Golden beams of light fill the beautiful but simple room and the lovely lady lays peacefully and almost contentedly in her sleep but today was a day she did not want to go through with.
"My lady, you must get up..." An elf maiden was shaking Elizabeth, who didn't want to get up.
"For what reason?"
"The Council my lady..."
Elizabeth gave the elf maiden a glare but a soft one, "I'm not wearing that bloody corset. Those things can kill. I should know I almost drowned once wearing that bloody thing." Elizabeth remembers a time full of dresses and nobles, who were entirely too stuck up for their own good.
The elf maiden rolled her eyes and made a compromise with today's outfit, "My lady please. We'll pick something else out but you must get up."
After a minute to think about it.
"...Fine."
After less than an hour Elizabeth was ready and looking beautiful. She was wearing a long sleeved dark blue and white gown and her hair was in a single braid that rested on her left shoulder which hid one tattoo.
Aragorn was waiting outside her room to escort her to where the Council of Elrond was being held.
Gandalf and Frodo along with a congregation of Men, Elves and Dwarves sit in a semi-circle around a stone pedestal. Some of the males didn't think she should be there but Elizabeth shut them up pretty quickly and no one complained after that.
Lord Elrond started the council, Elizabeth could barely hear him as she was paying attention to something else or rather someone else.
"Strangers of distant lands, friends of old. You have 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." Gestures to the pedestal. "Bring forth the Ring, Frodo." Elizabeth sees Frodo rise from the corner of her eye and watch as he lays the Ring on the pedestal and returns to his seat.
People start whispering.
A man from Gondor puts his hand to his mouth, "So it is true..."
"The Doom of Men..."
Frodo sits back down and sighs, closing his eyes. Elizabeth reached over and gave a gentle squeeze to the shaken Hobbit's shoulder.
Legolas and Gimli eye the Ring suspiciously as it seemingly speaks to them.
Boromir stands up and shakes head, "It is a gift. A gift to the foes of Mordor. Why not use this Ring?" He paces, "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!" Boromir turns to face Aragon. "None of us can. The One Ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master."
Boromir scathingly, "And what would a ranger know of this matter?"
Legolas stands suddenly, "This is no mere ranger. He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance."
Boromir looks at Aragorn in disbelief. Frodo looks at Aragorn amazed, "Aragorn? This... is Isildur's heir?"
"In other words, he's heir to the throne of Gondor." Elizabeth said suddenly, still looking at the shadows. Frodo looks wide-eyed at Aragorn.
Aragorn sighed, "Havo dad Legolas, Areth."
Boromir turns to Legolas, "Gondor has no King." He walks back to his seat, staring at Aragorn. "Gondor needs no King." He stares at Aragorn disdainfully.
"Aragorn is right. We cannot use it." Gandalf said.
"You have only one choice. The Ring must be destroyed." Lord Elrond told them.
"What are we waiting for?" Gimli grabs an axe and approaches the pedestal, "ARGH!" Gimli strikes the Ring with full force but is repelled back, throwing him to the ground.
Concurrently, Frodo sees the Eye of Sauron in his mind and winces in pain. The Ring remains intact with the shards of the axe all around it. Whispers in the black tongue issue forth from the Ring.
"The Ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli, son of Gloin by any craft that we here possess. 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." Lord Elrond said as the ring whispers in the background. "One of you must do this." Dead silence from the council.
"One does 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 ever watchful. It is 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." Boromir shakes his head, "It is folly!"
Legolas stands indignantly, "Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond has said? The Ring must be destroyed!"
Gimli leaps to his feet, "And I suppose you think you're the one to do it?!"
Boromir rises, "And if we fail, what then?! What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?!"
"I will be dead before I see the Ring in the hands of an elf!" Commotion starts as arguments erupt amongst the council members, "Never trust an elf!"
Elizabeth saw in the corner of her eye Gandalf got into the argument, "Do you not understand that while we bicker amongst ourselves, Sauron's power grows?! None can escape it!"
Frodo remains seated, watching the Ring uneasily, the angry figures of the council reflected on its surface. Suddenly, flames flare up, engulfing the surface of the Ring.
Ash Nazg Durbatuluk! Ash Nazg Gimbatul! Ash Nazg Gimbatul! Ash Nazg Gimbatul!
The intensity of the arguments increase. So Elizabeth made a hand motion and out of nowhere...
Captain Jack Sparrow joins the party with his usual flair.
"Now this is what I call politics!" Jack walks around like he owns the place and some of the elves, who know him, groaned, "It almost reminds me of the Brethren Court, eh Lizzie." Jack walks around and looks at the ring. "All of this just for a little ring." Jack walked around and got into a few people's faces who leaned back to get away from his breath, "It doesn't look like much. Aye?" Jack swagger around again. "So you all can argue on who gets to deal with it and let your greed consume you and let the world die." He made an exaggerated hand motion. "I very much like to stay alive." Jack moves over to where Lord Elrond, Aragorn and Elizabeth. "Or you all can listen to these fine gentlemen and lady and save the world," Jack motioned himself to continue and Elizabeth… well she thinks this is going to be bad or disastrous. "I'm a pirate. A captain. A bloody pirate lord! And yes! I love gold so I know the need but I don't need it to feel... Free. I already got what I wanted and this thing... this little thing has no meaning." Jack picked up the ring and everyone gasped when he put it on. "I mean see! It doesn't even look good on me finger! What a shame. Oh well." Jack put the ring back on the pedestal and grinned at Elizabeth, who has her head in her hand for his...boldness.
"Jack, stand over here now." Elizabeth demanded.
"Aye aye, Your Majesty." Jack teased.
"Quiet. You're not helping." Elizabeth glared.
"Why should we listen to you?!" And just like that everyone snapped out of their daze from the newcomer and everyone went back to arguing.
"Well that didn't take long." Jack commented.
Slowly, determination dawns on Frodo's face. He stands and takes a few steps toward the arguing council, trying to make his voice heard above the din. "I will take it!" They continue to argue, not hearing him say, "I will take it!" Gandalf closes his eyes in sorrow, "I will take the Ring to Mordor." They all stop and look at him in awe. "Tho, I do not know the way."
Gandalf rose from his seat, "I will help you bear this burden Frodo Baggins, as long as it is yours to bear." He walks and stands behind him.
Aragorn, who has so far not joined in the arguments, stands with Elizabeth by his side. "If by my life or death I can protect you, I will. He walks up to Frodo and kneels before him. "You have my sword."
Elizabeth gracefully kneels, "I go where he goes and he goes where I go. You have my sword and my word. This will change you my young friend but know you are not alone."
Gandalf smiles and looks at Elrond who smiles proudly at the two adults.
"And you have my bow." Legolas walks over to join the others.
Gimli, not trusting an elf or a woman, shouts, "And my axe!" Looking at Legolas who grimaces, he too, joins the others.
"You carry the fate of us all little one." Boromir walks towards them, "If this is indeed the will of the Council, then Gondor will see it done."
Peering through the bushes Sam shouts and runs to join Frodo, "Mr Frodo's not going anywhere without me!"
"No indeed it is hardly possible to separate you, even when he is summoned to a secret council and you are not!" Lord Elrond annoyingly said and glared at Jack. Causing Pippin and Merry who were listening to all this from behind some pillars. They ran in.
"Ah! My new eavesdropping friends have joined the party." Jack cheered and pulled out a bottle of wine, where he got it no one knows but he drank some more.
"Wait! We're coming too!" Merry and Pippin ran and joined the others. Elrond looks astounded.
"You'd have to send us home tied up in a sack to stop us." Merry said as strongly as he could.
"Anyway you need people of intelligence on this sort of mission ...quest ...thing" Pippin confusedly said.
Merry rolled his eyes, "Well that rules you out Pip."
Lord Elrond looks at the ten standing together. "Ten companions... So be it! You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring!"
"Great! Where are we going?" Pippin asked, causing a reaction of groaning and amusement.
In the garden of Rivendell, the hobbits stand waiting with Gimli and Boromir. Legolas runs down some steps to join them and smoothly hands Elizabeth a blue rose. Jack is drinking his fill and his escort looks like he wants to run away.
Elizabeth silently chuckles as she touches the petals. "Jack."
He looks at the lady who said his name. "Yes lass?"
"Should I expect you to join us later?"
"I hear that the elves might be leaving and moving on. Whatever that means." Elizabeth shook her head but she knew what it meant. The age of elves is coming to an end and a new age will arise but that all depends on the outcome of this journey. "So yes but it's going to be around the sea, I'm a pirate after all." Jack jokes and walks away with his usual swag.
Elizabeth looks at the horizon and whispers, "So am I."
Elizabeth walks away from the group and without knowing it again, someone found her.
Elizabeth goes to a small clearing. Whenever Aragorn and her come visit Rivendell, this is where she comes and thinks or wants quiet. It's a rosebush that grew into a spiral-like shape and a few pieces of rose vines climbed up the tree. And on the other side of the rose is a waterfall and the moon hits the river just right.
Aragorn and Jack found out she likes this area and placed a bench so that she doesn't sit on the wet grass. But they do respect her privacy and leave her alone until they need her or remind her to eat.
Elizabeth sat on the bench and looked at the stars that shine through the Rose's. With a sigh she got up and found an opening, she reached in and pulled out two swords and a box.
Inside the box were two necklaces one is her nine piece of eighth. The last Brethren Court made new ones to pass down from Lord to Lord. They look about the same but newer to a point. The second necklace was the one Will made for her, the chain was broken but the pendant was still intact. She put the two pendants on one necklace and put it on.
The two swords are her King Sword and Lord Sword both are beautiful and deadly just like their owner.
Elizabeth did a few swings and it was like they never left her hand. She put them to the side and sat down again.
Elizabeth was lost in thought about the garden and the upcoming journey. Although she doesn't look old, she feels the weight of the years she's been in. But hasn't lived. The loss of her family, the wars, time changing, and coming to a different world.
Luckily she was used to the odd and the unexpected. But this journey. This adventure may be what she needs to fully heal.
"So this is where you hide out, my lady." Elizabeth was once again brought out of her thoughts by the same elf from last night.
"Legolas..."
Legolas walked into he was in front of her, making her tilt up her head to look at him. "I was… concerned."
Elizabeth's eyes soften, sometimes subconsciously she compares Legolas and Will, they are different yes but there's something in Legolas's eyes, in his words that very much reminds her of Will but at the same time she can see his age. His eyes almost resemble hers, Jack's and Aragon's. They are all old and they can relate, it's the reason why it's easy to talk to one another.
Elizabeth snapped out of her thoughts when she saw an amused glint in his eyes, "Thank you but you don't-"
The silver prince cuts her off and with three simple words tells her everything she needs to know.
"I want to."
"Thank you..."
Aragorn: Havo dad Legolas, Areth.
Sit down Legolas, Areth.