Here is chapter 14. Tried to throw in some Gimli humor because who doesn't love Gimli humor? Enjoy, lovelies!

ITALICS is for memories/thoughts/flashbacks

The next several days dragged by, the people of Rohan becoming increasingly impatient as they waited to hear from Gondor. Some began to doubt the beacons would ever be lit. Every morning, Anolindë, Legolas, and Gimli would take to the practice field. This morning was no different. Legolas and Gimli watched from the sidelines as Anolindë bested yet another Rohirrim in archery. The Men were not used to a female warrior.

"She is a fine lass," Gimli said to the Elf prince. "And she will be a wonderful mother."

Legolas smiled at his words. He could not wait to tell his father the great news upon their return to Mirkwood. He was even more eager to see the birth of his heir though they had a ways to go yet. Elvish pregnancies lasted 12 months as opposed to the mortal women's 9 months. Legolas and Anolindë had guessed she was only a few weeks along. The elleth returned to his side, a smile on her face.

"They want you," she said to the Dwarf. "They feel as though they can take you."

Gimli stood, grabbing his axe.

"Do they now?" he grumbled. "I shall give them a taste of my Dwarvish iron! PREPARE TO BE DEFEATED!"

Off he went, roaring at the men. Anolindë and Legolas smiled, their eyes dancing with laughter, as Gimli faced his first opponent, yelling Dwarvish obscenities as the Man tried to attack him. A glimmer in the corner of her eye caught Anolindë's attention. She turned her head to look at the mountain peaks on the horizon.

"Meleth nîn," she breathed.

Legolas turned to see what she was looking at. There it was, a small fire dancing upon the peak of one of the mountains.

"The beacon!" he shouted, standing abruptly. "The beacon of Minas Tirith is lit!"

Gimli and the Men stopped their sparring as his shouts reached their ears. All turned to the mountains to see if the Elf's words were true. Once they had gotten confirmation, they scattered in all directions, knowing they would be summoned by the king. Gimli joined his companions as they ran to the great hall. Aragorn had gotten there first and the king was striding out of the hall as a bell was heard. They made their way to the stables to ready Arod. Gimli would be riding with Aragorn.

"I wish I could muster a legion of Dwarves, fully armed and filthy," Gimli growled.

"Your kinsmen may have no need to ride to war," Legolas replied as he watched the Rohirrim assemble around them. "I fear war already marches on their own lands."

When all the riders had been assembled, Eomer took the lead.

"Now is the hour!" he shouted from atop his horse. "Riders of Rohan, oaths you have taken! Now fulfill them all! To lord and land!"

With the great sound of pounding hooves on dirt, the mass of riders moved out of the city and began their ride across the plains to Minas Tirith.

~:✿:~

It was almost evening as they reached Dunharrow, the place where Rohan would muster its full strength and ride out to Gondor. Many tents already dotted the great field and more were placed on the mountainside, where the king would be staying. Soldiers greeted their king as they rode towards the small path that led upwards to the encampment. Upon reaching it, Anolindë and Legolas dismounted and tended to the horses while Aragorn went off with Theoden. Something was making the horses grow uneasy as they neighed and reared against their tethers.

"The horses are restless," Legolas observed. "And the men are quiet."

"They grow nervous in the shadow of the mountain," Éomer said, gesturing with his head towards a small path that cut through the mountain. A great sense of evil hung about it like a thick mist.

"That road there. Where does that lead?" Gimli asked.

"It is the road to the Dimholt, the door under the mountain," Legolas replied.

"None who venture there ever return," Éomer added. "That mountain is evil."

Anolindë could not help but feel a chill go up her spine. The tiny fëa cocooned in her womb even felt uneasy. Legolas, feeling the child through their mental bond that he now shared with Anolindë, splayed his hand across her belly, letting the child connect to him and be soothed by his presence. He wanted the child to know that its Ada was there to protect them. As night fell, the two Elves had built a fire near their tent and were sitting with Gimli as he stuffed his mouth with bread. How far they had come over these past months. Before the fellowship, neither races could stand each other. Yet here they were, Elf and Dwarf, sharing a meal around a fire.

~:✿:~

"Strangers from distant lands, friends of old," Lord Elrond of Imaldris began. "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."

A council had been called a few weeks later to decide the fate of the one ring, which after thousands of years had been found again, and representatives from each race had answered the call. The ring had been found by none other than Bilbo Baggins, the hobbit that had set the Dwarves free so many years ago in Mirkwood. Anolindë sat in between Legolas and another Elf, eyes scanning the group that sat around a stone table. Gandalf sat with Frodo, Bilbo's nephew. The small Hobbit looked frightened. His kin, Merry and Pippin, were not allowed to attend this council. On the other side of Legolas sat the Dwarves. Gimli sat with his father, Gloin, whom Anolindë also remembered from Mirkwood as they passed through on their quest to reclaim Erebor. Next to the Dwarves sat the Men. Boromir was among them, a look of boredom dancing on his features. Aragorn sat at the end, remaining silent as he too watched the others.

"Bring forth the ring Frodo."

Frodo pushed himself out of his seat and walked to the small table in the center. Carefully, he placed the golden object in the center and walked back to his seat. Anolindë stared at it, unconsciously grasping for Legolas' hand. This object radiated pure evil. Boromir stood, keeping his eyes fixed on the ring.

"In a dream, I saw the Eastern sky grow dark," he began. "In the west, a pale light lingered. A voice was crying 'Your doom is near at hand! Isildur's bane is found!' Isildur's bane."

With these words, he began to stretch out his hand towards the ring as if in a daze.

"Boromir!" Lord Elrond cried, snapping the man out of his daze.

Gandalf stood and began to chant in Black Speech, the language of Mordor. The sky above them darkened as he did. Legolas closed his hand around Anolindë's tightly as they all grimaced at the harsh words. The sun reappeared as Gandalf stopped.

"Never before has anyone uttered words of that tongue here in Imaldris," Lord Elrond said.

"I do not ask for your pardon, Master Elrond," Gandalf replied. "For the Black Speech of Mordor may yet be heard in every corner of the West. The ring is altogether evil."

The Wizard sat back in his chair.

"But it is a gift!" Boromir cried. "A gift to the foes of Mordor. Why not use this Ring? 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 him."

"You cannot wield it," Aragorn interjected. "None of us can. The one ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master."

"And what would a Ranger know of this matter?" Boromir asked accusingly.

Legolas stood up in anger, taking Anolindë by surprise.

"This is no mere Ranger!" he shouted at the Man. "He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance."

"Meleth nîn," Anolindë whispered.

"Aragorn!" Boromir said in disbelief. "So this is Isildur's heir."

"And heir to the throne of Gondor," Legolas added.

"Havo dad Legolas," Aragorn said, holding up his hands.

Anolindë pulled the prince down into his seat. Boromir glared at the two Elves.

"Gondor has no king," he said, walking back to his seat. "Gondor needs no king."

Anolindë sighed. This man was unbelievably stubborn.

"Aragorn is right," Gandalf said. "We cannot use it."

"You have only one choice. The ring must be destroyed."

"What are we waiting for?" came the shout from Gimli.

He stood and walked over to the ring, holding his axe above his head. With a roar, he brought it down on the golden object. Upon impact, the axe was shattered and Gimli was thrown backwards. The ring was untouched.

"The ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli son of Gloin, by any craft we here possess," Elrond said to the stunned Dwarf. "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."

He looked around at the small gathering of people.

"One of you must do this."

Silence fell amongst them.

"One does not simply walk into Mordor," Boromir said. "Its black gates are guarded by more than just orcs. There is evil there that does not sleep and the great eye is ever watchful. It's a barren wasteland, riddled with fire and ash and dust. The very air you breathe is a poisonous fume. Not with ten thousand men could you do this. It is folly."

"Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond has said?" Legolas cried, jumping up again. "The ring must be destroyed!"

Anolindë did not even try to calm him this time. Boromir was beginning to test her patience.

"And if we fail? What then?" Boromir asked. "What happens if Sauron takes back what is his?"

"I will be dead before I see the ring in the hands of an Elf!" Gimli roared, jumping to his feet. "Never trust an Elf."

Anolindë stood, anger flaring in her.

"How dare you, filthy creature!" she spat at Gimli, who's Dwarven kin assembled behind him.

The Elves in attendance came to Anolindë and Legolas' side.

"And what does a she-elf know of these matters?" Gimli shouted. "Nothing!"

"War is not a place for women!" Boromir added.

Gimli whirled on him.

"Nobody asked you!" he growled at the Man.

A small voice broke through the arguments.

"I will take it!"

Anolindë sighed as she recognized the voice.

"I will take the ring to Mordor."

Anolindë turned to see Frodo standing by the stone table.

"Though I do not know the way."

There was complete silence for a moment before Gandalf went to the Hobbit.

"I will help you bear this burden Frodo Baggins, as long as it is yours to bear," the Wizard told him.

"If by my life or death I can protect you, I will," Aragorn said, joining Frodo and Gandalf.

"And you have my bow," Legolas added suddenly.

Anolindë looked pained as he went to join them. Her eyes pleaded with him to stay by her side.

"I must, meleth nîn," he whispered.

"Then I shall go too," she announced, walking to the growing group, ignoring the angry glares Legolas now sent her way.

"And my axe!" Gimli said, joining them.

"You carry the fate of us all little one," Boromir said as he walked to them. "If this is the will of the council, then Gondor shall see it done."

A shout came from one of the nearby bushes.

"Mr. Frodo's not going anywhere without me!"

Another Hobbit ran to Frodo's side. Anolindë recognized him as Sam, one of the Hobbits who had come with Frodo.

"Wait! We're coming too!"

Merry and Pippin came running towards them from behind some stone pillars.

"You'd have to send us home tied up in a sack to stop us!" Merry declared.

"Anyway, you need people of intelligence on this sort of mission…quest…thing," Pippin stated.

"Well that rules you out Pip," Merry whispered to him.

Lord Elrond stood before them.

"Ten companions," he said as he surveyed them. "So be it. You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring!"

"Great!" Pippin exclaimed. "Where are we going?"

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