Chapter Three – The Council

THREE MONTHS AGO

Arwen knocked on Legolas' bedroom door. When there was no answer, she opened the door. She saw Legolas sitting on the bed, staring out the window. She wondered how long he had been sitting there. She wouldn't have been surprised if he had been in that position for hours.

She remembered when Legolas had staggered into her father's house three mornings ago. He was visibly weak, and yet, he was persistent in finding Belle. Arwen remembered chasing him, along with her father, around their home. He went from bedroom to bedroom, shouting Belle's name. He refused to stop and listen when Arwen or her father tried to speak to him. It hadn't been until exhaustion had finally taken its toll that Legolas fell to his knees in the middle of one of the halls. Arwen had stayed with Legolas while her father had gone to retrieve healers to assist him.

"Your father is here. He said that you told Belle to come here in the event that she was able to escape from danger at Mirkwood." Arwen held Legolas' face in her hands to insure that he was listening to her. "He asked that he speak to you when you came here."

When Lord Elrond had returned with King Thranduil, as well as two healers, Legolas was fighting unconsciousness. Arwen had released him so that King Thranduil could take her place. She watched as he took hold of his son's shoulders, and shook him gently to keep him from fainting.

"The orcs took the she-elves to give to Saruman. When I came to Rivendell, Lord Elrond sent out his best riders. None of them were able to find the orcs. But they did find this." King Thranduil reached into one of his vest pockets. With one hand, he opened up Legolas', and with the other, he pulled out a ring. He pressed it into Legolas' palm. "My son, you must accept that Belle is most likely dead."

As Arwen stood in the doorway, watching Legolas as he sat on the bed, chills ran up her spine as she recalled what had happened when Legolas saw what his father had put into his hand. Though he was nearly unconscious, Legolas had begun to scream. His scream was strong, and loud, and it was deeply filled with the most unbearable anguish. Arwen had never heard any sound like it before. It had taken the two healers' powers, as well as Lord Elrond's, to subdue Legolas into a comatose like state.

Arwen could hear Legolas screaming as though he still were. Although she slowly went to where he sat on the bed, she wondered what words she could possibly have for him after hearing how completely heartbroken he was over Belle. She sat beside him anyways.

"Aragorn is here. He arrived last night." Arwen spoke slowly and carefully. Her hand was in mid air behind Legolas. She was deciding whether or not to touch him. "He arrived here with Hobbits from The Shire."

Legolas continued to stare out the window. Arwen looked him over. Over the course of the few days that he had been in the healing pavilion, he had regained much of his strength. Though he had been kept prisoner for a month, Legolas had no scars to prove it. Arwen was glad for that. She had sat with him for most of the time he had been healing, waiting for him to wake.

"Did you not feel the presence that accompanied them?" Arwen asked, placing her hand on Legolas' back.

"I feel nothing." Legolas answered, his voice sounding as though his statement were true. "The trees are moving outside, but I cannot feel the wind. I know that I am alive, and yet, I cannot feel my heart beating in my chest."

"Legolas, I know that there is nothing that I can say to ease your mind or your heart. I cannot take your pain away, though I truly and deeply wish that I could." Arwen leaned her head on Legolas' shoulder, her other arm wrapping around him. She felt a tear fall from her eye and onto Legolas' tunic. "I am so sorry, beloved cousin. I am so sorry for what has happened to you, and to Belle."

Arwen felt Legolas wince beneath her when she spoke Belle's name. She decided not to do it again. She looked down and saw Legolas clenching something in his fist. She swept her hand over it.

"What have you there?" She asked, lifting her head.

Legolas opened his fist to reveal the engagement ring he had given to Belle. He had been clutching it so hard that the ring left an imprint in his palm. The diamond had broken his skin slightly, but no blood came.

"There is another ring here. It is the presence I asked you about." Arwen looked away from the ring in Legolas' hand. "It is the one ring. The one ring of Sauron."

After Arwen had left Legolas, she had gone directly to Aragorn. She asked him to go and speak with Legolas, to try and reach him the way that she couldn't. Of course, he agreed. He had intended on going to comfort his closest friend even before Arwen had asked him to.

Legolas had gotten up from the bed and was standing in front of the window when Aragorn entered the bedroom. He didn't turn to acknowledge his friend. He continued to look out over the place below his bedroom. It was the stone courtyard in which Lord Elrond held many important gatherings. The wooden chairs surrounding the courtyard were empty.

"Hello my friend." Aragorn went to stand beside Legolas. He put an arm around Legolas' shoulders.

"Good morning Aragorn." Legolas answered numbly.

"I am glad to see that you are safe and sound. I was deeply concerned for you after getting word of what happened in Mirkwood." Aragorn began to slowly rub Legolas' arm. "I cannot express how sorry I am for what happened to your home, to you…to Belle."

Legolas couldn't help but flinch when he heard his fiancé's name. Any mention of her, any thought of her, was the only thing that he could still feel. A horrendous pain would pulse through him, from his head to his toes. He brought his hand up to his chest and pinned Belle's engagement ring against it. After Arwen had gone, he had put it onto the chain where the wooden whistle had once hung.

"Talk to me. We have always been able to talk about anything." Aragorn pleaded gently, releasing his friend.

"I have never felt anything like this before Aragorn. Trust me when I say, there is no way that I can describe to you what I am feeling." Legolas slipped his pinky finger through the ring. "Try to imagine how it would feel to have the one thing that means the most to you ripped away from you in the cruelest and foulest of ways."

"I cannot."

Legolas returned to the bed. He sat down upon it and closed his eyes as he brought his hands up to either side of his head. Slowly, he bent over, resting his elbows on his legs. Horrifying images began to fill his head.

"Ever since that day at Mirkwood, I have been plagued with terrifying nightmares. All I can see is her…drowning in a pool of darkness. All I can hear is her screaming my name, crying out to me as she drowns…and there is nothing that I can do to save her…" Legolas' fingers threaded into his hair, and began to tug on it. "I cannot imagine what she suffered through. I cannot…and I do not want to."

Aragorn sat beside Legolas. He yanked Legolas upright and forcibly took his hands from his hair.

"Legolas it is not your fault what happened. I am not saying that you should feel nothing over what happened, but you cannot blame yourself. You did a very courageous and noble thing by sacrificing yourself to save the lives of the she-elves and elflings. It is the orcs who should be blamed. They attacked Mirkwood. They killed those people. They went against their word."

"I promised her Aragorn. I promised…Belle…that I would return for her. I promised her that she would be safe as long as I drew breath." Legolas turned to look at Aragorn. His eyes had filled with tears during the course of their conversation. "Then how is it that I can still breathe, while Belle…cannot?"

"You did everything in your power to protect her, my friend." Aragorn patted Legolas gently on the arm. "Please grieve for Belle, but do not blame yourself for her death."

For many minutes, the two friends sat in silence. After a time, Aragorn got to his feet.

"Arwen said that she told you about the Hobbits, and about the ring." Aragorn went to the window and looked down upon the stone courtyard. "There is to be a council to decide what happens to the ring. I think that you should be there. You are an important man, and you are wise. The council would be lacking if you were not present."

Aragorn turned around to see that Legolas hadn't moved or shown any interest in what he'd just told him.

"But I will leave that for you to decide. The council will begin very soon."

Legolas made it down to the courtyard just in time. There was one seat left empty. He went to it and sat down. Aragorn, who was sitting adjacent to him, gave him an encouraging smile when their eyes met. Though he didn't return the smile, Legolas gave him a single nod.

"Strangers from distant lands, 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." Lord Elrond, who had been seated when Legolas had arrived, was suddenly standing as he addresses all of the different faces seated in the circle. His eyes traveled from chair to chair as he spoke. They settled upon a particular face after he had finished his speech. "Bring forth the ring Frodo."

Legolas looked over to the person whom Lord Elrond had addressed as 'Frodo'. It was a Hobbit, just as Arwen and Aragorn had told him. He was sitting beside Gandalf, a wizard whom Legolas had met several times before. Gandalf seemed to have to encourage Frodo with a look to get him to stand. Frodo stood, and very cautiously, went to the pillar set up in the center of the courtyard. He then slowly set the ring upon it before returning to his seat, slightly quicker than he had before.

Everyone broke out into whispers and gasps when they saw the ring. Even Legolas was struck by it. He had heard all of the stories about the ring, just as everyone else had. He could hardly believe that it was suddenly right in front of them.

"It is a gift, a gift to the foes of Mordor." Legolas turned his attention to the man who had just spoken so rashly and excitedly. He sounded like a young boy who had just been offered the toy of his dreams. "Why not use this ring? Long has my father, the steward of Gondor, held 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!"

Legolas realized that the man who had spoken was either Boromir or Faramir. He knew that those were the names of the steward of Gondor's sons. He also realized how naïve and childish he was, to truly believe that he, or anyone but Sauron for that matter, could use the ring. Knowingly, Legolas looked to Aragorn, waiting for him to scold Boromir or Faramir for his dull idea.

"You cannot wield it Boromir. None of us can. The one ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master." Aragorn didn't disappoint Legolas. They had both been thinking the same thing.

"And what would a ranger know of this matter?" Boromir challenged Aragorn, turning to look at him smugly.

Legolas was standing before he could even process the movements involved in getting to his feet. He took a half threatening step towards Boromir. Not only had he insulted his friend, but he had chosen the wrong day to cross him.

"This is no mere ranger. He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance." Legolas snapped harshly, though his tone remained cool and collected.

A look of disbelief washed over Boromir's features. There was almost an embarrassment beneath it as he turned to face Aragorn once more.

"This is Isildur's heir?"

"And heir to the throne of Gondor." Legolas bit back once more, adding salt to the wound he had just created upon Boromir's pride.

"Havo dad Legolas." Aragorn motioned with his hand for Legolas to be seated. His voice was calm, as though he was trying to blow the anger and annoyance off of Legolas with the tone of his voice.

Though Legolas was growing tired of Boromir, he did as Aragorn told him to. He nearly leapt to his feet once more when Boromir finally came up with something to respond with after Legolas had humiliated him.

"Gondor needs no king." With that, Boromir seated himself as well.

"Aragorn is right." Gandalf spoke up, breaking the tension that Boromir had created. "We cannot use it."

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

Legolas looked around at the others. They were all doing the same.

"Well what are we waiting for?" A dwarf was suddenly on his feet, wielding an axe. He charged towards the pillar as he raised the axe over his head. The moment the axe collided with the ring, the axe broke into several pieces. The dwarf was thrown backwards.

Legolas shook his head at the dwarf. He had been just as rash as Boromir, but at least Boromir hadn't acted on his thoughts. At least, not yet.

"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." Lord Elrond looked out over the faces of all that had gathered. "One of you must do this."

"One does not simply walk into Mordor. Its black gates are guarded by more than just orcs…" Boromir's voice trailed off as Legolas suddenly became very aware of the chanting that was emanating from the ring. He rubbed his brow, trying to ease his mind. But flashes of the images from his nightmares flooded his head.

Belle beneath dark water, her mouth open wide.

"…does not sleep…"

"Legolas!" Her voice, full of desperation and fear.

"…ever watchful…"

Belle choking on the water that she was drowning in, her legs and arms flailing so slowly as though they were stuck.

"…fire and ash…"

Her head was able to surface above the water. She took a deep, ragged breath. Her lungs were full of water. But then, she was pulled beneath the water once more.

"…poisonous fume…"

She was sinking further and further into the darkness. She had given up kicking her legs and waving her arms. She was sinking.

"It is folly."

"LEGOLAS!!!"

"Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond has said?!" Legolas shouted, jumping to his feet. He turned his body towards Boromir. He could feel the agonizing pain pulsing throughout his body taking their toll due to the images that had just been playing in his mind. "The ring must be destroyed!"

"And I suppose you think you're the one to do it?" Gimli, the dwarf, was suddenly sounding hostile towards Legolas. It was enough to capture Legolas' attention, and remove the focus from Boromir. "I will be dead before I see the ring in the hands of an elf!"

Legolas was about to have his way with Gimli when Aragorn's hands were on his chest, pushing him back. His hands moved to Legolas' arms, and grasped them tightly. He tried to keep Legolas' eye contact.

"Just breathe, my friend." Aragorn murmured comfortingly. He took one of Legolas' hands and placed it over the ring hanging in front of his chest. He held his hand over his. "Breathe."

"I will take it. I will take the ring to Mordor." The bickering and arguing stopped. Everyone turned to see Frodo, who had been silent the entirety of the council, standing near the pillar. He looked around at the different faces sheepishly. "Though I do not know the way."

"I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins, as long as it is yours to bear." Gandalf smiled down at the Hobbit as he joined him. He put a large hand on Frodo's small shoulder.

In that second, Aragorn and Legolas shared a look. Though it was only a second in time, it seemed longer. Legolas could feel Belle's ring beneath his hand. He knew that Aragorn would go along with Frodo and Gandalf. Legolas thought about what Boromir had said about the orcs. He imagined himself slaughtering as many of them as he could get his hands on. He wondered if any of the orcs he would encounter would have been involved in the attack on Mirkwood…

When Legolas rejoined reality, he realized that Aragorn was kneeling in front of Frodo, offering him his sword. It took him one second to make a decision.

"You have my bow." Legolas said, reaching behind him to run his fingers along the bow he usually kept at his back, only to realize that it wasn't there.

Instead, he ran his fingers over the ring around his neck.