Disclaimer: I have no creative rights over the characters and places you can identify in this story and have no way profited from this work.
11/12/2012
Thanks everyone for their kind reviews (my first of any kind) and your words of encouragement so far.
Lupin 2020: Again, apologies for my creative inability with the rest of the Avengers. You are right about my priorities. In my mind, the key factor to making the story work is keeping the characters true to their popular portrayal and making their interactions believable.
Lupin and Tonks Forever: My aim is to update the story on a regular basis. Hopefully I might be able to add a few chapters over the Christmas break.
Chapter 6 – The Council of the Fellowship
By sunset, the Fellowship and the Avengers had gathered around a campfire. Sam was putting some chopped vegetables into a small pot full of boiling water in preparation of the evening meal. The Avengers assumed that Sam was the Fellowship's cook on top of his other duty of handling Bill.
Aragorn and Legolas had just come back from their hunting expedition with both of holding a pair of wild fowls. As they had been trained in tracking and living off the land, albeit in different ways, both Rogers and Thor had offered to go on the expedition as well.
"No thank you both," Aragorn politely informed them. "Tonight, please rest and consider yourselves our guests."
While everyone else was sitting on the ground, Gandalf had perched himself on a small rock before taking off his pointed hat. To his left and right was Merry and Thor respectively.
"By your leave, Gandalf," Thor began speaking to him. "Are you able to advise of your current destination? It may help me determine if my friends and I are getting closer to our own realms."
"You're asking is no trouble at all, Thor" replied Gandalf. "We are currently trying to pass under the Misty Mountains which you can see behind me. Our path leads us through the Mines of Moria that used to be the Dwarven realm called 'Khazad-dum'." Saruman's telepathic taunts still remained fresh in Gandalf's mind. "Frankly, I very much wish we didn't have to journey through there."
"Odinson, do not listen to the Wizard's exaggerated concern," Gimli, who was sitting right of Thor, confidently countered. "It's true Durin's Folk were driven out a millennium ago by some foul evil. But thirty years ago, my cousin Balin led an expedition to reclaim it and the riches it holds. When we get there by tomorrow's end, all the worries of my nervous friends shall be put to rest as we enjoy a feast worthy of a Prince of Asgard."
Thor was about to say that Asgardian metabolism meant a 'normal' meal for him was what others would consider to be a lavish feast for many. Gandalf interrupted him before he could so.
"I very much hope you are right, Gimli," Gandalf softly remarked as he stared into the campfire.
While the trio was conversing, Banner observed Aragorn and Legolas begin plucking their kills just outside the Fellowship's sitting circle.
"Just wait until you taste some of Sam's chicken and vegetable soup, Bruce," he was enthusiastically told by Pippin who sat between him and Merry. "Even though you three have joined us, I hope there will be some for seconds."
Banner did not tell Pippin that he was a vegetarian. He did not want to seem ungrateful for the trouble the others had gone through to get the meal ready. He resolved to eat it but would have a quiet word about his dietary habits with Sam later. Earlier, Banner was surprised how Pippin unhesitatingly sat down next to him. After his earlier outburst, Banner thought the Hobbits would (justifiably) keep their distance from him. If these four were representative, Banner concluded that hobbits must be a very forgiving race.
The other thing Banner noticed was a number of the Fellowship smoking on long-stemmed pipes. Not much chance of a 'Quit Smoking' campaign in Middle-earth, Banner mused. He wondered if they'd understand the dangers of lung cancer and emphysema linked to smoking if explained to them. It was then Banner caught a whiff of what Pippin was smoking. It didn't have the acrid smell of cigarettes. No, it smelt more floral than anything. Banner wished he could take a sample of it and analyse its properties. If only to see if it was a different species of tobacco to that found on Earth.
Banner then looked at Frodo who was resting his arms on his thighs while he spoke to Sam about something. Banner spied a gold chain around Frodo's neck peaking out from under his shirt.
What lies on the Hobbit's chain can send you home, Bruce Banner. As well as freeing you of your curse.
Banner felt a shiver run up his spine as the evil inner voice he heard earlier again spoke to him. Fortunately, it didn't seem to have angered the Other Guy like before either. Banner nonetheless could not take his eyes off Frodo. He snapped out of it upon feeling a firm hand on his shoulder from the person sitting to his left.
"Bruce, what's wrong with you?" Rogers, the hand's owner, demanded quietly but firmly.
Banner thought it best to tell Captain America the truth. After all, this had been a day of strange and inexplicable events.
"Earlier, when I snapped," he whispered in reply. "It was after I'd heard a strange voice in my head. It just spoke to me again. Both times, it told me to hurt Frodo. Before you say so, it's not the Other Guy. He got angry the first time because he thought it was Frodo. And just now, I did too."
Unbeknown to both Rogers and Banner, Pippin had been listening in on their exchange. He remembered what had been said at the Council of Elrond when he, Merry and Sam were spying on it. Perhaps the voice Banner was hearing came from what Frodo was carrying? Wanting to help, Pippin unintentionally forgot Aragorn's warning.
"The voice you hear could be the ring, Bruce," the Took quietly speculated to him and Rogers. "I don't understand exactly how, but apparently it can say things that drive people mad."
The two Avengers were both confused by Pippin's reply.
In his normal voice, Banner asked Pippin, "Ring? What ring?"
As soon as they heard Banner's question, the original members of the Fellowship ceased all conversation. They first stared at him and then at Pippin. After joining the dots, some looked at Pippin stunned and others in exasperation. Gandalf shot up from where he was sitting.
"Confound your loose tongue, Peregrin Took!" Gandalf scolded Pippin. "When we agreed to keep the ring a secret, I knew I should have cast a spell on you making you a mute!"
"I'm sorry, Gandalf, I just forgot," Pippin replied cringing before Gandalf's displeasure.
Banner leapt to Pippin's defence feeling guilty that he had gotten him into trouble.
"Look, Gandalf," Banner began owing up. "It's my fault as I asked the question. But I've still no idea what ring Pippin's talking about."
"I too do not know of what Master Peregrin speaks," Thor agreed. "But my friends and I are now travelling with your Fellowship. I appreciate what you said to me earlier today, Gandalf. About not being able to discuss your quest's purpose. But if it contains something that could be a danger to the three of us, it's only fair you speak what it is."
"We meant no offence when we decided not to tell you," Aragorn moved to assure the Avengers. "Please understand that the Enemy's bent on finding us. We must be careful to whom we trust."
"And we respect that," Rogers responded on behalf of the Avengers. "But you might be stuck with us for a while yet. If you let us know what you're up to, we might even be in a position to help."
"Besides," Banner added, "I think my outburst earlier showed that this ring could be affecting me at least. If it is, I need to know why. Trust me, I can get a lot angrier and you don't want to be at the receiving end when I do."
Frodo inwardly shuddered at the implications of Banner's remark. Both he and Aragorn nodded their assent to the silent question Gandalf asked them both with a look. After releasing a sigh, Gandalf spoke.
"Very well then. We shall tell you about the ring and our purpose around it. But I suggest we discuss these things after dinner. If we tell you before, you might lose your appetites." Gandalf then gave a sidewards glance to Pippin before saying with mild sarcasm, "And none of us would want Master Samwise's cooking to go to waste would we, Pippin?"
Dinner was a fairly muted affair. A sense of nervous anticipation built in the Fellowship due to their promised explanation of the One Ring to their new companions. After finishing Sam's soup (given his appetite Merry and Pippin found a new rival in Thor for leftovers), the Fellowship either smoked their pipes or drank tea as Gandalf indicated he was ready to begin the tale. Looking each at of the Avengers, Gandalf drew deep on his pipe and exhaled.
"Three thousand years ago," the Wizard commenced, "in the Second Age of Middle-earth, the great Rings of Power were forged. Three were given to the immortal Elves. Seven were presented to the Dwarf Lords. And nine were given to great kings of Men. Within these rings contained the strength and will to govern each race. But what they did not know was their rings were controlled by a master ring, the One Ring."
Gandalf then turned his gaze into the campfire as he recited one of Middle-earth's most famous and fearful verses.
"One Ring to rule them all. One Ring to find them. One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them."
"I'm sorry, Gandalf," Rogers interrupted. "I'm not quite following you."
The Grey Wizard turned to Frodo and simply said, "Show them, Frodo."
After a moment's hesitation, Frodo pulled out the chain he wore from under his shirt. Hanging on the chain was a gold ring resembling a wedding band. Frodo cushioned the ring in his hand.
Thor had little trouble following the story about these 'Rings of Power'. Many strange, powerful and dangerous relics were securely contained in Asgard's vaults. But no relic in Asgard's possession had the same impact as the One Ring. The longer Thor looked at it, the more he a felt rising sense of unease and desire. The rest of the sitting circle shared the same emotions to varying degrees.
Banner felt the aura surrounding the ring was similar to that of the disembodied voices he'd heard earlier. If he could, he'd willing bet all of Stark's seemingly limitless fortune that this ring was the voices' source. Banner's rational side screamed at him that it was impossible for a piece of jewellery to be consciously able to manipulate his thoughts. But he could not deny what he felt at this moment. Even the Other Guy seemed uneasy to be in the ring's presence.
Rogers looked at Boromir to his left. The Gondorian swallowed a nervous lump as he went pale in colour. Rogers was quietly surprised to see a seemingly noble man such as Boromir looking at the ring with a mixture of repulsion and coveting.
Noticing the rising tension within the Fellowship, Gandalf said, "You can put it away again, Frodo."
Frodo ignored this. All his focus seemed to be consumed in looking at the ring he held in his hand. The seconds began to drag by.
"That's enough," Boromir audibly whispered. Dismayed that Frodo ignored him too, Boromir began raising his voice. "I said that's en-"
"Frodo!" Gandalf's firmer repetition of his name snapped Frodo out of his trance. He quickly tucked the chain and ring under his shirt again. Several members of the Fellowship let out an audible sigh of relief when he did so.
Gandalf then looked at each of the Avengers before continuing his monologue.
"Frodo has in his possession the One Ring. It was forged in the land of Mordor by the Dark Lord, Sauron, in the fires of Mount Doom. He poured into it his cruelty, his malice and his will to dominate all life. One Ring to rule them all.
"With the power of the Ring, Sauron launched his conquest of the lands of Middle-earth. He was resisted by an alliance of Men and Elves who drove his forces right back into the heart of Mordor. The final battle was fought at the very slopes of Mount Doom.
"Sauron himself fought in this battle, the Last Alliance stood powerless before him and the Ring. When all hope had faded, Isildur, the King of Gondor cut the Ring from Sauron's hand. With its loss, Sauron was defeated but he was not destroyed. Seduced by its power, Isildur kept the Ring. The spirit of Sauron endured, allowing the Dark Lord to slowly recuperate his strength."
As Gandalf told this part of the tale, Rogers noticed Aragorn look away ashamed for some reason. Isildur's actions also resonated with Banner with somewhat. Banner had sworn off weapons research ever since his accident. It was why SHIELD's deception in recruiting him to work on the Tesseract particularly rankled. He nonetheless still recognised that, in an imperfect world, weapons of mass destruction were sometimes a necessary evil.
"Why was Isildur wrong to keep the Ring?" asked Banner. "There's some very powerful weapons on Earth. It's not ideal. But, sometimes, they're the only effective defence you've got."
Rogers heard a quiet snort from Boromir indicating agreement with Banner's observation. Gandalf heard it too but opted to ignore it. He instead voiced what he'd hinted to Frodo earlier in the day.
"You remember how the Ring spoke to you, Bruce?" Gandalf knowingly put to him. "And how you felt?"
Banner shifted uncomfortably upon remembering.
"As Mithrandir, Gandalf, says," Legolas intervened. "Sauron poured his very life force into the Ring. It can be used for nought but evil".
"If someone besides Sauron attempts to use the Ring," Aragorn further explained. "At best, they would become completely obsessed by it, driven into the depths of utter madness. At worst, they would rise to be a Dark Lord equal in evil and power to Sauron."
Legolas agreed with a nod. "Sauron and the Ring are one."
"I acknowledge the importance of what you've shared with us," Thor prefaced before turning to Gandalf. "But Gandalf, the events you've described took place three millennia ago. How did Frodo end with the Ring in his possession?"
"Legolas is right," Gandalf replied. "Because the Ring contains Sauron's life-force, it possesses a will of its own. It is a will, Thor, that you and your friends have only experienced a taste of." Gandalf then connected this to the Ring's history. "The Ring betrayed Isildur to his death. It fell into the River Anduin, settling on its floor for two and a half thousand years. Except for a handful, all knowledge of the Ring passed from memory. Then, five hundred years ago, the Ring was found by the creature Gollum.
"Gollum took the Ring into the tunnels of the Misty Mountains. It poisoned Gollum into the type of madness Aragorn described earlier. When the Ring sensed its master's power growing, it abandoned Gollum in an effort to get back to Sauron's hand." Gandalf paused a moment before finally answering Thor's question. "But it never planned upon being picked up by a hobbit. A hobbit named 'Bilbo Baggins'."
Noticing the Avengers staring at Frodo, Gandalf nodded at the connection they were trying to make.
"Yes," Gandalf softly confirmed. "Their sharing of the same surname is no coincidence. Bilbo is Frodo's uncle. For three score years Bilbo kept the Ring in his possession, delaying old age in him. Some months ago, after a great deal of persuasion, Bilbo relinquished the Ring to Frodo who has had it in his keeping ever since.
"The Dark Lord has rebuilt his fortress in Mordor and greatly replenished his forces. Sauron now only needs the One Ring to bring all Middle-earth to his will. With the Ring his victory shall be so total, his power so absolute, that his reign of darkness over Middle-earth shall last until the ending of the world."
Rogers tried comprehending all the information that Gandalf and the others had provided. He compared it to the old saying of trying to drink water coming out of a fire hose. One part of the Fellowship's story particularly didn't make any strategic sense.
"Just to be sure I understand," Rogers began prefacing his argument. "The Ring is all powerful. And it's too dangerous for you to use. And if Sauron gets it back, he'll be Middle-earth's eternal dictator." Seeing the confirming nods he was getting, Rogers then said, "So why not just destroy it and rid yourselves of Sauron in one quick move?! Why does Frodo have to carry it?"
"Destroying the Ring is no simple task, Captain," an understanding Legolas replied.
"At the risk of astonishing everyone else," Gimli dryly added as his first contribution. "But the Elf's right. In Rivendell, I learnt the hard way that the Ring can't be destroyed like some common trinket."
"The Ring was forged in the heart of Mount Doom, only there can it be unmade," Aragorn explained, trying to use his foster father's words at the Council verbatim. "The Ring must be carried deep into Mordor and cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came. As the Ring-bearer, Frodo has volunteered to undertake this quest. The rest of us as representatives of the Free Peoples have resolved to guide and protect him as he completes his task."
"We've witnessed your skills as warriors," Thor began to avoid offence at what he followed up with. "But your Fellowship's numbers appear very inadequate next to its purpose. Why not raise an army to better protect the Ring and clear a path towards Mount Doom?"
A veteran of Gondor's long struggle against Mordor, Boromir answered on the Fellowship's behalf.
"Even if all the forces of the Free Peoples fought as one army under a single banner, in open battle Sauron's forces would overwhelm us with numbers alone. Mordor's protected by long, impenetrable mountain ranges with the exception of its eastern border. But even that is protected by nations of Men allied to Sauron.
"The only approaches from Gondor are two narrow passes that are heavily fortified and guarded by orcs, trolls and even greater evils. With his Great Eye, Sauron is ever watchful for any would be trespassers into his lands."
"Aside from the reasons Boromir has stated, there's another reason for our small numbers," Gandalf added. "An army would certainly attract the attention of Sauron's most powerful servants. They're charged above all else to find the Ring-bearer."
"Who are they?" Rogers asked.
"The nine kings of Men were corrupted by their rings as Sauron planned," Aragorn explained. "One by one they fell into darkness, taking on an existence neither living nor dead. When close enough they can sense the presence of the Ring. They are the Nazgul, the Ring-wraiths."
"Damn right nasty buggers those Black Riders!" Sam interrupted.
By the looks he received, Sam sought to clarify his remarks to Avengers.
"Sorry, for my strong language," Sam apologised, not realising that his adjectives would barely raise an eyebrow on Earth. "But after the way they hurt Frodo at Weathertop, any hurt they suffer is too good for them."
"They were washed away at the Bruinen Ford, perhaps they won't be bothering us for a long time," Merry observed with a hope he did not really feel.
Thor wanted to know more about 'Weathertop' and Frodo's injury. However, he felt there was an important loose end that needed to be tied.
"Where does the one called 'Saruman' fit into what you have told us?" he asked.
The Grey Wizard allowed himself a moment of private grief before explaining.
"Saruman needs the Ring in order to challenge Sauron for dominion of Middle-earth," Gandalf advised. "We are currently coming very close to Saruman's lands. He'll not be idle in trying to secure the Ring before Sauron can."
"Is there anything else you need to tell us?" Banner asked the group.
"I hope not," Pippin commented. "Ever since bumping into Frodo and Sam, there's been too many nasty surprises for my liking."
Seeing that Rogers, Banner and Thor had run out of questions at least for now, Gandalf summarised what they and the Fellowship had just spoken of.
"So now you know the task our Fellowship is embarked on. By accompanying us, the three of you face the greatest dangers that can be faced by the Free Peoples in these dark times. We can give you no promise that by travelling with us, you shall find a way back to your homes. If you wish to leave us because of these risks we'll understand. Our only request is that you do not divulge our location to anyone else, even those claiming to be our friends."
The Fellowship's members looked intently at their three new companions as to how they would answer.
After a few moments of consideration, the Avengers answered individually. Banner spoke first.
"I think we learned earlier danger can exist anywhere in Middle-earth. Even if there wasn't, it's no guarantee we'll get back home sooner." Banner shrugged his shoulders in conclusion. "So, I guess my vote is continuing to go with you."
"My father made me swear an oath to protect each of the Nine Realms," Thor recounted to the Fellowship. "Although the realms did not include Middle-earth, he also taught me that the spirit of an oath is more important than its wording. You have my word as Crown Prince of Asgard that I shall aid you in your task in whatever manner I can."
Finally it was Roger's turn to speak.
"Earlier today, you risked your lives and your mission's secrecy even though you knew nothing about us." Rogers looked at his fellow Avengers before continuing. "My government had an Initiative that created a team – a 'Fellowship' you could say - of extraordinary individuals to fight the battles that Earth's people couldn't. Thor, Bruce, three others and myself are its members. On Earth, our team's known as the 'Avengers'. In the Battle for Middle-earth, the Avengers fight alongside all who oppose Sauron."
The original Fellowship smiled at the words of the three Avengers. Its most important member finally broke his long silence.
"We felt you were honourable from when we first met. But we were still unsure how much we could trust you." The Ring-bearer felt the will of the ring weaken at this unexpected aid. "Thank you for rewarding our faith in allowing you to accompany us."
The Avengers acknowledged Frodo's compliment with smiles of their own.
"Avengers indeed," Gandalf warmly concluded. "The Free Peoples would be comforted to know that, against the growing darkness, both our fellowships shall be standing as one."
Exhausted but uplifted, the original Fellowship enjoyed their best sleep since setting out from Rivendell.
A great amount of dialogue in this chapter. But I thought that being the honourable sorts the Fellowship, would reveal the whole truth. Even if they'd been forced to by a characteristic Pippin faux pas.
Action shall begin to pick up soon as the new, larger Fellowship reaches Moria in the next chapter.