended once again. Boromir looked at them doubtfully, but he bowed his head. The Elves returned no answer. Asking them to destroy the ring of power into Mordor was impossible, no one could take up such a mission and succeed it. No one answered. All the Council sat with downcast eyes, as if in deep thought.

"I will take the Ring," Frodo said, "though I do not know the way."

"If I understand aright all that I have heard," Elrond said, "I think that this task is appointed for you, Frodo; and that if you do not find a way, no one will."

"But you won't send him off alone surely, Master?" Sam exclaimed, unable to keep it together any longer and leaping up from the corner where he had been sitting silently on the floor since the start of the council.

"No indeed!" said Elrond, turning towards him with a smile. "You at least shall go with him. It is hardly possible to separate you from him, even when he is summoned to a secret council and you are not."

"I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins, as long as it is yours to bear," the ranger spoke in a soft tone as the wizard's hand rested against Frodo's shoulder.

"If by my life or death, I can protect you, I will." He approached Frodo and knelt before him. "You have my sword."

"You have my bow!" Legolas joined. Gimli, following next, while glaring at the Elf, and offering his axe. Boromir and the hobits followed. And like that the Fellowship of the Ring was created.

"Nine companions… So be it! You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring!" Elrond said taking a small pause and gazing at the human maiden. During the council, he had not once gazed at her, but now his eyes drop against her for a second and she felt them heavy.

Xena sighed. She would regret it. She knew she would regret it. However, she could not ignore the seriousness of the situation. The daring glance of Elrond and Gandalf. Even the damn elf gazed at her. "I will regret it," she mumbled as she finally stood up and skipped next to the fellowship.

"Alright count me in!"

((Upcoming Chapter Seventeen))

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