Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of story of Lord of the Rings, they belong to the genius that is J. R. R. Tolkien. Also since I'm sticking to the books as opposed to the movies (for the most part) some of the dialogue also originated and belongs Mr Tolkien. However, the character of Thea and all her shenanigans are entirely my idea (probably founded from various other fanfictions but hey-ho!)
An hour or so past before Thea found herself sitting in a tall chair, with many strangers around her. At the head sat Lord Elrond with an advisor on either side of him, to his right sat the stubbly man – whom Thea had learned was called Aragorn, a close friend of Legolas – three men sat next to him, next to them sat a man with dark brown hair and grey eyes, he sat slouched in his chair and there was something about him that made Thea distrust him. To his right was his advisor, and next to him sat four smaller, hairier men who almost looked like dwarves. One dwarf-like man with ginger hair and a great ginger beard, and had blue eyes seemed to stand out from the others, Thea took him to be their representative. There was two men to the right of the dwarf-like men, and next to them sat the men Legolas was with. He had three advisors with him, all were blonde, and beautiful just like him. Beside them sat Gandalf, and to his right sat a small child with dark brown curly hair and bright blue eyes. That just left Thea to sit by him, the only female presence.
"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. Bring forth the ring, Frodo." He definitely got an A in drama, what's with all the theatrics about a damn ring? The child beside me shuffled off his seat and approached the podium in the middle of us. He placed a small, gold ring on it and retreated back to his seat. The ring seemed to have a weird effect on those around it, but not Thea. What the fuck is everyone's problem with this ring? If I pawned it I bet it wouldn't even pay one month's rent!
"So it is true." The man who had been slouching now sat forward in his chair to gaze at the ring. Thea overheard Gandalf whisper to Frodo that this man's name was Boromir. It's good to finally put faces to names, I can't really call him Slouchy forever.
"It is a gift. A gift to the foes of Mordor. Why not use this ring?" Oh come on dude, I don't even know what this ring does and even I know that's a bad idea. Idiot. He began to pace around the circle as he continued his speech. "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." Did he just try to name drop and guilt trip there? I'll give him points for trying but he's still an idiot.
"You cannot wield it. None of us can. The one ring answers to Sauron alone, it has no other master." Yeah you go Aragorn, put this bozo in his place!
"And what would a ranger know of this matter?"
"This is no mere ranger. He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance." Okay so Aragorn has some kind of status and Legolas is hot when he's angry. Damn I'm good at this sussing things out malarkey!
"Aragorn? This is Isildur's heir?" Put that in your pipe and smoke it Boromir. Who's Isildur?
"And heir to the throne of Gondor." Shiiiiit! So Aragorn is supposed to be in charge of the place Boromir's daddy is looking after, so really Boromir should be doing what Aragorn tells him. This mystery place is getting slightly easier to understand.
"Havodad, Legolas." Have a what now? Have a dad? Am I missing something here? Do they have code words?
"Gondor has no king. Gondor needs no king." Ooh hefty dig right there! What's his problem with Aragorn?
"Aragorn is right, we cannot use it."
"You have only one choice, the ring must be destroyed." Alright, let's get a fire started and melt the sucker!
"What are we waiting for? Argghh!" And with a roar from the dwarf threw his heavy axe down upon the ring, only for his axe to shatter and for him to fall backwards. What. The. Fuck. If an axe can't destroy it what are we meant to do?
"The ring cannot be destroyed Gimli, son of Gloin, by any craft 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. One of you must do this." He's certainly not asking much is he?
"One does not simply walk into Mordor. 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 is 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." Well shit, this just gets worse and worse doesn't it?
"Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond just said? The ring must be destroyed."
"And I suppose you think you're the one to do it?"
"And if we fail what then? What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?"
"I will be dead before I see the ring in the hands of an elf." And with that final sentence from Gimli all hell broke loose as almost everyone began to argue over the ring. Well that escalated quickly. The argument seemed to continue to grow more out of hand until little Frodo beside Thea stood up.
"I will take it! I will take it! I will take the ring to Mordor. Though I do not know the way." It took a while before they heard him, but when they did Frodo seemed the most courageous and important little man in the circle, to Thea anyway.
"I will help you bear this burden Frodo Baggins, as long as it is yours to bear." Gandalf took his position beside Frodo.
"By my life or death, if I can protect you I will. You have my sword." Aragorn too joined by Frodo's side.
"And you have my bow." Legolas was the next to follow.
"And my axe." He's just going because he doesn't trust Legolas I bet.
"You carry the fate of us all little one. If this is indeed the will of the council then Gondor will see it done." And of course he's going so he can steal the ring along the way and claim it for Gondor.
"Here, Mister Frodo's not going anywhere without me." Who the hell is he? Another child like Frodo but with curly, gingery-blonde hair and hazel-blue eyes rushed to Frodo's side.
"No indeed it would seem it is hardly possible to separate you, even when he is summoned to a secret council and you are not."
"Oi! We're coming too! You'd have to send us home tied up in a sack to stop us." Another two children join the company forming beside Frodo. Quite popular.
"Anyway you need people of intelligence on this sort of mission, quest…thing."
"Well that rules you out then, Pip."
"Well little Frodo, seeing as you seem to be taking all the interesting people with you on your quest and it seems like you'll be having the biggest adventure in this place. I too shall join you, you need someone to combat all this male testosterone after all." Thea took a step towards the company but was thwarted by Boromir's harsh voice.
"A woman has no place in this." Oh no he did not just say that.
"Let me tell you a little story about the women in my country Boromir before you try to tell me what I can and cannot do. About a century ago there was these women called the Suffragettes, and what they did was fight. They fought for their right to vote and have a say in things, it would be kind of like a woman here fighting for her right to be on this council. When they were denied this right they took action, when they were imprisoned they refused to eat or drink anything given to them. So they got force fed, many women died. But you know what Boromir? Their fighting has allowed women to vote and have a say, if it wasn't for the strength of those women my country would still be run by pigs like you. And the moral of this story Boromir wasn't to convince you that I'm strong enough to do this, it's let you know that I can do as I very damn well please and there is nothing you can do about it. It's been a very long time since I've let a man tell me what to do and that's not going to change now. Understood?" It was not just Boromir who seemed taken aback by this outburst, the entire council stood there unsure of what to say.
"Good, that's what I thought." Thea smiled and reverted back to how she was before.
"Ten companions. So be it, you shall be the fellowship of the ring."
"Right, where are we going?" Well that certainly defused the tension. The council slowly disbanded, the children going off together, Legolas, Aragorn and Gimli were talking and Gandalf approached Thea.
"Come, let me show you Rivendell." She walked beside him as he took her into the gardens of the city and walked along a gravel path. "I'm sure you have many questions."
"Just a few. So this ring is really dangerous, I get that. What I don't get is why it was in the hands of a child?" He looked at her and stifled a laugh.
"My dear child, Frodo is 50 years old now. He is a Hobbit which is what makes him look like a child, but I venture he is more than twice your age." Oh, oops.
"Fifty years old? He looks no more than 18 at most! A Hobbit you say? What are Gimli and Legolas?"
"Gimli is a dwarf and Legolas is an elf, as are most of the citizens in Rivendell. Here comes Arwen, daughter of Lord Elrond now. Greetings, my Lady." A stunning woman with long dark brown hair and grey eyes was approaching the two, she addressed Gandalf with a smile and then focused on Thea.
"My father has asked me to show you your room, and prepare you for the celebration being held to send you all off on your quest. If I'm not interrupting anything I could show you your room just now?" She looked between Gandalf and Thea, Gandalf nodded his head for them to go and they made their way back to the house of Elrond. Arwen lead Thea down a few corridors before opening the door to a room that had a large fore poster bed inside, the sheets were a light blue and had detailed embroidery on it, there was a dressing table made of light wood with an ornamental mirror on the top of it, on the wall beside stood a wardrobe made of the same wood, and there was rug on the floor with an Elven pattern threaded into it.
"Would you like to rest and I shall return later to help you get ready? I understand you've had quite a long day." She's such a sweetheart.
"Thank you, I'd appreciate that very much." Without saying anymore she left the room and closed the door behind her. Looking around the room Thea choose to close the curtains over the windows and doors to her balcony and crawled into bed. She fell asleep on the soft mattress and under the thick quilt instantly.