A.N. Hello all! So, this chapter came about a little easier because all I had to do was use most of the original work I did for the very first edition of this story. Very helpful. You don't know how grateful I was to realize this. This is why I hand write everything first. Also, this chapter is a bit longer than the others; just a warning. 😊 Thank you for reading, and I hope you like it!
Disclaimer: I own nothing except my original characters and plot points.

There was an expectant tension surrounding the council the next morning. Since there was no way to avoid it, Danica had joined them, sitting between Thorin and Dwalin. Thorin had seen her give a courteous nod to Boromir, but he could still only manage a glare. Many others surrounded them. Men, elves, and dwarves all congregated in a semi-circle. Thorin recognized Legolas, and some of his kin, as well as a couple of men from Rohan. Danica had introduced him to the man, Aragorn, when they had broken their fast. He seemed to have a wiser, more gentle nature about him than most men.

Once they were all seated, Elrond brought Frodo forward, and explained some of his hardships, then invited Thorin to report Sauron's attempts on the north.

"His dark shadow fell on Erebor many years ago, as some of you know," he began, standing so all could see him. "Nigh on 80 years ago, he sought an alliance with the dragon who had stolen our home. Once the beast was killed, he turned his attention to my queen, wanting to use her and her knowledge to further his plans. It was because of his attempt to abduct her that we were taken into our future; to now. Ever since then, his evil presence has stalked my people. Before I returned, there were whispers of how our people had settled with Erebor, and should once again seek the wealth of Moria,"

Gloin now stood, as he had been around through every year of Fili's reign. "Since the Battle of Moria, we have stayed away, dreading what was awoken many generations ago. However, after years of listening to the whispers, Balin left with a large company to reclaim it. Everything seemed fine for a while, but then they stopped contacting Erebor. Not long after, he began seeing an alliance with our king, promising us even more wealth, as well as full reign of Moria. Fili has denied him multiple times, and so our home has been under constant attack by packs of orcs. There is now a bounty on Fili's head, as well as Thorin's. King Brand of Dale has been less decisive, for he is afraid of an assault against his people. We fear that his will may not hold out,"

Elrond nodded. "Many have that same fear, and rightly so,"

"There was also a more recent attack on my wife," Thorin continued, not bothering to hide his anger. "While in Gondor, she was made vulnerable to the enemy, who nearly triumphed over her,"

Low gasps and murmurs rippled through the air, and many looked accusingly at Boromir, and the others from Gondor.

"So, that is why trade has run dry between the north and south," one of the Rohirrim said. "Has Sauron's had indeed reached so far into Gondor that it now clasps the Steward by the throat?"

The men from Gondor vaulted to their feet, and had to be held back by the dwarves as they made to attack the men from Rohan.

"Enough!" Danica's voice reverberated off the surrounding pillars and trees, silencing the chaos. She stood as well, moving between the arguing parties. "It is not Sauron's will that is ruling Minas Tirith. Anything that is done there is to try and foil an assault against Gondor. Matters are complicated, but my quarrel with them is over, so no one else should fight with them," she waited until the men promised to remain peaceful, then spoke again. "We have far more important things to discuss here,"

"She is right," Gandalf said. "For why else would so many from different races and kingdoms come to the same place without being summoned?"

A sense of embarrassment hung over the men as they sat back down. Thorin felt a sense of pride in his wife, who was clearly respected by these powerful men, despite her size, and soft appearance.

"Stranger than everything we have already spoken of, is how fervently Sauron seeks Bilbo and his Ring," Thorin continued, remaining on his feet. "One of his conditions for our 'reward' was to bring Bilbo and the Ring to him. It is part of the reason we came; to warn Bilbo and Frodo,"

He glanced at the hobbits, who both looked afraid. If only Bilbo had never found the Ring…

"You have suffered far more than your share, Thorin Oakenshield," Elrond said. "As has Lady MacKay, but I am afraid the worst is yet to come for this world. For the ring Bilbo took all those years ago is the One Ring,"

As some of the members of the council looked at each other in shock, Elrond began the tale of the forging of the Rings in the Second Age. It was a tale many of them only knew part of. He spoke of Sauron's deception, and Isildur's failure. Though he didn't know how or when, he knew Gollum had come into possession of it long before Bilbo eventually found it. Throughout his speech, Thorin saw many of the council glancing at Danica, as if waiting for her to jump up and give them all the information they needed. However, once talk turned to Gondor, eyes went back to Boromir. As Elrond told of Gondor's history, and the peril it faced, Thorin could see the man's pride in his land and people.

"So, now it is up to us to counsel about the doom of the world. Bring forth the Ring, Frodo," Elrond gestured to the halfling, who looked around nervously, before coming forward and placing the Ring on a pedestal in the center of them all.

A silence fell upon them as they eyed it warily. To think that such a small trinket could be powerful enough to bring about the end of the world as they knew it. They were all staring, intently, but none more so than Boromir. He stood, slowly, and spoke as if in a trance.

"A dream; shared by me and my brother. The eastern sky seemed to grow dark, and thunder came from the mountains. Out of the west, a pale light lingered, and I heard a voice cry out from it:

'Seek for the Sword that was broken:
In Imladris it dwells;
There shall be counsels taken
Stronger than Morgul-spells.
There shall be shown a token
That Doom is near at hand,
For Isildur's Bane shall waken,
And the Halfling forth shall stand.'"

He looked at Frodo for a moment, then back at the Ring, his hand outstretched. "Isildur's Bane…"

A few of them stood, shouting stop him, but it was Gandalf's voice that had everyone cringing back in their seats. His words were foreign, but by the darkening of the sky, and the fear in his heart, Thorin knew it must be the language of Mordor. The sound of it silenced the birds, and had the elves frowning in pain. Danica, as well, had her eyes squeezed shut, and clenched her fists on his sleeve. When Gandalf finished, the light came back, but it was a few breaths before anyone could make a sound.

"Never before has anyone dared to utter the words of that tongue here in Imladris, Gandalf," Elrond's face and voice were stern.

"I do not ask your pardon, Master Elrond. For the Black speech of Mordor may yet be heard in every corner of the west. The Ring is altogether evil,"

"It is a gift," Boromir said, eyes bright. "A gift to the foes of Mordor. Long has my father, the steward of Gondor kept the enemy 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," the man Danica had introduced as Aragorn interjected. "None of us can. The Ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master,"

"And what would a Ranger know of this matter?" Boromir sneered, heightening Thorin's dislike of him even more.

Legolas stood swiftly, anger plain on his face. "This is no mere Ranger. He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance,"

Boromir's eyes widened slightly, taking a second look at the man. "Aragorn? This is Isildur's heir?"

"And heir to the throne of Gondor,"

Raising a hand, Aragorn said something in elvish, which had the elf prince sitting. Boromir glared at them both.

"Gondor has no king," he said as he walked back to his seat. "Gondor needs no king,"

Thorin narrowed his eyes at him, second-guessing his promise to Danica to try and remain civil. Clearly, this man did not deserve it. On Dwalin's other side, Kayli tightened her jaw in restraint. To all of their surprise, Bilbo suddenly stood, and spoke.

"All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken;
The crownless again shall be king,"

Bilbo sat down with a huff, sending Boromir a look that dared him to argue. Aragorn gave Bilbo a smile, as did Thorin. When the hobbit looked at Thorin, it was clear that he thought of that speech to apply to Thorin as well.

"Aragorn is right," Gandalf then said. "We cannot use it,"

"You have only one choice," said Elrond. "The Ring must be destroyed,"

They paused, looking at the Ring, but then one of the men from Gondor spoke up.

"What does the Lady Danica think?"

When everyone once again looked at her, Thorin wanted nothing more than to tell them all to leave her alone. Danica didn't shrink under the pressure and scrutiny. Instead, she remained calm and composed, looking around the group.

"I agree with Lord Elrond," she announced. "No good could ever come from using that Ring,"

"And would such a quest be successful?" another man questioned.

"That I cannot say," her voice gave the air of ignorance, but Thorin knew it was because she didn't want anyone knowing of her regained memories.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Gimli growled, grabbing his axe.

"Gimli!" Thorin tried to stop him, but it was too late.

The axe shattered upon impact, throwing Gimli back. Thorin stood with Gloin to help Gimli up as he stared in disbelief at the Ring, which had not even a scratch on it.

"The Ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli, son of Gloin, by any craft that we here possess," the look on Elrond's face was both understanding, and regretful. "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,"

So, this was it; the quest Danica had spoken of all those years ago. He could finally see why she had fought so hard to keep their course as close to what she knew as possible. If just one thing had gone wrong, the Ring could have fallen into the wrong hands. He shared a look with her, and took her hand, letting her know that he was beginning to understand how heavy her burden must have been.

"Why is Saruman not here?" one of the elves asked. "Will he not help us?"

Gandalf and Elrond exchanged a dark look.

"I am afraid Saruman no longer considers himself our ally," Gandalf responded grimly. "He has been seduced by false promises of power, and now fights for the enemy,"

Everyone spoke furiously about this, especially the elves.

"That is ill news, indeed," a Mirkwood elf said, "and will make this quest that much more difficult,"

"Difficult?" Boromir scoffed. "One does not simply walk into Mordor. Its black gates are guarded by more than just rocs. 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. It is folly!"

"Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond has said?" Legolas disdained, once again jumping to his feet. "The Ring must be destroyed!"

Incensed, Gimli also rose. "And I suppose you think you're the one to do it?!"

Thorin sent Gloin an exasperated glare, blaming him for his son's behavior, but he was clearly on his son's side. Tala shook his head with a sigh.

"And if we fail, what then?" Boromir questioned. "What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?!"

Kayli now stood as well, looking ready to confront Boromir, but Gimli's words stopped her.

"I will be dead before I see the Ring in the hands of an elf!"

This brought on complete chaos, as nearly everyone else rose, and began yelling. There seemed to be at least four different arguments happening at once. Elrond sat, knowing no one would listen to him. Gandalf, on the other hand, began trying to yell above them all.

"Do you not understand that while we bicker amongst ourselves, Sauron's power grows?!"

Thorin couldn't hear any more of his words, so loud did the arguing become. Trying to at least calm his own people, Thorin put a hand on Stonehelm and Dwalin's shoulders to get their attention. However, he happened to hear one elf spit out an insult concerning dwarves' love of gold over everything and everyone, and his control snapped. He began yelling along with his kin, all reason lost. Something bumped the back of his leg, and he turned to see Danica kneeling on the ground. Immediately, he, Tala, and Dwalin, knelt beside her, and helped her back to her seat. She was pale and clammy, with a tinge of green around her neck. Thorin tried to ask if she was alright, but she waved them away, pointing behind them.

"I will take it!"

The small voice had to repeat the phrase a couple of times before everyone quieted down. Thorin's heart sank as he looked at the young hobbit, so very small and innocent.

"I will take the Ring to Mordor," Frodo said, softer now that he had everyone's attention. "Though…I do not know the way,"

Sadness and respect replaced the anger and bitterness from before. Everyone looked down at Frodo, with a mixture of awe and regret. Bilbo had tears in his eyes. Also looking somber, Gandalf walked over.

"I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins, as long as it is yours to bear,"

Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and, much to Thorin's dismay, Boromir pledged themselves to the quest as well. To all of their amusement, the other three hobbits jumped out, and stood beside their kin. Thorin had to hold Tala back to keep him from joining, which earned him a reproachful glare from the young dwarf.

"Nine companions," Elrond mused. "So be it. You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring,"

Excitement filled the air, and it was apparent that at least some of them were eager to be on their way, but Elrond bade them all sit down again. There was much still to do and discuss before the quest could being. Gandalf and Elrond wanted to send scouts to ascertain the whereabouts of the Black Riders, and see if any roads were safe. It could take nearly two months, which meant that the hobbits would stay in Rivendell. The rest of the Fellowship offered their services as scouts, and would leave the next day. Thorin knew he and the others should take their leave soon as well. Danica was the first to leave the council, still looking unwell. Before Thorin could follow, Bilbo approached him.

"You will stay for a little while, won't you? Perhaps a couple of weeks?"

Doubtful, Thorin opened his mouth, but Bilbo beat him to it again.

"It has been a while, and we have much to catch up on. You could help me with my book,"

Unable to keep from smiling, Thorin looked at the other dwarves for their opinion. Stonehelm just shrugged, while Gloin and Dwalin also smiled.

"A couple of weeks to rest couldn't hurt," Dwalin decided. "Besides, Dani looks like she could use it,"

That was true enough, and Bilbo beamed when Thorin nodded his head. When the old hobbit took Thorin's arm to lead him away, Thorin looked back at Kayli.

"Would you check on Danica? If she remains as ill as she looked, she will need someone to look after her,"

Kayli smiled tenderly. "Of course,"

As he walked away, Thorin found it amazing how quickly women could bond. Shaking his head, he looked down at Bilbo.

"Are you alright with Frodo taking this quest on?" he asked. "After all, your own was perilous enough,"

Bilbo sighed, some of his energy leaving him. "The lad has always been adventurous and independent," he replied. "Even when I spoke truthfully about the dangers of our quest, his eyes would light up, and I would catch him playing pretend later that day. He has a strong heart, but I can already see how much he has been affected. I worry for him. Though I am grateful for those who have volunteered to help, I wish you, Dwalin, and Dani could accompany him,"

"He is in good hands," Thorin said. "There are strong, loyal warriors on his side, and we both know that Gandalf is a force to be reckoned with,"

"True," a smile eased some of the pain from Bilbo's features. "You'll just need to keep reminding me of that in the time that you're here. Also, I would appreciate it if you could speak with Frodo at some point. Encourage him, if you will. You were one of his heroes, growing up, and it may help him feel more courage before he disembarks,"

"I would be glad to," though how could one encourage someone who had taken on such a massive burden? It was something he would have to ponder over.