Bilbo had never seen so many races gathered in one place. There were men from the kingdom of Gondor, Elves from Mirkwood and Rivendell as well as Dwarves from both Erebor and the Iron Hills. He, as usual, was the only Hobbit. They were all gathered around a small stone pedestal in Thranduil's garden. Gandalf stood back to watch the proceedings from a distance, Bilbo wished he could do the same.
"Let us begin this meeting." Thranduil announced, "Bring forth the Ring."
Tentatively Bilbo stepped forward and removed the ring from it's chain, placing it on the cold stone. It was unusually silent but he wasn't going to complain about that. He felt quietly proud that as he retreated back to the others he didn't feel at all obliged to go back and snatch the Ring for himself.
"What shall be done?" Elrond asked, being the first to speak up, "The longer the Ring stays in one place, the more likely agents of Mordor will come for it."
"Why don't we use this ring against them?" Spoke up one of the humans from Gondor. Boromir, the eldest prince if Bilbo was correct. He'd not been paying attention when they had all introduced one another.
"If we create an army of elves, Dwarfs and men with this Ring at the lead even Sauron's forces will fall." He continued, Bilbo could see several men and Dwarves from the Iron Hills nodding in agreement.
"It will not work," Aragorn argued, "The Ring needs to be destroyed."
"And I suppose you think you are the right man to do it." Boromir snapped, "Your blood line failed once already in that regard."
Fili, Kili and Bilbo glanced at one another, what on earth did that mean.
Elrond nodded, "I was there all those years ago with Isildur, he wanted the Ring for good as well but it betrayed him."
"He is Isildur's heir, not Isildur himself." Arwen argued, making Bilbo jump, he'd not even noticed she was here.
"He can be trusted." She insisted with fire in her eyes, Bilbo believed her. He knew better than anybody that blood only went so far in determining what sort of person you grew to be.
"Wasn't Isildur king of Gondor?" Fili whispered.
"But, that would mean Aragorn should be king, doesn't it?" Kili whispered back, Bilbo nodded. That was a curious situation, but it was not their place to meddle with the politics of men.
"We Dwarves are the best metal workers in Middle Earth." Dain, king of the Iron Hills argued, "If anybody knows how to melt down a Ring it's us."
"You can't just throw it in a forge, Dain." Thorin bit back.
"Who needs a forge?" The other king challenged, lifting his axe and bringing it down on the Ring only to be forced backwards. The metal made an awful clash that had Bilbo clutching at his sensitive ears until the ringing ended. The gathering looked in awe at Dain's axe, which was now bent, while the Ring showed no sign of cuts or dents.
"There is only one way to destroy this Ring," Elrond warned, "It must be cast back into the fires of Mount Doom from whence it came."
"Then I will take it." Boromir offered, "The men of Gondor are used to harsh conditions, Mordor will prove no problem for us."
"No, let us take it." Dain argued, "Dwarves can move across land without being seen much more easily than an army of fool hardy men."
"Dain this is no time for insults." Thorin scolded.
"I suppose you want to take it yourselves then?" Thranduil sneered, "Trust the line of Durin with a magical Ring that promises power? Yes, that sounds like a winning plan."
"Why you-!"
"Shut your mouth you tree shagger!" Kili growled.
Bilbo could only watch as the meeting turned into an all out war of the words. People were even fighting with their own kind now, the Hobbit could barely hear himself think above the din. Thorin and Dain were practically at each other's throats, while the men and Elves were arguing with anybody who would listen. Gandalf was doing his best to calm everybody down but one voice of reason did little over thirty of madness.
Then, over the noise Bilbo heard the Ring's whispering again. He couldn't make out the words but the evil intent was clear. He eyed the small golden band with suspicions he watch the reflection of the fight in it's metal. The Ring was causing this fighting, it was spreading mistrust and anger without even being worn.
"I'll take it!" He yelled, "I'll take the ring to Mordor."
Silence.
"You?" One of the human soldiers sneered, "A Hobbit, brave Mordor?"
"I've carried it this long without succumbing haven't I?" Bilbo challenged, "But...I wont be able to do it on my own."
"You wont." Thorin insisted, "We will go with you."
"And me." Legolas offered, coming to stand with them.
"And I." Aragorn offered.
The men looked at one another, clearly they would not win this fight.
"I shall go too." Boromir announced, "You will need a swords man that can aim a little higher than their enemies knees."
It was a cheap shot but some how i didn't seem like Boromir really doubted the Dwarves fighting skills and Bilbo found himself chuckling.
"You never can do things the easy way can you?" Gandalf sighed fondly at the Hobbit, "Only you could unite a group of every good race in Middle Earth with only a few words you stubborn Dwarf."
Bilbo saw the confusion cross several faces at him being called a Dwarf but it made him beam.
"It is decided then." Elrond declared standing and picking up the Ring before handing it back to Bilbo, "You and your party shall take the Ring to Mordor and have it cast back into the fire."
Proudly and with a small amount of fear, Bilbo placed the Ring back around his neck.
"I name this gathering, The Fellowship of the Ring."
MAN that took so long to write!