Apologises for not updating sooner, i've been without the internet for a while but on the plus side i've had plenty of time to write more and i've posted two more chapters to make up for it! enjoy!
Elanor was once more feeling annoyed and angry, but this time it was mainly at herself. She should never have come here. Talin was right, the only reason she had come was to find Aragorn but he had rejected her. She sighed sadly to herself; as soon as this was over she would go home and Aragorn?
Elanor sighed. That decision was no longer up to her. She left the garden and walked back into the halls. As she rounded a corner she heard the hushed argumentative whispers of unknown voices. Elanor strained to hear and followed the sound through the hallways until she found their source, huddled together behind a wall sat two sandy haired people Elanor now recognised as hobbits.
They were peering through gaps between the small stone columns that held up the wall. The pair was so engrossed in what ever they were spying on, that they did not hear her approach. When she was directly behind them she gave a small cough. The two hobbits startled and spun around, their eyes wide,
"So, it would appear we have a couple of spies." She said, with mock anger. The two hobbits who didn't quite grasp the humour in her voice looked up terrified, stuttering apologises. Try as she might, Elanor couldn't hold back and let out a laugh at their fretful faces,
"Do not worry, you are not in trouble." She giggled, "At least not with me."
The two hobbits breathed a visible sigh of relief and broke in to identical grins,
"You must have come here with Frodo," she continued. The pair nodded eagerly,
"I'm Merry and this is Pippin" said one of the hobbits. The one named Pippin looked up enthusiastically,
"I'm Frodos second cousin, once removed on his mothers' side…"
"Not now Pip." Merry said, elbowing his friend roughly in the ribs causing him to wince and grab his side. Elanor chuckled,
"So what were you two doing here?" she asked. The two looked up at her sheepishly. Elanor looked down past them to the floor below. Beneath them sat a circle of elves, men and dwarves. She could see Aragorn already sat on one of the chairs as well as the elf who had insulted her. They were all talking quietly but Elanor could hear every word,
"I assume you two weren't invited to this secret meeting either." She said, crouching down to peer through the wall,
"We've never really been one to follow the rules." said Merry cheekily as he and Pippin crouched down beside her. The trio exchanged a knowing smile as a strange silence filled the circle below when Lord Elrond entered, swiftly followed by Gandalf and Frodo. Elanor leant closer to the wall to hear well. Elrond stood before them, his voice booming out,
"Strangers from distant lands, friends of old. You have been summoned here to answer the threat of Mordor." He said, everyone listening intently to his words, "Middle-Earth stands upon the brink of destruction. None can escape it. You will unite or you will fall."
Elanor heard a small gasp from beside her and felt Pippin shift against her,
"Bring forth the ring, Frodo." Elrond asked. Frodo stood up from his chair next to Gandalf and slowly moved towards the pedestal on the middle of the room. He looked worn and tired, almost like her carried a great weight with him.
The trio watched from their hiding place as Frodo opened his hand and placed a small golden ring onto the platform before him and sat back into his chair with a sigh. Suddenly the room was filled with whispers and a man dressed in a dark coloured tunic rose from his chair. The first thing that struck Elanor was how proudly he held himself. He was a handsome man, with chestnut hair and dark eyes,
"So it is true…" He said. His voice was strong and deep. As the man spoke he stepped closer to the ring. Merry leaned over and whisper to Elanor,
"Do you know who he is?" he asked. Elanor shook her head,
"I do not but he carries a rounded shield as men of the south do. It is likely he hails from Gondor. See? His servant carries the white tree upon his breast." She said point to a man stood behind a row of chairs,
"Boromir!" Elrond called out in warning as the man reached out to talk the ring. Suddenly, with a swiftness that Elanor did not know he had, Gandalf rose from his chair,
"Ash nazg durbatuluk, ash nazg gimbatul, ash nazg thrakatuluk agh burzum-ishi krimpatul"
As Gandalf spoke these words his voice grew as dark as the sky above them, and his speech pierced the very core of Elanors heart. Her head throbbed and she felt faint as the colour drained from her face. Pippin looked up at her concerned and placed a hand on her arm. Elanor steady herself and managed to smile down at him. She looked over to Frodo, he look much how she felt. The sky cleared and Boromir sat back down as Gandalf steeled himself. Many members of the council held their heads in their hands, faces full of pain,
"The Ring is all together evil" Gandalf said, glared at the council,
"Nay, it is a gift," Boromir insisted, "A gift to the foes of Mordor. Why not use this Ring?"
Elanor shook her head; the man was persistent but foolish. Her eye was drawn to Aragorn as he spoke from his chair, his voice sounded clear across the room,
"You cannot wield it! None of us can. The Ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master." Boromir turned on him, glaring angrily,
"And what would a ranger know of this matter?" he sneered.
All respect Elanor had for this man vanished as he attacked her friend but she was taken aback when the elven archer stood up to defend him, announcing to the council the true identity of the ranger. The Gondorian looked at Aragorn amazed, not believing that he heard.
"Havo dad, Legolas." Aragorn said, motioning for the elf to sit down. Boromir glared angrily from the elf back to Aragorn,
"Gondor has no king, Gondor needs no king." He spat, residing back to his chair. Lord Elrond cleared his throat,
"You have only one choice. The ring must be destroyed."
Suddenly A red bearded dwarf, who so far had said nothing, leapt from his seat and charged forward, his axe raised,
"What are we waiting for?" he roared, swinging his axe high over his head and bringing it crashing down on to the ring. The dwarf struck with all his might but the force of the blow threw him back to the ground. The Ring, however, remained unscathed with shattered pieces of the dwarfs axe lying around it. The dwarf looked up surprised as Elrond stood,
"The Ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli, son of Gloin 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."
All eyes were on the elven lord as he spoke, "One of you must do this." A silence fell upon the room. The members all looked at each other, as if deciding who would be mad enough to except this fate. Boromir shook his head in disbelief,
"One does not simply walk into Mordor," he said, "the black gates are guarded by more than just orcs. Not with ten thousand men could you do this. It is folly!"
Beneath her the council dissolved into a quarrel as the dwarves and elves turned on each other,
"I would be dead before I saw the Ring in the hands of an elf!" Gimli cried, causing the elves by Legolas' side to spring to their feet only to be held back by him.
Men began shouting and even Gandalf rose to his feet. The only one who remained seated was Frodo. He was frowning when slowly he rose as if understanding something the others did not. He spoke but Elanor could not hear his words above the rabble. He spoke once more and the noise lessened until all heard his voice,
"I shall take the Ring to Mordor…Though I do not know the way."
Elanor could see the pain in Gandalfs face as the brave hobbit spoke those words, but his expression soften when he looked upon him,
"I will help you bare this burden, Frodo Baggins, as long as it is yours to bear."
Elanor gasped as she heard this, part of her was glad that Frodo would not be alone, but another part feared for her friend. She knew Gandalf was a powerful wizard but powerful enough to face Mordor? She sighed sadly but her heart clenched painfully as she saw Aragorn rise to his feet,
"If by my life or death I can protect you I will." He said softly, kneeling before Frodo, "You have my sword."
Elanor wanted to call out, tell him that what he was doing was foolish, but the words wouldn't come. She could only watch helplessly as Legolas pledged his bow to Frodo, followed by Gimli and his Axe, gaining a glare from the elf. Finally, after a moment's hesitation, Boromir stood also,
"You carry the fate of us all little one," he said, "If it is indeed the will of the council, Gondor will see it done." He walk towards the group and stood next to Gimli. A cry came out from nowhere and everyone turned to see Sam rush out from behind a bush and stand beside Frodo,
"Mr Frodo's not goin' anywhere without me!" he said proudly. Elrond looked down at the intruder amused,
"No indeed, it is hardly possible to separate you even when he is summoned to a secret council and you are not." He smiled. Without warning, Merry and Pippin leapt up from behind the wall and ran down the steps. Elanor made to grab them but it was too late,
"Wait!" they cried, running through the archway into the circle, "We're coming too." The pair ran past Elrond, who had a much less amused expression and stopped at Frodos side,
"You'd have to send us home tied up in a sack to stop us!" Merry proudly announced,
"Anyway you need people of intelligence on this sort of mission, quest... thing." said Pippin. Merry stared at his friend,
"Well that rules you out Pip."
Elrond looked upon the group, "Nine companions... So be it!" he said, "You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring."
"Great." Pippin said brightly, "Where are we going?"
I know that was mostly a rewrite of the movie but i wanted to show Elanors thoughts. The next chapter will be more revealing!