I made my way through Rivendell and toward one of the clearings outside the city itself. As I did I passed the alcove where the shards of Narsil lay. I paused at the sight of the broken sword and for a moment had the strange urge to pick up the sword. I was about to step forward when I noticed a figure sitting next to the statue that held the sword reading a book. Before I could move back another person entered and I noticed it was one of the riders from Gondor. He was handsome for a Man with shoulder length brown hair and a small well kept beard along with a muscular build, no doubt honed from years of battle and riding. I suppose it made sense for him to be here looking at the sword that belonged to the High King of Gondor. He also noticed the figure, but from where I was I couldn't see the figure's face.
"You are no Elf." The man said. From the sound of that the figure was a human man and not one that came from Gondor which made me think that perhaps he was from Rohan. However, his voice caused me to freeze and the space around me cooled to an icy cold. How could Gandalf and Elrond not tell me he was here! Most likely because they knew that I would have left the moment I knew and left them all to their ruin. I was half tempted to do just that and return to the frozen calm of the North, and damn the pain that Lady Galadriel would drive into my head.
"Men of the South are welcome here." The hidden man said. The urge to hit something was fast overtaking the urge to reach out and touch the sword.
"Who are you?" The Gondor man asked.
"I'm a friend of Gandalf the Gray."
"Then we are here on common purpose...friend." The Gondor man turned from the him and his eyes widened as he took in the statue holding the shards of Narsil.
"The shards of Narsil." He breathed as he picked up the hilt of the sword. "The blade that cut the Ring from Sauron's hand." I watched as he ran his finger along the edge of the break in the blade and gasped when it sliced into his finger. "Ah! It is still sharp, but nothing more than a broken heirloom." He said coldly and placed the broken hilt on the edge of the statue and began to walk away only to pause when the hilt fell to the ground and then continued to walk. I staggered back from the sword and the man inside the alcove and quickly left. I didn't stop my fast pace until I reached the clearing I desired and sprawled on the soft grass. What was I thinking, agreeing to go on this quest? Like I had told Elrond and Gandalf this had nothing to do with me, so then why had I agreed?
You agreed because you have your mother's kindness, though you have tried hard to bury it beneath layers of bitterness and loneliness. Galadriel whispered inside my mind.
It is already hard enough to pass as a man, how am I expected to do so while surrounded by men who will be watching my every move? I demanded. I heard her soft lilting laugh and I wanted, more than ever, to hit something. I settled for rolling onto my side and driving my hand into the soft ground.
Gandalf will go with those who go to destroy the Ring. He will help you. She said and was gone. I grumbled for a few minutes about the cryptic nature of Elves and wizards before getting comfortable on the grass and falling asleep.
I woke to the voice of Elrond telling me to get up and without thinking I swung at him with the dagger I kept in the folds of my cloak. Were it not for his Elvish reflexes he would have had a nasty wound across his chest. Once I was fully awake and realized who it was the anger I had last night came rushing back in. I did not ask how he knew where I was, no doubt he had seen it at some point. The grass in the clearing turned white with frost and I glared up at Elrond.
"You should have told me he was here." I snapped at him.
"Had Gandalf or myself told you he was here, you would have left and the world would have fallen into smoke and death." Elrond replied, his breath coming out in a small white puff, due to the freezing air in the clearing. I could not argue with that so instead I focused on the next best thing.
"Keep something like that from me again and not even your Elvish reflexes will save you." I told him coldly.
"The council will be meeting in one hours time. I expect you to be there. You will not have to speak unless you wish to, but I implore you to listen to what is said, no matter who says it." And with that he turned on his heel and left the clearing. I rolled over and punched the ground as hard as I could which was not the brightest decision, since I had frozen the ground in my anger at Elrond. I bit back a yell of pain as my fist connected with the ground and I felt something in my hand give. I did not stop the curse that passed my lips as I cradled my now broken hand to my chest. I allowed the frost to creep up my arm and encase my hand in the white-blue color. The cold helped to sooth the pain, but I knew it was still going to take a good day and a half to heal. Till then I would keep it covered in frost and wrap it in some bandages. I pulled the strips from my pack and set about wrapping my broken hand. Once that was done I pulled out some Lembas bread and ate a small corner before placing it back in my pack and shouldering it to return to the city proper. By the time I made it back into the city I had maybe five minutes to get to where the council was being held. Since I did not know where that was I allowed my enhanced hearing to listen for the loudest collection of voices and followed that. I arrived to see that it was an open area and the seats were arranged in a horseshoe shape around a small stone plinth in the center. Most of the seats were already occupied and I got more than a few curious glances from people as I glided past them. I saw Elrond gesture to an empty seat next to Gandalf and next to a blonde Elf that I had no doubt was from Mirkwood. I took my seat and my bandaged hand flashed just long enough for Elrond to notice before it was hidden by my cloak once again. He raised an eyebrow at it and I was pretty sure he could feel my glare since he turned away to look over the rest of the people gathered. On the other side of Gandalf was a dark, curly haired hobbit. I was curious as to why a halfling of all creatures would be here I sensed a great darkness around him, as though he carried something truly evil. I caught Gandalf's eye and saw that he was looking at me with a look that told me he knew exactly what was wrong with the hobbit. When the final seat was filled I glanced around at the assembled people and had to admit that this was indeed a council of all races. My eyes landed on a dark haired man with a shadowed jaw and my whole body tensed up in preparation to attack him. I felt a warm hand on my arm and I knew that hand was not there for comfort, but as a warning, one I would be wise to heed. I sat back in my chair, but still the hand stayed and I could feel stares from all the people that were here. I knew they were wondering about the cloaked figure who's face they could not see, who was seated next to the wizard. Elrond stood and the room went silent. The council had officially begun.