The next day I wake up early, tangled into the limbs of Chloe next to me. Seeing her completely naked never amazes me. What we did last night blew my mind and exactly what I needed after everything that happened with the Nazgul s and Frodo. I just love this girl so much and that she's willing to give up her immortality for me - well, I would never let her - but it's flattering. Knowing Elves don't sleep, I look down.
,,Man erin, Chlo." ( Good morning, Chlo ) I whisper and see a smile on her face.
,,Man erin, Becs." ( Good morning, Becs ) She answers while opening her gorgeous blue eyes. ,,Vedui dú was amazing a im missed cin so limb!" ( Last night was amazing and I missed you so much! )
,,Yeah, I could tell by the way you yelled my name last night." I joke and poke her side.
,,Hey, don't blame me. You have been gone for four years! I had to entertain myself all this time." My mouth just opens but before I get interrupted by a knock on the door. I quickly get up, get dressed and open the door, blocking the naked Chloe from view. An elven maid is standing in front of me.
,,Lady Neuma, lord Elrond asks for your presence at his council in one hour." He says and gives me a nod.
,,I will be there, thank you." I say and shut the door, turning towards Chloe.
,,Why would lord Elrond want you at the council?" She asks me and smirks when she sees me blush when a small piece of the blanket slides off of her chest, revealing her breasts. She smirks when she sees the lust in my eyes. ,,Like what you see?" I run into the bed again when she gives me a wink. I start kissing her all over her face and move down to her breasts.
,,I can get used to this view." She pushes me off of her, laughing.
,,Becs, you need to get dressed. How much I want to continue this way, lord Elrond wants us to attend his council." I groan and get off of Chloe, pulling her up with me.
,,Fine, get dressed gorgeous." She looks at me. ,,I'm not going anywhere without you. Now get up." I slap her softly against her ass, while she walks to the bathroom. It doesn't take very long for her to return, wearing a beautiful, light green dress of velvet. The neckline runs low, showing a bit more than Chloe is used to. Silky ribbons run around the waist and the edges of the quarter sleeves. ,,Wow." I whisper, taking in her gorgeous body. Chloe winks at me and starts to braid her hair. I always like it when Chloe wears a braid. I comb my hair, leaving most of it down, but pinning a few strands from the front into the back. Chloe grabs my hand and we step out of my bedroom.
,,Should we take a walk first before the council?" Chloe asks me and I'm confused. ,,I want to ask you something important."
,,Sure." I follow her over the nice paths, holding Chloe's hand in mine. I hear several Elves murmuring about the one ring and the eye of Sauron. When Chloe and I get to our favorite spot, we run into Sam and Frodo.
,,Now what have I forgotten?" Sam murmurs. I walk up to him.
,,Packed already?" I ask.
,,No harm in being prepared." He says in defense.
,,I thought you wanted to see the elves, Sam." Frodo says to his best friend.
,,I did see the Elves." Sam looks over to Chloe. ,,They're beautiful and so nice to other folk." Chloe smiles. ,,It's just - well, we did what Gandalf wanted didn't we? We got the ring this far to Rivendell and I thought... seeing as how you're on the mend, we'd be off soon... off home."
,,You're right, Sam. We did what we set out to do, the ring will be safe in Rivendell. I am ready to go home." Frodo says. I smile at them, grab Chloe's hand and walk away to our second favorite spot.
,,What did you want to ask me?" I ask Chloe while pulling her towards me.
,,What is your destiny after Rivendell?"
,,I was heading to Edoras. But that was before Gandalf asked me to lead Frodo to here. I'm not sure if I'm going to Edoras now."
,,Well, Legolas has been summoned by lord Elrond for his council. I begged him to go with him because I knew you were on your way to Rivendell too."
,,How did you know?"
,,Gandalf." I should've known. ,,If I go back to Mirkwood, would you come with me?" I look at Chloe now, not expecting that question.
,,You want to live together in Mirkwood?" Chloe nods. ,,But I'm not immortal like you. What will you do if I'm gone?"
,,Becs, please. You know I don't like it when you talk like that. I want to be with you. I love you." I smile at her and kiss her lightly.
,,I'll think about it." I tell her. ,,I want to attend the council I've been invited to first, hearing what grandfather is about to do now there's war." Chloe nods understandably.
Suddenly as we're walking further, a single clear bell rings out. Not knowing what that bells mean, I choose to ignore it and just keep on walking with Chloe's hand in mine, that is until Gandalf shows up.
,,What are you still doing here, Neuma? That bell is the warning bell for the council of Elrond. You've been invited, right?" I nod and want to go with him, but he stops me. ,,Only you were invited, Neuma. Lostariel has to wait in your room for when you come back." I shake my head.
,,I'm not going anywhere without Lostariel. So, either Elrond let us both in his council or neither of us." Gandalf looks from me to Chloe and back. He sighs.
,,Come along now! I'm sure your grandfather doesn't mind one more guest." I smile as Chloe and I follow the wizard quickly along the winding path back to the house. Gandalf leads us to the porch where Frodo has found his friends the evening before. The light of the clear autumn morning is now glowing in the valley. The noise of bubbling waters come up from the foaming river-bed. Birds are singing, and a wholesome peace lies on the land. The rumors of the darkness growing in the world outside, already seems only the memories of a troubled dream to me; but the faces that are turning to meet us as we enter are grave. Elrond is here, and several others are seated in silence around him. Elrond draws Frodo to a seat by his side and presents him to the company.
,,Here, my friends, is the hobbit, Frodo, son of Drogo. Few have ever come hither through greater peril or on an errand more urgent." He then points out and then points out who is here. There is a younger dwarf at Gloin's side: his son Gimli. Beside Glorfindel there are several other counselors of Elrond's household, of whom Erestor is the chief; and with an errand from Círdan the Shipwright. Then there is Legolas, a messenger from his father, Thranduil, the king of the Elves of Northern Mirkwood. Also the adoptive father of Lostariel. And seated a little apart is a tall man with a fair and noble face, dark-hair and grey-eyes, proud and stern of glance. He is cloaked and booted as if for a journey on horseback. He has a collar of silver in which a single white stone is set; his locks are shorn about his shoulders. On a baldric he wears a great horn tipped with silver that now lays upon his knees. We all listen while Elrond in his clear voice speaks of Sauron and the rings of power and their forging in the Second Age of the world long ago. A part of his tale is known to some of the guests here, but the full tale to none and many eyes are turned to Elrond in fear and wonder as he tells of the Elven-smiths or Eregion and their friendship with Moria. He tells about the Elves their eagerness for knowledge, by which Sauron ensnared them.
,,For in that time he was not yet evil to behold and they received his aid and grew mighty in craft, whereas he learned all their secrets and betrayed them. He forged secretly in the Mountain of Fire the One ring to be their master. But Celebrimbor was aware of him and hid the three which he had made and there was war. The land was laid waste and the gate of Moria was shut. Then through all the years that followed he traced the ring." He also speaks of Númenor; its glory and its fall. The return of the kings of Men to Middle-Earth out of the depths of the sea, born upon the wings of storm. Then he tells about Elendil and his mighty sons, Isildur and Anárion, who became great lords and the North-Realm they made in Arnor. And lastly he tells about the last alliance of Elves and Men and the hosts of Gil-Galad and Elendil. Elrond pauses a while before sighing.
,,I remember well the splendor of their banners," He says. ,,it recalled to me of the glory of the Elder days and the hosts of Beleriand, so many great princes and captains were assembled. And yet not so many, nor so fair, as when Thangorodrim was broken and the Elves deemed that evil was ended forever, and it was not so."
,,You remembered?" Frodo says, speaking his thoughts aloud in his astonishment. ,,But I thought," He stammers as Elrond turns towards him. ,,I thought that the fall of Gil-Galad was a long Age ago."
,,So it was indeed," Answers Elrond. ,,but my memory reaches back even to the Elder days. ,,Eärendil was my sire, who was born in Gondolin before its fall; and my mother was Elwing, daughter of Dior, son of Lúthien of Doriath. I have seen three ages in the West of the world and many defeats, and many fruitless victories. I was the herald of Gil-Galad and marched with his host. I was at the Battle of Dagorlad before the black gate of Mordor. I beheld the last combat on the slopes of Orodruin, where Gil-Galad died, just like my son Elrohir." By Elrond speaking out my fathers name, Chloe squeezes my hand in reassurance. ,,Elendil fell and Narsil broke beneath him. But Sauron himself was overthrown and Isildur cut the ring from his hand with the hilt-shard of his father's sword." Elrond sighs once again. ,,And then he took the ring for himself." At this, the stranger, Boromir, breaks in.
,,So that is what became of the ring!" He cries. ,,If ever such a tale was told in the South, it has long been forgotten. I have heard of the great ring of him that we do not name; but we believed that it perished from the world in the ruin of his first realm. Isildur took it! That is tidings indeed."
,,Yes." Elrond says. ,,Isildur took it, as should not have been. It should have been cast then into Orodruin's fire where it was made. But few marked what Isildur did. He alone stood by his father in that last mortal contest; and by Gil-Galad only Círdan stood, and I. Isildur would not listen to our counsel." Elrond looks around now. ,,But back to where we are here right now. ,,You've 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." Elrond looks at Frodo now. ,,Bring forth the ring, Frodo." He says. Frodo stands up and places the ring on the pedestal in the center. I look at it closely.
,,So it is true." Boromir, holds his hand to his mouth, while Frodo sighs in relief. I see that Legolas is hearing something that comes from the ring, just like Lostariel and Gimli. Now it's my turn to squeeze Chloe's hand reassuringly. Boromir stands up now. ,,In a dream I saw the Eastern sky grow dark, but in the West a pale light lingered. The voice is crying, your doom is near at hand." He steps closer to the ring, almost as if its drawing him in. ,,Isildur's bane is found." I see Elrond looking at Gandalf with concern. Boromir stretches out his hand to the ring. ,,Isildur's bane." Elrond jumps to his feet.
,,Boromir!" The sky darkens and Gandalf begins to speak in black speech, Boromir jumps back.
,,Ash nazg durbatulûk, ash nazg gimbatul." Gimli starts shouting, while Chloe, Elrond and I hold our heads in pain. Legolas closes his eyes grimacing. ,,Ash nazg thrakatulûk, agh burzum-ishi krimpatul!" I stare at the ring and Boromir sits back on his seat. The sky clears and the sun reappears.
,,Never before has anyone uttered words of that tongue here in Imladris." Elrond says.
,,I do not ask your pardon Master Elrond for the black speech of Mordor may yet be heard in every corner of the West." He turns around to look at everyone here. ,,The ring is altogether evil." He turns so sit back down. Boromir shakes his head.
,,No, it's a gift!" He stands up. ,,A gift to the foes of Mordor. Why not use this ring?" He walks around addressing everyone, including me and Chloe. ,,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."
,,You cannot wield it." Aragorn says now. ,,None of us can." Boromir turns to look at Aragorn. ,,The one ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master."
,,And what would a ranger know of this matter?" Legolas stands up now.
,,This is no mere ranger. He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance." He tells Boromir, who looks at Aragorn in disbelief.
,,Aragorn? So, this is Isildur's heir?"
,,And heir to the throne of Gondor." Legolas finishes. Aragorn holds his hand up.
,,Havo dad, Legolas." He tells him. Boromir turns to Legolas.
,,Gondor has no king." He walks back to his seat, staring at Aragorn. ,,Gondor needs no king." Everyone sits in silence for a while, until the question in my head grows strong and I speak up.
,,He is a small thing, you say, this Gollum? Small, but great in mischief. What became of him, Elrond? To what doom did you put him?"
,,He is in prison, but no worse. He had suffered much. There is no doubt that he was tormented and the fear of Sauron lies black on his heart. Still, I for one, am glad that he is safely kept by the watchful Elves of Mirkwood. His malice is great and gives him a strength hardly to be believed in one so lean and withered. He could work much mischief still, if he were free. And I do not doubt that he was allowed to leave Mordor on some evil errand."
,,Alas!" Cries Legolas and in his fair elvish face there is great distress. ,,The tidings that I was sent to bring must now be told. They are not good, but only here have I learned how evil they may seem to this company. Sméagol, who is now called Gollum, has escaped."
,,Escaped?" I look at Legolas now.
,,That is ill news, indeed." Aragorn says calmly. ,,We shall all rue it bitterly. How did the folk of Thranduil fail in their trust?"
,,Not through lack of watchfulness," Legolas says. ,,but perhaps through over-kindliness. And we fear that the prisoner had aid from others, and that more is known of our doings than we could wish. We guarded this creature day and night, at Gandalf's bidding, much though we were weary of the task. But Gandalf bade us hope still for his cure, and we had not the heart to keep him ever in dungeons under the earth, where he would fall back into his old black thoughts."
,,You were less tender to me." Says Gloín with a flash of his eyes.
,,Now come, pray do not interrupt, my good Gloín. That was a regrettable misunderstanding, long set right." Says Gandalf. ,,If all the grievances that stand between Elves and Dwarves are to be brought up here, we may as well abandon this council." Legolas thanks Gandalf and continues.
,,In the days of fair weather we led Gollum through the woods; and there was a high tree standing alone far from the others which he liked to climb. He refused to come down. It was that very night of summer, yet moonless and starless, that Orcs came on us at unawares. We drove them off after some time; they were many and fierce, but they came from over the mountains, and were unused to the woods. When the battle was over, we found that Gollum was gone. We have failed to recapture Gollum. We came on his trail among those of many Orcs, and it plunged deep into the forest, going South."
,,Well, he is gone." Says Gandalf. ,,We have no time to seek him again."
,,You know, Aragorn is right." Lostariel speaks up now. ,,Nobody can use the ring." Elrond shakes his head in agreement and stands up again.
,,You only have one choice. The ring must be destroyed." Boromir shakes his head, looking down disappointed. I see Frodo looking at the ring.
,,What are we waiting for?" Gimli asks, raising his axe and slashing it down on the ring. The axe breaks and Gimli is thrown on the floor, while the ring is undamaged. Frodo holds his head in pain. Gandalf looks at Frodo with concern as words are uttered from the ring.
,,The ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli, son of Gloín, by any craft that we possess here. The ring was made in the fires of Mount Doom. Only there it can be unmade. It must be taken deep into Mordor and cast back into the fire chasm from where it came." The ring continues to whisper. ,,One of you..." He looks around. ,,must do this." There's silence.
,,You do 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 always watching. It's 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's suicide." Boromir shakes his head. Legolas stands up angrily.
,,Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond has said? The ring must be destroyed."
,,And I suppose you think you're the one to do it." Gimli yells.
,,And if we fail, what then?" Boromir says, standing up as well. I look over at Chloe, knowing this is not good. ,,What happens if Sauron takes back what is his?" Gimli stands up now too.
,,I will be dead before I see the ring in the hands of an elf." He yells. Now every elf stands up, joining the fight.
,,Do you not understand that while we bicker amongst ourselves, Sauron's power grows? None can escape it! You'll all be destroyed!" Gandalf says, joining in the fight. I watch Frodo, the only one who has not stood up, beside me. He stares at the ring, then hesitates before standing up.
,,I will take it!" No one hears him over the fight. ,,I will take it!" He says again. Gandalf closes his eyes and everyone turns to look at Frodo. ,,I will take the ring to Mordor." He says, quieter now. ,,Though, I do not know the way." Gandalf walks over to him.
,,I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins, as long as it is yours to bear." He says, standing behind Frodo. Aragorn wants to join too but is held back by Elrond.
,,You can't go with them, Aragorn. You're too important." I release Chloe's hand, knowing I need to help Frodo as much as I can, since I brought him here in the first place. I walk over to Frodo. ,,If by my life or death I can protect you, I will." I say, kneeling before Frodo. ,,You have my sword." I see Chloe looking down, contemplating.
,,And my bow." Legolas joins Frodo.
,,And my axe." Gimli joins as well, glaring at Legolas. Boromir walks over.
,,You carry the fate of us all, little one. If this is indeed the will of the council, then Gondor will see it done." Boromir walks up.
,,As will I." I hear Chloe say and see her standing up. She walks to Frodo and takes her place next to me. The hobbit smiles gratefully.
,,Mr. Frodo is not going anywhere without me!" Sam burst out of the bushes and jumps forward.
,,No indeed. It's hardly possible to separate you, even when he is summoned to a secret council and you are not." Elrond smiles softly. Merry and Pippin come running forward as well.
,,Wait! We're coming too!" Merry yells, as they stand beside Frodo. Elrond looks astonished. ,,You'll have to send us home tied in a sack to stop us!"
,,Anyway, you need people of intelligence on this sort of mission... quest... thing." Pippin says defensively.
,,Well, that rules you out, Pip." Merry says, looking at him. I turn to Chloe.
,,Are you sure you want to come?" I whisper. Chloe looks into my eyes, while holding my hand.
,,Wherever you go, I'll go." She whispers back, when Elrond looks at this group that has formed so quickly.
,,Ten companions. So be it! You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring!" He announces. Pippin looks around.
,,Great! Where are we going?" We laugh as we part. Our group needs to pack things for our journey. I grab Chloe's hand and bring her with me to my bedroom.
,,Thank you for letting me come with you, Becs." Chloe tells me before kissing me. ,,I can't stay here and wait for months until you come back." I intertwine my fingers with hers.
,,I can't do it without you," I tell her and kiss her back. ,,now let's start packing and end this day with a lot of exploring." I give her a wink and she starts blushing. She immediately agrees and follows my example by grabbing the things we need. When we're done packing, I lead her over to my bed to explore each other all night.