The Council will be based mostlyupon the movie scene. This is going to be a long enough chapter already...
Disclaimer: See Prologue.
Chapter 21
In the Presence of the One
The days slowly passed into weeks as those summoned to the council arrived.
The duration of that time, Arodwen spent with Arwen in the library, or on a practice field where Arwen taught her the art of the sword. The Lady of Rivendell gave her many books upon the Nandor healing arts to read at the bidding of her father. Arwen realized her father had some foresight into the matter, as he was often watching Arodwen study the healing techniques; correcting and teaching with patience.
Once Arodwen began, she could not tear her eyes away from the scripts. She felt as though she was merely reading a good book over again; the knowledge she read remaining fresh in her mind even after she had moved on to another tome.
Aragorn had taken to keeping Legolas occupied with archery and training. The Dunedaín ranger despaired when he could beat the elf within a score of seconds; the Mirkwood elf faltering and losing the grip of his blades.
"Tell me what I can do to get my Mirkwood friend back." Aragorn said, halting his blade mid-swing from disarming Legolas a third time.
Legolas let his twin knives slip through his grasp and fall to the ground, himself following moments after with a defeated sigh.
Aragorn sheathed his blade slowly, watching the prince rest his wrists upon his knees with a bowed head. Platinum-blonde hair that had lost it's elven sheen hung limply about his thin face. His bright blue eyes were dull, and at times looked almost grey. Here was but a shadow of the prince that was.
"The Council is being held tomorrow, and you need to stay focused." Aragorn reprimanded firmly, his own dark grey eyes scrutinizing the defeated elf before him. "You told me, that Arodwen said she denied you her love to protect you. Do you understand that it means she does love you, but will not give into it? She cannot deny you love if she did not already have it." Aragorn tried to explain, hoping that Legolas would understand.
Aragorn knelt quietly before the prince, picking up his twin knives and sheathing them in their scabbards. He took one of Legolas's pale hands and put the sheathed blades in them saying, "She'll understand eventually that if she doesn't allow herself the gift to love, she'll die too."
Legolas looked up at the mortal, his brows knitted in confusion at his words as his fingers curled around the hilts of his weapons.
Aragorn narrowed his eyes in return. "Have you not noticed my friend? She is beginning to fade into the state you are in. Paling skin, a dimming elven glow, the reclusiveness..."
Legolas shook his head slowly, bowing it again. "I have not seen her as of late Estel. I know not what she looks like."
"Perhaps you should look closely during the Council tomorrow; Elrond bid me escort her."
Arodwen sat upon her chaise longue as Arwen finished adding a few intricate braids to her hair.
The Council was soon, and Aragorn would be at her door any moment.
"I am finished." Arwen said quietly, rising from beside her and going to the balcony.
Arodwen slowly stood, watching the Evenstar, her sea-grey dress swaying with her movement. "You are troubled mellon nin, though you attempt to bury it deep within yourself." she said, watching Arwen's prone form stare out at Rivendell. "Your worry is for Estel?" she asked, having been the confidant of Arwen during her stay. Arodwen envied her friend's determination to not let immortality keep her from Aragorn.
Arwen answered softly, "That worry has never left my thoughts, though it is not what draws my attention at the moment."
"Tell all Undomíel. I would bear the burdens of my friends." Arodwen prompted, coming to her side.
The sun was not yet halfway through the sky; afternoon was fast approaching.
"'Tis about you, Arodwen."
"I? What hath I done to earn your concern, lady?" Arodwen asked, not remembering anything she might have done to upset the Evenstar. "Did I-?"
"Nay, Arodwen, it is nothing you hath done to me. It is of your own doing, and it hurts yourself." Arwen said, failing to conceal the distress in her fair voice.
"I do not understand Arwen; I feel fine." Arodwen claimed, confused by what Arwen was trying to tell her.
Arwen grasped Arodwen's wrist firmly, and pulled her over in front of a mirror hanging on the far wall. "Look at yourself Arodwen!" she nearly shouted at her, forcing her to stand there. "How can you not see it! You are fading!" Arwen blinked back tears of frustration, praying that Estel was behind in his duties and would not arrive now.
Arodwen stared at Arwen for a long while, before finally turning to look at her reflection.
It was true.
The pallor of her once glowing skin now matched that of Legolas's. Her hazel eyes had somehow lost their luster. And her long hair was no better; it seemed darker and more like the hair she'd had when bound with mortality.
She reached up to touch her pale lips, shocked to find the person in the mirror reflecting her movements. That was her...
"How-?" she began, but Arwen answered the unfinished question.
"Just as you refused Legolas your love, you denied your heart his love in return. In grief, you are now fading. Your heart will not live without love; just as he will not either."
Arodwen shook her head in disbelief, her eyes wide and fearful. "No... This wasn't supposed to happen..."
"Arodwen, our situations are not so different..." Arwen said, and Arodwen almost flinched to hear the sorrow drowning her voice. "If I continue to love Estel, then I will loose my immortality." Arodwen felt her jaw drop a few inches, and tried to say something, but Arwen held up a hand to stop her. "My adar will not let me make such a dooming choice. Just as you will not give Legolas the chance to have your love. And Estel... I know his thoughts. He is beginning to doubt himself, and trying to convince himself that he thinks is right... He will not wish to see me give up my elven life to be with him. Like you will not risk Legolas's life to love you."
A firm knock sounded upon her door.
"He is here..." Arwen said softly, her head seemed to bow with the weight of her despair.
Arodwen hesitated, before stepping over to the door. Arwen reached out and laid a hand on her arm.
"I have a request, Arodwen..." Arwen said gently, her eyes pleading with Arodwen's.
"Anything milady," Arodwen answered, her heart constricting painfully at the sight of Arwen's tears.
"Come tell me what occurred in the Council afterwards..."
Aragorn was disheartened to see that Arodwen's condition had not changed, but he put on a fake smile. "Good afternoon to thee, milady." he said pleasantly, offering the worried looking elleth his arm.
"And to you, my lord Estel." she answered softly, accepting his offered arm graciously, and he began to lead her to where the council would be held.
Almost everyone was present; a few men had not yet appeared.
She thanked Estel for escorting her, before going to stand behind Lord Elrond, ignoring the gaze of Legolas.
Arodwen knelt by the side of his chair, one hand placed tentatively on the armrest. "Milord?" she asked with quiet cautiousness. Nearly everyone was speaking, so her words were heard by his ears only.
The elven lord immediately looked to her, pondering her furtiveness. "Aye Arodwen? Something troubles you?"
Arodwen shook here head 'no'. "Nay milord, but I have a request that I wish fulfilled." At Elrond's nod, she continued, "That from this moment forth, my presence in middle-earth shall not be documented in any form. Whatever may occur, pledges and oaths I may take, deeds I may do, or journeys I might venture, however great or small, do not record it. It is by sheer accident that I am here, my lord Elrond. If things had gone the way they were intended, I would not be standing next to you; therefore, let writ history for future generations show that I was not. It is the will of the Valar. Vaíre may weave something different in her glorious tapestries, but the books in this world should never hold my name." she said carefully, her eyes never leaving his. Desperation showed in her eyes, and he could not help but take note of them.
"Why must I do this, Arodwen?" he asked.
"What is about to happen, this council included, I was not intended to witness or take part. But I am here now, and will do what I must to help protect what is now my home. I will explain to you more fully after the Council my lord. Until then, I beg you to grant my wish." she pleaded.
Elrond looked upon her with kindness, but beneath the façade, there was worry and confusion. Not willing to delay the council any longer, he nodded and bid her stand again.
With a small sigh of relief, Arodwen stood and resumed her place, her eyes downcast to avoid stares.
As Lord Elrond began to speak, she felt a pair of eyes upon her. But she knew that it was no longer Legolas's gaze; his had always filled her with warmth. This one however... sent a chill down her spine, and made her feel uneasy.
Tentatively, she raised her eyes from the floor to the eyes that gazed upon her with hunger.
It was Lord Boromir.
She knew he was an honorable man. But now that he was in the presence of the One ring...
His feral gaze awoke fear within her, though she struggled to keep her face and eyes impassive. She felt another pair of eyes upon her, and turned to find Legolas gazing at her with deep concern.
He looked as though he was startled by her appearance; his eyes taking in her fading form with disbelief. He suddenly stiffened, feeling her carefully disguised fear, and found the source. His head slowly turned in Boromir's direction, and the steward's son met his deadly glare; challenging the prince.
Arodwen let her gaze fall upon the Ring at last. She had felt it's pull since the moment Frodo passed through Rivendell's gates; tried to ignore the guttural hissing voice that grew louder and louder with each passing day.
'You are mine!'
Arodwen nearly screamed. She heard him... Sauron... By the Valar, he was speaking to her!
'Let not your voice pain my ears, Cruel One. Leave me be.' She thought with as much fearlessness as she could muster.
She heard cackling laughter over Boromir's voice as he spoke to the council.
'You can do nothing... I know your thoughts and desires; your fears and hopes. I will not yield to one who is doomed to become my slave!' Sauron shouted in her head.
'Nor will I yield to you...' Arodwen answered, stilling the trembling in her voice.
'You shall when I kill your prince!'
She swallowed hard at Sauron's words, watching Legolas defend Aragorn's name.
'Oh yes... You fear that above all, do you not? To see him die?' he asked silkily. When she did not reply, he continued, 'Kill the hobbit... Bring me my Ring... And I shall leave him unscathed...'
'Your words are no more trustworthy than a snake's. I-will-not-yield.'
"I WILL TAKE IT!"
Arodwen pulled out of the darkness slowly engulfing her, her eyes falling upon the brave hobbit as he stood before all those twice his size. "I will take it." He said again, his bright sky-blue eyes wandering among them. "Though... I do not know the way..."
Mithrandir was the first to speak. "I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins, as long as it is yours to bear." he said, stepping over to the hobbit, and squeezing his shoulder reassuringly.
Aragorn, who had not jumped into the fighting, finally stood from his seat, walked with a purposeful air, and knelt before Frodo. "By my life, or death, I can protect you; I will. You have my sword."
With a sinking feeling in her stomach, she watched Legolas step forward proclaiming, "And you have my bow."
"And my, axe..." grunted Gimli the dwarf, shaking a fresh axe as he stepped beside Legolas, who gave him a disdainful look.
Boromir made rather hesitant oath, but declared himself joined as well.
Then, the trio of hobbits made their entrance, each making quite 'noble' statements of their qualities and loyalty.
Elrond looked upon them with a strange expression, torn between humor and anger at the hobbit's unexpected entrance. "Nine companions... So be it. You shall be, the Fellowship, of the Ring."
I know what you must be thinking... Is she gonna' be a 10th walker? REVIEW! And you will find out in the next chapter!
