5. A meeting of races
The couple trudged into Imladris an hour after their short fight with the Ringwraith. Buffy was still grumbling about their lack of fight. Her language was not fitting for the Princess of Lothlorien. That being said, no one was brave enough to approach her and tell her this to her face. It may have something to do with the two massive swords she wielded with ease.
"Stupid cloak monster," she huffed as she removed her cloak.
Adam snickered, "Sweet, the Ringwraith are the monsters under the bed. No one has faced them and survived."
Buffy rolled her eyes, "We're immortal."
Adam's droll look was speech all in itself. He knew exactly what they were and what they had become with their blood adoptions. They were still immortals in the traditional sense, they were just more. The blood shared had given them access to the elven gifts too. They were not sure what would develop. Her mother had made sure she would be ready should any gifts manifest.
Buffy was too antsy right now. Her body was geared up to fight only to have no opponent. Her slayer instincts still existed. She was still hot and horny. It sucked having Methos so close. He was her husband and she knew he would help her if only she asked. She couldn't ask, not yet. She needed to work through some issues first.
He knew her too well. "Shall we spar now?"
Buffy looked delighted, "Are you sure?"
He was sure he was giving away too much information. "You know I could never resist that pout."
Buffy laughed at him. "Don't worry I've had a long time to perfect it ... And no one can resist the pout."
Their plans to spar were put on hold. In front of them, Elrond stood with a pensive look. "I did not feel the Ringwraith attempt to cross the borders."
Buffy shrugged, "The coward ran away."
Elrond looked curious as it was unheard of, "What did you do?"
Buffy pouted at that tone. It was not like she set out to be different. It just kind of happened. "We went. We raised swords. It charged at us. I knocked it on its ass and Adam tried to take its head."
Adam laughed at her succinct report. He decided to add, "It didn't like the fact we were not affected by its powers. Was rude. Buffy got snarky and then it flew away. No doubt called back by its master."
Elrond sighed, "It is as you feared Gandalf."
Buffy wondered who had been lurking in the shadow. It was the meddlesome wizard. Still, he did have a good line in mead. She could forgive a lot if he kept bringing the good stuff. "What is it?"
"He is seeking the one ring." Gandalf huffed, "Frodo managed to bear the one ring to Rivendell. He did suffer a cut from the blade of a ringwraith."
Buffy collapsed against Methos. "Is it Tuesday? It doesn't feel like an apocalypse day?"
Methos smirked, "Well, Luv, you said you wanted a fight."
Elrond seemed aghast, "You can't mean to fight."
Buffy was firm now. She stood as tall as she could and you wouldn't doubt she was a princess. "You cannot be serious? Of course, I will fight. How can I not? I will not let Sauron poison Lothlorien. It would be unforgivable."
Elrond could see her point. He did not like the idea of interfering in man's battles. "The time of Elves is over, we cannot protect the ring on these shores. It will need all the races of Middle Earth to destroy it."
Buffy liked anything that involved destroying the damn ring of power. Why no one had tried to do it before now was crazy. Still, there was no point on focusing on the past. It would do no good. She knew there would be a boring meeting tomorrow to settle the details.
"Great. Can Methos and I go spar, please?" Buffy needed to spar to get rid of the excess of energy.
Gandalf chuckled. "Far be it for me to get in the way of you sparring. Have fun."
Buffy had heard all she needed. She grabbed Methos' hand and dragged him out to the sparring hall.
Gandalf watched the elven couple leave. "So their reunion is going okay?"
Elrond chuckled, "I have no idea. Their union is over five thousand years old. The trouble is they didn't speak for four thousand of those years."
The Elves were long lived. Gandalf was too but that was a long time even to him. Gandalf shrugged, "Well, keeping an eye on the others would be a good way for them to communicate. Wouldn't you say?"
The hall was empty which was a good thing. She knew a lot might freak out when she sparred with Methos. They had never, nor would they ever pull their punches. Their training was brutal but that was exactly what the life of Immortal was like on their old earth.
Methos removed his shoes and loose coat. He kept his swords as he wanted the fight to last. He saw Buffy nod to agree. She followed him removing shoes and loose clothing. They were not stupid fighters, Buffy even braided her hair to keep it tucked away.
"Don't be shy Luv." Methos teased her.
Buffy snorted, "I will let you call me Luv when you beat me in a fight."
Methos let his voice drop an octave, "Well, now you are just giving me incentives."
Buffy didn't respond with words, she let the steel ringing do the talking. They were off in a flurry of moves. They never missed a beat. If anyone had been watching they would think it a beautiful dance. She could revel in the skill and the challenge. "Oh, I have missed this."
It was not a confession of love but Methos could work with it. "There is no challenge is there?"
Buffy snorted, "It is why I stayed away from the children playing the game. Plus, the quickening was not easy to hide in Sunnydale."
"Whatever led you to the Boca-Del-Inferno?" Methos asked with curiosity. It wasn't what normal people would call a vacation spot.
Buffy could grin now she was removed from the situation. "Boredom. Plus, I wanted to give a child a chance to live."
Methos knew what she was referring to. It was the way of their old kind. You live so long you simply get tired of living. "You always did have a big heart."
Buffy kicked low, aiming to take his feet. He was up to the challenge jumping high. Buffy laughed as she reversed her sword mid-swing. Now, that was more difficult to evade.
"You've gotten sneaky."
Buffy smirked as they stood back, allowing them both to take a breather. "You've gotten lax, old man."
"Don't be mean."
Buffy rolled her eyes. He knew better than to ask that. She'd gotten better at it in her old age. "Says the horseman."
Methos smirked, never breaking stride with the hits. "I was young."
Buffy used a vicious roundhouse kick to send him backwards. "Does that mean we are older and wiser?"
Methos landed on top of her. Their bodies flushed and ready to pounce, "We can only hope."
Buffy took a second as her body bucked up. "Let's see where we go. I don't want your head anymore."
Methos chuckled picking her up off the floor. "I will take it. I have missed you so."
The morning was a rambunctious affair. Buffy found herself laughing at the antics of the Hobbits. They took so much joy in breakfast she couldn't help but smile. Aragorn sat down, wearing a new necklace. She was smart enough not to call a focus to it. It wouldn't go unnoticed that Aragorn now wore the Evenstar around his neck. She could guess that Arwen reaffirmed her promise to lead a mortal life.
To say it was a point of contention between father and daughter was an understatement. Buffy was not going to get in the middle of that argument again. Elrond had not been pleased with Buffy or Galadriel when they went in favour of Aragorn.
Elrond stood inviting his honoured guests to follow him into the library. She noticed there were a few more people here today than yesterday. She stood up and followed Methos. They wanted to take part in this conversation.
She greeted Legolas with warmth. He was amusing and less sour than his father, Thranduil. The elves were not the only race to be representative. All could see Gandalf and most would know of him. She sat down next to Aragorn knowing the guy could use a friendly face. Methos and Legolas stayed close. For fun, Elrond had invited dwarves into his home at the same time as the elves.
That always ended well.
Boromir being there would be awkward when Aragorn's lineage became apparent. It didn't need a wager to know it would happen. She was glad they chose the library compared to the outside arrangement first chosen. It had taken Buffy pointing out that outside anyone could listen in.
Her brother-in-law chose to set the tone of the meeting from the beginning. "You have been invited here to discuss the threat of Mordor and how it can be defeated."
No pressure then. She did need to talk to him about how to give a pep-talk. She was thinking it but her husband said it. Yeah, it was odd to start thinking about Methos in such a way. They would take it slow.
Gandalf started, "We have the one ring of power amongst us."
That got people on their guard. She watched as the little guy, Frodo stood and placed the simple ring on the table. It was such an innocuous thing considering it had the potential to destroy middle-earth. It was an evil thing too. She could feel it like waves pouring off the thing. She watched the others and how they reacted. Almost as if to prove Elrond's dislike for the race of men it was Boromir to make the first impassioned plea.
It wasn't done out of personal greed but even the best of intentions can go bad quickly. Aragorn poured water over the intentions. "It cannot be wielded by man."
"And what would a ranger know?" Boromir sneered.
Oh goodie. This was turning into a testosterone contest. She was always fond of those.
"He is no mere man." Legolas defended his best friend. "He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. Isildur's heir."
Spoiler alert. Buffy wanted to bash people's heads in for their inability to keep their mouths shut. She wasn't so good at keeping her slayer identity hidden. Still, she knew how to be underestimated. "Sit down."
"Gondor has no King, nor does it need one."
Buffy was now the annoyed one. "Sit down. You do not have the right to interfere in law. You are the son of the Steward. What is your greatest purpose?"
Wow. That got her silence and surprise. See, she still had it. She took her adoption seriously. Her adoptive father, Celebrian, explained all about the big powers on Middle-Earth.
Gandalf nodded his head as if to say well-played. Buffy had always had the ability to cut an opponent with words just as much as with a weapon. "Lady Eliza is right. You must show patience but the ring must be destroyed."
Elrond could see that some of the people were not convinced. He would not stand by and watch the mistakes of Isildur be repeated again. "Each race is bound by the fate of this ring. We as one survive or we all fall. No one but Sauron can wield the one ring."
One of the dwarves stood up. Buffy adored his axe. He raced at the ring shouting, "Well, then let's destroy it."
Buffy winced as the clang of metal rang through out the room. She almost laughed at the way Gimli fell onto Boromir. She did have to bite back a smirk when she saw Aragorn's smirk. He wasn't the super responsible one all the time. The Genwyn would never believe her.
Elrond was losing patience fast. Buffy didn't think you could make an Elf impatient. In her opinion, she and Methos didn't count. They were not born elves. "You cannot just destroy the ring Gimli, son of Gloin. Sauron created the ring in Mount Doom and can only be destroyed in its fires."
Nice. Silence reigned supreme. So much for bravery. Buffy snorted but said nothing yet. She could guess the little guy would surprise them all.
Boromir showing he was in super irritating mood painted a very bleak picture of Mordor. So he didn't want to go. That was okay Legolas was in pure defiance mode. He must have had another fight with his Dad. This would be great.
Of course, that was when Gimli decided to add, "I will be dead before I see the ring in the hands of an elf."
Well, that was just rude and set the whole room into pandemonium. Awesome.
Buffy looked at Methos. "Rock, Paper, Scissors?"
Methos snorted but he did have a better way. It wouldn't hurt a few in the room to have a dose of humility, "Let the little guy embarrass them."
Buffy could see what he meant. She could see he was the bravest of all the men even if he was half the size. "Go on Frodo, tell them."
"I will carry the ring." Said with such power and promise that Buffy couldn't help but be impressed.
Methos winked at his brother. Seeing all the races turn to the hobbit with shame in their eyes. "Do you know the way young Frodo?"
The young Hobbit sighed, "I do not."
Gandalf put a hand on Frodo's shoulder. "I shall help you shoulder the burden. I know the way."
Aragorn knew now to what Arwen spoke of this morning. He had a choice. He would not let her sacrifice her immortality and run from his own destiny. She would be Queen of Gondor. He doubted Elrond would settle for anything less. "You have my sword, I will protect you."
"And my bow," Legolas promised.
"Don't forget my axe," Gimli interrupted.
Boromir sighed, not a fan of this plan. He did not have the manpower to go against it. It was a crazy plan so he would have to see it to fruition. "If it is the will of the Council then Gondor will support it."
Buffy shrugged, "Are you bored Methos?"
"I don't mind a journey to Mordor." Said so calm it freaked several of their guests. He wasn't done lighting the mood, "Don't you want to pick a fight with the cowardly Ringwraith?"
Buffy grumbled, "He ran away." She looked at Elrond. "We'll go and keep an eye on all the kids."
Boromir frowned, "Are you calling Gandalf the grey a child?"
Buffy grinned but told the truth as she saw it. "In my husband and my eyes ... you are all children. Don't take it personally, we're five thousand years old give or take the odd year."
Gandalf chuckled knowing the truth. "I would welcome both your swords. I have a feeling soon Eliza you will have all the battles to your hearts content. Plus, there will be a nice symmetry an elf to represent the three settlements."
It was clear now that they had their fellowship. Now, they just had to destroy the ring.
