It had been 3 weeks since Gandalf had left for Gondor, and Saria had to watch over Link and Frodo. Frodo, so that to make sure he kept the ring safe and well hidden...
Link, to make sure that he didn't try to take the ring, and end up being consumed by it...
But, unfortunately Saria... was even starting to not trust herself with the ring...
"Come... take the ring... bring it back... to Moooorrdooor!" echoed a voice in her head...
Saria did the only thing that helped get the voice out of her head...
"Hey, Sam... are you going to the Green Dragon anytime?" she asked.
A week later...
Saria had entered Bag end after night fall to be chilled to the bone... suddenly a hand touched her shoulder and Gandalf appeared.
"Is it secret? Is it safe!" He demanded
Saria handed the envelop to him and he chucked it in the fire and Frodo and Link came into the room.
"What are you doing!" Frodo asked
Gandalf reached in with pokers and pulled out the ring and gave it to Frodo
"Don't worry... its quite cool" he said
Frodo took it.
"Does it say anything? Can you see?" Gandalf asked
"No nothing... wait... I see markings... it's some form of Elvish, I can't read it..."
"There are few who can... it is written in the tongue of Mordor, which I will not utter here"
"There's that name again... Mordor... where is that?" Saria thought
"This is the One Ring, forged by Sauron the Deceiver, in the fires of Mount Doom, this ring would spell the doom of all the free peoples of middle earth if he got it."
"B-but Sauron was destroyed!"
"His body was destroyed, but his spirit lived on, him and the ring, they are one..."
"Then, we hide it away, never speak of it again... no one knows it's here... do they Gandalf?"
"There is one other who knew Bilbo had the ring... but the enemy found him first..."
"Gollum..." Frodo muttered
"Quickly make for the village of Bree, I will meet you there, at the inn of the Prancing Pony"
"Bree, right..."
"Wait a minute..." Gandalf muttered "Get down!"
Frodo hit the deck and Link placed his hand on his Gilded Sword and Saria hefted a walking stick.
Gandalf lunged out the window.
*Thud*
"Oww!"
Gandalf reached out and pulled in a hobbit and slammed him on the table
"SAMWISE GAMGEE! HAVE YOU BEEN EVES-DROPING!" Gandalf yelled
"No, sir, I aint been dropping no eves... please don't turn me into anything... unnatural..."
"Nooo... I've thought of a better use for you..."
"Oh..."
Later...
"Come along Samwise! Hurry up!" Gandalf called
Link, Saria, Frodo, Gandalf and Sam were walking through the fields to the forest to head to Bree...
Once they were in cover of the forest... Gandalf left them, to go meet with a member of his counsel.
The four started walking...
Saria and Sam started to talk...
"So, are you sure you're not an elf, Ms. Saria?"
"I'm positive... up until just a month ago, I never even heard of elves!"
"But you said you were over 500 years old... that would be young for an Elf."
"I said I am a Kokiri, eternal children of the forest... but if what I have heard about the elves is true... we are very much alike..."
"How so?"
"We both live in trees, in the forests... we both have immortal life in age, but can be killed by the blade or bow or magic... and we both are one with nature"
"Sounds about right..." Sam agreed
"Yes..." Saria mumbled
"What is it?"
"Now you've gone and got me home sick..."
"Oh... sorry"
Saria giggled "Nah... It's ok, I like adventures"
"Oh, we- wait... where's Frodo!"
They were now in a farmer's field and had lost sight of Frodo and Link.
"Frodo! Mr. Frodo!" Sam called
"Link! Link where are you!"
"Mr. Frodo... Frodo!"
They turned a corner and saw Link and Frodo heading back.
"I thought I lost you" said Sam
"What's got you so worried?"
"It's just something Gandalf told me; don't you lose him Samwise Gamgee. And I don't mean to..."
"Sam, Saria... were still in the Shire, what could possibly happen!"
Just as he said that two hobbits barrelled into him and Sam.
"Oh, Frodo... Sam, Link and Saria, was it? Hey Merry, looks its Frodo, Sam and company!" Pippin said
"Oh, hello" Merry said
"You've been into Farmer Maggot's crop!" Sam exclaimed, and just as he said that they could see a scythe above the corn fields and hear the braking of dogs.
Link, Saria, Frodo, Merry and Pip took off leaving Sam standing there with a bag of potatoes, who in a split second dropped them and ran.
"I don't see why he's so upset! I mean it's just a few carrots!" Merry said
"O, and don't forget those tomatoes we lifted a week ago... and those heads of lettuce the week before."
"I know it's just a few! He's clearly overreacting!"
Link skidded to a halt "Don't look now!"
*Wham*
All 6 of them fell off the cliff and down the hill and landed on the road.
*Thud* "Oww, I think I've broken something" Pippin said and pulled out a broken carrot "Oh" he sighed
*Ptuy* "What was that? Trust a Brandybuck and a Took! Huh!" Sam scoffed
"It was just a short cut!"
"A shortcut to what?"
"Mushrooms!"
Link rolled his eyes and Saria jumped up onto a tree branch and sat while the hobbits picked the mushrooms.
But Frodo looked nervous "I think we should get off the road..." he suggested
*Screech*
Link and Saria looked to the noise...
"Get off the road... quick!" Frodo ordered
The hobbits hid in a hollow in a tree while Saria climbed a tree and turned invisible by blending in, a Kokiri ability, and Link hid behind a rock not far from the hobbits.
*clip, clop, clip, clop*
They could hear the sound of a horse's breath and a suit of armour moving...
Link's grip on his Gilded Sword tightened, he was the only one armed at the moment and if things went bad, he would have to hold off this man in black.
The man knelt down next to the hobbit hole sniffing...
Two minutes passed and Link noticed Frodo putting the Ring on.
But Sam stopped him! And the rider tensed up and Merry chucked a sack of mushrooms away to distract the rider and the hobbits and Link ran down the hill into the trees.
"What was that!" Pippin asked
"That Black Rider was looking for something... someone... Frodo?"
"Sam and I need to leave the Shire..."
"Buckleberry Ferry... C'mon!"
They had made it almost to the ferry when a rider spotted them and they ran as fast as possible to the ferry, with Merry, Link, Sam and Pippin making it on and untying the rope as Frodo made it.
"Wait... where's Saria!" Link panicked.
"There!" Sam pointed
Saria jumped out of a tree and landed at the front of the dock, catching the attention of a rider.
"Saria! Run!"
She ran up the dock and jumped as the ferry left... it was already a few meters out but she didn't make it and slipped off."
"Ah!" Link yelped
"What!" Merry said
"She can't swim!" and Link dove in... And just barely reached her, pulling her up and onto the raft, hacking and coughing "Thanks' Link..."
"How far to the next crossing?" Frodo asked
"Brandywine bridge... twenty miles..."
Later...
The Hobbits, Hylian, and Kokiri were cautious before crossing the road to Bree, as so no riders would be present. Frodo ran up to the gate and knocked. An old man peered out but didn't see anyone... and checked the lower hatch.
"Hobbits! Four hobbits...! And two Elves!"
Link and Saria just sighed about being called Elves again.
"What business do you have at this time?" asked the gatekeeper
"We wish to stay at the Prancing pony... our business is our own."
"Ok, ok, I meant no harm... it's my job to ask questions after dark... there's talk of strange folk abroad"
The six of them continued towards the Inn where they would meet Gandalf, while the humans all gave funny looks to the hobbits and Link and Saria. However once they entered the Prancing Pony a pudgy man in a white coat looked off the counter and saw Link and Saria before he saw the hobbits (Link is 5'11 while Saria is 5'9 and the hobbits are shorter)
"Oh, hello little masters, and their Elvish company"
"Not elves, not elves, not elves, not elves" Saria and Link muttered under their breath
"If you are interested we have some nice cozy hobbit sized rooms for you four, and another room for the others that is their size... Mr...?"
Frodo paused "Underhill... my name is Underhill"
"Hmmm..."
"Uh, were friends of Gandalf the Grey, can you tell him that we've arrived?"
"Gandalf, Gandalf... oh, I remember him, old man, grey beard, pointy hat?"
Frodo nodded
"No, sorry, I haven't seen him in over six months"
Frodo paid for the rooms and they all went to sit at a table.
"What do we do now?" Sam asked
"I wish I knew..." Frodo replied
Later...
"What is that!" asked Pippen when Merry returned with a big mug of ale
"This my friend... is a pint" Merry explained
Pippin got up "I'm getting one"
"But you've already had one!" Frodo tried to argue
Link looked over at a man sitting by the back of the room, and then said what Sam was thinking a few seconds ago "That man has been staring at us ever since we arrived"
Frodo suddenly got a feeling to put the ring on... but on the edge of his mind he could hear...
"Baggins... Baaaggins... Baggins... Baggins? Sure I know a Baggins, Frodo Baggins"
Frodo snapped out of it "Pippin!" he exclaimed and pulled at him, but tripped over someone. He fell, the ring flying out of his hand, as he fell backwards he reached out for the ring, but it landed right on his finger... and he vanished.
This caused quite a stir and people began to panic...
Frodo made his way to the back of the room and removed the ring... but was grabbed by a man and thrust into a different room.
"Who are you!" Frodo asked
"The better question is who are you... Mr. Underhill... or should I say Baggins... I can avoid being seen if I want, but to disappear entirely, that is a rare gift indeed. Are you scared?" he replied
"Yes"
"Not nearly enough... I know what hunts you..."
Just then the door burst open and the hobbits run in with various implements and Saria as well, and Link with his sword and shield drawn
"Let him go! Or I'll have you, Longshanks!"
Strider as he was called, taken in surprise to the hobbits, and more so to the armed elf with them sighed and said "You have a stout heart little hobbit... but that will not save you they are coming... we must leave..."
The next day...
Link woke up the next day in his and Saria's room, Saria had slept in the bed across from his and the hobbits had spent the night in the room across from theirs, which was Strider's room.
An hour later they had quickly eaten breakfast and left, heading into the wild...
"Where are we going?" Sam asked
"To Rivendell, Master Gamgee" Strider said
"Frodo! You hear that, were going to see the elves!"
Saria came up beside Sam "I'm interested to see these elves I have heard so much about..." she said
Later...
"The watch tower of Amon Sul, otherwise known as Weathertop" Strider proclaimed "We shall camp here tonight"
And so they had set up camp on the side of the tower hill and Strider pulled out a few blades.
Four daggers, which were more like swords for the hobbits, and a steel short sword for Saria
"Keep these close... me and Link are going to have a look around" Strider said
Later that night...
Frodo and Saria woke to the sound of talking and fire crackling...
"What are you doing!" they both asked
"Tomatoes, sausages, nice crispy bacon... we've saved some for you..."
"Put it out you fools, put it out!" Frodo exclaimed stamping on the fire.
"Hey! You're getting ash on my tomatoes!" Pippin said
*Screech!*
Saria looked down "Uh, guys... I think we've got company..." the other's looked
"Run!" Frodo ordered, and they ran for the top of the tower...
At the top they got into a circle and then after a few minutes they saw them... 5 hooded figures heading towards them... all of the figures drew their swords.
"Get back you devils!" Sam yelled and lunged at one, but was disarmed and thrown aside weapon-less
Pippin and Merry were thrown aside and Saria drew her sword and successfully pulled a disarming move on one and while she tried to stab it, it pulled out a dagger like weapon and slashed her across the stomach, sending her blood spattering against a wall. Saria fell to the ground in pain.
Frodo was pushed down and the things saw the ring, one tried to take it from him but Frodo pulled away, and the figure stabbed Frodo in the chest with the same blade that was used to cut Saria.
Frodo screamed in pain...
But then Strider and Link jumped in with torches and their swords out, fighting back the wraiths, Link set one on fire, who ran into another who also ignited. Strider then kicked one off the edge of the tower and torched another... the last one started to run away but Link and Strider hurled their torches at it, Strider's impaling it in the face and Link's in the gut and it ran off the edge of the tower...
Aragorn ran to Frodo... and Link pulled Saria over...
"A Morgul blade..." Strider sighed "These wound's are too much for my knowledge, they need Elvish medicine..."
Strider lifts Frodo fireman style and walks off, while Link helps Saria to her feet, having been slashed, not stabbed the dark magic will take longer to work, hence she can still stand...
Soon they had made it back into the forest and under the cover of night Frodo regained consciousness...
"Look Mr. Frodo, it's Bilbo's trolls" Sam said
Frodo gasped and heaved, Sam put a hand on his forehead
"He's going cold..."
In the distance the Nazgul could be heard, and Frodo moaned in pain and gasped in shock.
"Saria?" Link looked over at his friend who had fallen to her knees and was clutching her wound. He quickly rushed over to her and gave her a hand.
"Link, do you know the Athelas plant?" Strider asked "Kingsfoil."
"Um... I think so."
"it should help to slow the poison"
"Ok, I'll go look"
"So will I"
Link and Strider went off to look for the plant, when Strider found some he was caught off guard with a sword next to his neck.
"What's this? A Ranger caught off his guard?" asked a sweet voice
Later back at camp...
It turns out that the person who had caught Strider was a she-elf named Arwen "He's not going to last..." She glanced over at Saria "I'm not sure about her though... she doesn't look good... we must get them to my father... I've been looking for you for two days. I have brought an extra horse with me however."
"Where are you taking him?" Merry asked as Arwen lifted Frodo onto a horse with her and helped Saria up to the other horse and told Link to use it.
"There are five wraiths behind you where the other four are, I don't know."
Then Strider said "Dartho guin perian. Rych le ad tolthathan"
But Arwen replied "Hon mabathan. Rochon ellint im"
"Andelu I ven"
"What are they saying?" asked Pippin.
"Frodo fir. Ae athradon I hir, tur gwaith nin beriatha hon... I do not fear them..."
"Be iest lin... Arwen, ride hard. Don't look back!" Strider said
Arwen nodded to Link on the other horse. "Noro lim, Asfaloth, noro lim!" and they sped off.
"What are you doing!" Sam demanded "Those wraiths are still out there"
Strider looked the way Arwen and Link had left with a regretful look on his face...
Later...
Saria woke up in a soft bed to the sound of birdsong and water trickling down a brook... in short... it made her have to take a piss.
"Oww... where am I?" she muttered
"You are in the house of Elrond. And it is 10 o'clock in the morning, on October the 24th if you want to know." Said an old man.
When her vision cleared and she had rubbed her eyes she could see Gandalf sitting at the foot of a bed across from her, where Frodo lay.
Frodo stirred and sat up "Gandalf!" he exclaimed.
"Yes... I'm here. And you both are lucky to be here, too. Frodo a few more hours and you would have been to far gone... and Saria, young one, another twenty-four hours and so would you have been. But you both have some strength in you, my dear hobbit and Kokiri."
"What happened, Gandalf? Why didn't you meet us?" Frodo asked
Gandalf got a far off look in his eyes "I was delayed."
Then Sam came into the room "Frodo! Saria! Your both ok! We were worried about you two, weren't we Mr. Gandalf?"
"By the skills of Lord Elrond, you're both beginning to mend."
Then an elf in his middle ages entered the room "Welcome to Rivendell, Frodo Baggins and Saria of the Kokiri."
"At last, not being called an elf!" she thought
"We are holding a counsel in a few hours, you two are to come, now go visit your friends to tell them you are ok."
Saria got up and found she was wearing a white cotton robe but she found on a chest by the foot of her bed a few things; a new short sword, elven made, as well as a small elven shield no bigger than a crock-pot lid, a Elvish bow with arrows and a small dagger as well as her usual green tunic. But something was different about it. Saria picked it up and changed into it and discovered that her tunic had been reinforced! Chainmail had been sown in as well as leather to prevent rash from the rubbing of the chain. A hood had also been added. She walked outside to a balcony and saw Link standing there with his Gilded Sword at his side attached to his belt and his Hero's Shield and Bow and quiver hanging from his back. Along with a satchel slung across his torso, most likely containing potions and other things.
Link turned around...
"S-Saria!" Link exclaimed
"Link!" Saria said and ran and gave Link a hug.
"Whoa!" Link said as he was almost pushed over.
"He-he sorry" Saria giggled
"Oh, goddess you have no clue how worried I was! Me and the others had just gotten back a few days after you left!" Link said
"How long were me and Frodo out for?"
"Almost a week."
"Wow..."
Suddenly a ring sounded, indicating that the counsel was to meet...
Link and Saria entered an open courtyard where there also were; Elves, Dwarves, Men and a hobbit; Frodo. They took their seats next to Gandalf.
The Elf Elrond spoke up saying that the ring would spell doom if the races didn't unite, and how everything stood on the brink of destruction. "Bring forth the ring, Frodo" he had said
Frodo stood and placed the ring on a pedestal in the center of the counsel...
A murmur of concern and other feelings flowed through ought the counsel. A man stood up and said "In a dream, I saw the eastern sky grow dark. But in the West a pale light gathered. A voice was crying: Your doom is near at hand!" the man approached the ring "Isildur's bane is found..."
"Boromir!" Elrond exclaimed
Gandalf stood up "Ash nazg durbatuluk, ash nazg gimbatul, ash nazg thrakatuluk agh burzum-ishi krimpatul... one ring to rule them, one ring to find them, one ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them." He said
"Never before has any voice uttered the words of that tongue here in Imladris!" Elrond said
"The ring is a gift. A gift to the foes of Mordor! Why not use this ring?" said Boromir
"You cannot wield it! None of us can. The one ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master!" Strider said
"And what, would a Ranger know of this matter?"
And Elf stood up "This is no mere ranger. He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance." He said
"This... is Isildur's heir?"
"And heir to the throne of Gondor."
"Havo dad, Legolas." Said Strider/Aragorn
"Gondor has no king. Gondor needs no king..." Boromir said before returning to his seat.
"We only have one choice. The Ring must be destroyed." Elrond proclaimed
A Dwarf stood up "Then what are we waiting for?" he said and swung his axe at it and upon hitting it was blown back and his axe shattered.
"The ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli, son of Gloin, by any craft that we posses here. 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." Elrond said
"One does not simply walk into Mordor... it's black gates are guarded by more than just Orcs... there is evil there that does not sleep!" Boromir shuttered
"Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond has said... the ring must be destroyed!" said Legolas
"And I suppose you think you're the one to do it?" Gimli shot
"And if we fail then what!" Link said "What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?"
"I will be dead before I see the ring in the hands of an elf!" Gimli yelled
"We're not elves!" Shouted Saria
Then a huge commotion started an argument among the council members... and among the argument a small voice could be heard... slowly quieting everyone.
"I will take the ring!" Frodo shouted "I will take the ring to Mordor..." everyone stared at him "Although... I do not know the way."
Gandalf walked up next to him "I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins, as long as it is yours to bear"
"If by my life of death, I can protect you, I will... you have my sword" Aragorn said
"And you have my bow!" Legolas said and walked next to them.
"And my Axe!" Gimli added
"You carry the fate of us all little one. If this is indeed the will of the counsel, then Gondor will see it done." Boromir joined
"I don't know what will happen if the ring should fall, but I don't want to... I will do what it takes to save another realm... I'm with you." Link said
"Hey Link! You're not going anywhere without me!" Saria butted in.
"Hey!" Sam shouted and jumped from a bush "Mr. Frodo aint goin' anywhere without me!"
Then Elrond said amused "No indeed, it is hardly possible to separate you even when he is summoned to a secret counsel and you are not."
"Wait! Were coming to!" Pippin yelled and he and Merry emerged from another bush.
"You'd have to send us home tied up in a sack to stop us!" Merry said
"Anyways you need people of intelligence on this sort of mission, quest... thing..."
"Well that rules you out Pip."
"Eleven companions... so be it! You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring!" Elrond mused
"Great...! Where are we going?" Pip asked...
OMG... longest chapter I have written so far... EVER! OMG! I hope you liked it... and I think I am making good progress!
R&R please... more Reviews=more chapters faster and also a happy writer... and we don't want a sad author now do we?